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Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at today’s full committee hearing titled “TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms.” Excerpts and highlights below: TIKTOK'S SURVEILLANCE STATE “Mr. Chew, you are here because the American people need the truth about the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security. “TikTok collects nearly every data point imaginable, from people’s location, to what they type and copy, who they talk to, biometric data, and more. “Even if they’ve never been on TikTok, your trackers are embedded in sites across the web. “TikTok surveils us all and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is able to use this as a tool to manipulate America as a whole.” TIKTOK DOESN’T SHARE AMERICA’S VALUES “We do not trust TikTok will ever embrace American values—values for freedom, human rights, and innovation. “TikTok has repeatedly chosen the path for more control, more surveillance, and more manipulation. “Your platform should be banned. “I expect today you’ll say anything to avoid this outcome. “Like that you are 100 percent responsible for what TikTok does, that you suddenly endorse a national data privacy standard, that Project Texas is more than just a marketing scheme, that TikTok doesn’t harm our innocent children, or that your ties to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance is just a myth. “We aren’t buying it. “In fact, when you celebrate the 150 million American users on TikTok it emphasizes the urgency for Congress to act. “That is 150 million Americans that CCP can collect sensitive information on and control what we ultimately see, hear, and believe.” TIKTOK’S PRIVACY RECORD “TikTok has repeatedly been caught in the lie that it does not answer to the CCP through ByteDance. “Today, the CCP’s laws require Chinese companies like ByteDance to spy on their behalf. “That means any Chinese company must grant the CCP access and manipulation capabilities as a design feature. “Right now, ByteDance is under investigation by the DOJ for surveilling American journalists—both digital activity and physical movements through TikTok. “We also know that many of your employees still report directly to Beijing. “Internal recordings reveal there is a backdoor for China to access user data across the platform. “Your employees said quote, ‘everything is seen in China.’ “A gateway to spy is not the only way TikTok and ByteDance can do the bidding of the CCP. “TikTok has helped erase events and people China wants the world to forget. “It has even censored an American teenager, who exposed the CCP’s genocide and torture of Uyghur Muslims. “The facts show that ByteDance is beholden to the CCP and ByteDance and TiKTok are one in the same.” PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN “TikTok also targets our children. “The ‘For You’ algorithm is a tool for TikTok to own their attention and prey on their innocence. “Within minutes of creating an account, your algorithm can promote suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders to children. “It encourages challenges for them to put their lives in danger and allows adults to prey on our beautiful, beloved daughters. “It’s also a portal for drug dealers to sell illicit fentanyl that China has banned, yet, is helping Mexican cartels produce, send across our border, and poison our children. “In China, the CCP proactively prohibits this type of TikTok content that promotes death and despair to kids.” STOPPING CHINESE SPYING ON AMERICANS “From the data it collects to the content it controls, TikTok is a grave threat of foreign influence in American life. “It's been said it is like allowing the Soviet Union the power to produce Saturday morning cartoons during the Cold War but much more powerful and much more dangerous. “Banning your platform will address the immediate threats. “Make no mistake, this Committee is also looking to the future too. “America needs to be prepared to stop the next technological tool or weapon China will use for its own strategic gain. “We must prevent any app, website, and platform like TikTok from ever spying on Americans again and we must provide the strongest protections possible for our children. “That is why this Committee is leading on a national privacy and data security standard. “It restricts sensitive American data from reaching our adversaries to begin with and what Big Tech and data brokers collect, process, store, and sell. “It makes it illegal for any platform to track and target children under 17.” THE WORLD IS WATCHING “Mr. Chew, the Committee has requested that TikTok appear before us for a long time. “For those we serve, we are glad this day has finally come. “Today, the world is watching. “ByteDance is watching. “The Chinese Communist Party is watching. “But the answers you owe are to the American people, a free people who cherish their God-given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. “They deserve the truth. “Complete honesty and the law is the standard you are being held to before this Committee as we seek to get answers and a full understanding of what happens at TikTok under your watch.”

Today, the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew to expose the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security. Americans deserve to know how much their privacy is jeopardized, and their data is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China. As Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said this morning:  “Banning your platform will address the immediate threats. Make no mistake, this Committee is looking to the future too. America needs to be prepared to stop the next technological tool or weapon China will use for its own strategic gain.   “We must prevent any app, website, and platform like TikTok from ever spying on Americans again, and we must provide the strongest protections possible for our children. That is why this Committee is leading on a national privacy and data security standard.”  Don’t miss these top moments: CLICK HERE to watch the full hearing.   CLICK HERE for more tweets from Energy and Commerce Republicans. 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Full Committee markup of 19 bills. Excerpts and highlights below: UPDATING SATELLITE LAWS AND BOLSTERING CYBERSECURITY “From the Communications and Technology Subcommittee we are considering 13 bills that will update our laws governing the satellite industry and promote the cybersecurity of our communications networks. “We must make sure our laws keep pace with advancements in technology and allow innovation and entrepreneurship to flourish. “The Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act, and our other satellite legislation, will give regulators the tools they need to ensure our rules don’t hold back American ingenuity. “We must also make sure the United States and our allies enhance their participation in international standards setting bodies to lead on the development of new international standards, rather than have them dictated by the Chinese Communist Party. “As technologies advance, so too do the attempts by bad actors seeking to hack our networks. “Improving cybersecurity literacy will help protect our data and make our networks more secure. “Overall, I’m grateful for and applaud all the bipartisan work on these Communications and Technology solutions as Energy and Commerce leads the way to improve our nation’s connectivity, network security, and maintain U.S. leadership in wireless technology.” ADDRESSING THE FENTANYL CRISIS “From the Health Subcommittee, we are taking action to address the illicit fentanyl crisis, protect the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline, and stop discrimination against people with disabilities. “More people than ever are dying of illicit fentanyl poisonings. “As many parents have appealed to us, this requires urgent action. “Moms like Molly Cain deserve justice. “We must secure the border and make sure law enforcement has the tools they need to seize fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. “That is why we are advancing Representative Griffith and Latta’s HALT Fentanyl Act and Representative Lesko and Miller-Meeks's bill, the Securing the Border for Public Health Act. “The DEA testified just last month that permanently scheduling fentanyl related substances in Schedule I is their number-one legislative priority and in our field hearing in McAllen, we all heard and saw why. “The Securing the Border for Public Health Act would expand current Title 42 authority to be used to stop the import of certain controlled substances, including fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. “I want to be very clear: President Biden cannot let the emergency scheduling expire and it should not lift Title 42. “I also want to recognize Representative Harshbarger for leading on the Block, Report, And Suspend Suspicious Shipments Act. “The opioid epidemic was fueled, in part, by suspiciously large shipments of controlled substances being delivered across the country—particularly in the Appalachian region. “This bill would help stop this practice and save lives by requiring drug manufacturers and distributors that discover a suspicious package to stop the order and report the information to the DEA.” PROTECTING THE 9-8-8 LIFELINE “Additionally, the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline suffered a cyberattack and was shut down for several hours late last year. “This lifeline is a critical tool that provides support and hope to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. “Thank you, Representative Obernolte, for your work on the 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act. “It requires coordination and reporting to improve cybersecurity protections for the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.” BANNING DESCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES “We are also taking action today to ban the use of Quality Adjusted Life Years—or QALYs—and other similar measures by state and federal government health care programs. “More than 70 disability and patient organizations agree that QALYs are discriminatory and have no place in our decision making. “The federal government can evaluate the effectiveness of treatments and cures without devaluing the lives of seniors and people with disabilities. “We’ve worked tirelessly with the minority and with CMS to get this bill right. “We’ve resolved every outstanding comment from the agency and worked to address the concerns by the minority. “I hope we will come together with a strong vote to affirm the dignity of every person to receive lifesaving and quality care.” HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM ACT “Finally, we’ll consider H.R. 1603, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act which will repeal harmful policies from the IRA intended to incentivize states to impose natural gas bans through building codes. “It will stop the administration’s forced electrification agenda that will mean fewer choices and higher energy costs for all Americans. “As you can see, we have a robust agenda this afternoon. Thank you to all my colleagues for their work. “It proves that E&C is plowing the hardground to deliver results.”

TikTok CEO Shou Chew will appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee tomorrow to testify about TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platform’s impact on kids, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) jointly spoke with Fox News’ Bret Baier about the national privacy standard they are leading on together to prevent any app, website, and platform like TikTok from ever spying on Americans again. THE IMPORTANCE OF TOMORROW’S HEARING “This hearing has been long overdue. This will be the first time the CEO of TikTok, Mr. Chew, has been before any congressional committee. “It's very important that he answer for some of the repeated lies that we know about TikTok and their association with ByteDance and ultimately the Chinese Communist Party. “[We have] growing concerns about the threat that this platform, this app poses in the United States of America but also it highlights the concerns around other technological tools or weapons that China may use for their own strategic future and that's why we are joining together. “We believe it's very important that we hold TikTok accountable but also make sure that any app or platform is ultimately protecting individual Americans’ privacy and making sure that Americans are protected from harm and our children are protected from harm.” TIKTOK’s CONNECTION WITH BYTEDANCE AND THE CCP “It is clear that TikTok will say anything to ensure that it is not banned in the United States of America.” “They have said that they're not surveilling on Americans or spying on Americans and yet now we know that they were used. ByteDance used TikTok to spy on American journalists. “We know that they continue to say that their data is not going back to China and that this walled off from the Chinese Communist Party and yet we now have recordings of employees at TikTok that say that everything is seen by China.” A NATIONAL DATA PRIVACY STANDARD “There is a lot of common ground and I think the fact that Mr. Chew is going directly to the TikTok users in America, that 150 million Americans [use it], now only underscores the importance of us taking action, because Americans’ data privacy is not protected. “This platform can also be used to manipulate what people see or hear or think. “It all points to the importance of us passing a larger national privacy standard, as Mr. Pallone is joining me to [achieve], because we believe this is a clarion call as to the need for a national data privacy standard to minimize the amount of data that TikTok, Big Tech, or other data brokers are collecting to begin with, to make sure that Americans are alerted when their data is being used or stored or transferred over to countries like China and to protect our kids for those under 17. “The legislation that we propose would make it illegal to track our kids online and to make sure that private conversations are actually private, that apps and devices would be prohibited from listening to our private conversations when we haven't given them permission. “This is all really important and we need to ban TikTok and we need to pass a national data privacy law.” CLICK HERE to watch Thursday’s hearing.

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) today announced a hearing titled “Preserving Free Speech and Reining in Big Tech Censorship.” “Big Tech is shutting down free speech. In many cases, this has included colluding with the Biden administration and corrupt government bureaucrats to silence voices who dare to question the Left's narrative—we have the receipts. Big Tech's authoritarian actions violate America's most fundamental rights to engage in the battle of ideas and hold the politically powerful accountable. House Energy and Commerce Republicans have repeatedly condemned these censorship actions. Next week, several people who’ve been silenced by Big Tech will have a voice before our subcommittee. We look forward to hearing from them and discussing how to protect the spirit of the First Amendment and the American people's right to free speech online.” Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing titled “Preserving Free Speech and Reining in Big Tech Censorship.” WHAT: Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing on protecting Americans from Big Tech censorship. DATE: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 TIME: 10:30 AM ET LOCATION: 2322 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 Noah Jackson at Noah.Jackson@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Sean Kelly at  Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov . 

Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at today’s Communication and Technology subcommittee hearing titled “Defending America’s Wireless Leadership.” Excerpts and highlights below: DEFENDING AMERICA’S WIRELESS LEADERSHIP “Today’s hearing on defending America’s wireless leadership will help inform the Energy and Commerce Committee’s work on spectrum policy which is crucial to maintaining U.S. economic and national security. “For the first time ever, the FCC’s spectrum auction authority has expired. “On February 27, the House passed my bipartisan legislation with Ranking Member Pallone to extend the FCC’s authority to issue spectrum licenses until May 19. “This would have given Congress enough time to come to an agreement on a more comprehensive package addressing many issues in the communications and technology space. “For reasons unknown to me, certain senators decided to risk U.S. wireless leadership over a date change. A date change. That is unacceptable. “We must come together and develop strong spectrum policy here in the United States that is informed by our values that support human flourishing and innovation. “We cannot afford to cede leadership to China and other authoritarian countries who abuse their technology to suppress freedom and assert command and control over people’s lives. “I urge the Senate to act swiftly to pass H.R. 1108 to extend the FCC’s auction authority through May 19 so we can come together and pass a longer-term solution to this issue. “It’s the Senate’s only option on the table right now to get this back on track. “Make no mistake: getting this right will be key to defending America’s wireless leadership.” FOSTERING INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS “For decades, American policies rooted in promoting economic security and competition have yielded breakthroughs in wireless technology. “Thirty years ago, Congress and the FCC pioneered a bold new way to manage spectrum by auctioning spectrum instead of giving it away through a lottery system. “This light-touch regulatory framework has brought billions of dollars into the U.S. Treasury through fierce competition and ensured that entities who have a spectrum license invest in technologies that utilize that spectrum as efficiently as possible. “This approach has fostered innovation in everything from faster broadband speeds, precision agriculture, self-driving cars and vehicles, and smart manufacturing. “While the demand for commercial spectrum continues to rise, so do the needs of our military, our border agents, and our researchers. “In each new generation of technology, we find innovative solutions to balance these needs, and utilize spectrum resources in a way that fits our nation’s best interest. “Spectrum policy is crucial to our national security policy, and we must stay true on the principles that have enabled our success in wireless technology, including by continuing to make spectrum available for commercial use. “But our future economic competitiveness cannot rest on our past success.” BEATING CHINA “The Chinese Communist Party and other adversaries seek to undermine U.S. leadership, and they will stop at nothing short of domination. “China, Russia, and other authoritarian countries have put forward a competing vision for technology built on a foundation of surveillance and control. “State-backed companies seek to write the rules of the road that could use wireless technology to suppress free speech, surveil their citizens, and thwart the economic competitiveness of the United States and our allies. “Their governments use top-down, command and control policies to make spectrum available on a moment’s notice. “They provide prescriptive regulations and guidance to where and when state-backed entities should deploy service. “This is not how the United States operates. We believe in private sector innovation and spectrum policy is at the heart of technological innovation. “If we do not take a leadership role in writing our wireless future, China will. “And writing our wireless future starts here at home, with comprehensive spectrum policy. “I look forward to today’s hearing. It is extremely timely as we again remind individuals in the Senate on the importance of America’s spectrum leadership.”

Washington, D.C. — Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) delivered the following opening statement at today’s subcommittee hearing titled “Defending America’s Wireless Leadership.” Excerpts and highlights below: SPECTRUM POLICY IS CRITICAL “What we are talking about today impacts Americans in every part of our country, and properly managing our nation’s spectrum resources is an important responsibility. “These public resources fuel our economy, enable communications services, and power important federal missions. “As technology develops, it is important that spectrum policy keeps pace and efficiently maximizes the use of these finite resources by unleashing innovation and protecting our national security. “Over the past year, this committee worked to improve U.S. spectrum policy. “Last Congress, I co-led the Spectrum Innovation Act to accelerate commercial access to the lower three gigahertz band and extend the FCC’s spectrum auction authority. “This range of frequencies is prime midband spectrum that will improve mobile broadband speeds. “The legislation included a measure championed by Mr. Guthrie that would modernize our federal spectrum management process by establishing an incumbent informing capability at NTIA to enhance commercial access to federal frequencies. “Last week, the House passed Chair Rodgers’ legislation to extend the FCC’s auction authority to May 19. “Unfortunately, the Senate failed to pass both the Spectrum Innovation Act and Chair Rodgers’ extension measure. “We must now work quickly to agree on a long-term extension of spectrum auction authority that preserves Congressional oversight of spectrum policy and directs auction proceeds to reduce the deficit and fund important initiatives. “I look forward to continue working on this important issue.” GOOD SPECTRUM POLICIES BENEFIT OUR ECONOMY “It's also important to note that good spectrum policy is good for our economy. “Our leadership in 4G added billions to our GDP, created tens of thousands of new jobs, and led to the development of the app economy. “Leading the world in future generations of wireless services ensures greater investment in next generation technologies. “This means we will have more job and development opportunities right here in the United States. “But the economic benefits do not end there. “Auctioning spectrum resources also yields significant monetary benefits. “Recent FCC auctions have netted over $100 billion dollars for the U.S. Treasury—money that can be used to reduce our nation’s deficit and fund important priorities. “In addition to making more licensed spectrum available, we must also look for opportunities to make unlicensed spectrum available. “The majority of American Internet usage happens indoors, and the use of unlicensed spectrum, such as Wi-Fi, plays a crucial role in providing connectivity for homes and businesses. “One report estimates that unlicensed spectrum generates over $95 billion dollars per year in the connected technology market.” SPECTRUM POLICIES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR NATIONAL SECURITY “Good spectrum policy is not only important for our economy, but it is essential for American economic and national security. “American leadership on spectrum policy can lead to the private sector setting technology standards that benefit American technological leadership. “It means trusted companies can develop economies of scale, create jobs, and ensure that the technologies of the future promote American values and priorities. “As we develop our spectrum policy, we need to keep a number of principles in mind. “First, we need a balanced approach between licensed and unlicensed uses of spectrum. “Both licensed and unlicensed spectrum are key to bolstering U.S. technological leadership, and each provides economic benefits for the American public. “Next, we need to ensure we are utilizing every tool at our disposal to make spectrum available for commercial use. “Advances in technology have made spectrum sharing more feasible, which will become more important as the process for identifying bands for auctioned, exclusive use becomes more complex, lengthy, and expensive. “Finally, we need to restore trust in the interagency spectrum coordination process. “While federal missions must be protected, the executive branch must speak with one, unified voice so that spectrum management decisions are not called into question. “As we look to extend spectrum auction authority and develop our spectrum policy, we need to ensure that all stakeholders are involved early in the process and that when decisions are made, agencies respect those decisions.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA) expressed disappointment today over the Senate's failure to extend the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) spectrum auction authority, the first time it will be allowed to lapse since authority was first granted to the FCC three decades ago:   “Extending the FCC’s spectrum auction authority is vital to maintaining American leadership in wireless technology, providing certainty to the public, and securing our global competitive edge–including against countries like China that do not share our fundamental values of democracy, free speech, and human rights. That’s why the House acted last month by unanimously passing H.R. 1108, which would extend this authority to May 19. We are disappointed that the Senate has not acted to do the same, because of the objections of one senator, and that the FCC's authority to issue spectrum licenses will expire for the first time ever as a result. We will continue to work with our colleagues in the House and Senate to get our nation back on track to establish a strong, sustainable spectrum policy that benefits consumers and advances U.S. interests globally.” 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee members today advanced 13 bipartisan solutions during a Communications and Technology Subcommittee markup.   The bills advanced today will help strengthen American leadership in next-generation communications technologies, improve our cybersecurity, bolster our technological leadership, and help usher in a new era of investment and innovation in this critical sector.  The Communications and Technology Subcommittee took action on the following bills:  The Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act ( H.R. 1338 ), led by Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 23-0.  The Secure Space Act ( H.R. 675 ), led by Ranking Member Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, as amended, by a vote of 26-0.   The Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act ( H.R. 1339 ), led by Rep. Latta (R-OH), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a roll call vote of 27-0.  The Launch Communications Act ( H.R. 682 ), led by Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL) and Neal Dunn (R-FL), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, as amended, by a vote of 26-0.  The Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act ( H.R. 1353 ), led by Rep. Johnson (R-OH), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a roll call vote of 27-0.   The NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act ( H.R. 1345 ), led by Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 26-0.    The Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act ( H.R. 1354 ), led by Rep. John Joyce (R-PA), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 28-0.    The Communications Security Act ( H.R. 1370 ), led by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 26-0.     The American Cybersecurity Literacy Act ( H.R. 1360 ), led by Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 26-0.     The Open RAN Outreach Act ( H.R. 1340 ), led by Rep. Collin Allred (D-TX), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 26-0.    The ITS Codification Act ( H.R. 1343 ), led by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 27-0.    The Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act ( H.R. 1377 ), led by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 28-0.     The Spectrum Coordination Act ( H.R. 1341 ), led by Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH), was forwarded by the subcommittee to the full committee, without amendment, by a vote of 26-0.