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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  The Fiscal Year 2026 Department Of Energy Budget. Subcommittee Chairman Latta's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s hearing on the Department of Energy’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and welcome Secretary Chris Wright to your first hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee.  “Secretary Wright, in your confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, you stated three goals:  1.   Unleash American energy dominance,  2.   Lead the world in innovation and technological breakthroughs, and  3.   Once again allow entrepreneurs to build in this country.  “ This sentiment could not come at a more critical juncture.  “Around the world, adversarial nations like Communist China, are exploiting energy markets and critical minerals to advance their national interests at the expense of the security of the United States.  “Our own nation faces an electric reliability crisis that could threaten the everyday lives of hardworking Americans.  “Infrastructure development has been left at a virtual standstill after the regulatory onslaught of the previous administration. “All the while, we are in the midst of a critical race to lead the world in AI development.  “The stakes could not be higher, which is why the ambitious goals laid out under your leadership are so critical to the interests of our country.  “After five months on the job, your department has remained steadfastly committed to these efforts.   “Your department reversed course on the disastrous LNG export ban and once again ensured our abundant natural resources can be utilized as a diplomatic tool for our allies abroad. “To reduce unnecessary federal overreach, your department rescinded dozens of burdensome and unworkable efficiency regulations and standards that the previous administration designed to advance a one-size-fits-all approach to energy efficiency.  “Over the last few weeks, the department issued necessary 202(c) emergency waivers to continue the operation of baseload power plants to protect grid reliability in regions across the country during the upcoming summer months.  “And just two weeks ago, the White House released the Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base Executive Order, which will empower DOE to expedite and promote the use of nuclear energy in the United States. “Importantly, these efforts will leverage the bipartisan work of our ADVANCE Act to fuel a domestic nuclear renaissance and power next generation industries.  “As you have documented, you are continuing your ongoing tour of all 17 national labs, our crown jewels, which will be critical in leading the world in technological breakthroughs. “This includes the recent announcement of a new supercomputer at the Lawrence Berkely National Lab that will be vital to the continued development of AI and fusion energy.  “I am encouraged that your department has been rightly focused on the energy needs of our growing AI industry and why it is so important for our nation, and the world, for the United States to win. “Your department has also remained committed to President Trump’s agenda to be stewards of finite taxpayer resources by aligning federal resources with high priority projects and eliminating wasteful spending.  “As we discuss cost-cutting measures at your department, it is important to remember that the previous administration received over $100 billion in new funding and $400 billion in loan authority from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.  “The previous administration seemingly issued financial assistance awards in a haphazard manner that lacked accountability.  “In fact, in the 76 days between election day and President Trump’s inauguration, the department issued almost $100 billion in new loans, compared to $43 billion in loans issued over the loan office’s 20-year lifespan. “This level of government subsidies was irresponsible and unsustainable, focused on misguided priorities, and was often done to the detriment of free markets and private enterprises.  “The fiscal year 2026 budget request reflects these priorities and will refocus the Department of Energy on its core mission as you continue reorganization efforts, as is customary for incoming Administrations. “We look forward to our continued work together to achieve common goals to unleash American energy dominance, lead the world in next generation industries, and fuel economic prosperity throughout the country.” ###

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, released the following discussion draft  as part of a tri-committee effort to stabilize the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace and strengthen college athletics. “As a part of a coordinated multi-Committee effort to improve the student-athlete experience and preserve the educational mission of the institutions they represent, Energy and Commerce plans to consider a discussion draft to help address the broad set of challenges facing college athletics. NIL presents outstanding opportunities for student-athletes, but the volatility and frequency of changes have left both teams and players without a reliable foundation on which to plan,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I want to thank Chairman Bilirakis for his hard work on this issue and this draft, and I am hopeful that upcoming conversations can build a strong coalition and make college athletics the best it can be.” “ College athletics are a cornerstone of American culture, and it’s clear from student-athletes and universities alike that we need a national framework for name, image, and likeness that ensures fairness, consistency, and opportunity ,”  said Congressman Bilirakis.  “ The SCORE Act will create stability and transparency while empowering student-athletes to benefit from their own NIL without compromising their academic mission or reclassifying them as employees. It’s a balanced, modern approach that protects the integrity of college sports and honors both the student and the athlete .” Background: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the House Committee on the Judiciary, and the House Committee on Education and Workforce  will each advance NIL legislation within their respective jurisdictions to cumulatively establish a national framework.  On June 6, 2025, the Northern District of California approved the House v. NCAA settlement, paving the way for athletes to receive $2.8 billion in back damages, participate in revenue-sharing, and retain their NIL rights. CLICK HERE  to read the discussion draft. CLICK HERE to read more in the story. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a hearing titled  The Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Energy Budget.   “Alongside Secretary Wright, the Committee on Energy and Commerce is working to unleash American energy dominance,”  said Chairman Latta.  “We need more energy, not less, and today’s hearing reinforced the importance of supporting baseload power sources including oil, natural gas, nuclear power, coal, and hydropower that can secure our grid and help us to meet the energy demands of AI.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14):  “Under President Biden, Mr. Secretary, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve—60 percent of it in my district—has been unbelievably drawn down. It has reached its lowest level since 1983. When President Biden took office, the SPR contained 638 million barrels of oil. Today it contains 375 million barrels, roughly 50 percent less. In his 2025 inaugural address, President Trump made a commitment to refill the SPR. In this Committee's reconciliation title, we authorized $2 billion to conduct repairs to the SPR and buy back 7 million barrels from mandated sales. So do you think the department's plan to refill the SPR will work with what we've done in the reconciliation package?” Secretary Wright:   “It's a start, absolutely. The immediate things we need to do is finish the repairs on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It was drawn down so quickly, and that causes some damage to the infrastructure itself. So those, those repairs are ongoing and it costs a non-trivial amount of money to repair the SPR. Then we also have to spend some money to offset planned additional sales of oil that were also entered into to reverse those, so we don't shrink the deposits. And then the additional funds will be used to fill it. So yes, I thank you for that funding.” Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12):  “U.S. LNG exports have been a game changer for natural gas producers in Ohio, uh, the state where I represent, as well as our allies around the world. Opponents of LNG exports often push the narrative that exports raise domestic natural gas prices. However, the vast majority of studies showed the opposite, boosting exports increases domestic production, which lowers the price for American consumers. Mr. Secretary, can you talk about the potential of US LNG exports not only for our allies, but how boosting LNG can keep natural gas prices low for the consumers here at home?”  Secretary Wright:  “Thank you, Representative, I agree very much with your premise. 17 years ago, the United States was the largest importer of natural gas in the world, and we had over 1000 rigs drilling specifically to produce natural gas. Today, that over 1000 rigs is only 100 rigs drilling in the United States for natural gas, and as you pointed out, we've become the largest net exporter of natural gas in the world. This is technology, this is efficiency, and this is infrastructure that gets built to move natural gas at scale, all of those ultimately lower the cost to produce natural gas.” , Congressman John James (MI-10):   “In 2024, NERC’s long-term reliability assessments, they stated that the greatest threat to our power grid is our shift to intermittent resources and premature retirements of thermal generation. NERC’s 2024 long-term reliability assessment also projected that the Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator (MISO), which covers my district in Michigan, which will experience a 4.7-gigawatt shortfall by 2028 if current expected generator retirements occur. In your discussions with MISO have they discussed how any current state net-zero policies have contributed to current cost increases to consumers? And expected power shortfalls in the future?”   Secretary Wright: “Many people at DOE have been in dialogues with NERC and with MISO about these issues, but I think you hit the nail on the head. We want to reshore manufacturing to Michigan. We want to bring data centers to Michigan. We need to grow the supply of affordable, reliable electricity in Michigan and closing plants, the coal plant, for example, with 15 years less in its average lifetime, closed for political reasons, closed to show virtue signaling that we're going to move away from coal. That's not in the best interest of Michigan ratepayers and Michigan citizens. Yes, utilities get bullied and influenced by state politicians and national politicians that have political agendas around energy that are often not aligned with ratepayers and citizens in those districts.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The following op-ed by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, appeared in Fox News last week. In Case You Missed It: “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.  “We must remember that even with the Energy and Commerce Committee’s title creating savings of over $1 trillion, we still don’t halt the rapid pace at which the Medicaid program is growing.  “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.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce issued the following statement after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it would be removing Biden-era requirements on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. "The Trump Administration just took necessary steps to remove the harmful and burdensome Biden-Harris requirements that stopped the $42 billion BEAD program from connecting a single home. These new guidelines will accelerate deployment and provide certainty to states, as we continue our work to connect every American to fast and reliable broadband,”  said Chairman Guthrie.   “I look forward to getting shovels in the ground and delivering on Republicans’ promise to close the digital divide, ensuring rural Americans can access the internet they need to fully enjoy and participate in the 21 st  century economy.” Background:  On March 5, 2025,  Congressman Hudson introduced  the SPEED for BEAD Act to remove harmful requirements that have prevented the $42 billion program from connecting a single home. Also on March 5, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce  held a hearing  to discuss the BEAD program titled  Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder. Yesterday, Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson  sent a letter  to President Trump asking to help accelerate the BEAD program and remove unnecessary and burdensome requirements. Today,  NTIA issued  a policy notice announcing the removal of requirements hampering the BEAD program. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, announced a hearing titled Made in America: Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing and the Health Care Supply Chain .  “We have long been champions of policies that support efforts to onshore U.S.-based manufacturing and bolster our domestic supply chain, while, at the same time, strengthening our national security interests and economic goals,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Carter. “ Reducing America’s reliance on other nations for essential medications and health care products has been a long-standing priority of the Subcommittee on Health, and we look forward to examining the current challenges and opportunities to best incentivize and establish a reliable, safe, resilient, and efficient health care supply chain.”   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled Made in America: Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing and Our Health Care Supply Chain   WHAT: Subcommittee on Health hearing on Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing and the Health Care Supply Chain.  DATE: Wednesday, June 11, 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 livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Annabelle Huffman 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. –  The following op-ed by Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09), appeared in  Newsweek  this week.  “Democrats have spent weeks fearmongering about so-called cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Let's be clear: those talking points are false, and they know it. “What this bill actually does is protect and preserve these critical safety net programs for the people they were designed to serve—pregnant women, children, individuals with disabilities, and seniors. It does so by taking on the real problem: waste, fraud, and abuse that have run rampant in our federal health programs for decades. “The fact is, we are not cutting benefits for people who truly need them. We are ensuring that only those who are legal, eligible, and truly unable to work are receiving taxpayer-funded assistance. It is not compassionate to keep a broken system running. It is irresponsible and unsustainable. “Consider this: over 1.4 million illegal immigrants are receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid benefits. That's not just wrong—it's dangerous. In some cases, these individuals are even on federal terror watch lists. Illegal immigrants with serious criminal records and links to terrorism have been receiving Medicaid. The One Big Beautiful Bill puts a stop to that. “In addition to that, another 1.2 million people are enrolled in Medicaid despite being ineligible, and 4.8 million able-bodied adults without dependents are receiving full benefits with no requirement to work, volunteer, or pursue education or job training. Meanwhile, we hear from struggling families who actually qualify—disabled individuals, children, low-income seniors, pregnant women—who face delays and denials because Medicaid is being flooded by those who shouldn't be on it. “Let's be honest: if you're fighting to protect benefits for people who are illegal, ineligible, or able to work and simply choose not to, you're not fighting for the vulnerable—you're fighting to protect the status quo of waste, fraud, and abuse. “This bill restores common sense. It requires able-bodied adults to engage in 20 hours of work, job training, volunteering, or education each week in order to remain eligible for Medicaid. That's not radical—that's responsible. We also reduce federal funds to states that knowingly use Medicaid to cover illegal immigrants, like California, which plans to spend nearly $10 billion subsidizing health care for undocumented individuals using federal dollars. “The One Big Beautiful Bill ends payments made for dead people and duplicate enrollees. One audit found over $4.3 billion in duplicate payments made to health insurers for just these cases. “It also rolls back Biden-era rules that blocked states from removing ineligible individuals from their Medicaid rolls and imposed unrealistic mandates on nursing homes—mandates that would've forced 80 percent of facilities nationwide to shut down due to staffing requirements they simply cannot meet. “The bill also improves access to care by increasing transparency in pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and cracking down on spread pricing schemes that, according to the FTC, cost Americans $7.3 billion in excess revenue in 2024 alone. This means lower drug prices and better access to medications, especially for seniors. “We are bringing back accountability. We are making sure resources go to those who truly need them—not to those exploiting the system. The One Big Beautiful Bill is not about taking care—it's about fixing a broken system and saving it for the next generation. “Democrats can keep shouting their talking points, but the facts are on our side. This is a bill that puts the American people first—one that prioritizes working families, protects the most vulnerable, and stops Washington from wasting your money. “That's not extreme. That's leadership.” ###

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.  – 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 Environment, announced a hearing titled  Short-Circuiting Progress: How the Clean Air Act Impacts Building Necessary Infrastructure and Onshoring American Innovation. “American innovation should not be stifled by unreasonable government red tape and regulatory overreach. Over the years we saw how regulations have gone far beyond their original intent, chilling investments and pushing manufacturing overseas,”  said Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith .  “This hearing offers a chance to examine ways that Congress can take steps to make environmental statutes more workable, increase domestic manufacturing, and support American jobs.” Subcommittee on Environment hearing titled  Short-Circuiting Progress: How the Clean Air Act Impacts Building Necessary Infrastructure and Onshoring American Innovation WHAT:  Subcommittee on Environment hearing to discuss how the Clean Air Act impacts building infrastructure and onshoring American innovation and potential legislative solutions. DATE:  June 11, 2025 TIME:  10:15AM LOCATION:  2322 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. This hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions about this hearing please contact Calvin Huggins at  Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov . If you have any press related questions please contact Ben Mullany at  Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov .  ###