Energy and Commerce Committee

05/14/2021

EPA scraps Trump rule that weakened air pollution regulations

This is good news! As Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. said yesterday, “The Trump Administration’s rule prioritized polluters’ profits ahead of the American people’s health benefits. It was a betrayal of EPA’s mission to protect human health and I’m thrilled the Biden EPA is taking such quick action to reverse course.”

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday moved to scrap a Trump-era rule that it said jeopardized public health and hindered clean air rules.

05/13/2021

U.S. has entered unprecedented climate territory, EPA warns

The EPA has released a disturbing, but not surprising, report on the changes the Earth’s warming is having on the United States. This report is a welcome change from the denial we witnessed for four years under the Trump Administration. It’s time we #ActOnClimate with the CLEAN Future Act.

Ice forms along the Lake Michigan shoreline near downtown Chicago in February. An Environmental Protection Agency report detailed climate-related damage in the United States, including the loss of ice on the Great Lakes. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)By Dino Grandoni and Brady Dennis May 12, 2021 at 8:1...

05/12/2021

Access to the internet = Access to opportunity.

More and more families are struggling to afford internet service. If this sounds familiar, check out the new Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program which Congress passed last year. It’s designed to subsidize your broadband bill and make internet affordable for everyone. Enrollment begins TODAY! Find out if your household qualifies here: getemergencybroadband.org

Access to the internet = Access to opportunity.

More and more families are struggling to afford internet service. If this sounds familiar, check out the new Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program which Congress passed last year. It’s designed to subsidize your broadband bill and make internet affordable for everyone. Enrollment begins TODAY! Find out if your household qualifies here: getemergencybroadband.org

05/10/2021

Biden revives LGBT protections against healthcare discrimination

Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. joined key House health leaders to applaud the Biden Administration's restoration of key nondiscrimination protections for LGBT Americans. “This rule was in glaring contradiction to both the plain language and intent of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, as well as the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County.”
Read the full statement here: bit.ly/2Sxwy9s

Gay and transgender people will be protected against s*x discrimination in healthcare, the U.S. health secretary said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's administration reversed a policy put in place under his predecessor Donald Trump.

05/07/2021

Patients have waited long enough!

Outrageous drug prices force Americans to ration medications, go without or exhaust their life savings. Meanwhile, Big Pharma rakes in record profits.

At the Health Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Therese Ball described just how critical passing H.R. 3 is to lower drug costs for the American people.

05/06/2021

Nearly one million people signed up for Obamacare coverage this spring.

The American Rescue Plan is making it easier for consumers to obtain health insurance.

Since Feb 15, when President Joe Biden reopened the special enrollment period, nearly 1 million Americans signed up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov and nearly 2 million have revisited the Marketplace to receive lower monthly premiums.

More than 400,000 Americans have enrolled in the last month alone, reflecting increased financial help and more advertising.

05/05/2021

Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld the social network’s decision to ban Trump

Chairman Pallone reacts to the Facebook oversight board’s decision today: “Donald Trump has played a big role in helping Facebook spread disinformation, but whether he’s on the platform or not, Facebook and other social media platforms with the same business model will find ways to highlight divisive content to drive advertising revenues. Every day, Facebook is amplifying and promoting disinformation and misinformation, and the structure and rules governing its oversight board generally seem to ignore this disturbing reality. It’s clear that real accountability will only come with legislative action.”

The long-awaited decision has implications for how social media companies govern speech by leaders all over the world.

05/04/2021

No American should have to choose between paying for lifesaving Rx drugs or other basic necessities like food and rent. It’s time we give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug costs. Chairman Frank Pallone Jr.'s H.R. 3 does just that. Today, the Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3 and other bills that will make prescription drugs more affordable for the American people. You can watch the hearing here: youtu.be/K30P8tVrZWs

No American should have to choose between paying for lifesaving Rx drugs or other basic necessities like food and rent. It’s time we give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug costs. Chairman Frank Pallone Jr.'s H.R. 3 does just that. Today, the Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3 and other bills that will make prescription drugs more affordable for the American people. You can watch the hearing here: youtu.be/K30P8tVrZWs

05/03/2021

E.P.A. to Announce Sharp Limits on Powerful Greenhouse Gases

"Phasing down HFCs is one of the most consequential climate actions ever taken by Congress," says Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., who championed the bill. “I’m thrilled to see the Biden Environmental Protection Agency moving quickly to stem the use of these extremely potent and dangerous chemicals."

The Biden administration is moving quickly to limit hydrofluorocarbons, the Earth-warming chemicals used in air-conditioning and refrigeration.

05/03/2021

ER visits for mental health, su***de, overdose and violence have increased substantially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This #MentalHealthMonth, it is more important than ever that Americans have access to mental health and substance use disorder services.

ER visits for mental health, su***de, overdose and violence have increased substantially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This #MentalHealthMonth, it is more important than ever that Americans have access to mental health and substance use disorder services.

04/29/2021

FDA Moves To Ban Menthol Ci******es And Flavored Ci**rs

“For decades, the to***co industry has relied on menthol and other flavors to hook young people, communities of color, and new users on their products...I’m pleased that FDA is following the science and intends to take this critical action for the protection of public health," said Chairman Frank Pallone Jr.. Read his full statement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration commitment to ban menthol ci******es and flavored ci**rs: bit.ly/2PDJoCa

Menthol has been the last allowable flavor in ci******es, and the FDA says marginalized communities are far more likely to use these products.

04/29/2021

Senate votes to nix Trump rule limiting methane regulation

GOOD NEWS — Yesterday the Senate voted to restore the popular, common sense methane emissions standards established under the Obama Administration but eliminated by Trump. Chairman Pallone praised the vote and said he looked forward to the House acting on this important legislation soon. Read his full statement here. bit.ly/3u2oICE

The Senate voted Wednesday to undo a Trump administration rule that rescinded methane emissions limits and made it harder to regulate releases of the greenhouse gas from the oil and gas sector.

04/28/2021

‘Long Covid’ isn’t well understood but these are possible symptoms, top CDC doctor says

A full picture of long COVID is still being drawn. Today, the Health Subcommittee heard from Administration health officials, doctors and patients suffering from the effects of long COVID. “We think it is our responsibility to ensure that we learn more about long COVID, to prevent it when possible, and to help patients inflicted receive the proper treatment,” said Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. during the hearing. Learn more about the hearing here: bit.ly/32XDSgG

Long Covid is still not well understood, but symptoms can include chest pain, difficulty breathing and trouble thinking clearly.

04/27/2021

Protecting Consumers at the FTC

The Supreme Court’s decision to gut consumer protection provisions put a neon welcome sign out for fraudsters and made clear Congress alone has the power to come together to fix this. In today's hearing, U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas discusses his bill to restore FTC's 13(B) powers.

04/26/2021

Supreme Court kills FTC’s “strongest tool” for getting refunds to scam victims

The Federal Trade Commission is the nation’s premiere consumer protection agency, but last week the Supreme Court struck down the Commission’s ability to return money to people who have been scammed. Tomorrow, the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee will hold a hearing on legislation to restore the FTC’s longstanding authorities to provide redress to consumers who’ve been scammed. Watch it here: bit.ly/3aI4aYv

Unanimous ruling limits FTC power to obtain refunds; it's up to Congress to fix it.

04/23/2021

ICYMI: House Health leaders reintroduced H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This historic legislation would put an end to Americans paying three or four times more for medicine than people in other countries.

Read more here: bit.ly/2RXyacu

ICYMI: House Health leaders reintroduced H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This historic legislation would put an end to Americans paying three or four times more for medicine than people in other countries.

Read more here: bit.ly/2RXyacu

04/22/2021

Biden pledges to slash greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030

Today, Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. applauded the President’s commitment to slashing U.S. climate pollution in at least half by 2030: “President Biden has reclaimed our position as global leader and taken huge strides toward reversing the damage the past four years of science denial has done to our credibility and economy.” Read his full statement here: bit.ly/3axh3oe

President Biden's pledge to reduce emissions by at least 50% by 2030 more than doubles the country's prior commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

04/22/2021

It’s time to #ActOnClimate. We can create millions of good paying jobs right here at home that serve the dual purpose of getting people back to work and slashing our greenhouse gas pollution.

As we celebrate Earth Day, we must recommit to addressing the climate crisis.

It’s time to #ActOnClimate. We can create millions of good paying jobs right here at home that serve the dual purpose of getting people back to work and slashing our greenhouse gas pollution.

As we celebrate Earth Day, we must recommit to addressing the climate crisis.

04/21/2021

'We did it': Biden celebrates U.S. hitting 200-million-dose milestone in his first 100 days

This is great news today! The Biden Administration surpassed 200 million COVID-19 vaccine shots. This is a major milestone coming within President Biden’s first 100 days and it was made possible by the American Rescue Plan.

The president is pushing employers to give paid time off to allow employees to get vaccinated.

04/19/2021

ONDCP works to destigmatize opioid use disorder

To effectively combat the opioid epidemic raging in America, we need to work to destigmatize substance use disorder.In last week's hearing, Congresswoman Angie Craig discussed what ONDCP is doing on this front.

Spoiler alert: It's really great.

04/16/2021

Giving frontline communities a seat at the table.

At yesterday's Environment & Climate Change Subcommittee hearing, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke emphasized the importance of giving frontline and environmental justice communities a much-needed seat at the table to help combat the climate crisis and ensure a better, cleaner future for everyone—regardless of zip code.

04/14/2021

Overdose Deaths Have Surged During the Pandemic, C.D.C. Data Shows

The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the opioid crisis as overdose deaths tragically continue to increase across the nation. Today’s Health Subcommittee hearing examines important legislation to help combat and respond to this epidemic.

The latest numbers surpass even the yearly tolls during the height of the opioid epidemic and mark a reversal of progress against addiction in recent years.

04/13/2021

WSJ News Exclusive | Hospitals Hide Pricing Data From Search Results

Bipartisan Committee leaders wrote to HHS Secretary Becerra today urging strong enforcement of the hospital price transparency rule. The Hospital Price Transparency Final Rule requires hospitals to make public a machine-readable file containing a list of all the standard charges for all items and services, and to display charges for the hospital’s 300 most shoppable services in a consumer-friendly format. Read more here: bit.ly/2RyyVIM

Hospitals that have published their previously confidential prices to comply with a new federal rule have also blocked that information from web searches, according to a Wall Street Journal examination.

04/12/2021

People are flocking to the reopened Obamacare marketplace — and finding deals

The American Rescue Plan makes health care more affordable for Americans by expanding ACA subsidies for consumers through healthcare.gov

Under the new law, you may be eligible for more assistance than before and millions are now eligible for assistance for the first time.

Millions are newly eligible for policies at less than $50 a month, federal data shows.

04/09/2021

Biden seeks huge funding increases for education, health care and environmental protection in first budget request to Congress

President Biden’s recent budget request shows he’s ready to Build Back Better by making key investments so we can revitalize the economy, create new good-paying jobs, act on the climate crisis and get quality health coverage for Americans. “Today’s initial budget makes clear what President Biden values most: the American people, our children, our health, our environment, and our future,” says Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. Read on: bit.ly/3dRtZWO

President Biden on Friday asked Congress to authorize a massive $1.5 trillion federal spending plan in 2022, seeking to fulfill his campaign promises to invest heavily in education, improve public housing, combat the coronavirus pandemic and confront climate change.

04/06/2021

Biden moves deadline for all US adults to be eligible for Covid vaccine to April 19

🚨Good News Alert: President Joe Biden just announced ALL American adults will now be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines beginning April 19th.

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he is moving up his deadline for states to make all American adults eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by almost two weeks, but said Americans must remain on a "war footing" to beat the virus.

04/02/2021

Opinion | I Used to Think the Remedy for Bad Speech Was More Speech. Not Anymore.

“Social media companies aren’t passive bystanders to this problem,” says Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. in response to today’s New York Times piece on the rise of disinformation and extremism online. Social media platforms are instead active and deliberate participants, because they profit when conspiracy theories and division helps them sell more ads. “It’s true we must disincentivize that, and I’m committed to seeing it done.”

How kids, lawsuits and legislation can save democracy.

04/02/2021

Biden’s infrastructure plan aims to turbocharge U.S. shift from fossil fuels

President Biden’s American Jobs Plan takes a major step in combating climate change and creating millions of new jobs. From modernizing our electric grid to accommodate more renewables to implementing a Clean Electricity Standard, the plan aligns with E&C’s LIFT America and CLEAN future Acts. It’s time to act!

The president plans to use the muscle and vast resources of the federal government to intervene in electricity markets, speed the growth of solar and wind energy, and foster technological breakthroughs in clean power.