NE Washington News

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered opening remarks at today's Full Committee markup of 16 bills.

“We’re continuing this Committee’s mission to make life better for the American people—and future generations—by taking action on legislation from across several of our subcommittees,” said McMorris Rodgers.

The committee considered three Congressional Review Act resolutions aimed at addressing energy regulations. “We will consider three Congressional Review Act resolutions to rein in harmful regulations that are shutting down affordable, reliable energy and driving up costs for the American people," she stated.

McMorris Rodgers highlighted Rep. Balderson’s resolution, which seeks to repeal the EPA’s plan to close American power plants. She also mentioned Rep. Allen’s resolution targeting the administration's PM2.5 standard, describing it as a threat to America's economic future. Additionally, Rep. Fulcher’s resolution aims to halt the EPA's proposed rule for heavy-duty vehicle emission standards.

In terms of healthcare initiatives, McMorris Rodgers discussed various legislative efforts designed to improve health outcomes and foster medical innovation. “Today, we will also continue to build on our efforts throughout this Congress to improve the health of the American people and foster medical innovation and research in a bipartisan manner,” she remarked.

Legislation under consideration includes extending telehealth flexibilities for seniors in Medicare, speeding up treatment processes for children with cancer and other rare diseases, enhancing access to care for seniors and those with disabilities, ensuring care access for active-duty military families, and providing more information for those with disabilities.

The committee also addressed online safety concerns through two key pieces of legislation: The Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Kids Online Safety Act. These bills aim to update laws related to children's online privacy and provide tools against online threats.

Lastly, McMorris Rodgers noted that they would consider the A.M. Radio for Every Vehicle Act but mentioned that one bill—the REPAIR Act led by Dr. Dunn—would not be considered today despite significant progress made since its introduction last October.

“In the nearly 230-year history of this Committee, we have established a rich tradition of taking on hard problems and delivering solutions for the American people,” concluded McMorris Rodgers.