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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding two Subcommittee Hearings and one Full Committee Markup. Read more below.  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy is holding a hearing to discuss legislation to reauthorize the PHMSA pipeline safety program.  DATE:  Wednesday, March 4, 2026   TIME:  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment is holding a hearing to examine legislative proposals supporting the remediation and redevelopment of America’s Brownfields Sites.   DATE:  Wednesday, March 4, 2026  TIME:  2:00 PM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP:  The Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a markup of nine bills.   DATE:  Thursday, March 5, 2026  TIME:  10:00 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a hearing titled  Ready for Reuse: Legislative Proposals to Unleash the Potential of America’s Brownfields Sites. “For years, the Brownfields Program has been a vital tool to support the cleanup of contaminated sites, putting many locations back into productive use and creating jobs to revitalize communities across the country. As demand grows to redevelop these sites for advanced manufacturing, and other critical infrastructure, it is essential that the program continues to serve the needs of our communities,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Palmer. “This hearing will provide the opportunity to discuss legislation that would strengthen and modernize the Brownfields Program to cut red tape, protect our environment, and support the innovative use of these sites.”   Subcommittee on Environment hearing titled  Ready for Reuse: Legislative Proposals to Unleash the Potential of America’s Brownfields Sites.   WHAT:  Subcommittee on Environment hearing to examine legislative proposals supporting the remediation and redevelopment of America’s Brownfields Sites.  DATE:  Wednesday, March 4, 2026 TIME:  2:00 PM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building This hearing will focus on the following bills:   H.R. ____ , Brownfields Revitalization for a Better Tomorrow Act  H.R. ____ , Brownfields Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act  H.R. ____ , Brownfields Inventory and Permitting Efficiency Act H.R. ____ , Brownfields Reauthorization for an Affordable and Revitalized America Act  This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Seth Ricketts with the Committee staff at  Seth.Ricketts@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued a statement following President Trump’s State of the Union Address to a Joint Session of Congress: “Tonight, President Trump laid out a bold vision for the American people as we celebrate the 250th anniversary since our founding. By unleashing American energy dominance, we can lower energy costs, strengthen our national security, and power innovation. As the President discussed in his speech, we must rely on baseload power from coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, and hydropower that can provide the on-demand electricity we need. Our Committee will remain focused on cutting red tape and lowering prices for hard-working families.   “ House Republicans stand with President Trump tonight, with a strong focus on making life more affordable for everyday Americans—not only when it comes to energy prices, but when it comes to the cost of health care, too. Previous Democrat administrations effectively broke our American health care system, and I applaud President Trump in his steadfast efforts to fix it. Through programs like TrumpRx, Americans now have access to the lowest cost prescription drugs. Through commitments like Making America Healthy Again, Americans see the promise of health improvements for generations to come. Our country’s milestone of 250 years signifies an opportunity to put the wellbeing of Americans back at the forefront of our health care system.    “ As we look to the future, adversaries are challenging our standing as the world’s greatest innovator. Americans have the creativity and the skills to compete on the world stage, but we need the regulatory environment to match our aspirations. The President and I share a vision for a future where the United States can lead the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies and Americans enjoy the benefits of these advances.   “ Tonight, the President outlined a vision of prosperity shared widely across the Republican Party. By unleashing American energy, lowering health care prices, and supporting U.S. innovators, President Trump and Committee Republicans are in lockstep fighting to address the issues that matter most to American families.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, led a hearing titled  From Source to Tap: A Hearing to Examine Challenges and Opportunities for Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Drinking Water. “Congress first enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act more than 50 years ago and amended it several times since,”  said Chairman Palmer.  “Many Americans receive their drinking water from publicly owned water utilities who have to navigate the law’s complicated regulatory requirements, manage both aging infrastructure and an aging workforce, and provide safe and affordable water to their customers.” Watch the full hearing  here .    Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05):   “Mr. Hill, I go around my district all the time. I mean, a lot of my water treatment plants. The number one issue we're hearing out there today is what happens when our operators are retiring and we don't have that certification. And I know you said you had a situation where you had somebody be able to step in, but a lot of places they're getting concerned because they don't have these people. […] It also comes down to we can't force people to do a job. We have to make sure we get these people out there and trained because as they retire, we can't just say, you know, these people are going to do this.” Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13):   “Often, rural communities rely on small teams with limited resources to run both the sewer and the clean water facilities. A disruption in either can put a strain on both systems, and place extreme burdens on operators and the communities that they serve. For these communities, federal support like what is provided by the state revolving funds represents a much-needed lifeline, allowing rural Americans to receive uninterrupted drinking and wastewater services in under-resourced areas.” Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11):  “Are small and rural water systems facing unique challenges in accessing federal infrastructure funds? And if so, can you kind of go into detail about that?”  Ms. Murley:  “Yes, I would point you to a series of work that we have done on, state capacity to handle the influx of IIJA funds, both drinking water and clean water. We've looked at the state of New Mexico, we looked at South Carolina, and we looked at the U.S. Virgin Islands. I would say that each state has different demographics and different challenges, either human capacity, technical capacity, or organizational challenges to receive those funds. And we've done work and made recommendations to the agency for improving those areas.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  From Source to Tap: A Hearing to Examine Challenges and Opportunities for Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Drinking Water. Subcommittee Chairman Palmer’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning and welcome to Ranking Members Pallone and Tonko, my colleagues, and to our witnesses for this hearing of the Subcommittee on the Environment. “Today’s hearing provides a timely and important opportunity to examine the safety, reliability and affordability of our nation’s drinking water system. “For those you have been following the news in recent weeks, a sewer line in suburban Maryland ruptured in January and released more than 200 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Potomac River, which separates Maryland and D.C. from Virginia and is the main source of drinking water for millions of Americans and visitors to the national capital region. “The D.C. government just last week declared a state of emergency as a result of the sewage spill, and President Trump has directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take a lead role in coordinating the cleanup and response to this unfortunate incident.  “Given the significance of the spill and its potential impact on public health, interstate commerce, and drinking water and the environment in the nation’s capital region, this Committee has begun an investigation into what was known about the risks of this rupture and if it could have been avoided. “Local authorities say the drinking water supply has not been affected, and that the intakes at Great Falls are located upriver from the sewage spill and that the intakes at Little Falls have been closed. “DC Water was contacted but declined to testify at today’s hearing. “Congress first enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act more than 50 years ago and amended it several times since. One of the goals of this hearing is to hear how the law is working and what if anything needs to be modernized to address current challenges. “Many Americans receive their drinking water from publicly owned water utilities who have to navigate the law’s complicated regulatory requirements, manage both aging infrastructure and an aging workforce, and provide safe and affordable water to their customers.  “We will hear from two of these utilities today: Eric Hill, General Manager of the Russellville, Alabama Water & Sewer Board and Lindsey Rechtin, President & CEO of the Northern Kentucky Water District. “In recent years, Congress has appropriated EPA more than $1 billion annually for the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, an important source of infrastructure funding for states and local utilities. “However, as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, EPA received a supplemental appropriation of more than $50 billion for water infrastructure. I look forward to hearing from “EPA’s Deputy Inspector General about how EPA has been using that money and whether taxpayers have gotten what they paid for, or if these precious taxpayer funds are at risk. “We will also hear from a witness from the Natural Resources Defense Council with a background on water issues. “I thank the witnesses for their input and look forward to working with my colleagues on the Committee to identify commonsense solutions to protecting and modernizing our drinking water system . ”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding one Subcommittee Hearing. Read more below.  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment is holding a hearing on safe drinking water. DATE: Tuesday, February 24, 2026  TIME: 10:15 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building     ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, 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 Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment sent a letter to David Gadis, the Chief Executive Officer of DC Water requesting information on the failures that led to the spill in the Potomac River and what steps are being taken to ensure it is contained. “The Committee has concerns about how this incident will impact public health, safe drinking water, the environment, interstate commerce, and tourism, all of which fall within the Committee’s jurisdiction,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Palmer. “DC Water is responsible for delivering drinking water and wastewater services to communities in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia (DC), as well as the federal government, including operation and maintenance of the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor line. The Committee is requesting documents and information from DC Water about what is already being referred to as ‘one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history.’” Key excerpt from the letter: “Public health warnings have been given for people and pets to avoid contact with water from the Potomac River and to avoid fishing, rowing, and other activities in the area.The warnings to avoid the contaminated water come shortly before the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which is centered around the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River, and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, both of which are expected to attract millions of visitors to the District of Columbia. “An incident of this size and scale presents a significant threat to the public health and welfare of the affected communities, and swift mitigation of these risks is critical. Understanding the nature of how this incident occurred and how future incidents of this scale may be prevented in the future is imperative.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter. BACKGROUND: The letter comes as Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland residents continue to deal with the fallout of the spill that occurred on January 19, 2026, and now has resulted in e. coli levels at the spill site measuring at hundreds of times above EPA safety thresholds. As part of its oversight authority, the Committee is requesting information on what DC Water knew about the risk of a potential spill prior to January, documents discussing why emergency contracting was warranted to repair the pipe, why any approved contracts were not implemented, as well as actions DC Water has taken to address the environmental impacts of the spill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a hearing titled From Source to Tap: A Hearing to Examine Challenges and Opportunities for Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Drinking Water . “Every American deserves access to safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water. Yet, failing infrastructure creates the potential threat of contamination in the safe drinking water that American families rely on, putting the health and safety of our communities at risk,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Palmer. “This hearing will examine the current state of our nationwide drinking water infrastructure, how the Safe Drinking Water Act is being implemented, and the security of our water systems against cyber threats and other risks to ensure our communities are being served effectively.” Subcommittee on Environment hearing titled From Source to Tap: A Hearing to Examine Challenges and Opportunities for Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Drinking Water . WHAT: Subcommittee on Environment hearing on safe drinking water. DATE: Tuesday, February 24, 2026     TIME: 10:15 AM 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 live streamed online at  energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Seth Ricketts with the Committee staff at Seth.Ricketts@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at  Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov .

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation’s 2025 Hatch Center Policy Review featured an essay by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, titled Dominance, Deployment, and Safeguards: The Path for American AI Leadership.

In the essay, Chairman Guthrie warns that America risks falling behind China in artificial intelligence and outlines a strategy to strengthen U.S. innovation, secure supply chains, and expand global leadership.

In Case You Missed It:

“One of the defining traits of the American experiment has been a commitment to exploring the unknown. From the early explorers who first landed in the Americas to the modern technology industry that has placed a powerful computer in the pocket of every American, we are a nation of trailblazers.

“What makes this moment unique is the pending threat to America’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) technology by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP)–backed companies, many of which have developed advanced technologies nearly at parity with that of American AI companies. Knowing that the AI revolution will define economic growth and global competitiveness for the next century, the United States must choose to innovate.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher. China already deploys next-generation technologies to advance many of the regime’s most sinister goals focused on enhancing the power of its Orwellian surveillance state utilizing advanced computing. Even more concerning to the American public is the threat of an adversary’s technology stack serving as the building blocks for future advancements or as a strategic chokehold. For example, we have unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way through Chinese bottlenecks related to telecommunications equipment and critical mineral mining and processing.

“Strengthening our supply chains is an area where Republicans and Democrats largely agree. Even the Biden Administration took dramatic action to address national security risks from autonomous and connected vehicles to prevent cars and trucks built by CCP-aligned manufacturers from operating in the United States.

“President Trump has also been crystal clear: American supply chains can no longer rely on our adversaries’ goodwill. China will use any economic and technological leverage over Americans and the products we use if given the opportunity. The ongoing threat of China doesn’t just call for an agenda that restricts the aggression of the PRC, but also an agenda that promotes American innovation at home and abroad.

“At the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, we have three pillars that guide our approach to AI: dominance, deployment, and safeguards.

“For the United States to be dominant in AI, we must be the ones to actually develop and deploy these new technologies at scale. When I talk with business leaders, they tell me we have the brainpower and the capital necessary to compete. However, we still need to increase our energy production to meet rising electricity demand, and we need to ensure our regulatory environment is structured to meet this moment.

“China has chosen the path of top-down government control to drive its AI industry. While this strategy affords the CCP some advantages, the American model of bottom-up, free-market capitalism has long been the engine of innovation for the world, and it is more efficient in the long run.

“Unfortunately, our allies across the Atlantic have taken the opposite approach and made the mistake of racing to heavily regulate technologies, slowing innovation as a result. Onerous, conflicting, and confusing regulations are suffocating European technology companies and effectively grounding the AI industry there before it can even get off the ground.

“And to those who recommend America follow that path, I would remind you: We are not in a race with Europe to regulate. We are in a race with China to innovate.

“A patchwork of state laws here at home would have the same effect, stalling AI development and deployment and providing our adversaries with opportunity to advance, excluding Americans from the benefits of a new technological revolution founded on fundamentally Western values. It is vitally important for American technology companies to be the ones setting global technology standards for the next generation of tools and systems.

“President Trump’s AI Action Plan includes a range of policies to put us back on track to export a full American stack of AI products and services to our allies. Prioritizing the export of American products and services helps embed American-driven technical standards in global markets, expand our economic influence, and strengthen our national security.

“But maintaining global leadership cannot occur without deploying energy and broadband infrastructure at scale. By consuming enormous amounts of electricity to power vast networks of computers, AI data centers effectively convert energy into intelligence, and at a scale we’ve never seen before.

“The U.S. is blessed with an abundant supply of natural resources that can be leveraged to generate the baseload, dispatchable electricity necessary to power data centers, broader electrification efforts, and advanced manufacturing. But we need the right approach at the federal level to seize this moment, and building the energy infrastructure to power the future is the first step.

“But we also need to look at the broad application of AI technologies and the promise of benefits for consumers that span our entire economy. This year the Committee has already held hearings across our wide jurisdiction demonstrating the ways AI can improve the everyday lives of Americans.

“For example, AI technologies can help to limit the frequency and duration of network blackouts, meaning better coverage in cases of emergencies or cyberattacks. After an expansive operation to cripple telecommunications in New York City was linked to China this fall, this could mean the difference between life and death.

“Autonomous vehicles are on track to have the same effect. The National Safety Council estimated that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems could save hundreds of thousands of lives in the coming decades. Even setting aside the radical improvements in safety, AI-supported vehicles will offer elderly Americans and people with disabilities new options for independence.

“In health care, AI can expedite the repetitive, administrative processes that slow treatment and research, freeing providers to focus on their core skills treating patients. Supporting—not replacing—health care professionals has long been a critical priority for Congress, and artificial intelligence may represent a generational opportunity to advance those efforts.

“You may see a theme emerging: AI can make the world safer and workers more productive. But with that goal in mind, we also recognize the need for narrowly tailored protections to address new and unexpected harms. The TAKE IT DOWN Act—which was signed into law earlier this year—is a perfect example of Congress’s ability to provide guardrails where existing law does not suffice. Bipartisan majorities in Congress worked closely with the President and First Lady Melania Trump to target the spread of sexually exploitative, non-consensual AI images, filling gaps in the law related to emerging technologies.

“With AI advancements continuing to permeate the digital economy, American families deserve tools as sophisticated as the platforms their kids are using. Modern challenges require modern protections, which is why the Energy and Commerce Committee is also working to make the internet safer for kids as AI technologies increasingly shape online experiences.

“Similarly, Americans of all ages should be entitled to commonsense data privacy protections, especially in the era of large language models that use vast amounts of data to train AI algorithms. Passing one national, comprehensive data privacy bill—so your privacy protections do not change crossing state lines—would be a critical step toward restoring trust online, without unduly hurting American entrepreneurs.

“Artificial intelligence is already helping raise the tide so every American can benefit. Continuing that momentum requires commitments and intentional decisions by the leaders of industry, government, and civil society. Challenges will inevitably arise, but that has never stopped our nation from innovating, creating, and growing before.

“The rest of this century will either belong to the United States and its allies or China. If we cede the technological edge, we risk losing our ability to expand our influence abroad and will provide a platform for China to expand its authoritarian state and stifle human freedom.

“The strong U.S. economy and our workers are the greatest assets we have. As long as we choose to embrace those strengths instead of holding ourselves back, America will continue to succeed. Our leadership has undoubtedly made the world stronger and more prosperous in recent decades, and we don’t plan on stopping now.”