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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of 11 bills.

Chairman Guthrie’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Welcome to the first full committee mark-up of 2026. In 2025, the House passed 62 E&C bills. 17 of those bills were signed into law. We held over 60 hearings and markups and spent over 80 hours marking up legislation. That’s a remarkable accomplishment and I want to thank all the members on this Committee for your hard work.

“We are going to continue that work in 2026. Today, we are considering 11 pieces of legislation that will provide permitting reform under the Clean Air Act, support American energy dominance, and improve public safety communications.

“35 years have passed since the Clean Air Act was meaningfully updated and outdated previsions are creating a permitting gridlock that must be addressed.

“When it comes to the Clean Air Act, we are considering a range of bills that would ensure that states and local communities are not penalized for air emissions that come from outside of the U.S.; modernize the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards; reduce permitting gridlock; and facilitate state implementation of Clean Air Act permitting.

“Unfortunately, the current program threatens nearly $200 billion in economic activity and puts over a million jobs at risk.

“Further, we’ll discuss legislation to ensure that states are not penalized for wildfire mitigation measures, like prescribed burns and brush clearing; to streamline the New Source Review permitting process; to provide alternate pathways for critical mineral manufacturing and advanced manufacturing facilities to meet permitting requirements; and to eliminate duplicative reviews that currently lead to increased delays and expenses in NEPA review.

“To ensure the availability of reliable and affordable power, we will examine legislation to extend hydropower licensing for projects across the country, and we will consider several bipartisan public safety communications bills to improve the emergency alert system, including Lulu’s Law to codify the option of using emergency alerts in instances of shark attacks.

“I appreciate all of the work our sponsors have done to advance these bills and bring them to this markup.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a Subcommittee on Health hearing titled Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of Health Insurance Affordability. The hearing will feature testimony from top health insurance company CEOs and focus on the core drivers working against health care affordability.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Health hearing to have productive discussions with health insurance companies on the core drivers working against health care affordability—namely onerous government interference, administrative burdens, waste, fraud, and abuse, and lack of competition and patient choice.

DATE: Thursday, January 22, 2026

TIME: 9:45 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Members of the media who wish to attend in-person should RSVP to their respective press gallery no later than 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

House Radio/TV Gallery:
** radiotv@mail.house.gov **
(202) 225-5214

House Periodical Gallery:
** Periodical.press@mail.house.gov **
(202) 225-2941

House Daily Press Gallery:
** dailypressgallery@mail.house.gov **
(202) 224-3945

Photographer Gallery:
** press_photo@saa.senate.gov **
(202) 224-6548

If you have any press-related questions, please contact Katie West at ** Katie.West@mail.house.gov **.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, are requesting communications, documents, and information from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the Temporary Commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services, Shireen Gandhi, to better understand the ongoing Medicaid fraud occurring in the state of Minnesota and actions the state is taking to strengthen program integrity.

The unprecedented fraud scheme in Minnesota, which has potentially been ** ongoing ** since 2013, has revealed a swath of criminal schemes, including overbilling, false records, identity theft, and phantom claims in Medicaid social service and health programs for the elderly and disabled, people struggling with addiction, and homelessness. Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith issued the following statement regarding ** the letter’s ** content:

“The extensive fraud schemes being perpetrated in Minnesota have wreaked havoc on government-funded health programs. We have an obligation to ensure finite taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly, and that the most vulnerable Americans are not being exploited to the benefit of fraudsters and foreign actors,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith. “As members of Congress and this Committee, our track record has made our continued commitment to ridding government programs of waste, fraud, mismanagement, and abuse clear. This letter is the next step in the Committee’s work to root out fraud and restore program integrity in our federal health programs nationwide.”

The Trump Administration has taken concrete steps to address the fraud being uncovered in Minnesota. Complementary to that work, Congress has a responsibility to oversee federal programs, like Medicaid, to ensure precious dollars and resources are being spent appropriately to deliver quality and necessary care.

BACKGROUND:

Glaring accounts of waste, fraud, and abuse in Minnesota’s Medicaid social service and health programs have resulted in billions of taxpayer dollars going straight to the pockets of fraudsters and foreign actors.

• Ongoing investigations indicate that fraudulent provider schemes are particularly prevalent in health and community-based service programs, including residential drug and alcohol treatment, home health, housing, and autism service programs.

Unfortunately, Minnesota’s Medicaid program lacks adequate oversight and fraud control measures, and state officials have neglected to swiftly identify and address vulnerabilities in programs.

• Fraud experts note that fraudsters often target states like Minnesota, which tend to have the “weakest ID checks, fastest payouts, and lowest audit risk,” when looking to establish fraud schemes.

In July 2025, the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation was signed into law by President Trump, including critical provisions to target waste, fraud, and abuse within the Medicaid program—several of which help prevent the fraud schemes that occurred in Minnesota from happening again.

In response to these fraudulent practices, CMS is auditing the Minnesota Medicaid program, freezing provider enrollment, and deferring payments for 14 high-risk programs, including adult companion, rehabilitative mental health services, individualized home supports, residential treatment services, among others—which, alone, cost taxpayers $3.75 billion annually.

CMS recently briefed the Committee on what is currently known about the Medicaid fraud in Minnesota and actions CMS has taken to date. This further underscored the need for the Committee’s oversight to ensure program integrity.

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.

FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP: The Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a markup of 11 bills.

• DATE: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing to have productive discussions with health insurance companies on the core drivers working against health care affordability—namely onerous government interference, administrative burdens, waste, fraud, and abuse, and lack of competition and patient choice.

• DATE: Thursday, January 22, 2026
• TIME: 9:45 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment is holding a hearing to discuss legislation to modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law.

• DATE: Thursday, January 22, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, _ the Wall Street Journal _ recently highlighted that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is leading efforts to modernize America’s chemical safety law through proposed legislation that would streamline approvals for new chemicals and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.

In Case You Missed It:

“Republicans on Capitol Hill are set to propose legislation aimed at helping companies to more quickly get the government’s blessing to use and sell many more new chemicals, from those used in heavy manufacturing to household disinfectants.

“Draft legislation seen by WSJ Pro Sustainable Business would implement a series of changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act—a sprawling law covering the impact of thousands of chemicals on the environment and public health. The legislation, first enacted in the 1970s, tasks the Environmental Protection Agency with chemical safety reviews.

“The changes would make it easier for a swath of industries to get the green light to use new chemicals ranging from oil-and-gas additives to ingredients for cleaning products. It would also apply to new uses of already-approved chemicals.

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said it is going to hold a hearing on its plans on Jan. 22.

“The draft legislation would speed up approvals for chemicals already given the green light in certain other countries so that they can be manufactured in the U.S. It also would require the EPA in its review process to give priority to new chemicals ‘intended to address supply-chain risks for critical materials.’ The committee said those updates would help American businesses compete with China—which dominates the critical-minerals market.

“The EPA under the Trump administration has proposed a series of changes to its regulation under the TSCA, including a bid in November to reduce the scope of reporting under the law for PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals.’ Meanwhile, many states are trying to cut such chemicals out of products from clothing to cosmetics.

“Maria Doa, a doctor who testified at a hearing in January last year focused on the TSCA, and who previously led chemical safety reviews at the EPA, said a 2016 bipartisan update to the law that increased safety reviews and testing ‘transformed the law from largely ineffective to one that set clear direction to protect human health and the environment.’

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said it wants to require the EPA to focus safety reviews and regulations ‘on actual or intended uses and risks, not mere speculation.’

“At the hearing about the law last year, Rep. Raul Ruiz (D., Calif.), who has also worked as an emergency physician, said the TSCA is vital to protect people from chemicals such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that can cause cancers and heart and liver diseases.

“He said the old version of the law ‘failed to safeguard our communities, allowing people to be exposed to harmful chemicals in their homes and workplaces, and this failure disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations.’

“Groups including the Environmental Defense Fund have said changes to the TSCA could lead to weaker protections for workers and communities living near chemical plants.

“Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.), chairman of the committee, said the draft legislation Republicans are proposing ‘will help maintain America’s leadership in chemical innovation and strengthen domestic competitiveness in the global marketplace.’

“Chris Jahn, president of the American Chemistry Council, said ahead of the draft release that ‘Congress is leading by moving legislation to provide durable improvements to ensure that U.S. manufacturing remains competitive,’ adding that he thinks it is necessary for ‘the next generation of semiconductors, AI and advanced technologies’ to be made in the U.S.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced a Full Committee markup of 11 bills.

WHAT: Full Committee Markup

DATE: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

TIME: 10:15 AM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Items to be considered:

• H.R. 6409, Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) (Rep. Pfluger)
• H.R. 4218, Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform (CLEAR) Act (Rep. Carter)
• H.R. 6387, Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act (Rep. Evans)
• H.R. 4214, Clean Air and Building Infrastructure Improvement Act (Rep. Allen)
• H.R. 161, New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act (Rep. Griffith)
• H.R. 6373, Air Permitting Improvements to Protect National Security Act (Rep. Palmer)
• H.R. 6398, Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations (RED Tape) Act (Rep. Joyce)
• H.R. 2072, To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects. (Rep. Newhouse)
• H.R. 5200, Emergency Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 5201, Kari’s Law Reporting Act (Reps. Matsui and Bilirakis)
• H.R. 2076, LuLu’s Law (Rep. Palmer)

This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The markup 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 Jessica Donlon with the Committee staff at Jessica.Donlon@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Matt VanHyfte at Matt.Vanhyfte@mail.house.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s markup of six bills to improve public safety communications.

Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee markup on public safety communications in the United States. We are considering several bipartisan bills that will improve public safety and communications for first responders in the United States.

“In December, we held a hearing to look at legislative improvements to public safety communications. This markup will be the next step in advancing the important legislation before us.

“Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now can look at through a legislative lens.

“Alongside my friend Representative Carter from Louisiana, I recently introduced the Next Generation 911 Act. This legislation would establish a grant program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, for Next Generation 911 technology. It would also establish a nationwide Next Generation 911 Cybersecurity Center and a Next Generation 911 Advisory Board.

“Upgrading our nation’s call centers to NG911 technology is crucial for public safety. This internet protocol-based system will open the door for advanced tools for both the public and our first responders to use.

“This legislation will also enable deployment nationwide. A patchwork of call centers that still have aging, outdated legacy systems risks a communications landscape that is uneven and non-interoperable. I have been a long-time supporter of NG911 deployment nationwide and I am proud to lead this legislation to make it happen.

“I do want to note that while we are taking steps to advance this legislation towards law, we are still working on finding an appropriate dollar amount to fund this grant program. It is critical we balance the need to fund this important program while making sure we maintain fiscal responsibility.

“This markup also includes many of my colleagues’ bipartisan bills to ensure alerts for natural disasters and potential risks are received in a timely manner. I'm glad to see our subcommittee prioritizing safety and communications for all Americans.

“Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs and best serve all Americans.

“I want to thank my colleagues for their continued commitment to this issue and for their work developing these proposals. I look forward to moving these bills through committee and onto the floor so we can deliver results for the American people.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a markup of several public safety communications bills.

“Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs and best serve all Americans,” said Chairman Hudson. “I want to thank my colleagues for their continued commitment to this issue and for their work developing these proposals.”

Legislative Vote Summary:

• H.R. 6505, Next Generation 9-1-1 Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 2076, LuLu’s Law, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 5200, Emergency Reporting Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 5201, Kari’s Law Reporting Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.
• H.R. 1519, Public Safety Communications Act, was forwarded without amendment to the Full Committee by a voice vote.

Watch the full hearing here .

Below are key excerpts from today’s markup:

Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) on the Mystic Alerts Act: “The Mystic Alerts Act strengthens our emergency alerting framework by directing the FCC to establish standards and requirements that allow alerts to be delivered via satellite connectivity, ensuring redundancy when traditional networks are down, by incorporating satellite-based capabilities. This bill helps ensure emergency alerts can reach rural communities, disaster zones and other hard to reach areas, improving resilience and saving lives during floods, wildlife, wildfires, hurricanes and other emergencies. This legislation honors the victims of the Camp Mystic flood by taking meaningful action to prevent similar tragedies and by making our emergency communications system more reliable, modern, and resilient.”

Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) on the Mystic Alerts Act: “Today, too many Americans lose access to alerts when cellular infrastructure is damaged, overwhelmed, or nonexistent—particularly in rural areas—and this bill helps to close that gap by ensuring emergency alerts can still be delivered via satellite when traditional networks fail. […] There is still work to be done to incorporate technical assistance into this legislation, but moving the Mystic Alerts Act forward is a meaningful step toward modernizing public safety communications, closing dangerous gaps in emergency alert coverage, and ensuring Americans can receive critical information when it matters the most.”

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) on the Public Safety Communications Act: “This bill strengthens federal coordination for Next Gen 911, ensuring that states have a clear, accountable partner as they modernize their emergency systems. Public safety communications should never be political, fragmented, or unclear. Right now, they are. This bill fixes that. It keeps public safety in charge, reduces confusion and strengthens accountability where it belongs. I appreciate the engagement from our public safety stakeholders and remain committed to the collaboration as we move this bill forward.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a hearing titled Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing.

“Since our first hearing of this Congress, our Committee has been working to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Palmer. “Targeted and measured reforms will increase accountability, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and safeguard the health and safety of our communities. The legislation we’ll be discussing in this hearing would support these goals and help to ensure TSCA processes are working effectively to evaluate chemical safety and support American innovation.”

Subcommittee on Environment hearing titled Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing

WHAT: Subcommittee on Environment hearing to discuss legislation to modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law

DATE: Thursday, January 22, 2026

TIME: 2:00 PM ET

LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

This hearing will focus on the following bills:

• H.R.____, Discussion Draft of Legislation to Modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act

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 Jackson Rudden at jackson.rudden@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov.