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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced the Committee’s Subcommittee Chief Counsels for the 119th Congress: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology  Chief Counsel - Kate Harper Kate O’Connor Harper will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, where she has served for the past 5 years. Kate previously served as the Chief of Staff for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, where she worked on legislative and communications policy focused on spectrum and broadband issues. She also worked in NTIA’s Office of Congressional Affairs and engaged with Congress, state government officials, and other federal agencies to advance the Administration’s legislative initiatives on broadband and 5G. Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Chief Counsel - Giulia Leganski Giulia Leganski will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. Prior to this role, Giulia served as a Professional Staff Member for the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, handling issues related to Big Tech, Section 230, Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, media, and public safety. Previously, Giulia worked as a Professional Staff Member for the House Small Business Committee, as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.  Subcommittee on Energy  Chief Counsel - Mary K. Martin Mary K. Martin will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Energy. Prior to her years at Energy and Commerce, Mary previously served as policy counsel and committee executive to the Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the Chamber, Mary spent 10 years as an attorney in private practice litigating complex commercial disputes, including environmental contamination, toxic tort, breach of contract, and insurance coverage matters. Most recently, Mary served as Of Counsel at Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Washington, D.C.  Subcommittee on Environment  Chief Counsel - Jake Tyner  Jake Tyner will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Environment. Jake has extensive Capitol Hill experience, most recently serving as General Counsel for Senator Dan Sullivan. In this role, Jake led the Senator’s efforts on issues related to energy, then environment, natural resources, and permitting and regulatory reform. Prior to joining Senator Sullivan’s office, Jake worked for Congressman David McKinley of West Virginia, the ranking member on the Environment & Climate Change Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives and at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Subcommittee on Health Chief Counsel - Jay Gulshen Jay Gulshen will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Health. Jay most recently served as a Senior Health Advisor for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, working on Medicare Part B and Part D. Prior to returning to Energy and Commerce, Jay worked for the Committee on Ways and Means, advising on Medicare Parts A and B, served as the Health Policy Advisor for Congressman Buddy Carter, and as a Legislative Associate for the Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee. Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations  Chief Counsel - Brittany Havens Brittany Havens will serve as Chief Counsel for the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Prior to this role, Brittany served as a Senior Oversight Counsel on the Committee on Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee working on a variety of issues, including oversight of federal agencies and programs; oversight of the tax-exempt sector; and legislation related to matters of tax administration. Prior to that, Brittany served in various roles for the Committee on Energy and Commerce between 2012 - 2022, most recently as a Professional Staff Member, conducting oversight on a wide range of topics within the Committee’s jurisdiction. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee staff will work under the direction of Staff Director Megan Jackson, Deputy Staff Director Sophie Khanahmadi, and Chief Counsel Joel Miller.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, penned a letter to Secretary Jennifer Granholm questioning the Department of Energy’s involvement in the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to prevent new offshore oil and gas production, leading to higher prices for consumers and harming U.S. energy security. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “Closing off swaths of U.S. offshore areas to energy production, as the Biden-Harris Administration reportedly intends to do, will lead to higher energy prices for American families, the loss of American jobs, and greatly diminish our country’s energy security. As the Secretary of Energy, you have an obligation to weigh in on this matter and insist on a full review of the energy security and economic impacts before any decisions are finalized. “The United States stands at an energy crossroads, facing mounting global security threats and soaring demand for power. Instead of leading the world in energy production, we’ve allowed misguided “green” policies to hamstring our potential. It’s time to unleash American energy dominance again—the federal government must become an ally, not an obstacle, to our nation’senergy security. We look forward to your prompt response to this request, no later than January 10, 2025.” Read the story  here . BACKGROUND: This morning, the Biden Administration announced that more than 625 million square miles of coastline would be off-limits for energy production. Republican Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have continuously called on the Biden-Harris Administration to end its attack on American energy production before leaving office on January 20th. The letter requests an explanation of the DOE’s involvement in the decision and whether the White House or the Department of Interior consulted with the DOE about the plans to close off access to offshore resources. Any decision to shut down access to significant American energy resources impacts U.S. energy policy and should be reviewed by the DOE. The Biden Administration’s energy policies have continued to create major harm to America’s energy production and workforce. A unilateral ban on energy production in large swaths of the U.S. coastline will have lasting impacts on American energy production and security.

California should not dictate the vehicles Americans can drive Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California a waiver for its ban on gas-powered cars. The waiver comes after the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, led by Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) to protect America’s automotive future. “By granting this waiver, the Biden EPA is further proving how out of touch it is from not only the reality of what people want, but also from what is possible. Banning gas-powered cars in favor of electric vehicles, as California intends, will raise costs for Americans and compromise our grid reliability. Just this week, NERC reported that more than half of the nation is at risk of blackouts. California has already had to ask its residents to not charge EVs during blackouts—and EVs currently make up a fraction of vehicles in the state. The bottom line is that California should not dictate what types of cars that Americans drive, which is why House Republicans passed H.R. 1435. The Senate should act immediately.”  BACKGROUND:   In September 2023, the House passed H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, led by Rep. John Joyce (R-PA), with a bipartisan vote of 222-190. E&C Republicans Lead Passage of Bill to Stop the Bans on Gas-Powered Cars   Chair Rodgers: “H.R. 1435 ensures people have the option of driving practical, functional, and affordable cars”   June 2023: Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Legislative Hearing: “Driving Affordability: Preserving People’s Freedom to Buy Affordable Vehicles and Fuel”

Republicans Advocate for American Energy on World Stage Energy and Commerce Committee Member August Pfluger (R-TX) led a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29. Members met with world leaders to discuss efforts to build a cleaner energy future. Throughout bilateral meetings and panel discussions on the international stage, E&C Members not only highlighted America's energy leadership but also underscored our commitment to environmental stewardship. Check out these top photos from the trip: At a press conference , Members highlighted how America has led the world in reducing emissions without sacrificing innovation, economic development, or national security. Our allies and partners benefit from America’s energy exports, technological leadership, and environmental stewardship. At a bipartisan panel moderated by Heather Reams, President of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), Members highlighted how a robust nuclear energy industry is critical for providing affordable clean energy to communities across the country and around the world. Members also underscored the significance of the ADVANCE Act, signed into law July 2024, which will modernize and improve licensing processes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).  Meeting with COP 29 President Minister of Ecology Mukhtar Babayev    and Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev Meeting with the President of Azerbaijan   Meeting with U.S. Ambassador Mark Libby Meeting with South Korean officials Meeting with Taiwanese officials

Revelations come following release of new Committee report Washington D.C. — This weekend, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Fox & Friends to discuss a new Committee Report on the failures of the Biden-Harris Clean School Bus Program. Highlights and excerpts from the interview below: On Defending American Leadership:   “This is a so-called clean school bus program, and it’s just another part of the Biden-Harris administration’s rush-to-green [agenda]. “We’ve seen them mandating electric vehicles, banning gas stoves, really shutting down American energy.   “But unfortunately, it’s an agenda where the Chinese Communist Party is leading, and America is dependent upon China because they control 90 percent of supply chains for electric batteries.   “This is not the agenda that America needs. We need an agenda of American innovation and free markets, not one where we are dependent upon China. ”  On the Exorbitant Price Tag of Electric Buses:   “Whether it’s Wisconsin or North Dakota or Washington State, they are unreliable.   “We do not have the infrastructure [to support electric school buses], and they are expensive.   “This is a program where the Biden-Harris administration wanted to hand out free school buses across the nation, but unfortunately, they’re not free.   “They’re very expensive, as you mentioned—$381,000.   “These are hard-earned taxpayer dollars that are going to fund part of their so-called green energy agenda.  “There are other clean alternatives, if it really was a clean bus program, that are about $140,000.   “But unfortunately, the administration is mandating this agenda that is expensive, unreliable, and also makes us even more dependent upon the Chinese Communist Party because they control 90 percent of the supply chains.”   CLICK HERE to read more about the Clean School Bus report.

Washington D.C. — Energy and Commerce Republicans are leading to stop the Biden-Harris administration from imposing unaffordable electric vehicle mandates that will jeopardize our auto industry and hand China the keys to our energy future. Members spoke on the House Floor in support of H.J. Res. 136, led by Rep. John James (R-MI), which passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 215-191. The legislation will end the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) unrealistic tailpipe emissions rule, which, by the EPA’s own admission, would effectively require at least two-thirds of all new cars in the United States to be electric by 2032. As Chair Rodgers said , “Over and over again, the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency has doubled down on its radical rush-to-green energy agenda. The EPA’s latest tailpipe emissions rule is not really about reducing air pollution—it’s about forcing Americans to drive electric vehicles.” Don’t miss these key moments from E&C Republicans:

H.R. Res 136 ends the Biden-Harris EPA’s de facto EV mandate Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke on the House Floor today in support of H.J. Res 136, which will end the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) unreasonable tailpipe emissions rule. Her prepared remarks are below: “I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 136, led by Energy and Commerce Republican Member John James. “Over and over again, the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency has doubled down on its radical rush-to-green energy agenda. “The EPA’s latest tailpipe emissions rule is not really about reducing air pollution—it’s about forcing Americans to drive electric vehicles. “By the EPA’s own estimation, the new rule will effectively require at least two-thirds of all new cars in the United States to be 100 percent electric by 2032—not hybrids, not plug-in hybrids, not hydrogen, not any other clean technology. “This unreasonable rule is just another example of how the Biden-Harris administration’s rush-to-green agenda is handing China the keys to America’s energy future, jeopardizing our auto industry, and forcing people to buy unaffordable EVs they do not want. “Here are the facts: In May, the average fully electric model was $17,326 more expensive than the average gas-burning compact crossover. “At the beginning of this year, nearly 5,000 American car dealers sent a letter to the President demanding he 'hit the brakes' on the EPA’s unrealistic agenda after EVs stacked up on their car lots. “And recently, J.D. Power cut its projected sales of EVs by 25 percent—citing increased competition in the market for gasoline-powered vehicle alternatives. “Despite all of this, the Biden-Harris EPA has continued its de facto EV mandates, undeterred by the reality of what Americans actually want. “Instead of forcing Americans to spend more money on vehicles that they don’t want to buy—on vehicles that only advance a political agenda—let's get back to the work of making sure that people have access to affordable, reliable, and functional means of transportation. “To ensure Americans drive what vehicle best suits their needs, vote YES on H.J. Res 136 to put an end to the EPA’s unreasonable tailpipe emissions rule.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Holding the Biden-Harris EPA Accountable for Radical Rush-to-Green Spending."  “I am pleased to welcome our sole witness today, the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency, Sean O’Donnell.  “Mr. O’Donnell has held the position of Inspector General since early 2020 and is here to testify before this Subcommittee on the spending and activities of the Agency, especially those connected to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA and the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA.”  MASSIVE INCREASE IN EPA BUDGET   “For context, the Environmental Protection Agency’s entire non-IIJA, non-IRA annual budget for fiscal year 2024 is $10.136 billion. This amount reflects an increase of 10.4 percent over EPA’s Fiscal Year 2021 funding level of $9.085 billion.  “The IIJA, alone, provided EPA $60 billion over five fiscal years or $12 million dollars in annual appropriations to EPA. Not only was it the single largest appropriation ever provided to EPA, but it also more than doubled annual spending at the Agency during the Biden-Harris administration.  “The IRA later came along and gave EPA another $41.5 billion dollars in new and expanded programs at EPA.  “That’s two bills, an additional $101.5 billion, and roughly ten times the amount of money normally dropped off at EPA to spend.  “This is a massive infusion of funding and outrageous level of spending and pressure on our national debt, particularly for many of my Republicans colleagues who represent almost two-thirds of congressional districts in America where the average median income is below the national average and whose children will be asked to pay for this spending.”  RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT PROTECTS AGAINST WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE   “Regardless of if you voted for these bills, though, I hope you will agree with me that it is imperative that Congress conducts robust oversight of all this money given to EPA and the other agencies—it is the right thing to do.  “That said, I realize that there may be some limits to how much information the Inspector General has for us today and may be able to get for us in the future.  “Congress clearly directed his office to oversee IIJA funding and gave his office $53 million a year to do it. Unfortunately, IRA provided the IG no requirement to police that spending and Congress has approved no funding to do it.  “Regardless, fulfilling these directives—or lack thereof—are dependent upon the willingness of EPA to allow real oversight to occur.  “The Committee has had uneven results in its own investigating of these programs.  Sometimes we have had success, sometimes we have met resistance, and usually we’ve been made to wait a long time to find out which it is.  “When Administrator Regan testified earlier this year, he assured us that he talks with the IG all the time when we asked him if he was fully cooperating on the oversight. I look forward to finding out if the Inspector General’s experience has been different than the Committee’s.  “If his experience is less than satisfactory, I would like to know what legal constraints he faces and what he needs from EPA to be successful.”  LEARNING FROM THE PAST   “I also think it is important to find out if EPA implemented any lessons that it should have learned from its spending experiences with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  “And, if EPA made any changes based on this experience, what difference, if any, it made.  “We should know more about how much of the allocated IRA funding has already been spent, what type of quality control EPA and its grantees are placing on this on the disbursement and use of this funding—including by third-party vendors on the use of the money, and what objective measurements are being used to measure the results.  “Finally, I hope we are able to explore some of EPA’s interactions with the States, which also have a significant burden with these funds.  “This is especially important in light of the aggressive regulatory push by this Administration and it’s non-governmental, ideological allies.  “I look forward to an insightful discussion with our witness.” 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing titled “Holding the Biden-Harris EPA Accountable for Radical Rush-to-Green Spending.”  “American families are struggling to make ends meet.  “The Biden-Harris administration’s radical rush-to-green energy policies have fueled out-of-control inflation, which has driven up prices by more than 20 percent and destroyed the economic stability American families deserve.  “While American families are increasingly worried about unaffordable costs, the Biden-Harris administration is working relentlessly to expand its radical energy agenda.  “Today we’ll examine the Biden-Harris EPA—the most radical EPA to date—and its rush-to-green spending spree, as well as how we can hold them accountable for the American people.”  MASSIVE NEW EPA BUDGET   “In November of 2021, the Biden-Harris administration signed into law the so-called ‘Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,’ authorizing $1.2 trillion in spending.  “$60 billion dollars of this taxpayer funding was provided to the EPA—the single largest grant of funding EVER at one time to the agency—doubling their overall budget for five straight years.  “Not even one year later, in August of 2022, the Biden-Harris administration provided another $41.5 billion to the EPA in the so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act.’  “As Republicans warned, the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ did not lower inflation. It made already surging inflation worse.  “Recently, President Biden admitted that the goal of the bill was to fund his radical rush-to-green agenda, calling it ‘the most significant climate change law ever.’”  LEARNING FROM THE PAST   “Spending at this pace and scale for any agency should raise concerns, but especially for an agency like the EPA with a known track record of waste, fraud, and abuse.  “Fifteen years ago, the Obama administration doled out $787 billion in taxpayer money to pay for a slew of left-wing programs and pet projects.  “The EPA was given roughly $7.2 billion—nearly doubling its annual budget at the time.  “Even at that level, the EPA was not able to responsibly manage the spending.  “The Inspector General at the time found funding that violated various federal requirements, poor guidance from the agency to states and recipients of the money, and problems with managing, monitoring and verifying where the money was being spent.  “That is why it is incredibly alarming that since President Biden took office, the EPA has been given $109 billion in additional funding and grown its workforce to over 15,000 employees.  “The amount of funding and the scope of these laws demand consistent and rigorous oversight by Congress and independent bodies like the Inspector General, especially considering the failures of the past.  “Anything less is a disservice to taxpayers.”  EPA’S RADICAL TAX AND SPEND AGENDA   “The EPA cannot continue to fund the most radical parts of a rush-to-green agenda—one that puts America on a dangerous path—threatens our economic and national security and enriches our adversaries, like China.  “Take, for example, the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which is just a $27-billion slush fund of taxpayer money that is vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse.  “At an Oversight Subcommittee hearing we held earlier this year the EPA could not confirm whether or not the Chinese Communist Party could receive money from this fund.  “Additionally, the EPA has issued stringent and burdensome regulations on coal and natural gas-fired power plants, while also dragging their feet in processing carbon capture permits, which are needed to comply with these power plant regulations.  “The EPA is imposing harsh government mandates, and then making it even harder for plants to adjust to the new rules.  “There are countless examples of EPA’s radical rush-to-green spending and regulatory policies like these. “It is troubling that the Democrat-led Inflation Reduction Act did not provide the Office of Inspector General—the office that ensures accountability and integrity at the EPA—funding to conduct necessary oversight. “In addition to greater accountability and transparency, the EPA must also return to its core statutory functions, which do not include undermining the economic prosperity of the United States or driving costs up across the board for Americans. “Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and I look forward to shining more light on what is happening at the EPA during today’s hearing.”