Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of September 9, 2024
Washington,
September 13, 2024
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Agriculture On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture of the Committee on Agriculture and the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations held a joint hearing called "Severe Food Distribution Shortages in Tribal and Elderly Communities." In February of this year, tribal leaders warned officials at USDA that consolidating operations to a single contractor to distribute food to tribal and elderly communities could lead to food shortages. Despite these warnings, USDA moved forward with their plan. Like clockwork, food shortages struck these vulnerable communities. This hearing allowed Members to hear directly from impacted tribes, who repeatedly made clear USDA’s “tribal consultation process” was one-sided and the outcomes of those conversations were predetermined. Members then pressed USDA Secretary Vilsack for additional details on how this transpired. Ironically a nearly identical food shortage crisis unfolded in 2014 when Secretary Vilsack was President Obama’s USDA Secretary. While Republicans pressed the Biden-Harris Administration for answers to this entirely avoidable crisis, Democrats sought to use their time defending USDA’s response (a response that was repeatedly rebuffed by tribal witnesses). In fact, Democrats could not even spare a single tweet on the hearing.   Appropriations On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations and the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture of the Committee on Agriculture held a joint hearing called "Severe Food Distribution Shortages in Tribal and Elderly Communities." Due to gross negligence by the Biden-Harris USDA, Appropriators and Members of the House Agriculture Committee stepped in to question the impacts of the Department’s failures and how the dire food shortage reached this point. The first panel of witnesses included Native American Tribe stakeholders, who discussed empty food shelves, inconsistent communication with the USDA, and widespread effects of months of food insecurity. The second panel featured USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, where Members sought to understand the lapse in leadership. Vilsack accepted responsibility and provided lawmakers with plans for how the Department intends to move forward and prevent such issues in the future.   Armed Services On September 6, HASC Republicans highlighted how record high inflation under the Biden-Harris administration is making it harder for military families to make ends meet. The quality of life provisions in the FY25 NDAA expand allowances for food and housing to better support military families. On Tuesday, September 10, Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) joined House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH), House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe Chairman Tom Kean (R-NJ), House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA), and Commissioner of the Helsinki Commission Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) in calling on the Biden-Harris administration to lift the remaining restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided weapons, specifically ATACMS, against legitimate military targets in Russia. Budget On Wednesday, September 11, the Budget Committee held a full committee hearing called “Congress and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Examining Ways to Improve CBO.”   Education and the Workforce On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing called “ERISA's 50th Anniversary: The Value of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits.” The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a pillar of the American health care system, and its employer-sponsored coverage framework supports over half the nation. The vast majority of Americans on employer-sponsored health plans under ERISA express satisfaction with their coverage, yet they identify skyrocketing health care prices as a top concern. Therefore, the Committee took ERISA’s 50th anniversary as an opportunity to discuss ways in which it can be further improved to lower health care costs.  On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
  Energy and Commerce On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Evaluating FDA Human Foods and Tobacco Programs." From the infant formula shortage, to lead poisoning in applesauce, to an onslaught of illegal Chinese vapes, Americans—and particularly children and teenagers—are at risk of consuming dangerous products, especially without safer alternatives and clear rules in place. Members spoke with the head of the Human Foods Program as well as the head of the Tobacco Center to learn how the FDA is helping adult smokers quit, keeping illegal products away from kids, and ensuring a safe food supply. On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing called "From Introduction to Implementation: A BEAD Program Progress Report." Members discussed how the BEAD program was created to ensure that all Americans—specifically those in unserved areas—have access to broadband. It is essential that each state be given the ability to develop broadband plans that meet its specific needs, encourages participation by providers, and connects all Americans with reliable broadband services as Congress intended.  On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a hearing called "From Gas to Groceries: Americans Pay the Price of the Biden-Harris Energy Agenda." Members discussed how the Biden-Harris administration’s radical, rush-to-green agenda has undermined our energy security, leading to years of out-of-control inflation and higher prices on everything from food to housing to vehicles and more.  On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing called "A Year Removed: Oversight of Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act Implementation." Last year, Congress passed a bipartisan bill led by Reps. Bucshon and Kelly to improve the system and give hope to patients in need. Members discussed how the law is being implemented and what challenges remain. Financial Services On Monday, September 9, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan financial services legislation to combat the economic threat from China by deterring Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aggression towards Taiwan and preventing the CCP from co-opting international financial institutions, like the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This builds upon Committee Republicans’ efforts to confront the generational threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The bills passed Monday include:
 On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led by Chairman Bill Huizenga (MI-04), held a hearing called "The Fall of ESG: Scrutinizing the Failed Use of Environmental, Social, & Governance Standards and the Influence of Proxy Advisors." Members questioned witnesses as they continue to develop policies that prioritize returns, promote economic growth, enhance financial security, and safeguard our capital markets for all. On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy, led by Chairman Andy Barr (KY-06), held a hearing called "Transparency in Global Governance." Committee lawmakers examined the lack of transparency in U.S. financial regulators’ interactions in global governance bodies.  On Wednesday, September 11, as part of House Republicans’ China Week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. H.R. 9456 will protect national security by ensuring foreign, agriculture-related investments—including those by Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked entities—are appropriately scrutinized by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).  On Thursday, September 12, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) sent a letter to disgraced Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Martin Gruenberg demanding a transcribed interview following his failure to testify before the Committee on widespread workplace misconduct at the FDIC. Chair Gruenberg’s refusal is the latest in a series of attempts to evade responsibility for the entrenched toxic workplace culture as outlined in Cleary Gottlieb’s independent report. This lack of transparency comes despite bipartisan calls for his immediate resignation, including by all Committee Republicans. The Committee will continue working to hold Chair Gruenberg accountable for his gross mismanagement of the agency and the misconduct that occurred under his leadership. Foreign Affairs On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations held a hearing called "The Goldman Act Turns 10: Holding Hague Convention Violators Accountable and Bringing Abducted American Children Home." This hearing included witnesses from the State Department, legal experts, and family members and child survivors affected by International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA). The hearing focused on how to strengthen the State Department’s engagement with the families and victims of IPCA, and the need to act when foreign governments are uncooperative.” On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Great Power Competition in Africa." On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Europe held a hearing called "Countering Malign PRC Influence in Europe." Witnesses discussed the extent to which the PRC is capturing key sectors of the European economy, and answered questions from Members on how U.S. policy could be improved. This week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul released the committee Majority’s report on its investigation into the Biden-Harris administration’s deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the chaos and instability that followed. The full report entitled, “Willful Blindness: An Assessment of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Chaos that Followed,” found this administration was determined to get out of Afghanistan — no matter the cost and with total disregard to the advice of senior military officials, the Doha Agreement, and objections from our NATO allies. The Biden-Harris administration prioritized the optics of the withdrawal over the security of U.S. personnel on the ground and failed to prepare for a NEO and order a timely NEO created an unsafe environment at HKIA. Finally, the Biden-Harris administration misled and, in some instances, directly lied to the American people at every stage of the withdrawal.    Homeland Security On Monday, September 9th, a bipartisan delegation of members from the House Committee on Homeland Security visited the September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on our nation and honor the thousands of lives lost.  On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on Homeland Security held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
 House Administration On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee hearing titled, “American Confidence in Elections: Looking Ahead to the 2024 General Election.” Six Secretaries of State testified on their preparedness ahead of the upcoming federal election.    On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner penned an op-ed in The New York Times about why the United States must invest in its nuclear arsenal and build a cohesive strategy around integrated missile defense as authoritarian regimes increase their nuclear weapon capabilities.  On Tuesday, September 10, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe Chairman Tom Kean, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chairman Ken Calvert, and Commissioner of the Helsinki Commission Representative Richard Hudson wrote a letter to President Biden urging the administration to lift the remaining restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided long-range systems, specifically Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), to strike deeper into Russian territory.  Judiciary On Tuesday, September 10, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing called "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: Victim Perspectives," to examine the effects of the Biden-Harris Administration's open borders policies on American families and communities. On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing called "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: Noncitizen Voting," to examine the implications of the Biden-Harris Administration's disastrous border policies, in particular noncitizen voting. On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called "The Consequences of Soft-On-Crime Policies," to examine the rise in violent crime and how the left's anti-victim agenda, rogue prosecutors, and pro-criminal legislation disguised as "reform" jeopardize public safety across the country. On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held a hearing called "The Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers," to examine the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) in the healthcare industry, including a PBM's ability to control access to and pricing of pharmaceutical products.    Natural Resources On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held an oversight hearing titled "Examining the Implementation of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024." This oversight hearing is ensuring the agreement between the Freely Associated States through COFA is being carried out correctly. In March of this year, Congress successfully passed the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024 (COFA Amendments Act) and now the Committee on Natural Resources must carry out its oversight responsibilities with great diligence to ensure proper implementation and execution of the renewed Compact of Free Association (COFA) agreements. On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing titled “The Fish and Wildlife Service Gone Wild: Examining Operation Long Tail Liberation.” This oversight hearing was investigating the use of a Chinese national in an undercover operation regarding the false labeling of long-tailed monkeys in Cambodia, as well as providing this informant with housing and a Visa. When the Fish and Wildlife Service conducted this operation, law enforcement was not notified. The other facet to this operation is ensuring the U.S. maintains its position as the world leader in medical research against China. On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
   Oversight and Accountability On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce held a hearing called "Where Do We Go From Here? Examining a Path Forward to Assess Agencies’ Efforts to Prevent Improper Payments and Fraud" to examine the effectiveness of existing oversight mechanisms in federal agencies to identify and prevent improper payments and fraud. With the staggering magnitude of fraud and improper payments present in key pandemic-era programs, Congress can work with federal agencies to employ proactive, data-informed measures to prevent and identify fraud across the federal government.   On Tuesday, September 10, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing called "A Hearing with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo" to examine the former governor’s role in issuance of unscientific guidance that forced New York nursing homes and long-term care facilities to admit COVID-19 positive patients. Rules On Monday, September 9, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
   Science, Space, and Technology On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Space & Aeronautics held a hearing called "Risks and Rewards: Encouraging Commercial Space Innovation While Maintaining Public Safety." Witnesses from the public and private sectors joined to discuss ongoing efforts to streamline licensing for launch and related activities and evaluate the appropriate structure for regulating commercial space activities outside the purview of the current regulatory structure. On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee markup of nine bipartisan artificial intelligence bills:
   Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party This week, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party championed 'China Week,' as the House of Representatives passed crucial legislation to protect Americans against the military, economic, ideological, and technological threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party. On Thursday, September 12, Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN), and Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) unveiled a joint investigative report exposing a rising threat to U.S. economic and national security posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). On Tuesday September 10 and Wednesday September 11, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party's Critical Minerals Policy Working Group, led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), held meetings to address the human capital gaps in the U.S. critical minerals supply chains, focusing on workforce shortages and skills deficits and to explore how recycling, domestic recovery, and non-traditional sources can strengthen the sustainability and resilience of critical mineral supplies vital to national industries and technologies.    Small Business On Tuesday, September 10, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
On Tuesday, September 10, Chairman Roger Williams released an interim staff report detailing the Committee’s findings from its 14-month investigation into the Global Engagement Center for federally funded censorship of small domestic businesses.    Transportation and Infrastructure On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing to discuss the regulatory inconsistency and lack of transparency from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) on what constitutes a “water of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. Witnesses representing the nation’s farmers, home builders, and the State of Alaska testified that the uncertainty surrounding WOTUS has continued despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s clear ruling in Sackett v. EPA that key principles underpinning the Biden Administration’s original WOTUS rule exceeded federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act. Just over a year ago, the Administration released its inadequate revision of the unconstitutional WOTUS rule, which failed to appropriately reflect the Court’s Sackett decision and caused further confusion amongst the regulated community.    Veterans Affairs On Tuesday, September 10, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a full committee hearing titled “Accountable or Absent?: Examining VA Leadership Under the Biden-Harris Administration.” The hearing focused on accountability issues related to VA leadership, the VA budget shortfall, and how these issues could affect the level of care provided to veterans. The Inspector General Michael J. Missal, Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, and Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs, and Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Deputy Chief Financial Officer Edward Murray served as witnesses. Inspector General Missal highlighted leadership failures at VA across the country including facilities in Aurora, Colorado and Hampton, Virginia. The Under Secretary for Health and Under Secretary for Benefits acknowledged VA leadership’s shortcoming and committed to improving VA accountability and transparency with Congress moving forward.   On Tuesday, September 10, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held an oversight hearing titled “Mission Transition: Evaluating Mental Health Support Programs for Separating Servicemembers.” During the hearing, the subcommittee reviewed concerns about the mental health support services being provided by DoD’s inTransition program, Solid Start, and the intra-agency “warm handover” process. The subcommittee heard from various stakeholders including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Department of Labor (DoL), who shared their perspectives on ways their agencies could help mend the mental health care gaps in support for servicemembers during transition. The stakeholders also focused on how the inTransition program does not currently have any performance metrics in place to evaluate whether vulnerable servicemembers are being connected to services in a critical time of need. Additionally, the stakeholders focused on ensuring veterans receive timely and effective mental health support as they reintegrate into civilian life. On Wednesday, September 11, the Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing on the following legislation:
 During the legislative hearing, which included 16 bills, many of which would be important steps toward providing improved healthcare and services to veterans. The bills included: The Veterans' Mental Health Access Act (H.R. 9427), introduced by Chairman Bost, which proposes the creation of a pilot program that would provide funding to community based mental health providers who are fighting the suicide crisis; The No Wrong Door for Veterans Act (H.R. 9438), introduced by Health Chairwoman Miller-Meeks, which would extend the successful Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program; The Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2024 (H.R. 9324), introduced by Rep. Womack, which would ensure veterans can be prescribed medication via telehealth; The Safeguarding VA's Healthcare Workforce Act (H.R. 9426), introduced by Chairman Bost, which would create a pilot program that would allow VA to contract with temporary staffing providers to fill important vacancies; The Veterans Supporting Prosthetics Opportunities and Recreational Therapy Act (H.R. 9478), introduced by Chairwoman Miller-Meeks, which would ensure the availability of adaptive sports and recreational prosthetics for veterans; and the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act (H.R. 9146), introduced by Rep. Franklin, which would ensure that VA considers the continuity of care when deciding if community care is in the best interests of the veteran. Each one of these bills, and many others in the hearing, embody a commitment to improving access to care for our nation's veterans. Ways and Means On Wednesday, September 11, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
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