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Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announced final methane regulations that would hurt American families and weaken America’s energy independence.  “I’m deeply concerned these latest steps to enact additional burdensome regulations for methane would dramatically expand the agency’s regulatory reach in a manner that will stifle innovation, increase operational costs, and increase the price of energy. These burdens will fall directly on American families and businesses, potentially jeopardizing thousands of American jobs and billions of dollars in local economic development. The EPA must be accountable to the American people about how their rush-to-green is encroaching on people’s way of life and the futures they want to build for themselves.”  CLICK HERE to read the letter Chair Rodgers and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Bill Johnson (R-OH) sent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan in November requesting additional information regarding how new methane regulations will hurt American families and further weaken America’s energy independence. This letter followed up on a previous letter sent to the EPA on June 9, 2023.  

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing titled “Oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.” “The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is responsible for managing federal spectrum use and awarding funds to deploy broadband.  “In addition, the agency recently has been engaged in policy developments around artificial intelligence and advancing the Open Radio Access Network marketplace.   “As our technology advances, NTIA’s role needs to evolve to keep up.   “NTIA was last reauthorized in 1992, and reauthorizing the agency is overdue.    “That is why this Committee passed the bipartisan NTIA Reauthorization Act, which we hope will become law soon.  “In the meantime, we continue our oversight efforts to ensure that NTIA is fulfilling its mission.”  NATIONAL SPECTRUM STRATEGY    “Another shared priority is making spectrum available for commercial use, which is essential to maintain American leadership in next-generation wireless technology.   “Last month, the NTIA released its National Spectrum Strategy.  “This strategy identified spectrum bands to be studied to determine what could be made available for commercial use.  “It also highlighted workforce shortage issues in spectrum engineering, and most importantly, reaffirmed NTIA’s role as the manager of federal government spectrum.  “One of the spectrum bands highlighted for study in the strategy stands out from the others—the lower 3 gigahertz band.  “This will be the second time in two years that the federal government will study this band.  “This time, however, the study will be led by the NTIA, the expert agency on spectrum for the Executive Branch.  “Unfortunately—and despite numerous requests—we have yet to receive the first feasibility study and a briefing on the results of that study from the Biden administration.  “I will again echo that the administration needs to provide us with that information immediately, and I expect a full briefing once NTIA completes its new study on the results as well.  “For America to continue its wireless leadership, we must make sure that spectrum resources are used as efficiently as possible, and that we continue to make spectrum available for commercial use in a way that best serves the American people.   “Additionally, the NTIA is responsible for administering the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, which seeks to advance the development and adoption of open and interoperable radio access networks, known as 'O-Ran'.  “The purpose of this program was to inject funding into an industry working to diversify the telecom network supply chain and provide secure and affordable alternatives to equipment produced by Huawei and ZTE.  “Unfortunately, since the program was launched in April, the NTIA has only awarded $18 million out of the $1.5 billion dollars appropriated to the program for projects that I am concerned will not achieve the goals set by Congress.”  ENHANCING RURAL BROADBAND   “Our Committee has been leading robust oversight this Congress to ensure that NTIA is taking seriously its Congressional mandate to make sure that the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program closes the digital divide.  “Republicans on this Committee sent you a letter requesting that you reject state plans that would overbuild existing networks and ignore Congress’ mandate to be technology neutral, rather than use the BEAD money to serve all Americans.   “I am encouraged that you recently rejected state plans that would have ignored these mandates.    “I also hope to get an update on the Broadband Infrastructure Program, and how you have distributed those funds thus far.   “An unprecedented amount of taxpayer dollars has been allocated in recent years to getting every American connected and closing the digital divide.  “We’ll continue to carry out the committee’s oversight duties to ensure resources are going towards achieving this goal and aren’t subject waste, fraud, and abuse.”  ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE   “Today’s hearing will also be an opportunity to discuss the work that NTIA has been doing on artificial intelligence.   “From AI accountability to open-source AI models, NTIA is taking steps to embrace the challenges and opportunities of AI and ensure America is leading.   “This committee awaits your reports on these issues, which I hope will inform our own efforts on AI.  “U.S. technological and communications leadership is essential for America to win the future.    “I look forward to today’s hearing and to discussing how we can leverage NTIA to make sure the U.S. is dominating in everything from spectrum and broadband to artificial intelligence.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “America’s Future: Leading a New Era of Energy Dominance, Security, and Environmental Stewardship.” AMERICA’S GLOBAL ENERGY LEADERSHIP   “The world is a safer and more secure place with American leadership. And this means leadership with our energy, our technology, and our values.    “As we continue our path towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner air and water, we cannot lose sight of the role energy plays in assuring our economic future, our nation’s security, and the security of our allies.    “We also cannot lose sight of the fact that the world will demand more energy, not less, in the future.   “Developing nations are hungry for the benefits of reliable, affordable energy that will help lift their people out of poverty and into prosperity.   “Because of this demand, there will be a great energy expansion in coming years. And America should play a key role in this expansion, not retreat from it, not deprive the world of the benefits of our abundant resources and technologies.   “Pro-growth energy policies, a predictable regulatory environment, and the American entrepreneurial spirit, enabled America to be a leader in energy production while simultaneously reducing emissions.    “We led the world in reducing carbon dioxide emissions while also becoming the world’s number one producer of oil and natural gas.   “The air is cleaner globally and our allies in Europe and Asia are more energy secure because of America’s high-quality energy production and exports.   “Last week, in our Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials subcommittee, we highlighted how the United States is leading the world in reducing emissions of all types and the types of policies that have contributed to this success.  “Today, we will focus on what is needed to continue success and preserve the benefits of American energy dominance, our security, and the environmental benefits that can flow from that.”  BUILDING A STRONG ENERGY MIX   “The United States has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas because of policies that allowed the private sector to innovate and advance their technologies. And we do it cleaner and safer than other countries.  “US LNG exports are 40 percent cleaner than Russian LNG and is cleaner than other alternative fuels.    “Using our gas and gas turbine technologies to meet the demand of the developing world will lead to lower emissions as we heard in testimony just last week. It will also meet our paramount interest in assuring national and energy security.   “Unfortunately, the approach taken by this Administration seeks an aggressive regulatory agenda and transition away from our energy strengths.   “The result would be less reliable and affordable energy and an increased reliance on adversarial nations that have little to no environmental or labor standards.    “As we become weaker our adversaries become stronger.   “H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, passed by the House earlier this Congress, recognizes this and seeks to restore American Energy Dominance by increasing domestic energy production, modernizing the permitting process, boosting the production of critical minerals to secure our energy supply chains, and streamlining permitting for energy exports.”  STRENGTHENING OUR NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP   “A key goal of restoring American energy dominance will be to strengthen our nuclear industry and leadership.  “Of course, nuclear energy is our nation’s leading source of emissions free energy, but it is also a critical national security asset.   “Being a leader in nuclear energy provides us the opportunity to export our nuclear technologies and set global nuclear safety and security norms. If we do not do this, China and Russia, both with robust nuclear programs, surely will to the detriment of our national security.    “I am pleased to have introduced the Atomic Energy Advancement Act with my colleague, Ranking Member DeGette.   “This bill encapsulates the work of many members of this committee on both sides of the aisle and seeks to 'advance the benefits of nuclear energy by enabling efficient, timely, and predictable licensing, regulation, and deployment of nuclear energy technologies.’  “I am excited we are moving forward with this true, bipartisan effort to advance nuclear energy in the United States to help position us for success on the global stage.   “With that, let me welcome our witnesses today. I look forward to the discussion on how we can advance American energy and our global leadership.”

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Full Committee markup of 44 bills. ENERGY AND COMMERCE LEADING THE WAY   “This committee will mark up a host of legislation that will further unleash affordable, reliable American energy, lower health care costs and expand access to treatments and services, improve consumer protections, and strengthen our national security and bolster our leadership amid threats from China.   “Energy and Commerce has a proud tradition of plowing the hard ground necessary to deliver results for the American people.    “As I look back on this year, I’m proud to note that we’ve passed solutions out of this committee, like the Lower Energy Costs Act to restore America’s energy independence and free us from being reliant on China; broadband permitting reform, which will help more Americans—particularly in rural communities—to access reliable internet and participate in the modern economy; and the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act to drive down health care costs.    “This has been a productive year for the Committee, and I’m grateful for the time and hard work that has been put in by our members and our staffs.   “We have 44 bills ready for our consideration today and tomorrow, and I appreciate everyone’s attentiveness as we work through the list.”  ABUNDANT, RELIABLE ENERGY   “As we head to the holiday season, with hundreds of millions of Americans getting ready to visit loved ones, it’s important to appreciate why that is possible: abundant, reliable energy.     “We often take for granted the basic ability to heat our homes, fill up our gas tanks, or hop on a plane and travel across the nation in mere hours.   “Today’s bills will further unlock American energy and make sure people have an opportunity for a better life and an affordable energy future.”  ENCOURAGING AMERICAN INNOVATION AND SAFETY   “At the same time, I look around the room at all of incredible technology that was not available to our parents’ generation.    “I also see the massive safety improvements made to many because of the work that Congress has done over the years.    “Today, we will continue in that tradition as we work to strengthen on supply chains, promote American innovation in emerging technologies, and improve the safety and reliability of products and services Americans use every day.”  IMPROVING HEALTH CARE   “Finally, America has the unfortunate distinction of spending more on health care as a percentage of our economy than any other developed nation, and for our money, we have not become healthier. Instead, life expectancy in the United States has declined in recent years.   “Today we will consider legislation that will expand access to care and fine tune parts of our health care system to make a stronger, more sustainable system for patients.     “We will report out legislation that will make the American people healthier and better equipped to make health care decisions.    “Again, I want to thank everyone for their hard work in drafting these bills, finding offsets, and getting them ready for today.   “I look forward to moving them through this markup, bringing them to the House Floor, and seeing as many of them as possible—and hopefully all of them—signed into law.     “Energy and Commerce will continue leading the way on delivering results for the American people.”

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee hearing titled “America’s Future: Leading a New Era of Energy Dominance, Security, and Environmental Stewardship.”  “Last week, we examined America’s record as a global leader in environmental stewardship, from increasing air quality, cleaner waters, and reducing emissions.   “Our energy producers and industries have made these achievements possible, while increasing our national security—our energy security—and the productive capacity of the nation.  “This is a message that Energy and Commerce plans to carry to the world stage at COP28.   “It will be a message about building on America’s energy leadership, to demonstrate a path to a cleaner, more secure world, and more prosperous and resilient communities.    “Today’s hearing is about building upon our successes and making sure America is leading the next era of clean energy and environmental stewardship.   “We will examine the ingredients of America’s success and the lessons for enabling the delivery of affordable, reliable energy to people.   “We will focus on what matters for people and the security of our nation.   “What matters for Americans also matters for our allies and people in the developing world.   “Our leadership and experience can light their path to a prosperous, more secure future—a future that can escape the grip of adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran.”   ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS   “The U.S. is blessed with tremendous natural resources, which we’ve been able to harness as a result of free market principles and an entrepreneurial spirit that’s uniquely American.     “We’ve harnessed the power of nuclear energy, electrified millions of rural American’s homes with clean hydropower, and ushered in the Shale Revolution, which continues to create millions of new jobs, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and revitalize communities across the country.     “America is more energy secure today than ever before thanks to this legacy, which was built on the foundation of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and giving people the opportunity to choose which energy sources best suit their needs.  “Today, we are the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world.   “We’ve become a top energy exporter, which is helping to shift markets and bolster our security against countries like Russia and Iran.   “This Shale Revolution and the affordable and reliable natural gas that American workers are now producing has also enabled America to reduce emissions more than any other nation.    “We have the capacity to continue helping countries reduce their emissions even further.”  AMERICA LEADING, NOT CHINA   “American energy leadership is critical to ensuring we are not reliant on China, which maintains some of the worst environmental and labor standards in the world.   “Building on our clean, efficient energy systems can fuel our allies and the world with clean LNG—reducing emissions and increasing reliable energy for those who need it the most.   “Expanding our nuclear technologies and nuclear energy relationships can advance not only the wonderful benefits of nuclear energy, but the strength of new strategic relationships.  “And demonstrating the value of our free-enterprise spirit, built on private capital and initiative, will highlight the path to more secure energy and the promise of human achievement.   “These features of the American way stand in strong contrast to the misguided goals behind the rush-to-green agenda.  “I’m concerned by the EPA’s latest steps to advance this agenda with burdensome regulations for methane.  “These new rules could dramatically expand the agency’s regulatory reach in a manner that will stifle innovation, increase operational costs, and increase the price of energy.  “Those burdens will fall directly on American families and businesses.  “Especially on the world stage like at COP28, we must be honest about the reality and the risks of following an energy path in the name of greenhouse gases that cedes American leadership.  “By all accounts, this rush-to-green runs right into the control of China, the world’s biggest polluter, which would shut down reliable American energy and weaken our security.”  AMERICA’S PROSPEROUS ENERGY HISTORY   “Energy has been the lifeblood of our modern economy.   “The introduction of coal, oil, and natural gas over the last several centuries has improved productivity, economic development, and people’s standard of living across the world.  “America’s abundant energy resources have empowered people and human potential—resulting in the greatest technological achievements in history.   “Today we should talk about what is truly necessary to continue lifting people out of poverty, raising the standards of living, and ensuring energy security.  “By standing up for American values of free market competition, innovation, and environmental stewardship, we can advance this legacy.  “Our economy, our national security, the stability of global markets, and the environment will only benefit from continued American leadership.” 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.”  GUARANTEEING TECH NEUTRALITY   “In June, NTIA allocated the money for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program to the states. This amounts to $42.45 billion. “Since then, states have submitted their five-year action plans and initial proposals. The infrastructure law placed strict requirements on NTIA, such as ensuring that this funding achieves universal connectivity and prohibiting rate regulation. “However, I am concerned that buried in some of these state plans are calls for more federal funding, attempts to stray from the technology neutrality principles required by the law, and blatant efforts by states to engage in rate regulation of broadband service. “Thankfully, NTIA has so far rejected some of these attempts—including from my home state of Ohio—that would have overbuilt existing networks and prevented wireless options from being used to bring broadband to rural America. “But I remain concerned that NTIA may allow states to push the boundaries of what conditions they can impose on broadband providers who receive BEAD dollars.” LOWERING COSTS AND CLOSING THE DIVIDE “Attempts to regulate rates and impose net neutrality requirements, union mandates, and other liberal wish list items will ultimately fail the American people by increasing costs and leaving them on the wrong end of the digital divide. “The requirements will undermine the effectiveness of the BEAD program. Mr. Davidson, it is your responsibility to administer this program to the letter of the law, following the intent of the law, and to reject state plans that stray from these goals. “NTIA has also adopted a conditional, programmatic waiver of the letter of credit requirements that would have made it difficult for smaller, rural providers to participate in BEAD. “The success of this program depends on a wide range of large and small providers serving the communities in which they operate. “I appreciate NTIA giving providers flexibility without sacrificing accountability so that taxpayer dollars are not wasted. I look forward to working with you to ensure accountability in the BEAD program. “With the billions of dollars available for broadband deployment being managed by a variety of federal agencies, interagency coordination and removing barriers to deployment is going to be key to make sure that this money is not wasted.” INCREASING INVESTMENT BY IMPROVING THE PERMITTING PROCESS “One promising development is NTIA’s leadership on removing permitting barriers to broadband deployment on Federal lands. “This subcommittee has led the charge on reforming the broadband permitting process across the United States, and I am pleased to see NTIA taking action on many items laid out by legislation advanced through our Committee earlier this year. “These reforms will lead to more efficient and timely deployments. “By working with Federal agencies to streamline their processes and prioritize broadband permitting applications, our providers will be able to focus on deployment instead of navigating a maze of red tape. “Finally, I want to acknowledge the National Spectrum Strategy and Presidential Memorandum released last month by the administration. “Although this is a good first step, we must be aggressive in identifying a spectrum pipeline to maintain U.S. wireless leadership. “We share your goal of restoring the regular order process for managing spectrum, including NTIA’s role leading this effort for the executive branch. “However, we expect that you and other agencies will be responsive to our requests in a timely manner, which has not been the case recently on certain spectrum matters pending before this administration.”

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today announced a Full Committee markup to consider 44 pieces of legislation.  “Since the start of this Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee has played a pivotal role in passing solutions to unleash affordable, reliable American energy, lower health care costs, improve consumer protections, and strengthen our national security by cutting China out of our supply chains. Next week, we will build on this work. I commend all our members for their leadership on solutions that further improve people’s lives and secure America’s global competitive edge.”  WHAT: A Full Committee markup of 44 pieces of legislation.  DATE: Tuesday, December 5, 2023, and subsequent days as necessary    TIME: 2:00 PM ET    LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building    This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The markup will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/ . If you have any questions concerning the bills being marked up, please contact Jessica Herron with the Subcommittee staff at Jessica.Herron@mail.house.gov. For press related questions, please contact Sean Kelly at Sean.Kelly@mail.house.gov .  The legislation to be considered includes:  H.R. 5677 , 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement (5G SALE) Act (Rep. Joyce)  H.R. 6544 , Atomic Energy Advancement Act (Reps. Duncan and DeGette)  H.R. 5718 , Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023 (Reps. Latta, Clyburn, Balderson, and Kuster)  H.R. 4167 , Protecting America’s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act (Rep. Hudson)  H.R. 6192 , Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act (Rep. Lesko)  H.R. 6185 , Guaranteeing Reliable Infrastructure Development Act (Rep. Duncan)  H.R. 6421 , Affordable HOMES Act (Rep. Bucshon)  H.R. 4045 , Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act (Rep. Rodgers)  H.R. ___ , Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act (Reps. Bucshon and Blunt Rochester)  H.R. ___ , Deploying American Blockchains Act (Reps. Bucshon and Blunt Rochester)  H.R. 5390 , Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act (Reps. Miller-Meeks, Bucshon, Johnson, Kuster, Schrier, and Spanberger)  H.R. 5398 , Advancing Tech Startups Act (Reps. Johnson and Phillips)  H.R. 5146 , Advancing Gig Economy Act (Reps. Joyce and Pence)  H.R. 3950 , Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act (Reps. Bilirakis and Schakowsky)  H.R. ___ , Speculative Ticketing Oversight and Prohibition Act or the STOP Act of 2023 (Reps. Armstrong, Bilirakis, and Schakowsky)  H.R. 6543 , No Hidden Fees on Extra Expenses for Stays Act (Rep. Kim)  H.R. 6125 , Online Dating Safety Act of 2023 (Reps. Valadao and Pettersen)  H.R. 5202 , Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Reauthorization Act , as amended (Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Burgess, Carter, Allred, Castor, Williams, Garcia, Flood, Ross, Bacon, and Gottheimer)  H.R. 2964 , Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act (Reps. McClain and Peltola)  H.R. 1797 , Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act , as amended (Reps. Torres, Garbarino, Clarke, Ryan, Bowman, D'Esposito, Espaillat, and Goldman)  H.R. 6132 , Awning Safety Act of 2023 (Reps. Balderson and Castor)  H.R. 4310 , Youth Poisoning Protection Act (Reps. Trahan, Carey, Porter, and Stewart)  H.R. 4814 , Consumer Safety Technology Act (Reps. Soto, Burgess, Trahan, and Guthrie)  H.R. 2365 , National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act (Reps. Bilirakis and Tonko)  H.R. 5372 , Expanding Seniors’ Access to Lower Cost Medicines Act of 2023 (Reps. Joyce and Peters)   H.R. 2880 , Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act (Reps. Carter and Blunt Rochester)   H.R. 5393 , To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure fair assessment of pharmacy performance and quality under Medicare part D, and for other purposes (Reps. Griffith and Carter)   H.R. 5385 , Medicare PBM Accountability Act (Reps. Landsman and Harshbarger)  H.R. 5386 , Cutting Copays Act (Reps. McGarvey and Bilirakis)   H.R. 4881 , To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit cost sharing for drugs under the Medicare program. (Reps. Malliotakis and Wenstrup)  H.R. 5389 , National Coverage Determination Transparency Act , as amended (Reps. Guthrie and Kelly)   H.R. 133 , Mandating Exclusive Review of Individual Treatments (MERIT) Act , as amended (Reps. Buchanan and Barragan)  H.R. 5396 , Coverage Determination Clarity Act of 2023 (Rep. Bucshon)   H.R. 5371 , Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2023 (Reps. Joyce and Phillips)  H.R. 5388 , Supporting Innovation for Seniors Act (Reps. Balderson and Buchanan)  H.R. 5380 , To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase data transparency for supplemental benefits under Medicare Advantage (Rep. Sarbanes)  H.R. 3842 , Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2023 , as amended (Reps. Schrier, Bilirakis, and Bucshon)  H.R. 5397 , Joe Fiandra Access to Home Infusion Act of 2023 , as amended (Reps. Fitzpatrick, Dunn and Soto)  H.R. 6366 , To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act with respect to the work geographic index for physician payments under the Medicare program and to revise the phase-in of clinical laboratory test payment changes under such program (Rep. Hudson)  H.R. 6369 , To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models (Reps. Schrier and Dunn)  H.R. 5555 , DMEPOS Relief Act of 2023 (Reps. Miller-Meeks and Tonko)  H.R. 6545 , Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act (Reps. Miller-Meeks, Schrier, Bucshon, Kelly)  H.R. 6364 , Medicare Telehealth Privacy Act of 2023 (Reps. Balderson, Dunn, Schweikert, and Carey)  H.R. 1352 , Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023 (Rep. Hudson) 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Unmasking Challenges CDC Faces in Rebuilding Public Trust Amid Respiratory Illness Season.” “I want to welcome and congratulate, Dr. Cohen, on her appointment as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We must have a transparent and honest conversation about the future of the CDC—an agency that has never been, but needs to be, authorized by Congress.   “Director Cohen, you might be the last appointed CDC Director without a Senate confirmation. Your actions and decisions can help return the CDC back to its fundamental mission or your actions could allow the CDC to drift further away and worsen public trust.”  THE CDC BROKE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’S TRUST   “We want to hear from you today about the CDC’s preparedness for the current wave of seasonal viruses, such as the flu, RSV, and COVID-19. At the same time, we want to examine the CDC’s past decisions and guidance to understand how you’re taking lessons learned from COVID-19, mpox, and other recent public health threats to improve our current and future public health strategies.  “This is a chance to restore transparency and public trust in our health institutions and ensure that the CDC’s issued guidance is clear, practical, and consistently relevant and up to date with the latest science. Sometimes, this may include telling the American people what the CDC does and doesn’t know.  “To put this bluntly, your predecessors took bad advice. They acted on bad advice due to political pressure and misled the American people. The institution you now run influenced schools to remain closed by listening to non-scientific stakeholders, namely Teachers’ Unions. And because of the guidance to keep schools closed for an extended period, our children—the very future of our country—now suffer generational learning loss and devastating mental health conditions.   “The gravity of the situation is clear. If we fail to restore trust in public health institutions and correct past missteps, the consequences for our children and country could be dire.”  LONG LASTING EFFECTS OF BAD CDC POLICY   “It is in this context of urgency that we must consider the substantial investments made during the pandemic. Congress provided schools with $190 billion to combat COVID, allocating an estimated 20 percent to mitigate learning loss.   “And despite these efforts, students in grades three through eight are lagging behind months—if not years—in Reading and Math abilities.   “Nationwide, our children’s academic performance has suffered an historic decline, with reading and math scores plummeting to the lowest levels in 30 years. Further, school attendance is down, and students are dealing with a crisis of loneliness.   “These facts are not merely statistics; they are our children, our nieces and nephews, our neighbors’ children. They are the next generation. And right now, this is a stark indication of the broader fall out from actions taken during the COVID-19 response that we are only beginning to uncover.  “As we reflect on the events that led us to this point, we must acknowledge the weight of responsibility that comes with being the Director of the CDC.   “The agency's guidance has far-reaching implications, affecting not just public health, but our day-to-day lives and the overall well-being of our children.”   RESTORING THE CDC’S MISSION   “It is imperative that we see a commitment to cooperating with Congress. Too many of our inquiries to your predecessor went inadequately answered or wholly ignored. I think we all agree that being transparent with us—and the Americans we represent—is foundational to restoring trust.  “I know this is your first time testifying before Congress as Director of the CDC, but this hearing is more than a procedural formality; it is a pivotal moment for accountability and reassessment.   “The insights shared today will not only shed light on past decisions but also take a step toward rebuilding trust. This hearing is an opportunity to share how you will apply lessons learned to the current respiratory illness season as well as future decisions by the CDC.   “Director Cohen, you have an opportunity today to inform the committee—and the American people—how you plan to lead as Director.   “We look forward to your testimony and hearing about how you will lead the CDC moving forward and restore public trust.” 

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Unmasking Challenges CDC Faces in Rebuilding Public Trust Amid Respiratory Illness Season.” “Today’s hearing is the first opportunity for Congress to hear testimony from Dr. Mandy Cohen since she was appointed the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Director in July.   “Dr. Cohen, congratulations on your appointment. You are taking the reins of the CDC at a critical time in the agency’s history and you have a heavy task ahead.   “As I said at our June oversight hearing, 'the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that we did not have the CDC we thought we had.' I am looking forward to hearing about how you plan to change that.” RESPONSE TO RISE IN RSV CASES   “This hearing is also an opportunity for us to hear first-hand about how CDC is responding to the ongoing respiratory virus season.  “I am particularly interested in hearing about how CDC is helping to mitigate the shortage of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, immunization for all infants.  “We have already heard reports that RSV cases are rising sharply in certain areas of the country and that some hospitals are in 'surge' mode.   “With unprecedented demand for the RSV immunizations this year leading to supply constraints, I hope we will hear what the CDC plans to do to ensure we have a sufficient supply of products for the seasons to come. “It’s great that we have a safe, effective RSV immunization to protect children, but it does us little good if we don’t do a better job at preventing supply constraints.”   REBUILDING PUBLIC TRUST IN THE CDC   “Questions remain.  “How is the CDC planning to rebuild public trust in the agency?   “Has the CDC learned from the mistakes it made during the COVID-19 pandemic?   “Is the CDC committed to making the hard and deep reforms needed to avoid repeating those same mistakes?  “While I’m looking forward to hearing your testimony on these points, I candidly haven’t seen much outward evidence yet that the CDC has taken the failings of the COVID-19 pandemic to heart.  “Another area I have grave concerns about is the detrimental effect extended school closures have had on kids learning.   “According to a report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the average testing scores for US 13-year-olds has hit the lowest level in decades.    “According to a New York Times report from earlier this month, school closures led to 50 million children, including my own, being out of the classroom, causing these students to miss an extremely crucial time in their lives since they were forced to attempt to learn from home.    “And let me assure you, learning from home for school aged children is not as effective as being in the classroom.   “In this same report, the Times claims this 'may prove to be the most damaging disruption in the history of American education.’  “The damage wrought by school closures was enormous and our children will be living with its consequences for decades.”   FAILURES OF THE FEDERAL SELECT AGENT PROGRAM   “As I’ve said before, for better or worse, CDC recommendations and guidance carry great weight. They were used to justify not only school closures, but prohibiting nursing home visitations, and vaccine mandates that would have resulted in millions of Americans losing their jobs. In addition, businesses, fitness centers and worst of all churches were closed.  “Further, the discovery of an illegal biolab in Reedley California exposed more problems with the CDC.  CDC’s management of the Federal Select Agent Program has been subject to criticism in the past for inadequate investigations in response to biosecurity incidents, including investigations from this subcommittee.   “Reading the China Select Committee’s report showed how inadequate CDC’s approach to the Select Agent Program is.    “CDC initially refused to even investigate the lab and only did so once they were contacted by Democratic Representative Jim Costa from California.   “The CDC even refused to test any of the thousands of pathogen samples that could have contained unknown and dangerous pathogens.    “The agency also failed to take meaningful action regarding a refrigerator that was labeled 'Ebola' during their so-called 'investigation.'  “CDC’s response was totally inadequate and failed to provide any support for the local government and put the public at risk through its indifference.  “This is not acceptable, and the CDC must do better.”  CHANGE OF DIRECTION IS NEEDED   “As we look to the future, it’s clear that the CDC needs more than a reset. There needs to be a seismic shift.     “The Agency announced in April 2022 that they were going to undergo a reform by starting to review their processes and structures in place. Since, they have made a handful of changes, but more is needed. “I know that you have not been there long enough to implement a seismic shift, but I hope we can start to see CDC guidance driven by the latest science and robust evidence.     “In closing, I hope your tenure as Director will start that process and reinvigorate the agency.”