News

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing titled  America’s Energy Infrastructure: Authorizing Pipeline Safety . “America’s pipelines are the safest and most cost-effective mode of transportation for the oil, natural gas, and numerous other energy products our communities and manufacturers need,”   said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta .  “This hearing will provide the opportunity to examine legislation to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program. Ensuring these pipelines remain operational, safe, and dependable is vital to meeting our nation’s energy demand, securing our grid, and lowering costs for hardworking American families.” Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled  America’s Energy Infrastructure: Authorizing Pipeline Safety. WHAT:  Subcommittee on Energy 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  This hearing will focus on the following bill:  H.R. ____ , Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026 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.  – 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 discuss 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. – 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.  – 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. – 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. – 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. – Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing titled Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the Prescription Drug Supply Chain, featuring witness testimony from representatives across the entire prescription drug supply chain.

“I’m proud of this subcommittee’s work, but there is still more to be done—which is why I was proud to continue building on our affordability series through today’s hearing with representatives across the entire prescription drug supply chain,” said Chairman Griffith. “Hearing from these witnesses on how to best navigate this complex web helps Congress make better-informed policy decisions so that we are able to meaningfully lower the cost of care for all American patients.”

Watch the full hearing here:

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12): “I represent a very rural district, and not only is access to health care a problem, but access to pharmacy services is growing more challenging as well. A 2025 FTC report examined PBM pharmacy contracting practices and found that internal PBM documents suggested rural pharmacies are often forced to accept ‘take it or leave it’ reimbursement rates. Could you elaborate on the specific challenges rural pharmacies face when negotiating contracts with PBMs, and how these practices may affect access to care in rural communities?” Mr. Hoey: “‘Take it or leave it’ contracts are part and parcel of the so-called negotiations between pharmacies and PBMs. PBMs hold all the leverage. They hold the patient lives. So, if a pharmacy does not sign whatever is put in front of them—with very little negotiation—I’m sure our friends at PMA will say there’s robust negotiation, but in reality, it’s a take-it-or-leave-it contract. These pharmacies are often forced to sign contracts that pay them below their cost to acquire the drug. And yes, rural pharmacies, as well as pharmacies in underserved areas, urban areas, and suburban communities, are all taking contracts in which they are paid below cost. As a result, 5,000 pharmacies have gone out of business in the last four years alone. That’s 5,000 fewer pharmacy choices in just four years. It’s a systemic problem. In fact, pharmacy deserts—especially in your district in Ohio and across the country—are growing because of these ‘take it or leave it’ contracts.”

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): “Three companies control the majority of drug distribution in the United States, and many are vertically integrated to control each phase of the prescription drug supply chain—from manufacturer to pharmacy. Does consolidating the prescription drug industry lower prices for patients? Yes or no?” Mr. Davis: “It has the potential to, yes.” Congresswoman Kat Cammack: “Respectfully, your own industry report projects that the ‘big three’ will generate $871 billion in revenue this year—after four straight years of double-digit growth. So, if this is potentially saving patients money, why are revenues growing so fast, and where are patients seeing the savings?”

Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-06): “President Trump recently launched TrumpRx, a revolutionary platform aimed at bringing price transparency and competition back to the drug market. My constituents tell me every day about how much they dread going to the pharmacy because they never know what price they’re going to pay at the counter; it always changes. Then, you have brand-name versus [generic]... How have your members reacted to the transparent pricing of brand-name [drugs] on TrumpRx?” Mr. Marin: “The PBM industry is all about transparency. We are enhancing it for our customers every day, particularly for employers. The bill Congress passed a couple of weeks ago takes [transparency] to another level—we’re happy with that. We support and applaud the mission of the administration’s goal with TrumpRx.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the Prescription Drug Supply Chain.

Subcommittee Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“First, I want to recognize the bipartisan bill that we were able to pass last week that included many important health care provisions and lowered health care costs for all Americans.

“Today, we will discuss health care costs and patient access challenges by examining affordability across the entire pharmaceutical supply chain.

“I’m proud of this subcommittee’s work, but there is still more to be done, which is why I am eager to continue building on our affordability series with today’s hearing that comes after we heard from insurance executives last month.

“We now will hear from stakeholders who are part of the complex pharmaceutical drug supply chain.

“To regular people, this system may seem simple: a disease is researched and a treatment is developed, then that treatment is manufactured and distributed to a hospital, pharmacy, or other health entity before it is dispensed to a patient.

“However, there are many more layers that are involved in this process that affect how a drug gets to a patient and how that drug is priced.

“One of the most frustrating aspects of the supply chain is that it operates in a blackbox.

“Luckily, we have witnesses here to provide their perspectives and shine a light on the process.

“Do each of these entities in front of us today play a role in getting the drug to a patient? Yes.

“Are there too many cooks in the kitchen at times? Probably so.

“Today is a great opportunity for Congress to get a glimpse and see what is happening, and look for ways to help make prescription drugs more affordable.

“In 2017, this same subcommittee held a hearing similar to this one.

“A lot has changed since then.

“I am glad we are reexamining what we learned from that hearing to continue working towards what we all want: lowering costs for patients while ensuring that America remains a leader in pharmaceutical innovation.

“We have PhRMA and BIO in front of us who can speak to the intricacies that go into researching, developing, and pricing a drug on the market.

“We will also get the perspective of generic drugs from the Association for Accessible Medicines who can speak on the issues in that area.

“We also have the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association here who is the trade association that represents pharmaceutical benefit managers, or PBMs.

“In theory, PBMs manage prescription drug benefits for insurance companies, employers, and others.

“What we heard in our hearing last month is that insurance companies own many PBMs.

“The largest three insurance owned PBMs control over 80 percent of the market.

“How they manage these benefits is a mystery and can lead to higher drug prices.

“However, just last week, led by Representative Buddy Carter from Georgia, Congress passed and the President signed into law the biggest PBM reform package in history.

“These bills will bring more transparency into this system, lower costs, and allow for more access to medicines.

“The Healthcare Supply Chain Association is here on behalf of Group Purchasing Organizations, or GPOs, which act as intermediaries between manufacturers and providers.

“In front of us is also the Healthcare Distribution Alliance, who is involved in the distribution of prescription drugs along the supply chain.

“I am looking forward to hearing from the National Community Pharmacists Association who is before us today as well, since they represent community pharmacists.

“These community pharmacies serve a critical role in bringing care to patients, especially in rural areas; yet, many have had to sadly close their doors in recent years due to factors we will discuss today.

“The ERISA Industry Committee is also here to discuss their point of view for employers when it comes to high costs, as well as decisions they make based on those costs.

“Each of these different entities play a unique role in how a drug finally gets to a patient.

“In this meeting, we will hear from these witnesses on how to navigate this complex web on behalf of the American people.

“I look forward to the discussion.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding one Subcommittee Hearing and two Subcommittee Markups. Read more below.

SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a markup of twelve bills to strengthen automotive safety, affordability, and leadership.

• DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a markup of a bill to reauthorize FirstNet.

• DATE: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing on exploring the role that the prescription drug supply chain plays in health care affordability.

• DATE: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building