Welcome to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) blasted President Biden today following the administration’s decision to direct federal agencies to use "social cost of greenhouse gas emissions" ( SC-GHG) metrics more broadly. With this mandate, agencies will have the green light to apply these flawed metrics to decisions, including the purchase of goods and services, conducting environmental reviews, and penalizing American companies.  “President Biden’s relentless efforts to force an energy transition on American families is driving up costs across the board, threatening the security of people’s jobs and the reliability of their electricity, and making us more reliant on China. This announcement is not about reducing emissions—it's about asserting total control over people’s lives and livelihoods with deeply flawed metrics that benefit the administration’s political allies. The SC-GHG will enable the administration to disguise the true costs of its rush-to-green agenda on the American people. Vilifying American energy will not reduce emissions or make life more affordable for the hardworking people of this country.”  In Case You Missed It: In March 2022 , Chair Rodgers sent a letter, along with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), to EPA Administrator Michael Regan requesting transparency and information on EPA’s use of SC-GHG.  

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notified the Committee that the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been debarred for ten years.   “This news is long overdue and should have happened years ago. The federal government has no business sending Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars to such a dangerous institution. The Wuhan Institute of Virology—under pressure by the Chinese Communist Party—was part of a group that stifled a global investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a continued loss of human life.  “The Biden administration is finally doing what the evidence and facts have demanded. It is outrageous that it took them so long. HHS must now consider a similar debarment for EcoHealth Alliance.  “The American people deserve every assurance that they will not be forced to fund risky research, especially in unsafe conditions within adversarial nations.”  READ:    July 2023 : E&C Republicans Statement on Suspension of Funding and Proposed Debarment of WIV  July 2023 : E&C Investigation Reveals Key NIH Officials—Including Dr. Fauci—Likely Served Unlawfully   January 2023 : Chair Rodgers: HHS’s OIG Report Confirms our Concerns with NIH’s Funding of EcoHealth Alliance   October 2022 : E&C Republicans to NIH: Why Resume Taxpayer-Supported Grant Funding to EcoHealth?   February 2022 : E&C Republican Leaders Push NIH for Stronger Enforcement of Grants Policies and Compliance Information Regarding EcoHealth Alliance   August 2021 : E&C Republican Leaders Request Further Info From NIH & NIAID Following Concerns of Wuhan Lab Biosafety Procedures   June 2021 : E&C Republicans Send Second Letter to NIH Director Regarding Grants Issued to EcoHealth Alliance 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled: “Connecting Every American: The Future of Rural Broadband Funding.” E&C IS LEADING TO CONNECT ALL AMERICANS “Broadband connectivity has become essential for Americans. “People need it to pay their bills, continue their education, open a new business, and so much more. “Yet there are still many communities, particularly in rural areas, who lack a reliable connection. “That includes many in my district in Eastern Washington.” “Energy and Commerce is committed to supporting policies that lead to better and faster internet access. “Today, there are more than 130 federal broadband programs, and Congress has dedicated an unprecedented amount of taxpayer dollars towards funding these programs in recent years. “That includes the $65 billion for broadband deployment, affordability, and adoption in the IIJA, as well as existing programs like the Universal Service Fund, or USF. “As resources are made available and new funding programs are considered, we must ensure taxpayer dollars aren't being wasted or duplicated.” ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS OF BROADBAND PROGRAMS “The USF, for instance, has helped internet service providers connect rural homes and health centers, schools, libraries, and low-income Americans across the country for more than 25 years. “Now, with so many other programs working to achieve the same or similar goals, it is important that we evaluate the necessity of the USF and consider what it should support to ensure federal resources are achieving their intended purpose and that efforts aren’t being duplicated. “Once we address those questions, we can turn to how we fund the USF. “Today, the USF is funded by contributions from providers based on a revenue source that is declining, causing the contribution factor to increase. “In fact, next quarter, the contribution factor will hit a new record. “This cost ultimately increases the cost of services. “This means that Americans will soon see the highest ever USF fee on their phone bills. “This is not sustainable. “As we consider the future of the USF, it is important that we develop a stable funding mechanism that meets the needs of the program without raising costs for hardworking Americans.” AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM “The Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, is also important in the context of today’s discussion. “This COVID-era program was supposed to be a temporary band-aid to help families economically impacted by the pandemic stay connected to broadband. Then, Congress made it permanent and has given it over $17 billion. “That money will soon run out and we must consider the program’s future. “This program is in addition to the Lifeline program, a federal subsidy program under USF designed to ensure that low-income Americans can afford broadband and telephone service. “Congress has a responsibility to ensure that these programs are run effectively, and I do have questions about which program is most effective, how efforts can be consolidated or streamlined, and what a federal subsidy program for low-income Americans should look like going forward. “Ultimately, minimizing duplicative spending, waste, and fraud will ensure resources are being used efficiently and serving as many people as possible. “Otherwise, without careful evaluation, rural Americans will continue to watch from a distance as technologies advance. “Kids will continue to grow up without access to online educational resources and businesses in rural America will continue to be left behind as the digital economy booms in urban centers and across the globe.” “Today’s hearing is an important step as we look to the future of rural broadband funding. All of us here today share the same goal—ensuring connectivity for every American. This will improve lives, strengthen the economy, and ensure that America wins the future.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), on behalf of the Health and Oversight Subcommittee Republicans, today wrote letters to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Agriculture. The letters come as part of the Committee’s ongoing investigation into federal laboratory biosafety practices, and the handling of dangerous pathogens in bioresearch.  KEY EXCERPT :  “Committee is investigating the safety and security of federal high-containment laboratories. We are writing to obtain further details about the performance and enforcement of the federal select agent program (FSAP), jointly managed by the CDC/Center for Preparedness and Response/Division of Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)/Veterinary Services/Agriculture Select Agent Services.”  BACKGROUND :  At an April 27, 2023, oversight hearing titled “Biosafety and Risky Research: Examining if Science is Outpacing Policy and Safety,” Members and witnesses discussed the FSAP and how to strengthen the oversight of safety in life sciences labs.  According to the seven published FSAP Annual Reports from 2015 – 2021:  The FSAP conducted 1,316 inspections: 173 by the Agriculture Select Agent Services, 857 by the Division of Select Agents and Toxins, and 286 joint inspections by CDC’s DSAT and USDA’s APHIS  The FSAP conducted 46 compliance inspections  17 entities participated in the FSAP Corrective Action Plan program  The FSAP made 20 referrals to the HHS OIG and/or the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Investigative and Enforcement Services  The Chairs requested documents and answers to questions, including the following, by September 29, 2023:  Please provide copies of all referrals the FSAP has made to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General and/or APHIS Investigative and Enforcement Services since January 1, 2015. Please provide the outcomes of these referrals.  According to the 2020 Annual Report, FSAP received one report involving a complaint about transportation issues that were unrelated to the SAR. FSAP referred this complaint to the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Transportation. Please provide a copy of this referral. Please provide the outcome of this referral.  Please provide copies of all FSAP compliance inspections conducted at laboratories at FDA, NIH, and CDC since January 1, 2015.  Since January 1, 2015, please list all entities levied civil money penalties as a result of FSAP enforcement actions, the nature of the violations, the kinds of pathogens involved, amount of the penalties, and the total amount of civil money penalties collected. Did any federal government entity have SAR violations that would have subjected a non-federal entity to civil money penalties? If so, which ones, and why were civil money penalties not levied?  For 2015-2021, the FSAP reported conducting 1,316 inspections. How many of those inspections were unannounced inspections?  Since December 22, 2022, has there been a release, loss, or theft of an agent or toxin listed as a federal select agent from or within a laboratory facility owned or operated by the HHS, or any other Federal laboratory facility?     If so, was there a notification to this committee or the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate no later than 72 hours after such event was reported to the HHS Secretary, including (1) the Federal laboratory facility in which such release, loss, or theft occurred; (2) the circumstances of such release, loss, or theft? If not, why not?  Not later than 14 days after such notification to the committees, was an update provided to the committees on (1) any actions taken or planned by the HHS Secretary to mitigate any potential threat such release, loss, or theft may pose to public health and safety; and (2) any actions taken or planned by the HHS Secretary to review the circumstances of such release, loss, or theft, and prevent similar events. CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), on behalf of the Health and Oversight Subcommittee Republicans, today requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a study on the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) effectiveness in overseeing grant funding. BACKGROUND :  NIH is one of the top research and development funding agencies—particularly for biomedical research.    NIH’s program level funding for Fiscal Year 2023 as enacted is $47.678 billion.   In fiscal year 2020, the agency obligated nearly $43 billion for research in areas such as infectious disease prevention, cancer treatment, and mental health.   NIH obligated as much as 80 percent of these funds towards extramural research, performed by outside organizations including universities, medical centers, and other research institutions.   Organizations receiving extramural research awards from NIH may, in turn, award sub-grants for a portion of the work.   As highlighted in HHS OIG and GAO reports , the use of sub-grants may further complicate the management and oversight of NIH research funds.  KEY EXCERPTS :  “A January 2023 report by the Office of Inspector General within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS OIG) detailed failures by NIH to monitor effectively its grants with EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit research organization. According to that report, the organization had overcharged the government for its services and improperly used federal grant funds. Further, a July 2023 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised similar concerns about NIH’s oversight of grant recipients and recommended that NIH make improvements to its oversight processes.”  […]  “In light of the recent problems in NIH’s oversight and the scale of NIH’s funding of extramural research awards, more transparency is needed about NIH’s policies and procedures as well as its effectiveness in overseeing financial management of its extramural research awards.” The Chairs requested answers to the following questions:  How much funding did NIH provide—using grants, cooperative agreements, or other award mechanisms—for extramural research since fiscal year 2014? For the same time frame, what resources did NIH and each of its institutes and centers have to conduct financial management oversight?  What are the trends in award funding including, for example, the research areas and types/characteristics of award recipients funded; the number, size, and duration of awards; the types of award mechanisms used?  What policies, procedures, and processes does NIH follow to administer and oversee its extramural research awards using grants, cooperative agreements, or other award mechanisms? How do policies, procedures, and processes differ among the NIH institutes and centers in administering and overseeing extramural research awards?   To what extent is NIH, consistent with its policies and procedures, ensuring effective financial management oversight of extramural research funding throughout the award life cycle?  What are the roles and responsibilities of those involved in such oversight including the award recipient?    How, if at all, does NIH’s oversight of extramural research funding differ for intramural research funding?  What internal assessments, if any, does NIH conduct to provide reasonable assurance that funds are being used as intended—including that proposed rates and costs are reasonable and funds are being used appropriately?  How much money has NIH recovered as a result of such internal assessments?    What changes, if any, has NIH implemented based on the findings and lessons learned from such assessments?  What data does NIH collect on the findings and results of its internal assessments? Are there data gaps, and can these gaps be addressed?   What are the lessons learned or best practices from institutes and centers that could be implemented across NIH? CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Subcommittee on Health Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), along with Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Committee on Oversight Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY), wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in an effort to force officials to comply with previous requests for COVID-19 origins information and cease stonewalling.  In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Chairs renewed requests from four previous letters for potentially incriminating documents and communications concerning EcoHealth Alliance, Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the now infamous “Proximal Origin” publication. The Committees have also asked individuals potentially involved with a COVID-19 origins cover-up to appear voluntarily for transcribed interviews—most notably Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Lawrence Tabak, and Dr. Hugh Auchincloss. If HHS does not meet the stated deadlines, the Chairs will be forced to consider the use of subpoenas to obtain the requested COVID-19 origins information. “This letter consolidates our previous requests regarding the origins of COVID-19 and, as a further accommodation to the Department, tables some requests, adds significant topic specificity, scopes down the time frame of our previous requests, and prioritizes requests most important to the Committees. Considering these significant accommodations, we expect full and timely compliance with each request,”  wrote the Chairs . “If the Department fails to meet any of the prescribed deadlines, the Committees will be forced to consider the use of the compulsory process.” In a second wave of letters, the Chairs reiterated invitations to three individuals with extensive involvement in COVID-19 origins related operations to appear for voluntary transcribed interviews. Notably, the renewed request for the testimony of Dr. Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, is critical to the investigation into the potential use of American taxpayer funds to conduct dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.  Further, the Chairs requested voluntary transcribed interviews with Mr. Greg Folkers—who served as Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Chief of Staff—and with Mr. F. Gray Handley—who served as Associate Director for International Affairs at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Should Dr. Daszak, Mr. Folkers, and Mr. Handley continue to refuse to cooperate with the Committees, the use of subpoenas will be considered. Read the letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra here.  Read the voluntary transcribed interview requests for Dr. Peter Daszak, Mr. Greg Folkers, and Mr. Gary Handley below:  Dr. Peter Daszak , EcoHealth Alliance President   Mr. Greg Folkers , Former Chief of Staff at NIAID  Mr. Gary Handley , Former Associate Director for International Affairs at NIAID