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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the following joint statement in response to a newly released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report . The report articulates the need for greater transparency and reporting measures in order to improve the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s (CMS) National Coverage Determination (NCD) process for the approximately 68 million beneficiaries under its purview. “The GAO report makes clear that CMS must do more to provide transparency and accountability in its coverage decisions. Seniors should never be left waiting without clear answers about whether Medicare will cover the treatments and services their doctors recommend,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Smith . “Such clarity would also inspire confidence in American innovators to develop the next treatments and cures for patients. Greater openness in the National Coverage Determination process is essential to ensure trust, timely access to care, and confidence that decisions are being made fairly and consistently. We will continue exercising oversight to make sure CMS meets its responsibility to the more than 68 million Americans who rely on Medicare.”  Background:   In its report, GAO found that while CMS generally meets its specified time frames for the coverage determinations it considers, in cases where determinations are not yet considered, there is little to no explanation or specified timeline for when CMS will ultimately make a determination. This means that seniors and their health care providers and innovators are often left in the dark as to whether a particular medication or service is covered by Medicare, which may force patients to delay treatment until a coverage decision is granted by CMS. In a recent example, the Biden-Harris Administration’s CMS used a blanket NCD to restrict Medicare coverage for an entire class of Alzheimer’s treatments despite Food and Drug Administration approval for the same class of drug. The opaque nature of CMS’s current determination process leaves beneficiaries waiting, in some cases years, for access to a treatment or service their doctor has already deemed medically necessary. Highlights from the GAO Report :  CMS has not identified or assessed the causes of delays in coverage determinations.  Some coverage analyses exceeded timelines by as much as 351 days, including reviews of a cancer cell therapy and medical equipment for pain management.   CMS officials acknowledged they do not currently document analysis delays. The GAO report follows a 2023 letter submitted by the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Health and Human Services Secretary and CMS Administrator, highlighting grave concerns with CMS’s coverage process and the need for timelier updates.  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Public Safety Communications in the United States. “Communications systems are crucial for our public safety organizations. Our first responders need reliable connections to be able to answer calls for help,” said Chairman Hudson. “Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) : “Last year, my district suffered catastrophic damage and loss from hurricane. This was a once in a hundred year hurricane. [...] In the weeks after this hurricane, we had disruptions, as I mentioned, and danger to both personal safety and property. I want to simply reinforce how vital it is that we guarantee our public safety officials can always be assured that their communications will not be disrupted, especially during times of emergency.” Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05):  “I recently met with the Crawford County Sheriff's Department in my district, where they demonstrated how they utilize FirstNet to ensure they have reliable communication to respond to emergencies. And as one of the Republicans and one of the early members who was here when we created the FirstNet program, I must say seeing FirstNet deployed through my district and the nation underscores how this true public-private partnership has been tremendously successful.” Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “Communication is more than convenient. It can be life saving. Today's hearing reminds us that success requires federal, state, and local partners all rowing in the same direction. In a crisis, no single system can carry the load. True resilience comes from interoperability, making sure radio, cellular, satellite and next generation 911 systems can connect seamlessly, so first responders can communicate and share information in real time.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Public Safety Communications in the United States . Subcommittee Chairman Hudson's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing on the state of public safety communications in the United States. I am looking forward to hearing from our witnesses about the needs of our first responders and how to improve communications for public safety.  “Communications systems are crucial for our public safety organizations. Our first responders need reliable connections to be able to answer calls for help. “We have unfortunately experienced many instances where our public safety communications didn’t work, and the consequences were devastating. “During the horrific terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, our communications networks were overloaded, resulting in calls being dropped or not going through. “More recently, although significantly improved from 2001, in my home state of North Carolina we felt the severe impacts from the Hurricane Helene devastation – ultimately preventing people from calling 9-1-1 and receiving life-saving care. “These are just two examples of major events where a lack of public safety communications cost hundreds and thousands of lives. “Today’s first responder communications landscape looks vastly different than that of 2001. “After 9/11, Congress stood up the 9/11 Commission, which released recommendations to prepare for and guard against future attacks. “One of those recommendations led to Congress establishing the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), a nationwide broadband network specifically built for public safety. “FirstNet was allocated 20 megahertz of spectrum and $7 billion to build out the network in all 50 states and territories. In 2017, AT&T was selected to deploy this network, and since then, other providers offer competitive services to serve public safety. “With FirstNet’s statutory authority set to expire in 2027, it’s time for Congress to assess the progress made by FirstNet to ensure the law requirements are being met and it is adequately serving the needs of our public safety community. “Additionally, our 911 call centers are working to deploy advanced technology, known as ‘Next Generation 911’. Next Generation 911 is a critical technology upgrade for our first responders and I have been a long-time supporter of its deployment nationwide. “This internet protocol-based system at our 911 call centers will open the door for advanced tools for both the public and our first responders to use. “NG911-equipped centers are able to receive text messages, photos and videos to help aid response efforts. This technology also allows for seamless integration of artificial intelligence for cybersecurity purposes or to aid call takers in times of large call volumes or provide real time language transcription or even translation.  “Once fully deployed, NG911 will be able to provide specific geolocation data for wireless callers, known as a dispatchable location. This accurate location will let first responders know the exact location of a caller automatically, instead of just the nearest cell tower. “Similar technologies are also being implemented to transmit vertical location data, which can help first responders locate the exact floor of someone in a high-rise building. “Equipping our first responders with this information can improve response times and help save lives. Importantly, this technology allows calls to be transferred or re-routed to other call centers, in the event a call center is taken offline due to an outage or natural disaster. “Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs. “Today, we will hear from our witnesses about the state of public safety communications and whether public safety needs are being met. We will hear about what tools and technologies are most effective for them to do their job, and where improvements can be made.  “I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today about these issues and how Congress can stand ready as a partner. “I now yield five minutes to my colleague, Ranking Member Matsui, for her opening statement.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Building the American Dream: Examining Affordability, Choice, and Security in Appliance and Buildings Policies . Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s hearing, ‘Building the American Dream: Examining Affordability, Choice, and Security in Appliance and Buildings Policies.’ Thank you to our witnesses for your participation. “Today, we will discuss policies that have raised energy and product prices for American families and business owners, put home ownership out of reach, and jeopardized grid reliability. “Many of these policies have been implemented in the name of energy efficiency. But, the forced electrification from the Left does not equate to increased energy efficiency, and it ignores affordability and consumer choice. “Energy conservation will play an important role in meeting our nation’s growing energy demand, however, consumer choice, affordability, and innovation must be prioritized in the execution of those goals. “Over the last decade, it has become apparent that the statutory process for energy efficiency standards is broken. We must reform the process to restore consumer choice, appliance affordability, and true energy savings as the foundation of DOE’s Appliance and Equipment Standards Program. “Everyone here supports true energy efficiency and the benefits it yields to our constituents. However, over the last several years, the focus has clearly strayed from enhancing efficiencies and realizing cost savings. “This misdirection has gone well beyond DOE’s energy conservation standards—we have also seen a misalignment of priorities in building codes, performance standards, and state local restrictions on the use of fossil fuels. “Nowhere is that more reflected than in the cost of homes. Over the last 15 years, home prices have steadily increased, putting the dream of home ownership out of reach for millions of Americans. “Today, more than 80 percent of adults in the United States say housing affordability is a problem in the city or county in which they live, and homeowners now spend 34 percent more on household appliances than in 2010.   “While there are a variety of factors that have contributed to these rising costs, we cannot ignore the impact misguided policies have had. “The Biden administration tied Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding to the forced adoption of the 2021 model energy codes, which restricted the use of gas and promoted electrification even if it was not an appropriate choice for consumers. This was done despite their own data that showed homes with natural gas hookups are over 3 times more affordable than electric options. “But the Biden administration didn’t stop there. DOE issued a rule to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in all new and modified federal buildings beginning in 2030. This would have included military installations and housing, some residential buildings, and sites of critical national security importance—like the Pentagon. “Not only would this compromise our security, but the rule would also have actually increased energy usage and added further strain to our nation’s electric grid. “We must strike a healthy balance between utilizing affordable energy and implementing common sense, effective energy conservation measures. “Again, I thank our witnesses for their participation today and look forward to hearing their perspectives.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) report released September 9th, which confirmed the 340B Drug Pricing Program encourages behaviors that increase federal spending and raise prices for American taxpayers. Some of those behaviors include incentivizing the prescription of more expensive drugs, reducing negotiated rebates for insurers, and increasing vertical integration among facilities. “Today, the Congressional Budget Office has further validated my long-standing concerns that the 340B program—while an important lifeline to many of our safety net providers—has the ability to be abused and drive-up overall health care costs for Americans,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I’m committed to conducting the necessary work to making sure that the program works for both our safety net providers and patients.” Background from CBO’s Analysis: From 2010 to 2021, spending on drugs purchased through the 340B program grew by an average of 19 percent annually, exceeding the spending growth seen market wide for prescription drug spending. The 340B program is driving up costs for the federal budget by incentivizing clinicians to prescribe more drugs and higher costing drugs and by decreasing manufacturer rebates that otherwise reduce overall patient costs. The 340B program is profitable to covered entities and has been documented as a factor driving vertical consolidation among providers, increasing overall health care costs. The Affordable Care Act both directly and indirectly expanded participation in the 340B program (through expanding eligibility to more hospitals, expanding Medicaid which allowed more hospitals to meet 340B eligibility, and increasing funding for federal grantees), increasing overall spending in the 340B program, raising costs for patients, and further driving 340B-motivated consolidation. ###

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 Health, announced a subcommittee markup of several public health reauthorization bills. WHAT : Subcommittee on Health Markup on Public Health Reauthorizations. DATE: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building Items to be considered: H.R. 4262 , To reauthorize programs related to health professions education, and for other purposes. (Rep. Schakowsky) H.R. 3593 , Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. D. Joyce) H.R. 2493 , Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Carter of GA) H.R. 3419 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs. (Rep. Valadao) H.R. 3302 ,  Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Ocasio-Cortez) H.R. 2846 , To amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries). (Rep. Houlahan) H.R. 4709 , Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Morrison) 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  energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Annabelle Huffman with the Committee staff at  Annabelle.Huffman@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Katie West at  Katie.West@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding two Subcommittee Hearings and one Subcommittee Markup. Read more below. SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing to discuss FirstNet and public safety communications. DATE: Tuesday, September 9, 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 impact of appliance and building regulations on affordability, consumer choice, and grid reliability. DATE: Tuesday, September 9, 2025 TIME: 2:00 PM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a markup of several public health reauthorization bills. DATE: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The following op-ed by Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) appeared in the GoSanAngelo this week. “Republicans in Congress, alongside President Trump, delivered a transformative piece of legislation on America’s 249th anniversary. I refer, of course, to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — the largest Working Families Tax Cut package in American history. “ I am of the camp that Americans deserve lower taxes and less government in their lives, and at the heart of the Working Families Tax Cut are critical tax reforms that deliver on that belief. This bill is a massive win for hardworking Texans and will help foster an economy that is pro-growth, pro-worker, pro-family, pro-business and pro-energy. “ Arguably, the most impactful victory of this bill is the permanent extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts. Without this, over 475,000 taxpayers in Texas’ 11th Congressional District would have faced a devastating 26% tax increase — the largest in American history. This alone protects middle-class families, small businesses and workers from a crushing financial blow, but it doesn’t stop there. “ Seniors in Texas, 88% of whom receive Social Security benefits, will now pay zero taxes on those benefits. Hourly workers will also keep more of what they earn, with overtime pay, tips and even interest on car loans for new American-made vehicles being exempt from taxation up to generous limits. This will put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Texans. “ Families will see additional support through an expanded Child Tax Credit of up to $2,200 per child, which will help offset today’s rising costs of raising a family. For Texans looking to grow their family through adoption, this bill improves the Adoption Tax Credit by making up to $5,000 of it refundable — easing the financial burden that can unfortunately prevent families from adopting. “ To help parents plan ahead and start saving early for their children’s future, this bill also establishes Trump Savings Accounts. These accounts will allow parents, family members or employers to contribute up to $5,000 annually. These funds can later be used for educational opportunities, home ownership and other essential life investments. “ This legislation also supports school choice by encouraging donations to scholarship funds, which will expand educational opportunities for every child in Texas, regardless of their ZIP code. “ Rural communities also stand to gain. A higher death tax exemption ensures that the more than 2 million family farms nationwide are protected from the crippling double taxation that far too often forces families to sell the land when passed from one generation to the next. “ Texas businesses and energy producers win big, too. This bill makes the 199A small business deduction permanent at 20%, which is a vital lifeline for Texas entrepreneurs to feasibly launch a business. It also broadens tax breaks for research and equipment purchases, encouraging Made-in-America investments and creating thousands of jobs across several industries. “ Additionally, the Biden Administration’s ‘ Green New Scam ’ tax credits totaling $500 billion will be repealed. These misguided subsidies hindered America’s energy sector and threw taxpayer dollars down the drain. This legislation also eliminates the natural gas tax — delivering certainty to American energy producers, preserving energy jobs and incentivizing domestic production that will ultimately lead to lower costs for American consumers. “ With all the misinformation circulating, it is imperative to separate fact from fiction. The Working Families Tax Cut is a clear response to what the American people demanded in November: rein in wasteful spending, grow the economy and make life genuinely affordable again. “ Nothing is perfect, but this legislation delivers historic, tangible wins for Texans. I am excited about this bill, and all of Texas District 11 should be, too. ”

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Examining Opportunities to Advance American Health Care through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies. Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:  “Today’s hearing gives us the opportunity to continue the Energy and Commerce Committee’s leadership on artificial intelligence by examining current applications of AI across the health care sector. “Last Congress, this subcommittee held a similar hearing on AI and machine learning. “It is critical that we continue these types of educational hearings to understand the evolving health AI landscape and ensure that Congress keeps up with the many advancements in the space. “Applications of AI and machine learning have increased across the health care sector in recent years and will only play a more pronounced role in the daily lives of all Americans moving forward. “In the health care space today, AI is being deployed by innovators to empower patients along their personal health care journey, support health care providers, and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens. I look forward to learning more about these real-world applications from our panel of experts today. “I also believe as AI applications advance, it is critical that Congress continues to examine this landscape to ensure proper safety and oversight. These AI applications can be hugely beneficial to patients and providers, but they are to assist – and not replace – the clinical workforce today. “I want to briefly highlight a few examples of how AI is being used to improve patient experiences and outcomes in the market today. “Pharmaceutical companies are using AI to help improve core scientific research functions and develop lifesaving treatments and cures, as well as using AI to expedite clinical trials to bring safe and effective medicines to market quicker.  “Insurance companies are using AI to process claims in order to get care to patients quicker. “Physicians and hospitals who have been dealing with documentation burdens are using AI to assist in writing up and consolidating post-visit records, which has helped reduce documentation time by roughly one-third in some cases and allowed for doctors to spend more time with their patients. “Companies who develop medical devices are using machine learning to better understand certain diseases and help advance innovations to deliver more clinically appropriate and effective care interventions. “The Trump Administration has also been forward leaning on advancing AI in the health space and streamlining regulations to increase its application. “I applaud the work of the current administration to incorporate AI in a responsible manner that can help improve care. “To date, the CMS Innovation Center is working to utilize AI and machine learning to identify waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health care systems to root out improper taxpayer spending.  “The FDA has incorporated the use of AI to drastically shorten the time needed to complete certain tasks in their review process. “Researchers at NIH have developed an AI algorithm that modernizes the process of matching potential clinical trial volunteers to suitable trials, cutting down administrative time by 40 percent while maintaining the same level of placement accuracy. “These are only a few examples of the many ways the administration is integrating AI and streamlining the way our American health care system operates. “With all these innovative advancements being leveraged across the American health care ecosystem, it is paramount that we ensure proper oversight is being applied, because the application of AI and machine learning will only increase. “We must ensure that these tools continue to empower – and not replace – the providers that serve our communities across the nation. “These tools should help improve the patient experience and ultimately access to care – particularly in rural areas like the communities I represent in Virginia’s ninth district. “I hope we have a constructive conversation today about the opportunities and the risks that comes with AI and how our Committee should be thinking about the role we can play in helping shape the future of AI in health care. “I am looking forward to hearing more from our witnesses and the members on this subcommittee on the application of AI in health care.” ###