Rep. Gus Bilirakis

R

Florida – District 12
representative

Leadership

Chairman Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

119th Congress

News & Announcements

Jan 13, 2026
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

Chairman Bilirakis Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Hearing on American Automotive Safety, Affordability, and Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

Subcommittee Chairman Bilirakis’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. Today we will be examining legislation aimed at modernizing motor vehicle safety. Thank you to our witnesses for joining us.

“Whether it is protecting our kids online or ensuring the safety of the cars in our driveways, we have always understood that there is no partisan way to save lives. In 2024, nearly 40,000 people died on our roadways.

“We often talk about these numbers as statistics, but every single one of them represents an empty chair at a dinner table. We cannot accept this as the cost of doing business.

“That is why we must focus on solutions to strengthen motor vehicle safety and empower NHTSA to succeed in its mission to save lives. I would like to highlight several solutions to bolster motor vehicle safety and enable innovation.

“First, we are considering a bipartisan discussion draft of the SELF-DRIVE Act, which establishes a federal framework for the safety deployment of autonomous vehicles. I want to commend Mr. Latta and Ms. Dingell for their hard work over many years to produce this discussion draft.

“AVs are not just a luxury; they can be a lifeline. By reducing human error, which causes the vast majority of crashes, we can prevent tragedies before they happen. AVs can also empower seniors and people with disabilities to be mobile and regain their independence.

“This legislation is also necessary to successfully compete against communist China, who are seeking to flood the world with Chinese self-driving technology. We cannot let America fall behind.

“Second, we are considering the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act, which makes substantial reforms to NHTSA to improve the agency’s operations, ensure the agency is accountable to Congress, and empower the agency to better advance automotive safety and innovation.

“These include reforms to NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program, which provides market incentives for automakers to compete on safety.

“The bill ensures accountability to providing Congress and stakeholders a defined roadmap of the agency’s research and rulemaking priorities. The bill also revamps NHTSA’s general exemption process to allow for the deployment novel vehicle technologies so America can lead in safety and innovation.

“Finally, as we consider proposals to ensure motor vehicle safety, we must keep in the mind the high costs of motor vehicles, which reached a record high of $50,000 for an average new vehicle. If consumers cannot afford new vehicles, they will not be able to take advantage of the innovative safety features in these vehicles, which will have adverse impacts on highway safety.

“I am confident that, working together, we can advance legislation that prioritizes safety and American automotive leadership. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how we can achieve that dream together.”

Jan 13, 2026
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

Subcommittee on CMT Holds Legislative Hearing on American Automotive Safety, Affordability, and Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a legislative hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

“The American automotive industry has long been a driving force behind job creation and continuous improvements in the comfort, safety, and quality of the vehicles on our roads. While technologies and times have evolved, our commitment to innovation, safety, and consumer choice remains unchanged,” said Chairman Bilirakis. “Today’s hearing underscored the importance of updating policies to reflect modern advancements, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to advance these bills, strengthen motor vehicle safety, and ensure American automotive leadership remains at the forefront of the global marketplace.”

Watch the full hearing here .

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

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Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05): “Mr. Fulton, will you explain why the federal preemption provision is necessary and how its intersection with safety case provision will foster the development of AVs here in the United States?” Mr. Fulton: “You and Congresswoman Dingell were right a decade ago. [...] There's a grand agreement among Republicans, Democrats, state and local regulators, and the Congress and the Executive Branch itself across multiple administrations that this is the consensus, industry-driven way to do it that is fully understandable and can be executed upon. [...] I certainly hope that Congress once again agrees with you and passes this bill with the safety case provisions.”

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Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08): “We also have today the PART Act to address the scourge of catalytic converter theft across the country. I was a cop. [...] It's a particular problem that Colorado has grappled with being the number one state in the nation for auto theft multiple times over the last five years. [...] Quite often [that’s] the result of some of these statewide Democrat soft-on-crime policies. Our attorney general, Phil Weiser, [...] remarked people should only be kept in jail after 'someone commits a third or fourth car theft in three months.’ [...] So, I'm heartened by the PART Act actually taking this problem seriously, because I've seen the impact that this has on my constituents.”

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Congressman Craig Goldman (TX-12): “Considering the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) resource constraints, what legislative reforms could improve the agency's efficiency in addressing high traffic fatalities, especially in districts such as my own, that consist of urban and rural mixes?” Ms. Cain: “We really do think a number of the reforms that are laid out in the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act are precisely the sorts of reforms that are needed in order to make the agency more effective. [...] We think the research and rulemaking plan that's outlined in the proposal is fantastic and a way to ensure alignment between NHTSA’s research program and rulemaking program. The modernization of [the New Car Assessment Program] will be a critical component of getting new and innovative safety technologies on the road as well.”

Jan 6, 2026
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis Announce Legislative Hearing on American Automotive Safety, Affordability, and Leadership

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, announced a hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

“Since the Model T was first produced in 1908, the American automotive industry has been the driving force for creating jobs and improving the comfort and quality of the vehicles on our roads. Though the times and technologies have changed, our desire for innovation, safety, and consumer choice have not,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis. “We look forward to discussing these bills to strengthen motor vehicle safety with our colleagues and continuing to advance American automotive leadership.”

Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing titled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership.

WHAT: Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade hearing to examine ways to strengthen automotive safety, affordability, and leadership.

DATE: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

TIME: 2:00 PM ET

LOCATION: 2175 Rayburn House Office Building

The hearing will focus on the following bills:

  • H.R. ____, Motor Vehicle Modernization Act (Chairman Guthrie)
  • H.R. ____, Safety Is Not for Sale Act of 2026 (Ranking Member Pallone)
  • H.R. ____, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution (SELF DRIVE) Act of 2026 (Reps. Latta and Dingell)
  • H.R. 1566, Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act (Reps. Dunn and Perez)
  • H.R. 4376, AV Safety Data Act (Rep. Mullin)
  • H.R. 3360, Driver Technology and Pedestrian Safety Act (Rep. Mullin)
  • H.R. 6687, DRIVER Act (Rep. Harshbarger)
  • H.R. 6688, ADAS Functionality and Integrity Act (Reps. Harshbarger, Obernolte, Vazquez, and Torres)
  • H.R. 6850, DRIVE to HALT Drunk Driving Act (Rep. Dingell)
  • H.R. 1137, No Kill Switches in Cars Act (Rep. Perry)
  • H.R. 3385, To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue certain regulations to update the definition of motorcycle, and for other purposes. (Rep. Van Orden)
  • H.R. 5221, PART Act (Reps. Baird and McCollum)
  • H.R. 2110, Safe Vehicle Access for Survivors Act (Reps. Dingell and Crenshaw)
  • H.R. ____, Know Before You Drive Act (Rep. Schrier)
  • H.R. ____, Securing Accessible Functional Emergency (SAFE) Exit Act (Rep. Kelly-IL)
  • H.R. ____, Safe Streets for Everyone Act of 2026 (Rep. Clarke)

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 Alex Khlopin at Alex.Khlopin@mail.house.gov. If you have any press-related questions, please contact Daniel Kelly at Daniel.Kelly@mail.house.gov.

Letters

Oct 31, 2025
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Bilirakis Send Letter to NCAA Over Decision to Let Student Athletes Gamble on Professional Sports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, sent a letter to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker following the recent announcement that student athletes and athletic department staff will be allowed to bet on professional sports. KEY EXCERPTS: “The Committee on Energy and Commerce is examining the NCAA’s recent policy change permitting student athletes and athletic department staff to bet on professional sports.” [...] To assist the Committee in its oversight, we request a briefing by no later than November 13, 2025, that addresses the following: Why is the NCAA changing its policy allowing student athletes to bet on professional sports? Has the NCAA conducted any studies, analyses, or reviews of the impact of gambling on student athletes? If so, what are the results? What role did they play in the NCAA’s decision to allow student athletes to bet on professional sports? How does this change allow the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to better protect the integrity of college games and encourage healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports? How is the NCAA engaging with athletic conferences, member institutions, and teams to address questions and concerns about this rule change? Amid recent allegations of illegal sports betting among student athletes and concerns expressed by member institutions, is NCAA reconsidering implementation of the policy? What guardrails are in place to prevent the type of illegal sports betting activity that is allegedly occurring in the NCAA and NBA, considering that some student athletes will go on to become professional athletes? Please provide details about any fraudulent, illegal, and alleged betting practices in connection with NCAA players, coaches, and officials, including the actions of NCAA players identified in recent infraction decisions; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above. Please describe the NCAA’s “layered integrity monitoring program,” for maintaining competition integrity and pursuing sports betting violations. What gaps, if any, are in existing regulations that allow illegal betting schemes to occur in college sports? BACKGROUND: On October 24, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce launched its investigation into sports fixing and illegal gambling after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unsealed indictments of current and former NBA players and coaches. An initial announcement stated that, effective November 1, 2025, student athletes and athletic department staff in all three NCAA divisions would be permitted to bet on professional sports. A few days before the policy change was supposed to take effect, the Division I Board of Directors voted to delay implementation of the rule change across all three divisions to November 22, 2025. A recent NCAA press release stated that “enforcement staff has opened investigations into potential sports betting violations by approximately 30 current or former men's basketball student-athletes.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

Oct 24, 2025
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

Bipartisan E&C Leaders Request Briefing from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Following Allegations of Sports Fixing and Illegal Gambling

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr., (NJ-06), along with Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) and Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), and Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Chairman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), sent a letter to National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver following the recent announcement that current and former NBA players and coaches have been indicted on charges relating to sports fixing and illegal gambling. KEY EXCERPT: These allegations raise serious concerns about sports betting and the integrity of sport in the NBA, which harms fans and legal sports bettors. [...] To assist the Committee in its oversight, we request a briefing by no later than October 31, 2025, that addresses the following:  Details about the fraudulent, illegal, and alleged betting practices in connection with NBA players, coaches, and officials, including the actions of NBA players and coaches identified in the recent indictment; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above.  Actions the NBA intends to take to limit the disclosure of nonpublic information for illegal purposes. Whether the NBA’s Code of Conduct for players and coaches effectively prohibits illegal activity, including the disclosure of non-public information for the purposes of illegal betting schemes. An explanation of the gaps, if any, in existing regulations that allow illegal betting schemes to occur. Whether and how the NBA is reevaluating the terms of its partnerships with sports betting companies. BACKGROUND: According to the unsealed indictment, current and former NBA players and coaches allegedly used insider information to place or profit from bets on NBA games. The federal indictment’s allegations of illegal betting span incidents of fraudulent wagering from December 2022 to March 2024 and involve defendants and co-conspirators residing across the United States. In 2023, it is alleged that Miami Heat player Terry Rozier left a game early to facilitate a co-conspirator’s winning bet, which produced hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings to be split with Mr. Rozier. Another co-conspirator, former NBA player Damon Jones, is alleged to have gained access to non-public information on NBA players and teams, which he then sold to professional gamblers. Other unnamed co-conspirators are alleged to have passed along insider information as well, such as which players would not be playing in an upcoming game. In 2007, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty to federal charges for using insider information to bet on games he officiated. Last year, Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for life after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy due to his involvement in a sports betting scandal. CLICK HERE to read the full letter. CLICK HERE to read ESPN's exclusive coverage of the letter.

Sep 25, 2025
Letter

Chairmen Guthrie, Bilirakis, and Joyce Request Investigation into China-Backed Company Collecting Brain Wave Data on Elite American Athletes

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent letters to Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, Andrew Ferguson, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, urging the administration to investigate and address potential national security risks posed by BrainCo, a neural technology company allegedly funded by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). KEY EXCERPTS: “The Committee on Energy and Commerce has long warned about the national and economic security risks of CCP-aligned entities accessing Americans’ personal and proprietary information. The use of American data by CCP-aligned entities, such as BrainCo, to develop and deploy AI underscores our concerns. […] The Committee urges swift action to investigate and address the potential national and economic security risks posed by BrainCo’s operations in the United States and its access to Americans’ personal information.” BACKGROUND: According to recent reporting , the company was started by MIT and Harvard scientists but has “been quietly backed by the Chinese government-linked entities for nearly a decade.”  BrainCo products reportedly harvest personalized brainwave data from users.  BrainCo is reportedly working with sanctioned PRC military contractors.  BrainCo products reportedly have been used by Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, number two world tennis player, Jannik Sinner, U.S. Olympic teams, and many others.  Along with DeepSeek , BrainCo is considered one of China’s “Six Little Dragons” — meaning one of the CCP’s most promising young tech startups. The PRC’s National Intelligence Law of 2017 requires PRC individuals and entities to support PRC intelligence services. CLICK HERE to read exclusive coverage of the letter. CLICK HERE to read the Hunterbrook Media story on their investigation into BrainCo. CLICK HERE to listen to the corresponding Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast episode. CLICK HERE to read the letters to Attorney General Bondi, Chairman Ferguson, and Secretary Lutnick. ###