News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, led a legislative hearing titled Protecting America’s Energy Infrastructure in Today’s Cyber and Physical Threat Landscape.

“Altogether, this package of security bills comes at a critical time,” said Chairman Latta. “Our adversaries remain close on our heels to overtake the United States as the leading technological superpower on the world stage. Our communities cannot afford to endure disruptive large-scale attacks that can be prevented with commonsense solutions and collaboration.”

Watch the full hearing ** here **.

Below are key excerpts from yesterday's hearing:

Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14): “I like to tell people that the things that make America great are the things that America makes. Now, how do we do that? We do that with a reliable, dependable power system. Electric grids include all of those things that we need—everything that we need to make this country great. It’s the President’s reason for doing all of the things he’s doing that continues to make America great, so that we have a dependable, reliable, affordable energy supply. Would you agree?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “Yes, I would, sir. And I would add to that the energy system has to be built to meet peak demand in the summer and the winter, when electricity is needed most or people die. The head of NERC has called the situation facing the grid due to the disastrous energy subtraction policies of the previous administration, a five-alarm fire for the grid. That is simply because of the premature retirement of too much reliable, dispatchable generation.”

Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23): “Not only is my district rural, but we also experience severe winter storms that can threaten grid reliability, fuel delivery, and emergency response for days at a time. During Winter Storm Elliott in 2022, a prolonged cold and high energy demand strained the electrical grid. It disrupted fuel supplies, and it complicated restoration efforts. The storm underscored how weather alone can expose vulnerabilities across the entire energy system, even without a cyber or a physical attack. Under Secretary Fitzsimmons, how does DOE evaluate and plan for severe weather risks? And what steps does your office take to incorporate lessons from past severe weather events into preparedness, response, and coordination efforts?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “That’s a great question because as I mentioned, the energy system is built to meet summer and winter peaks. That is our fundamental responsibility to keep the lights on. And so, one of the core capabilities that CESER has is a capability that’s called Eagle Eye. It’s run in partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. And that allows us to have real-time situational awareness on power outages all across the country.”

Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15): “I am particularly interested in the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, which would update the Department of Energy Organization Act to include energy emergency and energy security functions assigned to an assistant secretary. Mr. Fitzsimmons, will elevating the DOE’s emergency response to an assistant secretary elevate the level of communication and coordination with other agencies?” Mr. Fitzsimmons: “I think what’s more important than the particular title that the head of the office holds is the mission of the office, and that is incredibly important. We’ve been working on refocusing and clarifying the CESER mission because it is so important. It’s a new office, and sometimes new offices can kind of struggle to figure out where they fit. What we’ve said is CESER’s mission is to provide timely and actionable information to the energy sector. That’s then used to inform the development of world-class cyber and physical security technologies, which are used to harden and secure energy infrastructure.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

“The FCC had an active 2025 that can be summed up in one word: deregulation,” said Chairman Hudson. “Under Chairman Carr, the FCC has taken significant steps to reduce barriers to broadband deployment, modernize outdated regulatory regimes, and delete obsolete rules.”

Watch the full hearing here.

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05): “We’d have discussions when we talked about 4G, 5G, 6G, and I’d always ask this question: are we winning the race? Who’s our competitor out there? [...] So, are we winning this race out there when we talk about 6G?” Chairman Carr: “We are. We had fallen behind, in my view, during the Biden years. And now, we’ve hit the accelerator, and we are going to be leading the world once again.”

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): “So many of these robocalls and some of these scam texts originate from overseas [...] Talk to me about your coordination efforts with your counterparts overseas and what we need to do here in Congress to strengthen that.” Chairman Carr: “We are pursuing, at the FCC, the idea that if you get a call on your phone from abroad, it shouldn’t necessarily, in my view, display a U.S.-based area code, because that could mislead someone to think that this is a call originating in the U.S. So, if you’re a company and you want to have a call center overseas, at least be truthful and honest with your customers. So, we’re looking at that. We’re looking at potentially doing standards for call centers to make sure that foreign call centers are compliant with our customer service regulations. So, a lot of effort was taken on that front.”

Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07): “During the first Trump administration, they unlocked additional 6-GHz bandwidth in 2020. When the first Trump administration made that available, nearly 70 countries followed our lead. Now China is trying to undermine those efforts in Europe. And we’re hearing good things out of the Trump administration defending that broadband. You’ve talked about the importance of Wi-Fi to American innovation. Can you explain why it's pivotal that America lead on Wi-Fi?” Commissioner Trusty: “Absolutely. As I mentioned a little earlier, I’ve been a proponent of an all-of-the-above approach to spectrum policy, where we accommodate a variety of users, use cases, and technologies. When you look at things like CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service), the United States has long been a leader in innovative uses of spectrum, and CBRS is a model for that. It accommodates the military, transportation, logistics, tracking, schools, hospitals, and much more. My job at the FCC is to ensure spectrum is being put to its highest and best use. Given all of these use cases, I think it emphasizes the meaningful benefit of CBRS and unlicensed spectrum.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good morning, and welcome to today’s oversight hearing – the first this congress – of the Federal Communications Commission. Welcome back to Chairman Carr—congratulations on your appointment as Chairman—and Commissioner Gomez. I want to extend a special welcome, or should I say welcome back, to Commissioner Trusty. Congratulations on your confirmation and welcome to your first oversight hearing at your old stomping ground. It is always exciting to see a former Energy and Commerce Committee staffer become a commissioner. I know Mr. Latta is very proud.

“The FCC had an active 2025 that can be summed up in one word: deregulation. Under Chairman Carr, the FCC has taken significant steps to reduce barriers to broadband deployment, modernize outdated regulatory regimes, and delete obsolete rules. These efforts include preempting state and local barriers to wireless infrastructure deployment—which I appreciate, as some of y’all know already, I am too familiar with calls dropping as I drive around my own district—reforming the satellite licensing process, and ensuring that Next Generation 911 networks are reliable and interoperable, another issue I’ve made my top priority over the years. Together, these efforts will accelerate closing the digital divide, unleash the new space economy, and strengthen America’s wireless leadership. I applaud the FCC for this work.

“The FCC still has significant work ahead, including modernizing outdated media ownership rules. Last year, I led a bipartisan letter with more than 70 members of Congress urging the Commission to revisit its broadcast ownership caps. Local broadcasters remain the most trusted source of news for most Americans, yet they now compete in an uneven marketplace shaped by well-resourced new entrants, most notably Big Tech. Burdened by outdated regulations, local broadcasters are increasingly unable to compete, a reality reflected in newsroom closures and the growing concentration of influence among national networks and social media platforms. Current ownership caps prevent broadcasters from combining or expanding operations, constraining their ability to invest in local journalism. Updating these caps would help ensure broadcasters remain viable and competitive without creating monopolies. It would empower local stations to better compete against dominant platforms. I urge the Commission to keep these realities in mind as it continues its deregulatory agenda.

“A huge accomplishment this year was the Working Families Tax Cut’s direction of the FCC to auction 800 MHz of spectrum for commercial use. Making this spectrum available is essential to America’s leadership in 5G and 6G. I am pleased that the agency has already begun this work by identifying at least 100 MHz for auction in the upper C-Band. As the agency looks for the remaining spectrum, both on its own and in coordination with others, I know you have important decisions to make and I urge the FCC to be mindful of investment that has already taken place in existing commercial bands, such as the 6 GHz band and the CBRS band. The proposal your agenda laid out this month to expand unlicensed operations in the 6 GHz band is a great step.

“Finally, I am a member of the bipartisan, bicameral Universal Service Fund Working Group. The USF, overseen by the FCC, helps support broadband access to high-cost rural areas, schools and libraries, rural health centers, and low-income households. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the USF. But it is past time to reform this program to ensure its long-term sustainability and ensure the funds are reaching the right people. Congress needs to reexamine what the USF supports and how it is funded. A sustainable USF is essential to ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, reliable broadband. Given the FCC’s role in administering the Fund, I look forward to discussing ways to ensure the USF remains viable for future generations.

“Today’s hearing is an opportunity to discuss the many important issues before the FCC. I thank the Commissioners for being here today and I look forward to our conversation.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding three Subcommittee Hearings and one Subcommittee Markup. Read more below.

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to discuss legislation focused on strengthening our nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber and physical threats.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing to examine ways to strengthen automotive safety, affordability, and leadership.

• DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• TIME: 2:00 PM ET
• LOCATION: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing on oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

• DATE: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
• TIME: 10:15 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP: The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a ** markup ** of 6 bills.

• DATE: Thursday, January 15, 2026
• TIME: 9:00 AM ET
• LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

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 Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. Today we will be examining legislation aimed at modernizing motor vehicle safety. Thank you to our witnesses for joining us.

“Whether it is protecting our kids online or ensuring the safety of the cars in our driveways, we have always understood that there is no partisan way to save lives. In 2024, nearly 40,000 people died on our roadways.

“We often talk about these numbers as statistics, but every single one of them represents an empty chair at a dinner table. We cannot accept this as the cost of doing business.

“That is why we must focus on solutions to strengthen motor vehicle safety and empower NHTSA to succeed in its mission to save lives. I would like to highlight several solutions to bolster motor vehicle safety and enable innovation.

“First, we are considering a bipartisan discussion draft of the SELF-DRIVE Act, which establishes a federal framework for the safety deployment of autonomous vehicles. I want to commend Mr. Latta and Ms. Dingell for their hard work over many years to produce this discussion draft.

“AVs are not just a luxury; they can be a lifeline. By reducing human error, which causes the vast majority of crashes, we can prevent tragedies before they happen. AVs can also empower seniors and people with disabilities to be mobile and regain their independence.

“This legislation is also necessary to successfully compete against communist China, who are seeking to flood the world with Chinese self-driving technology. We cannot let America fall behind.

“Second, we are considering the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act, which makes substantial reforms to NHTSA to improve the agency’s operations, ensure the agency is accountable to Congress, and empower the agency to better advance automotive safety and innovation.

“These include reforms to NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program, which provides market incentives for automakers to compete on safety.

“The bill ensures accountability to providing Congress and stakeholders a defined roadmap of the agency’s research and rulemaking priorities. The bill also revamps NHTSA’s general exemption process to allow for the deployment novel vehicle technologies so America can lead in safety and innovation.

“Finally, as we consider proposals to ensure motor vehicle safety, we must keep in the mind the high costs of motor vehicles, which reached a record high of $50,000 for an average new vehicle. If consumers cannot afford new vehicles, they will not be able to take advantage of the innovative safety features in these vehicles, which will have adverse impacts on highway safety.

“I am confident that, working together, we can advance legislation that prioritizes safety and American automotive leadership. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how we can achieve that dream together.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing titled Protecting America's Energy Infrastructure in Today's Cyber and Physical Threat Landscape.

Subcommittee Chairman Latta’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Welcome to today’s hearing and thank you to the witnesses for appearing before us to inform our legislative efforts to secure and strengthen the nation’s energy systems.

“The reliable delivery of energy through our critical infrastructure is foundational to the modern economy and the health and welfare of all our communities.

“At a time of tremendous growth in our nation’s energy demands, the need for effective security cannot be overstated.

“During our recent hearing examining cyber and physical threats, we heard directly from operators and experts about the capabilities of adversaries and the work to safeguard against efforts to exploit vulnerabilities to disrupt the everyday lives of hardworking Americans.

“Addressing cyber and physical threats is no easy task.

“The avenues for malicious activity only widen as digitization, communications, and linkages of gas pipelines, new generating resources, and transmission take root to meet energy demands.

“The interconnected nature of our energy systems requires constant intelligence sharing, clear visibility into threat landscapes, and sufficient resources to fill gaps in security protections for rural and small utility service territories.

“That is exactly what the legislation before us seeks to accomplish.

“Importantly, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act strengthens the Department of Energy’s central energy sector security mission.

“It does so by requiring that its well-established energy emergency and cyber functions are led by an Assistant Secretary, confirmed by the Senate.

“This will ensure the Department has the focused and accountable leadership to more fully protect the public from fuel and electricity supply disruptions, including emerging threats from our foreign adversaries to the nation’s electric grid.

“As the Sector Risk Management Agency for the energy sector, DOE requires visibility over the whole system and actively collaborates not only with the power sector, but also the oil and gas sector to prepare and respond appropriately to emergencies. DOE’s central role in Federal coordination and providing technical assistance as needed is critical for a secure energy system.

“The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act will enhance and formalize DOE’s work in this area, so we have a stronger, more resilient energy sector.

“Alongside this bill, the Energy Threat Analysis Center Act would formally authorize a valuable program that improves information sharing and coordination on threat analyses.

“The Energy Threat Analysis Center, or ETAC, brings together key public and private partners, including the intelligence community, to address vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and provide operational support for energy sector resilience.

“The Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act will improve cybersecurity protocols and equipment for small utilities, electric co-operatives, and public power agencies by providing targeted funding and technical assistance.

“These small entities typically serve our most rural and remote communities that do not have the same resources as their larger investor-owned counterparts.

“States too play an essential role in protecting energy infrastructure within their borders.

“Last Congress, this committee held a field hearing in North Carolina to examine the attack on a substation in Moore County that left 30,000 people without power.

“The SECURE Grid Act, which I plan to sponsor with my colleague from California’s 7th Congressional district, builds upon the existing State Energy Security Plan framework to expand the visibility of potential threats to local distribution and supply chain networks.

“Altogether, this package of security bills comes at a critical time.

“Our adversaries remain close on our heels to overtake the United States as the leading technological superpower on the world stage.

“Our communities cannot afford to endure disruptive large-scale attacks that can be prevented with commonsense solutions and collaboration.

“The bills before us today present a bipartisan opportunity to secure our nation’s energy system so we can fuel economic growth in job creating industries across the country.

“Today we’ll hear from the Department of Energy, which has been helpful providing technical assistance to our bi-partisan work today.

“Alex Fitzsimmons, Acting Undersecretary of Energy, will provide a broad view of DOE’s important energy sector work and how this legislation may advance that work.

“Our second panel of witnesses will also inform our work from their perspectives on the front lines of cyber and physical threat protection.

“I look forward to the discussion today.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, announced the details for upcoming hearings inviting in five of the biggest health insurance company Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to answer questions on how we can make health care more affordable for all Americans with commercial insurance coverage—not just the seven percent of Americans who obtain their health insurance through Obamacare.

Quote Attributable to Chairmen Guthrie and Smith:

“House Republicans are once again left to clean up the mess of Democrats’ flawed policymaking. Instead of temporarily bailing out a failing program utilized by a fraction of the country, we have invited five of the top health insurance company CEOs to testify before our Committees to have a discussion and answer questions about rising costs, the current state of health care affordability, and the role played by large health insurers.

“This hearing is the first in a series to examine the root causes driving higher health care prices and discuss policies that will lower the cost of care for all Americans.

“Republicans are committed to making health care more affordable by driving solutions that increase patient choice and competition, root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and put patients back at the center of our health care system.”

BACKGROUND:

The date of the hearings will be January 22, 2026, with the panel appearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in the morning, and the House Committee on Ways and Means in the afternoon.

Companies invited are UnitedHealthcare, CVS Health, Cigna Healthcare, Elevance Health, and Blue Shield of California.

Witnesses Invited:

• Stephen Hemsley, CEO, UnitedHealth Group
• David Joyner, President and CEO, CVS Health Group
• David Cordani, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Cigna Health Group
• Gail Boudreaux, President and CEO, Elevance Health
• Paul Markovich, President and CEO, Ascendiun

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Medicare Services.

Subcommittee Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Today’s hearing will discuss ten bills aimed at improving patient access in Medicare.

“As our population ages, it is critical that Medicare policies keep pace with patient needs.

“Ensuring beneficiaries can obtain timely, cost-effective services is essential to fulfilling Medicare’s promise.

“A handful of bills we are discussing today help increase access to durable medical equipment, or DME, which include wheelchairs, oxygen equipment, walkers, diabetic supplies just to name a few.

“However, the way Medicare reimburses for these products can be improved.

“Dr. Joyce from Pennsylvania is leading H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, which creates a new billing code to improve Medicare coverage for ultralightweight wheelchairs, particularly those made from titanium or carbon fiber.

“Currently, an individual must pay full price for the upgrade to a lighter, more functional wheelchair, and then hope to get reimbursed by Medicare later.

“This bill will allow Medicare to cover a portion of the costs up front to ease the financial burden on individuals.

“Another bill, H.R. 2477, the Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act, led by Representative Van Duyne from Texas, provides Medicare reimbursement for portable ultrasound transportation and services, which will help seniors get the care they need.

“Representative Miller-Meeks from Iowa champions H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS Relief Act, would establish a fairer rate for DME supplies.

“The way DME products get priced is through a process known as competitive bidding.

“This is where DME suppliers bid to be the sole contractor in certain areas of the country with the winning bid prices used to determine supplier reimbursement.

“These prices are not one size fits all, and suppliers, especially in some areas, struggle to stay open due to these low rates.

“This bill aims to help mitigate that impact.

“The last bill in the DME space is H.R. 2902, the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform Act, led by Representative Valadao from California.

“Among other things, this bill removes supplemental oxygen and its supplies from the competitive bidding program and creates a new reimbursement rate for supplemental and liquid oxygen.

“We will also be considering H.R. 2172, the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act, led by Representative Buchanan from Florida.

“This bill would make updates to the home infusion therapy benefit and support patient access to this benefit.

“The current reimbursement structure is not aligned with how these therapies are currently administered in the home.

“This bill will modernize the model, ensure adequate provider reimbursement and support patient access to home infusions.

“Another bill being considered today is H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act, led by Representative Hudson from North Carolina.

“This bill would update how CMS establishes reimbursement rates for clinical laboratory services paid under the Medicare Clinical Lab Fee Schedule.

“This important bill aims to create a less burdensome process for CMS to determine private payor-based rates for lab services.

“A few other bills being considered today include:

“H.R. 5243, led by Representative McClellan from Virginia, that brings more transparency into supplemental benefits provided by Medicare Advantage plans.

“H.R. 5347, the Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act, also led by Representative Buchanan.

“This bill would extend certain methods for collecting Accountable Care Organization’s quality measurement data, as well as establish a digital quality measure pilot program.

“H.R. 6210, the Senior Savings Protection Act, led by Representative Matsui from California, reauthorizes and funds certain programs under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.

“These programs help low-income beneficiaries understand and access their benefits.

“Lastly, we will discuss H.R. 6361, the BAN AI Denials in Medicare Act, led by Representative Landsman from Ohio.

“This bill prohibits the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation or CMMI from implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model, or the WISeR Model.

“While I understand the concerns around AI and prior authorization, CMMI’s statutory mission is to lower health care costs and improve outcomes for patients.

“The WISeR Model does not change Medicare coverage policy but will focus on ensuring that for a set of non-emergency services, seniors are getting safe, effective, and appropriate care.

“I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today and working to advance these bills to a markup.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Medicare Services.

“As our population ages, it is critical that Medicare policies keep pace with patient needs. Today’s hearing highlighted legislation that works to improve patient access in Medicare,” said Chairman Griffith. “Ensuring beneficiaries can obtain timely, cost-effective services is essential to fulfilling Medicare’s promise.”

Watch the full hearing here .

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13): “H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025, is commonsense legislation. It would give greater access to Medicare beneficiaries to titanium and to carbon fiber wheelchairs. There is one key word in this legislation, and that is choice. This bill allows Medicare patients the opportunity to decide whether a titanium or a carbon fiber wheelchair is the right choice for them, and if it is, patients with Medicare B have the ability to pay out of pocket for wheelchair upgrades if they so choose.”

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01): “As a physician and nurse, I have seen firsthand how critical timely access to oxygen equipment, mobility devices, and home medical supplies are to keep patients healthy and out of hospitals. When access to these services is disrupted, patient outcomes suffer, and costs to the health care system increase. That is why I introduced H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025. DMEPOS suppliers, particularly small independent providers and those serving rural communities, are under growing financial pressure due to inflation, workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, and Medicare reimbursement rates that have not kept pace with real-world costs. In many cases, suppliers are being forced to limit services or exit the Medicare program altogether, leaving beneficiaries with fewer options and longer wait times.”

Congressman Tom Kean (NJ-07): “I appreciate this Committee’s efforts to educate all of us on legislation that could help our seniors who rely on Medicare. I support H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act of 2025, that’s been introduced by my colleague from North Carolina, Representative Hudson. This bill would make vital reforms to Medicare’s clinical lab fee schedule, which pays for lab tests New Jersey seniors rely on for routine care and for diagnosis of more complex conditions like cancer. In New Jersey, there were over 2,300 laboratories. In my district, there are over 200. Ms. Van Meter, can you articulate the urgency of reform needed for Medicare’s clinical lab fee schedule?” Ms. Susan Van Meter: “On January 31, about 800 tests will get cut by up to 15 percent. The cuts are going to hit tests that are among the most routine that Medicare beneficiaries rely on every day. Those kinds of reductions will have an impact on beneficiary access to services. It will also stifle innovation in the next generation of diagnostics those same patients need and deserve.”