Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of June 12, 2023
Washington,
June 16, 2023
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Agriculture On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development held a hearing called “Stakeholder Perspectives on USDA’s Rural Development Programs.” Programs offered by the USDA's Rural Development office are crucial in helping rural areas develop and attract new economic opportunities. In the 2018 Farm Bill, the Agriculture Committee significantly improved these programs by establishing new and expanded authorities to help provide access to safe drinking water and dependable electricity, repair crucial community infrastructure, support rural employers and employees, and foster regional economic growth. These pieces are critical components for what Chairman Thompson calls building a "robust, rural economy." On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology held a hearing called “A Review of Title VII: University Perspectives on Research and Extension Programs.” Many of the programs that provide capacity and competitive funding for these institutions are authorized in the Research Title of the Farm Bill; however, this hearing marked the first time the Agriculture Committee has reviewed university research and extension programs since the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This hearing gave Members the chance to review the Research Title and examine the opportunities for efficiencies among the many programs up for reauthorization.    Appropriations On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a markup called "Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Bill." House Republicans’ commitment to our nation’s veterans will never waver, and the FY24 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, which was approved by the Committee, delivers on that promise by fully funding veterans’ health care, benefits, and other critical VA programs. On Wednesday, June 14, the Committee on Appropriations held a full committee markup called "Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill and Interim Suballocation of Budget Allocations." The FY24 Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA bill, which was approved by the Committee, prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our nation’s food and drug supply; support farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; and ensure low-income Americans have access to nutrition programs - all while reining in wasteful spending.  On Thursday, June 15, the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies held a markup called "Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill.” The FY24 Energy and Water Development bill, which was approved by the Subcommittee, supports our national security, prioritizes energy security and economic competitiveness, and reins in wasteful Washington spending by rescinding billions from the IRA. On Thursday, June 15, the Subcommittee on Defense held a closed markup called “Fiscal Year 2024 Defense Bill.” The FY24 Defense bill, which was approved by the Subcommittee, supports servicemembers and their families, counters China, optimizes the DOD’s civilian workforce, promotes innovation and modernization, and enhances DOD’s role in countering the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids. Armed Services This week, the House Armed Services began the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) process with subcommittee markups. Providing for our national defense is the most important task given to Congress by the U.S. Constitution – the NDAA is a critical part of fulfilling that duty. The FY24 NDAA includes provisions to counter China’s aggression, increase oversight, provide for servicemembers and their families, and boost innovation.
Education and Workforce On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a full committee hearing called "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services." Republicans grilled Secretary Becerra for HHS’ failure to keep track of countless unaccompanied migrant children, rising health care costs, radical gender ideology, failure to protect the free exercise of religion, and more.    On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing called “Postsecondary Innovation: Preparing today's Students for Tomorrow's Opportunities." Our current postsecondary system is unaffordable, inflexible, and outdated. The past culture on college campuses—emblematic of inflexible policies—caters to an exclusive class of learner that is not representative of the entire student body. The conventional “four-year” college experience is not the norm, and that mindset in many ways detracts from the goal of preparing students for lifelong careers. This hearing gave members an opportunity to examine innovative practices that are preparing today’s learners for tomorrow’s workforce. Energy and Commerce On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, & Grid Security held a hearing called "Oversight of FERC: Adhering to a Mission of Affordable and Reliable Energy for America." Energy and Commerce Republicans held this hearing to urge FERC to return to its core mission of ensuring Americans have access to abundant, affordable, reliable energy. Recent steps taken by the commission suggest it is making decisions to advance a rush-to-green agenda that threaten our grid reliability and go beyond its statutory authority. In her opening remarks, Chair Rodgers said, “America's electrical grid keeps our hospitals, military bases, homes, and businesses powered. It’s security and reliability are critical to keeping people safe and our economy moving.  On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing called “Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for All Hazards and Public Health Security Threats.” This Health Subcommittee legislative hearing focused on solutions for preparedness and response to public health security threats and hazards. Legislation and proposals under consideration included:
On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a hearing called “Oversight of NRC: Ensuring Efficient and Predictable Nuclear Safety Regulation for a Prosperous America.” Nuclear energy is a key ingredient to our energy mix. This hearing focused on the commissioners' perspective on what makes sense for a modern safety regulator to assure efficient, predictable regulation that provides for a robust and growing industry, consistent with the goals of the Atomic Energy Act. In April, bipartisan E&C leaders requested information from nuclear energy stakeholders on NRC’s regulatory efforts for the nuclear industry in the U.S. In her opening remarks.
 On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing called “Examining Proposals that Provide Access to Care for Patients and Support Research for Rare Diseases.” This Health Subcommittee legislative hearing focused on programs that provide access to care for mothers, children, cancer patients, and firefighters as well as research into rare diseases. Legislation and proposals under consideration:
On Friday, June 16, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a field hearing called “Enhancing America’s Grid Security and Resilience.” On Friday, members of the Energy Subcommittee held a field hearing in Moore County, North Carolina. After touring the power substation that was attacked, members asked experts witnesses about grid vulnerabilities that can lead to outages and other service interruptions and what needs to be done to enhance America’s grid security and reliability.
 Financial Services On Monday, June 12, Chairman Patrick McHenry introduced two pieces of legislation, the Accountability Through Confirmation Act and the Protecting Small Business Information Act, to reform the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
On Tuesday, June 13, the Financial Services Committee held a full committee hearing called "The Annual Testimony of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the International Financial System" with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Republicans discussed the state of the international financial system and the operations of the international financial institutions.  On Tuesday, June 13, Chairman McHenry sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. In the letter, Chairman McHenry demands FSOC, chaired by Secretary Yellen, revisit its April decision to evaluate risks posed by non-bank financial entities based on size, rather than the activities they undertake. Chairman McHenry further expressed concern that allowing FSOC to extend its supervisory reach beyond prudential institutions to nonbank entities in this way could pose significant regulatory consequences for our financial system.  On Tuesday, June 13, the the Financial Services Committee held a full committee hearing called "The Future of Digital Assets: Providing Clarity for the Digital Asset Ecosystem." The Committee considered discussion drafts to provide statutory frameworks for digital asset regulation and stablecoin issuance. Both discussion drafts will provide robust consumer protections while allowing financial innovation to flourish in the U.S.  On Wednesday, June 14, the Financial Services Committee held a full committee hearing titled “The Semi-Annual Report of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection” with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra. Republicans discussed the Director’s role in responding to recent bank failures, the Bureau’s persistent lack of transparency surrounding rulemakings, and its hyper-partisan regulatory agenda. Foreign Affairs On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability held a hearing called "Examining the Fiscal Year 24 State Department Diversity Equity Inclusion and Accessibility Budget." Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer at the US Department of State, testified before the Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee to provide explanations for the department’s promotion of a radical “woke” agenda like tying promotions to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) principles, examining the miniature army of DEIA jobs that now proliferate the individual bureaus, and examining the overall redundancy of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In an era of great power competition, the department should be focusing more on threats such as China and Russia and less on DEIA fiats. On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia held a hearing called "Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request for Near Eastern Affairs." USAID officials testified before the subcommittee to discuss the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request. Members questioned the witnesses about the Biden administration’s Middle East policy, including questions about the administration’s plan for addressing the growing trend of normalization with the war criminal Assad in Syria, expanding the Abraham Accords, and countering Iran. On Wednesday, June 14, the Foreign Affairs Committee held a full committee hearing called "Assessing U.S. Efforts to Counter China’s Coercive Belt and Road Diplomacy." State and DFC officials testified before the full committee allowing members to examine the Biden administration’s strategy and failures in countering China’s Coercive Belt and Road Initiative – saddling developing countries with unsustainable debt, which China then leverages into increasing its influence. There is no denying the threat from the Chinese Communist Party is real – the tentacles of the CCP reach every corner of the globe as they continue to pull nations into their sphere of influence, and we must prioritize developing our own supply chains where we are not reliant on our greatest adversary, the Chinese Communist Party.    Homeland Security On Wednesday, June 14, the Committee on Homeland Security held a full committee hearing entitled, “Open Borders, Closed Case: Secretary Mayorkas’ Dereliction of Duty on the Border Crisis.” This hearing kicked off the Committee’s oversight investigation into Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ dereliction of duty as it relates to his ability to uphold the oath of office he swore.   House Administration On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on House Administration held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Office of Congressional Ethics.” This was the first-ever congressional hearing with the Office of Congressional Ethics, which addressed concerns including alleged unethical behavior from the head OCE staffer and concerns the OCE is not fulfilling its intended purpose.   On Wednesday, June 14, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee hearing titled “American Confidence in Elections: The Role of the Election Assistance Commission in Free, Fair, and Secure Elections.” This hearing was the first since 2011 to provide oversight of the EAC. This hearing examined concerns regarding EAC’s unchecked growth, inconsistent policies, and lack of oversight.  House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Cuba agreed to host a spy base for the Chinese Communist Party. The Biden Administration pushed back and said this was inaccurate. Several days later, a Biden official backtracked and confirmed that China was indeed operating a spy base out of Cuba. Chairman Mike Turner called out the White House for being asleep at the wheel.  On Wednesday, June 14, at the request of Chairman Turner, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, and other Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee in April 2022, the Government Accountability Office released a report confirming that U.S. taxpayer dollars went to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This finding is deeply troubling and contributes to the idea of a ‘lab leak’ suggesting COVID-19 originated from the Wuhan laboratory, and not natural means.  Judiciary On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held a hearing called "Where's the Beef? Regulatory Barriers to Entry and Competition in Meat Processing" to explore how different aspects of government regulation create barriers to entry and expansion in the meat industry. The hearing also focused on laws that keep small- and medium-sized businesses from effectively competing. On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called "The Rise in Organized Retail Crime and the Threat to Public Safety" to examine the rise in organized retail crime that is causing businesses to close and endangering the public. On Wednesday, June 14, the Judiciary Committee held a markup session to consider the following legislation:
   Natural Resources On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following bills:
On Wednesday, June 14, the Indo-Pacific Task Force held an oversight hearing titled "How the Compacts of Free Association Support U.S. Interests and Counter the PRC’s Influence.” The U.S. has vital security and economic interests throughout the Indo-Pacific region, particularly amid rising competition with the PRC. The importance of the Freely Associated States (FAS) for the U.S. cannot be overstated, given the proximity to the U.S. homeland areas and the broader geopolitical context. This hearing was the first step in producing comprehensive policy solutions to counter the threat of the PRC's influence in the region while preserving the U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific Task Force will continue to hold hearings to find these solutions. On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on the following 3 bills:
On Thursday, June 15, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee legislative hearing on:
   Oversight and Accountability On Tuesday, June 13, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing called “Oversight of CDC Policies and Decisions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” On Wednesday, June 14, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a full committee hearing called "Death by a Thousand Regulations: The Biden Administration’s Campaign to Bury America in Red Tape." At the hearing, members and witnesses highlighted how the Biden Administration’s sweeping executive orders and unchecked regulations have jeopardized economic opportunities, raised costs on Americans, and hurt small businesses still attempting to recover from the pandemic. Members stressed that President Biden’s radical, costly, and burdensome regulatory agenda is a dramatic expansion of Executive Branch power and will cost American taxpayers at least $1.5 trillion dollars over the next decade. Members noted that the Biden Administration has also targeted the Trump Administration’s many meaningful, necessary, and cost-saving deregulatory actions. They concluded that America’s small businesses, workers and communities should be provided tools to achieve economic success and the committee will pursue legislative solutions to ensure commonsense regulatory reform.  Rules The House Rules Committee met this week to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens. With the Biden Administration intent on eroding the Second Amendment, representatives advocated for H.J. Res. 44 to nullify an unconstitutional ATF rule that would deny millions of responsible gun owners, including disabled veterans, their constitutional rights. Chairman Cole and Rules members discussed how stabilizing pistol braces were designed to help disabled veterans shoot firearms that they would otherwise be unable to hold, stabilize, or aim. They made clear that House Republicans support freedom and personal responsibility and acted to ensure that our protections afforded by the Bill of Rights are defended.    Science, Space, and Technology On Tuesday, June 13, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing called "From Theory to Reality: The Limitless Potential of Fusion Energy." At the hearing, Committee Members heard from witnesses on the current status of fusion energy R&D in the United States, with a focus on private sector innovation, DOE programs and facilities, and international research partnerships. Witnesses expressed their confidence in fusion energy and noted the progress of both the private and public sectors in working to commercialize this technology. On Wednesday, June 14, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
H.R. 2980 and H.R. 2988 strengthen and secure DOE’s critical interagency research partnerships with NSF and NASA. H.R. 3559 is a comprehensive bill to modernize and improve American aviation, providing for FAA research and development activities to ensure safer air travel, improve the flying experience, and secure U.S. competitiveness. Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party On Wednesday, June 14, Chairman Mike Gallager and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi of the Select Committee on the CCP met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan. “I hope that our meeting … sends a message to Xi Jinping: Singapore and the U.S. stand together in defense of their sovereignty.” — Chairman Mike Gallagher. On Thursday, June 15, Rep. Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, delivered a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking insight into the DOJ's efforts to combat Chinese intellectual property theft. The chairmen seek a detailed briefing no later than June 30th to discuss DOJ’s initiatives to protect American small businesses from illegal CCP IP theft.    Small Business On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Assisting Entrepreneurs: Examining Private and Public Resources Helping Small Businesses." At Tuesday’s full committee hearing, the House Committee on Small Business examined the public and private resources available to our nation’s small businesses. This hearing allowed for the opportunity to examine the landscape of resources that are available to help small businesses in order to make it easier for Congress to utilize what programs are effective, and which ones are duplicative of other resources available to our nation’s job creators.  Transportation and Infrastructure On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
   Veterans' Affairs On Tuesday, June 13, the Health Subcommittee held an oversight hearing titled “Care Coordination: Assessing Veteran Needs and Improving Outcomes.”  This hearing examined the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) management of its various care coordination programs and how VA assesses veterans’ needs and supports care transitions both within VA and with community providers or emergency services. Three Veterans Service Organizations (VSO’s) including Quality of Life Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, and Paralyzed Veterans of America testified on their respective care coordination programs and how they have been successful in coordinating care for their members. Each VSO, as well as VA’s Inspector General, identified deficiencies in complex care coordination and provided potential ways VA could improve both services and outcomes for veterans. On Wednesday, June 14, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a legislative hearing on the following legislation:
 The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a hearing on legislation that would connect transitioning servicemembers with veteran service organizations as they move through the Transition Assistance Program. The Subcommittee also heard testimony on legislation that would improve the housing and support services offered to veterans and bills that would provide employment protections for servicemembers and their families when they are called on to deploy. Additionally, witnesses testified on bills that would improve the education benefits that are available to veterans. Ways and Means On Tuesday, June 13, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
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