News

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Winter Storm Fern Lessons: Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand. Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:  “Good morning and welcome to today’s hearing to examine the performance of our electric grid through the duration of Winter Storm Fern.    “Starting on January 23rd, a significant winter storm brought widespread snow, sleet, and freezing rain from New England to the Rockies and down to the Gulf of America.   “This storm was followed by an Arctic Front that kept stubbornly low temperatures across the country and additional snowstorms.   “As expected, American families bundled up, staying indoors to avoid the inclement weather and dangerous road conditions.   “When they were at home, they relied on our nation’s complex energy system to keep the lights on, their homes warmed, and fridges stocked.   “Just like any other day, families expected their lights to come on at the flip of a switch.  “While seemingly routine, an exhaustive amount of preparation, coordination, and real-time decision making occurred behind the scenes to make sure American communities had power.   “While some outages occurred, the grid held up because of the important work of some the witnesses we have before us.  “The Southwest Electric Power Company, or SWEPCO, is an electric utility across Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana.   “The Northeast Gas Association represents natural gas utilities across 11 northeastern states.   “Grid Strategies develops public policies that support a clean energy transition.  “And the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, is the regulatory authority that ensures reliability and security of our nation’s bulk power system.   “Together, these witnesses will provide critical insights into how the nation’s electric grid remained resilient through the duration of this significant weather event.   “While I’m looking forward to today’s opportunity to learn about the grid’s performance through the storm, one thing remains clear – baseload and dispatchable resources saved the day.  “Generation from coal, natural gas, and fuel oil skyrocketed while intermittent resource generation plummeted.   “Nuclear, as always, remained steady and reliable.  “Without access to these affordable and reliable supplies of baseload generation, the setting of this hearing would look much different.   “Power outages that occur in freezing temperatures cause billions in economic damage and, even more importantly, tragic deaths in our vulnerable communities.  “Our New England states illustrate an interesting example.   “Through the storm, the fuel mix in New England was carried by natural gas, fuel oil, and nuclear power.   “In spite of generous subsidies and favorable public policy choices, intermittent resources were nowhere to be found when New England needed power the most.   “Because limited gas pipeline capacity in the New England region restricts supply and raises prices, power plants had to opt for more expensive and less efficient fuel oil.   “It’s important to recognize fuel oil plants were the predominant source of generation 70 years ago.  “Importantly, outages across the country were limited – but the success of the grid through Winter Storm Fern should serve as a warning.   “That brings us to the present day – how should policy makers and regulators consider the operation of our future bulk power system.   “We stand on the precipice of tremendous growth in our nation’s electricity demand.  “The Energy and Commerce Committee has held several hearings and passed legislation to shore up the reliability crisis caused by the Biden Administration and to power next generation industries.   “Now, we are considering the implications of a generation resource mix that can appropriately meet the needs of households at all times of the year while simultaneously ensuring America leads in the future economy.  “The answer is clear – our nation needs dispatchable energy and a lot more of it.   “Given the military activity taking place in Iran and implications of energy markets through the Strait of Hormuz, now more than ever we need to utilize the bountiful resources we have here at home.  “The lessons of Winter Storm Fern should illustrate that common sense must rule the day.   “American energy dominance and independence must be achieved so we can keep our communities safe at home.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced that Joel Miller has been named Deputy Staff Director, following the departure of Sophie Khanahmadi. Joel Miller—Deputy Staff Director Having served as the Committee’s Chief Counsel since the beginning of this Congress, Joel Miller will now serve as the Deputy Staff Director of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As Chief Counsel, Joel has played a central role in executing the Committee’s legislative priorities in the 119 th Congress, including the Working Families Tax Cuts reconciliation package. A former FCC Senior Legal Advisor and Chief of Staff, Joel also served previously as Chairman Guthrie’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding four Subcommittee Hearings. Read more below.  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy is holding a hearing to discuss the lessons learned from Winter Storm Fern. DATE:  Tuesday, March 17, 2026   TIME:  10:00 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is holding a hearing on what the Trump Administration is doing to proactively tackle Medicare and Medicaid fraud, as well as continuing conversations surrounding common fraud schemes and programs that are vulnerable to fraud. DATE:  Tuesday, March 17, 2026  TIME:  2:00 PM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing on the role that providers play in making health care more affordable for all Americans.   DATE:  Wednesday, March 18, 2026  TIME:  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building   SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing on the World Radiocommunication Conference.   DATE:  Wednesday, March 18, 2026  TIME:  2:00 PM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement following Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Zeldin’s announcement that the agency proposed amending a Biden-Harris Administration regulation that weaponized air emissions standards to halt the production and use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical equipment. “Today’s EPA announcement is a victory for commonsense policies that safeguard patients and put an end to the overreach of the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Chairman Guthrie. “ The burdensome ethylene oxide rule threatened to shutter sterilization facilities and disrupt American medical supply chains that hospitals and providers rely on every day to safely treat patients. By proposing an amendment to this misguided regulation, EPA Administrator Zeldin is working under the authority that Congress provided under the Clean Air Act to help ensure the medical community maintains access to a safe and reliable domestic supply of sterilized medical devices used in millions of procedures each year, while continuing to protect human health and the environment.”   BACKGROUND: Ethylene oxide (EtO) is used to sterilize approximately half of all medical devices sold in the United States, including surgical instruments, syringes, and implants. For many heat- and moisture-sensitive devices, there is currently no viable alternative sterilization method. The emission standards put in place by the Biden-Harris Administration threatens the ability for facilities to fully and safely sterilize essential medical equipment. In 2023, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials held a hearing on the Biden-Harris Administration’s proposed rulemaking, where witnesses testified to how the proposal would significantly disrupt patient access to emergency care and threaten patient safety from hospital-born infections.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – 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 Winter Storm Fern Lessons: Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand . “As Winter Storm Fern swept across the country and energy needs were at their highest, it was baseload, dispatchable power sources like coal, nuclear power, and natural gas that kept the lights on for millions of American families,”  said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta.  “As we look to expand our grid to meet the moment for the AI race and reshoring manufacturing, this hearing will provide an opportunity to examine lessons learned from the storm that will support the reliable supply of power to the grid, especially during peak demand.” WHAT:  Subcommittee on Energy hearing to discuss the lessons learned from Winter Storm Fern.  DATE:  Tuesday, March 17, 2026   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 Seth Ricketts with the Committee staff at  Seth.Ricketts@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov .  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, announced a hearing titled Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape.   “The third hearing in the Committee’s health care affordability series will examine the role that providers and hospitals play in shaping the cost of care for Americans,” said Chairman Guthrie.  “Hospitals, physicians, and health care practitioners play a vital role in delivering health care services to patients. This hearing will explore how payment policies, competition, transparency, and other incentives shape patient access and the cost of care. We look forward to hearing from the panelists on potential solutions as the Committee continues working to make health care more affordable for the American people.”   “From consolidation in the insurance marketplace to predatory practices in the pharmaceutical drug supply chain, the Health Subcommittee continues to examine all angles in our push to lower health care costs for American patients,” said Chairman Griffith. “Accordingly, our next hearing will address the role of hospital providers to better understand what can be done to make health care more affordable for all Americans.”   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled  Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape .   WHAT:  Subcommittee on Health hearing on the role that providers play in making health care more affordable for all Americans.  DATE:  Wednesday, March 18, 2026   TIME:  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 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 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 John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, announced a hearing titled Protecting Patients and Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars: The Role of CMS in Combatting Medicare and Medicaid Fraud. “Last month, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing where we heard from experts about common fraud schemes in Medicare and Medicaid and discussed programs that are particularly vulnerable to fraud. At the start of this month, the Committee expanded our ongoing investigation into Medicaid fraud by sending ten additional letters to states across the country to better understand how states are safeguarding Medicaid programs,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Joyc e. “This hearing will continue our work to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid. We look forward to hearing from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about its efforts toward that shared goal.” Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing titled Protecting Patients and Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars: The Role of CMS in Combatting Medicare and Medicaid Fraud. WHAT: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on what the Trump Administration is doing to proactively tackle Medicare and Medicaid fraud, as well as continuing conversations surrounding common fraud schemes and programs that are vulnerable to fraud. DATE: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 TIME: 2:00 PM 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 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 Securing U.S. Leadership of Communications Technology .  “To compete, innovate, and succeed in the 21st century, the United States must lead the development and deployment of cutting-edge digital devices and services,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “Despite taking place in Shanghai, China, in 2027, the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27) is a critical opportunity to pursue American interests and shape global communications policy. Constructive, bipartisan discussions, such as next week’s hearing, will help inform Congress on the challenges and opportunities ahead, in order to develop a unified vision for WRC-27.”   Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled Securing U.S. Leadership of Communications Technology.   WHAT:  Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on the World Radiocommunication Conference.  DATE:  Wednesday, March 18, 2026  TIME:  2:00 PM 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 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 Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging coordination across agencies to establish clear, unified positions for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27) in Shanghai, China. KEY EXCERPTS: “We appreciate that, despite the location and the inevitable challenges that come with it, your Administration recognizes that the United States should remain an active participant in this conference. Participants will make key decisions that will establish the spectrum bands and technical rules for next-generation communications technology, including 6G, for the satellite and commercial mobile radio industries.” […] “To ensure our best opportunity for success at WRC-27, it is essential that our nation coordinates across all federal agencies and with the private sector to establish clear, unified positions for WRC-27.” […] “Failing to establish clear national positions on these matters risks undercutting our own advocacy and giving the PRC the upper hand.” Background: Under CCP leadership, the PRC has made significant strides in their quest to overtake the United States as the world’s technology leader by subsidizing and stealing technology across a wide range of industries, including communications technologies, all of which puts Americans at risk. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)—who will host WRC-27—is responsible for international coordination of communications services, including global spectrum allocations and satellite orbits. The ITU’s Plenipotentiary Conference takes place later this year and will oversee the election of multiple positions within the organization, including Secretary-General, the 48-seat Council that governs the ITU, and 12 Radio Regulations Board members. CLICK HERE   to read the full letter. ###