Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

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  The World Wild Web: Examining Harms Online. Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis' opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Good morning, everyone and welcome to today’s subcommittee hearing to examine risks to Americans’ safety online.  “Today’s hearing is incredibly important, and I am thankful we are hitting the ground early this Congress to protect ourselves from dangers in the online world.  “Technology has created a wonderful tool to gather information and connect us to the world. But with every new, great tool, malicious actors have found a way to reconfigure technology to spread malice and harm people across the globe. While Congress has looked to build walls preventing these harms from occurring, we have failed to keep pace with technology. “Take for example the important work Congress did to combat the sexual exploitation of children.   “When Congress first worked on this issue, it was hard to imagine Artificial Intelligence could be used to create fake, but life-like, non-consensual intimate images of children. Worse still, it was hard to imagine anyone so vile who would actually do it.  “But today, detestable people are extorting children with technology, creating these images and uploading them online for the world to see. And it doesn’t stop with deepfakes either, criminals are masking themselves as friends or romantic partners to solicit intimate authentic images of children and ransoming these images for a quick buck. The pain these children experience is horrid, and it breaks my heart. “Yiota, thank you for your work at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and for providing your expertise. I’m looking forward to your testimony on why Congress must act immediately to stop this abhorrent practice. “Congress must take a holistic approach to establish protections online, which is why I’m so proud to see many of our members working on different mechanisms to protect our children. “I for one am eager to move the ball forward on the Kids Online Safety Act. While this is not a legislative hearing, I’m hoping we can use this hearing to improve the legislation and enact a law that provides parents with the tools they need while also targeting illegal content from ever making its way to children’s screens in the first place. Parents know their children the best, so we must adequately equip them with the tools they need to protect their families. “Unfortunately, it is clear the existing tools don’t work. I am tired of hearing Big Tech insist that solutions are already in place when it is clear they are not working. The very companies that have positioned themselves as the gatekeepers of our children’s online safety continue to let us down. Dawn and Clare, thank you for being here to share your experiences and your commitment to driving real change. “This hearing should not be partisan, it is far too important of an issue to use as a political circus. Many of us here today have introduced or are working on legislation to build protections from harms online – this is not partisan issue and impacts every one of our districts.  “In 2022, McKenna Brown, a 16-year-old from Tampa Bay, tragically took her life after being victimized by cyber-bullying through multiple social media apps and text messages. McKenna’s parents knew none of this until it was too late. Since then, her mother Cheryl, has been an advocate for change, urging lawmakers to give parents the tools necessary to keep kids safe.  “I also understand there are similarly situated parents in the audience. And I want to recognize your own stories, efforts, and commitment to protect children from online harms. “So, I am hopeful we can work with our friends across the aisle and use this hearing as the catalyst to move important protections for children across the finish line and bring about a safer online experience for all, but especially our children. The risks are too severe for us to fail. “Thank you to the witnesses for being here today and sharing your expertise with us. I yield back and recognize my friend, Ms. Schakowsky, the ranking member of the subcommittee.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a hearing titled The World Wild Web: Examining Harms Online . “Our increasingly digital world continually presents new threats and challenges, especially to our children. I remain focused on addressing the clear risks facing the most vulnerable and want to ensure they are not being exploited by bad actors online,” said Chairman Bilirakis. “Today, we held an important discussion that I hope will be an important beginning to developing bipartisan consensus around legislation to protect Americans, including our children, from threats in the online world. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this urgent priority across the finish line.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing : Congressman Rus Fulcher (ID-01): “Mr. Chairman, I have to admit I might be a little bit confused if I’m in the right committee hearing. We’ve somehow seemed to have got sidetracked into a presidential branch personnel discussions and food prices, so I do have some questions, but they have to do with kids online safety and, uh, and, and that subject matter. Am I in the right place? Do I have that subject matter correct?” Chairman Bilirakis: “Correct.” Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): “Today’s hearing, the ‘World Wild Web, Examining Harms Online’ could not be more timely. From exploitation to manipulation, we know that the internet has become a breeding ground for serious threats, especially to those most vulnerable – our kids. I want to begin by personally apologizing to the parents and the guests here in the committee room today for the behavior of some of my colleagues. We’re here to focus on kids and the issue at hand, not play liberal catchphrase, talk about food prices, or talk about billionaires. Anything that deviates from that is politically motivated and it is disgusting. And I am so sorry that you are in this room, championing this issue because you have had an experienced tragedy in your family. I am so very sorry.” Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07): “There is a reason why Democrats are viewed by the American people at an all-time low. It’s because they can’t keep the main thing, the main thing. We are here today, to be clear, 100%. Everyone knew the assignment when we got into this hearing room ahead of time. We are here to talk about children’s safety online. And all I hear from the other side is rantings and ravings about the FTC. If you want to talk about the FTC, go do a one-minute speech on the House floor. You want to talk about the FTC, have a press conference. Here, we are here to talk about children. But they can’t seem to get it, and that’s why they’re viewed deeply unpopular by the American people right now. In fact, the witness from the FTC spent 4 of her 5 minutes talking about how she was fired and not the actual subject why we’re here. So that’s frustrating to me, that there’s broad bipartisan consensus on a lot of this stuff, and we’re here to examine that on ways that we can advance sensible policy.” ###

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 The World Wild Web: Examining Harms Online . “Our increasingly digital world continually presents new threats and challenges, especially to our children. Congress must continue to address risks facing the most vulnerable and take steps to help ensure they are not being exploited by bad actors online,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “We are looking forward to this important discussion and hope this leads to bipartisan consensus around legislation to protect Americans, including our children, from threats in the online world.”     Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing titled The World Wild Web: Examining Harms Online     WHAT : Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing on online dangers to children.     DATE : Wednesday, March 26, 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 Alex Khlopin 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. — 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. 

Letter comes on the eve of athletes competing in the Paris Olympics and after WADA’s President refused to attend an Energy and Commerce Committee oversight hearing Washington, D.C. — In a new letter to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Banka, bipartisan House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders pressed for answers regarding WADA’s handling of positive doping cases within China’s national swimming team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The letter contains questions that bipartisan Committee Members would have asked during a recent Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing , which Mr. Banka was invited to attend but refused to appear. Witnesses that did testify at the hearing included: Michael Phelps, American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist   Allison Schmitt, American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist   Travis Tygart , Chief Executive Officer, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) KEY EXCERPTS:   “We write today to express our sincere disappointment at your refusal to accept our invitation to attend and provide testimony at our recent Subcommittee hearing. Members of Congress have important questions for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and are especially concerned about recent reports of your handling of dozens of cases of doping within the Chinese swimming team.  “WADA purports to maintain the integrity of sports by creating a fair and competitive sporting environment free from doping. As a U.S. taxpayer supported entity, WADA has a responsibility to the American people to ensure this integrity by enforcing international testing requirements. We believe WADA has fallen short of this important mission. ”  [...]   “ We are particularly concerned with the excessive deference being extended toward CHINADA—a state-funded operation with leadership deeply intertwined with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as current [Chinese Anti-Doping Agency] CHINADA director Li Zhiquan also serves as a Committee Secretary for the CCP. At a meeting in 2023, Zhiquan called on CHINADA employees to be 'loyal to the party' and to 'hold high the great banner of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.' Furthermore, WADA’s reported sponsorship arrangement with ANTA Sports—the Chinese athletic company sponsoring the Chinese Olympic Committee and China’s national swimming federation—could be perceived as a conflict of interest. Since WADA is expected to uphold and maintain international anti-doping standards, WADA’s apparent lack of skepticism and failure to enforce the rules against CHINADA is troubling. While we are aware that WADA has opened an investigation, we are concerned that international scrutiny was necessary to force due diligence that should be routine .”  [...]  “This incident unfortunately reinforces our concern that WADA appears to be reverting to its previous poor management practices.”  [...]  “With the Paris Summer Olympic Games Opening Ceremony just a day away , the Committee seeks to better understand the circumstances surrounding WADA’s decision not to appeal the decision to clear the twenty-three swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine.”   BACKGROUND :  In January 2021, 23 Chinese swimmers (“23 swimmers”) tested positive for trimetazidine, or TMZ, a banned substance improperly used to increase stamina and hasten recovery times.  Three months after the positive tests, CHINADA initiated an investigation into the source of the TMZ and by June 2021 claimed the athletes ingested the banned substance through food tainted in a hotel kitchen.  According to reporting, Chinese investigators “offered no explanation […] for how a prescription drug available only in pill form had contaminated an entire kitchen.”  In reliance on “external legal advice” and its science department, WADA determined that CHINADA’s claims were “plausible” and chose not to appeal the decision or further investigate the matter.  Three of these Chinese swimmers went on to win gold medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games in July of 2021.  China has selected 11 swimmers that tested positive for TMZ before the Tokyo Games to compete in the upcoming Paris Games.  In a strikingly similar case, Kamila Valieva, a Russian figure skater, also tested positive for the banned substance TMZ during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.  The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) issued a provisional suspension but was quickly cleared by RUSADA’s discipline board, since Valieva claimed she ingested the substance by mistake through a contaminated source.  Rather than simply accept RUSADA’s contamination explanation, WADA appealed the decision and ultimately, Valieva received a four-year ban from competition and was retroactively stripped of her gold medal. The letter was signed by Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Ranking Member Kathy Castor (D-FL). CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Oversight and Acoountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) sent letters to eight federal agencies today following the recent Supreme Court decision on Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo , in which the court overruled Chevron deference. Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) and House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) joined Chairs Rodgers and Comer on an additional letter sent to the Environmental Protection Agency. KEY LETTER EXCERPT: “We write to call to your attention Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a recent Supreme Court decision that precludes courts from deferring to agency interpretations when the statutes are ambiguous. In its decision, the Court explicitly overruled Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984), which required deference to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes. By allowing such deference, the Court in Chevron enabled the ‘Administrative State’ to usurp the legislative authority that the Constitution grants exclusively to Congress in Article I. The Chevron decision led to broader, more costly and more invasive agency regulation of Americans’ lives, liberty, and property.   “Perhaps no administration has gone as far as President Biden’s in issuing sweeping Executive edicts based on questionable assertions of agency authority. The Biden administration has promulgated far more major rules, imposing vast costs and paperwork burdens, than either its most recent predecessors. Many of these rules...have been based on overreaching interpretations of statutes enacted by Congress years ago, before the issues now regulated were even imagined.   “The expansive Chevron deference has undermined our system of government, creating an unaccountable Administrative State. Thankfully, the Court has now corrected this pattern, reaffirming that ‘[i]t is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.’ Given the Biden administration’s record of agency overreach, we are compelled to underscore the implications of Loper Bright and remind you of the limitations it has set on your authority.”   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency. CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Federal Communications Commission.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Federal Trade Commission.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to Department of Commerce.   CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Department of Energy.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  CLICK HERE to read the letter to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration.