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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – 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 Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines. “The reauthorization of important programs, such as the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program and vital public health programs, play a critical role in the Committee’s continued efforts to improve health care for Americans,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Carter. “Expanding patient access to safe over-the-counter drugs, allocating resources for rural providers, and supporting health care workforce development are among the many priorities of the Health Subcommittee, and we look forward to continuing the conversation and exploring future opportunities on ways to help Americans live healthier lives.”   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines.   WHAT : Subcommittee on Health hearing on Preserving Access to Timely and Affordable Care. DATE : Wednesday, July 9, 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 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.  – 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 Public Safety Communications in the United States. "One of the primary functions of a nation is to ensure the safety of its people. Our public safety community requires reliable communications to adequately respond during an emergency,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson . “We look forward to considering ways to strengthen our public safety communications to better serve Americans in their moments of crisis.” Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled Public Safety Communications in the United States. WHAT : Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on FirstNet and public safety communications. DATE : Wednesday, July 9, 2025 TIME : 10:00 AM ET LOCATION : 2322 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 a t  energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Noah Jackson with the Committee staff 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.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing titled Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy .  “Safe and secure pipeline infrastructure is a vital part of ensuring our nation’s energy dominance,”   said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta . “This hearing will provide us with the opportunity to discuss priorities for pipeline safety reauthorization and examine what steps need to be taken to build and operate pipelines safely and effectively. It’s critical that these pipelines can continue to operate reliably and meet the energy demands of communities across our country.”   Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy   WHAT : Subcommittee on Energy Hearing on pipeline safety policy and examine reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program. DATE : July 8, 2025 TIME : 10:30 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 Calvin Huggins with the Committee staff at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at  Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s Committee on Rules hearing on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act . Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good afternoon, Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member McGovern. Thank you for holding today’s hearing.  “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act cuts wasteful spending, defends our nation’s energy dominance, supports the rapid innovation of American industry, and preserve and protects Medicaid for the Americans who are most in need.    “We will send a bill to President Trump’s desk that delivers on American leadership across industries, spurs technological innovation, and supports individual workers.   “We will unleash American energy dominance through strategic investments, while also putting an end to wasteful subsidies.  “We will spur technological innovation by renewing American wireless leadership through spectrum auction authority that protects national security.   “This legislation begins to refill our dangerously low Strategic Petroleum Reserve and creates new investments to generate reliable energy that will secure our grid and power AI.  “This bill also raises $85 billion of new revenue through a historic agreement reauthorizing the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, while protecting U.S. national security.  “Our priority has been to strengthen, secure, and sustain Medicaid for expectant mothers, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.  “Our legislation stops billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program by beginning to close loopholes, ensuring states have the flexibility to remove ineligible recipients from their rolls, and removing beneficiaries who are enrolled in multiple states.   “H.R. 1 ends coverage for deceased beneficiaries, limits the ability of enrollees to obtain duplicative coverage, and ensures individuals with million-dollar homes are no longer eligible to qualify for Medicaid coverage.  “These are all commonsense policies that will return taxpayer dollars to middle-class American families. “Republicans seek to return to the core intent of the Medicaid program, which was created to protect health care for Americans who otherwise could not support themselves.  “Democrats expanded the program far beyond this core mission, allowing spending to grow into the trillions if not addressed.  “Our commonsense work requirements and community engagement policies for able-bodied adults who choose not to work encourage individuals to re-enter the workforce and regain their independence.  “This provision speaks to Republicans’ commitment to strengthening Medicaid to ensure it is available for those who need it most, and this is an issue that resonates favorably with a majority of Americans across the board.   “H.R. 1 fulfills President Trump’s promise of generational growth, prosperity, and health for the American people. It fulfills our commitment to lowering taxes for working families, unleashes American energy, safeguards Medicaid for the patients that need it most, and supports the rapid innovation of American technology.   “It’s time pass this vital legislation, and see it signed into law.  “Thank you, and I yield back."  ###

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF):  "We are glad to see the Supreme Court uphold the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which is critical for expanding reliable internet access to rural and low-income Americans, schools, libraries, and rural health centers,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “The Committee on Energy and Commerce can now turn its attention to reforming the USF so it can continue to provide every American with access to the connectivity they need to participate in the 21st century economy.”   Background:   Chairman Hudson is a member of the Universal Service Fund Working Group .

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

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

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