Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Text. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, announced a hearing titled Looking Under the Hood: The State of NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety . “The American auto industry has been, and continues to be, one of the premier industries in our country, creating jobs and affordable transportation options for families. Still, nearly 40,000 Americans die annually in motor vehicle crashes,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “As Congress looks ahead to reauthorizing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), we must evaluate how the agency can bolster vehicle safety, promote vehicle choice, and support innovation, ensuring the U.S. auto industry continues to be the gold standard.” Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing titled Looking Under the Hood: The State of NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety WHAT: Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing on NHTSA and Motor Vehicle Safety DATE: Thursday, June 26, 2025 TIME: 10:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairmen. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Alex Khlopin with the Committee staff at Alex.Khlopin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics. Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis' opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our legislative hearing on Name, Image, and Likeness in college athletics.  “I want to thank our witnesses for being here today. Your experience and insight are critical as we navigate what is arguably one of the most transformative moments in the history of college sports.  “In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in how college athletes engage with their sports, their schools, and their personal brands. The recent House v. NCAA settlement represents more than just a court decision — it marks a fundamental change in how college athletics will operate going forward. The timing couldn’t be more appropriate for legislative action. “That’s why I am leading the SCORE Act — the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act — a comprehensive, commonsense discussion draft that reflects months of dialogue with student-athletes, athletic directors, conference leaders, and the NCAA.  “This is not just another proposal; it's a targeted solution designed to bring predictability, fairness, and long-term balance to a system that has rapidly evolved without structure. “The SCORE Act is built around three core principles:  Clarity: by establishing a national standard that replaces the current patchwork of state laws Stability: by setting reasonable guardrails around the transfer portal and NIL deals to protect both athletes and programs, and Support: by ensuring benefits like scholarship protections and financial literacy programs are not optional but expected. “For too long, student-athletes have operated in a gray area, empowered in some ways but exposed in others. The current model lacks the transparency and consistency that both athletes and institutions need. The SCORE Act brings that balance. “And while today’s hearing is just the beginning of a broader tri-committee process, with the Committees on Judiciary and Education & Workforce, it’s an important step. We are not here to micromanage college sports. We are here to put forward a framework that strengthens it — that ensures athletes can succeed on the field without losing sight of their futures off of it. “I am proud of the work this subcommittee has done on this issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this across the finish line. And Go Gators!” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a hearing titled Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics. “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 Chairman 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. ” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01): “Do you think these revenue sharing agreements will bring stability to college athletic rosters?” Ms. Montgomery: “I do think that it will bring a level of stability. [...] It's able to bring in some of those collective actions—some of those opportunities that we've seen previously—in house to make sure there is no nefarious activity going on.” Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “In this conversation, some folks have proposed the creation of a federal self-regulatory organization, or some other sort of independent body to oversee college sports, including NIL. So just curious, in your view, do you think this is necessary or unnecessary? What mechanisms are already in place, and how do we ensure fair play and athlete protection without creating a new layer of bureaucracy?” Mr. King : “I do not think that we need federally created commission. You've heard talk about the College Sports Commission, which arises out of the House settlement. Now that it's approved, it is actually in existence and up and running, and the way it is structured is it would, it will handle the regulation.” Congresswoman Russell Fry (SC-07): “The NCAA and conferences have the ability to govern college athletes, but it's been diminished. You can’t create rules. You can’t enforce the rules that you create. [...] Can you explain the SEC’s ability to regulate and govern its member institutions, particularly on matters related to NIL?” Mr. King: “In order to have national competitions, you need to have uniform standards nationally.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, along with 10 members of the subcommittee, sent a letter to DeepSeek regarding their data practices and close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “DeepSeek admits to sending Americans’ personal information to servers in China, where it is undoubtedly accessed by officials connected to the Chinese Communist Party. We are concerned that this relationship with agents having close connections to our primary adversary jeopardizes our data and our national security,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “To ensure Americans and their businesses are secure from foreign interference, we are launching this investigation into DeepSeek and the risks it poses to our nation.” KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “By its own admission, the company’s mobile application—available on app stores in the U.S.—is sending Americans’ personal information to servers in the People’s Republic of China. According to media reports, the company is also sharing users’ personal information with other CCP-linked entities, including ByteDance Ltd. Researchers, meanwhile, have identified serious weaknesses in DeepSeek’s purported security controls and model safeguards. To address these risks, a growing number of states, including New York, Texas, and Virginia have banned DeepSeek on government devices, with states attorneys-general calling for a broader ban.” Background: On January 20, 2025, DeepSeek launched its open-source AI chatbot. On February 18, 2025, DeepSeek was accused of sharing user data with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. On March 6, 2025, 21 state attorneys-general urged Congressional leadership to prohibit government devices from “downloading and using the Chinese Communist Party’s DeepSeek AI Software.” On April 16, 2025, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party published a report on DeepSeek funneling American data to the CCP and manipulating results to align with CCP propaganda. The Committee members requested answers to the following questions: Provide a detailed description of the types and sources of data used to train your AI models, including any U.S. personal or proprietary information. Confirm whether information entered into your AI applications or chatbots by American consumers or businesses is used to train your AI models. If yes, identify where this information is stored and accessed from, and whether it is shared with any state entity of the People’s Republic of China or other Chinese companies. Describe the technical, administrative, and physical controls used to secure personal and proprietary information associated with your AI offerings, as well as your process for evaluating the security of third-party service providers. Provide a detailed description of any U.S. technology products or services used to develop, integrate, or bring to market your AI offerings. This includes the use of open and closed source AI models developed by U.S. companies and the unauthorized “distillation” of American models. Provide a detailed description of how your AI models are developed and trained, including any steps taken to influence system outputs for alignment with Chinese Communist Party ideology or political goals. Provide a detailed description of any direct or indirect subsidies you receive from the People’s Republic of China, or its political subdivisions, related to AI development. Confirm whether your company has received a request from the People’s Republic of China, or its political subdivisions, for data related to your company’s AI offerings. This includes personal and proprietary data used to train or finetune an AI model and data ingested by your AI services. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the story from Fox News. ###

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. ###

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today sent letters to five independent federal agencies urging the Biden-Harris administration appointees to abandon partisan efforts and instead focus remaining efforts on bipartisan, consensus items.   The letters state, “The results of the 2024 presidential election are now apparent and leadership of the [agency] will soon change. As a traditional part of the peaceful transfer of power, the [agency] should immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial item under consideration, consistent with applicable law and regulation.”    Click below to read each agency’s letter:   Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Federal Communications Commission (FCC)   Federal Trade Commission (FTC)   Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)   Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Note: In the letter, Chair Rodgers urges NRC to continue timely implementation of the ADVANCE Act.