| The country's top health officials haven't been heard from much in recent weeks even as coronavirus cases continue to spread throughout the U.S. That makes a House hearing today featuring the nation's point men on the virus particularly interesting. The heads of federal health agencies last testified together before Congress more than a month ago in mid-May, when reopening was just getting underway in a few spots around the country. Without daily press briefings, which wound down around the same time, it hasn't been clear what those tasked with leading the nation's virus response think of a rise in cases across the U.S. While they didn't address the increases in prepared testimony posted Monday, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn will most certainly be asked about the rise in cases when they appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn speaks at a White House briefing in March. He's among a group of top health officials expected to testify Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Photographer: Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press Fauci has continued to do regular press interviews throughout the pandemic, though Redfield and Hahn have not made public comments nearly as much. In an interview with Bloomberg this week, Fauci said it appears the country isn't getting a warm-weather lull in the pandemic as cases spread briskly in Sun Belt states. He also fired back at critics who have portrayed him as an obstacle to the National Football League's upcoming season, saying officials requested his advice and that he didn't set standards for it to follow. The officials in the prepared testimony also pushed back at pressure from Trump for speedy approval of a Covid-19 vaccine as the November election draws near. In addition, they said they are preparing for the virus to "continue for some time" and potentially "place a tremendous burden" on an already stretched health-care system if coupled with the influenza season that comes each fall. FDA's Hahn has said he hasn't been pressured by the Trump administration to quickly authorize treatments or tests despite having to revoke and issue warnings about products the agency originally backed. With Democrats in charge of the House, Hahn will likely face questions about these missteps given they have only come to a head within the last several weeks.—Anna Edney | 
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