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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, wrote letters to eight Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grant recipients. In Case You Missed It: “SCOOP: Biden-era grant program described as ‘gold bar’ scheme by Trump EPA administrator under scrutiny” Fox News Alec Schemmel April 11, 2025 Republicans in Congress are launching a probe into a Biden-era green energy grant program that sent billions in funding to climate groups tied to Democrats and former President Joe Biden’s allies. GOP leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to the eight nonprofits awarded grants from the $20 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), seeking answers to ensure the Biden Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) followed proper ethics and conflict of interest protocols in distributing the funds. In February, the Trump administration’s EPA announced it would take steps to get the money back, citing concerns over a lack of oversight related to how the money was being disbursed. In the announcement, new EPA administrator Lee Zeldin cited comments from a former Biden EPA political appointee, who described disbursements made through GGRF as akin to “tossing gold bars off the Titanic,” because Biden officials were allegedly trying to get money out the door before Trump took over. It was also revealed that $2 billion from GGRF went to a Stacy Abrams-linked group, Power Forward Communities, which had not been established until after the Biden administration announced the GGRF application process. Meanwhile, during Power Forward’s first few months of operations – prior to receiving the funding – the group reported just $100 in revenue. Climate United, another group that received the most money from the GGRF, roughly $7 billion, currently staffs a former Biden climate advisor who worked during the last two years of the former president’s term. The same group is also run by a CEO with ties to the Obama administration and a board member who was among those invited to Biden’s signing ceremony for his multitrillion-dollar infrastructure bill in 2021.  Several GGRF grant recipients have ties to Democrats and Biden advisors, and some were reportedly founded shortly before or after the Biden administration announced the program. Meanwhile, these groups, according to Zeldin, had sole discretion on how to use the funds. House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., alongside fellow committee members Reps. Gary Palmer of Alabama and Morgan Griffith of Virginia, both Republicans, said in a joint statement that their investigation into the GGRF recipients will be “key” to understanding whether these funds were allocated “fairly and impartially to qualified applicants,” while also helping to determine the manner in which the money has been used. “The Committee has had concerns about the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program since its creation—including concerns about the program’s unusual structure, a potential lack of due diligence in selecting award recipients, and the recipients’ ability to manage the large influx of federal dollars they received from the EPA,” the lawmakers said in their statement. “A recent Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing that examined these concerns coupled with the speed with which money was pushed out the door by the Biden Administration’s EPA heightened the Committee’s concerns and raised additional questions about certain Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund recipients.”  Several of the groups that were recipients of GGRF money sued the Trump administration in March over its attempts to rake back the funds.  Subsequently, Obama-appointed Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order preventing the EPA from freezing $14 billion in GGRF funds awarded to three of the climate groups.  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.   Letters:  National Clean Investment Fund Program Recipients Coalition for Green Capital Climate United Fund Power Forward Communities   Clean Communities Investment Accelerator Program Recipients Justice Climate Fund Opportunity Finance Network Inclusiv Native CDFI Network Appalachian Community Capital ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, wrote letters to eight Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grant recipients. “The Committee has had concerns about the GGRF program—including the program’s unusual structure and a potential lack of due diligence in selecting award recipients. A recent Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing examined these issues and the speed with which money was pushed out the door by the Biden Administration’s EPA, which raised additional questions about certain GGRF recipients.” said Chairmen Guthrie, Palmer, and Griffith. “ This investigation is key to evaluating whether these funds were awarded fairly and impartially to qualified applicants and determining how the federal funds are being used.” 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.    Letters: National Clean Investment Fund Program Recipients Coalition for Green Capital Climate United Fund Power Forward Communities   Clean Communities Investment Accelerator Program Recipients Justice Climate Fund Opportunity Finance Network Inclusiv Native CDFI Network Appalachian Community Capital Read the story here . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, released the following statement after Mark Meador was confirmed by the Senate to serve as a Commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission: “In the last administration, the FTC abandoned its rich bipartisan tradition and historical mission, in favor of a radical agenda and partisan mismanagement. The Commission needs to return to protecting Americans from bad actors and preserving competition in the marketplace,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “We trust that Commissioner Meador, along with Chairman Ferguson and Commissioner Holyoak, are capable of restoring America’s trust in this institution and returning the Commission to its former position as the country’s premier consumer protection agency focusing on transparency and accountability.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led a full committee hearing titled Converting Energy into Intelligence: the Future of AI Technology, Human Discovery, and American Global Competitiveness. “On Energy and Commerce, we have a broad jurisdiction. From energy to telecom to health care applications, AI touches it all. That is why it is critical for our committee to lead in fostering a regulatory environment that leaves room for innovation and allows us to produce the massive amounts of energy needed to support AI development,”  said Chairman Guthrie.  “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure the United States wins the race to AI dominance, and we won’t let it pass us by.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from yesterday’s hearing : Congressman John Joyce (PA-13): “AI is the defining technology of the next several decades. It will have a revolutionary effect on all aspects of our lives. It will be integral in everything from high-level data analysis to the use of a search engine. In industries as diverse as energy production and healthcare, AI is already making significant inroads. As a doctor, we see AI integrated into innovative medical devices, helping to translate the information collected by the device into clinical guidance. In medical practices, AI can help streamline administrative tasks, allowing doctors to ultimately spend more time with their patients. This is just the beginning of the capabilities that AI will give us, and it is why it is critical that the US leads the way in the deployment of this technology.” Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12): “I'm proud to represent one of the largest clusters of data centers in the country. Google, Amazon Web Services, Meta, QTS, Vantage, and more have data centers in central Ohio and my district. In total, power demand from data centers will reach 5,000 megawatts in central Ohio by 2030 based on signed power agreements. Just last month, Williams announced a $1.6 billion investment to build two new natural gas fire plants in Lincoln County with a combined capacity of 400 megawatts. This reliable base load power generation is critical to meet growing demand in central Ohio. Dr. Schmidt, in order to alleviate strain on the electric grid, I'm curious what role or involvement you think these tech companies should have in helping to bring in new generation to secure the massive amount of power needed for their facilities. And how should these companies partner with grid operators or power providers to ensure we can properly account for tracking, growing, tracking demand?” Dr. Schmidt: “When I was at Google, we made a bet on Ohio and we built the largest data center at the time in the world, which was massive. The data centers you're describing are 10 times larger than anything I ever built way back when I was doing this, only 7 years ago. It gives you a sense of the scale of the investment in what you're doing. The best thing to do is to have a strategy within your state where everybody agrees to solve the energy power problem. We found in working in Ohio that we were able to get access to the high voltage lines that we could not get access to elsewhere. We built our own substations which are also massive. That's what it takes. That's what every one of you is going to have to do to have your states be a center for AI in the AI revolution.” Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “My district is truly an all of the above energy district - 83% of the oil, 56% of the natural gas in Colorado. The largest wind generating, the wind turbine manufacturing facility actually in the United States, is headquartered in my district. Geothermal, solar - we truly are an all of the above, but specifically with gas plants. One of the things that I've heard there is that there's a major backlog in getting the gas turbines. So can you speak a little bit more to the timing of retiring the coal generation if you don't have a gas alternate immediately ready to go?” Dr. Schmidt: “The reason the natural gas plants have become more expensive is demand, which is sort of what we want, right? We want more of everything and then the market will react. The problem is that these things take years with backlogs to get to you. That delay in natural gas plants will hurt AI competitiveness because it's the best source of power in certain situations.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Converting Energy into Intelligence: the Future of AI Technology, Human Discovery, and American Global Competitiveness . Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “I want to thank our witnesses for being here and traveling long distances to be here.  “This hearing came from a Library of Congress presentation that Dr. Schmidt held on his book 'Genesis', that he wrote with Henry Kissinger, Henry Kissinger’s last book. “I walked away, thinking we needed to have the entire Congress hear your presentation. So, we’re doing it with the entire Energy and Commerce Committee. “Because, I think an author always wants to know when they write a book, will somebody read my book? And then if they read the book, then will it have an impact? “Well, today, you and all the witnesses are before the full Energy and Commerce Committee. “Our dear colleague, and the dear husband of our colleague, Debbie Dingell, used to say that if it’s moving, it’s energy, if it isn’t, its commerce, something to that effect. “So, we have a large jurisdiction. I say it takes energy to move commerce. I can’t improve on Chairman Dingell, but that’s my version of it. “And so, we’re having a full committee hearing. We typically do this in subcommittee, but this touches all jurisdictions, and I think everybody needs to hear it. If you think about it, it’s going to take enormous energy to beat China to AI in doing that, we have to protect the environment. “Our telecom and privacy, through our commerce and telecom committees, will be dealing with this, and AI has particularly health care applications. So, it touches all of our jurisdictions. “Dr. Schmidt, when I walked away from the Library of Congress, and I read your book, it gave me a sense of mission, and a direction I want to take this committee in the time that I’m chairman. To sum up what you said, it’s the US versus China. “And who will win the war for AI? Essentially, this is as important as the dollar being the reserve currency in the world. It’s that important, that’s what is before us. “What I hear from people in this space, is that we have the brain power and we have the capital, what we need is the energy and the correct regulatory framework. “We have an example of what not to do, and I believe you said in your presentation, Dr. Schmidt, is that Europe has chosen not to grow. We can’t look there as an example, we have to work through it our ourselves. “Some of Europe’s regulatory framework, written specifically to disadvantage American companies, has made them non-competitive. “Europe and the US had a similar sized economy in 2008, and I’ve read that our economy is now about 80% larger. So, what do we need to do? The reason we want to do a full committee hearing is that we have to have broad consensus on how we work together. It has to be Democrat and Republican. “People who invest tell me it’s tough to invest based on congressional cycles or presidential cycles when the rules are going to change every two to four years. And so, what I would like to do in this committee is come up with a regulatory framework and an energy policy that most of us can agree on and build a broad consensus on how we develop massive amounts of energy, while protecting our environment. Dr. Schmidt, you said all energy resources are needed and then AI will develop solutions to deal with climate change. “To put this in perspective, a Microsoft data center can use as much power as the city of Seattle, is what I’ve been told. On the regulation side of it, we have to protect our privacy. Yesterday we had a markup of our bills on children’s privacy and children’s safety, and we have to protect our privacy. “I think all of us want our privacy protected. We can’t do it in a heavy-handed way that stifles innovation, and as I said, we have to look at our friends across the Atlantic. But I think we need to more intently look across the Pacific to a nation determined to win. “China has specifically said they are going to win the war on AI, and we are taking up the challenge to prove to them that the American entrepreneur and the American intellect will win the war on AI, but they have to have the energy and the regulatory environment to do so. “So, if this committee gets it right, America will win. It may win anyway, but we need to be there to make that happen. And if you look at ‘what if China wins?’ We just had an oversight hearing addressing how a medical device from China had an [IP address connected] to the University of Beijing. “What did that mean? We know they’re using everything they can to get information they need on us. “So, we must win. We will win. And for the sake of the world, we have to win. And I’m determined, through this hearing, that all of us will work together, because all of us are dedicated to winning.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), will mark up 26 bills, including H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation, which is co-led by Chairman Guthrie and Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), has received widespread support from over 160 vital substance use disorder treatment and recovery organizations. Here’s what they’re saying: “The state of behavioral health in America remains a national crisis, with millions of people across the nation experiencing an SUD and 1 in 5 Americans experiencing an MH condition each year,” said Debbie Witchey, MHA, President and CEO of Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW). “The SUPPORT Act is critical to effectively addressing SUDs and co-occurring MH conditions. Its policies and provisions will continue to embrace prevention, treatment, and a pathway to recovery.” “Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a nearly 24% decline in drug overdose deaths from September 2023 through September 2024. The number of overdose deaths during this 12-month period was the lowest since June 2020,” said Advocates for Opioid Addiction Treatment (AOAT). “Without question, the bipartisan SUPPORT Act of 2018, which expanded access to treatment and began addressing treatment workforce shortages played a critical role in reversing the tragic and deadly overdose trend and saving lives.”  “Overdose rates are beginning to drop slightly, and we firmly believe that our investment in recovery support services is a major reason why. The SUPPORT Act gave rise to the Building Communities of Recovery Program, which seeks to mobilize and connect a broad array of community-based resources for persons with substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD),” said Patty McCarthy, CEO of Faces & Voices of Recovery. “You have our full-throated support for the passage of this legislation, and we look forward to your continued commitment to the advancement of SUD treatment and recovery.”  Background:  H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes key public health programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery for patients with substance use disorder that were established in the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, which was signed into law in 2018. Full list of supporting organizations:  A Stepping Stone to Success Active Minds ADA Women's Center Addiction Policy Forum Addiction Professionals of North Carolina Advocates for Opioid Addiction Treatment (AOAT) Akin American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) American Association of Addiction Nursing American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention American Jail Association American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) Association of Prosecuting Attorneys Barbie Girl Ink LLC Behavioral Health Foundation Beyond Addiction Boone County Drug Prevention Coalition Brain First Family Center Bridging Hope, Inc. Brightpoint Bring Light Save Life C.A.R.E CADCA California Consortium of Addiction Programs & Professionals Centerstone Center for Adolescent Behavioral Health Research, Boston Children's Hospital Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Children’s Hope Alliance Command Destinations Community in Connection Couve Collective Crossroads To Intervention, Inc Crosswinds Recovery Dayspring Foundation DePaul’s NCADD-RA Devin J. Norring Foundation Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy, & Action (EDC) Faces & Voices of Recovery First Step Counseling & Educational Services Families Forward Michigan FASCETS Center for Neurodiversity FASD Changemakers FASD Collaborative Project FASD Network of Northern California FASD Network of Southern California FASD Strong FASD United FASDNow! Florissa Pediatric Development Center FLOW Counseling & Guidance, Pllc Formed Families Forward Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina Freund & Associates, LLC Functional Link Occupational Therapy Grant a Gift Autism Foundation Harm Reduction Research Lab, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson Hawaii FASD Action Group Healthcare Leadership Council Heart & Soul Speech Hopewell HOR Community Solutions, LLC Huntington, WV QRT (Quick Response Team) Hurley House IC&RC Illuminate Colorado InforMATION, LLC Inseparable Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition Jenks Forensic Addictions Services JLM Research and Evaluation Kansas FASD Support Network, Inc Kasper’s FASD Life Coaching & Training Kentucky Alliance of Recovery Services Kohnlinq, Inc. Latino Ministers of New Jersey For Justice Liberation Programs Long Island Recovery Association Maddie Wright Foundation Madison County Recovery Allies Magical Manners Club for Boys & Girls Maryland Legislative Coalition Meadows Behavioral Healthcare Mental Health America Mental Health Colorado Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) Merakey Michigan Coalition for Fetal Alcohol Resources Education and Support Mighty Crow Milford Prevention Council Mississippi Society of Addiction Medicine Missouri Works Initiative Montgomery County Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, Inc. NAMI Southeastern Arizona National Alliance for Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Solutions (NACATS) National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National Alliance on Mental Illness, Southeastern AZ National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) National Association for Children of Addiction National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers National Behavioral Health Association of Providers National Council for Mental Wellbeing National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) National District Attorneys Association NCFASD Informed, Inc. Neuro.behavioral.connections New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. New Jersey Center for Empowerment and Community Development New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare No More ODs, Inc. Objective Recovery, Inc. Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services Oregon Council for Behavioral Health PACID: Parent Advocates for Adult Children with IDD Power Forward, Inc. Prevention Action Alliance RASE Project ReBuilding Bridges Consulting, LLC Recovery Revolutionists Rockland Recovery Homes, Inc. Sacred Hearts Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Sage Advice Therapy LLC Salisbury Elks #699 SC FASD COLLABORATIVE SEIU Local 500 Serenity Now - Nar-Anon Chapter Shatterproof Skyland Trail South Florida Wellness Network St. Joseph's Behavioral Health Center Supporting Community in Recovery Fund/Yakima Valley Community Foundation TASC, Inc. (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities) Teton County Health Department - Prevention Texas FASD Network The BROCK Foundation The Florida Center The Florida Center for Early Childhood The Kennedy Forum The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers The Papillion Center Kentucky The Sanctuary Foster Care Services Thrive Family Recovery Resources Treatment Communities of America Tyler's Redemption Place University of Washington UT Tyler School of Medicine Valley Court Diversion Programs Village Collaboration Station, PC Wake Up Nevada LLC WeKonnect LLC Westcare White Flint Family Pharmacy WV Drug Intervention Institute Wyoming County Special Needs Association 101 Ways 21-14 CAF Click here to for full bill text of H.R. 2483. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup. Chairman Guthrie's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Thank you all for being here today for this markup as we look to advance legislation affecting Americans in the most personal ways. From reauthorizing key programs addressing substance use disorder, to protecting Americans online from sexual exploitation, the Committee on Energy and Commerce is working to address the biggest issues facing our country and our constituents. “Every bill we are considering today is bipartisan, and in many cases members of this Committee have been working together on them over several Congresses. Every bill today either passed out of the Committee unanimously and through the House last year with strong bipartisan votes or were negotiated and agreed upon on a bipartisan, bicameral basis at the end of last year. Every single bill we are considering had bipartisan agreement last Congress, and I am hope we can pick up where we left off to move them all forward today. “Earlier this Congress, Ranking Member Pallone and I testified before the House Administration Committee to talk about our Committee budget, and I really appreciate what the Ranking Member said at that hearing about some of the legislation we are considering today. “He said, 'While we were not able to get these bipartisan bills and provisions signed into law last Congress, I know that we are committed to getting them done this Congress.' “I am glad to report that we are moving those bills forward because they make our country stronger, and we need to pass this critical legislation.  “In particular, we will advance health care legislation to lower costs for patients, support cancer research, and address substance use disorder.  “I’m thankful to all of my colleagues who have supported this legislation to increase access to care for patients and their families.  “Today, we also have an opportunity to advance multiple bills that will strengthen our communications infrastructure and better prevent attacks from our adversaries, who are continually seeking to compromise our critical infrastructure. These bills will help fortify our networks against their threats.  “While technological leadership is critically important to our national security and economic prosperity, as a father and grandfather, I am extremely concerned by the stories we are all hearing from parents about the potential unintended consequences of new technologies.   “From protecting Americans from romance scams to increasing price transparency in ticketing and lodging, today should be a chance to celebrate bipartisan wins that serve our constituents.   “I am still hopeful that we can make progress soon on some of the other bills I have discussed with my friends across the aisle, but nonetheless, we are marking up some outstanding legislation today, and I want to thank all of our sponsors for their hard work getting us to this point.  “I always say the work we do here in the House affects people in their homes. This legislation makes American homes safer, healthier, and more prosperous.   “Thank you all for your hard work, and I look forward to advancing this legislation out of Committee.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, released the following statement celebrating the work being done by President Trump to support American coal and its role in domestic energy production. “Today’s executive order is an important step toward ensuring American energy dominance. As a baseload power source, coal provides reliable and affordable power for our communities, and it can help to power our AI future, too.” said Chairman Guthrie. “Our coal industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars for our economy annually, and it does so in cleaner, safer ways than ever. By cutting red tape and expanding access to this importance resource, President Trump is keeping his promise to lower energy prices, support the development of more baseload power, and stand with American workers.” Background: President Trump’s Executive Order directs the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council to designate coal as a “mineral” under Executive Order 14241, entitling coal to all of the benefits of that prior order, which takes action to increase American mineral production. Further, the order directs relevant agencies to identify coal resources on Federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining, and prioritize coal leasing on those lands. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with advocates for the TAKE IT DOWN Act, issued the following statements of support after the bill was reported out of Committee by a vote of 49 to 1. “No man, woman, or child should be subjected to the spread of explicit AI images meant to target and harass innocent victims. I am so thankful for our outstanding advocates and legislators who have worked hard to raise awareness and build a strong coalition to support this bipartisan bill,”   said Chairman Guthrie .  “Today, the Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the bill to the full House of Representatives, where I look forward to, once again, voting in favor of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, so that we can send it to the President’s desk for signature.” “I remain dedicated to championing child well-being, ensuring that every young person can thrive and ‘Be Best.’ Thank you to the House Energy & Commerce Committee for advancing the TAKE IT DOWN Act. This marks a significant step in our bipartisan efforts to safeguard our children from online threats,”  said First Lady Melania Trump.   “I urge Congress to swiftly pass this important legislation. Together, we can create a safer, brighter future for all Americans!” “I am glad we are one step closer to protecting victims of online sexual exploitation. Giving victims rights to flag non-consensual images and requiring social media companies to remove that content quickly is a pivotal and necessary change to the online landscape,”  said Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. “ And by ensuring that AI-generated deep-fake content is included in these protections, Congress is showing its commitment to fighting 21st Century harms that are plaguing our children and grandchildren.” “In February, our family mourned the loss of our loving son and brother, Elijah Heacock, after he fell victim to an extortion scheme on the internet,”  said Shannon Cronister-Heacock, mother of Elijah Heacock.  “We are grateful for the support of Chairman Guthrie and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for passing the TAKE IT DOWN Act today to ensure that no parent, sibling, or loved one experiences a similar tragedy in the future. This bill honors Elijah’s life, and we are appreciative of Congress’ actions to protect children online and save lives.” “I was only fourteen years old when one of my classmates created deepfake, AI nudes of me and distributed them on social media. I was shocked, violated, and felt unsafe going to school. Thankfully, I was able to work with Senator Ted Cruz’s office to write the TAKE IT DOWN Act — and today is an important milestone towards that bill becoming law, so that no other girl has to go through what I went through without legal protections in place,”   said Elliston Berry, survivor and advocate .  “Thank you to Chairman Guthrie for prioritizing the TAKE IT DOWN Act for committee passage.” “At 14, for almost two years, I stood alone, advocating for AI deep fake laws to protect us after my school’s inaction and lack of accountability insulted my self-respect. This journey is dedicated to every woman and teenager who was told to stay silent and move on. It is also a testament to the courageous bipartisan leaders who stood beside me, proving that change is possible. Today, we celebrate a critical step towards the passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act into federal law,”   said Francesca Mani, AI victim turned advocate & TIME100 AI Most Influential Person.   “A heartfelt thank you to Chairman Guthrie for standing with us and making swift committee passage possible. We are no longer alone.” “Today, we celebrate an important victory with House committee passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a federal safeguard against non-consensual AI-generated intimate images,”   said Dorota Mani, an educator, advocate, and mother .  “This important legislation, which is now well on its way to the President’s desk, staunchly defends our women and children while preserving every American’s dignity and rights.” “Survivors—both minors and adults—deserve protection and justice. Every survivor should be able to report their abuse to law enforcement, have their abuse content removed fully and abusers should be found and held appropriately accountable. Image-based sexual abuse is sexual assault facilitated online. You cannot accidentally sexual assault someone offline and the same should be true for the online. The harms of all forms of image-based sexual abuse—including deepfake abuse—quickly follow that victim home, to school, to work and anywhere they try to exist after such a profound and public trauma,”   said Andrea Powell, Co-Founder and Chief of Impact, Alecto AI .  “Alecto AI supports the TAKE IT DOWN Act because we believe that in its passage, we will be getting closer to a world where young women and girls don’t have worry that being online means being targets of sexual violence. All survivors deserve protection and justice.” ###