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Source: Congress.gov
Summary
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce convened its first session of the 119th Congress to set policy priorities across energy, healthcare, and telecommunications. Chairman Brett Guthrie and Ranking Member Frank Pallone outlined key issues including restoring energy affordability, strengthening the electric grid, reducing prescription drug costs, closing the digital divide, and advancing clean energy. The session featured introductions of 17 new members, with a focus on bipartisan legislation and the importance of inclusive, grassroots perspectives. A major point of discussion was the remote witness rule, with Democrats advocating for greater access to witnesses from diverse backgrounds, particularly those facing financial or personal hardships. The committee reaffirmed its commitment to bipartisan collaboration, highlighted successful past initiatives, and laid out a roadmap for future action on energy, health, and technology policy.
Participants
Transcript
Good morning, everybody. Hey, thank you. Thank you. Good morning, everybody. It's great to see everybody fellowshipping and getting kind of like the first day of school. I will call the Committee on Energy Commerce will come to order and I'll recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning and welcome everyone to the first meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 119th Congress. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee. With this expansive authority and distinguished history comes a significant responsibility. What happens in the People's House impacts America Americans in their homes, and the American people are counting on us to tackle the most pressing issues, delivering results that improve their lives. Together, this committee will hit the ground running, playing a pivotal role in restoring the American dream by unleashing American energy, lowering the cost of healthcare, and ensuring that America remains the world leader in technological innovation. As we look ahead to the new Congress, maintaining affordable and reliable energy will be key to America's success, supporting both our economic and national security. Unfortunately, over the past four years, the Biden-Harris administration has saddled the American people with higher energy prices, but I'm excited about changes we can make with the new administration. We must also take steps to protect our critical energy infrastructure. It's time to fortify our national security by strengthening the reliability of our electric grid. The past four years saw the implementation of a rulemaking agenda that has put American energy production in jeopardy while raising prices for American families. Energy and Commerce Republicans will offer solutions to address these issues and strengthen our grid by preserving existing baseload power, including natural gas, nuclear, coal, and hydropower.
American leadership must extend into the development and deployment of emerging technologies, By removing burdensome regulations and encouraging innovation, we will make sure that our economy can out-compete the Chinese Communist Party. Our leadership in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and wireless technologies will create jobs and unlock a generation of growth and prosperity. And we need to make sure that every American has access to that success. Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris administration failed on its own promise to connect all Americans by bogging down the broadband equity and access deployment program with unnecessary red tape that prevented even a single American from being connected despite $42 billion price tag. We're prepared to put the country on a new course where we close the digital divide and make sure everyone can enjoy the exciting technological developments that have only just begun. With broad health jurisdiction, this committee will continue focusing on driving down the cost of care, providing price transparency to consumers and businesses, supporting innovation, and most importantly, working to help restore trust in public health. We'll closely examine the Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure they are working efficiently and better serving the individuals they were originally designed to assist. Additionally, we'll work to address the opioid epidemic, advancing policies to help individuals avoid fentanyl poisoning, while also giving hope to families and individuals struggling with substance use disorder. While the task before us is significant, the committee will champion a bold vision to deliver the change demanded by the American people. From healthcare and energy to telecommunications and consumer protection policy, I look forward to working together to ensure we successfully advance solutions to our nation's greatest challenges. It's an honor to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and I am confident that our collective efforts will lead the way to restoring the American Dream.
take the privilege of introducing our new members. I wanna welcome all of our new members to the committee. I know that my good friend from New Jersey is gonna introduce the new members from his side. But I will now begin by introducing our new members. First, we have Congressman Cliff Bentz. He's from Oregon's 2nd District. Congressman Bentz is a third generation Oregonian, raised on his family's cattle ranches in Harney County. And an attorney, he specializes in rancher reorganizations and water law, and was a member of the Oregon State Senate. Welcome, Cliff, Mr. Bentz, I guess you should say. Next is Congresswoman Erin Houchin from Indiana's 9th District. Congresswoman Houchin was a Hoosier small business owner operating a public relations company focused on helping law enforcement communicate the good work they do. In addition to her private sector work, she served as a member of the Indiana State Senate for nearly a decade, and has held several leadership positions in her community. Welcome, Congresswoman. Congressman Russell Fly from South Carolina's Seventh District. Congressman Fry is a true example of the American dream. He put himself through undergraduate education at the University of South Carolina and law school at Charleston School of Law. Congressman Fry served South Carolina as a member of the state's House of Representatives.
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