Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of May 5, 2025
Washington,
May 9, 2025
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Agriculture On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development and the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence held a joint hearing called "American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: A Blueprint for the 21st Century." After extensive bipartisan and cross-committee planning, two subcommittees of the Agriculture and Financial Services Committees met to discuss the need for a clear, commonsense framework that protects consumers, promotes innovation, and secures America’s leadership in digital assets. Less than one minute into the hearing, the Ranking Member of the full Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-34), objected to the hearing, attempted to stage a walkout (with nobody following her), and then held a simultaneous roundtable in the Capitol basement that was sparsely attended. Adults remained in the hearing room, Republicans and Democrats alike who know America should lead on digital assets. While some resorted to stunts and soundbites, others stayed focused on substance. The bipartisan work underway reflects a serious commitment to clarity, consumer protection, and responsible innovation—exactly what the American people expect from Congress. Progress doesn’t pause for political theater, and neither did this hearing.   Appropriations On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held an oversight hearing called "U.S. Department of the Treasury." The U.S. Department of the Treasury plays a critical role in sustaining a strong economy, fostering job creation, and advancing economic growth at home and abroad. To ensure the Department is effectively fulfilling its mission, Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee Chairman Dave Joyce and fellow members met with Treasury Secretary Bessent. Discussions focused on safeguarding the financial system, enhancing transaction tracking, preventing fraud, and recovering improper payments.  On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held an oversight hearing called "U.S. Department of Homeland Security." It is the government’s chief responsibility to protect the nation and keep Americans safe. To collect testimony and conduct oversight, Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei convened a hearing with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem. Proceedings focused on DHS efforts to secure the border, combat fentanyl trafficking, strengthen recruitment, and combat cyber threats. Members also raised concerns about disaster preparedness, funding transparency, and evolving national security risks.  On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing called "The United States Air Force and Space Force." The United States Air Force and Space Force are helping to lead the charge in ensuring America’s global military dominance. Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert hosted Air Force and Space Force officials to discuss how the services are modernizing the defense acquisition process and what Congress can do to ensure our armed forces have every tool necessary to keep Americans safe. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "U.S. Department of Agriculture." Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris emphasized the critical role of America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities during an oversight hearing with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. The hearing focused on the FY26 budget request and ongoing coordination between Congress and the USDA to promote prosperity and long-term stability of the agricultural sector.  On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "U.S. Department of Energy." Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann met with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to discuss advancing U.S. energy independence. Topics included rare earth mineral development and the future of nuclear energy, as well as legislative support for President Trump’s energy priorities. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Defense held a oversight hearing called "The United States Army." The strength of the Army is essential to protecting our nation and preserving stability across the globe. To discuss military readiness, priorities, and the strategic posture forward, Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert convened with senior Army leadership and reiterated a focus on delivering FY26 appropriations to support our constitutional duties of providing for the common defense. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a oversight hearing called "The Federal Emergency Management Agency." Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei emphasized the importance of standing by Americans in their most devastating moments in an oversight hearing with the FEMA Acting Administrator. Testimony and questions centered on the agency’s management of grant funds, inefficient and burdened systems delaying aid in times of need, and work to implement technology to improve its core mission of serving American citizens. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2026 Request for the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers relayed the importance of our Federal Bureau of Investigation’s role in combating the flow of fentanyl and stopping bad actors in their tracks with the Director of the agency Kash Patel. The discussion focused on the agency’s FY26 budget requests and priorities to decrease bureaucratic overreach and increase agents in field offices across the nation. On Thursday, May 8, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a oversight hearing called "The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency." With cybersecurity more critical than ever, Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei met with CISA Acting Director Bridget Bean to examine how the agency is protecting American networks. Appropriators focused on identifying CCP state-sponsored threats, supporting small businesses, strengthening public-private partnerships, and addressing risks from data-harvesting apps like TikTok. Armed Services On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing on the U.S. military readiness for FY26. In his opening statement, Rep. Jack Bergman said, “We need to substantially improve manning, training, and material readiness of our armed forces and expand efforts to provide joint logistics to further deter future conflict.” On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing on the military posture of science, technology, and innovation. In his opening statement, Rep. Don Bacon said, “We are entering a pivotal moment in our nation’s history where we can harness this innovation ecosystem and move quickly to deliver cutting-edge capabilities our warfighters need and restore the arsenal of democracy.”  On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing on the nuclear forces and atomic energy defense activities, and programmatic updates. In his opening statement, Rep. Scott DesJarlais said, “China’s nuclear breakout has fundamentally transformed the security landscape. We must adapt to these new challenges and supplement our modernization plans with tailored capabilities to address the changing threat environment.” On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces held a hearing on air force projection forces aviation programs and capabilities. In his opening statement, Rep. Trent Kelly said, “The world is changing rapidly & adversaries are investing heavily in advanced capabilities that threaten our national security. It is imperative that we remain ahead of these threats by strengthening our operational capabilities, enhancing cybersecurity measures & fostering innovation within the defense industry.” On Thursday, May 8, the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing on the information technology and artificial intelligence posture of the Department of Defense. In his opening statement, Rep. Don Bacon said, “We need to move out now to develop, test, and field at scale the technologies that will be required for the United States to win on battlefields today and in the future.” Budget On Wednesday, May 7, the Committee on the budget held a full committee hearing called "The Fiscal State of the Nation." Witnesses—including Dr. Joshua Rauh, Dr. Paul Winfree, and Don Schneider—outlined the urgent need for structural entitlement reform, budget process modernization, and pro-growth economic policy. The hearing underscored recognition that our nation’s debt trajectory is unsustainable and that bold, responsible action is necessary to protect future generations. The Committee remains committed to restoring fiscal discipline and driving a national conversation.    Education & Workforce On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing called "FECA Reform and Oversight: Prioritizing Workers, Protecting Taxpayer Dollars." This hearing gave members the opportunity to examine the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) program, which made news this week when Newark Airport issues were compounded by air traffic controllers who used FECA to take ‘trauma leave.’ Committee Republicans want to ensure the program serves the needs of injured workers while ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently. Critics point out FECA is overly generous, as many beneficiaries remain on the program well into retirement, and it is vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. Bottom line: Committee Republicans recognize that the status quo is not an option. Federal workers and taxpayers deserve a more efficient and effective program. On Wednesday, May 7, the Committee on Education and Workforce held a full committee hearing called "Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses." Antisemitism is proliferating at colleges across the country, both private and public, in rural, urban, and suburban settings. At Haverford, a liberal arts college with roughly 1,400 students, faculty members engage in blatant antisemitism with no apparent consequence. DePaul, a private Catholic university with roughly 14,000 undergraduate students, permitted a multi-week encampment that was so disruptive and violent that the nearby elementary school had to cancel recess. At Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, a university with roughly 22,000 students, at least one faculty member has been complicit in harassing Jewish students. Republicans are committed to protecting Jewish students on every campus in the nation.    Financial Services On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence and the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development held a joint roundtable called "American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: A Blueprint for the 21st Century." The discussion assessed the current regulatory roles of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC). Members also discussed key concepts and principles for digital asset market structure legislation.   On Wednesday, May 7, 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." Members heard from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the state of the international financial system and the Trump Administration’s economic agenda.  Foreign Affairs On Tuesday, May 6, the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee held a hearing called “Maximum Impact: Assessing the Effectiveness of the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Charting the Path Forward.” Subcommittee Chairman Michael Lawler noted the persistent threat of terrorism globally and the critical role the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Bureau of Counterterrorism plays in advancing U.S. counterterrorism policy. The lawmakers heard from witnesses about how to further modernize the State Department’s counterterrorism approach as they examine key reforms as part of the committee’s first full State Department reauthorization since 2002. On Thursday, May 8, the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee held a hearing called "Spread Freedom, Not Woke Values: An American Agenda for Democracy and Human Rights." The members examined the mission of the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the need to return the bureau to its core mission of promoting American values abroad, instead of exporting far-left ideology. Subcommittee Chairwoman Maria Elvira Salazar highlighted the degree to which the bureau has gone astray after four years of woke, Biden-era foreign policy. She underscored the need for the bureau to “go back to basics and defend freedom and democracy in our backyard and around the world.”   Homeland Security On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a hearing entitled “Beijing’s Air, Space, and Maritime Surveillance from Cuba: A Growing Threat to the Homeland.” Witnesses gave an overview of the CCP’s suspected capabilities at facilities in Cuba and the risk this activity poses to the homeland. Dr. Berg revealed new satellite imagery showing potential new sites of surveillance activity in Cuba and highlighted the steps that should be taken to counter the threat, including briefing all members of Congress on what Dr. Berg views as an “escalation and red line.”    House Administration On Tuesday, May 6, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee hearing called “Oversight of the Operations of the Library of Congress.” Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, came before the Committee to discuss the operations and management challenges of the Library of Congress.   House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence On Tuesday, May 6, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released an oversight report assessing the FBI’s analytic integrity and investigative standards with respect to the 2017 Congressional Baseball Shooting targeting Republican Members of Congress. This report was developed from the 3,000-page FBI case file provided by Director Patel for Committee review, and lays out the Committee’s conclusion that, under Acting Director Andrew McCabe in 2017, the FBI used false statements, manipulation of known facts, and biased and butchered analysis to support a narrative that shooter James Hodgkinson committed suicide by cop without any nexus to domestic terrorism. On Wednesday, May 7, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a closed full-committee briefing to examine how the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015) has performed in its stated mission to improve cyber information sharing efforts between the private sector and federal government, ahead of the expiration of its authorization in September 2025.    Judiciary On Tuesday, May 6, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance and the the Subcommittee on Oversight held a joint hearing called “Federal Corrections in Focus: Oversight of the Bureau of Prisons,” to examine the operations of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, including its management of inmates. The hearing also examined the most pressing issues facing the Bureau and its correctional officers. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet held a hearing called “Protecting Our Edge: Trade Secrets and the Global AI Arms Race,” to examine the role of trade secret protection in U.S. artificial intelligence development and countering economic espionage by foreign competitors and nation-states. The hearing also examined important considerations with respect to protecting U.S. intellectual property as legislation and governmental policy are developed regarding AI competition, transparency, and other issues. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called “Criminalizing America: The Growth of Federal Offenses and Regulatory Overreach,” to examine the impact and implications of the continuous expansion and complexity of the federal criminal code and regulatory regime. Expanding the federal criminal code would create legal confusion and weaken the American people’s trust in the justice system.    Natural Resources On Tuesday, May 6, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup to consider legislative proposals to comply with the reconciliation directive included in section 2001 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, H. Con. Res.14. The House Committee on Natural Resources is answering President Trump’s call to unleash American energy dominance through commonsense, science-based and economically sound provisions in budget reconciliation. Harnessing the United States’ natural resource wealth, we are generating over $18.5 billion in savings and new revenue for the federal government. The committee is advancing proposals to increase access to America’s abundant natural resources cleanly, safely and responsibly.    Oversight & Government Reform On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services held a hearing called “Examining the Growth of the Welfare State, Part II.” During the hearing, members examined the high levels of waste, fraud, and abuse in the welfare system and discussed how the increasing cost of programs burdens taxpayers and keeps Americans in poverty more than it lifts them out of it. Members noted that rental assistance programs consume most of the welfare state’s budget and that these programs discourage marriage and continue the cycle of dependency on the government. Subcommittee Chairman Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) pledged to find ways to fix rental assistance programs for both participants and taxpayers. On Wednesday, May 7, the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency held a hearing called “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” At the hearing, members examined the impact of policies adopted by athletic governance bodies that allow biological men to compete in women’s sports. These policies contradict federal law, demean women, and threaten their physical safety. Despite these threats to women, Democrats invited a radical activist who claimed men competing in women’s sports poses no harm to them. Democrats also refused to ask the female athletes in attendance a single question on the record.    Rules On Monday, May 5, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
   Science, Space, and Technology On Wednesday, May 7, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee hearing called "From Policy to Progress: How the National Quantum Initiative Shapes U.S. Quantum Technology Leadership." Four quantum industry experts joined to evaluate the state of quantum research, development, and technology in the United States. The discussion also served as an opportunity to review and discuss the first seven years of the National Quantum Initiative Act and what policies should be considered for its reauthorization.   Small Business On Tuesday, May 6, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Member Day." During the hearing, Members of Congress who do not sit on the Committee were invited to speak about the issues small businesses in their district are facing. On Wednesday, May 7, Chairman Roger Williams and other Members on the Committee joined a roundtable hosted by Majority Whip Tom Emmer with key small business stakeholders to discuss House Republicans’ commitment to supporting small businesses across America.    Transportation and Infrastructure On Tuesday, May 6, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure continued its America Builds hearing series with a Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials’ hearing focused on improving federal rail assistance. In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster recognized the importance of a safe, efficient, and reliable freight and passenger rail transportation system and talked about the programs Congress has authorized to assist our rail systems.’ Chairman Webster also spoke about this week’s announcement from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, saying, “The Trump Administration inherited a backlog of more than 3,000 unobligated Department of Transportation (DOT) grants. Responsibly, the Administration took the time to review these grants to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars. Today, the Department announced it approved more than 180 grants totaling over 3 billion dollars.    Veterans Affairs On Monday, May 5, the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization held an oversight hearing titled “Improving Access to External VA Care through Enhanced Scheduling Technology." Chairman Tom Barrett (MI-07) led the hearing to examine the VA’s External Provider Scheduling (EPS) program and its integration with the WellHive platform. Chairman Barrett and Rep. Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) expressed frustration with the VA’s stalled rollout despite the program’s proven success in reducing wait times and improving scheduling efficiency. Witnesses emphasized EPS’s potential to ease administrative burdens—particularly in rural areas—and urged Secretary Collins to prioritize the program, citing the Biden Administration’s previous failure to advance it. They also called for clearly defined success metrics, including provider participation, reduced overhead, and veteran satisfaction. On Tuesday, May 6, the Committee held a full committee markup of the following legislation:
  |