Committee moves telehealth, Healthy Start reauthorization and Public Health Service leave bill; unanimous or near-unanimous votes

During the same markup, the Energy and Commerce Committee approved three additional measures addressing telehealth, maternal and infant health, and Public Health Service officer benefits.

HR 3419, a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Telehealth Network and Telehealth Resource Center programs administered by HRSA, was presented by Representative David Valadao’s colleagues and described as a way to "close access gaps" in rural and frontier areas. The committee adopted HR 3419; the clerk recorded 48 ayes and 0 nays on the roll call.

HR 3302, the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2025, received bipartisan support. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) both spoke to the program's role in reducing infant mortality and supporting prenatal and postpartum services. The committee recorded 49 ayes and 0 nays on the bill.

HR 2846, which would align leave benefits for commissioned officers of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with other uniformed services, was advanced with a roll-call recorded as 46 ayes and 0 nays. Supporters pointed to past deployments of the Commissioned Corps during infectious-disease outbreaks and international responses.

All three bills were sent to the full House with bipartisan support; committee leaders asked implementing agencies for updates and oversight reports as appropriate.