Welcome to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF):  "We are glad to see the Supreme Court uphold the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which is critical for expanding reliable internet access to rural and low-income Americans, schools, libraries, and rural health centers,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “The Committee on Energy and Commerce can now turn its attention to reforming the USF so it can continue to provide every American with access to the connectivity they need to participate in the 21st century economy.”   Background:   Chairman Hudson is a member of the Universal Service Fund Working Group .

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following op-ed by Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, appeared in the Washington Examiner this week.   “The intense heat wave battering the United States pushes America’s electric grid to the brink and could lead to power outages. But House Republicans offer a policy change that bolsters the grid and helps protect the public from blackout threats.   “Communities across much of the country face scorching temperatures, prompting power companies to take notice and act accordingly.   “In my part of Virginia, local power companies affiliated with the Tennessee Valley Authority are encouraging their customers to reduce electricity use. This request appears to be based on an announcement from the TVA.   “Alerts of possible breaking points in America’s electric grid are not unique to the TVA and are, unfortunately, becoming more and more frequent.   “The Friday before Memorial Day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order directing the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Midwest grid operator, to keep a coal-fired power plant in Michigan in operation. These emergency actions are authorized for up to 90 days at a time under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.   “Wright issued the order to minimize the risk of blackouts ahead of the high electricity demand expected this summer.   “MISO runs north to south from Manitoba and Michigan down to Louisiana and a portion of East Texas.   “Notwithstanding keeping the plant in Michigan open, the New Orleans metro area suffered a large and unexpected power outage during Memorial Day weekend. At the blackout’s peak, more than 100,000 customers lost electricity.   “Utilities knew high demand was likely that weekend, but they had no extra power capacity. When one plant went down, their customers were plunged into darkness.   “Reports confirmed that two of the region’s nuclear power plants lost connection to the grid. One was due to expected maintenance, while the other was unexpected. Constrained by a lack of energy supply, grid operators cut power to customers in New Orleans.   “Entergy, an electric utility company in the region, said that the forced outages directed by MISO were done to prevent a larger-scale and more prolonged power outage from affecting the electric grid.   “This blackout was not the only major power outage in recent memory.   “On April 28, Portugal and Spain witnessed the worst blackout in their history, affecting 55 million people, per the Guardian.   “Airports shut down, cars drove on streets without traffic lights, hospitals resorted to backup generators, and some people were stuck in elevators.   “The Iberian Peninsula blackout continues to be investigated. Lots of finger-pointing is going on between Spain’s grid operator, the government, and plant operators. But it is interesting to note that on April 16, Spain reported its first weekday when its national power grid was 100% reliant on renewable power.   “A coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.   “Coincidentally, in a recent Virginia Tech press release, professor and Power and Energy Center Director Ali Mehrizi-Sani highlighted how the systems that control these clean energy sources are more susceptible to blackouts.   “As parts of the world transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, the lack of seamless grid adaptation to the use of these sources, as illustrated by the blackouts in Spain and Portugal and by experts like Mehrizi-Sani, threatens the destabilization of electric grids and could lead to more blackouts.   “Leftist policies that attempted to gut our grid’s reliance on fossil fuels and convert to renewables have pushed America’s electric grid to the brink.   “Federal policies, like the Obama-era ‘War on Coal’ and the Biden administration’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, shunning reliable baseload forms of energy like coal and natural gas have made our electric grid more vulnerable to failure.    “But House Republicans offer a policy change that levels the playing field and openly welcomes baseload power.   “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act curtails some Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, which disincentivize coal and natural gas power plants. We maintain the incentives for nuclear because of its significant potential for baseload power.   “The bill also creates an energy project insurance pool to help protect energy investors from permits being revoked for coal, oil, critical minerals, natural gas, or nuclear installations.   “This derisking compensation fund will make it harder for federal policies to discourage and phase out these reliable energy sources.   “As extreme summer heat continues to pose the threat of power outages, we must secure and equip our electric grid with reliable energy solutions.   “We do not need to follow in Spain’s footsteps and make Iberian Peninsula-style blackouts the norm.   “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act helps the public avoid blackout threats by instituting reliable forms of baseload power.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Looking Under the Hood: The State of NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety. Subcommittee Vice Chairman Fulcher's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for joining today’s educational hearing on motor vehicle safety and the state of the automotive industry. I look forward to a robust and informative discussion that will help Congress, and specifically, this subcommittee, gain a clearer understanding of motor vehicle safety issues and its regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.  “Automobile safety has been a long-standing topic of this subcommittee, and we play a crucial role in ensuring that the vehicles on our roadways are safe for families, workers, and the traveling public. Automobiles are deeply woven into the fabric of American life. From commuting to work, to picking up kids at school, to taking a cross-country road trip, automobiles are both a cultural icon and a pillar of the American dream. “That’s why today’s hearing marks the beginning of a bipartisan, member-driven, and stakeholder-informed process to develop a motor vehicle safety title as part of Congress’s broader efforts to reauthorize our surface transportation programs. “As part of this, the subcommittee is spearheading a bipartisan process to solicit stakeholder input to inform a motor vehicle safety title. Further, myself and Chairman Bilirakis, will seek priorities from our committee members to ensure our product reflects the priorities of our diverse membership.  “Our primary objective will be to find solutions to address the tragic reality that nearly 40,000 Americans die annually from motor vehicle crashes, a staggering and tragic statistic. These crashes also lead to hundreds of billions in economic losses and cost taxpayers’ tens of billions of dollars. NHTSA plays a central role in addressing this pressing issue through its education campaigns, regulatory work, and enforcement efforts. Congress must ensure that the agency is equipped needed to fulfill its mission and save lives. “Second, we must continue to recognize the economic importance of the automotive sector. This industry is America’s largest manufacturing base, supporting tens of millions of jobs across the country and serving as a major driver of exports. As global competitors—especially China—seek to dominate the future of automotive innovation, Congress must examine how our regulatory structure can foster, rather than hinder, American leadership. This includes looking at ways to modernize and streamline regulations while maintaining our strong safety standards. “Third, we must embrace the future of mobility. The emergence of automated vehicle technology presents a generational opportunity to prevent crashes, restore independence to millions of elderly and disabled Americans, and bolster economic growth. Congress must use this opportunity to advance a robust regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle technology.  “To achieve these goals, I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with Chairman Bilirakis, Ranking Member Schakowsky, Chairman Guthrie, and Ranking Member Pallone. Together, we can craft smart, balanced policy solutions that save lives, strengthen American competitiveness, and shape the future of transportation for the better. “Thank you again to our witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to your testimony." ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Reps. Palmer (AL-06), Carter (GA-01), Bilirakis (FL-12), and Obernolte (CA-23), penned a letter to the Executive Director of Covered California (CoveredCA), Jessica Altman, to request further information related to the potentially unauthorized transmission of sensitive personal health information involving Covered California’s website. Key Letter Excerpt: “According to public reports and agency statements, tracking technology was embedded on Covered California's website beginning in February 2024, as part of a broader digital advertising effort, and in direct contravention of the tracking platform’s user agreement, which prohibits the use of such tools on pages that collect sensitive health information. Although the tags were reportedly removed in April 2025, following external scrutiny and a vendor transition, the extended period of data exposure raises serious questions about the adequacy of safeguards that Covered California had in place. Forensic testing by investigative reporters identified the trackers in operation and confirmed that user-entered health information was being transmitted to third parties without consent. These circumstances warrant examination of Covered California’s actions under federal privacy standards.” “Ensuring the confidentiality of health information is a foundational obligation for entities operating within the health insurance ecosystem. Federal privacy protections, particularly the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), establish expectations for how covered organizations handle sensitive data. Recent reports and public filings raised questions about whether those expectations were met in this case, and whether existing oversight mechanisms are sufficient to detect and prevent improper disclosures.” Background: Forensic testing shows Covered California —the State of California’s official health insurance marketplace—has been sending sensitive user health data to third-party websites through several online data trackers. Prior to removal of the trackers, CoveredCA had more than 60 trackers active on its website; the average number of trackers on a government website is three. Some types of information sent to such websites include: Searches for doctors in network with specific plans/specializations Demographic information, including gender, ethnicity, and martial status Length of treatment a patent received by a provider Frequency of doctor visits If the user indicated they were blind, pregnant, a victim of domestic abuse, or used prescription medications. The State of California independently operates CoveredCA. As the state’s official ACA marketplace, CoveredCA falls under the purview of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The disclosure of information such as pregnancy or prescription drug use without proper consent—even for “marketing purposes”—may violate HIPAA. This Congress, the Committee has sent letters to 23andMe and DeepSeek over potential data privacy concerns: The Committee also held a hearing last Congress on the Change Healthcare hack, where personal health information was also jeopardized. CLICK HERE to read Fox News coverage of the letter. CLICK HERE to view the full letter. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging the administration to quickly remove burdensome regulations that have stopped the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program from connecting any American to reliable broadband. KEY EXCERPT: “The Biden administration added unnecessary and burdensome requirements that made participation in the program more expensive and less attractive to broadband providers. These include labor and climate change requirements, as well as rate regulation of low-cost broadband plans that were unlawfully imposed.  “To address these issues, we introduced the Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment (SPEED) for BEAD Act, which outlines necessary reforms to BEAD. We appreciate that Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is undertaking a review of the program and urge any reforms to be enacted as soon as possible.” BACKGROUND: On March 5, 2025,  Congressman Hudson introduced  the SPEED for BEAD Act to remove harmful regulations that have prevented the $42 billion program from laying even a single inch of fiber to support rural Americans. Also on March 5, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce  held a hearing  to discuss the BEAD program titled  Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to 23andMe regarding the handling of Americans' sensitive data following the company's decision to file for bankruptcy. KEY EXCERPT: “According to 23andMe’s privacy statement, in a bankruptcy, customers’ ‘Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction and this Privacy Statement will apply to [customer] Personal Information as transferred to the new entity.’ Additionally, a judge recently ruled 23andMe has the right to sell the sensitive medical and genetic information of its 15 million customers, which is considered to be the company’s most valuable asset. With the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans’ most sensitive personal information.” Background: On March 23, 2025, 23andMe initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which could have ramifications for the highly sensitive information of millions of Americans. While Americans’ personal health information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), these protections only apply if the information is collected by a HIPAA covered entity. Generally, direct-to-consumer companies, like 23andMe, are not covered by HIPAA. Customers have reported issues accessing and deleting their data from their 23andMe accounts. The Chairmen have requested answers to the following questions: If 23andMe were to sell the personal information of its customers either as a standalone asset or as part of a broader sale of the company, what post-sale data privacy and security protections would be in place for its customers’ personal information? Please describe how the representations made in 23andMe’s privacy statement will continue to apply—and be enforced—if the personal information of 23andMe’s customers is sold to a third party. Please include in this response information about what, if anything, would hold a third-party buyer to 23andMe’s privacy statement or prevent it from subsequently using, transferring, or otherwise selling, such information in the future. Does 23andMe plan to change its privacy statement at any time prior to selling any customers’ personal information? If so, please explain the change 23andMe plans to implement and when those changes will go into effect. Does 23andMe intend to vet prospective buyers to which it may sell its customers’ personal information? If so, please detail the vetting process and whether it will include the prospective buyer’s history of implementing data security protections and compliance with sectoral, state, or any other data privacy and security laws. If not, please explain why. Please detail the categories of customer information 23andMe has, and of that what 23andMe is considering selling. Has 23andMe notified its customers of the company’s bankruptcy announcement? If so, please attach the customer notification. If not, please explain why. Has 23andMe provided its customers with a guide for how to delete, or request to delete any information currently in 23andMe’s possession? If so, please provide a copy of that guide and specify when it was provided to customers. If not, please explain why, and explain whether 23andMe will contact each of its customers and provide an opportunity to delete their personal information prior to a potential sale of the company or personal information maintained by the company. Please detail the number of requests 23andMe received from its customers to delete their personal information between when 23andMe filed for bankruptcy and the date of the response to this letter. Of those requests, please provide a breakdown of how many requests were made by customers through their 23andMe online accounts and how many were made via customer service calls because customers were unable to successfully delete their information through their online accounts. Of those requests, please detail the number of fulfilled requests. Will 23andMe offer for sale any information in which a customer has requested the deletion of such information? If so, does 23andMe’s privacy policy consider selling information a legitimate purpose for retaining information past a customer's request to delete their information? Will 23andMe deidentify its customers’ personal information prior to selling it or the company? If so, please detail which information will be deidentified. If not, please explain why the company is electing not to deidentify information. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the story from CNBC. ###