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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following op-ed by Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, appeared in the Washington Examiner this week.   “The intense heat wave battering the United States pushes America’s electric grid to the brink and could lead to power outages. But House Republicans offer a policy change that bolsters the grid and helps protect the public from blackout threats.   “Communities across much of the country face scorching temperatures, prompting power companies to take notice and act accordingly.   “In my part of Virginia, local power companies affiliated with the Tennessee Valley Authority are encouraging their customers to reduce electricity use. This request appears to be based on an announcement from the TVA.   “Alerts of possible breaking points in America’s electric grid are not unique to the TVA and are, unfortunately, becoming more and more frequent.   “The Friday before Memorial Day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order directing the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Midwest grid operator, to keep a coal-fired power plant in Michigan in operation. These emergency actions are authorized for up to 90 days at a time under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.   “Wright issued the order to minimize the risk of blackouts ahead of the high electricity demand expected this summer.   “MISO runs north to south from Manitoba and Michigan down to Louisiana and a portion of East Texas.   “Notwithstanding keeping the plant in Michigan open, the New Orleans metro area suffered a large and unexpected power outage during Memorial Day weekend. At the blackout’s peak, more than 100,000 customers lost electricity.   “Utilities knew high demand was likely that weekend, but they had no extra power capacity. When one plant went down, their customers were plunged into darkness.   “Reports confirmed that two of the region’s nuclear power plants lost connection to the grid. One was due to expected maintenance, while the other was unexpected. Constrained by a lack of energy supply, grid operators cut power to customers in New Orleans.   “Entergy, an electric utility company in the region, said that the forced outages directed by MISO were done to prevent a larger-scale and more prolonged power outage from affecting the electric grid.   “This blackout was not the only major power outage in recent memory.   “On April 28, Portugal and Spain witnessed the worst blackout in their history, affecting 55 million people, per the Guardian.   “Airports shut down, cars drove on streets without traffic lights, hospitals resorted to backup generators, and some people were stuck in elevators.   “The Iberian Peninsula blackout continues to be investigated. Lots of finger-pointing is going on between Spain’s grid operator, the government, and plant operators. But it is interesting to note that on April 16, Spain reported its first weekday when its national power grid was 100% reliant on renewable power.   “A coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.   “Coincidentally, in a recent Virginia Tech press release, professor and Power and Energy Center Director Ali Mehrizi-Sani highlighted how the systems that control these clean energy sources are more susceptible to blackouts.   “As parts of the world transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, the lack of seamless grid adaptation to the use of these sources, as illustrated by the blackouts in Spain and Portugal and by experts like Mehrizi-Sani, threatens the destabilization of electric grids and could lead to more blackouts.   “Leftist policies that attempted to gut our grid’s reliance on fossil fuels and convert to renewables have pushed America’s electric grid to the brink.   “Federal policies, like the Obama-era ‘War on Coal’ and the Biden administration’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, shunning reliable baseload forms of energy like coal and natural gas have made our electric grid more vulnerable to failure.    “But House Republicans offer a policy change that levels the playing field and openly welcomes baseload power.   “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act curtails some Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, which disincentivize coal and natural gas power plants. We maintain the incentives for nuclear because of its significant potential for baseload power.   “The bill also creates an energy project insurance pool to help protect energy investors from permits being revoked for coal, oil, critical minerals, natural gas, or nuclear installations.   “This derisking compensation fund will make it harder for federal policies to discourage and phase out these reliable energy sources.   “As extreme summer heat continues to pose the threat of power outages, we must secure and equip our electric grid with reliable energy solutions.   “We do not need to follow in Spain’s footsteps and make Iberian Peninsula-style blackouts the norm.   “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act helps the public avoid blackout threats by instituting reliable forms of baseload power.”   ###

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, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF):  "We are glad to see the Supreme Court uphold the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which is critical for expanding reliable internet access to rural and low-income Americans, schools, libraries, and rural health centers,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “The Committee on Energy and Commerce can now turn its attention to reforming the USF so it can continue to provide every American with access to the connectivity they need to participate in the 21st century economy.”   Background:   Chairman Hudson is a member of the Universal Service Fund Working Group .

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Looking Under the Hood: The State of NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety. Subcommittee Vice Chairman Fulcher's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning and thank you to our witnesses for joining today’s educational hearing on motor vehicle safety and the state of the automotive industry. I look forward to a robust and informative discussion that will help Congress, and specifically, this subcommittee, gain a clearer understanding of motor vehicle safety issues and its regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.  “Automobile safety has been a long-standing topic of this subcommittee, and we play a crucial role in ensuring that the vehicles on our roadways are safe for families, workers, and the traveling public. Automobiles are deeply woven into the fabric of American life. From commuting to work, to picking up kids at school, to taking a cross-country road trip, automobiles are both a cultural icon and a pillar of the American dream. “That’s why today’s hearing marks the beginning of a bipartisan, member-driven, and stakeholder-informed process to develop a motor vehicle safety title as part of Congress’s broader efforts to reauthorize our surface transportation programs. “As part of this, the subcommittee is spearheading a bipartisan process to solicit stakeholder input to inform a motor vehicle safety title. Further, myself and Chairman Bilirakis, will seek priorities from our committee members to ensure our product reflects the priorities of our diverse membership.  “Our primary objective will be to find solutions to address the tragic reality that nearly 40,000 Americans die annually from motor vehicle crashes, a staggering and tragic statistic. These crashes also lead to hundreds of billions in economic losses and cost taxpayers’ tens of billions of dollars. NHTSA plays a central role in addressing this pressing issue through its education campaigns, regulatory work, and enforcement efforts. Congress must ensure that the agency is equipped needed to fulfill its mission and save lives. “Second, we must continue to recognize the economic importance of the automotive sector. This industry is America’s largest manufacturing base, supporting tens of millions of jobs across the country and serving as a major driver of exports. As global competitors—especially China—seek to dominate the future of automotive innovation, Congress must examine how our regulatory structure can foster, rather than hinder, American leadership. This includes looking at ways to modernize and streamline regulations while maintaining our strong safety standards. “Third, we must embrace the future of mobility. The emergence of automated vehicle technology presents a generational opportunity to prevent crashes, restore independence to millions of elderly and disabled Americans, and bolster economic growth. Congress must use this opportunity to advance a robust regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle technology.  “To achieve these goals, I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with Chairman Bilirakis, Ranking Member Schakowsky, Chairman Guthrie, and Ranking Member Pallone. Together, we can craft smart, balanced policy solutions that save lives, strengthen American competitiveness, and shape the future of transportation for the better. “Thank you again to our witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to your testimony." ###

WASHINGTON, D.C . – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled A Decade Later: A Review of Congressional Action, Environmental Protection Agency Rules, and Beneficial Use Opportunities for Coal Ash.    “The expert witnesses we heard from today made it clear that coal ash recycling is a win-win for our environment and for American manufacturing,” said Chairman Griffith . “This hearing offered our members a chance to learn more about the impact of the EPA’s coal ash regulations. It’s time to unleash American technology and innovation to use coal ash in practical and responsible ways both in construction, and as an avenue for the large-scale recovery of critical materials.”  Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13): “For years, coal-fired power generation facilities have worked in Pennsylvania and throughout the entire United States, and they have worked to properly manage coal combustion residuals or coal ash. This is long been done either through disposal and monitoring or through beneficial uses such as the making of concrete or construction applications, as in drywall production. With the EPA's finalized 2024 legacy CCR rule, electric utilities will be faced with burdensome costs for sites where coal ash has already been safely disposed of and environmental concerns mitigated and beneficial use programs will be subjected to harsh regulations despite the evidence that they posed little or absolutely no environmental or health or safety risks.”   Congresswoman Miller-Meeks (IA-01): “I understand the critical importance of striking the right balance between protecting our natural resources and promoting practical science-based solutions to manage industrial byproducts, coal ash being a prime example.” Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “We have a massive footprint in our area dedicated to producing the raw materials that build Colorado to include a lot of concrete and cement production in the area. I know that our producers are working as hard as they can because we all want clean air, clean land, and clean water. We also have the technology these days to see where a lot of the pollution is coming from in my area, double digit percentages of pollution along the Colorado Front Range are coming from China and the fact is, if we don't produce things in the United States, it's not like we get suddenly clean air, clean land, clean water, that production is going to go other places, and we're still going to inherit that pollution.”   ### 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a hearing titled Looking Under the Hood: The State of NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety. “Today’s hearing marks the beginning of a bipartisan, member-driven, and stakeholder-informed process to develop a motor vehicle safety title as part of Congress’s broader efforts to reauthorize our surface transportation programs. [...] NHTSA plays a central role in addressing this pressing issue through its education campaigns, regulatory work, and enforcement efforts. Congress must ensure that the agency is equipped needed to fulfill its mission and save lives.” said Vice Chairman Fulcher Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05): “I ride just about every year with the Ohio Highway Patrol. And when the troopers are out on the road, they can point out quickly people are not paying attention… it's so important when we go look at this is it's always been safety first, safety last, safety always… AVs that need to be as safe or safer than any vehicle on the road today you know it’s notable that an AV is never tired, it's never distracted, it's never impaired.” Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23): “With respect to artificial intelligence in general, I chaired the House AI task force, and we included in our task force report an entire chapter on the issue of preemption because this balance of regulation is so important [Congress is considering] a temporary moratorium on state regulation of AI. And we think that that's necessary to avoid 50 different state regulators going in 50 different directions on something that's clearly interstate commerce and very similar to AV. We think that ultimately regulation of AI will require a partnership between federal and state regulation.” Congresswoman Tom Kean (NJ-07): “As Congress works to ensure that our roadways are safe, I am grateful for the opportunity to hear from experts in the automobile industry on innovation and the impacts that NHTSA is having on safety on New Jersey's roads and across the United States.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing titled A Decade Later: A Review of Congressional Action, Environmental Protection Agency Rules, and Beneficial Use Opportunities for Coal Ash. Subcommittee Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Today, this Subcommittee will examine coal ash management practices and innovative ways people are utilizing coal waste.  “Coal, historically, has played a major role in keeping our lights on and powering our large industries.  “Currently, there are over 200 coal-fired electric power plants in the United States and a fair amount of industrial boilers that use coal for fuel.  “Coal’s fuel storage attributes and its dispatchable power qualities continue to make it a crucial component of our domestic electric power mix.  “Today’s hearing will focus on one of the byproducts of coal use, coal combustion residuals, commonly referred to as CCR or “coal ash.”  “The Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, first began regulating coal combustion residuals from electric utilities in 2014, under its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or ‘RCRA’, Subtitle D authority, to regulate solid waste.  “In 2016, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act amended RCRA to grant the EPA the authority to approve state CCR permit programs if a state chose to run its own program.  “However, nearly a decade later, only three state programs have been approved.  “Hopefully, today we will learn more about states’ permitting programs, and how EPA is using its CCR permitting approval authority.  “Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris administration pressed necessary coal ash regulations into its wider attempts to force a transition to renewable energy by imposing unreasonable and onerous regulations on disfavored traditional energy resources, like coal.  “This war on coal included a 2024 rule regulating INACTIVE coal combustion residuals storage sites, or legacy impoundments, as well as sites where coal ash had PREVIOUSLY been placed, known as coal combustion residuals management units.  “Utilities warned that this unworkable rule would impose needless and unplanned costs on ratepayers.  “Today, we will learn more about the problems with the current regulatory landscape and the costs it imposes on power generation and in-turn, ratepayers.  “Thankfully, in March of this year, the EPA announced that it is reviewing this rule and plans to propose amendments within the next year.  “Additionally, EPA has also announced it plans to prioritize working with states on their permit programs to hopefully facilitate more state management of coal ash disposal.  “I’m encouraged by the Trump administration’s apparent willingness to listen to the states and their utilities and hope the EPA can work with them, and not against them, as partners in protecting our environment.  “I also hope to learn more today on opportunities to improve the reuse of coal byproducts.  “In addition to this primary use, coal byproducts can be reused for many purposes, such as cement manufacturing, drywall manufacturing, road paving, and producing concrete.  “This recycling, known as “beneficial use,” can not only save costs but also result in lower emissions.  “Many may be surprised to hear that there is a thriving coal ash reuse industry in the United States. According to the American Coal Ash Association, 69 percent of all coal ash produced in 2023 was recycled.  “In addition to these established uses in construction, agriculture, waste management, and mining, new uses are emerging.  “For example, research from the University of Texas found that as much as 11 million tons of rare earth elements could be found in accessible coal ash in the United States.  “In fact, researchers from Virginia Tech, located in my district and where one of my children graduated, one is attending, and one hopes to attend, they are leading projects to analyze the presence of critical minerals and rare earth elements in coal byproducts.   “According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States currently relies on imports for 80 percent of its supply of rare earth elements, with 70 percent of those imports coming from China.  “Our regulatory policy for coal combustion residuals management must facilitate continued beneficial use.  “I look forward to today’s discussion of how we can address shortcomings of our current approach to coal combustion residuals management and innovation in how our country deals with waste.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, led a markup of 13 bills focused on securing our grid and unleashing American energy. “American families and businesses rely on the abundant and affordable power we produce here at home,” said Chairman Guthrie. “The legislation advanced today will help us meet our energy goals of securing our grid, bringing more baseload power online, and powering the data centers we need to win the race for AI. Thank you to Chairman Latta, and all the members who have worked on these bills that will help provide the energy we need.” Legislative Vote Summary: H.R. 3616 , Reliable Power Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 28 yeas – 23 nays.     H.R. 1047 , Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power (GRID Power) Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 28 yeas – 23 nays. H.R. 3632 , Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 25 yeas – 21 nays.      H.R. 3638 , Electric Supply Chain Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 33 yeas – 16 nays. H.R. 3157 , State Energy Accountability Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 26 yeas – 20 nays. H.R. 3628 , State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 25 yeas – 23 nays.     H.R. 3657 , Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act, was reported to the full House as amended by a roll call vote of 47 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 3015 , National Coal Council Reestablishment Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 25 yeas – 20 nays.     H.R. 3617 , Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act, was reported to the full House as amended by a roll call vote of 23 yeas – 21 nays.     H.R. 3109 , Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining (REFINER) Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 28 yeas – 20 nays.     H.R. 3062 , Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 28 yeas – 23 nays.     H.R. 1949 , Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 26 yeas - 23 nays. H.R. 3668 , Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 27 yeas – 23 nays. Watch the full markup here . Below are key excerpts from today’s markup: Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) : “My legislation, the Unlocking our Domestic Energy Potential Act, would ensure that a ban is never again placed on LNG exports. LNG exports unequivocally benefit our economy and domestic prices, and Congress must act to remove the politics from energy exports just as this committee did in 2015 when it lifted the crude oil export ban. The IEA expects global gas demand to reach record highs in the coming years, underscoring the need for new LNG supply, and it must be the United States, not Iran, not Russia, nor any other adversarial country that, that meets that demand and supplies affordable, clean, and abundant energy to the world.” Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-13): “If we want to fuel our nation forward, lower costs for consumers, win the AI race against China, and strengthen our position as an energy superpower. It is critical we have regulatory and statutory processes in place to build infrastructure in this country. This is a race we cannot lose. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act.” Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “The State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act is a common sense measure that will help incentivize better energy policy in Colorado and across the nation. The bill will help states lower the financial burden that constituents like mine are facing by encouraging states to consider implementing policy that focuses on long term energy reliability, which of course encourages affordability for working class families. Countless folks in my district are working tirelessly, tirelessly to put food on the table and achieve the American dream. But one of the biggest hurdles that my constituents are facing right now is skyrocketing utility costs.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The following op-ed by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, appeared in the New York Post this week. In Case You Missed It:  "President Donald Trump has asked Congress to follow through on his domestic-policy agenda by extending tax cuts for Americans, investing in our military and border security and cutting waste, fraud and abuse in entitlement spending, which threatens the solvency our nation’s safety-net programs.   “For my House Committee on Energy and Commerce, this meant hitting a 10-year savings target of $880 billion across our jurisdiction — energy, environment, telecommunications and health care — which I knew could only be reached through careful consideration and resolve.   “The committee came through, and then some: The most recent estimate from the Congressional Budget Office found that our efforts will save nearly $1.1 trillion.   “More than a quarter of this amount, $344 billion, comes from new community-engagement rules (i.e., work requirements) for able-bodied adults who receive Medicaid benefits but choose not to work.   “The rules will promote greater accountability and refocus Medicaid to better serve the most vulnerable.   “What exactly do these community-engagement requirements consist of?   “If you’re an able-bodied, unemployed adult who receives Medicaid, they ask that you demonstrate that you are either working, volunteering, in job training or in school for an average of 80 hours per month.   “Health care and work are inextricably linked in this country: Nearly half of all Americans get their health insurance through their jobs, seniors get Medicare after years of contributing payroll taxes and members of our military and our veterans get their coverage through their service to our country.   “To require Medicaid recipients who are able-bodied and unemployed to either work, go to school or volunteer in their communities in order to continue receiving subsidized health insurance should be a no brainer.   “You may have heard misinformation that work requirements are really just a sneaky way to take health care away from hard-working Americans, or even people with disabilities.   “Let me set the record straight: This policy applies only to able-bodied, unemployed adults who have chosen not to work.   “Our bill couldn’t be clearer about that; it includes a long list of exempted individuals. For instance:   If you’re pregnant, a member of a federally designated tribe, a caregiver or parent, under 19 or over 65, you’re exempt from the requirements.  You’re exempt if you’re medically frail, which includes anyone who’s blind, disabled, battling a chronic substance-use disorder or living with a serious and complex medical condition like cancer.  If you meet work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (welfare), you’re also relieved of the requirements.  If you’re in jail, prison or were released from incarceration within the past 90 days, you’re exempt.  And if you’re a former foster youth under 26, the requirements don’t apply.  “Plainly, the policy is targeting just a subset of fully able adults who are voluntarily choosing not to work or give back to their communities.   “There are strong grounds for this policy: A new study from the American Enterprise Institute found that able-bodied, unemployed adult Medicaid recipients without dependents average 6.1 hours a day — 184 hours a month — watching television and socializing.   “That figure is 50% higher than for employed beneficiaries.   “These individuals spend less than a combined one hour a day looking for work or caring for others.   “And we’re only asking that, in return for their Medicaid coverage, they choose from an array of options — work, go to school or volunteer — for just 80 hours per month.   “That’s eminently reasonable, and can help them become more self-reliant and productive.   “Note, too, that a sizable number — 38% of beneficiaries, per a new White House Council of Economic Advisors study — are able-bodied, working-age adults.   “There’s no good reason for them not to be contributing to their communities or at least on a path to becoming productive.   “Americans are smart enough not to fall for the false narratives, lies and smears against work requirements.   “They share Republicans’ desires to purge government programs of rampant waste, fraud and abuse.   “Our requirements help do just that, strengthening Medicaid for those who truly need it.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s Full Committee Markup. Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery:  “Thank you, Chairman Latta, and the members of the Committee for your legislative work to unleash American energy and make our electric grid more reliable and affordable.  "Today, the full Committee is taking up 13 bills that will lead to the production of more American energy, remove regulatory burdens to electric generation, and help us win the race to power AI for the good of the country.  "We have had multiple hearings this Congress already during which we heard that the U.S. must be able to power our technology future. For the U.S. to win the AI race, we need to produce significantly more 365/24/7 power to run AI and data centers.  "We heard from witnesses that not all electrons are a one-for-one substitute, and that we should not be taking baseload power plants offline without sufficient and comparable replacements.   "I would remind my colleagues, if AI data centers running the world’s most advanced models could run on just wind and solar power, they would be doing so already.  "To fuel American energy abundance, lower prices for American households, and make the U.S. more energy secure, the bills before us today address obstacles to an efficient and cost-effective infrastructure development. This important legislation also identifies opportunities to expand our refining capacity, improve our hydropower permitting process, secure our energy supply chains, increase LNG exports, and streamline the permitting of natural gas pipelines.    "In addition, the bills before us today will ensure timely interconnection of dispatchable resources and rightly place the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, as the federal authority on reliability to prevent a future Clean Power Plan 3.0.  "I am disappointed that more of these bills are not bipartisan, because winning the AI race and guaranteeing we have sufficient amounts of the right kind of power to do it should not be a partisan issue.  "I agree that wind and solar should be part of our overall energy mix – but I disagree with the idea that wind and solar with storage are going to provide the type of power needed to run AI data centers. Most energy experts and the technology companies themselves have not supported that approach either because wind and solar with storage do not provide the necessary reliability.  "Time is of the essence, and I hope my Democratic colleagues will recognize the critical importance of this issue and work with us to enact legislation that puts our country on track to beat China in the race to AI dominance.  "Thank you and I yield back." ###