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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment sent a letter to David Gadis, the Chief Executive Officer of DC Water requesting information on the failures that led to the spill in the Potomac River and what steps are being taken to ensure it is contained. “The Committee has concerns about how this incident will impact public health, safe drinking water, the environment, interstate commerce, and tourism, all of which fall within the Committee’s jurisdiction,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Palmer. “DC Water is responsible for delivering drinking water and wastewater services to communities in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia (DC), as well as the federal government, including operation and maintenance of the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor line. The Committee is requesting documents and information from DC Water about what is already being referred to as ‘one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history.’” Key excerpt from the letter: “Public health warnings have been given for people and pets to avoid contact with water from the Potomac River and to avoid fishing, rowing, and other activities in the area.The warnings to avoid the contaminated water come shortly before the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which is centered around the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River, and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, both of which are expected to attract millions of visitors to the District of Columbia. “An incident of this size and scale presents a significant threat to the public health and welfare of the affected communities, and swift mitigation of these risks is critical. Understanding the nature of how this incident occurred and how future incidents of this scale may be prevented in the future is imperative.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter. BACKGROUND: The letter comes as Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland residents continue to deal with the fallout of the spill that occurred on January 19, 2026, and now has resulted in e. coli levels at the spill site measuring at hundreds of times above EPA safety thresholds. As part of its oversight authority, the Committee is requesting information on what DC Water knew about the risk of a potential spill prior to January, documents discussing why emergency contracting was warranted to repair the pipe, why any approved contracts were not implemented, as well as actions DC Water has taken to address the environmental impacts of the spill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Steven S. Cliff, Ph.D., Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), demanding answers and documents that the Committee previously requested from CARB on California’s refusal to follow the law and implement the Clean Air Act as written by Congress. The Committee also requested transcribed interviews of six individuals if CARB fails to provide the previously requested information by December 5, 2025.    “The Committee’s August 11, 2025, letter requested information and documents from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) about California’s enforcement of state vehicle emission standards that disregard recent Congressional actions to disapprove waivers of federal preemption under the Clean Air Act,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Palmer. “Unfortunately, CARB’s responses to date have been woefully inadequate and do not satisfy the Committee’s important oversight interests in this matter.” Key excerpt from the letter: “Clean Air Act section 209(a) preempts states from adopting or attempting to enforce any emissions control standard for new motor vehicles or engines, or any condition precedent to the initial retail sale, registration or inspection of such vehicle or engine. Under section 209(b), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may waive federal preemption, allowing California to establish state motor vehicle emission standards. However, Congress passed with bipartisan support, and President Trump signed, three resolutions under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproving three waivers of preemption that the Biden-Harris Administration previously granted.” “Due to CARB’s failure to make a good faith effort to provide the requested information and documents, the Committee requests transcribed interviews with the following individuals if CARB fails to provide the requested information and documents by December 5, 2025: Lauren Sanchez, CARB Chair (from September 2025 to present); Liane Randolph, Former CARB Chair (from December 2021 to September 2025); Steven Cliff, CARB Executive Officer; Shannon Dilley, CARB Chief Counsel; Christopher Grundler, CARB Deputy Executive Officer – Mobile Sources & Incentives; and Robin Lang, Division Chief, CARB Emissions Certification & Compliance Division. “The Committee requests that these transcribed interviews be completed no later than December 12, 2025.” Background: Since President Trump signed the three Congressional Review Act resolutions into law, revoking California’s ability to set state emission standards that mandate the sale of EVs, the state cannot move forward with plans to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. The Committee’s August 11, 2025, request sought answers about California’s apparent enforcement of the preempted standards and requested copies of related documents, such as internal guidance CARB provided to its staff, communications with other states, internal correspondence between CARB officials and the Governor’s Office and the Office of Attorney General, and other internal documents concerning CARB’s response to the disapproval of the waivers of federal preemption. The requested information and documents will help the Committee understand how California is implementing the Clean Air Act in light of the federal preemption of state emission standards, and whether the waiver authority in Clean Air Act section 209(b) should be eliminated or otherwise modified. CLICK HERE to read the full letter .

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Gene Dodaro, the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting an assessment of available or emerging technologies and materials that could be used to supplement critical minerals in semiconductors. “Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for technologies used in many sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, national defense, health care, and consumer electronics,” said Chairmen Joyce and Palmer . “These minerals are vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions for several reasons, including U.S. reliance on foreign sources, as well as the rapid growth in demand for critical minerals in the U.S. and abroad.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter. The letter asks the GAO to examine: The status of domestic technologies and supplemental materials, such as critical minerals found in mine waste, tailings, or reclaimed from end-of-life batteries and electronic waste, that can serve as substitutes for foreign-sourced critical minerals from non-allied nations needed for semiconductors and energy grid or power electronics, including impacts on material and product performance. Key technological challenges to the development or adoption of these domestic supplemental and materials to advance the diversification of U.S. critical mineral sources. BACKGROUND: In May, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on ways to enhance our critical mineral supply chains. Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are committed to strengthening our critical mineral supply chains and finding solutions to reduce our reliance on foreign sources, particularly when it comes to foreign adversaries like China. The Trump Administration has also worked hard to bolster these supply chains. Critical minerals are essential to American technologies and industries, and finding innovative domestic solutions that can contribute to our independence from non-allied nations is essential as we work to onshore American innovation and strengthen our national security. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin requesting information on how far-left organizations received billions of dollars in the final days of the previous administration through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF).  “In the final days of the Biden-Harris Administration, the EPA put their far-left allies ahead of the American people, giving away Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants worth nearly $30 billion to recipients who were not equipped to receive such large amounts of funding,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Palmer. “By requesting documentation about this grant process from the EPA, Republicans on the Committee on Energy and Commerce are continuing our work to root out waste, fraud, and abuse while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”  This letter follows requests sent to eight nonprofits who were awarded more than $20 billion earlier this year through the GGRF. Key excerpt from the letter: “The Committee finds the potential for financial mismanagement particularly worrisome, as some of the grantees’ previous revenues were only a small fraction of the GGRF funds they received, which raises questions about whether the grant recipients can adequately manage grant amounts that are significantly larger than their previously documented revenue.” “The Committee seeks to ensure that the federal government is a good steward of taxpayer dollars and to continue supporting EPA’s efforts in combatting waste, fraud, and abuse within the GGRF program. To assist with the Subcommittee’s investigation of GGRF and support the Administration’s efforts, the Committee requests the following documents no later than November 19, 2025: The complete grant file for the three NCIF grantees and the five CCIA grantees, including the application submitted by the organization with all supporting documentation and appendices, any additional information requested by EPA, and any memos on changes to the grant terms and conditions. The scoring breakdown and rational for each score for all the NCIF and CCIA applicants included in the final rankings lists for the top-ranked applications, including any changes to scoring or rescores and rationale for why those changes occurred. Any checklist or guidance for EPA grants employees on what steps they should be taking to conduct appropriate pre-award due diligence and to ensure all required paperwork and documentation is submitted and verified. This should include briefing materials used to advise the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Chief of Staff, General Counsel, Associate Administrator for Mission Support, and Associate Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation about the selection of NCIF grantees and CCIA grantees. Any reports received from Citibank or the U.S. Treasury regarding the account balances or transactions histories of the GGRF accounts for the three NCIF grantees and the five CCIA grantees and any of their sub-awardees. Any progress reports received from the three NCIF grantees and the five CCIA grantees. The names of all panel chairs, senior review panels, selection officials, and all individuals involved in the review panels for all the NCIF and CCIA applicants included in the final rankings lists for the top-ranked applications.” Background: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create and implement a $27 billion GGRF program. Of this appropriation, $20 billion was awarded to just eight grant recipients; with $14 billion awarded to three grant recipients under the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) program and $6 billion awarded to five grant recipients under the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program.  CLICK HERE to read the full letter. Read More About this Ongoing Investigation: “SCOOP: Biden-era grant program described as ‘gold bar’ scheme by Trump EPA administrator under scrutiny” –   Fox News “EXCLUSIVE: Key Committee Demands Docs in Biden ‘Gold Bars’ Probe” – Daily Caller ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Last month, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing diving deeper into concerning practices within our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system that were identified by a recent Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) investigation. During the two-panel hearing titled “Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System,” Committee Members heard from the Chief of the Organ Transplant Branch of HRSA regarding the agency’s recently released investigative report outlining shocking revelations about the system’s procedures that put patient safety at risk. The investigation examined an “index case” (KYDA-001) where the organ procurement organization (OPO) that services Kentucky was contacted shortly after the arrival of a patient who was experiencing cardiovascular collapse after an unintentional overdose. After it was determined that further treatment would be futile, the patient’s family made the decision to end life-sustaining treatment and move forward with organ donation via a process known as donation after cardiac (or circulatory) death (DCD). However, despite OPO and hospital staff noting signs of the patient’s improved neurologic function, discomfort, and even expression of fear at multiple points over the multi-day period between when the OPO was first contacted and the patient was brought to the operating room (OR), the decision to pursue organ recovery was not reversed until the physician in the OR became uncomfortable and refused to continue with the process. In addition to the index case, HRSA analyzed 351 unique cases of authorized, not recovered (ANR) patients. This means that the patients were considered for DCD recovery, but no organs were transplanted. The report shows that 103 of these cases, which is nearly 30 percent, “had concerning features.”  HRSA’s Organ Transplant Branch Chief, Dr. Raymond Lynch, testified about KYDA’s (Network for Hope) patterns that were identified in the report, which include: A failure to recognize neurologic function inconsistent or unfavorable for DCD organ recovery on initial patient assessment or subsequent follow up; A failure to work collaboratively with patients’ primary medical teams, including instances of potential violation of separation of roles in patient care; A failure to respect family wishes and appropriately safeguard the decision-making authority of legal next of kin; and A failure to follow professional best practices as well as policies and guidelines for collection of patients’ medical data. The second panel included witnesses from “Network for Hope,” the OPO involved in all of the cases that HRSA reviewed; the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS); and the current and recent past President of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Board of Directors.  Chairman Joyce probed Network for Hope CEO, Mr. Barry Massa, for using the word “unique” to describe the index case, the same case where “...hospital staff [felt] extremely uncomfortable with the amount of reflexes patient is exhibiting,” during the procurement process. Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) questioned witnesses about an open letter that was issued after the Subcommittee’s September 2024 hearing and signed by the organ donation and transplant industry and community members, including individuals at UNOS and OPTN Board Members. The open letter, per HRSA’s report, “characterized the ongoing effort to improve patient safety through enhanced oversight as a ‘misinformation campaign,’” noting that “[i]t is time for it to stop.” Specifically, the letter portrayed the previous oversight efforts by this Committee as “[s]preading misinformation based on conspiracy theories and hearsay.” UNOS’s CEO, Dr. Maureen McBride, admitted to signing the letter.  The Committee has serious concerns about the message this letter sends both to those conducting oversight of the organ procurement and transplant system and to those who wish to speak up when they wish to report concerns or potential wrongdoing. Oversight of this issue is far from over, and the Committee remains committed to protecting patient safety and maintaining trust in the system to ensure transparency and accountability. As Chairman Guthrie said when recalling his personal experience with our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system, “The conclusion [of this process] is going to come when we have confidence in the system.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – In case you missed it, Fox News recently published an article featuring a letter from Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, and John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, requesting information on California’s decision to continue imposing a de-facto EV mandate. In Case You Missed It: “In a sharp rebuke, a Kentucky congressman is pressing California’s top environmental agency for answers after learning the state may be ignoring Congress’ reversal of three key electric vehicle standards. “The House Committee on Energy and Commerce wrote to Sacramento that it is ‘concerned about reports that California, and other jurisdictions who have adopted California standards for which waivers of preemption have been granted, are enforcing preempted vehicle emission regulations in violation of the Clean Air Act.’ “Earlier this year, Congress used the Congressional Review Act to nullify Biden-era waivers granted by the Biden EPA to California, allowing them to implement stricter standards than the federal government. “Several states, including Pennsylvania and Delaware, along with the District of Columbia, have adopted California’s low-emissions standards as well. “The Committee has been made aware that CARB staff is denying auto manufacturers approval to bring vehicles to market unless the manufacturers agree to comply with the preempted regulations,’ the committee continued. “Rep. Brett Guthrie, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a Republican, told Fox News Digital that the law is clear that the Golden State must end its ‘de-facto EV mandate.’ “Enforcing a ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles would have dire consequences for American families and businesses,’ Guthrie said. “Forcing Americans to buy these vehicles would strain our electric grid, raise costs, and increase our reliance on China. Our investigation will look into whether California is continuing to enforce an EV mandate in violation of federal law.’ Joining Guthrie on the letter were Reps. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., and John Joyce, R-Pa., chairmen of the environment and oversight subcommittees, respectively. “The committee acknowledged a lawsuit against the recissions from California Attorney General Robert Bonta remains ongoing, but that the intermission does not allow the state to continue enforcing mandates under the nixed waivers. In a June statement announcing the lawsuit, Bonta called the situation ‘reckless, politically motivated and illegal.’ “The letter, addressed to Dr. Steven Cliff, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board, said the committee had been purportedly made aware of CARB staff denying auto manufacturers’ approval to bring vehicles to market in the state ‘unless the manufacturers agree to comply with the preempted regulations.’ “These efforts include CARB staff indicating that the agency would deny California Executive Orders (EO) for model year 2026 vehicles that meet all of CARB’s enforceable regulatory requirements and which California allowed for sale in model year 2025, on the basis that these vehicles do not meet the additional requirements in one set of the preempted regulations: ACC-II.’ “The committee further alleges that CARB’s online ‘repository’ spreadsheet of model year 2026 vehicles showed the board has ‘exclusively approved’ vehicles that would certify under the ACC-II green regulations. “They closed by demanding documents showing whether CARB is continuing to enforce the car, truck or omnibus regulations Congress undid, and all records from the first of the year onward germane to the regulations and Biden-era waivers. “Fox News Digital reached out to CARB and Gov. Gavin Newsom for comment on accusations that the board is discriminating against certain vehicles.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, and John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to the California Air Resources Board, requesting information on California’s decision to continue imposing a de-facto EV mandate. “The law is clear California must put an end to its de-facto EV mandate. Enforcing a ban on the sale of gas-powered vehicles would have dire consequences for American families and businesses,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Forcing Americans to buy these vehicles would strain our electric grid, raise costs, and increase our reliance on China. Our investigation will look into whether California is continuing to enforce an EV mandate in violation of federal law.” Read more about the letter from Fox News here . Key excerpts from the letter: “The Committee is concerned about reports that California, and other jurisdictions who have adopted California standards for which waivers of preemption have been granted, are enforcing preempted vehicle emission regulations in violation of the Clean Air Act.” “The Committee has been made aware that CARB staff is denying auto manufacturers approval to bring vehicles to market unless the manufacturers agree to comply with the preempted regulations.” Background: On June 12, 2025, President Trump signed three resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. H.J. Res. 87, H.J. Res. 88, and H.J. Res 89, which collectively disapproved California’s waiver of preemption allowing the state to impose emission standards that effectively ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. The CRA’s passed Congress with bipartisan support. The Clean Air Act clearly bans states from issuing their own emission standards unless EPA grants a waiver of federal preemption. Because the EPA’s waivers have been disapproved under the CRA, the California EV mandates are not allowed under the Clean Air Act. Despite three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions being signed into law this year that block California from implementing vehicle standards that ban the sale of gas-powered cars and trucks through its Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) II regulations, Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulations, and Omnibus Low NOx programs (the Omnibus) regulations, Committee staff have learned that California and other states are continuing to implement the preempted rules. Specifically, following formal disapproval of previously granted waivers due to the CRAs, California is reportedly refusing to certify automobiles that don’t meet the now-preempted standards, contrary to federal law, i.e., the Clean Air Act. CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System. “What happened in these cases cannot go without discussion and oversight. Transparency is key to improving the system and maintaining public trust,” said Chairman Joyce . “The federal government plays a critical role in ensuring the organizations tasked with administering and overseeing our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system operate safely, effectively, and in accordance with the law. This Committee has, and will continue, to follow the facts so that we can restore trust and accountability within the system.”   Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02): “We just need everybody here today—and both panels—to admit that we have issues we have to fix and not just point fingers. I think that's been a concern by some of us on our side of the dais, and I think both sides of the aisle. As you saw, the HRSA report that the OPO on the index case essentially said everything is working, and we know everything's not working—but we need everything to work—and it starts by acknowledging that we have a role in the process of fixing this. We need to admit we have issues. We need to admit there are issues that need to be fixed, and we need to come together and be constructive because I can tell you, as a son of someone that we were praying was going to have an opportunity to have an extended life, I've seen it. And there are families out there today in the same situation we were in.” Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06): “The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations publicized an open letter characterizing the ongoing effort to improve patient safety through enhanced oversight as a ‘misinformation conspiracy campaign’ and concluded it is time to stop. Among the signatories to this letter were more than 20 UNOS staff signing with their corporate affiliation. Dr. McBride, did you sign that letter? ” Dr. Maureen McBride: “Yes, I did.” Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06): “Why?” Dr. Maureen McBride: “Congressman, let me start off by saying that I disagree with the way that letter has been characterized.”   Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): “As everyone knows, this committee has been investigating corruption from organ contractors for more than a year. In fact, I was in the last hearing that we had on this, and it was quite a contentious hearing. One issue that's pretty close to my heart is ensuring equal access for life saving transplants for patients with disabilities. Just last month, the House passed a bipartisan bill that I was proud to lead alongside my friend and colleague, Debbie Dingell, to end organ transplant discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It is with total horror that I read a recent investigative report highlighting one of the most horrific cases of patient abuses. ” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Reps. Palmer (AL-06), Carter (GA-01), Bilirakis (FL-12), and Obernolte (CA-23), penned a letter to the Executive Director of Covered California (CoveredCA), Jessica Altman, to request further information related to the potentially unauthorized transmission of sensitive personal health information involving Covered California’s website. Key Letter Excerpt: “According to public reports and agency statements, tracking technology was embedded on Covered California's website beginning in February 2024, as part of a broader digital advertising effort, and in direct contravention of the tracking platform’s user agreement, which prohibits the use of such tools on pages that collect sensitive health information. Although the tags were reportedly removed in April 2025, following external scrutiny and a vendor transition, the extended period of data exposure raises serious questions about the adequacy of safeguards that Covered California had in place. Forensic testing by investigative reporters identified the trackers in operation and confirmed that user-entered health information was being transmitted to third parties without consent. These circumstances warrant examination of Covered California’s actions under federal privacy standards.” “Ensuring the confidentiality of health information is a foundational obligation for entities operating within the health insurance ecosystem. Federal privacy protections, particularly the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), establish expectations for how covered organizations handle sensitive data. Recent reports and public filings raised questions about whether those expectations were met in this case, and whether existing oversight mechanisms are sufficient to detect and prevent improper disclosures.” Background: Forensic testing shows Covered California —the State of California’s official health insurance marketplace—has been sending sensitive user health data to third-party websites through several online data trackers. Prior to removal of the trackers, CoveredCA had more than 60 trackers active on its website; the average number of trackers on a government website is three. Some types of information sent to such websites include: Searches for doctors in network with specific plans/specializations Demographic information, including gender, ethnicity, and marital status Length of treatment a patent received by a provider Frequency of doctor visits If the user indicated they were blind, pregnant, a victim of domestic abuse, or used prescription medications. The State of California independently operates CoveredCA. As the state’s official ACA marketplace, CoveredCA falls under the purview of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The disclosure of information such as pregnancy or prescription drug use without proper consent—even for “marketing purposes”—may violate HIPAA. This Congress, the Committee has sent letters to 23andMe and DeepSeek over potential data privacy concerns: The Committee also held a hearing last Congress on the Change Healthcare hack, where personal health information was also jeopardized. CLICK HERE to read Fox News coverage of the letter. CLICK HERE to view the full letter. ###