Welcome to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of eight bills. Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s Energy subcommittee markup of 8 bills to restore consumer choice, reduce energy and housing costs, and remove burdensome regulatory structures. “When selecting appliances or equipment for their home or business, Americans take many factors into consideration: cost, reliability, size, and durability to name a few. It is imperative consumers have a wide range of products so they can choose what works best for their needs. “Under the last administration, nearly 30 energy efficiency standards were issued, totaling over $60 billion in costs and removing products from the market, resulting in fewer options for Americans. “H.R. 4626, the Don’t Mess with My Home Appliances Act, would amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to reform the statutory procedures for issuing or amending energy efficiency standards. “This will result in standards that truly meet the statutory requirements of EPCA and provide both manufacturers and consumers with certainty. “Especially as we head into winter, consumers must have access to durable, affordable appliances to perform critical functions, like home heating, while still prioritizing energy efficiency and associated cost-savings. “Airtight building envelopes are also important for consumers, especially in the colder months, to keep warmth in and utility bills low. That is why the subcommittee will be considering H.R. 4758, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, to repeal sections of the Inflation Reduction Act that essentially bribed states to recklessly adopt unamended building codes.    “Brian Tebbenkemp, a witness in September’s legislative hearing, said it best, ‘I think we can all agree that American families deserve safe, strong, and efficient homes, but we need a better pathway forward that gives local control, encourages innovation, and keeps homes within the reach of Americans. “The passage of H.R. 4758 is an important step towards accomplishing that shared goal. “The subcommittee will also consider H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, to repeal section 433 of the Energy Independence and Security Act, which required DOE to phase out fossil fuel use in federal buildings across the country. “This policy, which was opposed by even the Obama Administration, not only poses a significant national security risk, but it could in fact increase energy consumption as the direct use of natural gas is about 92 percent efficient, compared to 33 percent for electricity. That is a significant delta. “Energy efficiency, not bans, are important to prioritize for our federal buildings. I look forward to considering H.R. 3474, the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act, which is bipartisan legislation to require an assessment of whether mechanical insulation should be installed or updated in federal building energy audits. This is a commonsense measure that truly prioritizes energy efficiency. “The subcommittee will also consider H.R. 3699, the Energy Choice Act, which prohibits any state or local policy from banning access to an energy service based on the type or source of energy that is sold. States like New York, which banned natural gas use, are forcing consumers to incur significant costs while jeopardizing their reliability during the winter months. This must change. “Duplicative standards and regulations have also impacted housing, appliance, and equipment affordability for millions of Americans. H.R. 5184, the Affordable HOMES Act, will repeal duplicative energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing, and H.R. 4593, the SHOWER Act, will codify a simple definition of a showerhead, providing more options for consumers. “Lastly, the subcommittee will consider H.R. 1355, the Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2025, with the understanding that we hope to reach a bipartisan agreement prior to a Full Committee markup. I thank the gentleman from New York and minority professional staff for continuing to work with us towards a compromise. “The suite of legislation before us today represents an opportunity for this Committee to implement reforms that re-prioritize energy efficiency policies towards the items that matter most to consumers: affordability, availability, and durability. I urge all my colleagues to support these pieces of legislation.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Innovation with Integrity: Examining the Risks and Benefits of AI Chatbots . “AI chatbots are increasingly integrated into the lives of many Americans, and yesterday’s hearing offered the opportunity to have a balanced, frank conversation about the potential benefits and harms of AI chatbots to Americans,” said Chairman Joyce, M.D. “It is important that we consider the implications of these technologies as we promote AI innovation while protecting the most vulnerable among us.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from yesterday’s hearing: Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12): “We’ve seen cases of teens who spend hours a day on AI chatbots. Some of these conversations are mundane. [But] there are examples [of] self-harm and sexualized material. A growing number of teens are becoming emotionally dependent on these. From a clinical standpoint, are there design practices or guardrails that platforms should consider, especially for entertainment or companionship, to prevent minors from forming unsafe or addictive relationships from these systems?” Dr. Torous: “We’re still learning about these parasocial relationships where people make these relationships with these bots. These are not objects; these are not people. And in some ways, I think a useful analogy I can tell patients is think of an AI like a self-help book. [...] I think where it crosses the line is when the self-help book stops giving basic self-help, starts getting too personal, starts talking about deeper issues. So, I think it’s possible for the bots to operate as self-help books by having very clear guardrails where they stop and where they hand you off to a person.” Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01): “Kids are wired to form attachments with things that act friendly. What we don’t want happening is a chatbot taking the role of teaching a child right and wrong. With AI utilization increasing in children, are you concerned that children may look up to a faceless chatbot as a sort of parental authority or figure? And how do we propose that parents and educators prevent that from happening?” Dr. Wei: “A lot of times, teens and children turn to AI chatbots first for homework or for useful purposes, and then it can shift. And that’s where that shift is. We don’t know the long-term effects of AI companions and chatbots in terms of emotional relationships. It’s a frictionless relationship. It doesn’t offer the same kinds of moral guidance like you referenced or the complexity of human dynamics. So, we still need to understand better how to help kids navigate that, while still being able to use AI for good purposes.” Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “Kids deserve the same safety mindset online that we bring to car seats, playgrounds, and stranger danger. Unfortunately, we have seen heartbreaking stories recently that are cause for concern and action by this committee. Our job is to set clear guardrails so the best ideas can scale safely.” ###

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing titled  Innovation with Integrity: Examining the Risks and Benefits of AI Chatbots . WHAT:  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing investigating the safety of AI chatbots. DATE:  Tuesday, November 18, 2025 UPDATED TIME:  1:30 PM ET LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Jackson Rudden at Jackson.Rudden@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at  Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting a briefing to better understand the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent actions and ongoing work to enhance safety within the organ procurement and transplantation system. On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced major efforts to improve safety, transparency, and efficiency within the organ procurement and transplantation system, including the decertification of an organ procurement organization (OPO) for the first time in U.S. history. According to the announcement , the decision was made “after an investigation uncovered years of unsafe practices, poor training, chronic underperformance, understaffing, and paperwork errors.” The Committee has a history of ensuring patient safety remains the highest priority in our organ procurement and transplantation system, as evident from the Committee’s work last Congress on organ transplantation and donation issues as well as its oversight this Congress. As a part of its ongoing investigation, the Committee requests that CMS respond to questions, including those related to the decertification of the OPO in South Florida and the prevalence of incidents similar to those outlined in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) investigative report, to ensure patient safety remains a top priority. Read the full letter HERE . “While the Committee applauds efforts taken by CMS to uphold the highest standards of care to which all OPOs are expected to adhere, HHS’s announcement decertifying the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency illustrates the urgency of this moment and why the subcommittee is not finished with our oversight of the organ transplant system,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Joyce. “It is our moral obligation as members of Congress to establish safeguards and prevent these harmful practices from persisting further, and we look forward to obtaining answers from the agency about the prevalence of these incidents, as well as how CMS plans to proceed with prioritizing patient safety first and foremost.” Background: During the 118th Congress, the Committee on Energy and Commerce led the passage of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act to both modernize the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and allow HRSA to institute a competitive contracting process to find the best contractors for various OPTN functions. This legislation was signed into law on September 22, 2023.  On March 20, 2024, the Committee launched an investigation into the organ procurement and transplantation system by sending a letter to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) requesting information related to concerns surrounding data security and operability, patient safety and equity, and conflicts of interest.   On March 20, 2024, the Committee also sent a letter to HRSA requesting information related to implementation of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act as well as other concerns related to effective oversight and management.  On September 11, 2024, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing that focused on the implementation of reforms at the OPTN, including the need for stronger oversight and accountability as well as ongoing patient safety concerns.  During the hearing, questions were raised related to allegations of mismanagement and patient safety concerns after patients began exhibiting signs of increased neurologic function after being previously deemed suitable as an organ donation candidate. Several of these allegations, particularly those related to patient safety, were later substantiated through the findings contained in HRSA’s March 2025 report.  On March 24, 2025, HRSA’s Division of Transplantation issued a report that summarized the findings of its investigation into KYDA, the OPO now known as Network for Hope, which serves Kentucky and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana.   HRSA’s investigation examined an “index case” and an additional 351 unique cases of authorized, not recovered (ANR) patients. This means that the patients were considered for donation after circulatory death recovery, but no organs were transplanted. The report showed that nearly 30 percent of the cases “had concerning features.” The concerning features included problems with patient-family interactions, medical assessments and team interactions, recognition of high neurologic function, and recognition and documentation of drugs in records.  On May 28, 2025, HRSA issued a corrective action plan to the OPTN, which directed the OTPN to take specific actions within a specified period of time, including developing a 12-month OPTN monitoring plan for KYDA to address concerns identified. The corrective action plan also requires the OPTN to propose policies for public comment to improve safeguards for potential donation after circulatory death (DCD) patients in the organ procurement process and increase information shared with patient families regarding DCD organ procurement.  On July 22, 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing examining concerning practices within our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system that were identified by HRSA’s investigation.  On September 12, 2025, the Committee sent a bipartisan letter to HRSA requesting a briefing on its ongoing oversight of patient safety in our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Gene Dodaro, the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting an assessment of available or emerging technologies and materials that could be used to supplement critical minerals in semiconductors. “Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for technologies used in many sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, national defense, health care, and consumer electronics,” said Chairmen Joyce and Palmer . “These minerals are vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions for several reasons, including U.S. reliance on foreign sources, as well as the rapid growth in demand for critical minerals in the U.S. and abroad.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter. The letter asks the GAO to examine: The status of domestic technologies and supplemental materials, such as critical minerals found in mine waste, tailings, or reclaimed from end-of-life batteries and electronic waste, that can serve as substitutes for foreign-sourced critical minerals from non-allied nations needed for semiconductors and energy grid or power electronics, including impacts on material and product performance. Key technological challenges to the development or adoption of these domestic supplemental and materials to advance the diversification of U.S. critical mineral sources. BACKGROUND: In May, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on ways to enhance our critical mineral supply chains. Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are committed to strengthening our critical mineral supply chains and finding solutions to reduce our reliance on foreign sources, particularly when it comes to foreign adversaries like China. The Trump Administration has also worked hard to bolster these supply chains. Critical minerals are essential to American technologies and industries, and finding innovative domestic solutions that can contribute to our independence from non-allied nations is essential as we work to onshore American innovation and strengthen our national security. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, sent a letter to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker following the recent announcement that student athletes and athletic department staff will be allowed to bet on professional sports. KEY EXCERPTS: “The Committee on Energy and Commerce is examining the NCAA’s recent policy change permitting student athletes and athletic department staff to bet on professional sports.” [...] To assist the Committee in its oversight, we request a briefing by no later than November 13, 2025, that addresses the following: Why is the NCAA changing its policy allowing student athletes to bet on professional sports? Has the NCAA conducted any studies, analyses, or reviews of the impact of gambling on student athletes? If so, what are the results? What role did they play in the NCAA’s decision to allow student athletes to bet on professional sports? How does this change allow the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to better protect the integrity of college games and encourage healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports? How is the NCAA engaging with athletic conferences, member institutions, and teams to address questions and concerns about this rule change? Amid recent allegations of illegal sports betting among student athletes and concerns expressed by member institutions, is NCAA reconsidering implementation of the policy? What guardrails are in place to prevent the type of illegal sports betting activity that is allegedly occurring in the NCAA and NBA, considering that some student athletes will go on to become professional athletes? Please provide details about any fraudulent, illegal, and alleged betting practices in connection with NCAA players, coaches, and officials, including the actions of NCAA players identified in recent infraction decisions; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above. Please describe the NCAA’s “layered integrity monitoring program,” for maintaining competition integrity and pursuing sports betting violations. What gaps, if any, are in existing regulations that allow illegal betting schemes to occur in college sports? BACKGROUND: On October 24, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce launched its investigation into sports fixing and illegal gambling after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unsealed indictments of current and former NBA players and coaches. An initial announcement stated that, effective November 1, 2025, student athletes and athletic department staff in all three NCAA divisions would be permitted to bet on professional sports. A few days before the policy change was supposed to take effect, the Division I Board of Directors voted to delay implementation of the rule change across all three divisions to November 22, 2025. A recent NCAA press release stated that “enforcement staff has opened investigations into potential sports betting violations by approximately 30 current or former men's basketball student-athletes.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter.