Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of March 23, 2026
Washington,
March 28, 2026
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Appropriations On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held an oversight hearing called "U.S. Office of Personnel Management." The hearing focused on modernization and efficiency in the federal workforce, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively to keep the government working for the people.  This week, the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, the Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held Member Day hearings, allowing Members not on Appropriations the opportunity to speak to appropriators on the issues that matter to their districts ahead of the FY27 funding process.  On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Quality of Life in the Military." Subcommittee members have the solemn responsibility to ensure our military members are taken care of both during and after their service. Updates to military structures are important to that effort. Ahead of FY27, appropriators discussed critical updates to our military infrastructure that will help our service members have a high quality of life.  On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing called "National Weather Service." The National Weather Service provides critical forecasts and warnings that help Americans plan ahead for bad weather. Appropriators heard from NWS on their anticipated needs for FY27. On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held an oversight hearing called "The Government Accountability Office’s Assessment of the Federal Buildings Fund." The maintenance and upkeep of federal buildings costs the government more money every year. Appropriators had the opportunity to question the GAO on actions being taken to mitigate those rising costs and ensure efficient maintenance of the federal government’s properties. On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Advancing Permanency in Child Welfare: Leveraging Federal Funding for Adoption Programs." Adoption builds families, strengthens communities, and gives children stable homes – but challenges remain in the child welfare system. Appropriators discussed ways the government can provide increased opportunity and stability for our most vulnerable in the FY27 funding process. Armed Services On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing called "National Security Space Programs and Activities." During this hearing, members heard from senior officials leading the U.S. Space Force (USSF), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) on the Department of Defense's (DOD) national security space programs and activities. In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman DesJarlais (TN-04) said, "As we have seen recently in Iran, space has become instrumental to every conflict with both space effects and support to the joint force. Ukraine has also repeatedly shown us this same lesson, with jamming becoming routine and battle lines shifting as the availability of space-based communications changes. All our space capabilities play a vital role when it comes to winning the fight. Without Positioning, Navigating, and Timing (PNT), secure communications, or Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), our modern joint force would not be nearly as effective." On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee markup of the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act. The ALERT Act was developed in response to the fatal 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving a civilian aircraft and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Following a year-long investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued 50 safety recommendations to address the causes of the accident and strengthen aviation safety across the national airspace. The ALERT Act addresses all 50 of these concerns, and the Armed Services Committee’s provisions ensure that national security considerations are fully integrated into these reforms, protecting both military and civil future operations. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also held a markup on Title I of the legislation, while the Armed Services Committee marked up Title II—both of which were reported favorably to the House. “We owe it to the victims of last year’s tragedy and to their families to take action to ensure that this never happens again,” Chairman Rogers (AL-03) said. “The ALERT Act takes a comprehensive approach by fully implementing all of the NTSB recommendations, strengthening coordination in our nation’s airspace, and addressing critical national security concerns. I’m proud of the Armed Services Committee’s work and our partnership with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to deliver real solutions. I look forward to this legislation advancing with the support of my colleagues so we can get it across the finish line and make our skies safer for everyone.”  On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing called "Information Technology Posture of the Department of Defense." During this hearing, members heard from the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer on the Pentagon’s efforts to strengthen the security and performance of the military’s digital infrastructure. In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Don Bacon (NE-02) said, “We conduct command and control with the networks we have. We pay our warfighters with the business applications we have. We plan and conduct operations on the desktops and laptops that we have. We fight at the speed of data, and the underlying IT has never been more important."  Budget On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on the Budget held a full committee hearing called "The Best Metric to Reverse the Curse: A 3% Deficit-to-GDP Path to Fiscal Sustainability." The hearing examined the nation’s unsustainable debt and the urgent need to adopt a 3% deficit-to-GDP framework— a clear, achievable target to put America on a path to balance.    Education & Workforce On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Education & Workforce held a full committee hearing called "U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat." At the hearing, Republicans laid out clear evidence that foreign adversaries—especially the CCP—are targeting U.S. campuses to steal research and intimidate students. One witness, a Stanford student journalist, testified that the FBI warned she is being monitored by CCP agents—and that her family is also at risk. Republicans pushed solutions like the DETERRENT Act to protect students and increase transparency. Democrats spent the hearing dismissing the threat and accusing Republicans of racism for raising national security concerns.    Energy & Commerce On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Energy & Commerce held a full committee markup on the following bills:
On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Policies to Protect Our Communities From Illicit Drug Threats." This hearing examined a wide array of legislation meant to protect American communities and stop the flow of illicit drugs into our country, like xylazine and fentanyl.    Financial Services On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee hearing called "Tokenization and the Future of Securities: Modernizing Our Capital Markets." The Committee, led by Chairman French Hill (AR-02), examined the role tokenization can play in modernizing our capital markets and if regulatory updates could benefit U.S. competitiveness. Members explored how traditional securities can be brought onto blockchain networks, what that could mean for investors, and how to ensure investor protections and market integrity still remain strong as the technology evolves.  On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence held a hearing called "Innovation at the Speed of Markets: How Regulators Keep Pace with Technology." The subcommittee, led by Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01), examined how federal financial regulators prioritize innovation initiatives and are adapting to rapid technological change.  On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing called "Mitigation and Multiple Loss Properties: Factors Influencing the High Cost of Flooding." The subcommittee, led by Chairman Mike Flood (NE-01), examined the increasing risks posed by major flood events and how mitigation investments can reduce flood damage, strengthen preparedness, and lower long-term costs for both homeowners and taxpayers.  Foreign Affairs On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Securing the Future: Arms Control and International Security for the Modern Age." The lawmakers examined international security and arms control that are crucial to U.S. foreign policy. During his opening remarks, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self underscored the increasingly complex national security landscape and the crucial role the State Department’s Office of the Under Secretary of Arms Control and International Security plays in addressing emerging threats and advancing U.S. security and diplomacy. On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee markup on the following bills:
   Homeland Security On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Homeland Security held a full committee hearing called "Funding Lapse and Security Gaps: Assessing the Harmful Impacts of the DHS Shutdown on Americans," to examine the impacts of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, caused by Senate Democrats’ refusal to advance funding for the Department. The hearing focused on how the Democrats’ shutdown impacts DHS’s core missions, strains the federal workforce, and weakens interagency security coordination. Witnesses included leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, TSA, CISA, and FEMA. On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a hearing called "Arctic Security in an Era of Global Competition: Safeguarding U.S. Interests in Frigid Waters," to examine the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) domain awareness and counterintelligence capabilities in the Arctic. As new Arctic maritime routes emerge, opportunities for commercial, tourism, and scientific exploration have arisen, while also heightening global competition for access to the region’s abundant natural resources.    House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence On Tuesday, March 24, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held committee business to "Consider: 1) Amendment to Committee Rules; 2) Release of Committee Transcripts." Judiciary On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet held a hearing called "Oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office," which examined the United States Patent and Trademark Office's mission, operations, policies, and other matters within the agency. On Thursday, March 26, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup on the following bills:
  Natural Resources On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
  On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing called "Unleashing America’s Mineral Potential: The Critical Mineral Commodity Supply Chain." The hearing examined how America’s critical mineral supply chains and explored how America’s mineral resources can be unleashed. On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
 On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
Rules On Tuesday, March 24, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
On Friday, the Committee considered a single measure meant to toss out the Senate’s unconditional surrender and fully fund the entirety of our homeland security apparatus. Rules Republicans lambasted the Senate for operating in the dead of night and abdicating its responsibility to keep Americans safe. Members discussed how the Senate measure zeroed out funding for the men and women who keep our border secure and get criminal aliens off the street. We underscored how detrimental it would be to the institution of Congress itself to allow a vocal minority of elected officials to isolate funding for specific agencies they dislike and emphasized how seriously we take our duty to keep Americans safe.    Science, Space, and Technology On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing called "The Future of Low Earth Orbit: From the ISS to Commercial Platforms." The purpose of this hearing was to examine the planned path toward the next phase of United States space activities in low Earth orbit (LEO). On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing called "Beneath the Waves: The Science and Technology of Deep-Sea Mining." The purpose of this hearing was to examine ocean exploration, science, and technology, including efforts to enable deep-sea mining for critical materials.    Select Committee on China Chairman Moolenaar sent letters to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging them to advocate for the release of Chinese dissidents and sanction key Hong Kong officials. In the letter to Trump, Moolenaar advocated for the release of China's prisoners of conscience—those jailed for their defense of human rights and religious freedom. On Monday, March 23, Chairman Moolenaar commended the Justice Department’s filing of charges against three individuals for a conspiracy to violate U.S. national security laws and smuggle billions of dollars of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China. On Tuesday, March 24, Chairman Moolenaar participated in a panel discussion at The Hill & Valley Forum on America’s strategy to win the competition in the artificial intelligence race against China. Joining leaders from Congress and industry, Moolenaar emphasized the urgent need for strong export controls, coordination with allies, and continued investment in American innovation to ensure the United States maintains its technological advantage. In addition to the Select Committee on China’s work, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed bipartisan legislation to curb the smuggling of American semiconductors to foreign adversaries. The Chip Security Act was introduced last year as a direct response to bipartisan concerns raised by the Select Committee on China in its report on Deepseek, which concluded the company used advanced chips produced by American semiconductor giant Nvidia that are restricted from export to the PRC to develop its AI model.    Small Business On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Defending Main Street: Combating CCP Threats to America’s Small Businesses." The purpose of this hearing was to examine how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) threatens American small businesses through intellectual property theft, foreign investment, and supply chain vulnerabilities.    Transportation and Infrastructure On Thursday, March 26, the T&I Committee unanimously approved the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act of 2026 (H.R. 7613). The bill is the bipartisan comprehensive legislative response to the various aviation safety issues raised by the tragic 2025 midair collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, DC. The approved bill – updated after its introduction in consultation with the aviation community and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) – addresses all 50 of the NTSB’s recommendations that resulted from the Board’s full investigation of the accident.  Veterans Affairs On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
 On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held an oversight hearing called "Kitchen Table Issues: Lowering Costs for Veteran Families Through the VA Home Loan Program." Chairman Van Orden expressed support for making VA's home loan program more affordable for veterans by eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic layers and modernizing the program to align with industry standards. GOP Members highlighted the need for increasing the number of VA certified appraisers, modernizing minimum property requirements, and reducing closing costs to ensure that all veterans are able to achieve the American dream and become homeowners. GOP Members also emphasized their support for President Trump's recent executive orders which aims to reduce barriers to homeownership for American families. The second panel included industry experts who expressed their desire to streamline and modernize VA's home loan program.   On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a markup on the following bills:
Ways and Means On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup on the following bills:
Natural disaster victims and survivors of sexual assault will receive much needed tax relief, pre-school teachers will be able to deduct certain out-of-pocket classroom expenses, and the IRS will modernize its customer service and improve the agency’s treatment of tax fraud whistleblowers thanks to legislation approved by the Ways and Means Committee.
Five bills aimed at supporting Americans in need of relief and making the IRS more taxpayer-friendly received strong bipartisan support.    ###
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