NE Washington News

This week, the House of Representatives passed eight bills from the House Energy and Commerce Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee. The legislation aims to increase price transparency in ticketing, promote resilient supply chains, enhance product safety standards, among other things. Following the passage in the House, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued several statements.

On H.R. 4310, the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, Rodgers stated: “With self-poisonings on the rise since 2017, we must protect children from products with extremely high concentrations of sodium nitrite. I thank Reps. Trahan, Carey, Porter, and Stewart for their crucial legislation that will help prevent sickness or even a tragic loss of life.”

Regarding H.R. 4814, the Consumer Safety Technology Act: “As emerging technologies like AI and blockchain change rapidly and become engrained in our society, we have an opportunity to use these new tools to improve important product safety protections. I applaud Reps. Soto, Burgess, Trahan, and Guthrie for their leadership to ensure federal agencies stay up to date with new technologies.”

On H.R. 5390, the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act: “This bipartisan legislation helps strengthen our domestic supply chain by reviewing where we can bolster American manufacturing and become less reliant on China. I commend Reps. Miller-Meeks, Bucshon, Spanberger, Kuster, and Schrier for their important work to help win the future and beat China.”

Discussing H.R. 1797, the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act: “If lithium-ion batteries are not safely used, charged, and stored they are prone to starting fires—threatening people’s safety. This much-needed legislation will create product safety standards for these batteries including when coming in from China. I commend Reps. Torres, Garbarino, Clarke, Ryan, Bowman, D’Esposito, Espaillat, and Goldman for their leadership to protect Americans from these dangers.”

On H.R. 6572, the Deploying American Blockchains Act of 2023: “By supporting competitiveness in emerging technologies like blockchains, America—not China—will lead the next era of innovation and entrepreneurship. I commend Reps. Bucshon and Blunt Rochester for championing this legislation to ensure our regulatory environment keeps pace with constantly evolving technology.”

Regarding H.R. 6571, the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2023: “American supply chain resiliency is key to the development and competitiveness of U.S. production and manufacturing. I thank Reps. Bucshon and Blunt Rochester for their bipartisan legislation to strengthen our supply chains and help cement our leadership in the development and deployment of emerging technologies.”

On H.R. 6132, the Awning Safety Act of 2023: “The Awning Safety Act is key to creating important safety standards for retractable awnings. I thank Reps. Balderson and Castor for their bipartisan leadership on this legislation to improve product safety and reduce the use of potentially dangerous awnings, preventing injury or even a tragic loss of life."

Rodgers along with Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr., (D-NJ), Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) also released a joint statement on H.R. 3950, the Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act: “This consensus legislation will end deceptive ticketing practices that frustrate consumers who simply want to enjoy a concert, show or sporting event by restoring fairness and transparency to the ticket marketplace... We look forward to continuing to work together to urge quick Senate passage so that we can send it to the President's desk to be signed into law.”