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The Latest

From the Committee

House Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, and Judiciary Committees Introduce Bipartisan Joint NIL Legislation to Establish National Framework

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as part of a bipartisan joint committee process to stabilize the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace, leadership from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Committee on Education and Workforce, and Committee on the Judiciary introduced the SCORE Act and issued the following statements.

“NIL offers an endless array of opportunities for student-athletes to make the most of their college experience, but the lack of clear guardrails has left athletes and universities on unstable ground. The SCORE Act creates a national framework that supports student-athletes and recenters the educational mission of college athletics,” said Chairmen Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Tim Walberg (MI-05), and Jim Jordan (OH-04). “We are proud of this landmark legislation, and we look forward to working with our colleagues to strengthen this American institution.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade:

“College athletics are a vital part of American culture, and it's clear—from both student-athletes and universities—that a national framework is long overdue. The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act delivers the stability, clarity, and transparency that stakeholders have been calling for,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “I’m proud of the work our Subcommittee has done on this important issue, and I look forward to advancing a measure that establishes clear guardrails—ones that empower student-athletes while upholding the core educational mission of our colleges and universities.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05):

“As the mom of a D1 athlete, I've seen firsthand how important – and how long overdue – it was to allow our student athletes to earn their fair share,” said Congresswoman Bynum. “The NIL marketplace in college sports is currently operating like the Wild Wild West. This legislation takes important steps towards adding guardrails that guarantee that all student athletes can earn fair compensation, access a complete and quality education, and develop the skills they need to succeed in life after sports. I look forward to continuing to work on this bipartisan bill and delivering both strong protections and good opportunities to student athletes.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congressman Shomari C. Figures (AL-02):

“The current college sports environment has drastically changed in the NIL era and this bill provides a framework to where students can not only be compensated but also have access to resources like health care and financial literacy courses, to ensure they have a solid foundation for their lives after college and we can get back to just playing ball,” said Congressman Figures“I look forward to continuing the bipartisan work to make this the strongest bill possible and protect student athletes, schools, and our athletic conferences.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congresswoman Lisa McClain (MI-09), Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference:

“College athletes in Michigan and across the country deserve the chance to benefit from the value they help create,” said Chairwoman McClain. “Throughout my work on NIL reform, I have pushed for fairness, transparency, and preserving the student-athlete model. I’m proud the SCORE Act includes key principles I have championed, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to move this important legislation forward.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust:

“Student athletes are the embodiment of the American Dream. But that dream is at a crossroads due to the uncertainty facing college athletics,” said Congressman Fitzgerald“The SCORE Act provides the necessary framework to recapture the principles and spirit of collegiate sport, while ensuring our student athletes can be fairly compensated and adequately protected for years to come. I’m grateful to the University of Wisconsin and all who participated in our Judiciary Committee roundtable, which helped expand our understanding of the current landscape around antitrust liability for the NCAA and informed the development of this legislation.”

Following Quote is Attributable to Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07):

“The SCORE Act is a significant step forward for name, image, and likeness (NIL) in college sports. A lack of clear rules and the inability to enforce them have turned the NIL landscape into the Wild West. This bill will finally bring order to the chaos—protecting universities and conferences from a flood of litigation, safeguarding Olympic and women’s sports teams, and creating a fair, national framework that allows student-athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness,” said Congressman Fry. “As a member of both the House Energy and Commerce and House Judiciary Committees, I’m proud of the work we have done in an effort to strike the right balance between supporting student-athletes ad preserving the integrity of college sports.”

Background:

Without clear federal standards, college athletic programs and athletes face a chaotic patchwork of state laws, legal uncertainty, and growing threats to traditional sports programs. The SCORE Act restores order by:

· Reaffirming the student-first model;

· Defending Olympic sports;

· Shielding athletes from being exploited by bad actors;

· Establishing clear regulatory authority and enforcement mechanisms; and

· Improving transparency and accountability to better protect athletes and universities.

The SCORE Act’s original co-sponsors:

· Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) – Lead Republican

· Rep. Janelle Bynum (OR-05) – Democrat Co-Lead

· Rep. Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) – Democrat Co-Lead

· Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02)

· Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05)

· Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04)

· Rep. Lisa McClain (MI-09)

· Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

· Rep. Russell Fry (SC-07)

Click HERE to read the bill text.

Click HERE to read the story.

Click HERE to view the SCORE Act fact sheet.

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More News & Announcements


Jul 9, 2025
Press Release

Chairman Guthrie and Chairman-Designate Palmer Announce Hearing to Address Advanced Recycling

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman-Designate of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a hearing titled Beyond the Blue Bin: Forging a Federal Landscape for Recycling Innovation and Economic Growth .  “From addressing e-waste and microplastics to creating opportunities for advanced recycling technologies, the Subcommittee on Environment is working to find commonsense solutions that promote innovation while protecting our nation's soil, air, and water,” said Chairman Guthrie and Chairman-Designate Palmer. “This hearing will provide a platform to examine new opportunities in the field of recycling, the current state of our recycling infrastructure, and whether current law can support the AI industry here at home.”   Subcommittee on Environment hearing titled Beyond the Blue Bin: Forging a Federal Landscape for Recycling Innovation and Economic Growth   WHAT: Subcommittee on Environment Hearing to Discuss Advanced Recycling.  DATE: July 16, 2025  TIME: 10:15 AM ET  LOCATION: 2322 Rayburn House Office Building  This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. This hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed at energycommerce.house.gov. If you have any questions about this hearing please contact Calvin Huggins at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov . If you have any press related questions please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov .  ### 



Jul 9, 2025
Press Release

Chairman Guthrie and Chairman-Designate Griffith Announce Legislative Hearing on Preserving Access to Timely and Affordable Care

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman-Designate of the Subcommittee on Health, announced a hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines.   "These vital public health programs play a critical role in improving health care for Americans,” said Chairman Guthrie and Chairman-Designate Griffith . “Programs like the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program are crucial to ensure patient access to safe over-the-counter products. The Health Subcommittee remains committed to priorities like bolstering health care workforce development, as well as lifting up rural communities to ensure all Americans can live healthier lives."   Subcommittee on Health hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines.   WHAT: Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Preserving Access to Timely and Affordable Care.  DATE: Wednesday, July 16, 2025  TIME: 10:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 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 energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Annabelle Huffman at Annabelle.Huffman@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Katie West at Katie.West@mail.house.gov .   ###



Jul 8, 2025
Press Release

ICYMI: Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: No One is ‘Gutting’ the Safety Net

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board wrote the following op-ed this week in defense of the commonsense provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.   Key Takeaways:   Medicaid spending has risen by roughly 60 percent since 2019, and the bill’s intent is to slow Medicaid spending amidst continued growth in the program.  In a letter penned last month about the House bill, CBO said 4.8 million individuals covered by Medicaid won’t comply with the bill’s part-time work requirement. That should be a warning about the country’s social condition.  The work requirement provisions don’t apply to anyone who is disabled, pregnant or caring for a child younger than age 14. You will still receive Medicaid coverage by volunteering 20 hours a week or enrolled in school.  Don’t buy the Democratic talking point that the working poor will be lost in red tape as they try to prove they’re on the job; these provisions are intended to protect our most vulnerable Americans.   Since the Biden Administration waved millions onto health entitlements, the GOP bill includes sensible measures such as asking states to check their Medicaid expansion rolls every six months and more scrutiny on Obamacare subsidies.   America is a generous society that cares for the vulnerable. But it should also be a land of opportunity, not a European welfare state.  In Case You Missed It…   “Democrats and their media collaborators always distort GOP policy, but the coverage about the big budget bill has kicked free of the earth. Allow us to temper the histrionics about gutting the social safety net with a few facts about Medicaid, food stamps and Republican priorities.   “By now you’ve seen the headline in every outlet: The Republican law will soon toss millions from Medicaid and cut the program to the bone. But annual spending on the health entitlement will grow over the next decade even with the bill’s roughly $1 trillion in estimated savings. Medicaid spending has risen by roughly 60% since 2019, and the bill’s intent is to try to bend Medicaid’s trajectory closer to the bad old days of 2020.   “Democrats and some Republicans have offered cynical distortions that pregnant women in poverty and disabled children will suffer. But Republicans are trying to address the program’s enormous ObamaCare expansion to prime-age adults above the poverty line, and note the details of those who will allegedly lose coverage.   “CBO, in an letter last month about the House bill, said 4.8 million won’t comply with the bill’s part-time work requirement. That should be a warning about the country’s social condition. The work requirement doesn’t apply to anyone who is disabled, pregnant or caring for a child younger than age 14. Volunteering 20 hours a week or enrolled in school? You can get Medicaid.   “Don’t buy the Democratic talking point that the working poor will be lost in red tape as they try to prove they’re on the job. States have handled work requirements in food stamps and cash assistance for decades.   “As the Foundation for Government Accountability notes, when Arkansas experimented with such requirements in Medicaid, enrollees only had to report work once, and it was easy to do so. The state cross-referenced wage and employment data and folks could also self-attest online or call a hot line. The Democratic position is that Medicaid should be a free universal benefit for men who refuse to work.   “The other main provision is tamping down state scams to hoover up more federal dollars. The main losers here are large hospital systems that have been doing well on the largesse.   “The GOP bill also includes sensible measures such as asking states to check their Medicaid expansion rolls every six months and more scrutiny on ObamaCare subsidies. That is necessary because the Biden Administration waved millions onto health entitlements. The Paragon Institute estimates that 6.4 million people are enrolled in fully subsidized ObamaCare plans but don’t meet the eligibility criteria. Apparently this is what Democrats support.   “The bill’s changes to food stamps are also modest and rooted in the tenet that work is central to upward mobility. As a refresher, the program currently requires able-bodied adults without dependents to work about 20 hours a week—or lose benefits after three months. That 90-day dispensation allows those who suffer a setback time to get back on their feet.   “But here is the not at all radical reform proposition: More of those who rely on benefits for longer need to be working. The GOP bill would expand the current work requirement to cover more able-bodied adults, including some parents with older children in school and those in their 50s and early 60s. The law also tries to tighten up waivers that states have abused to eliminate the work rules. The other major change is asking states with high improper payment rates to have skin in the game and pick up a share of benefit costs, which are currently billed 100% to the federal taxpayer.   “These are common-sense ideas that have public support, though most voters aren’t hearing a defense from Republicans. Here is the abiding lesson for the GOP: Ducking the hardest reforms, public groveling, the bill’s eleventh-hour $50 billion blowout for rural hospitals—none of it will stop dishonest Democratic attacks. There is no substitute for defending your own ideas.   “Democrats think they can ride the Medicaid scare into a midterm victory, but there’s still time for the GOP to lay out the facts. Roughly a quarter of Americans are on Medicaid, which is worse than private insurance. Food aid tops $100 billion a year and no longer shrinks as it once did when the economy is growing.   “America is a generous society that cares for the vulnerable. But it should also be a land of opportunity, not a European welfare state.”   ### 


Trending Subcommittees

Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade


9 Updates

Interstate and foreign commerce, including all trade matters within the jurisdiction of the full committee; consumer protection, including privacy matters generally; data security; motor vehicle safety; regulation of commercial practices (the Federal Trade Commission), including sports-related matters; consumer product safety (the Consumer Product Safety Commission); product liability; and regulation of travel, tourism, and time. The Subcommittee’s jurisdiction can be directly traced to Congress’ constitutional authority “to regulate Commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.”


Communications & Technology


4 Updates

Electronic communications, both Interstate and foreign, including voice, video, audio and data, whether transmitted by wire or wirelessly, and whether transmitted by telecommunications, commercial or private mobile service, broadcast, cable, satellite, microwave, or other mode; technology generally; emergency and public safety communications; cybersecurity, privacy, and data security; the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Office of Emergency Communications in the Department of Homeland Security; and all aspects of the above-referenced jurisdiction related to the Department of Homeland Security.


Energy


3 Updates

National Energy Policy, energy infrastructure and security, energy related Agencies and Commissions, all laws, programs, and government activities affecting energy matters. National Energy Policy focuses on fossil energy; renewable energy; nuclear energy; energy conservation, utility issues, including but not limited to interstate energy compacts; energy generation, marketing, reliability, transmission, siting, exploration, production, efficiency, cybersecurity, and ratemaking for all generated power. Energy infrastructure and security focuses on pipelines, the strategic petroleum reserve, nuclear facilities, and cybersecurity for our nation’s grid. Our jurisdiction also includes all aspects of the above-referenced jurisdiction related to the Department of Homeland Security. Agencies and Commissions in our jurisdiction include: The US Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.


Recent Letters


Jun 18, 2025
Press Release

Chairman Guthrie Requests More Information on Improperly Shared User Data by California’s Health Insurance Marketplace Website

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Reps. Palmer (AL-06), Carter (GA-01), Bilirakis (FL-12), and Obernolte (CA-23), penned a letter to the Executive Director of Covered California (CoveredCA), Jessica Altman, to request further information related to the potentially unauthorized transmission of sensitive personal health information involving Covered California’s website. Key Letter Excerpt: “According to public reports and agency statements, tracking technology was embedded on Covered California's website beginning in February 2024, as part of a broader digital advertising effort, and in direct contravention of the tracking platform’s user agreement, which prohibits the use of such tools on pages that collect sensitive health information. Although the tags were reportedly removed in April 2025, following external scrutiny and a vendor transition, the extended period of data exposure raises serious questions about the adequacy of safeguards that Covered California had in place. Forensic testing by investigative reporters identified the trackers in operation and confirmed that user-entered health information was being transmitted to third parties without consent. These circumstances warrant examination of Covered California’s actions under federal privacy standards.” “Ensuring the confidentiality of health information is a foundational obligation for entities operating within the health insurance ecosystem. Federal privacy protections, particularly the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), establish expectations for how covered organizations handle sensitive data. Recent reports and public filings raised questions about whether those expectations were met in this case, and whether existing oversight mechanisms are sufficient to detect and prevent improper disclosures.” Background: Forensic testing shows Covered California —the State of California’s official health insurance marketplace—has been sending sensitive user health data to third-party websites through several online data trackers. Prior to removal of the trackers, CoveredCA had more than 60 trackers active on its website; the average number of trackers on a government website is three. Some types of information sent to such websites include: Searches for doctors in network with specific plans/specializations Demographic information, including gender, ethnicity, and marital status Length of treatment a patent received by a provider Frequency of doctor visits If the user indicated they were blind, pregnant, a victim of domestic abuse, or used prescription medications. The State of California independently operates CoveredCA. As the state’s official ACA marketplace, CoveredCA falls under the purview of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The disclosure of information such as pregnancy or prescription drug use without proper consent—even for “marketing purposes”—may violate HIPAA. This Congress, the Committee has sent letters to 23andMe and DeepSeek over potential data privacy concerns: The Committee also held a hearing last Congress on the Change Healthcare hack, where personal health information was also jeopardized. CLICK HERE to read Fox News coverage of the letter. CLICK HERE to view the full letter. ###



Jun 5, 2025
Press Release

Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson Ask President Trump to Remove Biden-era BEAD Regulations and Expedite Funds to Deploy Rural Broadband

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging the administration to quickly remove burdensome regulations that have stopped the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program from connecting any American to reliable broadband. KEY EXCERPT: “The Biden administration added unnecessary and burdensome requirements that made participation in the program more expensive and less attractive to broadband providers. These include labor and climate change requirements, as well as rate regulation of low-cost broadband plans that were unlawfully imposed.  “To address these issues, we introduced the Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment (SPEED) for BEAD Act, which outlines necessary reforms to BEAD. We appreciate that Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is undertaking a review of the program and urge any reforms to be enacted as soon as possible.” BACKGROUND: On March 5, 2025,  Congressman Hudson introduced  the SPEED for BEAD Act to remove harmful regulations that have prevented the $42 billion program from laying even a single inch of fiber to support rural Americans. Also on March 5, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce  held a hearing  to discuss the BEAD program titled  Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. ###



Apr 17, 2025
Press Release

Chairmen Guthrie, Bilirakis, and Palmer Launch Investigation into 23andMe and its Handling of Americans’ Sensitive Medical and Genetic Information

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to 23andMe regarding the handling of Americans' sensitive data following the company's decision to file for bankruptcy. KEY EXCERPT: “According to 23andMe’s privacy statement, in a bankruptcy, customers’ ‘Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction and this Privacy Statement will apply to [customer] Personal Information as transferred to the new entity.’ Additionally, a judge recently ruled 23andMe has the right to sell the sensitive medical and genetic information of its 15 million customers, which is considered to be the company’s most valuable asset. With the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans’ most sensitive personal information.” Background: On March 23, 2025, 23andMe initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which could have ramifications for the highly sensitive information of millions of Americans. While Americans’ personal health information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), these protections only apply if the information is collected by a HIPAA covered entity. Generally, direct-to-consumer companies, like 23andMe, are not covered by HIPAA. Customers have reported issues accessing and deleting their data from their 23andMe accounts. The Chairmen have requested answers to the following questions: If 23andMe were to sell the personal information of its customers either as a standalone asset or as part of a broader sale of the company, what post-sale data privacy and security protections would be in place for its customers’ personal information? Please describe how the representations made in 23andMe’s privacy statement will continue to apply—and be enforced—if the personal information of 23andMe’s customers is sold to a third party. Please include in this response information about what, if anything, would hold a third-party buyer to 23andMe’s privacy statement or prevent it from subsequently using, transferring, or otherwise selling, such information in the future. Does 23andMe plan to change its privacy statement at any time prior to selling any customers’ personal information? If so, please explain the change 23andMe plans to implement and when those changes will go into effect. Does 23andMe intend to vet prospective buyers to which it may sell its customers’ personal information? If so, please detail the vetting process and whether it will include the prospective buyer’s history of implementing data security protections and compliance with sectoral, state, or any other data privacy and security laws. If not, please explain why. Please detail the categories of customer information 23andMe has, and of that what 23andMe is considering selling. Has 23andMe notified its customers of the company’s bankruptcy announcement? If so, please attach the customer notification. If not, please explain why. Has 23andMe provided its customers with a guide for how to delete, or request to delete any information currently in 23andMe’s possession? If so, please provide a copy of that guide and specify when it was provided to customers. If not, please explain why, and explain whether 23andMe will contact each of its customers and provide an opportunity to delete their personal information prior to a potential sale of the company or personal information maintained by the company. Please detail the number of requests 23andMe received from its customers to delete their personal information between when 23andMe filed for bankruptcy and the date of the response to this letter. Of those requests, please provide a breakdown of how many requests were made by customers through their 23andMe online accounts and how many were made via customer service calls because customers were unable to successfully delete their information through their online accounts. Of those requests, please detail the number of fulfilled requests. Will 23andMe offer for sale any information in which a customer has requested the deletion of such information? If so, does 23andMe’s privacy policy consider selling information a legitimate purpose for retaining information past a customer's request to delete their information? Will 23andMe deidentify its customers’ personal information prior to selling it or the company? If so, please detail which information will be deidentified. If not, please explain why the company is electing not to deidentify information. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the story from CNBC. ###