Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-24

Text of Senate Amendment 6217

HealthcareEnvironmentDefense

Context

On 2026-06-24, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6217" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 6217

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3389] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6217. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. _. HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS. Section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-18(e)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``Each hospital'' and inserting the following: ``(1) In general.--Each hospital''; (2) by inserting ``, in accordance with paragraph (2),'' after ``for each year''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(2) Timing requirements.-- ``(A) In general.--Each hospital operating in the United States on the date of enactment of this paragraph shall, not later than 6 months after such date of enactment and every year thereafter, establish (and update) and make public the list under paragraph (1). ``(B) Newly operating hospitals.--In the case of a hospital that begins operating in the United States after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the hospital shall comply with the requirements described in subparagraph (A) not later than 6 months after the date on which the hospital begins such operation and every year thereafter. ``(3) Prohibition on shielding information.--No hospital may shield the information required under paragraph (1) from online search results through webpage coding. ``(4) Civil monetary penalties.-- ``(A) In general.--A hospital that fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection for a year shall be subject to a civil monetary penalty of an amount not to exceed-- ``(i) in the case of a hospital with a bed count of 30 or fewer, $600 for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements; ``(ii) in the case of a hospital with a bed count that is greater than 30 and equal to or fewer than 550, $20 per bed for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements; or ``(iii) in the case of a hospital with a bed count that is greater than 550, $11,000 for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements. ``(B) Procedures.-- ``(i) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a civil monetary penalty under subparagraph (A) shall be imposed and collected in accordance with part 180 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). ``(ii) Timing.--A hospital shall pay in full a civil monetary penalty imposed on the hospital under subparagraph (A) not later than-- ``(I) 60 calendar days after the date on which the Secretary issues a notice of the imposition of such penalty; or ``(II) in the event the hospital requests a hearing pursuant to subpart D of part 180 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), 60 calendar days after the date of a final and binding decision in accordance with such subpart, to uphold, in whole or in part, the civil monetary penalty. ``(5) List of hospitals not in compliance.--The Secretary shall publish a list of the name of each hospital that is not in compliance with the requirements under this subsection. Such list shall be published 280 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph and every 180 days thereafter.''. ______

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Text of Senate Amendment 6217 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3389] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6217. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. _. HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS. Section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-18(e)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``Each hospital'' and inserting the following: ``(1) In general.--Each hospital''; (2) by inserting ``, in accordance with paragraph (2),'' after ``for each year''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(2) Timing requirements.-- ``(A) In general.--Each hospital operating in the United States on the date of enactment of this paragraph shall, not later than 6 months after such date of enactment and every year thereafter, establish (and update) and make public the list under paragraph (1). ``(B) Newly operating hospitals.--In the case of a hospital that begins operating in the United States after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the hospital shall comply with the requirements described in subparagraph (A) not later than 6 months after the date on which the hospital begins such operation and every year thereafter. ``(3) Prohibition on shielding information.--No hospital may shield the information required under paragraph (1) from online search results through webpage coding. ``(4) Civil monetary penalties.-- ``(A) In general.--A hospital that fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection for a year shall be subject to a civil monetary penalty of an amount not to exceed-- ``(i) in the case of a hospital with a bed count of 30 or fewer, $600 for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements; ``(ii) in the case of a hospital with a bed count that is greater than 30 and equal to or fewer than 550, $20 per bed for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements; or ``(iii) in the case of a hospital with a bed count that is greater than 550, $11,000 for each day in which the hospital fails to comply with such requirements. ``(B) Procedures.-- ``(i) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a civil monetary penalty under subparagraph (A) shall be imposed and collected in accordance with part 180 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). ``(ii) Timing.--A hospital shall pay in full a civil monetary penalty imposed on the hospital under subparagraph (A) not later than-- ``(I) 60 calendar days after the date on which the Secretary issues a notice of the imposition of such penalty; or ``(II) in the event the hospital requests a hearing pursuant to subpart D of part 180 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), 60 calendar days after the date of a final and binding decision in accordance with such subpart, to uphold, in whole or in part, the civil monetary penalty. ``(5) List of hospitals not in compliance.--The Secretary shall publish a list of the name of each hospital that is not in compliance with the requirements under this subsection. Such list shall be published 280 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph and every 180 days thereafter.''. ______