Subcommittees

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup. Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to today’s markup, which is a rare opportunity to address issues spanning the full jurisdiction of this Committee, from unleashing American energy to ending costly EV mandates, advancing American innovation to truly strengthening the Medicaid program for the most vulnerable Americans, and improving Americans’ access to quality health care.  “The House Budget Committee has tasked us with identifying $880 billion in savings and new revenue.  “We’ve worked diligently to meet that target by ending wasteful Green New Deal-style spending, supporting the rapid innovation of American industry and federal agencies, and eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid that jeopardizes care for millions of women, children, people with disabilities, and elderly Americans.  “To ensure American energy dominance, we will secure our energy infrastructure by taking steps to refill our Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which strengthens our energy security and supports our national security. In order to support the abundant energy production that will be necessary to secure our grid, and in order to increase revenue, we will expand the use of user fees to help streamline the siting and permitting of new oil, natural gas, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen pipelines. “We can save $172 billion over the next 10 years by repealing burdensome Biden-Harris Administration regulations, and over $100 billion by eliminating EV mandates imposed by the vehicle emission and CAFE standards that have failed to serve American taxpayers. “And through investments to modernize the Department of Commerce, we can integrate AI systems to make the Department more secure and effective. To protect the integrity of this project, we are implementing guardrails that protect against state level AI laws that could jeopardize our technological leadership. “Our legislation will raise $88 billion of new revenue through a historic agreement reauthorizing the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, while protecting U.S. national security.  “Biden-era inflation has left Americans struggling to access affordable health care. “The issue has been exacerbated by the decisions of left-leaning state governments to spend taxpayer dollars on illegal immigrants. We make no apologies for prioritizing Americans in need over illegal immigrants and those who are capable but choose not to work. “Our priority remains the same: strengthen and sustain Medicaid for those whom the program was intended to serve: expectant mothers, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. “We are prepared to stop the billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program by beginning to rein in loopholes, ensuring states have the flexibility to remove ineligible recipients from their rolls, and removing beneficiaries who are enrolled in multiple states. These are all commonsense policies that will return taxpayer dollars to middle-class families. “Medicaid was created to protect health care for Americans who otherwise could not support themselves, but Democrats expanded the program far beyond this core mission. That’s why we are establishing common sense work requirements for capable, but not working adults in the expansion population. Let me be clear – these work requirements would only apply to able-bodied adults without dependents who don’t have a disqualifying condition, encouraging them to re-enter the workforce and regain their independence. “All of this is part of our effort to strengthen Medicaid for the people that need it most.  “When President Trump delivered his second inaugural address, he promised “a revolution of common sense” that would launch a generation of growth, prosperity, and health.  “This reconciliation bill is critical to that promise the President and Congressional Republicans made to the American people. “Today, we bring before the committee a package that unleashes American energy dominance, advances innovation, and protects access to care for our most vulnerable.  “Each of these is a core part of our effort to re-spark the American Dream and ensure our country will always be the land of opportunity. “I have no doubt that we will have some robust discussions today about these proposals. These discussions are important, and I look forward to using this time to address the issues that matter most to the American families we serve. So, I thank you all for your hard work as we continue our work to serve the American people.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced a hearing titled The Fiscal Year 2026 Environmental Protection Agency Budget.   “Under the leadership of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin the EPA has worked to rein in wasteful spending, support American innovation, and protect our nation’s air, soil, and water,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith . “This hearing will be a chance to discuss the important work the EPA is doing to achieve its core mission to protect human health and safeguard our environment.”   Subcommittee on Environment Hearing titled The Fiscal Year 2026 Environmental Protection Agency Budget.   WHAT : Subcommittee on Environment Hearing to discuss the FY2026 Environmental Protection Agency Budget.  DATE : Tuesday, May 20, 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 Calvin Huggins at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.hosue.gov If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The following op-ed by Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, appeared in the  Wall Street Journal . In Case You Missed it: "When President Trump took the podium for his Second Inaugural Address, he promised a 'revolution of common sense' that would launch a generation of growth, health and prosperity. Today, our country faces numerous threats to that goal. Medicaid waste and abuse threatens the well-being of America’s most vulnerable as the looming expiration of important 2017 tax reforms throws a shadow over U.S. industry.  "Republicans’ best chance to secure the president’s inaugural promise is this year’s reconciliation bill. On Sunday night the House Energy and Commerce Committee will release a bill that supports the rapid innovation of American industry, strengthens Medicaid, and ends spending on Green New Deal-style waste. "This reconciliation legislation will help raise federal revenue and limit government spending to what actually helps Americans. We will raise $88 billion by reauthorizing the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority and provide resources to modernize federal information-technology systems. Both are crucial for maintaining and expanding U.S. technological leadership. "Savings like these allow us to use this bill to renew the Trump tax cuts and keep Republicans’ promise to hardworking middle-class families. The 2017 cuts gave Americans earning under $100,000 an average tax cut of 16%, while increasing the share of the tax burden carried by the top 1% of earners. Without this legislation, middle-class Americans will see that windfall reversed at the end of 2025. "In addition to raising new revenue, the bill will slash waste, particularly handouts to Democrats’ climate activist cronies. The 2024 election sent a clear signal that Americans are tired of an extreme left-wing agenda that favors wokeness over sensible policy and spurs price increases. Mr. Trump has already reversed President Biden and Democrats’ electric-vehicle mandates and natural-gas export ban; now it’s Congress’s turn.  "This bill would claw back money headed for green boondoggles through 'environmental and climate justice block grants' and other spending mechanisms through the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department. The legislation would reverse the most reckless parts of the engorged climate spending in the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act, returning $6.5 billion in unspent funds. The bill would also begin refilling the dangerously low Strategic Petroleum Reserve.  "Democratic extremism is threatening Americans’ access to affordable healthcare. States are struggling to manage rising Medicaid costs, which ballooned under Mr. Biden. This is particularly true in Democrat-run states such as California that use federal Medicaid funding to subsidize health insurance for illegal aliens through state insurance programs. This policy puts undue budgetary pressure on Medicaid, thereby endangering the healthcare access of the vulnerable Americans the program was designed to help. Just as Mr. Trump is working to end sanctuary cities, congressional Republicans will reduce federal aid to states that give welfare to illegal immigrants. "The Biden administration is responsible for this problem, too, having imposed burdensome regulations on Medicaid that jeopardize the program’s long-term health. The last president stripped away guardrails against fraud by making it more difficult for states to remove ineligible people from Medicaid enrollment and expanded coverage such that capable but unemployed adults could take resources meant for people in need. In total, these Biden rules will cost $172 billion over the next 10 years if they aren’t reversed—as our bill would do. Republicans will also reverse other nonsensical government rules that undermine access to care, such as the one-size-fits-all Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Rule that threatens to close thousands of nursing home facilities.  "Undoubtedly, Democrats will use this as an opportunity to engage in fear-mongering and misrepresent our bill as an attack on Medicaid. In reality, it preserves and strengthens Medicaid for children, mothers, people with disabilities and the elderly—for whom the program was designed.  "When so many Americans who are truly in need rely on Medicaid for life-saving services, Washington can’t afford to undermine the program further by subsidizing capable adults who choose not to work. That’s why our bill would implement sensible work requirements. Every other capable adult works to afford healthcare. Half of all Americans get insurance through work, seniors on Medicare get coverage because they paid into the trust fund, and veterans earned their care through their service to our country.  "The Republican bill also prohibits Medicaid from funding 'gender reassignment' surgery for children, instead recommitting the program to essential care for our most vulnerable Americans. The federal government shouldn’t be subsidizing these procedures in any form, and I am proud that we will be protecting all our children from the lasting, harmful effects of these procedures. "Without Republican solutions, Washington risks a complete collapse of Medicaid. Even with these simple steps to eliminate waste and abuse, Medicaid spending will continue to rise every year for the foreseeable future. All who worked on this bill—from my congressional colleagues to the White House—designed it to renew the American dream for families across the country. What could be more common sense than that?” ###