House Committee on Energy and Commerce

All Updates

Jun 29, 2026

Chairman Guthrie Delivers Floor Remarks on the KIDS Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered remarks on the House floor regarding H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS) Act*,* which protects kids online, empowers parents, and holds Big Tech accountable.

Chairman Guthrie's remarks on H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS) Act as prepared for delivery:

"I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act or the KIDS Act. This legislation is the most comprehensive, impactful children's online safety package Congress has considered.

"I want to thank Ranking Member Pallone for his partnership and leadership on this issue. Protecting children should not be a partisan issue, and I appreciate his commitment and us working together to find common ground to address the very real challenges facing families today.

"Before I continue, I also want to recognize two parents who are with us in the gallery today. Deb Schmill, mother of Becca, and Maurine Molark, mother of David. They have experienced every parent's worst nightmare, losing a child because of online harms. Thank you for your courage in sharing your stories and for turning unimaginable loss into tireless advocacy to help protect other children and families. Your presence here today reminds us what is at stake, and your voices have helped shape this legislation.

"A key part of our approach was negotiating a package of impactful provisions. We worked hard to reach a workable compromise. The KIDS Act incorporates 13 bipartisan Member priorities from across the House to empower parents, protect children and teens' privacy, and hold Big Tech and online forums accountable.

"The bill requires platforms to protect kids by default, including limiting addictive and dangerous design features and risky messaging functions. It gives parents stronger tools to monitor and manage their children's online experiences, establishes safeguards for AI chatbots, creates new protections in online gaming environments, and requires age verification for pornography websites to ensure kids cannot access explicit content.

"The legislation also modernizes children's privacy protections by requiring parental consent before collecting information from children under 14 and extending important new privacy protections to teenagers under 18.

"At its core, this legislation sends a simple message: children deserve a safer online experience, parents deserve a greater voice in their children's digital lives, and technology companies must be held accountable when they fail to protect young users.

"While no single bill will solve every challenge facing families online, this legislation represents a significant and long-overdue step forward in establishing meaningful safeguards. It is an important milestone-not a finish line-in the effort to better protect children online and hold bad actors accountable.

"I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Jun 26, 2026

ICYMI: “Chairmen Guthrie, Hill, and Jordan Write to Oppose EU Crackdown on American Companies”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In case you missed it, the New York Post recently reported that Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman French Hill (AR-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, wrote a letter to the European Union's (EU) U.S. Ambassador, Jovita Neliupsiene, opposing the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

In Case You Missed It:
"Key Republicans in Congress are urging the European Union to reverse strict new environmental and human rights requirements that could cost US businesses billions of dollars more annually, The Post has learned.

"In a letter sent Thursday to the EU's US ambassador, Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, Financial Services Chair French Hill of Arkansas and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio took aim at the EU's new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, or CSDDD.

"'The compliance requirements are onerous and extraterritorial and appear to be designed to deliberately harm American companies,' a copy of the letter obtained by The Post stated, ripping the new rules' 'invasive checks on a company's supply chains.'

"The letter cited a recent study from the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank based in Washington, DC, that found the CSDDD would lead to 'measurable initial compliance costs of between $637 billion and $1.093 trillion.'

"The study noted that these costs are comparable to what US firms currently pay in environmental and financial regulations combined.

"Annual recurring costs for US businesses would 'range from $57 million to $8 billion,' which balloons to 'recurring annual costs [that] range from $6 billion to $43 billion if implicit costs are included, according to the same study.

"'The EU's CSDDD is yet another example in a concerning pattern of anti-competitive and anti-American business regulations,' Guthrie said in a statement.

"'The Western world benefits from a strong Europe, but unfortunately, rather than pursuing freer markets and innovation, EU regulators continue to prefer heavy-handed government intervention,' Guthrie added.

"'This course has hindered the European economy for the past two decades, and now the EU seeks to apply that same model outside of its borders.'

"The House members are asking the EU to remove the CSDDD regulations for all non-EU businesses - saying they are currently considering legislative action to provide relief to US companies harmed by the harsh requirements.

"'The costs and burdens associated with CSDDD compliance could lead to American companies drastically limiting or even divesting their European business.'

"In an October 2025 letter to senior Trump admin officials, several advocacy groups - including the National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce - warned of the potential ripple effects from the more stringent environmental regulations.

"'American businesses could be forced to respond to protect their interests. They would face difficult decisions about their EU investments and their exposure to the law's mandated penalties for perceived lack of compliance,' the advocacy groups wrote.

"'Economic growth would slow, supply chains would suffer, and transatlantic commerce and relations would only worsen. Neither the EU nor US would benefit from that scenario,' they said, adding that it would harm small and large businesses alike, along with local suppliers."

Jun 26, 2026

Press Release

Chairman Guthrie, Health Vice Chair Harshbarger, Congresswoman Miller-Meeks Lead Site Visit to Iowa Hospitals to Highlight Benefits of the Rural Health Transformation Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Health, and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01), led a site visit to Washington County Hospital & Clinics (WCHC) and the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center to better understand the ways in which hospitals are benefitting from the investments of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.

Iowa is the first state in the nation to fully allocate its Year 1 funds from the $50 billion RHT Program. The state received $209 million for the first year of funding. During the tour of WCHC, members were able to see firsthand how RHT funding is modernizing the way rural communities deliver care.

"In the Working Families Tax Cuts, [...] we created this fund-$50 billion dollars-and immediately, Dr. Miller-Meeks-with her background in health care and serving the people of Iowa-latched onto this and brought the Iowa Hospital Association together," said Chairman Guthrie. "Under her leadership, [she] became the leader in the country in transforming rural health care, [...] to help hospitals move to the future."

"Iowa has been on the forefront and first in the nation in dispensing Rural Health Transformation fund grants. Part of this is helping to socialize this among representatives and Chair Guthrie, as the Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has a lot of information he'll be able to take back to [help] improve the program, and also let other states know what they can do in order to get their applications in and accepted," said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks.

Part of WCHC's application process for the RHT funding included plans to get a new CT machine, which has better electronic services and more efficient digitization. Last Friday, WCHC was notified that they were awarded the funding to be able to purchase the new equipment, as well as technical upgrades for existing equipment.

"There is a lot in the RHT that is going to be very valuable to hospitals to keep patients in their community, give patients higher quality care, [expand] access to better services that they haven't been able to deliver before in the past, and also to take care of high-severity patients, which then can be kept in their local community," said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks.

After the tour, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce sat down with health leaders in Iowa, including Kevin Kincaid, CEO of Knoxville Hospital & Clinics; Todd Patterson, CEO of WCHC; Kevin DeRonde, CEO of Mahaska Health; Matt Ives, CEO and CFO of Keokuk County Health Center; and Stephan Schomer, MD, Chief Medical Officer of WCHC, with the leaders applauding the carefully crafted policy, which ensures the seamless application and nuanced guidelines for obtaining and deploying the funding.

The Members of Congress also traveled to the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center, where they met with state health and university officials to discuss RHT Program implementation, learned more about the Iowa Maternal Health Innovation Grant Simulation-Based Education Program, and toured the Child Health Specialty Clinic-specifically exploring the use of telehealth to administer Children's Psychiatry care.

See Below for Additional Coverage of the Site Visit:

READ: "Congresswoman Miller-Meeks and Chairman of Energy and Commerce hosted by WCHC," Southeast Iowa Union, June 24, 2026

READ: "WCHC Hosts Congresswoman Miller-Meeks and Energy and Commerce Committee Chair," KCII Radio, June 24, 2026

Jun 26, 2026

Press Release

Guthrie: “If you’re cheating the system, we’re going to come after you. If you’re the most vulnerable, you’re going to be taken care of.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, 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, continued their fight against fraud in Medicaid programs across the country... while Democrats used our most vulnerable Americans as a political football denying that evidence of widespread Medicaid fraud exists and claiming that Republicans' efforts to combat Medicaid fraud are merely a political exercise.

Even after three hearings held in the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Democrats still refuse to acknowledge that fraud schemes occurring nationwide within government health programs are real, plentiful, destructive, and in some cases, even lethal.

In January 2026, two individuals pleaded guilty to a seven-year $68 million Medicaid fraud scheme involving two Brooklyn-based social adult daycares (SADC) and a home health company.

On February 19, 2026, the New York State Comptroller "found questionable Medicaid payments, safety risks, and compliance problems" in SADC programs. In another instance, two Queens men who owned SADCs and a pharmacy were charged with $120 million in alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud schemes.

On April 7, 2026, a California man pleaded guilty to submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims over an 11-month span to California's Medi-Cal program for expensive prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary and, in many instances, not provided to the purported recipients.

In May 2026, then-Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced that three individuals had been charged with fabricating home health billing time sheets, billing for services that were not provided, and double billing while working at other jobs. Two of the individuals even billed Medicaid for in-home health services that were not possible-one while a client was hospitalized for four months, and another when the provider was on vacation in Jamaica.

On May 13, 2026, Vice President J.D. Vance announced a deferral of $1.3 billion in questionable or potentially unallowable costs in California's Medi-Cal program, specifying that, "the state of California has not taken fraud very seriously."

On May 21, 2026, the DOJ announced the Minnesota Health Care Fraud Takedown-the largest Medicaid fraud take down in the history of the District of Minnesota-where two individuals perpetrated a $46.6 million scheme to bill for Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention services for children with autism that were not necessary or never provided. The defendants allegedly paid kickbacks to parents to enroll their children in autism therapy, facilitated diagnosing children with autism whether or not they in fact had the condition, and billed Minnesota Medicaid for services that were not rendered.

On June 4, 2026, DOJ announced a $30 million Medicaid fraud case, known as "Operation Playground Therapy," where the defendants operated behavioral health services companies that submitted false claims for therapy services for children and young adults. In the course of its investigation, DOJ "seized three bank accounts with $469K in funds and 14 vehicles worth $800K."

In June 2026, a New York $38 million SADC Medicaid scheme involving kickbacks and false billing resulted in the arrest of eight individuals.

DOJ, just a few days ago, announced the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. Why are Democrats continuing to deny that vulnerable Americans are being harmed by bad actors exploiting critical safety net programs?

There are endless examples of fraud plaguing Medicaid, and billions of taxpayer dollars are lining the pockets of bad actors who are exploiting critical programs. And worst of all, vulnerable Americans are kept from receiving critical and potentially life-saving care. Yet, instead of facing the facts, Democrats continued to double down on their fearmongering tactics. Because unlike Democrats, Republicans believe that fraudsters who use precious taxpayer dollars to buy luxury cars and designer jewelry deserve to be put behind bars.

Republicans make no apologies for working to restore the integrity of a program intended to protect America's most vulnerable: expectant mothers, children, low-income seniors, and individuals living with disabilities. And we will not stop until vulnerable Americans are safeguarded and the Medicaid program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it are used for their intended purpose.

Democrats are gaslighting the American public. Fraud is real. And it's your tax dollars that fund it.

BACKGROUND

On January 20, 2026, 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, requested communications, documents, and information from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and then-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.
On February 3, 2026, the Subcommittee held a hearing titled Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, hearing from experts about the current state of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
On March 5, 2026, Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith sent letters to ten additional states-California and New York were among the states to which letters were transmitted-to request information and documents on the actions each state is taking to strengthen Medicaid program integrity.
On March 17, 2026, the Subcommittee held a hearing titled Protecting Patients and Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars: The Role of CMS in Combatting Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, featuring U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Deputy Administrator Kim Brandt, who provided detailed discussion with Members related to CMS' recent actions to improve program integrity in Medicare and Medicaid.
Medicaid is an indispensable lifeline for our nation's most vulnerable populations. In order to ensure that Medicaid is there to continue to support future generations of Americans in need, the Working Families Tax Cuts (H.R. 1) strengthened the program for those who need it most.
Within the Medicaid title of H.R. 1, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce found $806 billion in savings from waste, fraud, and abuse. The Senate version of H.R. 1 will save $1.1 trillion.
CBO has confirmed that on net states will save money from the elimination of wasteful state mandates, which means more money will be available to reinvest in our traditional Medicaid population.

Jun 25, 2026

Press Release

Health Subcommittee Advances 15 Bills to Protect American Communities and Increase Health Care Price Transparency to the Full Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a markup of 15 bills that will safeguard Americans from the harms of illicit substances and increase price transparency in our health care system, making the cost of care more affordable for all Americans.

"Today's markup furthered our efforts to lower health care costs for all Americans and safeguard our communities," said Chairman Griffith. "The current lack of transparency leaves patients in the dark and limits their ability to make informed care decisions. We know there is more work that needs to be done to refine many of these bills between our subcommittee action today and full committee markup, but this is something that has been important to both sides of the aisle and I look forward to continuing that work."

Legislative Vote Summary:

H.R. 1266, the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 2004, Tyler's Law, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 7970, the STOP Nitazenes Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 1561, the ALERT Communities Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 7994, the HERO Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9389, the Nutrition Education and Chronic Disease Prevention in Community Health Centers Act of 2026, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 8201, the Expanding Community Access to Health Services Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act of 2026, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9397, the Premium Transparency Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9390, the Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 3514, the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2025, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 9392, the Medicare Advantage Cost Transparency Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.
H.R. 5243, legislation To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase data transparency for supplemental benefits under Medicare Advantage, was forwarded to the Full Committee, as amended, by voice vote.
H.R. 9395, the Transparency in Medicare Advantage Steering Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee, by voice vote.

Watch the full markup here.

Below are key excerpts from today's markup:

Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) on H.R. 9389, the Nutrition Education and Chronic Disease Prevention and Community Health Centers Act: "Many of the communities I represent face significant health care access challenges. Patients may have to travel long distances to see a specialist, and in many areas, the community health center is the most accessible source of primary care. These centers are often the front door to our health care system for working families, rural residents, and underserved populations. Community health centers already provide high-quality, cost-effective care to millions of Americans, but they cannot solve our chronic disease crisis without the tools and resources to address one of the root causes, which is poor nutrition. My legislation helps bridge this gap. This legislation would support evidence-based nutrition counseling within community health centers. It would strengthen provider training and nutrition science, encourage team-based care models that include registered dietitians and community health workers, and prioritize centers serving communities with high rates of food insecurity and diet-related disease. This legislation also builds upon the trusted infrastructure that community health centers already have established in communities across the country."

Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) on H.R. 1266, the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act: "Drug traffickers have increasingly used xylazine as a low-cost cutting agent, fentanyl, and other illicit drugs, creating mixtures that are more dangerous, more difficult to treat, and increasingly present in communities throughout the country, unfortunately. Our laws must keep pace with these emerging threats, and that's what we're doing today. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would classify xylazine as a schedule III-controlled substance, provide law enforcement with additional tools to track and combat its diversion into the illicit market, and require further reporting and analysis regarding its prevalence and misuse. At the same time, this legislation protects the legitimate use of xylazine by veterinarians."

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01) on H.R. 9390, the Prices on the Wall Act of 2026: "For years, policymakers on both sides of the aisle have supported efforts to increase health care transparency. My bill builds on those efforts by making price information more visible and accessible to the people who need it most. Health care consumers deserve the same transparency that exists in virtually every other sector of our economy. Price transparency empowers patients. It encourages competition. It rewards providers who deliver the highest quality care at the most affordable cost, and it helps families make informed decisions about where they seek care. This is not about increasing bureaucracy; it is about providing patients with clear information. It is about respecting consumers and bringing greater accountability to our health care system. Americans work hard for every dollar they earn, and they deserve to know what price they are paying before they receive a service. Transparency is not a partisan issue; it is a patient issue. And I have put that into effect in my practice, so it is doable."

Jun 25, 2026

Press Release

O&I Subcommittee Holds Hearing with State Medicaid Directors as Part of Committee’s Extensive Probe into Medicaid Programs Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled State Medicaid Program Integrity: Examining Fraud Risks and Oversight Deficiencies.

“Let me be clear: fraud is not isolated to these states. As we discussed in two previous hearings before this Subcommittee, Medicaid fraud is a real problem. It happens in every single state, red and blue, and has been harming patients and draining taxpayer resources for decades,” said Chairman Joyce. “It is no longer sufficient to do the bare minimum. States must rise to the occasion and tackle fraud head-on. Our Medicaid program and the patients that rely on it to be healthy depend on it.”

Watch the full hearing here.

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

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Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02): “The Committee requested documents and information from your agency on March 3rd, including all audits related to fraud, waste, and abuse in the state’s Medicaid programs—including audits completed by third party contract auditors from January 1, 2021, to present. [...] Based on the information that has been provided to the Committee, we know that California has conducted such audits, but the committee did not receive a single audit document from California until 7 p.m. last night. Do you believe that providing more than 1,300 pages of documents on the eve of a hearing is fair to this committee?” Mr. Sadwith: “Thank you, Chairman... and I acknowledge the frustration.... we have been working with Committee staff to produce information and address the questions, including the list of 26,000 audits and investigations that we have conducted over the past five years. Last night, we provided some audits related to transportation and mental health that the committee had indicated were—” Chairman Guthrie: “There were also other [documents] that we requested... will you commit to providing what we’ve requested to this Committee? In a timely manner?” Mr. Sadwith: “Thank you, Chairman. There are ongoing law enforcement investigations that would be impacted by those specific audits that were requested. We’re happy to provide the appropriate information at the appropriate time.” Chairman Guthrie: “It just seems unfair to us to prepare for a hearing that you send everything to [us at] 7 p.m. last night. It almost seems like that was intentional.”

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Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06): “Mr. Connolly, CMS asks that you revalidate all providers in the 14 high risk Medicaid programs, with nearly 5,600 providers. After the initial revalidation, your office reported it disenrolled more than 3,400 providers; that’s 60 percent of those enrolled. However, last week, it appears your agency restored the billing privileges for over 2,100 that submitted the appeals. What’s going on with this revalidation process, and how are you making sure that providers who are restored pending appeal are filing legitimate claims in the meantime?” Mr. Connolly: “All of those services are subject to enhanced pre-payment review and all of the high-risk designation requirements that are associated with it.” Congressman Palmer: “It’s also been reported that many of the providers that were disenrolled had been flagged by your agency before...in other words, there was some suspicion. Is that true? Had they been flagged before?” Mr. Connolly: “...I’d have to confirm the details of that for you.”

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Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-06): “What was exciting for me, Director [Partika], is when I realized that we had the Attorney General and the Auditor working with your office, because, you know what? In life, sometimes we’re not perfect. And the wonderful story about America is that—when you look at our history—we correct our wrongs, like we do in Ohio. We’re not all full of ourselves that we’d say we’re perfect in the state of Ohio, we know that we’re flawed. But I like the idea that the three branches over there—you got the Attorney General’s office, you got the Ohio Auditor, and then you have [the state Medicaid director]—that are all working together to make it better. When you’re fourth in the country for Medicaid expansion, we want to make sure our people have their services.”

Jun 25, 2026

Press Release

Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Markup of 15 bills Addressing Illicit Drugs and Health Care Price Transparency

Subcommittee Chairman Griffith's opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Today’s markup will further our efforts to lower health care costs for all Americans and safeguard our communities.

“It builds off our most recent hearing that examined several policy proposals to increase price transparency across the health sector and builds on President Trump’s initiatives to bring more transparency to our health system.

“The markup also builds on the work this Subcommittee did in passing the HALT Fentanyl Act, led by myself and Mr. Latta, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, led by Chairman Guthrie, both of which President Trump signed into law last year.

“Health care costs remain one of the most important challenges facing American patients, families, and employers.

“Today’s health system can be complex and difficult to navigate, leaving many Americans without clear information about the cost or quality of care they receive.

“Patients are often asked to make important decisions without clear information about the costs they face, whether a provider is in-network, or what alternative treatment options are available.

“Even those who carefully plan medical expenses can be surprised by bills that arrive weeks or months after receiving care.

“The current lack of transparency leaves patients in the dark and limits their ability to make informed care decisions.

“At a time when consolidation among insurers and providers continues to reduce competition and drive up prices, transparency serves as a potential solution to empower consumer choice, improve health care outcomes, and ultimately, lower costs.

“That is why we need to continue to move these critical bills across the finish line.

“Understand, we know there is more work that needs to be done to refine many of these bills between subcommittee action today and full committee markup, but this is something that has been important to both sides of the aisle and I look forward to continuing that work.

“One of the bills under consideration is the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which is a continuation of our transparency work last Congress.

“The bill codifies many of the regulations implemented by the Trump Administration and aims to bolster transparency and compliance.

“It does this by requiring hospitals and providers to publicly post prices for their services and it standardizes information for these charges and services provided by these entities.

“Some of the other transparency bills in front of us today will bring more accountability and visibility into commercial and Medicare Advantage insurance plans.

“Several relate to prior authorization, so individuals can see the percentage of health claims approved and denied in a plan year.

“Another bill aims to bring transparency into premium dollars, which can help consumers better understand how plans are using their premium dollars.

“The medical loss ratio, or MLR, was created under the so-called Affordable Care Act, and it is the percentage of premium dollars spent by an insurance company on medical care outside of administrative costs or profits.

“As we heard in our Health Care Affordability Series hearings, there is gaming of this accountability measure.

“Incorporating increased transparency into plans and premiums helps provide clarity as to where premium dollars are being spent by insurance companies and how much of it is going toward beneficiary care.

“Additionally, there are several bills under consideration that continue our efforts in the illicit drug space.

“One of the bills is the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act, which would classify Xylazine as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, while also protecting its legitimate use in large animal veterinary medicine.

“This bill is important in my district, as according to the National Cattlemen’s Association, Virginia’s Ninth District is the largest cattle-producing Congressional district east of the Mississippi and my district is physically home to two veterinary schools.

“Another important bill before us is Tyler’s Law, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, to study and issue guidance on whether hospitals should implement fentanyl testing in their routine emergency department drug screens.

“Lastly, we will consider a couple of bills involving community health centers, one of which is led by Vice Chairwoman Harshbarger.

“That bill would allow for some community health center funding to be used for nutrition education and chronic disease prevention initiatives.

“I look forward to continuing to work on these policies and advancing them to the full Committee.”

Jun 25, 2026

Press Release

Chairman Joyce Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing with State Medicaid Directors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled State Medicaid Program Integrity: Examining Fraud Risks and Oversight Deficiencies.

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

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing titled, “State Medicaid Program Integrity: Examining Fraud Risks and Oversight Deficiencies.”

“Today’s hearing will examine Medicaid program integrity in four states: Minnesota, California, New York, and Ohio. For the first time in years, State Medicaid Directors are testifying before Congress to share what they are doing to address rampant fraud in government health care programs.

“Let me be clear: fraud is not isolated to these states. As we have discussed in two previous hearings before this Subcommittee, Medicaid fraud is a real problem. It happens in every single state, red and blue, and has been harming patients and draining taxpayer resources for decades.

“In Minnesota, a recent 90-million-dollar Medicaid fraud takedown brought charges in autism therapy services, housing support, home health care, and personal care services. This was just the latest set of charges in ongoing fraud investigations occurring there.

“In California, a man recently pleaded guilty to 270 million dollars in fraudulent prescription drug claims to Medicaid. Earlier this year, charges were filed against 21 suspects for defrauding Medicaid hospice benefits of 267 million dollars.

“In New York, 226 million dollars in social adult day care fraud has been charged in 2026 so far. Millions of dollars have been implicated in non-emergency medical transportation fraud schemes in recent years.

“In Ohio, a 42-million-dollar Medicaid fraud takedown implicated nine defendants in connection with therapeutic behavioral health services for children and young adults. Recently, there were also charges made in connection with hundreds of thousands of dollars in in-home services fraud.

“These fraud schemes harm patients. When services are billed but not rendered to vulnerable Medicaid recipients—who are dependent on this support—the consequences can be severe, and sometimes fatal.

“Elderly and disabled patients in need of in-home care do not receive the help they need to live their lives with dignity. Children who benefit from essential therapies do not receive them. Those who rely on transportation assistance to attend medical appointments miss the preventative care and treatments that they need to stay healthy.

“This morning’s hearing is the culmination of a months-long investigation led by this Subcommittee into Medicaid fraud with the goal of strengthening program integrity. After two hearings, letters to 11 states requesting documents and information, and reviewing over 90,000 pages of documents and information produced to the Committee, it is clear that some states are not doing enough to safeguard the Medicaid program, and gaps remain in program integrity requirements that are opening the door to fraud.

“Thankfully, fraud is finally getting the attention it deserves. I commend this Administration for surging resources to the War on Fraud by forming the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

“Additionally, CMS and the Office of Inspector General are leveraging their authorities to hold states accountable when they are not meeting the mark. We are seeing accountability for the first time in a long time. But more remains to be done.

“We can no longer tolerate criminals taking advantage of the Medicaid system. Fraud is not and should not be the cost of doing business. It is preventable and we all have a duty to help rein it in.

“It is no longer sufficient to do the bare minimum. States must rise to the occasion and tackle fraud head-on. Our Medicaid program and the patients that rely on it to be healthy depend on it.

“I want to thank our witnesses for being here today. We look forward to hearing from you and learning more about the steps your state is taking to address Medicaid fraud.”

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Jun 25, 2026

Press Release

Chairmen Guthrie, Hill, and Jordan Write to Oppose EU Crackdown on American Companies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman French Hill (AR-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, sent a letter to European Union (EU) Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupsiene opposing the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

“The EU’s CSDDD is yet another example in a concerning pattern of anti-competitive and anti-American business regulations. The Western world benefits from a strong Europe, but unfortunately, rather than pursuing freer markets and innovation, EU regulators continue to prefer heavy-handed government intervention. This course has hindered the European economy for the past two decades, and now the EU seeks to apply that same model outside of its borders,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I am hopeful that our allies in Europe will choose to roll back this punitive mandate on American businesses and avoid the need for Congress to consider legislation to rebalance the playing field.”

"The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive raises significant concerns about the overreach of European regulations to American companies. As implemented, this directive could impose costly compliance burdens, create legal uncertainty, and undermine the competitiveness of U.S. businesses that support millions of American jobs,” said Chairman Hill. “I appreciate Chairman Guthrie’s leadership in raising these concerns and encouraging a constructive dialogue with our European partners to ensure that regulatory frameworks promote growth and investment rather than unnecessary barriers to economic opportunity."

“The EU is once again deliberately targeting American companies,” said Chairman Jordan. “This time with a radical environmental agenda that harms the American economy.”

KEY LETTER EXCERPT:

“The compliance requirements are onerous and extraterritorial, imposing disproportionate burdens on American companies.” [...]

“Through passage of the CSDDD, the EU’s actions appear to be disadvantaging American and other non-EU businesses to the benefit of European firms.

“Instead of seeking meaningful domestic reforms that would strengthen European competitiveness, the European Parliament instead is choosing to export its heavy-handed regulatory regime by applying extraterritorial compliance burdens to international businesses without demonstrating meaningful benefits to justify the regulations.”

BACKGROUND:

A recent study found that initial compliance costs could range between $637 billion and $1.093 trillion, equivalent to the total costs of all current American environmental and financial regulations.
According to the same study, annual recurring costs range from $6 billion to $453 billion if including the implicit costs of changed conduct.
On October 29, 2025, the American Council for Capital Formation, International Franchise Association, National Association of Manufacturers, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, and the United States Chamber of Commerce opposed the new regulations, noting, “Economic growth would slow, supply chains would suffer, and transatlantic commerce and relations would only worsen. Neither the EU nor U.S. would benefit from that scenario.”

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

CLICK HERE to read the New York Post’s exclusive coverage of the letter.