News

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup. Subcommittee Chairman Latta's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s subcommittee markup of 13 bills to increase energy production and restore energy leadership. “Over the last few months, this subcommittee has held several hearings to examine the issues holding back our ability to meet projected energy demand growth over the next decade.  “In our first hearing of the Congress, the subcommittee heard from national security experts and energy workers to hear the importance of American energy for the world’s future.  “We also have heard directly from the power sector to discuss challenges meeting current demand, as well as the ability to scale up operations to meet projected demand growth.  “Additionally, the subcommittee had executives from each of the nation’s RTOs and ISOs to hear a boots-on-the-ground perspective from grid operators.  “ Finally, the subcommittee held a legislative hearing on this suite of legislation with the Department of Energy and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as representatives from impacted industries.  “At each of the subcommittee’s hearings, I asked each of our witnesses if we need more or less energy moving forward. Every single one agreed that we need much more energy to power our nation’s economic and technological future.  “I believe the legislation we are considering today will help address the challenges our energy and power sectors face as they work to provide abundant, reliable, and affordable energy to consumers. “The subcommittee will consider several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing threats to our bulk power system and resource adequacy. The gentleman from Ohio’s 12th district’s Reliable Power Act would amend the Federal Power Act to require FERC to review federal regulations that impact reliability.  “Additionally, the subcommittee will consider the gentleman from Ohio’s 12th district’s GRID Power Act, which would direct FERC to require transmission providers prioritize and expedite interconnection queue requests for dispatchable generation projects. “The subcommittee will also consider the gentleman from Virginia’s 9th district’s Power Plant Reliability Act, which will allow affected parties to contest the retirement of generation resources. Over the next 10 years, 115 gigawatts of dispatchable generation has been announced to be retired across the United States, while demand is estimated to increase by upwards of 151 gigawatts. “To ensure reliability and affordability, it is imperative that avenues to keep generation online are available. This includes hydropower, which is why the subcommittee will consider bipartisan legislation, led by the gentlelady from Washington’s 8th district, to increase transparency from FERC regarding the status of relicensing applications for hydropower dams. “Following up on President Trump’s “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry” Executive Order, the gentleman from Ohio’s 6th district’s National Coal Council Reestablishment Act will codify the National Coal Council, which will focus on keeping baseload generation online.  “The gentleman from New York’s 23rd district’s State Energy Accountability Act and the gentleman from Colorado’s 8th district’s State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act both amend PURPA to require States to consider requirements to evaluate reliability and long-term resource planning.  “We will also consider legislation aimed at assessing and securing electric and critical mineral supply chains, which play a vital role in the ability to build out infrastructure.  “Creating an environment that promotes the building of infrastructure is also imperative as energy demand grows.  “The subcommittee will consider the Improving Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025, the REFINER Act, and the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act, which will improve federal permitting processes to unlock development of much-needed oil, gas, and petrochemical infrastructure.  “I had hoped to work with our Democratic colleagues on more of this legislation – including my electric supply chain bill, which all Members should want to support given the challenges today to getting key components for our grid.  “Unfortunately, at this point, we have been unable to find as much bipartisanship as hoped, but we will continue conversations with my colleagues on the other side, including with the gentlelady from Florida’s 14th district, the Ranking Member, on her interconnection queue legislation. “As energy demand is projected to grow to staggering levels, we must enact policies that increase supply, infrastructure, and reliability in the energy sector, while lowering costs for American families and businesses. The bills before us today do just that, and I urge all my colleagues to support them.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The following op-ed authored by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, appeared in  Fox News  this morning.  “It’s been almost two weeks since the House of Representatives passed the 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' Act (OBBBA). Yet, we continue to hear constant fearmongering by my Democrat colleagues.  “I’ll remind you that the OBBBA makes tremendous strides in providing further tax cuts for middle-class, working families, promoting American manufacturing and energy dominance, and importantly, protecting the integrity of our healthcare programs to support our most vulnerable Americans. “It is a top priority of House Republicans to eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse in the programs and safeguard expectant mothers, their children, low-income seniors and especially individuals living with disabilities who are receiving Medicaid coverage. Regrettably, Democrats continue to fuel the falsehood that 13 million individuals will lose healthcare coverage under OBBBA.  “According to the Congressional Budget Office, millions of ineligible individuals are receiving benefits through Medicaid, with 1.6 million people enrolled in two state Medicaid programs at the same time (and getting care paid for in both states), 1.4 million illegal immigrants, and 1.2 million enrollees who no longer qualify for eligibility. CBO also assumes there are 4.8 million able-bodied adults without dependents who would rather lose Medicaid coverage than choose to work or give back to their communities. Continuing to direct scarce resources to these ineligible recipients ultimately takes away from Americans truly in need.  “Through the OBBBA, Republicans are strengthening the Medicaid program by removing ineligible beneficiaries and sustaining the program for our most vulnerable Americans. When states are no longer paying for those who shouldn’t be enrolled in the first place, that frees up money they can invest for those who actually need the care most.  “As chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, please allow me to tell you the truth: pregnant women, children, seniors, and individuals living with a disability are protected under this legislation.  “During our 26-and-a-half-hour marathon markup, Democrats shared stories using scare-tactics, not facts. The Democrats cited story after story about vulnerable individuals who rely on Medicaid for their daily care – like children and people with disabilities and their families – and the fact is, this bill does not impact them. If anything, we are protecting Medicaid for them.  “Every vulnerable American who needs Medicaid should be protected and have access to care. That’s why House Republicans have thoughtfully curated a bill that realigns incentives in Medicaid for states to care for the most vulnerable over individuals who aren’t eligible for the program, including illegal immigrants. “While Medicaid is predominantly funded by the federal government, states are in the driver’s seat and contribute at least a third of all Medicaid costs, ultimately determining which individuals are covered, what services they receive, and how much taxpayers pay for their care. Our bill reverses a Biden-Harris policy that prohibited states from removing ineligible individuals from their rolls.  “When top-down mandates from Washington crowd out state decision-making, states lose their ability to focus their efforts on core services for vulnerable populations. Our bill changes this. For example, the commonsense community-engagement requirements, also known as work requirements, require that states ensure that able-bodied adults without dependents are either working a part-time job, participating in educational programs, or volunteering in their community for 80 hours per month in order to receive Medicaid benefits.  “Additionally, the bill repeals oppressive Biden-Harris era mandates that forced states to impose unrealistic staffing requirements for nursing homes that were set to close facilities and severely restrict access to care. The Biden-Harris regulators also prohibited states from following standard procedures to disenroll people who are ineligible for coverage, or even fraudulently enrolled, in Medicaid.  “The rational policies in the House bill that stops coverage for illegal immigrants and allows states to remove deceased and duplicative enrollees, and otherwise ineligible beneficiaries from state Medicaid programs further ensures our federal dollars are serving the population that Medicaid was created to protect.  “While the Committee’s savings help to slow the growth of the program, Medicaid is projected to grow by an estimated 25% by 2034. Over the next decade, spending in the program is expected to increase by over $1 trillion above inflation. Only Washington Democrats would say that increased funding is a cut.  “Every dollar misspent on illegal immigrants and ineligible individuals in the Medicaid program means less money going to our children, our pregnant women and mothers, individuals who are disabled, and seniors.  “It is disappointing that Democrats are prioritizing politics through lies and fearmongering instead of actually helping the most vulnerable Americans. House Republicans make no apologies for our continued fight to strengthen government programs that have since been riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Stopping Illegal Robocalls and Robotexts: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps. Subcommittee Chairman Palmer's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing entitled 'Stopping Illegal Robocalls and Robotexts: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps.' All of us have personal experiences with unwanted robocalls and robotexts. Some are merely annoying, but others have devastating consequences. For example, in March, the FCC warned consumers about scam robocalls targeting older Americans, and DOJ announced that it charged 25 individuals for participating in the same scam that defrauded Americans out of more than $21 million in more than 40 states. The scammers made phone calls pretending to be an individual’s grandchild who needed money for 'bail' after being 'arrested,' or pretended to be the grandchild’s “attorney,” and were told they could not speak to anyone about the “arrest.” This is one of the many heartbreaking examples of scams perpetrated on Americans by illegal robocallers and bad actors. “According to recent estimates, in April 2025, nearly 2,000 robocalls were placed to U.S. consumers every second. Spam and scam calls make consumers feel threatened, fearful, and distrustful of legitimate callers. As more and more Americans ignore calls from unknown numbers, they miss important calls. Moreover, fraud perpetuated against Americans by illegal robocalls costs an average of $25 billion annually, primarily affecting those who cannot afford such losses. “We are also seeing a lot of unwanted and scam robotexts, and AI generated phone calls and text messages, including voice clones and deepfakes. According to the FCC, consumer complaints about unwanted text messages increased 500-fold between 2015 and 2022. Americans are frustrated and understandably so. “In 2019, the bipartisan Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence—or TRACED Act—was enacted to help reduce the flood of illegal robocalls. The TRACED Act allowed the FCC and law enforcement to impose stricter penalties for intentional violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA; improved adoption of technical solutions, like the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication framework; and established a federal interagency working group to combat illegal robocalls. “As a result, U.S. telecommunications carriers have made progress implementing STIR/SHAKEN into their networks. This framework authenticates that phone calls are coming from legitimate phone numbers, which helps reduce the number of spoofed and illegal robocalls. Generally, to operate within the U.S., voice service providers must now implement robocall mitigation programs and file these plans and their STIR/SHAKEN compliance certifications in the Robocall Mitigation Database overseen by the FCC. Moreover, in July 2020, the FCC recognized the U.S. Telecom Industry Traceback Group (ITG) as the single registered consortium to conduct private-led traceback efforts that identify the source of an illegal robocall. “The FCC has also taken measures to address the growing burden of unwanted and scam robotexts and abused AI technologies. Specifically, in March 2023, the agency adopted regulations targeting scam robotexts. In addition, industry actors have partnered with federal agencies to launch new programs, such as robotext tracing. Lastly, in August, the FCC proposed rules to protect consumers from AI-generated robocalls and robotexts. These are steps in the right direction, and I applaud the coordination we’ve seen thus far. “While the TCPA has provided many useful tools, the TCPA’s private right of action has given rise to class-action lawsuits focused on minor infractions, rather than the bad actors responsible for placing illegal robocalls and it has not reduced the number of illegal robocalls or improved consumer protection. “In addition, STIR/SHAKEN implementation among smaller carriers has been delayed and bad actors have exploited these providers’ reliance on legacy infrastructure. Moreover, a majority of illegal robocalls and robotexts originate overseas making them hard to trace. Because these bad actors are outside the jurisdiction of U.S. law enforcement, they are challenging to combat. “Finally, the FCC must grapple with emerging technologies and navigate the best way to create appropriate guardrails for these technologies while simultaneously continuing to support innovation. “We will always have robocalls and robotexts because not all of them are illegal. Many are used for legitimate purposes by U.S. businesses and public entities, but we must continue finding ways to combat these unwanted communications. “I want to thank our panel of witnesses for joining us. I look forward to a robust discussion to understand the current landscape of illegal robocalls and robotexts plaguing U.S. consumers and businesses so we can work together to identify and address remaining challenges. “I now recognize the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Ms. Clarke, for her opening statement.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2483, the  SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization  Act, by a vote of 366 to 57. “After several years of bipartisan collaboration on the SUPPORT Act, the House of Representatives passed legislation to continue fighting the fentanyl crisis by improving access to treatment, expanding recovery opportunities, and bolstering prevention initiatives,”  said Chairman Guthrie.  “ The programs within the SUPPORT Act have made significant steps toward reducing the toll illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances take on our communities. By reauthorizing this important legislation, we are increasing prevention initiatives, reducing drug-related deaths, and restoring hope for families. I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan commitment to saving lives.” Background: In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act in response to the opioid epidemic that has ravaged communities across the country, particularly those in rural areas. H.R. 2483 , the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, was reported to the full House from the Committee on Energy and Commerce by a roll call vote of 36 yeas – 13 nays. The SUPPORT Act: ·      Ensures first responders can access and administer naloxone; ·      Allows for enhanced SUD treatment options for pregnant and postpartum women; ·      Strengthens state PDMP systems; ·       Encourages individuals in recovery to participate in the workforce; and ·       Continues the supply of resources for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers, which provide a full spectrum of treatment and recovery support services. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled AI in the Everyday: Current Applications and Future Frontiers in Communications and Technology “Our adversaries will stop at nothing to undermine our leadership in technological advancement and utilize AI to threaten our way of life. We must continue to innovate and develop to prevent that from happening,” said Chairman Hudson. “Competition in AI is a global issue, and it is imperative that the United States maintains its leadership.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) : “My district experienced significant telecommunications disruptions from Hurricane Helene. It took weeks in some areas for phone services to return to normal. Could artificial intelligence help mitigate these disruptions in the future, and if so how?” Mr. Pickering: “The answer is yes. The AI application, whether it is in our fiber, wireless, or in any of our networks, is able to both manage and optimize redundancy, resiliency, and be able to get systems back up and running and identify where issues are much more quickly than in the past.” Congressman Jay Obernotle (CA-23):  “[One] assertion that’s been made is that this [AI moratorium] is a giveaway to big tech. Is that something you would agree with or disagree with?” Mr. Pickering: “As an advocate for competitors for 40 years, for the new entrants, the new technology, the upstarts, the innovators, the entrepreneurs, it’s the exact opposite . If you’re a small startup, you cannot afford the patchwork of 50 states.” Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “Artificial intelligence is no longer a far-off concept. It’s already changing how we live, work, and communicate, but its success still depends on the basics: fast, reliable, broadband infrastructure, access to spectrum, cybersecurity, and reliable energy. For rural communities like in Southern Indiana, like mine and across the country, those fundamentals are not always guaranteed. That’s why I’m fighting to close the digital divide and make sure that those small communities aren’t left behind.” ###

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 AI in the Everyday: Current Application and Future Frontiers in Communications and Technology. Subcommittee Chairman Hudson's opening statement as prepared for delivery:   “Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee hearing on examining artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is being used in communications and technology industries. “AI is a hot topic right now, not just in this country, but all over the globe. Although we know that AI has been used in different industries for many years, recent advancements in large language models, machine learning, and generative AI have pushed this technology into the spotlight, capturing public attention and transforming how we live and work.  “The applications for this new technology are widespread and we are continuing to find new ways AI can be used to benefit Americans’ lives.  “Whether you know it or not, almost everyone uses AI in our daily lives. Like when you use ChatGPT to create a shopping list or asking Siri for directions, but even more specifically, the rideshare you called is using AI to find the fastest route based on traffic patterns. “Or how your cell phone provider uses AI to reduce harmful spectrum interference to your phone, ensuring there is no lapse in service.  “The entertainment industry uses AI to predict what types of content viewers may enjoy and drives decisions on when that content should be produced. It is being used to develop content and enhance the editing process.  “Even the National Football League uses AI to create the perfect schedule to limit unnecessary travel for players, create an even playing field for teams, and maximize fan accessibility for the biggest games.  “As demand for AI grows, we must consider what physical infrastructure will be required to continue advanced AI development.  “Storage capacity and energy consumption demands at data centers are expected to skyrocket by 2030 due to increased AI use. As data capacity increases, we will need robust fiber optic and wireless connectivity to ensure powerful new AI systems can reach their fullest potential.  “But the United States is not the only country developing advanced AI. China recently released its DeepSeek AI model, which showed their advancements.  “Our adversaries will stop at nothing to undermine our leadership in technological advancement and utilize AI to threaten our way of life. We must continue to innovate and develop to prevent that from happening. “Competition in AI is a global issue, and it is imperative that the United States maintains its leadership.  “To do this, we must foster an environment where AI companies can innovate, compete, and excel on the global stage. Just like the light regulatory touch that gave rise to the internet and some of the most successful and cutting-edge companies on the planet, AI must be given the same opportunity to ensure American companies set the standard for the rest of the world. “This is an exciting time and opportunity to talk about these issues. Navigating these new and evolving technologies will not be without challenges, but we must meet them head-on.  “Innovation has provided untold benefits to Americans and to our economy. Today, we will hear from our witnesses about how artificial intelligence is being used across the telecommunications, technology, and media industries, as well as what is required for the United States to maintain its leadership in developing AI models. 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 Doris Matsui, for her opening statement.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Stopping Illegal Robocalls And Robotexts: Progress, Challenges, And Next Steps. “Spam and scam calls make consumers feel threatened, fearful, and distrustful of legitimate callers. That’s why, in 2019, the bipartisan Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence—or TRACED Act—was enacted to help reduce the flood of illegal robocalls,” said Chairman Palmer. “While many robocalls and robotexts are used for legitimate purposes by U.S. businesses and public entities, we must continue finding ways to combat the illegal communications seeking to defraud Americans across the country.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09) : “I’ve gotten a number of [scam texts], and I click ‘report as junk and delete’. Does that do any good?" Ms. Leggin: “It certainly does. That is one of the key tools that the wireless industry and our partners on the device side have made available for consumers to delete and report junk. You can also forward your scam text to 7726, which spells spam, and both of those are key inputs for [...] making our algorithms [...] more sophisticated.” Congressman John Joyce (PA-13): “Scammers have even learned how to incorporate AI into intimidating loved ones to convince them to turn over personal information. Credit card numbers, bank numbers. Too many of my constituents are risking their retirement savings and subsequently, they lose faith in the system that we have set in place to protect them. We need to do better. We need to both educate consumers, and anticipate the next angle of attack that these scammers will take, particularly with the assistance of our partners in law enforcement and the DOJ.” Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-06): “When I was young, I used to listen to a lot of talk radio in the 80s and the 90s, and it was a subject then and it's just a subject as much right now. [Seniors] want to enjoy their peace and their tranquility and these robocalls just keep ruining it.” ###

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 an Energy Subcommittee Markup of 13 bills.  WHAT: Energy Subcommittee Markup of 13 Bills DATE: Thursday, June 5, 2025 TIME: 10:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at 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 . Items to be considered: ·      H.R. 3616 , Reliable Power Act (Rep. Balderson) ·      H.R. 1047 , Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power (GRID Power) Act (Rep. Balderson) ·      H.R. 3632 , Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 (Rep. Griffith) ·      H.R. 3638 , Electric Supply Chain Act (Rep. Latta) ·      H.R. 3157 , State Energy Accountability Act (Rep. Langworthy) ·      H.R. 3628 , State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act (Rep. Evans) ·      H.R. 3657 , Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act (Rep. Schrier) ·      H.R. 3015 , National Coal Council Reestablishment Act (Rep. Rulli) ·      H.R. 3617 , Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act (Rep. James) ·      H.R. 3109 , Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining (REFINER) Act (Rep. Latta) ·      H.R. 3062 , Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act (Rep. Fedorchak)  ·      H.R. 1949 , Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025 (Rep. Pfluger)   ·      H.R. 3668 , Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act (Rep. Hudson)   ###

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 SUPPORT Act. Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery:   “ Thank you Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member McGovern, and the members of the Rules Committee for the opportunity to testify before you today. “For far too long, Americans have witnessed the unprecedented rise in drug overdoses and substance use disorders, creating an imminent need for prevention, treatment, and recovery services. “The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 continues critical support for individuals battling addiction and marks a significant step forward in addressing the national opioid epidemic. “I am very proud of the bipartisan work that went into crafting this vital legislation – it includes priorities from Members on both sides of the aisle, including: “Continuing resources for comprehensive opioid recovery centers – I appreciate my colleagues Reps. Tonko and Peters in leading the standalone bill with me last Congress; “Clarifying that SOR grants can be used for certain overdose prevention supplies in states where such supplies are legal – I appreciate Reps. Gooden and Crockett’s leadership on this idea; “Reauthorizing support for residential substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum women – thank you to Reps. Kim and Perez for their commitment to this program. “We also received support from nearly 60 advocacy organizations who use their collective voice to prioritize prevention, expand treatment options, and enhance recovery options for individuals with substance use disorder. “This support is invaluable. I support this resolution and urge my colleagues on the Rules Committee to do so as well." ###