WASHINGTON, DC – The House Energy and Commerce Committee today approved five public health bills ranging from banning the synthetic plastic microbeads in personal care products to commonsense menu labeling. The five bills now await consideration by the full House of Representatives.

“Today’s votes mark our tenth full committee markup this Congress, and with over 100 hearings on the books we have advanced more than three-dozen bills through the House. The Energy and Commerce Committee has built a proud record of bipartisan success, and we look to continue our momentum with five more bills to boost public health,” said full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).

“These commonsense bipartisan bills will help make our health care system better serve patients while keeping the costs controlled,” added Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-PA).

The committee approved the following bills (in order by consideration):

H.R. 1321, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 - Authored by Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ), this legislation would ban cosmetic and beauty products that contain the synthetic plastic microbeads currently found in many soaps, cleansers and toothpastes. The amendment in the nature of a substitute is available here. H.R. 1321 passed the full committee by voice vote.

H.R. 3014, the Medical Controlled Substances Transportation Act - Authored by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), this legislation would amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow registered physicians to transport and administer controlled substances to patients at other practice settings and disaster areas if the physician enters into an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Agency. H.R. 3014 passed the full committee by voice vote.

H.R. 2017, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 - Authored by committee member and Republican Conference Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), this legislation would provide clarity and flexibility for small businesses from some of the health care law’s most costly and burdensome regulations regarding menu-labeling requirements. The bill can be viewed here. H.R. 2017 passed the full committee by a vote of 36 to 12.

H.R. 3716, the Ensuring Terminated Providers Are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP Act - Authored by Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), this legislation addresses issues raised in a recent report from the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General that found health care providers terminated from Medicaid in one state were still participating in Medicaid and CHIP programs in other states. The amendment in the nature of a substitute is available here. H.R. 3716 passed the full committee by voice vote.

H.R. 3821, the Medicaid Directory of Caregivers Act - Authored by Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), this legislation would require state Medicaid programs that operate fee-for-service and/or primary care case management programs include a directory of physicians who served Medicaid patients in the prior 12 months on the Medicaid program’s website. The amendment in the nature of a substitute is available here. H.R. 3821 passed he full committee by voice vote.

To learn more about these bills, view amendments, or watch an archived webcast, click here.