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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, issued the following statement after the House passed H.J. Res. 35, to repeal the Biden-Harris Administration’s natural gas tax, by a vote of 220 to 206 to 1.  “It’s time to use the energy resources underneath our feet to provide the baseload power that the American people rely on. Implementing a new tax on our energy resources would limit innovation and raise prices for consumers. Today’s passage of Congressman Pfluger’s resolution is yet another step toward unleashing American energy dominance,”   said Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith .  “We are grateful to Congressman Pfluger for his leadership on this issue and will work with the Senate to see it passed.”   “Today, House Republicans rolled back the disastrous natural gas tax imposed by Democrats. This overreach has driven up energy prices, hurt domestic natural gas production, and increased reliance on foreign energy — without delivering any so-called environmental benefit,”  said Speaker Johnson . House Republicans are leveraging the Congressional Review Act to support President Trump in undoing the damage of the Biden Administration’s war on American energy.” “In November, the American people overwhelmingly voted for lower energy prices, and today, House Republicans took another step towards fulfilling that mandate. In the latest effort to reverse Biden's disastrous energy policies, the House passed my bill to nullify the EPA’s rule implementing the ill-conceived natural gas tax,”  said Congressman Pfluger .  “This tax raises costs on production, discourages investment, and increases energy prices across America. I am looking forward to working toward a full repeal of the underlying statute and continuing to implement President Trump’s pro-energy agenda.” Background:   H.J. Res 35 ,  Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions ,” led by Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11), would repeal the rule implementing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Waste Emissions Charge (WEC)—also known as the natural gas tax—which was established in the Inflation Reduction Act. Since 2005, the United States has become the world leader in both the production of natural gas as well as emissions reductions. While the United States’ energy production grew to 25% of global natural gas, we have also reduced emissions by 18% — outperforming the average of all Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. New and burdensome regulations would hurt both energy production and innovations that limit emissions. ###

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 hearing titled Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder. “Despite lofty promises, the Biden-Harris Administration’s broadband agenda left many Americans behind. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program was saddled with unnecessary red tape to appease the left wing of the Democratic Party, without a single inch of fiber actually being laid,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “This hearing will be an important opportunity to hear from experts about how we can address critical issues impacting the broadband landscape and ensure all Americans are connected.” Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing titled Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder . WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing addressing broadband deployment. DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 TIME: 2:00 PM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact 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.  – Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients. Subcommittee Chairman Carter's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “I want to welcome everyone to today’s hearing on how reigning in Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, will drive competition and lower costs for patients. “Before I dive into the policy, I want to take a moment to address the true reason why we’re having this hearing today – patients. Patients, like a fellow Georgian, Mattie McCoy. Mattie, a sixteen-year-old Georgia resident, suffers from a rare genetic disorder. “CVS Caremark denied Mattie’s access to a lifesaving drug that he had been on for two years. As a result, Mattie was forced back into the hospital.  “Let me be clear: PBMs’ greed sent a 16-year-old back to the hospital, in critical condition. While tragic, this story is far from unique.  “So, how did we get here?   “PBMs are the pharmaceutical supply chain’s hidden middlemen that are driving up costs for prescription medications, delaying access to necessary treatments, adding hoops for patients to jump through, and robbing hope from patients. They have only created perverse incentives throughout the drug supply chain.  “Their extensive market control has only grown due to consolidation and vertical integration leading to less competition and decreased patient choice.  “After nearly two decades of consolidation, the PBM industry is now dominated by three companies that control over 80% of the market. They own or are owned by insurers and have vertically and horizontally consolidated their businesses to own doctors, pharmacies, group purchasing organizations, and more. “We have heard directly from our constituents that the harmful and anticompetitive tactics of some PBMs have only gotten worse, and that Congressional action is desperately needed.  “We’ve heard a constant stream of reports that some PBMs are reimbursing independent pharmacies less than the pharmacies they own. “For example, a Mississippi audit revealed that Optum pays its own stores up to 22 times what it pays independent pharmacies for the same drug.  “How are you supposed to stay in business when your competitor makes 2,200% more than you for the same exact service?  “The answer is you don’t. In 2023, there were over 300 independent pharmacy net closures – almost one per day. Unfortunately, that trend continued in 2024. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible and highly trusted health care professionals. Yet, PBMs are putting pharmacies out of business and removing patients’ access to care. We now have “pharmacy deserts” in rural and underserved communities. That’s affecting the accessibility, affordability, and quality of health care for all Americans.  “Recently, the Federal Trade Commission released its second interim report which found that “PBMs charge significant markups for cancer, HIV, and other critical specialty generic drugs” by thousands of percent, and many others by hundreds of percent.  “Another egregious example of PBMs’ abuse of taxpayer-funded programs is the United States Postal Service health plan. In an audit released in March 2024, the Inspector General of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management found that Express Scripts overcharged the American Postal Workers Union Health Plan and the federal government nearly $45 million.  “Thankfully, President Trump is committed to holding PBMs accountable. I commend him and look forward to working with this administration to drive solutions that lower costs for patients at the drug counter.  “The House Energy and Commerce Committee has made commonsense PBM reform policies a bipartisan priority.  “Last Congress, this Committee advanced bipartisan legislation that saves significant taxpayer dollars in state Medicaid managed care programs and – for the first time in Medicare Part D – enforces reasonable and relevant contract terms that support pharmacies’ ability to serve patients in addition to delinking PBM compensation from list price. Further, this Committee championed reporting requirements which would increase transparency by shining a light on the opaque drug pricing system that is driving up drug spending for patients and employers, in addition to harming pharmacists.  “Americans deserve and expect protection from inflated prescription drug costs, forced pharmacy closures, and barriers to health care access. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact these meaningful PBM reforms for patients, like Mattie, who are suffering at the expense of PBM's abusive tactics.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement after the Honorable Jamieson Greer was confirmed by the Senate to serve as U.S. Trade Representative: “Domestic manufacturers, innovators, and small businesses depend on sound trade policy that supports economic growth and works for every American. It is critically important that companies are investing here in America and able to export to markets abroad, including through cutting-edge digital services. I believe that Mr. Greer can help deliver those results,”   said Chairman Guthrie . “ I congratulate Mr. Greer on his new role as U.S. Trade Representative and I look forward to working with him to remove unfair barriers used to target American companies. "  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Examining The Biden Administration’s Energy And Environment Spending Push . Subcommittee Chairman Palmer's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to the first hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the 119th Congress. I want to start by saying that it is an honor to serve as the Chairman of this Subcommittee. Congress has an important oversight responsibility that includes making sure our laws are working as intended and that the federal government is using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this important endeavor.    “Today’s hearing is entitled 'Examining the Biden Administration’s Energy and Environment Spending Push.' Moments ago I noted the importance of ensuring that the federal government is being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. This is critical, particularly in the context of the extraordinary surge in spending and the explosion of new and expanded programs at the Department of Energy (or DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA), largely authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (or IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (or IRA). The two laws provided supplemental appropriations of $97 billion and $101.5 billion to DOE and EPA, respectively.  “As this Subcommittee examined last Congress, spending large amounts of funding, particularly in short timeframes carries tremendous risk. For example, in a November 2024 report, the DOE Office of the Inspector General (OIG) noted that the IIJA, IRA, and 2023 Omnibus Appropriations law increased the DOE Loan Program Office’s authority to nearly half a trillion dollars. This is more than 23 times that of the program’s portfolio balance as of November 2021, when the IIJA was signed into law.  “The situation only became more alarming as the Biden administration raced to finalize loans and spend down available grant funding in its final months. All three watchdog organizations here today, the EPA OIG, DOE OIG, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), have reported on past shortcomings within these agencies and risk factors for waste, fraud, and abuse. These risks increased under past infusions of funding as agencies rushed to move large amounts of funding in a short amount of time.  “Unfortunately, history seems to be repeating itself, but we have a chance to try to minimize the damage. I want to emphasize that we are not insinuating that all applicants and recipients are guilty of wrongdoing. Rather, the sheer pace and volume with which this funding was awarded raises questions, and it is worth a pause to evaluate whether the appropriate due diligence was done to ensure taxpayer dollars went to eligible parties and the funds are being used appropriately.  “I thank our witnesses for being here and sharing their expertise to guide and inform the Committee’s efforts to identify potential misuse of federal funds and ensure that appropriate measures are taken moving forward to prevent future misuse of funds. This hearing is only one step of many to ensure that wasteful spending is curbed, and we hope to continue our collaboration with the OIGs, GAO, and the current administration to address this issue.  “I now recognize the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Ms. Clarke, for her opening statement.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, announced a hearing titled Moving the Goalposts: How NIL is Reshaping College Athletics . “Student-athletes have the right to benefit from the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL), but the rapid evolution of NIL has created a chaotic and unpredictable system. While universities must maintain their educational mission, the lack of clear, consistent rules has left athletes, schools, and conferences navigating an unsustainable landscape,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “This hearing is an important opportunity to discuss ways to stabilize the NIL environment and ensure the well being of the student-athletes while preserving the integrity of college sports.” Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing titled Moving the Goalposts: How NIL is Reshaping College Athletics . WHAT: Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing addressing the landscape of name, image, and likeness issues in college athletics. DATE: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairmen. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Alex Khlopin with the Committee staff at Alex.Khlopin@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, announced a Full Committee Markup to consider the Committee’s Oversight and Authorization Plan for the 119 th  Congress.  “The Committee on Energy and Commerce has a strong tradition of conducting oversight across our broad jurisdiction, playing a key role in informing legislative solutions,”  said Chairman Guthrie .   “Our comprehensive Oversight and Authorization Plan provides the framework to bolster the Trump Administration’s efforts to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are well-spent and not subjected to fraud, waste, or abuse.” WHAT : Full Committee Markup to consider adoption of the Oversight and Authorization Plan for the 119 th  Congress DATE : Tuesday, February 25, 2025  TIME : 10:30 AM ET  LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at  https://energycommerce.house.gov.  If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jessica Donlon with the Committee staff at  Jessica.Donlon@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Zach Bannon at  Zach.Bannon@mail.house.gov .  Item to be considered: Oversight and Authorization Plan for the 119 th  Congress ( CLICK HERE ) ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued a Request for Information (RFI), inviting stakeholders to share their insights and suggestions with the newly-formed data privacy working group . KEY EXCERPTS: “The United States digital economy adds $2.6 trillion in value and employs millions of American workers across nearly every sector of the broader economy. Leadership in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, underpins U.S. economic and national security, provides American consumers with access to lower cost goods and services, and enables small businesses to reach markets around the world.   “However, the challenge of providing clear digital protections for Americans is compounded by the fast pace of technological advancement and the complex web of state and federal data privacy and security laws, which in some cases create conflicting legal requirements.” […]  “The working group is bringing members and stakeholders together to explore the parameters of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security framework.”  […] “To inform the working group’s efforts, we invite stakeholders to provide written responses to the prompts below. Stakeholders should submit their responses to PrivacyWorkingGroup@mail.house.gov no later than April 7, 2025. We request that written responses be no longer than 3,500 words and be provided as a Word document and a PDF. Supplemental data, reports, and case studies are also welcome.” The RFI’s requests and questions include: I. Roles and Responsibilities  The digital economy includes a wide range of business models, including entities that collect information directly from consumers, those that process personal information on another business’s behalf, and others that collate and sell personal information.  A.  How can a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law account for different roles in the digital economy (e.g., controllers, processors, and third parties) in a way that effectively protects consumers?   B.   What are appropriate obligations for different regulated entities, and what are the practical and legal limitations associated with each type of entity?  C.   Should a comprehensive data privacy and security law take into consideration an entity’s size, and any accompanying protections, exclusions, or obligations?  II. Personal Information, Transparency, and Consumer Rights  A federal comprehensive data privacy and security law should apply to personally identifiable information and provide consumers with clear disclosures and rights to their personal information.   A.  Please describe the appropriate scope of such a law, including definitions of “personal information” and “sensitive personal information.”   B.   What disclosures should consumers be provided with regard to the collection, processing, and transfer of their personal information and sensitive personal information?   C.   Please identify consumer protections that should be included in a comprehensive data privacy and security law. What considerations are relevant to how consumers enforce these protections and how businesses comply with related requirements?  D.  What heightened protections should attach to the collection, processing, and transfer of sensitive personal information?  III. Existing Privacy Frameworks & Protections  Since 2016, U.S. trading partners and a growing number of states have enacted comprehensive data privacy and security laws to govern the collection, processing, and transfer of personal information.   A.  Please provide any insights learned from existing comprehensive data privacy and security laws that may be relevant to the working group’s efforts, including these frameworks’ efficacy at protecting consumers and impacts on both data-driven innovation and small businesses.  B.   Please describe the degree to which U.S. privacy protections are fragmented at the state-level and the costs associated with fragmentation, including uneven rights for consumers and costs to businesses and innovators.   C.   Given the proliferation of state requirements, what is the appropriate degree of preemption that a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law should adopt?   D.  How should a federal comprehensive privacy law account for existing federal and state sectoral laws (e.g., HIPAA, FCRA, GLBA, COPPA)?  IV. Data Security  A foundational goal for any federal comprehensive privacy law should be increased security of Americans’ personal information.   A.  How can such a law improve data security for consumers? What are appropriate requirements to place on regulated entities?  V. Artificial Intelligence  Most state comprehensive data privacy and security laws regulate AI through “automated decision-making” requirements. A growing number of states are also enacting—or are seeking to enact—additional AI-specific laws. These developments raise questions about the role of privacy and consumer protection standards in AI regulation and the impact on U.S. AI leadership.    A.  How should a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law account for state-level AI frameworks, including requirements related to automated decision-making?  VI. Accountability & Enforcement  Accountability and enforcement are cornerstones of a data privacy and security regime that protects consumers, promotes compliance, and enables data-driven innovation.   A.  Please identify the benefits and costs of expert agencies retaining sole authority to enforce a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law.   B.   What expertise, legal authorities, and resources are available—or should be made available—to the Federal Trade Commission and state Attorneys General for enforcing such a law?   C.   How could a safe harbor be beneficial or harmful in promoting compliance with obligations related to data privacy and security?  VII. Additional Information  We welcome any additional information that may be relevant to the working group as it develops a comprehensive data privacy and security law.   CLICK HERE  for the full Request for Information.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, announced a hearing titled  An Examination of  How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients . “As outlined in recent reports, significant consolidation in the PBM marketplace has led to fewer options for patients and employers and less competition to keep out-of-pocket drug costs in check,”  said Chairmen Guthrie and Carter.   “Over the past few years, this Subcommittee has led on a myriad of legislative solutions which will help guide our continued work toward delivering high quality heath care for the American people.” Subcommittee on Health hearing titled  An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients . WHAT: Subcommittee on Health hearing to examine PBM reform policies.  DATE:  Wednesday, February 26, 2025  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This notice is at the direction of the Chairmen. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at  energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Emma Schultheis with the Committee staff at  Emma.Schultheis@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .  ###