News

In the News Updates


Mar 18, 2024
Blog

Chair Rodgers Joins the Fox News Rundown

This weekend, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined the Fox News Rundown to discuss House passage of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, will protect Americans by preventing foreign adversaries, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications, like TikTok. Highlights and excerpts from the interview: “The choice is TikTok’s. They can either choose to continue to operate under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, because they are owned by ByteDance, or they can choose to divest from ByteDance and the Chinese Communist Party and continue to operate in the United States of America and businesses and individual users can continue to use the app the way that they always have.” “This bill only applies to applications that are subject to the control of specific adversaries that are listed in the bill. We list these foreign adversaries as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.” “TikTok has repeatedly been caught in this lie that it doesn’t answer to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance. We know that TikTok has been used to spy on American journalists. We know that TikTok has been used to surveil American user data.” “[China] has the potential to manipulate people for their own gain.” “Even internal TikTok employee recordings have revealed ‘everything is seen in China.’ We know that we cannot trust China to safeguard our data.” “We have grave concerns about TikTok being owned by a foreign adversary and having this access and what that means to our national security. We’ve been briefed by our national intelligence agencies, and they have impressed upon us that this is a very real threat.” “Immediately after the bill passed, the [leaders] of the [Senate] Intelligence Committee, Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement in support [of the bill]. There’s other Senators that are voicing support for the bill and for us taking action.”



Mar 15, 2024
Blog

In the News: E&C Members Lead on Protecting Americans’ Data and National Security

After a unanimous vote in the Energy and Commerce Committee, H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act , passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 352 – 65. Following the strong, bipartisan vote, Energy and Commerce Republicans touted the bill’s widespread support. Highlights and excerpt from the interviews: Rep. Latta on NewsNation: “This is something that the House has been working on for over a year. When Mr. Chew [CEO of TikTok] appeared before us in Committee, I asked him if anyone in Communist China could see this data from Americans users of the app. ‘Yes it could be,’ was his response. We’ve also had security briefings. That’s one of the other big concerns here is the national security of the United States and making sure we protect our citizens from the Communist Chinese accessing their information.” […] “TikTok is owned by ByteDance, and under Communist Chinese law, anything that the government wants, if you’re a Chinese company, you have to give it to the government. What we’re saying in the legislation is if ByteDance, which is the parent [company], divests themselves of TikTok, TikTok can still be used here in the United States.” Rep. Walberg on Scripps News: “We’re not attempting to ban TikTok. […] That’s what TikTok wants its users and subscribers to think we’re doing, but it's not true. We have said that TikTok can remain as long as it's not connected to an adversarial country—China, Russia, North Korea, Iran.” […] “For the purposes of national security, we don’t want something like TikTok, with 170 million users, to have access opportunity from the CCP. That’s a dangerous setting. So, we have said we’re not banning. It can continue on, but it cannot be owned by any company that is controlled by the CCP and that’s ByteDance. It is wholly responsible to the CCP and that’s a dangerous thing. Rep. Cammack on America’s Newsroom: “The thing that’s really concerning is that the CCP has come out and said they would rather see us ‘ban’ TikTok than divest. [ByteDance] stands to make billions of dollars through divestment, but instead the Chinese government is more concerned with having unfettered access [to U.S. data].” […] “Just this time last year, the CEO of TikTok told my Committee that they didn’t have access to geolocation data. But, it turns out, they tapped into the geolocation data of their users, and if you were in an Energy and Commerce Committee Member’s district, you couldn’t use the app until you actually called through the app. They say that they don’t [surveil Americans], but we know that they do.” Rep. Pfluger on Yahoo Finance: “The goal here is we want to make sure Americans are safe. We want to make sure that data is safe. We want to make sure that a foreign adversary is not taking advantage of an application and using Americans and our privacy to their advantage.” […] “This is not about content. It’s about conduct. In fact, we hope that the application can actually continue, but it needs to happen with a trusted purchase, and so far the Chinese Communist Party has a direct tie to ByteDance. It’s about the link to a foreign adversary that has control over it. […] It’s about divesting and putting that company and the application in the hands of trusted agents which are either American businesses or friendly countries.” Rep. Carter on The Claman Countdown: “The House of Representatives has spoken. They have said we’re not going to shun our responsibility of protecting our homeland and our citizens. Instead, we’re not going to let a Chinese Communist Party-owned app operate here in America. Now, if they want to divest themselves and sell their company, […] that’s fine.” […] “This is a decision TikTok’s got to make. If they will divest themselves, then TikTok continues on and people will continue to enjoy it and continue to watch it.” […] “[The vote] was overwhelming in the House— 352 votes. I think that sends a strong message to the Senate. […] The Senate needs to take up this bill and they need to pass this bill. The White House has already said that they would sign it.” Rep. Crenshaw on the Brian Kilmeade Show: "If you're a company in China, you have to do whatever [the CCP] tells you, and you have to spy on whoever [the CCP] tells you to spy on." [...] "[They] can weaponize that kind of tool, and the Chinese have already been shown to have weaponized it. I don't want a situation where we're in an adversarial relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, and they have the ability to manipulate the minds and opinions of tens of millions of Americans."



Mar 14, 2024
Blog

ICYMI: Chair Rodgers Discusses House Passage of H.R. 7521 on Fox News’s America Reports

“TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Fox News to discuss House passage of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, will protect Americans by preventing foreign adversaries, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications, like TikTok. Highlights and excerpts from the interview: “We know that TikTok has repeatedly been caught in this lie that it is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance, and yet we have internal recording from employees that have said ‘everything is seen by China.’  “We know that China surveils its own citizens. We know that the Chinese Communist Party cannot be trusted with American user data. “We cannot trust them to protect American values like freedom. That’s why the House voted overwhelmingly [today] […] 352 yes votes to force TikTok to break away from ByteDance.” […] “TikTok really has the choice to make. This is not a ban. This is TikTok deciding whether or not it remains with its current ownership structure, ByteDance, and ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, or if divests. “If it breaks away from ByteDance, it will continue to operate in the United States of America. “That’s why the bill does—it’s a very narrow, specific legislation that we’ve working on for months to take into account the national security concerns.” […] “This is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, and we need to be taking action to protect American user data.” [...] “The legislation is focused on the national security threat. This is about data that would be controlled by foreign adversaries. We are not getting into content at all—I think that’s a very important note to make." […] “This bill is unique in that its targeting foreign adversaries. We’re working separately on legislation for privacy, data security, and believe that a national data privacy and security bill is very important for protecting Americans and protecting Americans—as well as our kids—online.” CLICK HERE to read Chair Rodgers’ statement on H.R. 7521. CLICK HERE to for what top conservative voices are saying.



Mar 12, 2024
Blog

Chair Rodgers in the News: TikTok Must Separate From CCP-Control

Highlights from Interviews with Fox Business, Scripps News, and Newsmax House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Fox Business, Scripps News, and Newsmax this morning to highlight the need to pass H.R. 7521, the  Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act . Applications controlled by foreign adversaries, like TikTok, are exploiting and weaponizing Americans’ data. These applications are a  national security threat  to the American people. H.R. 7521 is bipartisan legislation that will protect Americans by preventing foreign adversaries, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications, like TikTok. We have given TikTok a clear choice through this legislation: Divest from your parent company ByteDance—which is beholden to the CCP—and remain operational in the United States, OR side with the CCP and be prohibited in the U.S. The choice is TikTok’s. Here are highlights and top moments from Chair Rodgers’ interviews: Chair Rodgers on Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo: “ We had a very strong vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, 50–0, a unanimous vote which only underscores how strong the bill is and how members believe this action needs to be taken.” […] “The bill is narrow. It is targeted to address the national security threat that we believe these apps, like TikTok, pose to the United States because of its ownership by a foreign adversary.” Chair Rodgers on Scripps News’ Morning Rush: “TikTok has repeatedly been caught in a lie that it is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance, its parent company, and we know that we cannot trust the Chinese Communist Party. They’re collecting a massive amount of data so they can target, manipulate, surveil, and, in essence, control what Americans see on TikTok.” […] “This is a national security threat. This is a destructive tool that is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. “This bill will force TikTok to make a choice. TikTok will either have to choose if it wants to maintain the current relationship it has with ByteDance and ultimately be controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, or […] divest, which means it would have to sell and break away from ByteDance in order to remain operating in the United States of America. It’s TikTok’s choice to make.” Chair Rodgers on Newsmax’s National Report: “[This bill] does not address content on the platform. This is in response to national security concerns raised by these apps being controlled by foreign adversaries.” […] “We have evidence that TikTok has spied on American journalists through its parent company ByteDance. Those cases are before the Justice Department now. We know that they are collecting data for purposes of targeting, surveilling, and manipulating 170 million users.”



Mar 11, 2024
Blog

Chair Rodgers: TikTok Must Divest from the Chinese Communist Party

Highlights from Chair Rodgers on CNBC, Fox News, and NewsNation House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined CNBC, Fox News, and NewsNation to highlight the dangers of applications controlled by foreign adversaries, like CCP-controlled TikTok, and the need to pass H.R. 7521. H.R. 7521 , the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act , is bipartisan legislation that will protect Americans by preventing foreign adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications, like TikTok. We have given TikTok a clear choice through this legislation: Divest from your parent company ByteDance—which is beholden to the CCP—and remain operational in the U.S., OR side with the Chinese Communist Party and face a ban. The choice is theirs. Here are highlights and top moments from Chair Rodgers’ interviews:   Chair Rodgers on CNBC's Squawk Box: On Wide-Ranging Support for the Bill: “The vote in committee—the unanimous 50-0 vote in committee—underscores the national security concerns related to apps that are controlled by foreign adversaries, including TikTok.    “Foreign adversaries using apps to collect, to manipulate, and to surveil on Americans through the data that they are collecting. [...]  We're moving quickly on the Floor because of the national security threat posed by these apps. “This [bill] is not a ban. This would be a choice for TikTok,  whether or not it remains controlled by the CCP through ByteDance or if it decides to divest and to continue to be operational in the United States of America, but it is their choice.” On TikTok Lying About Its Relationship with the CCP: “TikTok has repeatedly been caught in this lie that it is not controlled by the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance. “We know from internal recordings from employees that are saying 'everything is seen by China.' This is the way that China operates. [...] They surveil on their own citizens, and  they cannot be trusted to safeguard American data or to protect our American values like freedom.” On TikTok Claiming They Aren’t Manipulating Americans: “Just because they say [they aren’t manipulating Americans] doesn't make it true—they're collecting massive amounts of data. There are 177 million [American] users on TikTok." [...] “When we were in the middle of our hearing and markup [...] users on TikTok were blocked from being able to get on to the app until they called their representative and told them to not support this legislation.  That was one real time example of how they can manipulate Americans for their own purposes.  […] It was clear that [TikTok was] able to weaponize their tool to motivate a lot of people to call. Many offices were saying that it was more calls than they had ever received, but it just underscores how this can be used for their own purposes.” On Getting H.R. 7521 Across the Finish Line: “Our goal is to get this legislation onto the President's desk. I was having conversations with Senators on the House Floor while we were watching the State of the Union related to how they also want to engage on this legislation because of the serious concern. [...] I’m very hopeful that we are going to get a bill on the President's desk ultimately. “We’ve also been working with the White House. The White House has given a lot of technical assistance. [...] We want to make sure that we are focused on the national security threat that an application poses when it is collecting this data on Americans but is ultimately controlled by a foreign adversary.” Chair Rodgers on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom: “We know that [TikTok is] collecting an enormous amount of data and that they are manipulating and using it. That’s how they operate in China. They surveil their own citizens and we cannot trust them.” Chair Rodgers on NewsNation’s Morning in America: On the Dangers of the CCP using TikTok to Surveil Americans: “We're talking about American user data. [...] This would be your location data. This would be your search history—and even if you don't have TikTok on your phone—it doesn't mean that they aren’t accessing your data. “We know that this is how the Chinese Communist Party treats their own citizens. [...]  They cannot be trusted to safeguard our data or uphold our American values.   This is legislation that is very targeted against foreign adversaries, like China, to protect Americans. “TikTok has said that this is a ban, but it really is their choice as to whether or not they divest from ByteDance, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, or if they decide to operate separately in the United States and do it under our laws.” Chair Rodgers on CNBC’s Fast Money: “This bill is focusing on national security threats that are owned and controlled by a foreign adversary. It does not get into the content that's on that application.”



Jan 2, 2024
Health

The House Passed a Long-Needed Health Care Price Transparency Measure

"[M]aking prices more transparent  polls at more than 80 percent ,  regardless of party or demographic . It   brings both liberal   and   conservative advocacy groups   together. Americans see prices everywhere they shop except in health care, and it makes sense to them that there should be a clear price for blood draws and X-rays, too." Last month, the House passed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act to drive down health care costs by increasing price transparency. Writing in the The Hill , journalist and commentator Mary Katharine Ham shared her experience as a patient and explains the importance of price transparency. “When I was pregnant with my second child, in the years following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, I went to the doctor for routine prenatal testing. Despite promises to the contrary, I had lost several health insurance plans during those years, and  at least one while pregnant.  At the doctor that day, my new deductible was so high that I paid full freight up-front for all my care.  “The practice offered me two tests—one a new-fangled version of the old test. When I noticed two tests listed, I told them I’d like to choose one and asked which was more cost-effective. The facility couldn’t even tell me.  “ On a different trip to the pediatrician, I asked for an estimate of the price. I was quoted about $250, but when I checked out, was presented with a bill almost three times that. ”  […]  “No matter what kind of insurance you have, you’ve probably run into this confusion. In ObamaCare exchanges, employer-based insurance, and government-run programs, figuring out even an approximate price for medical services can be a puzzle. In most of our system, cost is borne by a third payer, so customers and providers alike are disconnected from the actual price of services. As a result, even the same exact procedure can cost wildly different amounts, depending on something as simple as which building you visit to get it done.   “A new bill overwhelmingly passed by the House […] (the vote was 320-71) aims to fix some of these problems. Dubbed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, the package had bipartisan backing and went through three different House committees. It aims to make changes to our complex health care system to make pricing clearer and site-neutral.”  […]  “ The health care debate has for too long been defined by utopian dreams and giant plans, many of which fall short for Americans. Maybe it’s time to start favoring the simple over the sweeping.  In the words of Fat Joe, it’s not rocket science.”  CLICK HERE to read the full piece.  CLICK HERE to read more about the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act . 



WSJ Editorial Board: Congress Takes on the EV Mandate

Energy and Commerce is leading to stop Biden’s agenda to force Americans to drive EVs  President Biden’s EPA is proposing a de facto mandate for two-thirds of all new vehicles to be electric by 2032. To stop the administration’s rush-to-green agenda that is taking away people’s vehicle choice and handing the keys to America’s auto future to China, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) are leading on H.R. 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act .  Ahead of today’s House Floor vote, don’t miss what the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board had to say:  “House Republicans have teed up a vote this week on legislation to block President Biden’s back-door electric-vehicle mandate. Democrats are spinning the legislation as an attack on public health, innovation and free markets.”  […]  “The Environmental Protection Agency 'is not imposing an EV mandate,' says a memo from Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee opposing the GOP legislation. But the EPA in April proposed tailpipe emissions standards for greenhouse gases that would effectively require that electric vehicles make up   two-thirds of car sales in 2032.   “The only way auto makers could meet the emissions restrictions is by producing more EVs and fewer gas-powered cars. This is a mandate in everything but name, and it’s already causing enormous problems.”    “The House GOP bill would prohibit EPA from finalizing its proposed CO2 emissions standards and bar any regulation that would 'mandate the use of any specific technology' or ‘result in limited availability of new motor vehicles’ based on the type of engine. This means EPA couldn’t promulgate a similar new mandate.”   […]  “‘American demand for EVs is already outpacing supply,’ the Democratic memo says, and ‘auto manufacturers are independently trending toward EVs because of increasing popularity with consumers.’ Then why are auto makers scaling back EV production plans? And why are thousands of auto dealers begging the Administration to tap the brakes on the EPA regulation as EVs pile up on their lots?   “Tesla accounted for nearly two-thirds of EV sales last year. Battery-powered EVs make up less than 3% of most auto makers’ fleets, which means they’d face an extremely steep ramp-up to hit the 2032 mandate. Even with Inflation Reduction Act subsidies, the Energy Information Administration forecasts that EVs will make up only 15% of sales in 2030.”  “That means auto makers will have to raise prices on gas-powered cars to offset losses on EVs they are required to make to meet government quotas. Ford lost $62,016 for every EV it sold in the third quarter. The only alternative is to buy regulatory credits from EV manufacturers. Tesla pocketed about $2,380 in credit sales for each car it sold in the U.S. during the first six months.”  […]  “Why can’t Democrats let producers meet the market demand for consumers?  “As the facts about Mr. Biden’s EV mandate become better known, and the implications for consumers sink in, it is going to be an issue in 2024. If EVs were as popular as the climate lobby claims, the Administration wouldn’t have to mandate them, and Democrats wouldn’t be dissembling about what they’re doing.”   CLICK HERE to read the full piece. 



Nov 21, 2023
Blog

E&C Republicans Demand Answers from TikTok over Terrorist and Antisemitic Content

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Vice Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA), and 23 other Republican Committee members sent a letter to TikTok demanding answers regarding how the Chinese Communist Party is using the app as a tool to surveil and manipulate Americans.  From the letter: “ Disturbingly, millions of TikTok users have recently viewed videos glorifying Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America,’ which attempts to justify his horrific murder of 3,000 Americans in the September 11, 2001, attacks while also perpetuating ‘the antisemitic trope claiming the Jews ‘control your policies, media and economy.’” Key excerpts from exclusive reporting by FOX NEWS : “ A group of House Republicans is demanding more transparency from TikTok about how content is amplified and how much insight China has into those processes as accusations mount against the social platform that it’s boosting antisemitic videos. “‘On October 7, the Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas, brutally attacked Israel and killed more than 1,400 people. Since this terrorist attack, disinformation related to the conflict has run rampant on your platform, stoking antisemitism, support, and sympathy for Hamas,’ they wrote to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “The letter is being led by Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga. It comes just days after TikTok was under fire for facilitating a surge in viral videos expressing support for Usama bin Laden’s 2002 'Letter to America' written in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.” […] “National security hawks have been wary of TikTok’s connection to China, with its parent company ByteDance being based in Beijing.” […] “The lawmakers are demanding to know how many employees at TikTok have connections to ByteDance, how the platform screens for misinformation and anti-Israel content amid the conflict with Hamas, and how its algorithms are curated, among other queries. “‘Given that roughly half of TikTok’s U.S. user base is under 25 years old, American youth are being exposed to extremely violent and disturbing images and videos," they wrote. "This deluge of pro-Hamas content is driving hateful antisemitic rhetoric and violent protests on campuses across the country. The CCP has already co-opted your platform, and it seems TikTok and TikTok’s employees are resigned to becoming a mouthpiece for antisemites, terrorists, and propaganda.’” ICYMI: In October, Chair Rodgers called on multiple tech companies, including TikTok, to brief the Energy and Commerce Committee on their moderation policies regarding the spread of illegal content posted by Hamas. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read the Fox News story on the letter.



Nov 6, 2023
Blog

Op Ed: Chair Rodgers and Rep. Obernolte on How a National Data Privacy and Security Standard is Key to American AI Leadership

Washington D.C. — A recent Bloomberg Law op-ed by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) highlights why establishing a national data privacy and security standard is an essential first step towards ensuring American AI leadership. Key excerpts from Chair Rodgers and Rep. Obernolte: “Artificial intelligence is here to stay. This technology is both exciting and disruptive, offering advancements that could empower people, expand worker productivity, and grow the US economy. We need to ensure America leads in developing standards and deploying this emerging technology. A critical first step toward achieving AI leadership is passing a national data privacy standard." […] “Data powers all of these new tools. The more information companies can feed into their machine learning systems, the smarter those systems can become. Yet a lack of transparency into AI systems and the data used to train them raises serious concerns about how they operate and where they might potentially be abused.”   […] “Guarding against these risks while still enabling America to reap the benefits of AI will be one of the key challenges of our time. Achieving this balance will require a deliberate approach to AI. A national data privacy standard must be the first step. Establishing comprehensive protections on the collection, processing, transfer, and storage of our data should be foundational to AI regulation in Congress.   “Last year, the Energy and Commerce Committee worked in bipartisan fashion to advance comprehensive data privacy and security legislation, which passed out of the committee with near unanimous support. We’re building on that momentum this Congress. We continue to work toward legislation that would implement the most robust privacy protections to date in the US, putting people back in control of their data.”   […]   “By setting clear rules of the road that promote innovation, strengthen protections for people’s data privacy and security, and ensure companies are assessing the safety of their algorithms as AI is deployed, the US will continue to lead on this revolutionary technology.”    Don’t miss — A national data privacy and security law would put people back in control of their online data by:  Restoring Americans’ control over their data  Minimizing what data is collected and stored on all Americans, specifically children  Requiring assessments of Big Tech’s algorithms and how they harm children  Preventing data brokers from selling profiles of Americans, especially when it comes to governments looking to surveil people and violate their civil liberties  CLICK HERE to read the full op-ed.