Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of April 27, 2026
Washington,
May 1, 2026
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Appropriations On Monday, April 27, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "National Aeronautics and Space Administration." NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman testified before the Subcommittee on the success of the recent Artemis II mission and the FY27 budget request for NASA. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward.  On Monday, April 27, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Environmental Protection Agency." EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and EPA Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer Paige Hallen Hanson testified before the Subcommittee on the FY27 budget request for the EPA. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward. On Tuesday, April 28, the Committee on Appropriations held a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Bill, and on Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Appropriations held a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Related Agencies Bill. The FY27 NSRP bill passed the full Committee with a vote of 35-27. The FY27 Ag-FDA bill passed the full Committee with a vote of 35-25. Both bills advance out of Committee to the full House.   On Thursday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a joint markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill and Fiscal Year 2027 Legislative Branch Bill. The FY27 CJS bill passed the subcommittee and will advance to full committee consideration. The FY27 Legislative Branch bill passed the subcommittee and will advance to full committee consideration. On Thursday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Defense held a budget hearing called "The United States Air Force and Space Force." Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Troy E. Meink, Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, and Chief of Space Operations for Space Force General B. Chance Saltzman testified before the Subcommittee on the FY27 budget requests for the United States Air Force and Space Force. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward. On Thursday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Indian Health Service." Chief of Staff for the Indian Health Service Clayton Fulton and Director of the Office of Finance and Accounting Jullian Curtis testified before the Subcommittee on the FY27 budget request for the Indian Health Service. Appropriators will use this testimony to inform the funding process as they move forward. Armed Services On Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee hearing called "Department of Defense FY27 Budget Request." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on the Pentagon’s FY27 budget request and the Department’s priorities to support warfighters and strengthen national defense. President Trump has put forth a historic budget of $1.5 trillion for defense spending, which is badly needed after years of underfunding the military. Since World War II, defense funding has shrunk significantly as a percentage of federal outlays and as a percentage of GDP. All of our adversaries now spend more of their GDP on defense than the U.S. “We don’t have nearly enough munitions, ships, aircraft, or autonomous systems to ensure dominance against every adversary," Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said. "Our Defense Industrial Base, long the envy of the world, has atrophied significantly. We are no longer capable of manufacturing for our warfighters at scale or speed. Fortunately, that’s about to change. The President has requested a historic $1.5 trillion budget for our national defense. For the first time in 40 years, we’ve been presented a budget that accounts for the true cost of American deterrence."   Education & Workforce On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing called "Leveling Down: How Equity Policies Undermine Excellence and Harm Students." Many schools are drifting away from a focus on academic excellence and instead pushing “equity” policies that are lowering standards. Republicans and witnesses pointed to strong parent support for advanced classes and research showing gifted and accelerated programs help students—especially those from lower-income backgrounds. The issue matters because lowering expectations can widen achievement gaps and weaken the pipeline of skilled students needed for the future.   On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing called "Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education." College campuses are increasingly restricting free speech and fostering a culture of conformity rather than open debate. Lawmakers warned this trend matters because when students are discouraged from expressing or challenging ideas, campuses stop being places of critical thinking and instead become echo chambers—undermining both higher education and the broader health of the country’s democracy.  Energy & Commerce On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing called "The Fiscal Year 2027 Environmental Protection Agency Budget." During this hearing, members heard from Administrator Zeldin on the work the EPA has accomplished under President Trump to protect the health and well-being of Americans while supporting American manufacturing. On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing called "AI and the Grid: Meeting Growing Power Demand While Protecting Ratepayers." Members discussed a variety of legislation that help to strengthen America’s grid to power the race for AI while protecting consumers from rising energy prices.  On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food." This hearing focused on 28 bills that help strengthen the FDA’s oversight and regulation of food to ensure all Americans have access to healthy and nutritious food.   Financial Services On Tuesday, April 28, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee hearing called "Prioritizing Main Street: Evaluating the Impact of Capital Proposals on Economic Growth and American Communities." The Committee examined how the Trump Administration’s revised capital proposals, including Basel III, are appropriately right-sized to strike the proper balance between safety and soundness and economic growth.  On Wednesday, April 29, the Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity held a hearing called "Examining Derivatives’ Role in the Treasury Market." The Task Force, chaired by Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03), reviewed how derivatives, such as futures and swaps, interact with the Treasury markets and increase market liquidity.  On Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Energy and Commerce hosted a joint fireside chat titled: “Data Privacy in Practice: A Joint Committee Conversation.” Financial Services Committee Vice Chairman Bill Huizenga (MI-04) and Dr. John Joyce (PA-13) discussed joint committee efforts on two landmark data privacy bills - the GUARD Financial Data Act and SECURE Data Act.  Foreign Affairs On Wednesday, April 29, the Europe Subcommittee held a hearing called "Orbits of Influence: Emerging Threats to U.S. Space Security and Foreign Policy Implications." Members examined the increasingly complex space security landscape and underscored the role the State Department’s Bureau of Emerging Threats will have in ensuring the U.S. remains postured to respond to the challenges. On Wednesday, April 29, the Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee held a hearing called "U.S. Accountability at the United Nations: Challenges and Opportunities for Reform." Members examined the need for reform at the U.N. after years of bloat, corruption, and incompetence. Subcommittee Chairman Cory Mills emphasized that the U.S. must ensure that all tax dollars sent to the U.N. advance U.S. interests and establish long-term results.    Homeland Security On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a hearing called "Data Centers, Telecommunications Networks, and Space-Based Systems: Modernizing DHS’s SRMA Role for the Communications and IT Sectors."   House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence On Monday, April 27, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a full committee closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security." On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on the National Intelligence Enterprise held a closed hearing called "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Hearing for the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Judiciary On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing called "From Tool to Weapon: The FACE Act and the Dangers of Federalizing Criminal Law," which examined the Biden-Harris Administration's weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and the Constitutional implications of over-federalizing criminal law. On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing called "Peace of Mind: Strengthening Victim Protections Under Kayleigh’s Law," which examined Kayleigh's Law and how it enhances safeguards for survivors of violent crime against ongoing harm. It also highlighted growing interest among states nationwide and emphasized that advancing this policy at the federal level would convey a strong message about prioritizing victim protection.    Natural Resources On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing called "Powering the 21st Century with American Copper." This hearing examined the essential role of copper in supporting America’s energy systems, economic strength and national security. Members discussed rising global demand, supply chain vulnerabilities and the need to increase domestic production by reducing barriers and streamlining permitting to ensure a reliable and affordable supply.  On Wednesday, April 29, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a markup on the following bills:
  Oversight and Government Reform On Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a full committee markup and advanced nine bills aimed at protecting taxpayer funds and combating rampant fraud and improper payments in federal programs. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that between $233 billion and $521 billion is lost annually due to fraud. The legislation passed by the Oversight Committee comes after it exposed widespread fraud in federally funded, state-administered programs in Minnesota and California.   Rules On Monday, April 27, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
   Science, Space, and Technology On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing called "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." The purpose of the hearing was to examine the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and related issues within the Science Committee’s jurisdiction. On Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee markup on the following bill:
  Select Committee on China On Wednesday, April 27, Chairman Moolenaar and Chairman Garbarino announced a joint investigation into Airbnb, Anysphere, and the national security risks posed by Chinese AI models. This week, the Select Committee on China also commended the U.S. Treasury for its decisive action targeting China-based teapot refinery Hengli Petrochemical.   Transportation and Infrastructure On Tuesday, April 28, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing called "Review of the Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request." During his testimony and Q&A, Admiral Lunday highlighted the dedication of our Coast Guard servicemembers, even amid their ongoing concerns about whether they will be able to pay their bills during the ongoing funding uncertainty for DHS. T&I Chairman Sam Graves noted during the hearing, “We owe it to our Coasties, who continue to stand watch, to secure a deal to fund DHS, which the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is committed to doing.” Subcommittee members further covered a range of issues, including efforts to strengthen U.S. presence and counter Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic, America’s shipbuilding capabilities, and cybersecurity issues.   Ways and Means On Tuesday, April 28, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee hearing with Health System CEOs. They were unable to justify their corporate manipulation of legal loopholes and taxpayer subsidies that put profits over patient access to care and contributes to the 300 percent rise in hospital prices in just over two decades. Sophisticated hospital chains are increasing engaging in practices such as urban hospitals reclassifying themselves as “rural” to receive lucrative federal health subsidies, charging higher prices for the same care provided at a hospital-owned facility compared to an independent physician practice, pocketing steep drug discounts rather than passing them along to vulnerable patients, and spending tax breaks for charity care on stadium naming rights among other non-health items. Committee Democrats ignored patient concerns on affordability and parroted hospital industry talking points so much that legacy media noted they were “muted in their criticism of the pricing practices of the CEOs who appeared before the committee.”  On Wednesday, April 29, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup on the following bills:
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