• District of Columbia: The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would make daylight saving time permanent year-round. The bill was approved in a 308-117 vote, with most Republicans and around half of Democrats supporting the legislation. If the Senate passes the bill, Americans would stay on daylight saving time throughout the year, which would mean later sunsets but darker mornings in the winter. States that already opt out of daylight saving time, such as most of Arizona and Hawaii, could remain on standard time. President Donald Trump has publicly supported the bill, but it is not clear how the Senate will vote on it. In 2022, the Senate voted to make daylight saving time permanent by unanimous consent, but the measure did not advance in the House. Later, in 2025, the Senate proposed its own version of the Sunshine Protection Act, but it stalled following objections from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). According to a senior Hill aide, Cotton and other senators on both sides of the aisle have opposed the Senate version of the bill in committee. "We'll see what happens when it gets here," said Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). (Mavis, Wall Street Journal, 7/14; Uribe/Stewart, NBC News, 7/14)
• Indiana: Elevance Health has filed a lawsuit against CMS, arguing that the agency should recalculate its 2026 Medicare Advantage (MA) Star Ratings, much like it did for another insurer, Clover Health. In June, CMS said it would recalculate Clover Health's 2026 MA Star Ratings after a court ruling. In its own lawsuit, Elevance argued that CMS refused to recalculate its scores with the same methodology used in Clover's case. According to Elevance, it was also negatively impacted by 20 measures that were rejected in Clover's case. If Elevance received the same adjustments as Clover, it would see an additional $115 million in quality bonus payments. Elevance believes "all Medicare Advantage organizations should be evaluated under a consistent methodology and treated equitably," a company spokesperson said. "Our legal action seeks to ensure that the same standards are applied fairly across similarly situated plans. Consistent application of the rules is essential to maintaining the integrity of the Star Ratings program for beneficiaries, providers, and health plans." (Minemyer, Fierce Healthcare, 7/6)
• Maryland: FDA has approved a new gene therapy for sickle cell disease in children ages two and older. The agency first approved the gene therapy, called Casgevy, as a treatment for sickle cell disease in 2023. According to CDC, sickle cell disease is often diagnosed at birth and involves red blood cells getting stuck in small blood vessels, which can lead to "pain and other serious complications." Patients with the disease also often suffer from low hemoglobin and require regular blood transfusions. "These disorders carry a heavy burden for children and their families, affecting growth, development, and long-term health in profound ways," Megha Kaushal, acting deputy director of the Office of Therapeutic Products in FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in the release. She added that the treatment "gives these children a meaningful chance at a healthier future." (Djordjevic, The Hill, 7/8)

According to a  CDC study, almost half of Americans say they aren't well-rested when they wake up, and roughly 30% say they get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night.