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WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  In case you missed it, Fox News recently featured Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, who shared his personal experience relating to the importance of ensuring patient safety remains the top priority within the nation’s organ transplant and procurement system.  In Case You Missed It:   “House Energy and Commerce Chairman Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., spoke to Fox News Digital on Tuesday about how his personal experience with organ transplantation has shaped his view of the system, which he said must ensure families are confident in it so they will not be afraid to donate much-needed organs.    “On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing with Dr. Raymond Lynch, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) chief of the organ transplant branch. Current and former leaders of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), Network for Hope, which serves Kentucky, southwest Ohio and parts of Indiana and West Virginia, were also present.  “The investigation follows a shocking HRSA investigation that found hospitals and OPOs in Kentucky were allowing organ procurement processes to begin despite patients showing signs of life. The investigation ultimately found that, since December 2024, out of 351 cases involving patients who had been authorized for organ procurement, but the organs were ultimately not recovered, 29% showed ‘concerning features’ related to protocols and patient safety, while around 20% exhibited a ‘neurologic status’ not conducive to organ procurement. “My big concern is people will not – if they don’t have confidence in the system – won’t feel like they’ll register as an organ donor, Guthrie said between panels at Tuesday’s hearing.   “People need to have confidence in the system, or at least know the questions to ask if they’re in this end stage with their loved one, Guthrie continued. Because when you’re sitting there, and you’re getting prepped to go get your next – hopefully, chance at life – you also, as you sit there, know that there’s some other family in some other emergency room somewhere else having a different experience. And they are losing a loved one, but they’re willing – the loved one, either pre-designated or they’re willing to let their loved one live on by helping somebody else live. “Guthrie’s experience stems from his mother, who died waiting on a new liver. He recounted how she was, at one point, told they had found her a new liver, but when the surgeon went to go pick up the new organ, it was not in the adequate shape to be transplanted. “Despite assurances that she was high on the list, Guthrie’s mother never found an organ in time before declining so fast that neither the congressman nor any of his relatives could attempt a live-organ transplant procedure. The live procedure allows a living person to donate a part of their organ, which will later grow back but can help repair the damaged organ in the person receiving the partial transplant. “Guthrie said that despite the alarming evidence uncovered by HRSA’s investigation, he still intends to keep his donor status, adding we need more people to donate. Currently, around 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant. “While the HRSA investigation probed multiple cases, it highlighted one shocking case in particular where staff were so uncomfortable with commencing the organ procurement process as a result of visible signs of life that some refused to participate. At that point, after staff had witnessed tears rolling down the patient’s face, the process eventually stopped, but not after the patient sat in the operating room getting prepped for organ donation for around 45 minutes. “This should never have gotten to the point of them being in the operating room, Guthrie said of the case. There were a lot of indications this person was not going to die. “Guthrie added that the issue is a bipartisan one and said the work will be done when confidence in the system has been shored up.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05), Chairman of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order on the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape: “We thank President Trump for his commitment to supporting student-athletes and strengthening college athletics in the NIL era. The SCORE Act, led by our three committees, will complement the President’s executive order, and we look forward to working with all of our colleagues in Congress to build a stronger and more durable college sports environment.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement regarding the release of America’s AI Action Plan, which focuses on safeguarding U.S. global leadership in artificial intelligence.   “Today’s announcement is a major victory in our work to win the race for AI. The future of American global competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth depends on strong investments and a unified approach that promotes AI development and deployment at scale. President Trump’s ‘AI Action Plan’ is an important step toward harnessing the full power of American innovation and aligns with our Committee’s work to unleash infrastructure development and advanced manufacturing, promote a national AI framework, and safeguard Americans where existing protections fall short,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Throughout this Congress, we’ve heard a clear message that to win the race for AI, we need to bring more baseload energy sources online, including natural gas, coal, hydropower, and nuclear. We cannot cede leadership in the development and deployment of AI technology to the Chinese Communist Party, which does not share our values. “We look forward to continuing our work with President Trump to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in AI development.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), reported two pieces of legislation to the full House of Representatives. Chairman Guthrie issued the following statement after the conclusion of the markup.  “Today , the Committee voted in favor of both the SCORE Act and OMUFA reauthorization, reporting both favorably to the full House of Representatives,” said Chairman Guthrie. “These bills both have bipartisan support, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass them both through the full House, so we can protect college athletes and protect patients' access to safe over-the-counter drugs . ”  Legislative Vote Summary:   H.R. 4312 , Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 30 yeas – 23 nays. H.R. 4273 , Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays. Watch the full markup here . Below are key excerpts from today’s markup: Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) on the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act: “So far this year, we’ve had two subcommittee hearings, convened multiple bipartisan roundtables, and received input from hundreds of voices across the college sports ecosystem. This has been a multi-year endeavor, which has culminated with this [bill]. This bill has a wide range of support from stakeholders across the landscape of college sports.” Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) on the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act: “The bill needs strong preemption, because a patchwork of state laws is unsustainable and leads to competitive disadvantages between schools. Without preemption, athletes in different schools will face unequal opportunities, confusing standards, and enforcement gaps, undermining both competition and athlete protections.” Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05) on the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments: “The Over-the-Counter (OTC) Monograph Drug User Fee Program (OMUFA) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives consumers access to manage their own care in a safe and affordable manner. The changes in this amendment help to facilitate wider and additional stakeholder engagement through the OMUFA process.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a hearing titled Strengthening American Energy: A Review of Pipeline Safety Policy. “Pipelines are not only vital for the safe transportation of the reliable energy that Americans rely upon, but they will continue to ensure our nation’s energy dominance,” said Chairman Latta . “ Today’s hearing offered the opportunity to address multiple issues including rule making for the PIPES Act, closing penalty loopholes for pipeline vandalism, and examining ways that certain technologies, like AI, can be used to increase efficiencies in the pipeline system." Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “Would you agree that if we’re going to meet the rising demand, while also keeping the lights on, that we need to get serious about modernizing and expanding our natural gas infrastructure?” Mr. Moriarty: “ Yes, I would agree with that. Natural gas pipelines are the safest way to move the energy that this nation needs. And there’s ever more demand for energy across our surface territories, which is the United States. And to meet those demands, we need to construct and safely operate pipelines as well as LNG storage facilities.” Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15): “Mr. Moriarty, you mentioned that one of the top risks you perceive for pipeline safety is in fact cybersecurity. Would you share with us a bit more about the cyber threat landscape you are seeing and how you’re partnering with federal agencies like the FBI and CISA to meet that threat?” Mr. Moriarty: “ Because of the cyber threat, we took our SCADA system, which is responsible for the safe operations of our systems, off our corporate system and we put it into what we call a DMZ zone, which means nobody can get access to it. So, even if there is a breach somewhere on our system, it won’t get into the pipeline safe operation. Every day, we have threats we have a scoreboard where we see threats coming in in real time. Because of the investments we have made, most of those are stopped before they become a real threat.” Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12): “Building up our pipeline capacity is critical to delivering affordable energy to our constituents across the country and our allies. We’ve heard from the witnesses that pipelines are the safest way to deliver energy. As we are working on modernizing the role of Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, it is critical we ensure it works to enhance our pipeline infrastructure.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s Full Committee Markup. Chairman Guthrie’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Thank you all for being here today as we consider two important, bipartisan bills. First, we will continue our work to strengthen college athletics and the NIL environment for our student-athletes through the SCORE Act. I especially want to thank Chairman Bilirakis and Congressman Fry for their hard work getting us to this full committee markup today. I also want to thank Representatives Bynum and Figures for working across the aisle with us to improve this bill and find common ground. “Complex legal, operational, and policy questions have left student-athletes—and the universities they represent—on unstable ground, and student-athletes, programs, and conferences have all told us that a clear, national standard would strengthen this uniquely American institution. “Following the critical House settlement last month, it’s clear this is the moment to act and support the new era of college athletics. But our work at three House Committees, culminating in the SCORE Act, didn’t start last month. Since the beginning of this Congress, we have worked in a bipartisan way to develop a framework that codifies new NIL, health, and academic protections for players and provides stability for universities. “In March, we held both a bipartisan roundtable and a subcommittee hearing with witnesses representing players, coaches, and athletic directors. “Over a month and a half ago, we shared draft bill text with my friends across the aisle in search of common ground and compromise, and in June, we publicly released a discussion draft while continuing good faith negotiations. “Earlier this month, we negotiated a bipartisan deal and introduced the SCORE Act, and over the past week we have continued to work to find a compromise that would garner support from Democrat Members of this Committee. “In response to these conversations, we made edits to improve student-athlete representation in decision-making processes, narrowed preemption, clarified and narrowed the antitrust language, and added additional enforcement mechanisms. “This has been a long and open process, which we have approached with an open mind, and I remain hopeful that we will be able to continue growing this coalition and building more support for this commonsense bill, but we cannot delay. “Without this bill, student-athletes will be left to fend for themselves against bad actors, non-revenue generating sports could face devastating cuts, and legal uncertainty will continue to hang over college sports. “The SCORE Act delivers exactly what is needed: student-athlete benefits, stability, and transparency. “Today, we are also considering H.R. 4273, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments, otherwise known as ‘OMUFA,’ led by Representatives Latta and DeGette. This is the first reauthorization of OMUFA, and I look forward to continuing our bipartisan work to get this bill across the finish line by the September 30th expiration.  “As our FDA witness stated last week, without a timely reauthorization, certain FDA actions could be delayed by a decade or longer. “I appreciate all the work that’s gone into this bill and will continue to engage with stakeholders and our Senate colleagues to work towards commonsense solutions that support innovation and ensure patients have access to safe and effective products.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System. “What happened in these cases cannot go without discussion and oversight. Transparency is key to improving the system and maintaining public trust,” said Chairman Joyce . “The federal government plays a critical role in ensuring the organizations tasked with administering and overseeing our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system operate safely, effectively, and in accordance with the law. This Committee has, and will continue, to follow the facts so that we can restore trust and accountability within the system.”   Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02): “We just need everybody here today—and both panels—to admit that we have issues we have to fix and not just point fingers. I think that's been a concern by some of us on our side of the dais, and I think both sides of the aisle. As you saw, the HRSA report that the OPO on the index case essentially said everything is working, and we know everything's not working—but we need everything to work—and it starts by acknowledging that we have a role in the process of fixing this. We need to admit we have issues. We need to admit there are issues that need to be fixed, and we need to come together and be constructive because I can tell you, as a son of someone that we were praying was going to have an opportunity to have an extended life, I've seen it. And there are families out there today in the same situation we were in.” Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06): “The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations publicized an open letter characterizing the ongoing effort to improve patient safety through enhanced oversight as a ‘misinformation conspiracy campaign’ and concluded it is time to stop. Among the signatories to this letter were more than 20 UNOS staff signing with their corporate affiliation. Dr. McBride, did you sign that letter? ” Dr. Maureen McBride: “Yes, I did.” Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06): “Why?” Dr. Maureen McBride: “Congressman, let me start off by saying that I disagree with the way that letter has been characterized.”   Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): “As everyone knows, this committee has been investigating corruption from organ contractors for more than a year. In fact, I was in the last hearing that we had on this, and it was quite a contentious hearing. One issue that's pretty close to my heart is ensuring equal access for life saving transplants for patients with disabilities. Just last month, the House passed a bipartisan bill that I was proud to lead alongside my friend and colleague, Debbie Dingell, to end organ transplant discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It is with total horror that I read a recent investigative report highlighting one of the most horrific cases of patient abuses. ” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman John Joyce (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System . Subcommittee Chairman Joyce's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing entitled Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System. I want to begin this hearing by saying that it is an honor to serve as Chairman of this Subcommittee and I look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to shed light on many areas in need of oversight and reform. “Just last year, more than 48,000 organ transplants were performed in the United States. Many of us know someone who is an organ donor or organ recipient. They might be relatives. neighbors, friends, or coworkers. These procedures are often lifesaving and can extend an individual's life by years, if not decades. While organ transplants are a relief to so many families, there is another side of the story that is equally as important, that of the donors and their loved ones. “In September of last year, this Subcommittee held a hearing to conduct oversight of the organ transplant and procurement system, as well as implementation of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, which was signed into law in September 2023. “During that hearing, certain allegations came to light, raising concerns whether practices and procedures were putting patient safety at risk. Following this hearing, the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, directed the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, or investigate this issue to better understand what transpired in one of these alleged incidents. “HRSA also conducted its own investigation. The agency compiled a report that describes practices at the organ procurement organization (OPO)—formerly known as the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA)—but is now known as Network for Hope. The report also details the failures by the OPO and the OPTN to adequately recognize and respond to poor patient care and quality practices. HRSA then issued a corrective action plan to the OPTN, directing them to take specific actions to address the concerns identified in the reviews. “I ask unanimous consent to enter HRSA's report, dated March 25, 2025, and HRSA's corrective action plan dated May 28, 2025, into the hearing record. Without objection so ordered. “The report provides a detailed overview of HRSA's investigation, including about what is referred to as the index case; additional cases that HRSA reviewed; actions taken by the OPTN, the OPTN contractor (UNOS), and KODA; and, finally, KODA's organ procurement in recent years. “As part of its review of the cases beyond the index case, HRSA focused on the overall medical presentation and initial and subsequent neurologic status of patients, staff interactions with patient families and primary medical teams, and evidence of robust documentation and quality assurance procedures. Lastly, the report includes an appendix consisting of OPTN's findings following the HRSA-directed review. “For every doctor, the most important tenet in the patient-physician relationship is above all, do no harm, but what happened in these cases fractured the physician-patient relationship and saw patients subjected to pain and suffering that never should have occurred. As Members of Congress, we all swore an oath to protect the Constitutional right to life afforded to all Americans. These incidents cannot be allowed to stand without strict investigation and oversight in the spirit of this Constitutional oath.   “The federal government plays a critical role in ensuring the organizations tasked with administering and overseeing our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system operate safely, effectively, and in accordance with the law. Transparency is key to improving the system and repairing public trust. This Committee has, and will continue, to follow the facts so that we can restore trust and accountability within the system.  “I want to thank the witnesses from both panels for joining us today. I look forward to hearing from each of you about the challenges facing the organ procurement and transplant system, the ways that the system can be improved, and how we can ensure the safety of all patients who elect to be organ donors.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding two Subcommittee Hearings and one Full Committee Markup. Read more below.  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is holding a hearing on ensuring the nation’s organ procurement and transplant system prioritizes patient safety.  DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 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 on pipeline safety policy and will examine the reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program.   DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 2025  TIME: 10:30 AM ET  LOCATION: 2322 Rayburn House Office Building  FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a markup of two bills.   DATE: Wednesday, July 23, 2025  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building ###