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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a legislative hearing titled Protecting America’s Energy Infrastructure in Today’s Cyber and Physical Threat Landscape.

“Altogether, this package of security bills comes at a critical time,” said Chairman Latta. “Our adversaries remain close on our heels to overtake the United States as the leading technological superpower on the world stage. Our communities cannot afford to endure disruptive large-scale attacks that can be prevented with commonsense solutions and collaboration.”

Watch the full hearing ** here **.

Below are key excerpts from yesterday's hearing:

Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14): “I like to tell people that the things that make America great are the things that America makes. Now, how do we do that? We do that with a reliable, dependable power system. Electric grids include all of those things that we need—everything that we need to make this country great. It’s the President’s reason for doing all of the things he’s doing that continues to make America great, so that we have a dependable, reliable, affordable energy supply. Would you agree?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “Yes, I would, sir. And I would add to that the energy system has to be built to meet peak demand in the summer and the winter, when electricity is needed most or people die. The head of NERC has called the situation facing the grid due to the disastrous energy subtraction policies of the previous administration, a five-alarm fire for the grid. That is simply because of the premature retirement of too much reliable, dispatchable generation.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23): “Not only is my district rural, but we also experience severe winter storms that can threaten grid reliability, fuel delivery, and emergency response for days at a time. During Winter Storm Elliott in 2022, a prolonged cold and high energy demand strained the electrical grid. It disrupted fuel supplies, and it complicated restoration efforts. The storm underscored how weather alone can expose vulnerabilities across the entire energy system, even without a cyber or a physical attack. Under Secretary Fitzsimmons, how does DOE evaluate and plan for severe weather risks? And what steps does your office take to incorporate lessons from past severe weather events into preparedness, response, and coordination efforts?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “That’s a great question because as I mentioned, the energy system is built to meet summer and winter peaks. That is our fundamental responsibility to keep the lights on. And so, one of the core capabilities that CESER has is a capability that’s called Eagle Eye. It’s run in partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. And that allows us to have real-time situational awareness on power outages all across the country.”

Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15): “I am particularly interested in the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, which would update the Department of Energy Organization Act to include energy emergency and energy security functions assigned to an assistant secretary. Mr. Fitzsimmons, will elevating the DOE’s emergency response to an assistant secretary elevate the level of communication and coordination with other agencies?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “I think what’s more important than the particular title that the head of the office holds is the mission of the office, and that is incredibly important. We’ve been working on refocusing and clarifying the CESER mission because it is so important. It’s a new office, and sometimes new offices can kind of struggle to figure out where they fit. What we’ve said is CESER’s mission is to provide timely and actionable information to the energy sector. That’s then used to inform the development of world-class cyber and physical security technologies, which are used to harden and secure energy infrastructure.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a legislative hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

“The American automotive industry has long been a driving force behind job creation and continuous improvements in the comfort, safety, and quality of the vehicles on our roads. While technologies and times have evolved, our commitment to innovation, safety, and consumer choice remains unchanged,” said Chairman Bilirakis. “Today’s hearing underscored the importance of updating policies to reflect modern advancements, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to advance these bills, strengthen motor vehicle safety, and ensure American automotive leadership remains at the forefront of the global marketplace.”

Watch the full hearing here .

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05): “Mr. Fulton, will you explain why the federal preemption provision is necessary and how its intersection with safety case provision will foster the development of AVs here in the United States?” Mr. Fulton: “You and Congresswoman Dingell were right a decade ago. [...] There's a grand agreement among Republicans, Democrats, state and local regulators, and the Congress and the Executive Branch itself across multiple administrations that this is the consensus, industry-driven way to do it that is fully understandable and can be executed upon. [...] I certainly hope that Congress once again agrees with you and passes this bill with the safety case provisions.”

Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “We also have today the PART Act to address the scourge of catalytic converter theft across the country. I was a cop. [...] It's a particular problem that Colorado has grappled with being the number one state in the nation for auto theft multiple times over the last five years. [...] Quite often [that’s] the result of some of these statewide Democrat soft-on-crime policies. Our attorney general, Phil Weiser, [...] remarked people should only be kept in jail after 'someone commits a third or fourth car theft in three months.’ [...] So, I'm heartened by the PART Act actually taking this problem seriously, because I've seen the impact that this has on my constituents.”

Congressman Craig Goldman (TX-12): “Considering the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) resource constraints, what legislative reforms could improve the agency's efficiency in addressing high traffic fatalities, especially in districts such as my own, that consist of urban and rural mixes?” Ms. Cain: “We really do think a number of the reforms that are laid out in the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act are precisely the sorts of reforms that are needed in order to make the agency more effective. [...] We think the research and rulemaking plan that's outlined in the proposal is fantastic and a way to ensure alignment between NHTSA’s research program and rulemaking program. The modernization of [the New Car Assessment Program] will be a critical component of getting new and innovative safety technologies on the road as well.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, and Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, authored ** a letter ** to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting a meeting on the concerning evidence detailed in the letter that points to large-scale, ongoing Medicare fraud in Los Angeles County, along with what action is being taken to address the situation.

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has an extensive history of digging deeper into matters where program integrity has been compromised. This letter is crucial in our commitment to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health care programs,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith. “Republicans have spent much of this Congress furthering legislation to protect our most vulnerable Americans—especially seniors, but our work is not done. Continued oversight is crucial to uphold the integrity of programs that serve our most vulnerable populations. We applaud the ongoing work being conducted by HHS-OIG in cracking down on the fraud that has occurred, and we look forward to addressing the larger-scale scheme that is draining public resources from Americans who need these services the most.”

“Medicare home health and hospice fraud directly undermines the safety and reliability of care for America’s most vulnerable seniors. Auditors have reported an unprecedented jump in home health and hospice fraud in Los Angeles County, California – including one report showing 112 different hospices located at the same physical address. With $1.2 billion in improper payments in home health claims and the Inspector General reporting $198 million in suspected hospice fraud, Gavin Newsom’s California could just as well be another Minnesota,” said Chairman Smith. “The Ways and Means Committee will not hesitate to use our broad oversight authority to get to the bottom of this and protect taxpayers and vulnerable patients against these bad actors.”

BACKGROUND:

Evidence has strongly suggested large-scale Medicare fraud involving home health agencies (HHA) and hospice agencies in Los Angeles County, California, noting that such practices not only drain public resources but also compromise the quality of care provided to patients, especially those most vulnerable populations.

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that the 2023 improper payment error rate for home health claims was 7.7 percent, or about $1.2 billion, in 2023.
• In terms of hospice care, HHS OIG reported suspected hospice fraud to be an estimated $198.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2023.
• CMS has placed HHAs as an area of high risk for Medicare fraud.

Emerging concerns over Medicare fraud in the HHAs and hospice sector highlights heightened activity, specifically in Los Angeles County.

• From 2019 through June 2023, HHAs in the U.S. decreased from 8,838 to 8,280 (6 percent), while, at the same time, HHAs in Los Angeles County increased from 896 to 1,309 (46 percent).
• More than 1,400 new Los Angeles County HHAs enrolled in Medicare in the last five years, representing over 50 percent of all HHAs in the state of California and nearly 14 percent of all HHAs in the country.

Based on data from the March 2022 California State Auditor’s Report and from HHS on hospice ownership, Los Angeles County had more than 31 percent of the hospice agencies in the U.S. in 2022.

• There were approximately 58 million seniors in the U.S. in 2022, with Los Angeles County having approximately 1.49 million seniors (2.5 percent).
• The report highlighted indicators that included a “rapid, disproportionate growth in the number of hospice agencies” and “excessive geographic clustering of hospice agencies,” noting that 112 different licensed hospice agencies were located at the same physical address.
• State auditors in California estimated that hospice agencies in Los Angeles County likely overbilled Medicare by $105 million in 2019.

These accounts of widespread fraud occurring in Los Angeles County’s HHAs and hospice agencies have raised concerns about whether home health and hospice Accrediting Organizations (AO) are effectively examining such organizations at the time of their enrollment in Medicare.

• In November 2024, CMS issued a Quality, Safety, and Oversight memo to surveyors, reminding them to closely inspect hospices’ Medicare enrollment documents to understand changes in ownership and location, but neglecting to encourage AOs to pursue other commonsense antifraud measures.

In April 2025, HHS OIG announced that the Office of Audit Services would compile a report for FY 2026 to identify trends, patterns, and comparisons that could indicate potential vulnerabilities related to new Medicare hospice provider enrollments.

In May 2025, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force—a joint task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including HHS OIG—** announced multiple arrests ** following a multi-year investigation into Armenian Organized Crime, which dismantled five hospices in the greater Los Angeles area.

On November 28, 2025, CMS ** announced ** the Calendar Year 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule, providing comments that suggest an interest in addressing the aforementioned accounts of fraud.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

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

“Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. Today we will be examining legislation aimed at modernizing motor vehicle safety. Thank you to our witnesses for joining us.

“Whether it is protecting our kids online or ensuring the safety of the cars in our driveways, we have always understood that there is no partisan way to save lives. In 2024, nearly 40,000 people died on our roadways.

“We often talk about these numbers as statistics, but every single one of them represents an empty chair at a dinner table. We cannot accept this as the cost of doing business.

“That is why we must focus on solutions to strengthen motor vehicle safety and empower NHTSA to succeed in its mission to save lives. I would like to highlight several solutions to bolster motor vehicle safety and enable innovation.

“First, we are considering a bipartisan discussion draft of the SELF-DRIVE Act, which establishes a federal framework for the safety deployment of autonomous vehicles. I want to commend Mr. Latta and Ms. Dingell for their hard work over many years to produce this discussion draft.

“AVs are not just a luxury; they can be a lifeline. By reducing human error, which causes the vast majority of crashes, we can prevent tragedies before they happen. AVs can also empower seniors and people with disabilities to be mobile and regain their independence.

“This legislation is also necessary to successfully compete against communist China, who are seeking to flood the world with Chinese self-driving technology. We cannot let America fall behind.

“Second, we are considering the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act, which makes substantial reforms to NHTSA to improve the agency’s operations, ensure the agency is accountable to Congress, and empower the agency to better advance automotive safety and innovation.

“These include reforms to NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program, which provides market incentives for automakers to compete on safety.

“The bill ensures accountability to providing Congress and stakeholders a defined roadmap of the agency’s research and rulemaking priorities. The bill also revamps NHTSA’s general exemption process to allow for the deployment novel vehicle technologies so America can lead in safety and innovation.

“Finally, as we consider proposals to ensure motor vehicle safety, we must keep in the mind the high costs of motor vehicles, which reached a record high of $50,000 for an average new vehicle. If consumers cannot afford new vehicles, they will not be able to take advantage of the innovative safety features in these vehicles, which will have adverse impacts on highway safety.

“I am confident that, working together, we can advance legislation that prioritizes safety and American automotive leadership. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how we can achieve that dream together.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing titled Protecting America's Energy Infrastructure in Today's Cyber and Physical Threat Landscape.

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

“Welcome to today’s hearing and thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us to inform our legislative efforts to secure and strengthen the nation’s energy systems.

“The reliable delivery of energy through our critical infrastructure is foundational to the modern economy and the health and welfare of all our communities.

“At a time of tremendous growth in our nation’s energy demands, the need for effective security cannot be overstated.

“During our recent hearing examining cyber and physical threats, we heard directly from operators and experts about the capabilities of adversaries and the work to safeguard against efforts to exploit vulnerabilities to disrupt the everyday lives of hardworking Americans.

“Addressing cyber and physical threats is no easy task.

“The avenues for malicious activity only widen as digitization, communications, and linkages of gas pipelines, new generating resources, and transmission take root to meet energy demands.

“The interconnected nature of our energy systems requires constant intelligence sharing, clear visibility into threat landscapes, and sufficient resources to fill gaps in security protections for rural and small utility service territories.

“That is exactly what the legislation before us seeks to accomplish.

“Importantly, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act strengthens the Department of Energy’s central energy sector security mission.

“It does so by requiring that its well-established energy emergency and cyber functions are led by an Assistant Secretary, confirmed by the Senate.

“This will ensure the Department has the focused and accountable leadership to more fully protect the public from fuel and electricity supply disruptions, including emerging threats from our foreign adversaries to the nation’s electric grid.

“As the Sector Risk Management Agency for the energy sector, DOE requires visibility over the whole system and actively collaborates not only with the power sector, but also the oil and gas sector to prepare and respond appropriately to emergencies. DOE’s central role in Federal coordination and providing technical assistance as needed is critical for a secure energy system.

“The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act will enhance and formalize DOE’s work in this area, so we have a stronger, more resilient energy sector.

“Alongside this bill, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act would formally authorize a valuable program that improves information sharing and coordination on threat analyses.

“The Energy Threat Analysis Center, or ETAC, brings together key public and private partners, including the intelligence community, to address vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and provide operational support for energy sector resilience.

“The Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act will improve cybersecurity protocols and equipment for small utilities, electric co-operatives, and public power agencies by providing targeted funding and technical assistance.

“These small entities typically serve our most rural and remote communities that do not have the same resources as their larger investor-owned counterparts.

“States too play an essential role in protecting energy infrastructure within their borders.

“Last Congress, this committee held a field hearing in North Carolina to examine the attack on a substation in Moore County that left 30,000 people without power.

“The SECURE Grid Act, which I plan to sponsor with my colleague from California’s 7th Congressional district, builds upon the existing State Energy Security Plan framework to expand the visibility of potential threats to local distribution and supply chain networks.

“Altogether, this package of security bills comes at a critical time.

“Our adversaries remain close on our heels to overtake the United States as the leading technological superpower on the world stage.

“Our communities cannot afford to endure disruptive large-scale attacks that can be prevented with commonsense solutions and collaboration.

“The bills before us today present a bipartisan opportunity to secure our nation’s energy system so we can fuel economic growth in job creating industries across the country.

“Today we’ll hear from the Department of Energy, which has been helpful providing technical assistance to our bi-partisan work today.

“Alex Fitzsimmons, Acting Undersecretary of Energy, will provide a broad view of DOE’s important energy sector work and how this legislation may advance that work.

“Our second panel of witnesses will also inform our work from their perspectives on the front lines of cyber and physical threat protection.

“I look forward to the discussion today.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced a subcommittee markup of six bills to improve public safety communications in the United States.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology markup of six bills.

DATE: Thursday, January 15, 2026

TIME: 9:00 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Items to be considered:

• H.R. 6505, Next Generation 9-1-1 Act (Reps. Hudson and Carter–LA)
• H.R. 2076, LuLu’s Law (Rep. Palmer)
• H.R. 5200, Emergency Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 5201, Kari’s Law Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act (Reps. Pfluger and Fletcher)
• H.R. 1519, Public Safety Communications Act (Rep. Cammack)

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Noah Jackson at Noah.Jackson@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) celebrated the House passage of the SHOWER Act, legislation that would increase consumer choice and put an end to regulatory whiplash for American manufacturers.

H.R. 4593, the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation with Exceptional Rinsing (SHOWER) Act, addresses burdensome regulations created under the Biden-Harris Administration and codifies the definition of a showerhead to reduce regulatory whiplash and restore consumer choice.

“American families deserve the freedom to buy the appliances and technologies that work best for them, not what federal regulators mandate. The decision to limit water flow by the Biden-Harris Administration was part of a broader effort to use heavy-handed federal regulations to limit consumer choice,” said Chairman Guthrie. “The SHOWER Act would address this issue by providing certainty for manufacturers, while improving water flow for consumers and restoring Congress’s original intent. Thank you to Congressman Fry for his work to advance this important legislation.”

“The House’s passage of my bill, the SHOWER Act, is a small win for common sense and consumer choice. At its core, this legislation isn’t just about showerheads — it’s about how far Democrats go to control our everyday lives, even in something small like a showerhead,” said Rep. Fry. “The SHOWER Act puts a stop to unnecessary federal overreach, protects consumer choice, and ensures Americans can make their own decisions in their own homes. Passing this bill is a victory for personal choice for Americans over the ‘all-knowing’ bureaucrats of Washington.”

BACKGROUND:

H.R. 4593, the SHOWER Act—Rep. Fry (SC-07)

• The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) defines “showerhead” broadly and, under current law, allows the maximum water use for any showerhead to be 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM) when measured at a flowing water pressure of 80 pounds per square inch.

• Historically, these standards and definitions were plainly interpreted until the Obama Administration—and then the Biden-Harris Administration—changed the commonsense regulations by asserting that the 2.5 GPM standard applied to the entire shower system, rather than an individual faucet.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding three Subcommittee Hearings and one Subcommittee Markup. Read more below.

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to discuss legislation focused on strengthening our nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber and physical threats.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing to examine ways to strengthen automotive safety, affordability, and leadership.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing on oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

• DATE: Wednesday, January 14, 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 6 bills.

• DATE: Thursday, January 15, 2026
• TIME: 9:00 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, ** Breitbart ** recently reported that Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, announced upcoming hearings inviting five of the nation’s largest health insurance company CEOs to testify on rising health care costs and ways to make health care more affordable for all Americans.

In Case You Missed It:

“House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) told Breitbart News that Republicans have been forced to clean up Democrats’ healthcare ‘mess;’ they will invite health insurance executives later this month to testify on how to lower healthcare costs.

“‘House Republicans are once again left to clean up the mess of Democrats’ flawed policymaking. Instead of temporarily bailing out a failing program utilized by a fraction of the country, we have invited five of the top health insurance company CEOs to testify before our Committees to have a discussion and answer questions about rising costs, the current state of health care affordability, and the role played by large health insurers,’ Guthrie and Smith said in a written statement.

“On January 22, health insurance executives will testify before two hearings, with the Energy and Commerce Committee hearing taking part in the morning, and the Ways and Means Committee hearing taking place that afternoon.

“Executives that have been invited to the hearings include:

- Stephen Hemsley, CEO, UnitedHealth Group
- David Joyner, President and CEO, CVS Health Group
- David Cordani, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Cigna Health Group
- Gail Boudreaux, President and CEO, Elevance Health
- Paul Markovich, President and CEO, Ascendiun

“‘This hearing is the first in a series to examine the root causes driving higher health care prices and discuss policies that will lower the cost of care for all Americans,’ they continued.

“The hearings will take place as the House will as soon as Thursday vote on a bill that would extend the expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which has become a focal point of the nation’s healthcare debate.

“Democrats have honed in on these expiring Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs), or enhanced Obamacare credits, that aim to lower the cost of health insurance. However, as Breitbart News has detailed, these enhanced subsidies that were meant to serve as a temporary relief from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are rife with abuse.

“The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that there was rampant waste, fraud, and abuse coming from these premium tax credits. Further, a report from the Paragon Health Institute has explained how the expiring Obamacare premiums minimally impacted total 2026 premiums, which counters a Democrat narrative that the expiration of these credits are responsible for the recent rise in health insurance premiums.

“Democrats first enhanced these subsidies through the pandemic-era stimulus plan, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The Democrat majority in Congress then extended the credits through the so-called Inflation Reduction Act through the end of 2025, setting the stage for Congress’s current healthcare fight.

“In contrast to the Democrats, Republicans in the House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All American Act, a bill that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said would lower premiums by 11 percent and save $35.6 billion.

“‘Republicans are committed to making health care more affordable by driving solutions that increase patient choice and competition, root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and put patients back at the center of our health care system,’ the healthcare leaders concluded in their statement.”