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Lawmakers leave door open to compelling testimony if Becerra refuses to cooperate House Republicans are holding the Biden administration accountable for the surge of migrants flowing across our border illegally and the exploitation of unaccompanied migrant children that has followed.  Despite publicly committing to Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith that he would “absolutely” be willing to appear before the Subcommittee, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has failed to make good on his promise.  On Friday, E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Subcommittee Chair Griffith sent Secretary Becerra a letter demanding that he testify. In the letter , the Chairs outlined the great lengths to which they’ve gone to accommodate Secretary Becerra’s travel schedule and venue preference. They have offered a hearing date of June 13 or June 14.  READ: Exclusive Coverage on FOX News : Becerra’s appearance is being sought as the U.S. is continuing to deal with a migrant crisis at the southern border now in its third year. While the primary agency dealing with the migrant surge is the Department of Homeland Security, unaccompanied minors encountered by  Border Patrol  are transferred into HHS custody, at which point officials attempt to find sponsors—typically a relative or parent—for them.  According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics, the number of unaccompanied alien children (UACs) who arrive at the border has increased from 33,239 in fiscal year 2020 to more than 146,000 in fiscal year 2021 and 152,000 in fiscal year 2022. So far in fiscal year 2023, there have been more than 70,000 encounters of UACs.  […]  The Times reported how officials  reportedly ignored  signs of "explosive" growth in the child labor force, while staff members claimed Becerra pushed for discharging minors even quicker.  "If Henry Ford had seen this in his plants, he would never have become rich and famous," he was quoted by the Times as telling staff. "This is not the way you do an assembly line."  […]  "In the event you do not select either of the above dates, the Committee will be forced to consider other avenues to secure testimony from you that is needed to fulfill our constitutional mandate to oversee the administration of these programs," they say.   CLICK HERE to read more from FOX News.  CLICK HERE to read the full letter to Secretary Becerra. 

House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are continuing to push back against Democrats’ radical efforts to ban gas stoves nationwide. Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson on Sinclair to discuss how this attack on common household appliances, like natural gas stoves, will make life unaffordable for Americans, especially middle- and low-income families. Chair Rodgers said on Full Measure: “I think it’s fair to say gas stoves are under attack by the current administration and some radical climate groups.” “I come from Washington state, where our governor... has been calling for a ban on gas stoves. It seems to be part of this larger effort that some call the ‘energy transition,’ but it really is the federal government controlling and the federal government saying ‘we know best.’” To stop the Biden administration’s attempts to ban gas stoves, Energy and Commerce Committee members Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) and Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) have recently introduced legislation which would prohibit Secretary of Energy and the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves. “Inflation is hurting everyone. We have a crisis at our Southern Border. North Dakotans are worried about being able to provide for their families. What is the Biden administration focused on? Controlling the kind of stove Americans use,” said Congressman Armstrong. “This is further incompetence from an administration that seems more interested in dictating every aspect of our lives than solving real problems. Our bill makes it clear that Americans should decide if a gas stove is right for their families, not the federal government.” “The Biden Administration’s extreme proposed regulation that will ban nearly every gas stove on the market is just another example of out-of-touch bureaucrats trying to control Americans’ everyday lives,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “I am proud to join Congressman Armstrong in introducing these important bills to protect Americans’ consumer choice and stop this egregious power-grab.” CLICK HERE to read H.R. 1640, the Save Our Gas Stoves Act. CLICK HERE to read H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act. It’s not just Congress that agrees banning gas stoves is wrong. A federal three-judge panel unanimously agreed that Berkeley, California’s ban on natural gas piping was unlawful. In addition, the House just passed H.R .1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, with a bipartisan vote to restore America’s energy dominance, lower the cost of living, and ensure American continues to lead the world at reducing emissions. As Chair Rodgers said: “Republicans are prioritizing the American people over the Democrat’s radical climate agenda. On his first day in office, President Biden started the war on American energy,” Chair Rodgers said. “He has revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, imposed a moratorium on oil production on federal lands, directed agencies across the Federal government to impose punitive and burdensome regulations, and made us more reliant on China. “Predictably, gas prices skyrocketed to the highest levels in American history. People are counting on us to improve their quality of life. H.R. 1 delivers on that promise and will ensure America continues to lead the world at reducing emissions. I commend the passing of this package, which will boost energy production, lift regulatory burdens for the construction of more energy infrastructure, cut China out of our critical materials supply chains, and lower costs across the board. H.R. 1 is how we build a better and more secure future for all Americans.”

Following the Energy and Commerce Committee’s hearing with TikTok, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union to talk about TikTok and the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) urgent threat to our national and personal security. She told Tapper that TikTok’s testimony placed “more urgency on us passing a national data privacy law to protect [America] from the next technological tool or weapon that China may put together.” Excerpts and highlights of Chair Rodgers’ interview below: TIKTOK MUST BE BANNED “What the hearing made clear to me was that TikTok should be banned in the United States of America to address the immediate threat and we also need a national data privacy law. “Mr. Chew said that the data that they are amassing on Americans is accessible by the CCP. “He was asked about ByteDance spying on Americans and he responded, ‘oh, well, I wouldn't describe it as spying.’ “What we are seeing is that TikTok and Mr. Chew have repeatedly been caught in this lie, that there's not a connection to ByteDance and ultimately, the CCP.” TIKTOK CANNOT BE TRUSTED “What we do have evidence of is that TikTok cannot be trusted to... protect our data and they cannot be trusted to ensure that our children's mental health is a priority.” E&C LEADING ON A NATIONAL DATA PRIVACY STANDARD “We need to address the immediate threat that TikTok poses because it is it is ultimately the Chinese Communist Party accessing data. “We need a national data privacy standard also and that's what Ranking Member Pallone and I have worked on and we're going to introduce this Congress because we need to take action. “Whether it's TikTok, Big Tech, or other data brokers to restrict the amount of data that they're collecting to begin with, we need to ensure that individuals have the right to know what their profile might be or to be alerted if their information, their personal data is being accessed or transferred to another country like China. “We need to protect kids and we have the strongest protections for kids in the privacy proposal that we have been working on to protect anyone under the age of 17. “We need to stop this listening on devices of people. Our bill would say you cannot listen to conversations on an app or on your device without people actually having given you the permission.”

TikTok CEO Shou Chew will appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee tomorrow to testify about TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platform’s impact on kids, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) jointly spoke with Fox News’ Bret Baier about the national privacy standard they are leading on together to prevent any app, website, and platform like TikTok from ever spying on Americans again. THE IMPORTANCE OF TOMORROW’S HEARING “This hearing has been long overdue. This will be the first time the CEO of TikTok, Mr. Chew, has been before any congressional committee. “It's very important that he answer for some of the repeated lies that we know about TikTok and their association with ByteDance and ultimately the Chinese Communist Party. “[We have] growing concerns about the threat that this platform, this app poses in the United States of America but also it highlights the concerns around other technological tools or weapons that China may use for their own strategic future and that's why we are joining together. “We believe it's very important that we hold TikTok accountable but also make sure that any app or platform is ultimately protecting individual Americans’ privacy and making sure that Americans are protected from harm and our children are protected from harm.” TIKTOK’s CONNECTION WITH BYTEDANCE AND THE CCP “It is clear that TikTok will say anything to ensure that it is not banned in the United States of America.” “They have said that they're not surveilling on Americans or spying on Americans and yet now we know that they were used. ByteDance used TikTok to spy on American journalists. “We know that they continue to say that their data is not going back to China and that this walled off from the Chinese Communist Party and yet we now have recordings of employees at TikTok that say that everything is seen by China.” A NATIONAL DATA PRIVACY STANDARD “There is a lot of common ground and I think the fact that Mr. Chew is going directly to the TikTok users in America, that 150 million Americans [use it], now only underscores the importance of us taking action, because Americans’ data privacy is not protected. “This platform can also be used to manipulate what people see or hear or think. “It all points to the importance of us passing a larger national privacy standard, as Mr. Pallone is joining me to [achieve], because we believe this is a clarion call as to the need for a national data privacy standard to minimize the amount of data that TikTok, Big Tech, or other data brokers are collecting to begin with, to make sure that Americans are alerted when their data is being used or stored or transferred over to countries like China and to protect our kids for those under 17. “The legislation that we propose would make it illegal to track our kids online and to make sure that private conversations are actually private, that apps and devices would be prohibited from listening to our private conversations when we haven't given them permission. “This is all really important and we need to ban TikTok and we need to pass a national data privacy law.” CLICK HERE to watch Thursday’s hearing.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) joined Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow yesterday to discuss E&C Republicans’ robust agenda to reverse the damage of President Biden’s war on American energy. Chair Rodgers said that the Republican majority in the House will be demanding officials from the Biden administration testify about their rush-to-green agenda. Check out the interview and highlights of Chair Rodgers: REVERSING BIDEN’S WAR ON AMERICAN ENERGY “We must reverse President Biden's war on American energy, and this week in committee, we started the process. “We have several bills that we voted on in [our] subcommittees. “Our goal is to have a very significant down payment on the House floor at the end of this month. “We want to get this out of the House to unleash American energy [which is] just so foundational to our economy, our geopolitical standing, our leadership... to bring down gas prices, and secure our supply chains.” STREAMLINING PERMITTING TO UNLEASH AMERICA’S ABUNDANT ENERGY RESOURCES “We are desperate for permitting reform in the United States. It's the number one barrier to getting anything done in manufacturing, let alone drilling or refining or processing. “We have a regulatory climate right now that is the number one barrier to get anything done. “[E&C Republicans] have legislation that would address permitting for pipelines. We want to export LNG to our partners and allies around the world. “It's really natural gas and the shale revolution in the United States of America that has brought down prices, but also led the country in bringing down carbon emissions. “We have legislation that would express our disapproval of when the President shut down the Keystone XL pipeline. We would prevent the president from putting a moratorium on fracking. “We must reform the permitting process and flip the switch on American energy to get us energy independent again. “We need to reduce those timelines, whether it's a solar plant or a pipeline or whatever the project may be, including expanding refining capacity. “We must reduce the timeline so that we can actually get projects built, get manufacturing going in the United States, and unleash American energy. “It's the best thing that we can do to bring down the price of gas, secure our supply chains so that we're not dependent upon China for critical minerals, and help our partners and allies around the world.” UNCOVERING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S RADICAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA “Agency directors have to come in front of these committees. “The secretaries for the last two years have been protected by the Democrats in the majority. “We will be having the secretaries come in, whether it's [Department of] Energy and FERC. “We'll ask them the questions that are fundamental to our role as the elected representatives of the people—to provide that oversight, to bring in the agencies, to ask them the questions.” EXERCISING THE POWER OF THE PURSE “When these agencies do not cooperate, we can exercise the power of the purse and ultimately cut their budgets and we're working very closely with the Appropriations Committee. “We must as the elected representatives of the people. “This is pretty fundamental: Article One, exercise the power of the purse and provide that oversight. “Many of these agencies are implementing their own political agenda, their political appointees, by the President, and they're implementing his agenda. “Right now, it’s pretty radical when it comes to shutting down American energy or shutting down projects, whether it's in Alaska or mining projects across the country. “We are bringing them in. We are going to hold them accountable and get them back to the task of what they're supposed to be doing within the law and for the American people.”

Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Chairman Jeff Duncan (R-SC) led Subcommittee members in a field hearing in Midland, Texas. Local civil and energy officials celebrated the economic and public benefits of a strong oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin and the country as a whole, and warned of the dangers of President Biden shutting down American energy. Check out these stories from the hearings: Midland leaders were witnesses that spoke in front of the committee and gave testimony about the importance of West Texas in oil and gas production. […] “15 different representatives who have different constituencies but the thing that remains the same in those consistencies is a need for energy,” said Congressman August Pfluger. “What the community needs and what they need right now, what the American people need right now, what families need right now is low cost energy.” […] The goal of the committee is to make lives better for [the] American people. “Providing affordable energy is important is critical for the health of all of us,” said Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa. Midland Mayor Lori Blong, local business owner Adrian Carrasco, and I-P-A-A Chairman Steve Pruett all testified in front of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. This hearing centered around the benefits that the Permian Basin provides to America’s economic and national security. “You cannot understand US energy without visiting the Permian Basin,” said Congressman Pfluger. “As Representatives of the people’s house, we do the most important thing, which is getting the hell out of your way,” said Kat Cammack, Florida-District 3 It’s no secret to West Texans the vital role the Permian Basin plays in America’s economy and national security but not everyone in the country knows that. And that’s what today’s hearing was all about, showing how big of an impact West Texas has on the world and how members of Congress can help West Texas continue to grow. “Midland is doing it better than, cleaner, cheaper, safer than any place else on the planet. We need to learn from their experience and we need to get out of their way and allow them to do the job that they’ve done so well over the past 100 years” said Rep. Michael Burgess, Texas District 26. CHAIR RODGERS: “Our primary energy objective is to ensure reliable, secure, and affordable delivery of energy to Americans to their homes, to their businesses, the grocery stores, and everywhere in between. We must build upon our nation’s diverse and abundant natural resources, to create more secure supplies, more dependable power. We must work to develop a predictable regulatory landscape, one that unleashes America’s unmatched genius for innovation and technological leadership. “While we have examined solutions in our hearing room in Washington, D.C., to secure our energy future, we are here today in Texas to see where it all begins, in places like the Permian Basin. It begins with the workers, the families, all the people living and working in energy producing communities, like Midland, and so many others, large and small, throughout this country. We cannot achieve a more secure energy future, create more jobs, and increase affordability without the people who do this work and take the risks to produce American energy.” SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR DUNCAN: “Two years ago, America was energy dominant for the first time since 1952. In 2019, we became the number one oil and gas producer in the world. This drove down the cost for consumers at home and benefitted our allies abroad by providing supply as an alternative to Russia and OPEC. Much of this success is owed to the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of the shale revolution, created by hydraulic fracturing in the production of both oil and natural gas. Something this community knows better than anyone. Energy and Commerce Republicans have solutions to build off the success of the shale revolution and get us back to energy dominance – we have a series of bills that aim to unleash innovation by creating regulatory certainty and encouraging long-term investment. This is in sharp contrast to the Biden administration and Congressional Democrats who want to make oil and gas production impossible.” At the field hearing, witnesses testified about the need for American energy production and the many benefits it provides to the community. Below are excerpts and highlights of prepared testimony: The Honorable Lori Blong, Mayor of Midland, Texas, and President of Octane Energy “The pipeline and infrastructure permitting headwinds, current SEC driven ESG movement, and the current administration’s vow to ‘put an end to fossil fuels’ are all creating growing market distortions and need to be reversed. These policies prevent individual Americans and American businesses from growing as we otherwise could, prevent us from creating jobs as we otherwise could, and most importantly prevents our country from being energy secure as it otherwise could. “Many members of this subcommittee have stated that energy security is national security. I could not agree more. Russian aggression toward a sovereign neighbor, the People’s Republic of China brutally repressing its own citizens and testing the resolve of the United States – these are not chapters in a history book. These are today’s newspaper headlines. History shows us that conflict is brought about by the desire of one or more sides to gain the resources of another. We have the energy we need right here in the Permian Basin, to keep American homes warm, to provide electricity to hospitals and schools, and to keep our country and allies safe. But we must have federal advocacy and support for the energy production we require. “If the Federal Government truly wants to work with energy companies to positively impact the environment, one tangible suggestion is to significantly invest in technologies for beneficial reuse of produced water from oil and natural gas extraction. The technology for beneficial reuse of produced water already exists; we simply need to find ways to make that technology economically scalable, to benefit the millions of Americans in everyday communities in the central and western states, where abundant clean water is a game-changer on so many levels. Federal efforts in this case could help to accelerate our beneficial reuse efforts, rather than the federal efforts we have seen to restrict our industry but which do not ultimately benefit our communities. “The messages, virtue signaling and rhetoric that have come from the federal level lately tell us oil and gas is evil or not on the side of average American or on the side of care for our environment. This could not be further from the truth. Responsible operators in the Permian are committed to paying excellent wages for the flourishing of our people and committed to ever-improving technology for the flourishing of our surrounding environment.” Full Testimony Mr. Adrian Carrasco, Chairman Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and President of Premier Energy Services “We all know that small businesses play a key role in increasing commerce, providing jobs, and bringing economic development within our community. It is crucial that we continue to provide business education, funding opportunities for business growth, and guidance for positive growth. As communities like Midland grow, we look to entrepreneurs to develop businesses that meet the need of the community and its growth.” […] “Due to the positive impact of the oil and gas industry on local communities, this has given aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to fulfill dreams of owning a business. We have seen home bakers open restaurants and bakery shops. Restaurants expand their businesses into second locations and catering services to the oil field drill sites. Licensed commercial electricians have expanded services into the oil and gas sector and cosmetologists and barbers have opened their own shops. I applaud the great work of the Midland Development Corporation and Kevin Dawson with Maybe Midland/Odessa on their successful efforts of bringing new brands of restaurants, family entertainment centers, aerospace and aviation related businesses to Midland. Midland is home to over 6,200 business establishments and it drives over 100,000 jobs. Oil and Gas in the Permian is an economic driver not only here but throughout this nation and the world. [The Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce] will continue to support our local minority and small business owners so they can provide economic growth and commerce in our community.” Full Testimony Mr. Steven Pruett, President and CEO, Elevation Resources, in Midland, and Chairman of the Board for Independent Petroleum Association of America “Negative messaging by the Biden administration discourages people from joining our industry. COVID relief reduced our workforce as workers stayed home, living on government handouts. My generation is approaching retirement, setting the oil and gas industry up for the ‘great crew change.’ However, there are not enough young people to replace my generation in the oil industry. Over the last 2 years, the oilfield has experienced 15% wage inflation if you can find qualified workers. We’ve also experienced months-long delays in completing or repairing wells and facilities due to manpower and equipment shortages. Drilling & completion costs for my company have risen from $8 million in 2021 to $11 million per well in 2022 due to escalating input costs including steel and labor, while weak natural gas and liquids prices have reduced our returns, thus limiting drilling activity. “To reduce uncertainty and improve the investment climate needed to grow U.S. oil and gas production, we need Congress to provide oversight of the EPA, DOI, FERC and SEC as it relates to regulations affecting the oil and natural gas industry broadly defined from the wellhead to the consumer.” Full Testimony

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) joined Punchbowl News’ Anna Palmer on Wednesday to discuss the future of spectrum and telecommunications during a pop-up conversation Wednesday. Watch it here and check out excerpts and highlights of Chair Rodgers’ remarks below: BEATING CHINA “I believe in the need of American competitiveness. American leadership matters. “We see a growing threat from China. “China is making it very clear that they want to lead as an economic, a technological, as well as a military power. They want to be the dominant power. All of that is informing our efforts and only underscores the importance of an issue like spectrum. “It’s a national security issue. It’s a competitiveness issue. We must be leading in these emerging technologies. “If we’re going to lead in 5G, 6G, autonomous vehicles, self-driving cars, and quantum computing… we have to be smart in our spectrum allocation. “We need to restore the role of NTIA. That is the entity that should be making these spectrum decisions. “We worked on a bipartisan bill. Frank Pallone, the Ranking Member, [and I] worked on the bipartisan Spectrum Innovation Act... [which] passed the House. “The decision was made in the end of year omnibus package to extend the auction authority until March 9th. “It’s right around the corner and no one wants to see the auction authority expire, so we are going to work to reach an agreement as soon as possible to ensure that the FCC can open up new bands and that we continue to lead in the allocation of spectrum. “It’s important that we unleash commercial spectrum which is going to be the key to our leadership in beating China.” SPECTRUM POLICY IS NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY “Our lives are more connected than ever, and having spectrum is going to be the key to being able to unleash future technologies and innovation. […] “When you look at the United States of America, our advantage has always been our ingenuity, our creativity, our technology, and spectrum allocation is foundational to making sure that America continues to lead. “Our telecommunications, infrastructure, spectrum, all of this is foundational to us leading in competitiveness and it’s key to our national security." CCP STEALING OUR DATA “The spy balloon has certainly dominated the news... China just has very different values than we do. Surveilling the United States of America from a balloon certainly has caused a lot of concern. “I also would highlight the concerns with TikTok and other social media platforms and the data China is using to surveil Americans. “We need to be taking steps to make sure our data is secure, our infrastructure is secure, our telecommunication networks are secure... “One of the provisions in the Spectrum Innovation Act was $3 billion to replace and remove Chinese equipment from our telecommunications networks. “This is so important...China is advancing. They want to win the future by dominating in telecommunications, the roll out of 5G, 6G, spectrum.”

It’s no secret the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants to replace the U.S. as a global economic and technological power. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans previewed their plans to strengthen American resolve against the CCP and ensure America, not China, wins the future. Last week, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) announced that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify on March 23, 2023, before the committee on the platform’s consumer privacy and data security practices, its harm to kids, and its ties to the CCP. AMERICA’S DANGEROUS ENERGY DEPENDENCE ON CHINA During a full committee hearing last week, Republicans raised concerns about how President Biden is making America dangerously dependent on adversaries like China for our energy. “Every energy technology and source has a role to play but we need to be able to ensure that we are not becoming entirely dependent on unreliable, intermittent energy sources that rely on Chinese supply chains,” Chair Rodgers said . “It’s time to flip the switch and unleash American energy and this committee is at the very center of securing our global leadership and making people's lives better.” “There’s no doubt that China is adding wind and solar and other renewables to their energy matrix,” Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) said . “They’re also building a heck of a lot of coal fired power plants, fossil fuel generation, mining rare Earth minerals that they need for all the technology, which is very detrimental to the environment.” “If we want viable, sustainable energy solutions that make all Americans secure, that appreciates the diversity of our landscapes, and doesn’t rely on premature, aspirational technologies or the availability of mineral supplies from foreign countries being available; then it’s time to turn the page on the current, national energy strategy, or lack thereof. Particularly since it’s one that makes us more dependent on nations that hate us,” Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH) said . “To illustrate the point, I ask my colleagues to consider a recent article in the Washington Post. It suggested senior U.S. military officials are predicting, and preparing for, war within one to five years with China—the very country we depend on for the critical minerals required for many of the ‘rush to green’ solutions.” “China is striving to secure oil, gas, and critical minerals supply around the world while defending its dominance of renewable energy supply chains,” Robert McNally, the President of Rapidan Energy Group, LLC, testified to the Committee. BOOSTING AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS TO BEAT CHINA At an Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee hearing, members and witnesses discussed how America can compete against China and win the future. “Today’s hearing focuses on the greatest threat to our country right now—China. So, it is fitting that to begin the 118th Congress we focus on this threat and discuss how to recapture and maintain our global leadership. The CCP will stop at nothing to undermine our global leadership and weaken our economy,” Subcommittee Chair Bilirakis (R-FL) said . “They have bought up our farmlands, stolen our intellectual property, and embedded themselves deep within many of our supply chains. Now they are turning their attention towards establishing the global standards for emerging technologies. The CCP has invested heavily in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies. Paired with this investment, China is creating favorable environments for their private sector companies and entrepreneurs to deploy and test these technologies.” “In 2020, the China Task Force found that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ‘has a record of using official government resources and companies with CCP affiliations to compromise the data of people around the world’ and that the United States and its allies need to join the ‘effort to secure data from the CCP’s surveillance state and other malign entities.’ These concerns are especially prevalent in China itself, where advanced technology is used to track and monitor their citizens with few protections,” Brandon Pugh, Policy Director and Resident Senior Fellow of the R Street Institute, told the Subcommittee . “Similar concerns are echoed by federal government leaders like Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray, who previously said ‘if you are an American adult, it is more likely than not that China has stolen your personal data.’ He made even more pointed comments recently, saying that ‘China’s vast hacking program is the world’s largest, and they have stolen more Americans’ personal and business data than every other nation combined.’” CHINA'S DANGEROUS STONEWALLING During an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing, Republican members noted how China has put the world in danger of future outbreaks because of that country’s refusal to cooperate with investigations into the origins of COVID-19. “Existing pandemic preparedness plans have mentioned the need for investigating the origins of pandemics but have neither spelled out the challenges nor the specifics for how to conduct an effective probe,” Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) said . “One of the challenges laid out in the (GAO) report is the need for investigators to have more access to samples from early cases in order to be effective in determining the pandemic’s origin. We must address this issue since some government organizations, including the Government of the Chinese Communist Party, have a history of withholding this type of information.” BEATING CHINA IN NEXT-GEN TECHNOLOGY Members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee examined how China is seeking to undermine us in a range of advanced communications technologies, including next-gen satellite technology. “We must also ensure continued American leadership in advanced communications services. In order to do that, our regulations must foster an environment of innovation and certainty,” Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) said . “As countries like China seek to dominate the technologies of the future, we must make the United States an attractive place to invest in cutting edge developments that align with American values and guarantee the availability of trusted satellite communications. “Countries like China seek to undermine us in a range of advanced communications technologies, including next-gen satellite technology. We can’t afford to let this happen,” Chair Rodgers said . “The Chinese Communist Party will do whatever it takes to embed their authoritarianism into next generation technologies like these. This is a country that spies on its citizens and asserts strict government control over businesses and the economy. They want to replace the U.S. as the economic and technological power so they can spread their values and vision of the future. We need to make sure these technologies are developed in an ecosystem that promotes America’s values, not China’s.” “China’s accelerating space prowess and reach presents both economic and national security challenges. China’s expanding space sector creates a competitive alternative in the global marketplace, oftentimes with attractive incentives and financing, that will steadily chip away at the market share enjoyed by U.S. companies,” Kari Bingen, Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies said. “As highlighted in a 2021 European market assessment, ‘[W]hile the most advanced commercial space companies clearly remain Western companies, China is now leading the world in terms of number of commercial space companies being established.’ On the national security front, the U.S. military’s battlefield advantage has long rested on our superior technology. But that is at risk as Beijing seeks to close the gap in our technology advantage.”

American energy security is fundamental House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined CNBC’s Joe Kernan this morning to discuss how H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act , will improve our energy security and affordability, while discouraging the abuse of the reserve as an election-year gimmick. Below are highlights and excerpts from Chair Rodgers’ interview: FACT-CHECKING BIDEN ON H.R. 21 “Unfortunately, the Secretary and the administration have been misrepresenting the bill. The bill only addresses non-emergency use [of the SPR]. “This bill goes back to the importance of American energy security. It's our economic security. It's our national security. “The legislation that we passed in the House already and this second bill are both related to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This is a critical asset. It’s a national security asset and it's an economic asset for emergency uses.” […] “This bill requires the administration, when they deplete it, when they sell the reserves [for non-emergency sales], that they would have to develop a plan for domestic production to offset what they are selling from the reserve. It only applies to non-emergency situations.” BIDEN HAS ABUSED THE SPR FOR POLITICS “The administration, especially leading up to the election, depleted our reserve for political purposes and I believe it is important that they are transparent, and we are holding them accountable for that. “We passed the first bill (H.R. 22) that would prohibit any sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from going to China and we gained over 100 Democrats. “It was the largest bipartisan vote on an energy bill in years and I urge the Senate to take action on that.” […] “ The SPR is at the lowest levels in 40 years, we're down to 1983 levels. And now, what we're seeing since we're past the election, is that prices are going back up.” CHINA IS BENEFITING FROM BIDEN’S ACTIONS “What we're seeing is China has built up the largest [government-controlled] petroleum reserve in the world. They have been buying a lot of this oil on the open market. “We are requiring the administration to come up with a plan. So, if [the administration] reduces the SPR by 10%, they have to increase domestic production by 10%.” “We saw this administration go ask OPEC, go ask Venezuela, to produce more oil in order to help [with] the energy crisis that... their policies had brought us to. “What we're asking is for them to come up with a plan to increase domestic oil production. We have tremendous resources in the United States of America.” THE NEED FOR PERMITTING REFORM “The number one barrier to energy production in the United States is permitting in this regulatory climate. “Even at the end of last Congress, we heard Senator Manchin talking about the importance of permitting reform in the United States. “We need permitting reform and we're anxious to go to work on that.”