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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) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced a subcommittee legislative hearing to discuss the reauthorization of Food and Drug Administration animal drug and animal generic drug use free programs.  “From pet owners, to farmers and poultry producers, Americans rely on pharmaceuticals and generic drugs to keep our animals healthy and happy. It’s crucial that we continue to modernize the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine review process, so sponsors can continue to review bring safe and effective animal drugs to the market. We look forward to the work ahead on reauthorizing these critical user fee programs—as we’ve done in the past—before their September 30 expiration date.”  Subcommittee on Health hearing titled “Reauthorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Programs.” WHAT : A legislative hearing to discuss reauthorization of the FDA’s animal drug and animal generic drug user fee programs.  DATE : Thursday, March 30, 2023  TIME : 9:00 AM ET  LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  WITNESSES : Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.  LEGISLATION UNDER CONSIDERATION : H.R. 1418, the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023, and H.R. 1683, the Generic Animal Drug Advancement Act.  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 Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov . 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH) today announced the witnesses for a subcommittee hearing to address the environmental response to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The hearing is titled “Government Response to East Palestine: Ensuring Safety and Transparency for the Community.”  Rodgers and Johnson released the following statement:  “The people living in East Palestine and its surrounding areas deserve transparency regarding the recent train derailment that’s upended so many lives. It’s critical that they hear from the government officials charged with responding to the incident in order to ensure the health and safety of that community. We look forward to beginning those conversations at our Energy and Commerce hearing next week. This is the first step in the committee’s ongoing efforts to bring transparency to these communities so they can trust that the air, water, and soil surrounding their homes is not a threat to their health.”  Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials hearing titled: “Government Response to East Palestine: Ensuring Safety and Transparency for the Community”   WHAT: Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and the response efforts to date.  DATE: Tuesday, March 28, 2023       TIME: 10:00 AM ET     LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building      WITNESSES:   Debra Shore , Regional Administrator, Region 5, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  Anne M. Vogel , Director, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency  Wesley Vins , Health Commissioner, Columbiana County General Health District  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 Kaitlyn Peterson at Kaitlyn.Peterson@mail.house.gov . 

Watchdogs from Commerce Dept, EPA, DOE, and GAO to Testify Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today announced a subcommittee hearing to examine the Biden administration’s massive spending spree through the “ Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” the “CHIPS and Science Act,” and the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act.” The subcommittee will hear from the Inspectors General of the Department of Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Energy, as well as an official from the Government Accountability Office. These “watchdogs” are tasked with ensuring federal government agencies are accountable to the American people and comply with the law—as it was by written by Congress. "President Biden’s massive spending has led to record levels of inflation, which is hitting Americans hard at the pump, in the grocery store, and almost everywhere they turn. Worse, this administration is prioritizing projects that weaken our energy security, increase our dependency on foreign adversaries, and recklessly reward their political allies to the detriment of the American people’s interests. As part of our oversight efforts to eliminate government waste, fraud, and abuse, this hearing will give our committee a chance to hold the administration accountable.”  NOTE : Earlier this month, the Committee requested a full accounting of spending from the Biden administration, including Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing is titled “Follow the Money: Oversight of President Biden's Massive Spending Spree.” WHAT : A subcommittee hearing to conduct oversight of President Biden’s massive spending spree. DATE : Wednesday, March 29, 2023 TIME : 2:00 PM or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Subcommittee Health hearing, whichever is later. LOCATION : 2123 Rayburn House Office Building WITNESSES : Peggy Gustafson , Inspector General, Department of Commerce Sean O’Donnell , Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency Teri Donaldson , Inspector General, Department of Energy Mark Gaffigan , Managing Director, Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office 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 Lauren Eriksen with the Committee staff at Lauren.Eriksen@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov .

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) today announced the details of a full committee hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who will appear before the committee to testify on TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platforms’ impact on kids, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. It will be Chew’s first appearance before a congressional committee. The hearing is titled "TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms.”  “Americans deserve to know the extent to which their privacy is jeopardized and their data is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China. What’s worse, we know Big Tech companies, like TikTok, use harmful algorithms to exploit children for profit and expose them to dangerous content online. We need to know what actions the company is taking to keep our kids safe from online and offline harms. We look forward to hearing from Mr. Chew directly and continuing Energy and Commerce’s efforts to bring Big Tech CEOs before the committee to answer for their companies’ destructive actions.”   This full committee hearing is titled " TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms .”   WHAT: A full committee hearing on TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, how the platform affects children, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.  DATE: Thursday, March 23, 2023  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  This announcement 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 Jessica Herron at Jessica.Herron@mail.house.gov .   Members of the media who wish to attend in person should RSVP to their respective press gallery no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22.  House Radio/TV Gallery:   radiotv@mail.house.gov   202-225-5214  House Periodical Gallery:   periodical.press@mail.house.gov   202-225-2941  House Daily Press Gallery:   dailypressgallery@mail.house.gov  202-225-3945  Photographer Gallery:   press_photo@saa.senate.gov  202-224-6548  Please direct any press-related questions for Chair Rodgers and the Energy and Commerce Committee to Sean Kelly at Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov . 

Biden’s Partisan and Unrealistic Budget Request is Wrong for Americans Washington, D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today announced that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will testify at a hearing to discuss President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Budget Request.  “President Biden’s reckless spending is forcing Americans to deal with record levels of inflation. It has made it more difficult to purchase healthy foods, caused greater stresses on families, and driven up health care costs across the board. His budget request doubles down on massive inflationary spending, would crush medical innovation for new cures, attacks states’ rights to manage their Medicaid needs, forces taxpayers to fund abortion, and fails to restore trust in our public health agencies. Secretary Becerra owes it to the American people to explain why the Biden administration is placing these priorities over lowering health care costs, combating the fentanyl crisis, and protecting the dignity of all human life.”  WHAT : A hearing to discuss President Biden’s FY24 Budget Request  DATE : Wednesday, March 29, 2023    TIME : 10:00 AM ET   LOCATION : 2123 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 Jolie Brochin with the Committee staff at  Jolie.Brochin@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Christopher Krepich at  Christopher.Krepich@mail.house.gov . 

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) today announced a subcommittee hearing  on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) titled “Taking the Buzzer Beater to the Bank: Protecting College Athletes’ NIL Dealmaking Rights.”  “Athletes and students should have every opportunity to succeed in life and in the sport they’re passionate about,” said Rodgers and Bilirakis . “E&C is working to ensure a clear set of rules for male and female athletes of every sport to benefit from their name, image, and likeness—at both large and small schools in every state—to preserve the future of college athletics. Given that March Madness is upon us, we look forward to holding this timely hearing and reigniting discussions on how we can protect the rights of young athletes across the country.”  Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce hearing title: “ Taking the Buzzer Beater to the Bank: Protecting College Athletes’ NIL Dealmaking Rights .”  WHAT: Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee hearing on protecting the name, image, and likeness rights of college athletes.   DATE: Wednesday, March 29, 2023  TIME: 10:30 AM ET  LOCATION: 2322 Rayburn House Office Building  This announcement 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 Jessica Herron at Jessica.Herron@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Sean Kelly at Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov .