JAMES “J.P.” PALUSKIEWICZ serves as Republican Chief Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health. In that role, he oversees all policy under the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction, helps coordinate Committee activity, and leads bipartisan, bicameral negotiations. In addition, he is the sole policy staffer overseeing Medicare Parts B and D and health information technology. He also worked extensively on the 21st Century Cures initiative, including negotiating all sections related to health information technology.
Before formally joining the Committee staff, J.P. served for almost seven years as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Honorable Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX). During that time, he oversaw the Congressman’s legislative agenda and acted as his chief advisor in all public policy. J.P. also served the late Honorable Charlie Norwood, D.D.S. (R-GA), a senior Energy and Commerce Committee member and one of the most engaged Members of Congress in health care policy, as his Legislative Director and Health Policy Advisor for almost five years.
Throughout his more than 15-year career, J.P. has been recognized by numerous health care organizations for his work on Capitol Hill. He is a recipient of the Bipartisan Congressional Staff Award from the Alliance for Health Policy, the Special Recognition Award from the American Psychiatric Society, the Gift of Life Legislator of the Year Award from the American Society of Transplantation, the Congressional Staff Leadership Award from America’s Essential Hospitals, the Special Recognition Award from the American Health Quality Association, the Charles G. Norwood Memorial Advocacy Award from the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, and the Congressional Staffer of the Year award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In each case, it was the first time the organization granted the award to a congressional staffer. He is also a recipient of the Outstanding Congressional Staff Award from the American Diabetes Association In addition, J.P. was identified by Politico as an “Emerging Healthcare Leader” in 2012.
J.P. attended American University on a Leadership Scholarship and graduated with a double major in Political Science and Law and Society in 2001. In 2005, he earned his Masters in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University with a focus on health policy and constitutional theory.