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Washington D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s subcommittee  hearing  titled “The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Commerce Budget.”  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MUST STRENGTHEN U.S. COMPETITIVENESS “I would like to welcome everyone to today’s hearing where we will be examining and discussing the Department of Commerce’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request.  “I want to thank Secretary Raimondo for appearing before us and look forward to conducting important Congressional oversight of this agency as we look to fund ways to strengthen our economy and compete on the global stage.  “This Committee has been active on both of these fronts.  “Last month, the House passed H.R. 6571, the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, led by Reps. Bucshon and Blunt Rochester, which would establish a mapping program at the Department of Commerce to examine our supply chains to better prepare our economy for any future shocks that we may see.  “Monitoring these trends will help protect us from reliance on our nation’s enemies and instead help industries to adapt quickly.  “The Department would also be tasked with partnering with the private sector to better understand vulnerabilities in our supply chains, including supply chains for emerging technologies, and provide recommendations for promoting emerging technologies and making critical supply chains more resilient and closer to home.  “Secretary Raimondo, thank you for being here before us to discuss these issues.”  SECURING AMERICAN SUPPLY CHAINS   “I’m interested to hear from you on these supply chain issues, as well as the state of our country’s global competition with China, and the status of our travel and tourism sector.  “Last Congress, we worked on a bipartisan basis with Rep. Schakowsky to pass the Restoring Brand USA Act and the Visit America Act to ensure the U.S. remains a top destination for visitors around the globe, and that we have oversight mechanisms and a plan in place at Commerce to prepare the nation for the next decade in travel and tourism trends.  “I am concerned that the U.S. is starting to lag behind other top nations in the travel sector, and I look forward to discussing ways to modernize and advance our nation’s tourism priorities through your Department by reducing red tape and bureaucratic barriers and instead embrace the power of our private sector and our great local economies.”  ENABLING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES   “Lastly, I hope to be able to discuss the continued importance of American leadership in emerging technologies, such as blockchain, A.I., and quantum computing.  “Our Subcommittee has again conducted bipartisan work on these topics, including passing H.R. 6572, the Deploying American Blockchains Act, in May, which will direct the Department of Commerce to take action in promoting U.S. competitiveness in the deployment and use of blockchain technologies.  “We cannot cede American leadership in these fields, and it is critical that we continue to employ new strategies that let innovators thrive here in the United States.  “That also includes the critical infrastructure manufacturing necessary to develop these emerging technologies.  “Rep. Miller Meeks’ bill that we passed would do just that by finding pathways to increase our capacity for domestic manufacturing, reducing barriers to entry, and becoming less reliant on countries like China for critical components necessary for these innovations to continue.  “With all of these pieces of legislation I hope we can get those past the Senate and across the finish line to the President’s desk.  “Secretary Raimondo, I look forward to hearing from you about how we can align these goals, secure American leadership, reduce red tape for industry stakeholders—we cannot let a ‘top-down’ approach get in the way and hope that we can instead let the American innovative economy thrive.  “The Budget needs to reflect these key priorities without breaking the bank, and I am interested to hear your perspective.” 

Washington D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee hearing titled “The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Commerce Budget.” “Thank you, Chair Bilirakis. “I appreciate your continued leadership on so many issues important to this committee, many of which touch the Department of Commerce, like travel and tourism.   “And welcome back, Secretary Raimondo.   “We appreciate you being here and your cooperation with the Committee as we work to ensure America’s continued economic and technological leadership.  “This Committee plays a vital role in preserving and bolstering that leadership, which is currently being threatened by countries, like China.  “It’s critical that we work together to ensure that America is setting rules of the road for the technologies of tomorrow.   “In part, that requires that we make sure these technologies are developed here in the U.S. in an ecosystem that promotes America’s values   “As you know, this Committee has a rich history of bipartisanship, and we’ve worked this past Congress to advance U.S. priorities domestically and internationally.   “Your department plays a key role in implementing the policies we advance, from improving data privacy, to strengthening supply chains, to helping to build emerging technologies. “Those efforts are essential as we work towards our shared goals of winning the future and beating China.”  AMERICAN PRIVACY RIGHTS ACT    “Tomorrow this committee will markup the American Privacy Rights Act .     “This bipartisan legislation will not only give Americans the right to privacy and control over their data, but it will also benefit the Department of Commerce when representing American business interests on the world stage.     “According to the most recent data from the International Association of Privacy Professionals, almost 80 percent of developed countries have some form of comprehensive data privacy laws on the books, with one very notable exception—the U.S.   “This lack of comprehensive privacy protections puts us at a competitive disadvantage and prevents us from clearly articulating how to balance personal rights with promoting innovation.   “That’s especially true when dealing with allies in the European Union who can disproportionately influence outcomes through GDPR and other laws.   “These overly burdensome foreign regulations hamper innovation at the expense of Americans.   “Passing APRA will send a clear message to the world that we are serious about protecting our data and provides the opportunity to put our imprint on future international laws, like rules on cross-border data flow.     “If we fail to do this, adversaries will fill the void and weaken our leadership ability, as well as leave Americans’ information open to exploitation from them.”  AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN AI AND CHIPS    “Getting APRA across the finish line is also essential to our shared goal of cementing U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.  “Your goals to promote cutting edge semiconductor technology through the CHIPS program, as well as your efforts to promote AI safety, are not mutually exclusive.     “We need to ensure America is leading both in semiconductor and AI technology development.   “And that means fostering a healthy business environment, securing our supply chains, and streamlining—rather than restricting—permitting to secure the domestic supply of critical materials necessary for these technologies.     “Otherwise, we will cede our leadership in AI and other technologies of the future to China and others.   “Money and mandates are not enough.   “We must have an approach that fosters the culture of ingenuity and entrepreneurship America needs to move our country forward.   “This subcommittee has worked on several important solutions this past Congress that Chair Bilirakis alluded to.     “I hope that we can continue to move these priorities forward to improve the deployment of emerging technologies, encourage foreign investment into American companies, streamline permitting for our critical supply chains, and enhance our nation’s cybersecurity.   “We look forward to working with you on these efforts and continuing to build on the economic legacy that has made this country great.” 

Washington D.C. —  House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s subcommittee  hearing  titled “Examining Anti-Doping Measures in Advance of the 2024 Olympics.”  UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF THE OLYMPICS   “As U.S. athletes prepare to compete in the Paris Olympics, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the reliability of international anti-doping enforcement which is supposed to eliminate the use of certain performance enhancing drugs.  “This Committee has been alarmed to learn from news reports that several swimmers representing the People’s Republic of China tested positive for banned performance enhancing substances and then went on to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.  “Just last week, eleven of these swimmers were again named to the People’s Republic of China’s 2024 Olympic team. All of this comes after the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, ignored signs of systemic Russian doping for years.  “Seven years ago, this Oversight subcommittee, held a hearing on ways to strengthen the international anti-doping system. It is unfortunate that we are here again.  “Two witnesses from that 2017 hearing are back with us today—premier Olympian, Mr. Michael Phelps and the CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA, Mr. Travis Tygart.  “We are also pleased to welcome another outstanding Olympic swimmer, Ms. Allison Schmitt, to join us today so we can revisit doping in sports ahead of next month’s Summer Olympics. “I want to start off by reminding everyone of what Mr. Phelps told us seven years ago, because it bears repeating. “He said ‘if we allow our confidence in fair play to erode, we will undermine the power of sport and the goals and dreams of future generations. The time to act is now.’  “I’m glad Mr. Phelps highlighted the damage performance enhancing drugs has on our country’s youth athletes and am disappointed that WADA has not seemed to heed that call.” THE IMPORTANCE OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD   “Children join sports teams and clubs believing that the system is mostly fair and that cheaters will be punished.  “The importance of sports for our country’s children cannot be understated.  “Sports empower children by teaching them life lessons, building their confidence, showing them the meaning of hard work, and offering some of them opportunities to represent our country and make a career. “I myself have had the opportunity to see my own children grow and learn from competitive swimming.   “In fact, this last week was very exciting in my household, because one year ago, in high school regionals, my son competed against Olympian Thomas Heilman, who at age 17, is the youngest male swimmer to qualify for Team USA since Michael Phelps.  “The joke at my house was, that, at one point in the race they were tied, that would be the part where the starter says, 'take your mark.’  “Foundational to the Olympics is the trust that clean athletes, both aspiring and current Olympians, have in the system to keep cheaters out.   “Doping leads to cynicism in sports and inevitable disappointment for aspiring athletes. “As I’m sure Ms. Schmitt and Mr. Phelps can attest to, we cannot overemphasize the dedication, sacrifices, and training required of our Olympians, competing at the very highest, and what I believe to be the most prestigious, athletic level. “Youth athletes dedicate themselves by putting in countless hours of training, pushing both physical and mental limits in the hopes of one day being an Olympian.   “Athletes miss birthdays and holidays to train so that they can achieve success the right way, on their merit.  “Mr. Phelps has previously said he didn’t take a single day off for over a five-year period, just so he could be the best at what he does.  “Doping irrevocably undermines the purpose of that sacrifice by allowing competitors who really want all the glory without putting in as much work.  “Is it fair that we encourage our youth to invest so much of their time if on the greatest stage consequences are not expected for certain countries’ athletes?”  WADA MUST IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY   “That is why I am disappointed that Mr. Banka, the President of WADA, refused our invitation to testify before this Subcommittee today to discuss his role in upholding the integrity of anti-doping testing and enforcement in international sports competitions.  “WADA received nearly four million in taxpayer dollars through Congress last fiscal year. Their refusal to appear today calls into question their commitment to accountability and perhaps if they’re not going to do their job, should we even fund them?  “Mr. Banka and WADA have hidden today rather than explain how WADA let over twenty swimmers representing the People’s Republic of China compete in international competitions after they all tested positive for a banned substance.  “Cheating athletes take away spots and medals from clean athletes.  “The integrity and sanctity of sports is critical for the Olympians competing but also for the children who dream one day to be an Olympian.  “We will keep a seat open for Mr. Banka in case he decides to join us.  “I want to thank the three of you who made it here today despite your very busy schedules ahead of the Paris Olympics.” 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing titled “Examining Anti-Doping Measures in Advance of the 2024 Olympics.”  “Thank you, Chair Griffith, and thank you to our highly decorated panel of witnesses whose Olympic careers have inspired an entire generation of Americans.  “Tonight’s hearing comes at an important moment as we are just one month away from the start of the 2024 Summer Olympic games in Paris.  “We will be examining how the World Anti-Doping Agency’s polices—and their failure to enforce those policies—on the use of banned performance enhancing drugs and how that is undermining the integrity of the Olympic games.”  WADA REFUSES ACCOUNTABILITY   “It is completely unacceptable that World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka, whose agency received over three million in U.S. taxpayer dollars this past year, declined to join us tonight.  “Doping scandals have real effects on our athletes, including American swimmers, who must abide by the strictest anti-doping standards enforced by USADA, and include requirements like random testing.  “These anti-doping standards should be applied evenly to ensure a level playing field and that the best athlete wins.”  CHINESE DOPING SCANDAL “Recent reporting unveiled that just weeks before the 2021 Olympic games in Tokyo, 23 members of the Chinese swimming team tested positive for a banned substance—Trimetazidine or TMZ.   “The Chinese authorities dismissed the positive tests, telling the World Anti-Doping Agency this was all a mistake because the banned drug—which is found only in pill form—somehow ended up in the kitchen of a hotel that all 23 swimmers were staying at, and they all somehow unknowingly ingested this banned substance.  “The World Anti-Doping Agency’s review somehow concluded this explanation was plausible and no further investigation was necessary.  “It’s important to note that those swimmers won several medals, including three golds.  “WADA has consistently failed to be transparent or accept any responsibility for its actions.  “And it’s not just the US Congress.  “WADA also declined a hearing invitation from the German Bundestag that was scheduled earlier this month.    “How many more Olympic athletes have to lose out on winning medals and proudly singing their country’s national anthem before the World Anti-Doping Agency decides to enforce its rules uniformly?  “Everyone watching the Olympics in Paris and in their homes next month should know that the system is not rigged against athletes who compete the right way.  “I look forward to hearing from all of you on this important topic.” 

Former Olympians Michael Phelps & Allison Schmitt scheduled 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) announced a hearing titled “Examining Anti-Doping Measures in Advance of the 2024 Olympics.” “Olympic athletes dedicate years of their lives to perfect their craft in order to represent the United States on the world stage. They—as well as athletes from every other country—deserve to compete on a level playing field that’s free of banned performance enhancing drugs,” said Chairs Rodgers and Griffith. “The World Anti-Doping Agency, the governing body responsible for enforcing fair standards, has a questionable track record of fulfilling that mission. This hearing will give Members a chance to examine that track record, identify opportunities for improvement, and ensure that the best athletes are the ones taking home gold medals.”  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing titled “Examining Anti-Doping Measures in Advance of the 2024 Olympics.”   WHAT: A Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing to examine anti-doping measures ahead of the 2024 Olympics.  DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 2024  TIME: 7:00 PM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  CONFIRMED WITNESSES:    Mr. Michael Phelps, Former Olympic Athlete  Ms. Allison Schmitt, Former Olympic Athlete  Mr. Travis Tygart, Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency  INVITED WITNESSES :  Mr. Witold Banka, President, World Anti-Doping Agency 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 Kennedy with the Committee staff at Lauren.Kennedy@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) announced a hearing titled “The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Commerce Budget.”  “The Department of Commerce is tasked with ensuring American businesses have the resources they need to innovate, grow, and compete. In order to ensure the U.S. continues to be an economic and technological leader, we need sound, transparent policies that support American competitiveness, especially in emerging technologies,” said Chairs Rodgers and Bilirakis. “We look forward to our conversation with Secretary Raimondo to discuss how the Department of Commerce can further support American businesses and economic leadership.” Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce hearing titled “The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Commerce Budget.” WHAT: Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce hearing to discuss President Biden’s FY 2025 budget request for the Department of Commerce.  DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 2024  TIME: 10:00 AM ET  LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building  WITNESS: Hon. Gina Raimondo, Secretary, Department of Commerce 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 Alex Khlopin at Alex.Khlopin@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 Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s subcommittee  hearing  titled “Checking-In on CMMI: Assessing the Transition to Value-Based Care.”  “Thank you to our witness, Dr. Liz Fowler, for being here with us today as we ‘check-in’ on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s progress in lowering costs and improving quality of care paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. “Our health care system has underdone significant changes over the last decade and Americans continue to cite health care costs as a top concern. “More Americans are stuck paying more for health care, more than they ever have in the past.” HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURES RAPIDLY INCREASING ON THE BACKS OF TAXPAYERS AND PATIENTS “Taxpayers are also on the hook for higher health care expenditures. “In 2022, health care spending grew by 4% year-over-year, reaching $4.5 trillion, nearly 17% of U.S. gross domestic product. “During this same time, spending on hospital care reached 30% of total health care spending while physician and clinical services reached 20% of all health care spending.   “Physicians are now being forced to spend more man hours on back-office administrative tasks in efforts by taxpayers to keep costs low.” CMMI FAILED TO ACHIEVE PROJECTED COST SAVINGS “Policy makers and stakeholders from across the health care system have hoped that by embracing value-based care, high costs and physician burnout would be addressed, and patients would receive a higher quality of care.   “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation was supposed to be a key driver of this movement toward value-based care.   “However, Medicare and Medicaid’s transition to value care has clearly stagnated.   “CMMI was established as a part of the Affordable Care Act with the dual goal of driving better patient outcomes and slowing the growth rate of the Medicare and Medicaid program costs.   “The Congressional Budget Office originally projected that CMMI would not just offset the costs of running pilot programs but drive significant long-term savings across our health care system.   “That unfortunately has not come close to materializing. A September 2023 CBO report found that CMMI’s activities increased spending by almost $5.5 billion.    “Under the Biden administration the Center has undertaken an internal reevaluation.   “While I would hope this strategic refresh would generate a renewed commitment to better fulfilling CMMI’s mission of reducing costs and improving quality in its second decade.   “However, I must admit I am concerned the Center has instead further shifted focus from its Congressionally anointed purpose.   “I would be remised if I didn’t mention a few specific actions CMMI has taken recently that could significantly harm the transition to value-based care.   “The first, is the so-called Accelerating Clinical Evidence model in which CMMI has proposed to slash payments to Part B providers who are prescribing therapies fully approved by the FDA through the Accelerated Approval Pathway.   “This not only undermines the FDA gold standard but penalizes those attempting to drive transformative change for patients that otherwise lack treatment options.”  CMMI IS IMPEDING INNOVATION “I am furthermore concerned about CMMI’s Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model, which may inhibit the states’ ability to use value-based agreements to pay for curative cell-and-gene therapies approved by FDA. “We have 50 incubators across the country in the form of our state Medicaid programs and waiver authorities that give states the ability to shape policies that make the most sense for their budgetary needs and the needs of their beneficiaries. “By CMS directly negotiating drug rates for these therapies, it weakens the ability for states to negotiate directly with manufacturers or to form states compacts that give states greater bargaining power in these situations. “I would instead urge CMMI and CMS to work with Congress to pass my MVP Act, which I’ve worked with Ranking Member Eshoo on, which would codify CMS’ multiple best price rule and truly allow states to use value-based agreements to get life-changing treatments to patients as quickly and as affordably as possible, should be the goal of all of us. “In closing, I hope today’s discussion helps us chart a path forward for CMMI that can ensure the center is better delivering on its mission to facilitate innovation payment models that deliver for patients and taxpayers and reenergize the transition to value-based care.” 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Health Subcommittee hearing titled “Checking-In on CMMI: Assessing the Transition to Value-Based Care.” CMMI'S FAILURE TO LOWER COSTS    “The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation was created to help improve how Medicare and Medicaid pay for health care and be an engine in our drive towards value-based care.   “CMMI was given a 10-year, $10 billion budget and extremely wide-ranging authorities with limited built-in congressional oversight.   “The only directives Congress gave CMMI were to achieve two goals: lower the cost of delivering care and improve patient outcomes.   “Over the last decade and a half, CMMI has tested over 50 models. Only two accomplished both of those goals.   “When CMMI was created, the savings it was projected to generate were to be used to offset spending by the Affordable Care Act.   “Originally, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that CMMI would save $1.3 billion over its first decade of operation.  “That same model also projected CMMI to save as much as $77.5 billion in its second decade, from 2020 to 2030.   “However, when CBO looked at the actual results in a September 2023 report, the disparity between those expectations and the reality proved to be staggering.   “Instead of reducing spending by $1.3 billion in the first decade, CMMI increased spending by $5.4 billion.   “For this second decade, instead of saving 77.5 billion dollars, CBO is now projecting CMMI to increase spending by $1.3 billion.   “I have a hard time believing any objective observer could look at the results thus far and describe CMMI as a success.   “So how do we move forward? “Today, we’re joined by Dr. Elizabeth Fowler, the current Director of CMMI, to discuss the Center’s work and understand why it has failed to live up to its intended purpose thus far. “I will note that Dr. Fowler has not been with CMMI throughout its entire existence. “In fact, CMMI has had multiple directors across multiple administrations. “But you are at the helm now and responsible for correcting this program’s trajectory, and while there are some reasons for optimism, a lot of what I have seen is concerning.” CMMI STRAYING FROM ITS CORE MISSION  “I’ve been disappointed to see CMMI devalue drugs approved through the FDA’s Accelerated Approval Pathway—which FDA leadership confirmed meet the agency’s gold-standard just a few weeks ago in this committee.   “This pathway was designed to build on precision medicine, encourage innovation, and allow patients to access needed cures sooner, but CMMI’s decision to cut reimbursements unilaterally for drugs approved via Accelerated Approval undercuts this mission.  “In addition, when Congress passed MACRA, thanks in large part to the work of this Committee, CMMI was given a cental role in driving Medicare’s transition to value-based care.   “While CMMI has developed and tested some new models, largely for primary care physicians, too many clinicians have been left without a pathway to participate in APMs.   “I’m concerned that instead of focusing on fulfilling the role Congress gave CMMI in MACRA and working on developing new APMs, CMMI’s focus has shifted to collecting information on patients' food insecurity and housing needs and requiring providers to waste time writing ridiculous 'health equity plans.’”  SOME POSITIVE OUTCOMES   “While I have concerns on the overall direction and lack of results with CMMI, there have been a few positive outcomes that deserve to be recognized.  “Looking at CMMI’s most recent work, I am glad you are continuing to build on the Accountable Care Organization model.   “While joining an ACO should not be the only pathway for providers to be able to participate in value-based care, these models are among the few that have actually managed to reduce overall spending and should not be abandoned.   “I was encouraged to see CMMI work on trying to improve care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.   “Sadly, most people know someone that has suffered from this terrible disease, and I hope that this model is successful in improving community-based care for those patients.   “Lowering the costs of health care in this country has been a primary mission of this Committee this Congress. We are on an unsustainable path and must continue to find ways to reverse the current trend. “This makes it all the more important that CMMI carries out its intended mission and avoids pursuing an alternative agenda. “Dr. Fowler, I am grateful you are here to share your expertise and eager to hear what lessons CMMI has learned and how we can get it back on track to lower costs and improve care.” 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing titled “Securing America’s Critical Materials Supply Chains and Economic Leadership.” “Today’s hearing is an opportunity to examine how we reduce our dependence on China and take the steps necessary to maintaining American economic leadership for decades to come. “An important step to achieving this is to significantly increase our domestic production and supply of critical materials, which are foundational to America’s ability to manufacture goods like batteries, electric grid components, semiconductors, and advanced energy technologies, which are crucial to our economic and national security. “If we fail, America will continue to be dangerously reliant upon others for these critical materials, in particular, adversaries, like China, and vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and market manipulation. “It starts with having an honest conversation about what has led us to where we are today and how we have become so dependent on others. “Only then will we be able to advance the solutions necessary to creating the regulatory predictability needed for mining, processing, and refining of these materials domestically, ending our reliance on others, ensuring stable access to critical materials, boosting American manufacturing, and protecting America’s economic future and national security.” HOW WE GOT HERE “Over the last several decades, America’s capacity to mine, process, and refine minerals has been decimated. “The United States was once one of the world’s leading producers of the minerals and metals that are foundational to America’s economic success and national security. “Today, more than 90 percent of those minerals are under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. “Their supply chains stretch from the jungles of the African Congo to smelters and refineries in China. “We have allowed them to establish a monopoly on the core components needed to produce the batteries powering our smartphones, computers, electric cars, and many renewable sources of energy. “To make matters worse, they do this with zero regard for any environmental, labor, or human rights standards. “The Biden administration’s rush to green agenda will only further solidify China’s stranglehold on the market. “By advancing policies that mandate technologies whose core components can only be sourced from China while failing to advance policies to onshore production of those core components, we are only further enriching China—the largest polluter in the world. “The Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act were filled with these mandates and pumped hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars into subsidizing the purchasing of these technologies, exasperating the problem. “We cannot continue doing the same thing over and over again and expect anything to change.” BIDEN’S CRUSHING REGULATIONS “We have to get serious about getting to the root cause of the problem, which is overburdensome regulation and start advancing the policies necessary to onshoring production of critical materials. “The U.S. has enacted the strongest environmental laws in the world, which have helped us clean up our air and water over the last half century. “It’s possible to continue building on our legacy of environmental stewardship without pushing our supply chains overseas. “To do this, however, we need reasonable solutions rather than a continuation of the current regulatory and legal environment that has all but forced U.S. mines and smelters out of business or out of the country. “The good news is that the U.S. has been blessed with tremendous natural resources. We have a rich history of harnessing and leveraging these resources through free market principles. “Today I look forward to discussing what is necessary to continue building on that legacy. “We do it by standing up for American values of free market competition, innovation, environmental stewardship; better aligning our environmental goals with our goals for economic growth and national security, and securing and growing our critical material supply chains to end America’s dependence on adversaries like China.”