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Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced a subcommittee legislative hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for All Hazards and Public Health Security Threats.” “As public health threats and hazards evolve, so must our efforts to prepare and respond—whether they be chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, a cyberattack, or another emerging infectious disease. We must take lessons learned from past experiences as well as advice from experts in emerging fields to secure the safety and wellbeing of the American people. We look forward to discussing solutions to prepare for the next generation of threats and hazards that we may face,” said Chairs Rodgers and Guthrie.   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled “Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for All Hazards and Public Health Security Threats.”   WHAT: A subcommittee legislative hearing to discuss solutions for preparedness and response to public health security threats and hazards.  DATE : Tuesday, June 13, 2023   TIME : 10:30 AM EDT   LOCATION : 2322 Rayburn House Office Building   WITNESSES : Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.  LEGISLATION AND PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION :  H.R. __ , To reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, and for other purposes. (Rep. Richard Hudson)  H.R. __ , the Public Health Guidance Transparency and Accountability Act (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers)  H.R. __ , the PHEMCE Advisory Committee Act (Rep. Richard Hudson)   H.R. __ , the PHE Congressional Review Act of 2023 (Reps. Greg Murphy and Brett Guthrie)  H.R. __ , the Improving Contract Transparency for the SNS Act (Rep. Morgan Griffith)   H.R. __ , the Improving Contract Transparency at BARDA Act (Rep. Morgan Griffith)   H.R. __ , the Biosecurity Infrastructure for Operational (BIO) Early Warning Act (Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Scott Peters)   H.R. 3813 , the CDC Leadership Accountability Act (Rep. Brett Guthrie)    H.R. 3631 , the State Strategic Stockpile Act of 2023 (Reps. Buddy Carter and Chrissy Houlahan)  H.R. 3577 , the Medical and Health Stockpile Accountability Act of 2023 (Reps. Richard Hudson and Josh Gottheimer)  H.R. 3837 , the Improving Public Health Preparedness Act (Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks)  H.R. 3832 , the Disease X Act of 2023 (Reps. Lori Trahan, Michael Burgess, Dan Crenshaw, and Susie Lee)  H.R. 3613 , the Doctors at the Ready Act (Reps. Kim Schrier and Bill Johnson)  H.R. 2416 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a military and civilian partnership for trauma readiness grant program. (Reps. Michael Burgess and Kathy Castor)  H.R. 3840 , the Ensuring Sufficient Supply of Testing Act (Reps. Neal Dunn and Debbie Dingell)  H.R. 3795 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the development of a diagnostic testing preparedness plan to be used during public health emergencies, and for other purposes. (Reps. Greg Pence, Kim Schrier, Larry Bucshon, and Andre Carson)  H.R. 3703 , the Helping Evaluate Appropriate Logistical Infrastructure for National Government (HEALING) Response Act of 2023 (Reps. Bob Latta and Robin Kelly)  H.R. 3742 , To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to evaluate the Federal Government’s collection and sharing of public health data to respond to public health emergencies. (Reps. Scott Peters and Brett Guthrie)   H.R. 3820 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to strike the requirement that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate (Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.)  H.R. 3794 , the Fast-Track Logistics for Acquiring Supplies in a Hurry (FLASH) Act of 2023 (Rep. Robert Garcia)  H.R. 3791 , the Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act (Reps. Lauren Underwood, Ami Bera, Kathy Castor, and Rosa DeLauro)  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 https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .

In a Full Committee markup today, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed solutions that will secure our critical energy infrastructure, strengthen America’s nuclear energy industry, and protect people’s freedom of choice when it comes to their home appliances. Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on H.R. 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act : “Nuclear is a key part of our energy mix and right now America is dangerously reliant upon Russia’s supply of nuclear fuels for our existing nuclear power plant fleet. “My legislation—the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act—bans fuel imports from Russia and sends a strong signal to the market that will help restore American nuclear leadership and fuel infrastructure.” Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) on securing Americans’ access to affordable and reliable home appliances:  “Americans should be free to choose what cooking product they use in their homes and this bill ensures that. “I urge my colleagues to support the legislation in front of us today which puts the American people first and prioritizes delivering affordable, reliable, and clean energy to all Americans.” Legislative Vote Summary: H.R. 1160 , the Critical Electric Infrastructure Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Act , sponsored by Reps. Tim Walberg and Kim Schrier, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a vote of 49-1. H.R. 3277 , the Energy Emergency Leadership Act , sponsored by Reps. Tim Walberg and Lisa Blunt Rochester, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 48-0. H.R. 1042 , the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act , sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a vote of 29-21. H.R. 1640 , the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Lesko, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 31-18. H.R. 1615 , the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act , sponsored by Rep. Kelly Armstrong, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 29-19.

Solutions to Lower Health Care Costs, Boost Broadband Deployment, and Bolster Energy Security Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Full Committee markup of 19 bills to lower health care costs, boost broadband deployment, and bolster energy security. Remarks as prepared for delivery: LOWERING HEALTH CARE COSTS & INCREASING TRANSPARENCY “I’m proud this committee is building on its rich history of delivering on important priorities at the very center of improving people’s lives and raising the standard of living. “We will begin our markup today with legislation from our Health subcommittee. “Our solutions will lower costs for Americans and provide more health care price transparency, responsibly fund community health centers and diabetes research, prevent harmful cuts to hospitals that serve the most vulnerable patients, train more doctors in our communities, and improve FDA’s review of animal drugs used by farmers and pet owners. “We are taking action to make the health care system more patient-friendly so that people can access health care when they need it and at a cost they can afford. “Just recently, I read in the Washington Post of the craziness of the American health care system—insurers denying a baby’s coverage to stay in the NICU for a fourth day by saying in a letter, ‘you are drinking from a bottle’ and ‘you are breathing on your own.’ “I can’t imagine what it was like being the new, tired parents of a NICU baby and receiving that harsh and cold letter. “To put patients and their needs first, we had a long discussion about the bills in Health subcommittee in both bipartisan legislative hearing and markup. “Today, is a very important step, but just a first step in our effort to improve how the health care system works for patients.” CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE “Next, we’ll move to our Communications and Technology Subcommittee solutions to help close the digital divide and lift permitting burdens so we deploy broadband faster, with less government waste, and more efficiently. “High-speed broadband is an important part of our economy, yet many Americans, including in Eastern Washington, do not have access to reliable broadband. “In order to deploy broadband, providers need to go through burdensome permitting processes at the federal, state, and local level and the time to receive approval on a permit can range from several months to several years. “Congress provided an unprecedented amount of spending—more than 42 billion dollars—for broadband deployment. “Without reforms to the permitting processes, this money could be wasted. “Our legislation would cut the red tape and ensure that this money can reach rural, unserved Americans quickly. “We’re moving forward on several of these bills in a bipartisan way but I am disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle are not joining us on our other solutions. “Regardless, we are moving forward to deliver for the American people.” SPECTRUM AND AMERICAN LEADERSHIP “Finally, on spectrum, we are acting again to reauthorize the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, this time for three years. “The Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act would extend spectrum auction authority, make important changes to existing spectrum auction processes, and direct spectrum auction proceeds to fund critical programs. “This bill would promote our national security by providing $3.08 billion for our small communications providers to remove Huawei and ZTE from their networks. “It would authorize and fund Next Generation 9-1-1 technology to help our public safety officers and make sure Americans can reach emergency responders when they need it most. “Most importantly, this bill is a product of long bipartisan, bicameral negotiations, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes.” BOLSTERING AMERICA’S ENERGY SECURITY & PROTECTING APPLIANCE FREEDOM “On the energy front, we are continuing our mission to make energy more affordable and strengthen American energy security. “Nuclear is a key part of our energy mix and right now America is dangerously reliant upon Russia’s supply of nuclear fuels for our existing nuclear power plant fleet. “My legislation—the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act—bans fuel imports from Russia and sends a strong signal to the market that will help restore American nuclear leadership and fuel infrastructure. “We also will be considering two bills from Representatives Lesko and Armstrong that prevent DOE and the CPSC from universally banning gas stoves. “The Biden administration is trying to use the federal government’s power to dictate every aspect of our lives from what kind of car we can drive to how Americans are allowed to cook food for our families. “If a celebrity chef can be exempted by local Democrats by Palo Alto’s natural gas stove ban, surely we can all agree today to allow every hardworking person of this country to decide for themselves what stove is in their kitchen. “Finally, I’m pleased that Mr. Walberg, Ms. Schrier, and Ms. Blunt Rochester are leading on two cybersecurity bills to continue the Committee’s bipartisan leadership on protecting our critical energy infrastructure. “Again, thank you to all my colleagues who are leading in this markup. “It’s a reflection of our most important responsibilities as duly-elected members of the People’s House to listen to those we serve, engage in the battle of ideas, and find solutions to make people’s lives better. “I look forward to our discussion today. Let’s get to work.”

In a Full Committee markup today, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed solutions that will streamline broadband permitting to expedite deployment and reauthorize the Federal Communications Commission’s Spectrum Auction Authority. Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on ensuring all Americans have access to reliable broadband services: ON CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE “High-speed broadband is an important part of our economy, yet many Americans, including in Eastern Washington, do not have access to reliable broadband. “In order to deploy broadband, providers need to go through burdensome permitting processes at the federal, state, and local level and the time to receive approval on a permit can range from several months to several years. “Our legislation would cut the red tape and ensure that this money can reach rural, unserved Americans quickly.” ON SPECTRUM “The Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act would extend spectrum auction authority, make important changes to existing spectrum auction processes, and direct spectrum auction proceeds to fund critical programs. “This bill would promote our national security by providing $3.08 billion for our small communications providers to remove Huawei and ZTE from their networks. “It would authorize and fund Next Generation 9-1-1 technology to help our public safety officers and make sure Americans can reach emergency responders when they need it most. “Most importantly, this bill is a product of long bipartisan, bicameral negotiations, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes.” Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH): “The permitting bills we are considering today are an important step in ensuring that every American has access to high-speed broadband. “Since 2020, Congress has dedicated a record amount of money to support broadband deployment, culminating with Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. But spending is not enough. “The infrastructure law was a missed opportunity to enact meaningful permitting reform that is necessary to quickly build new networks. Today, we have the opportunity to fix that mistake.” Legislative Vote Summary: H.R. 3309 , the Standard Fees to Expedite Evaluation and Streamlining Act or the Standard FEES Act , sponsored by Reps. Gary Palmer and Patrick Ryan, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 50-0. H.R. 3293 , the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act , sponsored by Reps. Jeff Duncan and Angie Craig, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 51-0. H.R. 3299 , the Deploying Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act or DIGITAL Applications Act , sponsored by Reps. Kat Cammack and Doris Matsui, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 51-0. H.R. 3283 , the Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act or Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act , sponsored by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Debbie Dingell, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 51-0. H.R. 3343 , the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act , sponsored by Reps. August Pfluger and Darren Soto, was reported favorably, without amendment, to the House by a vote of 51-0. H.R. 3565 , the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act of 2023 , sponsored by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone, Jr., was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a vote of 50-0. H.R. 3557 , the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023 , sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter, Nathaniel Moran, and Neal Dunn, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a vote of 27-23.

Key bill—the PATIENT Act—clears committee unanimously In a Full Committee markup today, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed bipartisan solutions to lower the cost of health care and increase price transparency, as well as improve farmers and pet owners' access to safe and effective animal drugs.  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on the PATIENT Act:   “Patients are frustrated. The system must be more simple, transparent, and affordable.     "We spend more on health care as a percentage of our economy than any other developed nation.     “And for their money, Americans are rewarded with a bureaucratic and overly burdensome system.    “They see the corporations responsible for providing and paying for care go to great lengths to hide costs, deny payment for care, and weigh patients down in complexity.     “What we are doing here today won’t solve every problem in our health care system.     “I have said this is just a first step towards addressing the problems we face.     “But we can be proud of the meaningful, bipartisan policies included in this amendment that will lower costs and improve transparency for patients.”   Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY):  “We’re also promoting access to care for vulnerable Americans who need lifesaving, one-of-a kind treatments.    “My bill, the Medicaid VBPs for Patients Act, or the MVP Act, would provide access to the most innovative cures for Medicaid patients living with otherwise incurable or untreatable life-threatening conditions through value-based agreements. “We are talking about patients dealing with diseases, such as sickle cell and debilitating bleeding disorders.    “I want to personally thank Representative Eshoo for her leadership to take on this bill with me that will ultimately save lives and promote long-term savings for state Medicaid programs.”   Legislative Vote Summary:  H.R. 1418 , the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023 , sponsored by Reps. Greg Pence and Kim Schrier, was favorably reported, without amendment, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0.  H.R. 2544 , the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act , led by Reps. Larry Bucshon and Robin Kelly, was favorably reported, without amendment, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 48-0.  H.R. 2666 , the Medicaid VBPs for Patients (MVP) Act , led by Reps. Brett Guthrie and Anna Eshoo, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 31-19.  H.R. 3284 , the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act, led by Reps. Michael Burgess and Debbie Dingell, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0.  H.R. 3290 , To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program , led by Rep. Larry Bucshon, was favorably reported, as amended, to the House by a vote of 29-22.  H.R. 3561 , the Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023, led by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone Jr., was favorably reported, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today announced a full committee markup of 19 bills. “The Energy and Commerce Committee is plowing the hard ground to improve people’s lives and raise their standard of living. This week, we are advancing solutions to lower health care costs and increase transparency, bolster American’s energy supply, and lift barriers that are hindering deployment of broadband. I’m thankful for all our members who are leading on bills and look forward to our work on Wednesday," said Chair Rodgers.   WHAT : A full committee markup of 19 bills.  DATE: Wednesday, May 24, 2023  TIME : 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The markup 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 markup, please contact Jolie Brochin at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov .  For press related quotes regarding the Subcommittee on Health legislation, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov . For press related questions regarding the subcommittees on Communications & Technology and Energy, Climate Change, and Grid Security, please contact Sean Kelly at Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov .  Legislation to be considered: H.R. 1418 , the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023 , as amended by the Subcommittee on Health (Reps. Greg Pence and Kim Schrier) H.R. 2544 , the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act (Reps. Larry Bucshon and Robin Kelly) H.R. 3561 , the Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 (Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone Jr.)   H.R. 2666 , the Medicaid VBPs for Patients (MVP) Act , as amended by the Subcommittee on Health (Reps. Brett Guthrie and Anna Eshoo)    H.R. 3284 , the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act (Reps. Michael Burgess and Debbie Dingell)    H.R. 3290 , To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program (Rep. Larry Bucshon)    H.R. 3285 , the Fairness for Patient Medications Act (Rep. Morgan Griffith)    H.R. 3309 , the Standard Fees to Expedite Evaluation and Streamlining Act or the Standard FEES Act (Reps. Gary Palmer and Patrick Ryan)   H.R. 3293 , the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (Reps. Jeff Duncan and Angie Craig)   H.R. 3299 , the Deploying Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act or DIGITAL Applications Act (Reps. Kat Cammack and Doris Matsui)   H.R. 3283 , the Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act or Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act (Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Debbie Dingell)   H.R. 3343 , the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (Reps. August Pfluger and Darren Soto) H.R. 3565 , the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act of 2023 (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone, Jr.)  H.R. 3557 , the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2023 (Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, Nathaniel Moran, and Neal Dunn ) H.R. 1160 , the Critical Electric Infrastructure Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Act (Reps. Tim Walberg and Kim Schrier)    H.R. 3277 , the Energy Emergency Leadership Act (Reps. Tim Walberg and Lisa Blunt Rochester) H.R. 1042 , the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act , as amended by the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers) H.R. 1640 , the Save Our Gas Stoves Act (Rep. Debbie Lesko) H.R. 1615 , the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act (Rep. Kelly Armstrong)

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee members yesterday advanced solutions during a Communications and Technology Subcommittee markup . The bills will help streamline the permitting process and deploy broadband faster and more effectively, which will help Americans get connected in communities across the country and close the digital divide. The Communications and Technology Subcommittee took action on the following bills: H.R. 3309 , the “Standard Fees to Expedite Evaluation and Streamlining Act” or the “Standard FEES Act” led by Reps. Gary Palmer (R-AL) and Patrick Ryan (D-NY) was referred to the full committee by voice vote. H.R. 3293 , the “Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Act” led by Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) and Angie Craig (D-MN) was referred to the full committee by voice vote. H.R. 3299 , the “Deploying Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act” or “DIGITAL Applications Act” led by Reps. Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) was referred to the full committee, without amendment, by voice vote. H.R. 3283 , the “Facilitating the Deployment of Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy Applications Act” or the “Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act” led by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) was referred to the full committee, without amendment, by a voice vote. H.R. 3343 , the “Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act” led by Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Darren Soto (D-FL) was referred to the full committee without amendment by a voice vote. H.R. 3345 , led by Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) was referred to the full committee without amendment by voice vote. H.R. 3291 , the American Broadband Deployment Act, led by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) was referred to the full committee, as amended, by a recorded vote of 16-12. Note: Many of the bills originally noticed were included in an Amendment in Nature of the Substitute to H.R. 3291 , the American Broadband Deployment Act. CLICK HERE to watch and learn more about the markup.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans today advanced seven solutions during a Subcommittee on Health markup . “I’m proud this committee is building on its rich, bipartisan history to come together on important priorities for the American people. The legislation we are considering today will help lower costs for Americans and provide more health care price transparency, responsibly fund community health centers and diabetes research, prevent harmful cuts to hospitals that serve the most vulnerable patients, train more doctors in our communities, and improve FDA’s review of animal drugs used by farmers and pet owners,” said Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) during her opening remarks . “The Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to plow the hard ground on the most important issues before us as a nation, and that certainly includes making sure people can find the care they need at a price they can afford.”  The Subcommittee on Health took action on the following bills:   H.R. 1418 , the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023, led by Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, as amended, by a 29-0 bipartisan roll call vote.  H.R. 2544 , the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, led by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a 28-0 bipartisan roll call vote. H.R. 3281 , the Transparent PRICE Act, led by Chair Rodgers, was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, as amended, by a 27-0 bipartisan roll call vote.  H.R. 2666 , the Medicaid VBPs for Patients (MVP) Act, led by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, as amended, by a 16-11 bipartisan roll call vote. H.R. 3285 , the Fairness for Patient Medications Act, led by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a voice vote. H.R. 3284 , the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act, led by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a bipartisan 27-0 roll call vote. H.R. 3290 , to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program, led by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a 16-12 roll call vote. Note: Many of the bills originally noticed were included in an Amendment in Nature of the Substitute to H.R. 3281.

Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s  Communications and Technology Subcommittee markup  of 28 bills to close the digital divide. Excerpts and highlights below: REDUCING UNNECESSARY BARRIERS TO BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT “High-speed broadband is a critical part of today’s modern economy, yet some Americans still do not have reliable Internet access. “We need effective reforms to accelerate the build out of high-speed Internet and the bills we are considering today will speed the deployment of broadband infrastructure and ensure that federal funding is promoting connectivity rather than becoming government waste. “We are leading on proposals that take meaningful steps to reduce unnecessary barriers to broadband deployment. “Many of our bills have strong bipartisan support and I'm hopeful we will continue to garner more support for all these bills. “My colleagues are committed to getting this job done. “For the American people, it will mean better and faster internet access so they can build a business, communicate with their loved ones, advance their education, improve the world around them, and so much more. “The money is there—Congress has made the investment.” CONNECTING MORE AMERICANS “Now, we need to take the next step to roll back regulations to get reliable broadband to every American more quickly. “These measures will ensure that we prioritize getting broadband to rural, unserved communities that need it most by making sure federal regulations don’t prevent Americans from getting connected. “Committee Republicans have introduced these proposals for the last two Congresses and even the Biden administration has put out a permitting action plan to roll back permitting requirements to ensure effective use of the billions of dollars dedicated for infrastructure buildout. THE WILDFIRE COMMUNICATIONS RESILIENCY ACT “We’ll hear about many important solutions today that will ensure effective broadband deployment, and I’m pleased to be leading on the Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act which streamlines the deployment of broadband projects to repair or replace communications facilities damaged by wildfires. “In the aftermath of a wildfire, it can be vital—even lifesaving—to be able to quickly restore communications networks so those impacted by and responding to the fire can get the resources they need. “This process should not be slowed down by cumbersome permitting issues and environmental reviews.  “The bill is just one of many good pieces of legislation up for review today.” SPECTRUM AUCTION AUTHORITY “We are also considering legislation today to extend the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, which expired in March for the first time ever. “My goal is to continue working on a broader deal to extend spectrum auction authority longer term and provide certainty to the FCC and the communications industry, fund important priorities like the rip and replace program and Next Generation 9-1-1, and work with my colleagues across the aisle and in the Senate to make this a bipartisan deal that gets signed into law. UNLEASHING AMERICAN INNOVATION “I want to thank the sponsors of these bills—both Republicans and Democrats—for their work. “I’m hopeful that my colleagues across the aisle will consider working with us to make all of these solutions bipartisan. “These bills will help unleash American innovation, deploy broadband across the country, and make America more secure. “I look forward to moving our solutions through the regular order process.”