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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a markup of several kids internet and digital safety bills.

“Today we advanced 18 measures to empower parents with stronger, smarter tools to help them keep their kids safe online,” said Chairman Bilirakis. “Protecting children in the digital age is not optional—it is a moral imperative and today was an important step forward in achieving this goal.”

Legislative Vote Summary

• H.R. 6290, Safe Social Media Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6259, No Fentanyl on Social Media Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6289, Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6437, Kids Internet Safety Partnership Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 5360, AI Warnings And Resources for Education (AWARE) Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6499, Assessing Safety Tools for Parents and Minors Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 2657, Sammy’s Law, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6265, Safer Guarding of Adolescents from Malicious Interactions on Network Games (GAMING) Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6273, Stop Profiling Youth and (SPY) Kids Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6253, Algorithmic Choice and Transparency Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6489, Safeguarding Adolescents From Exploitative (SAFE) Bots Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 1623, Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6257, Safe Messaging for Kids Act of 2025, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 3149, App Store Accountability Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6333, Parents Over Platforms Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6292, Don’t Sell Kids’ Data Act of 2025, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 6484, Kids Online Safety Act, was forwarded, as amended, to the Full Committee by a roll call vote of 13 Yeas to 10 Nays.
• H.R. 6291, Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a roll call vote of 14 Yeas to 10 Nays.

Below are key excerpts from today’s markup:

Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) on H.R. 6489, the Safeguarding Adolescents From Exploitative (SAFE) Bots Act: “Kids aren’t just scrolling feeds. They’re forming real emotional attachments to AI chatbots that can mimic authority, appear trustworthy, and respond at all hours. [...] Parents are, quite simply, outmatched, and the status quo is not acceptable. The SAFE Bots Act creates clear baseline guardrails. It prohibits AI from impersonating licensed professionals—no chatbots should act like a doctor or a therapist to a child. It requires age-appropriate disclosure so minors know they are talking to AI, not a human, and that the chatbots cannot provide licensed professional advice.”

Congressman John James (MI-10) on H.R. 3149, the App Store Accountability Act: “App stores should follow the same commonsense rules we expect from every small business. If a corner store can’t knowingly sell adult or addictive products to minors, then neither should the world’s largest digital storefronts.”

Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) on H.R. 6484, the Kids Online Safety Act: “KOSA protects kids across America by mandating default safeguards and easy-to-use parental controls to empower families. [...] KOSA will broadly protect kids and teens, while the other bills before us address particular harms or take specific approaches to help ensure no existing threat is left unaddressed. In many ways, those bills make KOSA even stronger by working alongside them. [...] It is the foundation and the safety net with concrete safeguards to keep kids and teens safe.”

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 markup of 18 bills to protect children and teens online.

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

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee markup, another important step in advancing legislation to protect children online.

“Our children are facing an online epidemic. Around 95 percent of teenagers use social media, and far too many have been cyberbullied or faced other harms online. This issue is personal – we have parents on both sides of the aisle, and all of us represent families back home who have been affected.

“In my home district in Tampa Bay, we lost 16-year-old McKenna Brown after relentless online bullying. Her tragedy—and the heartbreak of her family—is a constant reminder of why we must act.

“It’s because of countless stories like this, that we’re here today.

“We’re considering nearly twenty bills, that together form a comprehensive strategy to protect kids and teens online. Our approach is clear: protect kids, empower parents, and future proof our legislation as new risks and technologies emerge. Families deserve clarity. Parents deserve control. And bad actors must face real consequences.

“The Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, is among these bills—a strong proposal with concrete safeguards and obligations for companies, and one I am proud to lead.

“But no single bill is a complete solution. These proposals work together, complementing and reinforcing one another to create the safest possible environment for children. There is no one-size-fits-all bill to protect kids online—and our plan reflects that.

“Parents must be empowered to safeguard their children online. Just as a parent can guide their kids’ activities at home and in school, they should be able to guide their children’s activities online. Our bills ensure parents have the tools and information they need to keep their kids safe in a modern, increasingly complex environment.

“The status quo is unacceptable, and we are here to change and ensure meaningful consequences for platforms that fail to protect our kids.

“Today is about progress. It’s about setting aside differences and doing right by the families who are counting on us. I’m confident that, working together, we can advance meaningful, bipartisan solutions that give parents peace of mind and make the online world safer for every child. I appreciate the hard work of my colleagues, and I look forward to continuing this effort in the days ahead.”

WASHINGTON, D.C . – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of seven bills. Subcommittee Chairman Palmer’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s Environment subcommittee markup of seven (7) bills to improve the process for establishing and implementing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and to streamline environmental reviews and the New Source Review pre-construction permitting program under the Clean Air Act. “No one questions that the Clean Air Act has been important in helping to improve air quality since the law was first enacted more than half a century ago. However, the law has not been significantly amended since 1990 and has not kept pace to meet the economic and security risks facing this country. “The commonsense permitting reforms contained in these seven bills are needed to improve the Clean Air Act so the United States can continue to be the world leader in economic prosperity, technological innovation, and environmental quality. “At subcommittee hearings in June and September, we heard testimony from several witnesses that the air quality standards for fine particulate matter and ozone that were issued by the Biden-Harris administration will stifle economic growth and be nearly impossible for states and regulated industries to meet because they are so close to background levels and that decisions on whether a state is meeting the standards should not be impacted by pollution caused by wildfires and from international sources outside of the state’s control. “We also heard testimony from top state environmental regulators that several of the deadlines in the Clean Air Act are impossible for EPA and states to implement. For example, several witnesses said it would make sense to extend the timeframe for reviewing air quality standards from every five years, as it is in current law, to every 10 years.  “We also heard testimony from multiple witnesses that the current pre-construction permitting and environmental review provisions of the Clean Air Act can slow down or even block construction of high-tech manufacturing and energy projects that we need more of in this country to win the race for critical minerals and advanced semiconductors against China. “The seven bills that we will be marking up are: “H.R. 6409, Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) (Rep. Pfluger). This bill would clarify that foreign air pollution is not to be considered when deciding if a State or air district is meeting an air standard. “H.R. 4218, Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform (CLEAR) Act (Rep. Carter) This bill makes several improvements to the process for establishing and implementing the air quality standards program under the Clean Air Act. "H.R. 4214, Clean Air and Building Infrastructure Improvement Act (Rep. Allen) This bill clarifies when a new air standard has to be factored into preconstruction permits under the Clean Air Act. “H.R. 161, New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act (Rep. Griffith) This bill clarifies what kind of construction or modifications of existing facilities would trigger permitting under the Clean Air Act. “H.R. 6373, Air Permitting Improvements to Protect National Security Act (Rep. Palmer) This bill would allow the President to waive the requirement that facilities that are critical to our national security – including critical mineral processing facilities -- offset emissions as part of the permitting process. “ H.R. 6398, Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations (RED Tape) Act (Rep. Joyce) This bill would streamline the environmental review and permitting process. “The passage of these bills will go a long way toward improving our infrastructure and making permitting more predictable and cost-effective. Some of these bills include ideas that we have considered in previous years, but some of them offer creative solutions based on feedback we have received. “I urge all of my colleagues to support these pieces of legislation, and I yield back.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, led a markup of several bills to reform permitting under the Clean Air Act. “No one questions that the Clean Air Act has been important in helping to improve air quality since the law was first enacted more than half a century ago. However, the law has not been significantly amended since 1990 and has not kept pace to meet the economic and security risks facing this country,” said Chairman Palmer. “The commonsense permitting reforms contained in these seven bills are needed to improve the Clean Air Act so the United States can continue to be the world leader in economic prosperity, technological innovation, and environmental quality.” Legislative Vote Summary: H.R. 6409 , the Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 14 Yeas to 11 Nays. H.R. 4218 , the Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform (CLEAR) Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 14 Yeas to 10 Nays. H.R. 6387 , the Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 13 Yeas to 10 Nays. H.R. 4214 , the Clean Air and Building Infrastructure Improvement Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 12 Yeas to 10 Nays. H.R. 161 , the New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 12 Yeas to 11 Nays. H.R. 6373 , the Air Permitting Improvements to Protect National Security Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 12 Yeas to 10 Nays. H.R. 6398 , the Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations (RED Tape) Act, was reported to the full committee, by a roll call vote of 12 Yeas to 10 Nays. Watch the full markup here . Below are key excerpts from today’s markup: Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) on H.R. 4218, the Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform (CLEAR) Act: “This is not about choosing between the environment and development. This is about common sense. We should not penalize states that are impacted by events out of their control, and they should not be penalized for taking action to prevent exceptional events. Georgia is a top state for business in America. It has been for 12 years. Even with our growth, Georgia's air has never been cleaner since monitoring began years ago. As our witnesses stated in legislative hearing we had on this bill, if we give our state officials the time they truly need to implement regulations, while also ensuring that they are not punished for background levels from natural sources, we can have lasting, meaningful policy and economic growth.” Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) on H.R. 6409, the Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act: “Back home in my district in the Permian Basin, we saw this play out recently when the Biden EPA floated a possible non-attainment designation that created real uncertainty. Even the hint of non-attainment sends a signal that permits could slow down, costs could rise, and long-term planning becomes harder for producers and communities alike at no fault of their own. That experience made it clear that these designations are too consequential to get wrong. Local communities should not be burdened by regulatory consequences tied to emissions that come from foreign sources or unavoidable natural events. The FENCES Act levels the playing field, sets the table for fairness, and it's about giving states regulatory certainty. It's about keeping American industries competitive while still upholding environmental standards.” Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) on H.R.6398, the RED Tape Act: “This bill eliminates the requirement for the EPA to conduct a duplicative review and publicly comment on other agencies Environmental Impact Statements. This legislation keeps in place the initial environmental review required for federal projects and regulations under NEPA. It simply eliminates a bureaucratic and redundant secondary review that only serves to further delay the permitting and construction of critical projects. In order for America to remain competitive in the global economy, we must take steps to ensure timely and predictable outcomes for any new projects or regulations.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding one Full Committee Hearing and two Subcommittee Markups. Read more below. SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will hold a markup of seven bills to reform permitting under the Clean Air Act.  DATE: Wednesday, December 10, 2025   TIME: 10:15 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a markup of 18 bills to protect children and teens online.  DATE: Thursday, December 11, 2025  TIME: 10:15 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building FULL COMMITTEE HEARING: The Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding a Member Day Hearing to allow all Members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to testify before the Committee. DATE: Friday, December 12, 2025 TIME: 9:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building ###

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 subcommittee markup of 18 bills to protect children and teens online. WHAT : Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade markup of 18 bills. DATE: Thursday, December 11, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building Items to be considered: H.R. 6290 , Safe Social Media Act (Reps. Bentz and Schrier) H.R. 6259 , No Fentanyl on Social Media Act (Reps. Evans and Dingell) H.R. 6289 , Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act (Reps. Lee-FL and Soto) H.R. 6437 , Kids Internet Safety Partnership Act (Reps. Fry and Landsman) H.R. 5360 , AI Warnings And Resources for Education (AWARE) Act (Reps. Houchin and Auchincloss) H.R. 6499 , Assessing Safety Tools for Parents and Minors Act (Reps. Fulcher and Landsman) H.R. 2657 , Sammy’s Law (Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Carter-GA) H.R. 6265 , Safer Guarding of Adolescents from Malicious Interactions on Network Games (GAMING) Act (Rep. Kean) H.R. 6273 , Stop Profiling Youth and (SPY) Kids Act (Rep. Miller-Meeks) H.R. 6253 , Algorithmic Choice and Transparency Act (Rep. Cammack) H.R. 6489 , Safeguarding Adolescents From Exploitative (SAFE) Bots Act (Rep. Houchin) H.R. 1623 , Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act (Rep. Miller-IL) H.R. 6257 , Safe Messaging for Kids Act of 2025 (Rep. Dunn) H.R. 3149 , App Store Accountability Act (Rep. James) H.R. 6333 , Parents Over Platforms Act (Reps. Auchincloss and Houchin) H.R. 6292 , Don’t Sell Kids’ Data Act of 2025 (Rep. Pallone) H.R. 6484 , Kids Online Safety Act (Rep. Bilirakis) H.R. 6291 , Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (Reps. Walberg and Lee-FL) 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 Alex Khlopin 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 . – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of fifteen bills. Chairman Guthrie’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Thank you all for being here this morning as we consider vital legislation to support connectivity, address burdensome regulations, and lower costs for Americans. “Across the country, Americans are confronting the issue of affordability. Today, our Committee will aim to improve consumer choice, secure our grid, and lower prices for the communities we represent. “For example, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act would help address home affordability by repealing several costly programs from the mis-named Inflation Reduction Act. “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Energy issued efficiency regulations for nearly every appliance in American households. “Energy efficiency is important as a general matter, but it’s a major problem when regulations are drafted to meet arbitrary standards despite diminishing returns on actual, cost-effective gains in efficiency. “The Don't Mess With My Home Appliances Act addresses this issue, for example, by requiring DOE to consider an appliance's full life-cycle cost, including maintenance, when determining if a new standard is justified.  “We cannot allow ill-considered standards to hurt our ability to power federal facilities, like VA hospitals. The Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act would repeal the required phase-out of fossil fuel use in federal buildings, which could jeopardize our national security. It’s essential that we don’t turn away from needed reliable and affordable baseload power sources. “Similarly, closing the digital divide and expanding access to reliable broadband will further drive American wireless and AI leadership. I see this first-hand in parts of my district that still lack the service they need to take full advantage of the digital economy. “NTIA has now signed off on nearly 30 states’ and territories’ broadband plans in the BEAD program. And with billions of dollars heading out the door to get shovels in the ground and finally close the digital divide, we must also remove other barriers to deployment. “Unpredictable timelines, expensive—and sometimes duplicative—reviews, and a lack of transparency, all contribute to deployment delays. “The bills we are marking up today put timelines on state and local permitting reviews, limit application fees, exempt certain projects from redundant environmental and historic preservation reviews, encourage federal agencies to prioritize broadband applications, and provide transparency into the opaque federal permitting-review process. “I want to thank each of the sponsors of these bills—both Republicans and Democrats—for their commitment to ensuring that every American has access to connectivity and we continue our technological leadership through AI and other exciting new technologies. “As we address the need to lower housing costs, secure our grid, and streamline broadband permitting, today’s markup is a chance to work on the issues that matter most to the American people.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), reported fifteen pieces of legislation to the full House of Representatives. “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Energy issued efficiency regulations for nearly every appliance in American households. Energy efficiency is important as a general matter, but it’s a major problem when regulations are drafted to meet arbitrary standards despite diminishing returns on actual, cost-effective gains in efficiency,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Closing the digital divide and expanding access to reliable broadband will further drive American wireless and AI leadership. I see this first-hand in parts of my district that still lack the service they need to take full advantage of the digital economy.” Legislative Vote Summary: H.R. 1343 , Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 49 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 1588 , Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 50 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 1665 , DIGITAL Applications Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 1681 , Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 1731 , Standard FEES Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 49 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 6046 , Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 2289 , American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 26 yeas – 24 nays. H.R. 3474 , Federal Mechanical Insulation Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays. H.R. 3699 , Energy Choice Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 24 yeas – 21 nays. H.R. 5184 , Affordable Housing Over Mandating Efficiency Standards (Affordable HOMES) Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 30 yeas – 16 nays. H.R. 4690 , Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 27 yeas – 21 nays. H.R. 4593 , Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing (SHOWER) Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 28 yeas – 20 nays. H.R. 4758 , Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 25 yeas – 21 nays. H.R. 4626 , Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 26 yeas – 22 nays. H.R. 1355 , Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2025, was reported, as amended, to the full House by a roll call vote of 50 yeas – 0 nays. Watch the full markup here . Below are key excerpts from today’s markup: Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) on the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025: “This bill brings together proposals from my Republican colleagues to cut red tape and speed broadband deployment. It streamlines approvals for new infrastructure by ensuring fees reflect actual cost, setting clear and timely permitting deadlines, and giving providers relief if they are wrongfully denied access. [...] These reforms will accelerate investment, lower barriers, and help connect all Americans.” Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) on the Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act: “Under the guise of energy efficiency, the Biden-Harris Administration waged a four-year war on domestic fossil energy and consumer choice. And it was American families that that paid the price. From gas stoves, refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and air conditioners, no household appliance was off limits in their pursuit of a radical rush to green agenda. And we can't allow that to happen again. […] These are common sense changes that will ensure certainty for manufacturers and consumers and allow consumer choice." Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) on the SHOWER Act: “The affordability issue was caused by the Biden Administration and congressional Democrats turning a blind eye to what was happening in America when inflation rose 11%, 12%, 20%. They turned a blind eye to inflation rising faster than incomes to meet it. They turned a blind eye to a president who literally sleepwalked through his entire presidency, and the American people suffered for it."

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding two Subcommittee Hearings and one Full Committee Markup. Read more below.  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade is holding a hearing to examine ways to protect children and teens online.  DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2025  TIME: 10:15 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy is holding a hearing to discuss the cyber and physical security of our electric grid.  DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2025  TIME: 10:30 AM ET  LOCATION: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building  FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup of 15 bills.  DATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building     ###