Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – March 4, 2024
Washington,
March 8, 2024
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Agriculture On Wednesday, March 6, the Committee on Agriculture held a full committee hearing called "For the Purpose of Receiving Testimony from The Honorable Rostin Behnam, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission." During this hearing Republican Members were given the opportunity to ask Chair Behnam about the Basel III Endgame (not a video game) proposal, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) which is the historic joint effort with the Financial Services Committee, an open and transparent rulemaking process during an election year, reauthorization of the Commission, and the progress on return-to-work for CFTC. The overwhelming majority of CFTC staff have worked from home since the March 2020 pandemic shut down. Democrats used this hearing to discuss DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and climate change. No matter the hearing topic, Democrats will always find a way to discuss climate change.   Armed Services On Tuesday, February 27, Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL), Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) wrote an op-ed in Roll Call, detailing how Congress will improve military housing in the FY25 NDAA, “We must never forget that the foundation of America’s military strength are the men and women who volunteer to serve. The quality of life of the all-volunteer force and our military families is fundamental to our national security. Safe housing is the very least we can provide for those willing to sacrifice everything to keep our nation free.” On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces held a hearing on the U.S. Army’s modernization plans, requirements, and investments in aviation programs as part of the Army’s recently announced Aviation Investment Rebalance. In his opening statement, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) said “This hearing is not just an examination of the Army’s aviation modernization strategy but a dialogue on ensuring that this strategy is responsive to the realities of modern warfare, financially sustainable, and aligned with the broader goals of national security and defense.” On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a hearing on the Department of Defense’s monitoring of COVID-19. In his opening statement, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), said “As stewards of our nation’s defense, it is incumbent upon us to ensure the well-being of those who wear the uniform. We owe it to our service members to provide them with the best possible care and support, especially in times of crisis.” Budget On Thursday, March 7, the Budget Committee held a full committee markup on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Resolution. The House Budget Committee’s FY 2025 Concurrent Resolution on the Budget is a much-needed roadmap on the path toward fiscal responsibility, economic freedom, and unleashing prosperity in America again. The Committee advanced a 10-year balanced budget out of Committee that:
   Education and the Workforce On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing called "Proven Results: Highlighting the Benefits of Charter Schools for Students and Families." This hearing covered the role charter schools play in the thriving school choice ecosystem. Dr. Raymond, regarded as one of the foremost charter school experts in the world, told members that urban charter students gained 30 extra days in reading and 28 days in math in a year over their district school counterparts. Black students gained 35 and 29 days, respectively. For students in poverty, it was 23 and 17. Committee Republicans showed their unwavering support for charter schools and the opportunity they provide to students trapped in failing systems; Democrats, not so much.  On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing called "Divisive, Excessive, Ineffective: The Real Impact of DEI on College Campuses." This hearing exposed how students have been negatively impacted by DEI’s reprioritization of the woke agenda over rigorous education for a competitive workforce. This includes highlighting reports that discuss the negative impacts of DEI including increased college costs, administrative bloat, academic and speech censorship, and pervasive antisemitism on campuses. Republicans argued that institutions can best serve students when they return to education over indoctrination and divisiveness.   Energy and Commerce On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a markup of six bills to modernize pipeline infrastructure and protect consumer choice:
On Thursday, March 7, the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a full committee markup of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, and H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. Members unanimously passed both of these bills to protect American data and national security from foreign adversaries.
  Financial Services Last week, the House Financial Services Committee, led by Chairman Patrick McHenry (NC-10), held a markup of fintech, housing, and national security legislation. Members considered proposals that bring greater accountability to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), ensure the Secret Service has the tools to detect and deter illicit finance, and reverse the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) SAB 121 crypto accounting guidance under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The bills reported out of committee include:
 On Tuesday, March 5, Chairman McHenry appeared before the House Committee on Rules to speak in support of H.R. 2799, the Expanding Access to Capital Act which will facilitate capital formation by strengthening our public markets, helping small businesses and entrepreneurs, and creating new opportunities for all investors. H.R. 2799 passed the House on March 8.  On Wednesday, March 6, Chairman McHenry and Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy Subcommittee Chairman Andy Barr (KY-06) led all Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee in a letter to Fed Chair Powell, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Martin Gruenberg. Republicans demanded that the regulators withdraw their fatally flawed Basel III Endgame proposal due to insufficient economic analysis, transparency, attention to stakeholder input, and bipartisan agreement. The lawmakers also urged Biden’s banking regulators to ensure rigorous quantitative analysis and greater transparency accompany any future efforts to implement any elements of the proposed framework.  On Wednesday, March 6, Chairman McHenry released a statement slamming the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) final rule to require climate-related risk disclosures. On Wednesday, March 6, Chairman McHenry led debate on the House floor in support of H.R. 2799, the Expanding Access to Capital Act. H.R. 2799 builds on the successful, bipartisan JOBS Act of 2012 to facilitate capital formation by strengthening our public markets, helping small businesses and entrepreneurs, and creating new opportunities for all investors. On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy, led by Chairman Barr, held a hearing called "Politicized Financial Regulation and its Impact on Consumer Credit and Community Development." Lawmakers pressed witnesses on recent actions taken by federal regulators that will limit financial options and restrict access to financial services, particularly through mandated fee caps and price controls. Foreign Affairs On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a hearing called "The Agents of Antisemitism in Latin America." During the session, Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism from the U.S. Department of State, discussed issues related to antisemitism in Latin America—a critical issue following the October 7 massacre by Hamas terrorists, which triggered a rise in antisemitism from Latin American leaders.    Homeland Security On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence held a markup of the following legislation:
House Administration On Friday, March 1, Speaker Johnson and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Barry Loudermilk announced the release of 5,000 more hours of Capitol security footage from January 6, 2021. It is now available for public view on the Subcommittee’s Rumble. At the direction of Speaker Johnson, the Subcommittee will no longer plan to blur the faces of individuals in the footage. This decision will significantly expedite CCTV footage releases, all of which will be made available to the American public within the next few months.  Judiciary On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called "A Voice for the Voiceless - CSAM Identification" to examine joint efforts among federal, state, international entities, and non-government partners that are essential for the identification and rescue of CSAM (Child Sex Abuse Materials) victims. On Wednesday, March 6, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup session to consider the following legislation:
On Thursday, March 7, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing called “Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government,” to examine how Big Government has colluded with Big Banks to surveil Americans' private financial data. On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement held a hearing called "Presidential Power to Secure the Border," to examine how the Biden Administration has systematically dismantled effective border security measures and has stymied aggressive enforcement of the immigration laws in the interior of the United States. The hearing also examined how President Biden can mitigate the border crisis by using mechanisms that currently exist within immigration law.    Natural Resources On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on the following bill:
On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing titled “Advancing Tribal Self-Determination: Examining Bureau of Indian Affairs’ 638 Contracting.” Since the 1970s, the U.S. has implemented a policy of self-determination for Indian tribes and enacted legislation to support self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts with the federal government to run certain federal programs that serve tribal members. Collectively, these authorities are commonly referred to as the 638 program. Tribes participating in the 638 program have found that they are able to tailor federal programs to better serve tribal members, make more efficient use of funds, build tribal management capacity, and encourage tribal workforce development. Members discussed these issues and questioned a panel of knowledgeable witnesses about how the 638 program is performing and opportunities to grow the program, and what statutory changes are necessary to improve self-determination and promote increased access to the program. On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing titled “Monetizing Nature and Locking up Public Land: The Implications of Biden’s Strategy for Natural Capital Accounting.” Natural capital accounting is a method of accounting for and assessing the stock of renewable and non-renewable resources (e.g., plants, animals, air, water, soils and minerals) that provide benefits to people. the Biden administration released a national strategy for natural capital accounting and ecosystem services valuation, the "National Strategy to Develop Statistics for Environmental-Economic Decisions: A U.S. System of Natural Capital Accounting and Environmental Economic Statistics" (National Strategy for Natural Capital Accounting). This strategy is modeled on a system developed by the United Nations.This hearing was an opportunity for committee members to learn more about the implications of these practices and hear from witnesses about the risks that natural capital accounting and ecosystem services valuation pose to America's resources and public lands.    Oversight and Accountability On Wednesday, March 6, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing titled “Examining the White House’s Role in Pandemic Preparedness and Response.” During the hearing, members discussed the White House’s Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy’s role in responding to and preventing future pandemics. Major General Paul Friedrichs, the Director of OPPR testified. On Tuesday, March 5, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic announced a subpoena for former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to appear for deposition on May 24. On Thursday, March 7, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
Rules This week, the Rules Committee advanced measures to increase public safety and uphold the memory of Laken Riley (H.R. 7511) and support economic opportunity and growth for small businesses and everyday Americans (H.R. 2799). A spotlight was put on the alarming reality that Biden Administration policies have allowed dangerous criminals to illegally cross into the United States and freely roam our streets. Rules members reiterated how H.R. 7511 requires the detention of illegal aliens who commit theft and mandates ICE take them into custody—a needed step to prevent senseless tragedies and stolen futures like Laken’s. Representatives also highlighted the need to stop Biden bureaucrats from hampering economic growth. By moving the Expanding Access to Capital Act forward, they acted to give entrepreneurs the tools to grow, create new avenues for economic development, and expand opportunities for individuals to invest and save for the future.    Science, Space, and Technology On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on the Environment held a hearing called "Winning in Weather: U.S. Competitiveness in Forecasting and Modeling.” The hearing examined the impacts of the Weather Act of 2017 and the Weather Act Reauthorization of 2023 in bolstering U.S. competitiveness in the global weather community. Witnesses also discussed the coordination and collaboration of government agencies, the private sector, and academia to implement programs that advance new technologies related to data assimilation and modeling.  Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party On Tuesday, March 5, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, introduced the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The bill prevents app store availability or web hosting services in the U.S. for ByteDance-controlled applications, including TikTok, unless the application severs ties to entities like ByteDance that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary, as defined by Congress in Title 10. On Thursday, March 7, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party held a hearing called "Growing Stakes: The Bioeconomy and American National Security.” Witnesses included Dr. Jason Kelly, CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks, Dr. Tara O'Toole, Senior Fellow at In-Q-Tel, and Dr. Charles Clancy, Chief Technology Officer at MITRE. Small Business On Wednesday, March 6, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Reducing Mismanagement: GAO Recommendations for Improving the SBA." During this hearing, members heard directly from the Government Accountability Office on issues at the Small Business Administration including failures to comply with statutes and inconsistencies in efforts to reduce fraud.    Transportation and Infrastructure On Wednesday, March 6, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing called "Implementation of the Recommendations of the Accountability and Transparency Review and Efforts to Ease Coast Guard Manpower Shortages." The hearing examined the implementation of recommendations of the U.S. Coast Guard's Accountability and Transparency Review conducted after "Operation Fouled Anchor," the Service's investigation into sexual assault and sexual harassment at the United States Coast Guard Academy, and efforts to reduce Coast Guard manpower shortages.  Prior to the hearing, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster and Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal introduced the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act, a bipartisan bill to strengthen protections for members of the United States Coast Guard from sexual assault and harassment and to ensure accountability and transparency in the Coast Guard following the Committee’s investigation of the Service’s Operation Fouled Anchor (OFA).  On Thursday, March 7, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a full committee hearing called "Department of Transportation Discretionary Grants: Stakeholder Perspectives" to discuss issues and opportunities related to applying for and securing competitive and discretionary funding administered and awarded by the United States Department of Transportation. Witnesses highlighted issues with DOT delays in issuing discretionary grant awards, project cost increases caused by those delays, a lack of consistency and transparency in the grant application and award processes, the Biden Administration’s addition of grant criteria that focus more on climate, equity, and environmental justice, and more.  Veterans Affairs On Wednesday, March 6, the House and Senate Veteran Affairs Committees held a joint hearing entitled, "Legislative Presentation of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States & Multi VSOs: PVA, WWP, NASDVA, MRC, BSF, IAVA, BVA, SWAN, SVA, AMVETS." The hearing addressed several legislative priorities of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). These priorities included cracking down on claim sharks, modernizing the VA, digitizing claims processing, increasing compensation benefits for survivors, enhancing oversight for servicemembers to complete TAP on time, providing additional education resources for VR&E and VSOC counselors, and reducing bureaucratic red tape. H.R. 705 Chairman Bost’s bill to protect second amendment rights for veterans included in the MILCON VA was also highlighted. On Thursday, March 7, the House and Senate Veteran Affairs Committees held a joint hearing entitled, "Legislative Presentation of Disabled American Veterans." Chairman Bost was pleased to hear that DAV continues to support his efforts to protect all veterans’ Second Amendment right to bear arms, and the DAV delegation applauded his commitment to reaching a permanent solution. GOP Members asked DAV about how Congress can best support DAV’s and VA’s programs for preventing veteran suicide and for ensuring that all veterans, including women and rural veterans, have equal access to high quality medical services, including mental health care. Members agreed with DAV’s view that Congress must continue its thorough oversight of VA’s implementation of the PACT Act. And all members expressed support for DAV’s efforts to advocate for veterans and their families.  Ways and Means On Wednesday, March 6, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
The Committee passed legislation blocking the implementation and enforcement of a Biden Administration proposed nursing home staffing mandate that could result in nursing home closures and waiting lists for care, denying nearly 300,000 nursing home residents the care they need, especially in rural and underserved communities. The remaining two bills help Medicare Part D beneficiaries pay less for their drugs and gives these patients more control over how and where they receive life-saving medication.   On Thursday, March 7, the Subcommittee on Tax held a hearing titled “OECD Pillar 1: Ensuring the Biden Administration Puts Americans First.” Committee Republicans highlighted how the Biden Administration is failing to stand up for American interests. Witnesses testified that the deal, organized by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), would see America lose both jobs and tax revenues to foreign nations, including China. The deal punishes American workers and companies for America’s world-leading innovation and productivity. American companies earn 64 percent of the profits that will be reallocated to be taxed by other foreign nations under the current OECD Pillar 1 proposal. Estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation released just this week show that in 2021, the United States could have lost up to $4.4 billion in tax revenue to foreign nations, hurting taxpayers and weakening the economy. Committee Republicans reiterated that only Congress has the authority to ratify the agreement, not President Biden’s negotiators working behind closed doors in Europe.  |