Welcome to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) sent a letter yesterday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Acting Chairman and Commissioners demanding to know how they plan to incorporate guidance from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in a way that does not jeopardize American energy security.   Excerpts and highlights from the letter:  “On January 9, 2023, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued interim guidance entitled ‘National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change.’  “The stated goal of this guidance is to ‘assist Federal agencies in their consideration of the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change when evaluating proposed major Federal actions in accordance with NEPA...’ CEQ’s interim guidance took effect immediately for relevant agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or ‘Commission’). This vague guidance raises many concerns regarding how the Commission will follow its authorizing statutes in the issuance of permits for both natural gas and electric transmission infrastructure.   “While we understand this interim guidance is subject to change until the rule is finalized, we write to reiterate that NEPA, and especially the CEQ guidance, does not supplant the Commission’s core statutes for siting or permitting natural gas or electric transmission projects. Commissioner Christie pointed out in his dissent to the interim policy statement, entitled ‘Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Infrastructure Project Reviews,’ that the Commission’s own regulations implementing NEPA reflect that very fact, ‘the Commission will comply with the regulations of the CEQ except where those regulations are inconsistent with the statutory requirements of the Commission.’ As such, we request that each of you answer the below questions no later than March 30, 2023.  Is it your opinion that the CEQ guidance requires the Commission to quantify upstream and downstream emissions from natural gas projects? If so, how will the Commission apply this in its regulations?  Is the CEQ guidance consistent with facilitating the orderly development of plentiful supplies of natural gas at reasonable prices, as is the intent of the Natural Gas Act? If so, please elaborate. If not, how can the Commission legally implement the guidance?  Does the Commission intend to revise and reissue its natural gas policy statements (Docket Nos. PL21-3-000 and PL18-1-000) in order to incorporate this CEQ guidance? Please explain.  Does the Commission plan to undertake an analysis or solicit public feedback on how implementing this CEQ guidance could affect the price or availability of natural gas and electricity, or the effect on the economy as a whole?”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter.  NOTE: Chairs Rodgers and Duncan sent a letter to FERC on March 3, 2023, demanding they explain why the commission has abandoned its core mission to help deliver abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for Americans. The letter specifically referenced examples when FERC has appeared to make decisions beyond its statutory authority in order to advance President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ rush-to-green agenda. CLICK HERE to read more. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today announced the details of a full committee hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who will appear before the committee to testify on TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platforms’ impact on kids, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. It will be Chew’s first appearance before a congressional committee. The hearing is titled "TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms.”  “Americans deserve to know the extent to which their privacy is jeopardized and their data is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China. What’s worse, we know Big Tech companies, like TikTok, use harmful algorithms to exploit children for profit and expose them to dangerous content online. We need to know what actions the company is taking to keep our kids safe from online and offline harms. We look forward to hearing from Mr. Chew directly and continuing Energy and Commerce’s efforts to bring Big Tech CEOs before the committee to answer for their companies’ destructive actions.”   This full committee hearing is titled " TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms .”   WHAT: A full committee hearing on TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, how the platform affects children, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.  DATE: Thursday, March 23, 2023  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This announcement is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jessica Herron at Jessica.Herron@mail.house.gov .   Members of the media who wish to attend in person should RSVP to their respective press gallery no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22.  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  202-225-3945  Photographer Gallery:   press_photo@saa.senate.gov  202-224-6548  Please direct any press-related questions for Chair Rodgers and the Energy and Commerce Committee to Sean Kelly at Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov . 

Biden’s Partisan and Unrealistic Budget Request is Wrong for Americans Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will testify at a hearing to discuss President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget Request.  “President Biden’s reckless spending is forcing Americans to deal with record levels of inflation. It has made it more difficult to purchase healthy foods, caused greater stresses on families, and driven up health care costs across the board. His budget request doubles down on massive inflationary spending, would crush medical innovation for new cures, attacks states’ rights to manage their Medicaid needs, forces taxpayers to fund abortion, and fails to restore trust in our public health agencies. Secretary Becerra owes it to the American people to explain why the Biden administration is placing these priorities over lowering health care costs, combating the fentanyl crisis, and protecting the dignity of all human life.”  WHAT : A hearing to discuss President Biden’s FY24 Budget Request  DATE : Wednesday, March 29, 2023    TIME : 10:00 AM ET   LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building    This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at  https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at  Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at  Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov . 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, & Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) sent a letter yesterday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Acting Chairman and Commissioners demanding to know how they plan to incorporate guidance from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in a way that does not jeopardize American energy security.   Excerpts and highlights from the letter:  “On January 9, 2023, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued interim guidance entitled ‘National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change.’  “The stated goal of this guidance is to ‘assist Federal agencies in their consideration of the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change when evaluating proposed major Federal actions in accordance with NEPA...’ CEQ’s interim guidance took effect immediately for relevant agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or ‘Commission’). This vague guidance raises many concerns regarding how the Commission will follow its authorizing statutes in the issuance of permits for both natural gas and electric transmission infrastructure.   “While we understand this interim guidance is subject to change until the rule is finalized, we write to reiterate that NEPA, and especially the CEQ guidance, does not supplant the Commission’s core statutes for siting or permitting natural gas or electric transmission projects. Commissioner Christie pointed out in his dissent to the interim policy statement, entitled ‘Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas Infrastructure Project Reviews,’ that the Commission’s own regulations implementing NEPA reflect that very fact, ‘the Commission will comply with the regulations of the CEQ except where those regulations are inconsistent with the statutory requirements of the Commission.’ As such, we request that each of you answer the below questions no later than March 30, 2023.  Is it your opinion that the CEQ guidance requires the Commission to quantify upstream and downstream emissions from natural gas projects? If so, how will the Commission apply this in its regulations?  Is the CEQ guidance consistent with facilitating the orderly development of plentiful supplies of natural gas at reasonable prices, as is the intent of the Natural Gas Act? If so, please elaborate. If not, how can the Commission legally implement the guidance?  Does the Commission intend to revise and reissue its natural gas policy statements (Docket Nos. PL21-3-000 and PL18-1-000) in order to incorporate this CEQ guidance? Please explain.  Does the Commission plan to undertake an analysis or solicit public feedback on how implementing this CEQ guidance could affect the price or availability of natural gas and electricity, or the effect on the economy as a whole?”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter.  NOTE: Chairs Rodgers and Duncan sent a letter to FERC on March 3, 2023, demanding they explain why the commission has abandoned its core mission to help deliver abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for Americans. The letter specifically referenced examples when FERC has appeared to make decisions beyond its statutory authority in order to advance President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ rush-to-green agenda. CLICK HERE to read more. 

Washington, D.C. –  House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines requesting a briefing regarding the DOE’s assessment that concludes the COVID-19 pandemic was most likely caused by a lab leak in China.  “DOE’s findings highlight the need for transparency from government agencies regarding information in their possession relevant to the origins of SARS-CoV-2 as a means of rebuilding trust with the American people,”   the Chairs wrote. “This includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH), whose past leadership worked to suppress discussion of the possibility that the COVID-19 pandemic was the result of a research-related incident. The DOE’s updated assessment underscores the need for concrete reforms to the International Health Regulations, scrutiny and appropriate evaluation of the WHO’s proposed ‘Pandemic Accord,’ new leadership at the World Health Organization (WHO), Taiwan’s re-admittance to the WHO as an observer, and a thorough international investigation regarding the origins of COVID-19.”   […]   “To assist the Committees in understanding DOE and the Intelligence Community’s assessments and reporting on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, please provide the updated DOE assessment, including any underlying analyses from DOE national laboratories, and a comprehensive briefing on DOE’s findings no later than March 20, 2023. We further request that the ODNI take immediate steps to declassify the DOE’s assessment.”   The full text of the letter can be found  here .  

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate Change, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) sent a letter today to the Acting Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman and Commissioners demanding they explain why the commission has abandoned its core mission to help deliver abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for Americans. Rodgers and Duncan specifically reference examples when FERC has appeared to make decisions beyond its statutory authority in order to advance President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ rush-to-green agenda.  Excerpts and highlights from the letter below:  “In February of last year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ('FERC' or 'Commission') issued two policy statements concerning the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of natural gas projects under the Commission’s jurisdiction. According to the Commission, the policy statements were intended to clarify how it addressed GHG emissions when considering the issuance of certificates for natural gas pipelines and liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities and to 'provide an updated, legally durable framework' to the Commission’s decisions.   “At the time, we expressed concerns that the policy statements would make it more difficult to build our much-needed energy infrastructure to deliver abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for Americans, which is the Commission’s core mission. Thankfully, FERC abandoned these politically motivated policies by changing their status to draft shortly after they were issued.   “On December 15, 2022, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) entitled Applications for Permits to Site Interstate Electric Transmission Facilities. The NOPR, in part, was issued in response to the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; Pub. L. 117-58), which amended the Commission’s authority to issue permits to applicants for the construction of electric transmission facilities under Section 216 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) . This NOPR, similar to the natural gas policy statements referenced above, appears to broadly interpret the Commission’s statutory authority.  “The NOPR appears to impose on applicants vague requirements on environmental justice and air quality. It is unclear where FERC was granted such authority to impose these requirements on applicants under the FPA and the IIJA. For example, this NOPR proposes to require an 'Environmental Justice Public Engagement Plan' as part of a developer’s application for an electric transmission project. It also amends the Commission’s regulations to require of applicants a 'resource report' on environmental justice. The NOPR also proposes to define the term 'environmental justice community,' seemingly to help applicants comply with requirements set forth in the Environmental Justice Public Engagement Plan. Finally, the Commission proposes to require of applicants a 'Resource Report on Air Quality and Environmental Noise.” This resource report would 'require the applicant to estimate emissions from the proposed project….' “These requirements set forth in the NOPR seem contrary to the intent of Congress in amending the Commission’s authority under Section 216 of the FPA. We are concerned the Commission’s actions reach well beyond its statutory authority, which is primarily as an energy economic regulator, not a climate regulator.   “As such, we request that you answer the below questions no later than March 17, 2022.  What specific statutory authorities is the Commission relying upon in requiring an “Environmental Justice Public Engagement Plan” for project applicants under Section 216 of the FPA?  What specific statutory authorities is the Commission relying upon in requiring project developers to estimate emissions of electric transmission facilities under Section 216 of the FPA?  Does the Commission plan to issue specific guidelines for the 'Environmental Justice Public Engagement Plan' required for project applicants? If so, when?  The NOPR proposes that project applicants must engage with environmental justice communities in the pre-filing process. Such communities include those that have been 'overburdened by pollution.' Has the Commission defined this term with specific parameters for project developers in order to facilitate the timely issuance of permits?   Is it your opinion that these requirements will help facilitate the timely issuance of permits under Section 216 of the FPA? Please explain.”  CLICK HERE to read the full letter to FERC.