News

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 Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade is holding a hearing to examine ways to protect children and teens online.  DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 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 to discuss the cyber and physical security of our electric grid.  DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2025  TIME: 10:30 AM ET  LOCATION: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building  FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup of 15 bills.  DATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building     ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Legislative Solutions to Protect Children and Teens Online . Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing to discuss legislative solutions to protect children online.  “Our children are facing an online epidemic. This issue is personal – we have parents on both sides of the aisle, and we all have constituents who have been affected. They are why we’re here today. “We’re examining almost twenty bills, which together form a comprehensive strategy to protect kids online. Our approach is straightforward: protect kids, empower parents, and future proof our legislation as new risks and technologies emerge. “These bills are not standalone solutions. They complement and reinforce one another to create the safest possible environment for children. There is no one-size-fits-all bill to protect kids online--and our plan reflects that. “Parents must be empowered to safeguard their children online. Just as a parent can observe their children’s activities and social behaviors at home and at school functions, so should they be able to check on their kid’s activities online. Our bills ensure parents have the tools and resources to keep their children safe in the modern world. A child’s life in the 21st century is much more complex than generations past, and parents need the tools to adapt. “Our bills are mindful of the Constitution’s protections for free speech. We’ve seen it in the states –laws with good intentions have been struck down for violating the First Amendment. We are learning from those experiences because a law that gets struck down in court does not protect a single child. And the status quo is unacceptable. “All our bills employ this strategy–including the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, that I am proud to lead. KOSA sets a national standard to protect kids across America. It mandates default safeguards and easy-to-use parental controls to empower families. “It blocks children from being exposed to or targeted with ads for illegal or inappropriate content like drugs and alcohol. It takes on addictive design features that keep kids hooked and harm their mental health. And most importantly, it holds Big Tech accountable with mandatory audits and strong enforcement by the FTC and state attorneys general. “I made precise changes to ensure KOSA is durable. Don’t mistake durability for weakness – this bill has teeth. By focusing on design features rather than protected speech we will ensure it can withstand legal challenge while delivering real protections for kids and families. “I am proud of the members of this subcommittee for working on legislation to address a myriad of harms and challenges. This issue is personal to every one of us up here, and it shows in the number of bills before us today. I know this is a shared, bipartisan goal – my office is open, call me, or find me on the floor. Let’s find a way to work together and save America’s kids from the threats they are facing online.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced a Full Committee markup of fifteen bills. WHAT : Full Committee Markup DATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 TIME: 10:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building Items to be considered: H.R. 1343 , Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (Reps. Pfluger and Soto) H.R. 1588 , Facilitating DIGITAL Applications Act (Reps. Miller-Meeks and Dingell) H.R. 1665 , DIGITAL Applications Act (Reps. Cammack and Matsui) H.R. 1681 , Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Act (Reps. Evans and Craig) H.R. 1731 , Standard FEES Act (Reps. Palmer and Ryan) H.R. 6046 , Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act (Reps. Joyce, Landsman, and Peters) H.R. 2289 , American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (Rep. Carter) H.R. 3474 , Federal Mechanical Insulation Act (Rep. Weber) H.R. 3699 , Energy Choice Act (Rep. Langworthy) H.R. 5184 , Affordable Housing Over Mandating Efficiency Standards (Affordable HOMES) Act (Rep. Houchin) H.R. 4690 , Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act (Rep. Langworthy) H.R. 4593 , Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing (SHOWER) Act (Rep. Fry) H.R. 4758 , Homeowner Energy Freedom Act (Rep. Goldman) H.R. 4626 , Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act (Rep. Allen) H.R. 1355 , Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2025 (Rep. Tonko) 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.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued a statement following the House passage of H.R. 1262, the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act— a bipartisan piece of legislation which reauthorizes the FDA’s Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) Priority Review Voucher (PRV) Program to incentivize the development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases, and authorizes the FDA to direct companies to study a combination of cancer drugs and therapies in pediatric trials. “H.R. 1262, the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act, builds on current programs to accelerate research and drug development for rare pediatric diseases, including cancer,” said Chairman Guthrie. “The reauthorization of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program has led to over 50 new treatment approvals for nearly 40 different rare pediatric diseases, many of which had no options prior. The impact of this program is profound for patients, and I am grateful to the sponsors of this legislation and their commitment to promoting research and addressing gaps in pediatric therapeutics.” Background on H.R. 1262:   H.R. 1262 , the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act , is a comprehensive piece of legislation that increases access to innovative treatments for children by:  Reauthorizing the FDA Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) Priority Review Voucher (PRV) Program through Fiscal Year 2029 and clarifies that orphan drug exclusivity applies to the approved indication, rather than the potentially broader designation;  Providing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with additional authority to require pediatric cancer trials for new combinations of drug therapies;  Authorizing the FDA to take enforcement action against companies that fail to meet pediatric study requirements under the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA);  Directing the FDA to establish an office in an Abraham Accord country to enhance facilitation with the agency; and   Requiring FDA to disclose to certain generic drug applicants if any ingredients cause a drug to be quantitatively or qualitatively different from the listed drug, speeding up patients access to more affordable medications.  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement after President Trump signed H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, into law. “Today, America celebrates the passage of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act—legislation that takes significant steps toward reducing the toll illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances take on our communities. As the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, I’m proud of the bipartisan work that has been done through this important legislation to continue empowering first responders, supplying recovery resources, and increasing access to treatment options for individuals with substance use disorders,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I want to thank President Trump for his continued commitment to combatting the opioid crisis, and the reauthorization of this legislation ensures continued investment in prevention, recovery, and hope for families nationwide.” Background: H.R. 2483 , the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 , was reported to the full House from the Committee on Energy and Commerce by a roll call vote of 36 yeas – 13 nays and passed the full House by a vote of 366 yeas – 57 nays.  The Senate passed the legislation by unanimous consent on September 18. The SUPPORT Act:  Ensures first responders can access and administer naloxone;  Allows for enhanced SUD treatment options for pregnant and postpartum women;  Strengthens state PDMP systems;  Encourages individuals in recovery to participate in the workforce; and  Continues the supply of resources for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers, which provide a full spectrum of treatment and recovery support services. ###

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 Securing America’s Energy Infrastructure: Addressing Cyber and Physical Threats to the Grid . “Ensuring that our energy infrastructure, including the electric grid, can provide reliable power is one of our Committee’s top priorities,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. “Protecting against threats of malicious cyber or physical attacks to our grid infrastructure is essential for national security, economic security, and the safety of tens of millions of Americans. This hearing will offer our members the chance to hear from experts who understand the realities of grid security threats and who can inform Congress about what is necessary to secure the electric grid.” Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled Securing America’s Energy Infrastructure: Addressing Cyber and Physical Threats to the Grid.   WHAT: Subcommittee on Energy hearing to discuss the cyber and physical security of our electric grid.  DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2025   TIME: 10:30 AM ET LOCATION: 2141 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 https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Calvin Huggins at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov . If you have an y 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 Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, announced a hearing titled Legislative Solutions to Protect Children and Teens Online . “For too long, tech companies have failed to adequately protect children and teens from perils online. One week from today, this Committee will begin advancing a suite of online safety bills to address the challenges facing our kids in the digital age,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “Parents and lawmakers both agree on the importance of enacting meaningful protections that can stand the test of time, so we look forward to this important first step.” Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing titled Legislative Solutions to Protect Children and Teens Online. WHAT: Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing to examine ways to protect children and teens online. DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 TIME: 10:15 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building The hearing will focus on the following bills: H.R. 6291 , Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (Reps. Walberg and Lee)  H.R. ____ , Kids Online Safety Act (Rep. Bilirakis)  H.R. ____ , Reducing Exploitative Social Media Exposure for Teens (RESET) Act (Rep. Houchin)  H.R. 2657 , Sammy’s Law (Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Carter-GA)   H.R. 3149 , App Store Accountability Act (Rep. James)  H.R. 1623 , Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act (Rep. Miller-IL)   H.R. 6290 , Safe Social Media Act (Reps. Bentz and Schrier)  H.R. 6253 , Algorithmic Choice and Transparency Act (Rep. Cammack)  H.R. 6259 , No Fentanyl on Social Media Act (Reps. Evans and Dingell)  H.R. 6289 , Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act (Reps. Lee and Soto)  H.R. ____ , Safeguarding Adolescents From Exploitative (SAFE) Bots Act (Reps. Houchin and Auchincloss)  H.R. ____ , Kids Internet Safety Partnership Act (Rep. Fry)  H.R. 5360 , AI Warnings And Resources for Education (AWARE) Act (Reps. Houchin and Auchincloss)  H.R. 6265 , Safer Guarding of Adolescents from Malicious Interactions on Network Games (GAMING) Act (Rep. Kean)  H.R. ____ , Assessing Safety Tools for Parents and Minors Act (Reps. Fulcher and Landsman)  H.R. 6273 , Stop Profiling Youth and (SPY) Kids Act (Rep. Miller-Meeks)  H.R. 6257 , Safe Messaging for Kids Act (Rep. Dunn)   H.R. 6292 , Don’t Sell Kids’ Data Act of 2025 (Rep. Pallone)  H.R. ____ , Parents Over Platforms Act (Reps. Auchincloss and Houchin) 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 Alex Khlopin at Alex.Khlopin@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, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Steven S. Cliff, Ph.D., Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), demanding answers and documents that the Committee previously requested from CARB on California’s refusal to follow the law and implement the Clean Air Act as written by Congress. The Committee also requested transcribed interviews of six individuals if CARB fails to provide the previously requested information by December 5, 2025.    “The Committee’s August 11, 2025, letter requested information and documents from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) about California’s enforcement of state vehicle emission standards that disregard recent Congressional actions to disapprove waivers of federal preemption under the Clean Air Act,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Palmer. “Unfortunately, CARB’s responses to date have been woefully inadequate and do not satisfy the Committee’s important oversight interests in this matter.” Key excerpt from the letter: “Clean Air Act section 209(a) preempts states from adopting or attempting to enforce any emissions control standard for new motor vehicles or engines, or any condition precedent to the initial retail sale, registration or inspection of such vehicle or engine. Under section 209(b), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may waive federal preemption, allowing California to establish state motor vehicle emission standards. However, Congress passed with bipartisan support, and President Trump signed, three resolutions under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproving three waivers of preemption that the Biden-Harris Administration previously granted.” “Due to CARB’s failure to make a good faith effort to provide the requested information and documents, the Committee requests transcribed interviews with the following individuals if CARB fails to provide the requested information and documents by December 5, 2025: Lauren Sanchez, CARB Chair (from September 2025 to present); Liane Randolph, Former CARB Chair (from December 2021 to September 2025); Steven Cliff, CARB Executive Officer; Shannon Dilley, CARB Chief Counsel; Christopher Grundler, CARB Deputy Executive Officer – Mobile Sources & Incentives; and Robin Lang, Division Chief, CARB Emissions Certification & Compliance Division. “The Committee requests that these transcribed interviews be completed no later than December 12, 2025.” Background: Since President Trump signed the three Congressional Review Act resolutions into law, revoking California’s ability to set state emission standards that mandate the sale of EVs, the state cannot move forward with plans to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. The Committee’s August 11, 2025, request sought answers about California’s apparent enforcement of the preempted standards and requested copies of related documents, such as internal guidance CARB provided to its staff, communications with other states, internal correspondence between CARB officials and the Governor’s Office and the Office of Attorney General, and other internal documents concerning CARB’s response to the disapproval of the waivers of federal preemption. The requested information and documents will help the Committee understand how California is implementing the Clean Air Act in light of the federal preemption of state emission standards, and whether the waiver authority in Clean Air Act section 209(b) should be eliminated or otherwise modified. CLICK HERE to read the full letter .

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The following op-ed by Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL) appeared in the Bismarck Tribune this week. “Our health care system is broken, and North Dakotans know it. “The law that was supposed to make things better—the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—has not lived up to its name. “‘If you like your plan, you can keep it,’ leaders assured us. “‘A typical family will save up to $2,500 a year,’ they promised. “‘The ACA will help bring down health care costs and even reduce the deficit,’ they claimed. “Fifteen years later, none of that matches what North Dakotans have lived. Instead, we pay higher premiums and have fewer choices. And Washington is trying to hide the true costs with more and more subsidies instead of fixing the underlying problem. “The latest debate in Congress is over something called the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. You’ve probably heard about these temporary credits and how they’re set to expire on January 1, 2026. Here’s what you’re not hearing: “First, the original Affordable Care Act subsidies do not expire. That support remains in law for everyone who qualifies, including the majority of the 42,000 North Dakotans who used the exchange last year. “What’s being debated now are the temporary extra subsidies Democrats added during COVID to make the credits more generous and expand eligibility to people earning beyond 400 percent of the federal poverty level. In North Dakota, that means a family of four earning over $125,000 a year. “From the beginning, Democrats wrote these enhanced subsidies to expire. Now, many of those same lawmakers are exasperated by the expiration date they set themselves! “Second, making these temporary subsidies permanent is  enormously expensive : $350 billion over the next 10 years. And despite that massive taxpayer investment, experience proves just one thing: Americans will continue to pay more—a lot more—for health care. “Since the enhanced credits were enacted in 2021, insurance companies have raised premiums by 31 percent nationally. “Third, these payments don’t show up in your wallet to buy down the cost of your healthcare. This money goes directly to insurance companies, with no requirement that it’s used to reduce prices or improve care. “Lastly, massive fraud plagues this program. ‘Phantom Enrollees’—people enrolled on paper but who have zero claims—now make up roughly 35 percent of marketplace enrollees. National insurance companies get paid for millions of nonexistent ‘phantom’ patients, while North Dakota farm families and small business owners continue to pay rising premiums. This makes no sense. “Some in Washington celebrate all this and call it ‘affordable.’ North Dakotans know better. Pouring more taxpayer money into a program every year to make it look affordable, isn’t affordable at all. “Clearly, we need an off ramp from these massive payouts to insurance companies. They aren’t working. So, what are the alternatives? “Republicans have been working for years on reforms to drive down costs, increase transparency, and put patients back in charge. In fact, we passed several improvements in the Working Families Tax Cut plan (One Big Beautiful Bill) earlier this year. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), our House-passed reforms to crack down on fraud and support cost sharing reductions would have reduced ACA premiums by nearly 13 percent and saved taxpayers more than $130 billion over 10 years. Sadly, Democrats stripped these out of the final bill in the Senate. These reforms are a good starting point. “Importantly, we should direct tax credits to individuals, not insurance companies, and strengthen direct-to-patient tools like Health Savings Accounts and flexible spending accounts. Let’s put families back in the driver seat of their own care and encourage healthier decisions. “And while we work toward these fundamental changes, we have other bipartisan reforms ready to go: Price transparency legislation—including the Lower Prices, More Transparency Act—which passed the House last year to give patients clear information to compare costs and quality.   Comprehensive PBM reform to end practices that drive up drug prices.   Patent reform to increase the number of lower-cost generic medications available to patients.   340B reform to direct discounts to patients and strengthen the rural hospitals the program was designed to support.   Prior authorization reform to stop unnecessary delays that prevent patients from getting timely care. “North Dakotans, and Americans everywhere, are fed up with our health care system. It’s time for all stakeholders in the system, and leaders in Washington, to move beyond the superficial talking points to real reforms that make health care affordable.”   ###