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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications & Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Global Networks At Risk: Securing The Future Of Telecommunications Infrastructure. Subcommittee Chairman Hudson's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee hearing on Global Networks at Risk: Securing the Future of Communications Infrastructure.  “This topic has never been more pressing. The United States is home to the world’s leading companies and innovators who are driving the development of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and next-generation wireless technologies. These innovations are critical not just to our economy, but to the future of global connectivity. “Communications are also central to our national defense. This is top of mind for me, especially as the Representative for Fort Bragg — home to the U.S. Special Forces and the largest military base in the world. Connectivity and secure communications networks are vital to maintaining our defense capabilities and keeping our nation safe. “Today, we rely on communications infrastructure in nearly every sector of our economy. As Americans become more connected, it is increasingly important the equipment we buy and the networks we rely on are secure, resilient, and protected from malicious actors.  “Unfortunately, the security of these networks is under threat.  “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), for example, has been investing heavily to develop unsecure communications equipment and export it around the world to assist in their espionage activities, including in the United States. The known vulnerabilities in many technologies produced by foreign adversaries pose a direct threat to the national security of the United States.  “Last fall, we learned about Salt Typhoon, which may be the largest Chinese-backed telecommunications hack in our nation’s history.  These hackers infiltrated U.S. telecommunications companies’ networks, impacting at least nine providers. This infiltration enabled the hackers to 'geolocate millions of individuals and record phone calls,' and impacted senior U.S. officials, including then- President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance. “In addition to these vulnerabilities, there are an increasing number of physical attacks on communications infrastructure, such as undersea cables. These cables are responsible for carrying data traffic across oceans and are susceptible to damage by the elements and unintentional acts, such as anchors dragging along the seafloor. But they have also been intentionally sabotaged and because of their physical location under the ocean, it can be difficult to monitor unauthorized access to these cables.  “We must take decisive steps to address these threats. I was proud to support funding for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, which will support the removal of the remaining Chinese equipment in our communications networks.  “Another key aspect of securing our communications infrastructure is the review of foreign investments in U.S. networks. 'Team Telecom' is an interagency working group that reviews foreign investments in certain communications applications that come before the FCC.  “Team Telecom assesses the national security risks, law enforcement, and other policy considerations that may be associated with such investments. While this process is important, applications often get bogged down by delays and bureaucratic hurdles. We must find ways to make sure that national security concerns are addressed without hindering deployment. “Satellite technology also plays an increasingly important role in our communications infrastructure. Satellites provide broadband services, as well as mission critical services to critical infrastructure companies and the Federal government. Yet the regulations governing satellite operations have not kept pace with the growth in the industry.  “Last Congress, this committee led bipartisan legislation to streamline regulatory processes for satellite operators, and the Federal Communications Commission adopted many of these reforms. But more work remains to provide clarity and more certainty in the licensing process to ensure the U.S. remains a leader in this sector. “We must meet these challenges head-on. Innovation has provided untold benefits to Americans and to our economy.  I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today about these issues. “I now yield five minutes to my colleague, Ranking Member Doris Matsui, for her opening statement.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Assuring Abundant, Reliable American Energy to Power Innovation. Subcommittee Chairman Latta's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to today’s legislative hearing Assuring Abundant, Reliable American Energy to Power Innovation. “Today, we will hear from representatives of the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and industry stakeholders as we consider 14 bills that span the needs of our energy sector.  “The legislation before us seeks to address systemic issues that are holding back our country’s economic and technological potential.  “The prosperity and security of our nation has always been linked to abundant, reliable, and affordable energy.  “Today’s challenges are no different – we need reliable and affordable energy to fuel developments in artificial intelligence, reshore domestic manufacturing facilities, support the agricultural industry, and lower costs for hardworking Americans.  “All the while, abundant energy resources can reduce the influence of adversarial nations like Communist China, protect against foreign subterfuge, and support our allies abroad. “This year, our Energy subcommittee has heard extensive testimony from grid operators, utilities and co-ops, energy sector experts, and leaders in the AI community regarding the needs of our energy industry. “Simply put – we need more energy, and we need it fast, to put the country back on a path towards prosperity. Many of the bills before us today will do just that.  “At our recent hearing with all 7 regional grid operators, we heard about the growing reliability crisis being caused by federal policies, like the Clean Power Plan 2.0, that are driving out baseload power and threatening the reliability of the grid. “This sentiment is shared by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, who have been raising red alarms about the growing reliability crisis for the last five years.  “Importantly, the Reliable Power Act will task FERC as a rightful reliability watchdog against unreasonable government overreach.  “We know that dispatchable generating resources provide the necessary stability, inertia, and spinning mass to maintain frequency and voltage support of the electric system.  “The GRID Power Act will ensure these resources are prioritized and added to the system in a timely manner. “As we have also heard from regional grid operators and the experts in the power sector, misguided States’ actions that limit dispatchable resources are having an outsized impact in the growing reliability crisis. “Two bills under consideration today, the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act and the Reliability Protection for States Act, will encourage States to take a greater role in protecting reliability and affordability and hold States accountable for the impacts of policies that could undermine an efficient electric system.  “Additionally, this committee has continued to observe supply chain constraints for critical grid components that are slowing generation development at a time where demand is projected to skyrocket.  “The Electric Supply Chain Act, which I intend to introduce, takes a proactive approach to identifying and addressing emerging issues that affect the power sector.  I know my staff has reached out to Minority staff about working on this bill together.  I hope that one of my Democratic colleagues will join me in the effort. “Similarly, I know that Republican staff has offered to work with Democratic staff on the Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act, and even have a Democratic Member lead on the bill.  We hope to find bipartisanship together to preserve this important generating resource. “Alongside these efforts, several bills under consideration today will improve federal permitting processes to unleash our abundant natural resources and fuel economic development.  “At our hearing with a local representative from the pipefitters union and oil and gas industry earlier this year, we heard about the economic benefits of energy infrastructure development and family sustaining careers for union brothers and sisters. “Consideration of the Improving Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act and the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act could greatly improve our permitting processes and ensure that our nation can lead in the next generation economy.  “Given our nation’s role as the premier energy producer on the global stage, the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act will unleash exports to support our allies and leverage American energy dominance to advance our national interests.  “We also have included, at our Democratic colleagues’ request, legislation from my Ranking Member colleague on the interconnection queue. While I may not agree with everything in the bill presently, I look forward to working with the gentlelady from Florida to see if we can land on an agreeable position. “Altogether, the bills before us today represent an opportunity for this committee to refocus the federal government’s approach to the energy sector to ensure abundant, reliable, and affordable energy to power innovations of the future.  “The nation and world are safer when the United States is energy dominant.  “I yield back the balance of my time.” ###

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: “Today’s markup is yet another important opportunity for our committee to advance legislation that supports the most vulnerable Americans. “By reauthorizing key programs to combat substance use disorder and safeguarding seniors’ access to prescription drugs, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening our health care system and expanding access to care for patients and their families.  “Last Congress, each of the six bills being considered today advanced through this Committee unanimously and passed the House with strong bipartisan support. Our members devoted countless hours collaborating with health care providers, policy experts, and patients to develop these pieces of bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to moving all of them forward once again. “The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which I am co-leading with Congresswoman Pettersen, has received widespread support from over 160 substance use disorder treatment and recovery organizations, as well as patient and provider advocacy groups. This legislation reauthorizes key public health programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery for patients with substance use disorder that were established in the original SUPPORT Act, which was signed into law in 2018.  “Similarly, the SOAR to Health and Wellness Act led by Representatives Carter and Cohen, will continue vital resources so local communities can help support individuals who have experienced trafficking.  “Another important measure, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, led by Representatives Cammack, Dingell, Issa, and Wasserman Schultz, ensures access to live-saving care by preventing discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including down syndrome, within the organ transplant system.  “The Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act, led by Representatives Moolenaar and Dingell, will support provider and patient education and awareness, as well as strengthen standards and oversight related to tissue transplants to prevent future outbreaks and preventable tragedies. “In addition, the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act aims to accelerate research, improve early detection methods, and expand access to preventive services to address the rising rates of lung cancer.   “Lastly, the Seniors Access to Critical Medications Act, led by Representatives Harshbarger and Wasserman Schultz, increases access to care by allowing Medicare beneficiaries to receive their prescriptions either by mail or by having a family member or caregiver pick up the medication on their behalf. “All of these bills reflect our commitment to improving Americans’ health, protecting the most vulnerable, and strengthening our health care system.  “I’m grateful to all of my colleagues who have supported this legislation. Thank you all for your hard work, and I look forward to advancing these important bills out of Committee.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04), Speaker of the House of Representative, issued the following statements after the House passed the Take It Down Act and 15 more Committee bills with overwhelming bipartisan support:  “Today, the House of Representatives, with overwhelming bipartisan support, passed legislation to reauthorize a key agency, secure American leadership in the coming years, provide more transparency in the pricing of certain goods, and finally provide real protections for Americans online from sexual exploitation,” said Chairman Guthrie. “This is an important day in our efforts to support and defend Americans in the digital age.”   “Today, the House took a critical step to combat the growing online publication of real and deepfake nonconsensual intimate images with the passage of the Take It Down Act,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. “I want to thank First Lady Melania Trump for championing this important legislation that empowers and provides protections to victims of online sexual exploitation. It also criminalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate images and mandates their removal from online platforms once reported. The First Lady’s leadership has been instrumental in the bill’s passage, and we look forward to seeing this signed into law.”   Background:   The Committee on Energy and Commerce passed the Take It Down Act out of Committee by a vote of 49 yeas to one nay and the full House by a vote of 409 yeas to 2 nays.   The bill has been championed by First Lady Melania Trump, as well as survivors of deepfake sextortion schemes.   The following E&C bills passed the House Floor today:  H.R. 617 , American Music Tourism Act of 2025 H.R. 973 , Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act H.R. 1402 , TICKET Act H.R. 1442 , Youth Poisoning Protection Act, as amended S. 146 , TAKE IT DOWN Act H.R. 1479 , Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025 H.R. 2480 , Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2025 H.R. 1721 , Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act H.R. 859 , Informing Consumers About Smart Devices Act H.R. 2482 , NTIA Reauthorization Act of 2025, as amended H.R. 866 , ROUTERS Act, as amended H.R. 906 , Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act H.R. 2444 , Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025 H.R. 2399 , Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 H.R. 2449 , FUTURE Networks Act H.R. 2458 , Secure Space Act of 2025 ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced a Full Committee Markup of six bills. WHAT : Full Committee Markup of Six Bills DATE : Tuesday, April 29, 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 Alex.Khlopin with the Committee staff at Alex.Khlopin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Matthew VanHyfte at  Matt.VanHyfte@mail.house.gov . Items to be considered: H.R. 2483 , SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 1520 , Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act H.R. 2319 , Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025 H.R. 1669 , To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program H.R. 1082 , Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act H.R. 2484 , Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act ###

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, along with 10 members of the subcommittee, sent a letter to DeepSeek regarding their data practices and close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “DeepSeek admits to sending Americans’ personal information to servers in China, where it is undoubtedly accessed by officials connected to the Chinese Communist Party. We are concerned that this relationship with agents having close connections to our primary adversary jeopardizes our data and our national security,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “To ensure Americans and their businesses are secure from foreign interference, we are launching this investigation into DeepSeek and the risks it poses to our nation.” KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “By its own admission, the company’s mobile application—available on app stores in the U.S.—is sending Americans’ personal information to servers in the People’s Republic of China. According to media reports, the company is also sharing users’ personal information with other CCP-linked entities, including ByteDance Ltd. Researchers, meanwhile, have identified serious weaknesses in DeepSeek’s purported security controls and model safeguards. To address these risks, a growing number of states, including New York, Texas, and Virginia have banned DeepSeek on government devices, with states attorneys-general calling for a broader ban.” Background: On January 20, 2025, DeepSeek launched its open-source AI chatbot. On February 18, 2025, DeepSeek was accused of sharing user data with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. On March 6, 2025, 21 state attorneys-general urged Congressional leadership to prohibit government devices from “downloading and using the Chinese Communist Party’s DeepSeek AI Software.” On April 16, 2025, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party published a report on DeepSeek funneling American data to the CCP and manipulating results to align with CCP propaganda. The Committee members requested answers to the following questions: Provide a detailed description of the types and sources of data used to train your AI models, including any U.S. personal or proprietary information. Confirm whether information entered into your AI applications or chatbots by American consumers or businesses is used to train your AI models. If yes, identify where this information is stored and accessed from, and whether it is shared with any state entity of the People’s Republic of China or other Chinese companies. Describe the technical, administrative, and physical controls used to secure personal and proprietary information associated with your AI offerings, as well as your process for evaluating the security of third-party service providers. Provide a detailed description of any U.S. technology products or services used to develop, integrate, or bring to market your AI offerings. This includes the use of open and closed source AI models developed by U.S. companies and the unauthorized “distillation” of American models. Provide a detailed description of how your AI models are developed and trained, including any steps taken to influence system outputs for alignment with Chinese Communist Party ideology or political goals. Provide a detailed description of any direct or indirect subsidies you receive from the People’s Republic of China, or its political subdivisions, related to AI development. Confirm whether your company has received a request from the People’s Republic of China, or its political subdivisions, for data related to your company’s AI offerings. This includes personal and proprietary data used to train or finetune an AI model and data ingested by your AI services. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the story from Fox News. ###

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 Global Networks at Risk: Securing the Future of Telecommunications Infrastructure . “Our adversaries continually seek to exploit vulnerabilities in our communications infrastructure to jeopardize our national security, disrupt critical services, and steal Americans’ data. As the United States faces new and evolving threats, we must act quickly to strengthen our networks and support greater resilience by outpacing those who seek to do us harm,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson . “We look forward to this conversation with experts from across the industry on what steps Congress should take to ensure Americans continue to have access to secure and reliable networks.”    Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled Global Networks at Risk: Securing the Future of Telecommunications Infrastructure    WHAT : Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on securing global networks.     DATE : Wednesday, April 30, 2025  TIME : 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION : 2322 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 at Noah.Jackson@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov .   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing titled Assuring Abundant, Reliable American Energy to Power Innovation . “Our nation is at an energy crossroads. It’s clear that securing our electric grid and powering AI will require abundant and reliable energy for decades to come,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. “Over the past several months, our Committee has heard from energy producers, grid operators, and experts on AI that have discussed the need to produce more baseload power. This legislative hearing offers us the chance to discuss specific policy proposals to help achieve this goal and ensure American energy dominance.”   Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled Assuring Abundant, Reliable American Energy to Power Innovation   WHAT : Subcommittee on Energy hearing to discuss legislation that would help our nation create affordable and reliable energy in order to maintain our grid and power new technologies.  DATE : Wednesday, April 30, 2025        TIME :  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building    This hearing will focus on the following bills: H.R. ____ , Reliable Power Act H.R. 1047 , GRID Power Act (Rep. Balderson) H.R. ____ , Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 H.R. ____ , Electric Supply Chain Act H.R. ____ , Reliability Protection for States Act H.R. ____ , State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act  H.R. ____ , Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act H.R. ____ , National Coal Council Reestablishment Act H.R. ____ , Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act  H.R. ____ , Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining Act (REFINER) Act H.R. ____ , Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act  H.R. 1949 , Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025 (Rep. Pfluger) H.R. ____ , Improving Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act H.R. ____ , Expediting Generator Interconnection Procedures Act of 2025   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 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 .   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to 23andMe regarding the handling of Americans' sensitive data following the company's decision to file for bankruptcy. KEY EXCERPT: “According to 23andMe’s privacy statement, in a bankruptcy, customers’ ‘Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction and this Privacy Statement will apply to [customer] Personal Information as transferred to the new entity.’ Additionally, a judge recently ruled 23andMe has the right to sell the sensitive medical and genetic information of its 15 million customers, which is considered to be the company’s most valuable asset. With the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans’ most sensitive personal information.” Background: On March 23, 2025, 23andMe initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which could have ramifications for the highly sensitive information of millions of Americans. While Americans’ personal health information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), these protections only apply if the information is collected by a HIPAA covered entity. Generally, direct-to-consumer companies, like 23andMe, are not covered by HIPAA. Customers have reported issues accessing and deleting their data from their 23andMe accounts. The Chairmen have requested answers to the following questions: If 23andMe were to sell the personal information of its customers either as a standalone asset or as part of a broader sale of the company, what post-sale data privacy and security protections would be in place for its customers’ personal information? Please describe how the representations made in 23andMe’s privacy statement will continue to apply—and be enforced—if the personal information of 23andMe’s customers is sold to a third party. Please include in this response information about what, if anything, would hold a third-party buyer to 23andMe’s privacy statement or prevent it from subsequently using, transferring, or otherwise selling, such information in the future. Does 23andMe plan to change its privacy statement at any time prior to selling any customers’ personal information? If so, please explain the change 23andMe plans to implement and when those changes will go into effect. Does 23andMe intend to vet prospective buyers to which it may sell its customers’ personal information? If so, please detail the vetting process and whether it will include the prospective buyer’s history of implementing data security protections and compliance with sectoral, state, or any other data privacy and security laws. If not, please explain why. Please detail the categories of customer information 23andMe has, and of that what 23andMe is considering selling. Has 23andMe notified its customers of the company’s bankruptcy announcement? If so, please attach the customer notification. If not, please explain why. Has 23andMe provided its customers with a guide for how to delete, or request to delete any information currently in 23andMe’s possession? If so, please provide a copy of that guide and specify when it was provided to customers. If not, please explain why, and explain whether 23andMe will contact each of its customers and provide an opportunity to delete their personal information prior to a potential sale of the company or personal information maintained by the company. Please detail the number of requests 23andMe received from its customers to delete their personal information between when 23andMe filed for bankruptcy and the date of the response to this letter. Of those requests, please provide a breakdown of how many requests were made by customers through their 23andMe online accounts and how many were made via customer service calls because customers were unable to successfully delete their information through their online accounts. Of those requests, please detail the number of fulfilled requests. Will 23andMe offer for sale any information in which a customer has requested the deletion of such information? If so, does 23andMe’s privacy policy consider selling information a legitimate purpose for retaining information past a customer's request to delete their information? Will 23andMe deidentify its customers’ personal information prior to selling it or the company? If so, please detail which information will be deidentified. If not, please explain why the company is electing not to deidentify information. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the story from CNBC. ###