US House Budget bill passes, which would also free up FDA user fees

The US House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Republican, Wisconsin) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (Democrat, Washington) announced a two-year budget agreement that they say will “reduce the deficit - without raising taxes…it cuts spending in a smarter way…prevent(s) another government shutdown and roll(s) back sequestration’s cuts to defense and domestic investments in a balanced way.” The bipartisan bill breezed through the House on a 332-94 vote.

The agreement sets discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion - about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. It provides $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. As far as the health care sector is concerned, it would exempt from federal budget cuts the $1 billion or so that drug and medical device maker pay the Food and Drug Administration for reviewing their products.

Welcomed by BIO