News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced a hearing to explore the challenges facing utilities in delivering reliable, affordable electricity to meet the growing demand for power across the United States. “Affordable and reliable electricity is vital to both our economy and national security. Experts have been sounding the alarm about vulnerabilities in the reliability of our electric grid for a number of years. Now, with the growing demand for AI, it is even more essential that we shore up, and grow, the capacity to generate and deliver power to homes and businesses as well as new data centers,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. “This hearing is an opportunity for us to address this important issue and work toward solutions in order to meet the demands of our electric grid.” Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled Scaling for Growth: Meeting the Demand for Reliable, Affordable Electricity . WHAT: Subcommittee on Energy hearing on energy demand and grid reliability  DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 2025      TIME: 10:00 AM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chairman. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be livestreamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Calvin Huggins at Calvin.Huggins1@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Ben Mullany at Ben.Mullany@mail.house.gov .  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing titled Examining the Biden Administration’s Energy and Environment Spending Push .  “This Oversight and Investigations hearing provided a critical opportunity for the Committee to examine the Biden-Harris Administration’s reckless spending spree under its energy and environment grants and loans programs during their final months in office,”   said Chairman Palmer.   “We will continue our work to scrutinize the potential misuse of federal funds to ensure American taxpayer dollars are well spent and not subjected to waste, fraud, or abuse.”   Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from yesterday’s hearing:  Subcommittee Chairman Gary Palmer (AL-6): Asked the DOE OIG witness about Interim Findings the IG released in December 2024, highlighting key takeaways from the report that “the DOE LPO is administering more than $385 billion in new loan authority without ensuring a regulatory and contractually compliant and effective system to manage the organizational conflicts of interests.” The Chairman continued, noting that “[i]n the Interim Findings report, the IG stated that the Loan Programs Office seems to be asserting that as long as it does not compile, track, update, or reconcile relationships it maintains a 100% compliance rate across the Loan Programs Office. Also referring to it as ‘trust but don’t verify.’”   Subcommittee Vice Chairman Troy Balderson (OH-12): “It’s clear that the Biden Administration was trying to get as much money out the door as possible before President Trump’s inauguration. For example, a senior Biden Administration official was quoted saying in early December 2024 that the Administration was on track to exceed its goal of obligating over 80% of available IRA grant funding by the end of Biden’s term. Moreover, former secretary Jennifer Granholm was quoted in October 2024, as saying that she is racing to commit funding and get contracts signed. Many of us are also familiar with the video in which a special advisor for implementation within the Biden Administration’s EPA was caught on camera saying that it’s truly like we’re on the Titanic, we’re throwing gold bars off the edge. The special advisor also said that they were trying to get this money out as fast as possible before they come in and stop at all. It is clear from the video that the individual was referring to the Trump Administration.” Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12): “This body has a duty to conduct oversight on all the money sent out through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and so-called Inflation Reduction Act. It’s imperative that we do our due diligence to see just where that money went. It’s also important to understand, what people, their job roles, what they’re doing, and actually what they’re producing which seems to get lost in all this. These laws added to our out-of-control government spending and as we have seen in prior hearings some of this funding went to special interest groups. With billions of dollars being given out rapidly it is critical that we see where American taxpayer dollars are going and that they are properly vetted.”  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, issued the following statement after the House passed H.J. Res. 20, to rescind a Biden-Harris Administration rule that restricts the water heaters millions of Americans rely on and assures consumer choice and affordability are prioritized. “During President Biden’s final weeks in office, the DOE issued a final rule setting a new energy efficiency standard that would significantly increase the cost of gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. Allowing this misguided rule to continue would raise prices and limit choices for American families,”   said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta .  “We are grateful to Congressman Palmer for his leadership on this issue and his work to protect consumers.” “Today, House Republicans voted to end the Biden Administration’s radical ban on gas-fired water heaters. We refuse to allow this unnecessary, ridiculous last-minute rule to continue to raise prices, eliminate jobs, and restrict affordable, reliable choices for American households,”  said Speaker Johnson . “The American people made it clear they want lower costs and more choices, and we are keeping our promise to undo the damage of the last administration by cutting costs, protecting choice, and rejecting these damaging regulations.” “I applaud my House colleagues in passing my Congressional Review Act to reverse the previous administration’s egregious attempt to ban gas-fired water heaters,”  said Congressman Palmer .  “This is a major step towards prioritizing consumer choice, protecting natural gas appliances, keeping prices affordable, and undoing the damage inflicted on the American people by the Biden-Harris Administration for the past four years.”  Background: H.J. Res 20 ,  Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters ,   led by Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06), is yet another step toward keeping President Trump’s promise to the American people to undo the damage done by the failed policies of the Biden-Harris Administration. Forty percent of customers directly impacted by the rule would see a net cost increase from this rule. Those seeing cost savings would only be saving a mere $5.60 per year on a life-cycle cost basis of the appliance. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing yesterday titled An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients . “Patients are counting on us to stop the abusive practices that drive up out-of-pocket costs on their prescription drugs,” said Chairman Carter. “This Committee has worked to identify bipartisan solutions that will meaningfully help patients access their medications. Yesterday’s hearing gave us a chance to further hear from medical professionals and policy experts on why reining in PBMs and increasing transparency in the system will improve our health care system for all Americans.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from yesterday’s hearing: Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) : “I say this in every PBM hearing, and I'm going to say it again today. PBMs don't treat a single patient. They don't cure a single disease, and they don't insure a single American. So, the bottom line is: it's all about the patients, isn't it, gentlemen? It certainly is and how they're losing access to pharmacy choice. It’s those pharmacies who, in most communities, are your independent pharmacies which are the most trusted and the most readily available healthcare provider in that community. So, PBM reform is a bipartisan issue, and you know what that means? That means that both sides agree on this issue. It's not an issue of contention. It's important that we get some PBM reform done.” Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) : “It's no secret that PBM middlemen artificially inflate the cost of and limit access to prescription drugs. This occurs at the expense of patients who receive health insurance in public and private markets and impacts patients of all ages. PBMs claim they reduce prices by holding pharmaceutical companies accountable. This is done, they contend, by requiring rebates on drugs, which are then passed on to the beneficiary. While PBMs often do negotiate discounts for manufacturers, patients are not the ones who benefit from them. In Medicare Part D, for example, patient cost sharing is based off the list price of drugs, which are artificially inflated to extract a higher rebate. As a result, of these practices for 79 of the 100 most rebated drugs in Medicare Part D, beneficiaries pay more for their drug than their insurer. Again, demonstrating that beneficiaries, in this case, seniors are not benefiting from the rebates.” Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12) : “As a result of PBM's indecent practices, independent pharmacies around the country are closing. I know that in my district we are not strangers to this issue. I hear from my friends, family, and constituents alike that their trusted pharmacies have closed after decades of serving their communities. Pharmacy deserts have continued to grow and patients no longer have access to patient pharmacist relationships that has helped them manage complex medication regimes and diseases. It's estimated that between 2018 and 2021 alone, the number of pharmacies has declined in 41 states. So, this is not just an Ohio problem. This is not a rural problem. This is a countrywide issue that needs addressed.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, issued the following statement after the House passed H.J. Res. 35, to repeal the Biden-Harris Administration’s natural gas tax, by a vote of 220 to 206 to 1.  “It’s time to use the energy resources underneath our feet to provide the baseload power that the American people rely on. Implementing a new tax on our energy resources would limit innovation and raise prices for consumers. Today’s passage of Congressman Pfluger’s resolution is yet another step toward unleashing American energy dominance,”   said Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith .  “We are grateful to Congressman Pfluger for his leadership on this issue and will work with the Senate to see it passed.”   “Today, House Republicans rolled back the disastrous natural gas tax imposed by Democrats. This overreach has driven up energy prices, hurt domestic natural gas production, and increased reliance on foreign energy — without delivering any so-called environmental benefit,”  said Speaker Johnson . House Republicans are leveraging the Congressional Review Act to support President Trump in undoing the damage of the Biden Administration’s war on American energy.” “In November, the American people overwhelmingly voted for lower energy prices, and today, House Republicans took another step towards fulfilling that mandate. In the latest effort to reverse Biden's disastrous energy policies, the House passed my bill to nullify the EPA’s rule implementing the ill-conceived natural gas tax,”  said Congressman Pfluger .  “This tax raises costs on production, discourages investment, and increases energy prices across America. I am looking forward to working toward a full repeal of the underlying statute and continuing to implement President Trump’s pro-energy agenda.” Background:   H.J. Res 35 ,  Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions ,” led by Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11), would repeal the rule implementing the Biden-Harris Administration’s Waste Emissions Charge (WEC)—also known as the natural gas tax—which was established in the Inflation Reduction Act. Since 2005, the United States has become the world leader in both the production of natural gas as well as emissions reductions. While the United States’ energy production grew to 25% of global natural gas, we have also reduced emissions by 18% — outperforming the average of all Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. New and burdensome regulations would hurt both energy production and innovations that limit emissions. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced a hearing titled Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder. “Despite lofty promises, the Biden-Harris Administration’s broadband agenda left many Americans behind. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program was saddled with unnecessary red tape to appease the left wing of the Democratic Party, without a single inch of fiber actually being laid,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson. “This hearing will be an important opportunity to hear from experts about how we can address critical issues impacting the broadband landscape and ensure all Americans are connected.” Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing titled Fixing Biden’s Broadband Blunder . WHAT: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing addressing broadband deployment. DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 TIME: 2:00 PM ET LOCATION: 2123 Rayburn House Office Building This notice is at the direction of the Chair. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online at energycommerce.house.gov . If you have any questions concerning the hearing, please contact Noah Jackson at Noah.Jackson@mail.house.gov . If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov . ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients. Subcommittee Chairman Carter's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “I want to welcome everyone to today’s hearing on how reigning in Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, will drive competition and lower costs for patients. “Before I dive into the policy, I want to take a moment to address the true reason why we’re having this hearing today – patients. Patients, like a fellow Georgian, Mattie McCoy. Mattie, a sixteen-year-old Georgia resident, suffers from a rare genetic disorder. “CVS Caremark denied Mattie’s access to a lifesaving drug that he had been on for two years. As a result, Mattie was forced back into the hospital.  “Let me be clear: PBMs’ greed sent a 16-year-old back to the hospital, in critical condition. While tragic, this story is far from unique.  “So, how did we get here?   “PBMs are the pharmaceutical supply chain’s hidden middlemen that are driving up costs for prescription medications, delaying access to necessary treatments, adding hoops for patients to jump through, and robbing hope from patients. They have only created perverse incentives throughout the drug supply chain.  “Their extensive market control has only grown due to consolidation and vertical integration leading to less competition and decreased patient choice.  “After nearly two decades of consolidation, the PBM industry is now dominated by three companies that control over 80% of the market. They own or are owned by insurers and have vertically and horizontally consolidated their businesses to own doctors, pharmacies, group purchasing organizations, and more. “We have heard directly from our constituents that the harmful and anticompetitive tactics of some PBMs have only gotten worse, and that Congressional action is desperately needed.  “We’ve heard a constant stream of reports that some PBMs are reimbursing independent pharmacies less than the pharmacies they own. “For example, a Mississippi audit revealed that Optum pays its own stores up to 22 times what it pays independent pharmacies for the same drug.  “How are you supposed to stay in business when your competitor makes 2,200% more than you for the same exact service?  “The answer is you don’t. In 2023, there were over 300 independent pharmacy net closures – almost one per day. Unfortunately, that trend continued in 2024. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible and highly trusted health care professionals. Yet, PBMs are putting pharmacies out of business and removing patients’ access to care. We now have “pharmacy deserts” in rural and underserved communities. That’s affecting the accessibility, affordability, and quality of health care for all Americans.  “Recently, the Federal Trade Commission released its second interim report which found that “PBMs charge significant markups for cancer, HIV, and other critical specialty generic drugs” by thousands of percent, and many others by hundreds of percent.  “Another egregious example of PBMs’ abuse of taxpayer-funded programs is the United States Postal Service health plan. In an audit released in March 2024, the Inspector General of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management found that Express Scripts overcharged the American Postal Workers Union Health Plan and the federal government nearly $45 million.  “Thankfully, President Trump is committed to holding PBMs accountable. I commend him and look forward to working with this administration to drive solutions that lower costs for patients at the drug counter.  “The House Energy and Commerce Committee has made commonsense PBM reform policies a bipartisan priority.  “Last Congress, this Committee advanced bipartisan legislation that saves significant taxpayer dollars in state Medicaid managed care programs and – for the first time in Medicare Part D – enforces reasonable and relevant contract terms that support pharmacies’ ability to serve patients in addition to delinking PBM compensation from list price. Further, this Committee championed reporting requirements which would increase transparency by shining a light on the opaque drug pricing system that is driving up drug spending for patients and employers, in addition to harming pharmacists.  “Americans deserve and expect protection from inflated prescription drug costs, forced pharmacy closures, and barriers to health care access. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact these meaningful PBM reforms for patients, like Mattie, who are suffering at the expense of PBM's abusive tactics.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement after the Honorable Jamieson Greer was confirmed by the Senate to serve as U.S. Trade Representative: “Domestic manufacturers, innovators, and small businesses depend on sound trade policy that supports economic growth and works for every American. It is critically important that companies are investing here in America and able to export to markets abroad, including through cutting-edge digital services. I believe that Mr. Greer can help deliver those results,”   said Chairman Guthrie . “ I congratulate Mr. Greer on his new role as U.S. Trade Representative and I look forward to working with him to remove unfair barriers used to target American companies. "  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Examining The Biden Administration’s Energy And Environment Spending Push . Subcommittee Chairman Palmer's opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Welcome to the first hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the 119th Congress. I want to start by saying that it is an honor to serve as the Chairman of this Subcommittee. Congress has an important oversight responsibility that includes making sure our laws are working as intended and that the federal government is using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this important endeavor.    “Today’s hearing is entitled 'Examining the Biden Administration’s Energy and Environment Spending Push.' Moments ago I noted the importance of ensuring that the federal government is being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. This is critical, particularly in the context of the extraordinary surge in spending and the explosion of new and expanded programs at the Department of Energy (or DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA), largely authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (or IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (or IRA). The two laws provided supplemental appropriations of $97 billion and $101.5 billion to DOE and EPA, respectively.  “As this Subcommittee examined last Congress, spending large amounts of funding, particularly in short timeframes carries tremendous risk. For example, in a November 2024 report, the DOE Office of the Inspector General (OIG) noted that the IIJA, IRA, and 2023 Omnibus Appropriations law increased the DOE Loan Program Office’s authority to nearly half a trillion dollars. This is more than 23 times that of the program’s portfolio balance as of November 2021, when the IIJA was signed into law.  “The situation only became more alarming as the Biden administration raced to finalize loans and spend down available grant funding in its final months. All three watchdog organizations here today, the EPA OIG, DOE OIG, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), have reported on past shortcomings within these agencies and risk factors for waste, fraud, and abuse. These risks increased under past infusions of funding as agencies rushed to move large amounts of funding in a short amount of time.  “Unfortunately, history seems to be repeating itself, but we have a chance to try to minimize the damage. I want to emphasize that we are not insinuating that all applicants and recipients are guilty of wrongdoing. Rather, the sheer pace and volume with which this funding was awarded raises questions, and it is worth a pause to evaluate whether the appropriate due diligence was done to ensure taxpayer dollars went to eligible parties and the funds are being used appropriately.  “I thank our witnesses for being here and sharing their expertise to guide and inform the Committee’s efforts to identify potential misuse of federal funds and ensure that appropriate measures are taken moving forward to prevent future misuse of funds. This hearing is only one step of many to ensure that wasteful spending is curbed, and we hope to continue our collaboration with the OIGs, GAO, and the current administration to address this issue.  “I now recognize the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Ms. Clarke, for her opening statement.”