Press Releases
Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of April 29, 2024
Washington,
May 3, 2024
Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:
Appropriations On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for Customs and Border Protection." The Acting Commissioner, Troy Miller, defended the Agency’s apprehensions, detentions, and encounters at our southern border. Immigrant vetting, fentanyl seizures, and how the President’s Budget lacks in providing the Agency with what they need to secure the border was focused on by Members of the Subcommittee.  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Environmental Protection Agency." Appropriators pressed the Administrator and CFO of the EPA for its continued overreach, specifically on how they are affecting various businesses across the nation. A handful of Members questioned the EPA’s recent coal mine rules that will significantly impact rural communities. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Defense held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the National Guard and Reserves Forces." Leaders of the United States National Guard and Reserves Forces testified on how their budget will be used to aid in securing the border, recruitment efforts, and staff retention. Members got a sense for where the President’s Budget Request may be lacking, and how increased funding could bolster the Guard and Reserves. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Department of Transportation." Secretary Pete Buttigieg updated Appropriators on the recovery efforts of the Francis Scott Key bridge and how the surrounding ports, commuters, and daily life of those in the area have been impacted. Members asked how the Department is preparing for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as various supply chain and distribution issues across the nation. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Member Day." To ensure that Members have an opportunity to provide input into the annual appropriations process, the Committee held a Member Day hearing. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency." Appropriators focused questions on how CISA is protecting American cyber information, and where main threats preside. The discussion touched on everything from schools and small businesses to online platforms such as Tik Tok. Director of CISA Jen Easterly persisted that the Agency does not censor speech or any First Amendment rights. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Defense held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the United States Air Force and Space Force." Leaders of the United States Air Force and Space Force join the Subcommittee to discuss their Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request, explaining to Appropriators why certain aspects were included. Members made sure to highlight their concern with the Department’s effort to heavily invest in Space Force technology. In remarks for the record, Chairman Cole said, “Space assets are projected to offer great capabilities for our warfighters, but they have not been delivered yet. As with most things, it’s not prudent to put all of our eggs in one basket. We will need to maintain air capability up to –and even after – space is fully operative.” got a sense for where the President’s Budget Request may be lacking, and how increased funding could bolster national security.  On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area." Agency officials from the USDA met with Appropriators to discuss what they are doing to support farmers and rural communities across the nation. Using an increased budget to hire and maintain employees was a key topic of discussion. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs held a budget hearing called "Member Day." To ensure that Members have an opportunity to provide input into the annual appropriations process, the Committee held a Member Day hearing. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Indian Health Service." The Indian Health Service explained the needs of various communities across the nation. The majority of concerns involved food deserts, access to food stamps and health care, and the chronic health concerns plaguing Indian Country. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development." The Acting Secretary addressed the issues and concerns of the Subcommittee Appropriators, including the rise of housing costs and what the Department is doing to mitigate the issue.. The topic of homelessness and how the Department is combating the issue across the nation was also addressed. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the United States Coast Guard." Senior officials of the United States Coast Guard updated Subcommittee Members on how the Coast Guard is ensuring national security across our waterways. Appropriators asked how the budget can be improved upon, and where the Coast Guard would use additional funding. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing called "Member Day." To ensure that Members have an opportunity to provide input into the annual appropriations process, the Committee held a Member Day hearing. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Arts and Humanities." Appropriators met to discuss the importance of museums and art programs for American culture, history, and developing youth. The group discussed how agencies can partner with active duty servicemembers and veterans to improve mental health and PTSD. Intentionally distributing funds to rural areas was a topic of concern across Republican Members. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing called "Fiscal Year 2025 Request for Army Military Construction and Family Housing." The Subcommittee and senior members of our military discussed the current state of Air Force and Space Force housing and how servicemember quality of life directly impacts our national security. Armed Services On Tuesday, April 30, the Armed Services Committee held a full committee hearing on the Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request. Members pressed Secretary Austin and General Brown on the risk a one percent budget increase places on our national defense. Additionally, members stressed the importance of improving the quality of life for servicemembers and their families. Strengthening our military will require adequate funding to ensure we can both provide for our servicemembers and deter our adversaries.  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing on the current state of military readiness. In his opening statement, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said, “This subcommittee has spent a lot of time, and will continue to do so, providing key oversight of the unsatisfactory state of our barracks. The condition of some of this housing is astounding. It no doubt affects retention. We must provide safe barracks and housing that puts our service members’ welfare first. This is critical to readiness.” On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget request for nuclear forces and atomic energy defense activities and programs. In his opening statement, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said, “As the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States concluded in its report last year, simply executing modernization plans developed over a decade ago will not be sufficient to meet the evolving threat environment.” On Wednesday, May 1, the Armed Services Committee held a full committee hearing on the Department of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request. Members pressed Department of the Navy officials on the unacceptable cuts and trade-offs in the President’s budget. Members called attention to concerns that these decisions send the wrong message to China, our allies, and the industrial base. Additionally, Members raised alarms regarding the risk that the President’s Navy budget request places on our overall national security.  On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget request for space programming related to U.S. national security programs. In his opening statement, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said, “Long ago, our adversaries determined that space is vital to the joint force’s operation, and they have spent the last several years developing counter-space weapons to threaten our troops. Both China and Russia have weaponized space, and we must catch up to contend with this new reality.” Budget On Wednesday, May 1, the Budget Committee held a roundtable with the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform, with a focus on streamlining the budgeting process for the Department of Defense.  Education and the Workforce On Wednesday, May 1, the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a full committee hearing called "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor." Members held Acting Secretary Su accountable for pursuing priorities that are detrimental to American taxpayers, workers, and job creators. Wednesday’s hearing marked the 417th consecutive day in which Su has led the Department of Labor (DOL) as acting secretary without the constitutionally required Advice and Consent of the Senate. In addition to getting called out for being Biden’s forever nominee and threatened with a subpoena for refusing to answer questions about Su’s plans to return DOL employees to regular in-person work, Su faced push back for eliminating opportunities for workers to choose when, where, how they work; jeopardizing the retirement savings of millions of hard working Americans; imposing DEI mandates on apprenticeship programs which will close off career opportunities for Americans; and more.    Energy and Commerce  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Legislative Proposals to Increase Medicaid Access and Improve Program Integrity." Members discussed how Medicaid must prioritize the populations that it was originally intended to cover: children, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities. Bipartisan, targeted solutions will increase access to care in the long-term, while the Biden administration’s top-down approach will likely increase federal spending by more than $100 billion in the next decade—threatening the program’s ability to serve those who need it most. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce held a hearing called "Preserving Americans’ Access to AM Radio." Members discussed how communities across the country, especially rural communities, rely on AM radio service for critical information. It plays an essential role during public emergencies when other alert systems that rely on the electric grid and cellphone networks don’t work, which is why it's so important that we work together to preserve Americans’ access to this vital source of information. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security held a hearing called "The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Energy Budget." The Committee called Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Granholm to testify on President Biden’s $51 billion DOE budget request. The hearing exposed how some of the worst Biden administration policies are undermining America’s energy dominance, environmental leadership, and national security.  On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing called "Examining the Change Healthcare Cyberattack." Americans are still dealing with the fallout of the Change Healthcare hack. Individuals and smaller providers, in particular, have struggled financially following the cyberattack, threatening critical access for patients. Members spoke with UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty about what happened, why it happened, and what they’re doing to fix this problem.  Financial Services On Tuesday, April 30, Chairman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) issued a statement following new court filings showing SEC Chair Gary Gensler intentionally misrepresented the Commission’s position regarding the classification of Ether as either a security or commodity. Republicans will continue to hold the SEC accountable for its regulatory overreach that is stifling innovation, leaving consumers unprotected, and risking our national security.   On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy, led by Chairman Andy Barr (KY-06), held a hearing entitled "Merger Policies of the Federal Banking Agencies." Lawmakers gained insights into why the opaque and too often partisan policy positions of the FDIC and OCC have driven them to put forward their suggested new merger guidelines.  Foreign Affairs On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Oversight & Accountability held a roundtable on Americans Detained Abroad. Members heard powerful testimonies from families and representatives of Americans who are wrongfully detained or held on baseless charges in Afghanistan, Russia, China, Syria, Nigeria, and Iran. Members addressed the need for strong foreign policy that will deter our adversaries from taking American hostages. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific held a hearing called "From 1979 to 2024: Evaluating the Taiwan Relations Act and Assessing the Future of U.S.-Taiwan Relations." Members questioned witnesses about whether the administration has fulfilled its commitments set forth by the Taiwan Relations Act, the profound importance of the bilateral U.S.-Taiwan relationship, and challenges Taiwan faces as the Chinese Communist Party grows increasingly aggressive in the Indo-Pacific.    Homeland Security On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a hearing entitled, “Surveying CIRCIA: Sector Perspectives on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.” In this hearing, members were warned about the impacts of duplicative regulations on the cyber readiness of certain critical infrastructure sectors; the need for further clarity in the proposed cyber incident reporting requirements, including thresholds, level of detail, and definitions; and how the rule should increase cross-sector visibility for covered critical infrastructure entities without overburdening CISA and America’s small businesses.    House Administration On Tuesday, April 30, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee markup on the following legislation:
  Judiciary On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing entitled, "Overreach: An Examination of Federal Statutory and Regulatory Crimes" to examine how Congress can restrain from over legislating on issues that should be first left to state and local governments, and how the expansion of federal and regulatory crimes is leading to unintended consequences on American citizens. On Wednesday, May 1, the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government held a hearing called "Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government,” to examine the Biden White House's censorship regime. On Wednesday, May 1, the Judiciary Committee held a markup session to consider the following legislation:
On Friday, May 3, the Committee on the Judiciary held a field hearing in Philadelphia, PA, called "Victims of Violent Crime in Philadelphia" to examine how Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's pro-criminal policies embolden criminals at the expense of victims and Philadelphia residents.   Natural Resources On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing titled “Examining the Influence of Extreme Environmental Activist Groups in the Department of the Interior.” Under Haaland’s leadership, DOI has cultivated close and potentially improper relationships with extreme environmental activist groups, many of whom are working overtime to drive the Biden administration’s “social and environmental justice” agenda. Information obtained from media reports, document productions in response to Freedom of Information Act requests, and congressional oversight conducted by the House Committee on Natural Resources raises serious concerns about DOI’s relationship with extremist groups such as the Pueblo Action Alliance, Code Pink, Energy Foundation China and the Wilderness Society, among many others. This hearing was a chance for members to hear from experts and engage in dialogue on the rise of extremist influence in the DOI. On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Wednesday, May 1, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee oversight hearing titled “Examining the President's FY 2025 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior.” While the Biden administration continues to funnel historically high amounts of money into DOI as they request $37.08 billion for FY2025, the agency has failed to address many significant issues and refuses to provide accountability for the funds, despite repeated congressional oversight requests. This hearing featured testimony from Secretary Deb Haaland, members questioned Secretary Haaland for her leadership that has failed the mission of the DOI and has failed the American people. This hearing is another step forward in the committee's work to provide transparency to the American people. This work will continue throughout the 118th Congress as the House Committee on Natural Resources conducts oversight on the disastrous policies of the Biden administration. On Friday, May 3, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held an oversight field hearing titled “How Many Wolves Are Enough? Examining the Need to Delist the Gray Wolf.” The Great Lakes region has the largest concentration of gray wolves in the lower 48 states, with approximately 4,200 wolves that inhabit the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Under the current management framework, wolves in Minnesota are listed as threatened, whereas wolves in Michigan and Wisconsin are listed as endangered. The recovery plan for the gray wolf in the Great Lakes is clear when it comes to criteria for delisting, a stable or increasing population of wolves in Minnesota and at least 200 wolves outside of the Minnesota population. Today’s hearing in Sandstone, Minnesota was a chance for members to hear from local elected officials and wildlife experts to learn more about the gray wolf population and its impact on rural communities.    Oversight and Accountability On Tuesday, April 30, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a full committee hearing called "A Focus on Management: Oversight of the Office of Management and Budget." At the hearing, members noted that government performance impacts all Americans – whether it’s securing the border, issuing Social Security checks, or processing student financial aid forms. Members emphasized that the Office of Management Budget (OMB) has failed to prioritize effective, data-driven decisions that would benefit American taxpayers and must begin to take steps to ensure the federal government is operating efficiently. To ensure that the federal government is putting the priorities of Americans first, members pressed OMB Deputy Director for Management Jason Miller on why many federal workers are still not showing up to the office and stressed that the Committee will continue to work to hold OMB accountable.  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services held a hearing titled "Health of the Commercial Real Estate Markets and Removing Regulatory Hurdles to Ensure Continued Strength" to examine the state of the commercial real estate market and discuss how the Biden Administration’s policies and regulations have impacted the marked and increased costs and vacancies.  On Wednesday, May 1, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing called "A Hearing with the President of EcoHealth Alliance, Dr. Peter Daszak." This hearing examined EcoHealth Alliance’s use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as well as hold Dr. Daszak publicly accountable for any and all discrepancies between his closed-door transcribed interview and available evidence. Rules On Monday, April 29, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:
   Science, Space, and Technology On Tuesday, April 30, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a full committee hearing entitled, "An Overview of the Budget Proposal for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2025." During the hearing, Administrator Bill Nelson discussed NASA's current and future programs and answered a variety of questions. The discussion helped members establish priorities and policy direction for the agency, which is particularly important as the committee’s NASA authorization language is being finalized in the coming weeks.   Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party On Monday, April 28, new Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), shared remarks on his vision and top priorities for working alongside Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) to continue countering Chinese Communist Party aggression and promoting American strength around the world. On Thursday, May 2, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party called for a federal inquiry into whether TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, other laws, or its own terms of service when the company fed deceptive information to American children and used them to lobby Congress.   Small Business On Tuesday, April 30, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Under the Microscope: Examining FinCEN’s Implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act." During the hearing, members heard from witnesses how the implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act has been problematic for small businesses and firms that help them with regulatory compliance. It was also emphasized how the Biden Administration has gone beyond the intentions of Congress.    Transportation and Infrastructure This week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO); Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA); House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA); and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced that they reached an agreement on a final bipartisan, bicameral bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit held a hearing called "It’s Electric: A Review of Fleet Electrification Efforts." The hearing focused on the Biden Administration’s efforts to increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on our nation’s roadways, and the infrastructure challenges stemming from that goal. Members used the hearing to highlight the importance of consumer choice and concerns about the practicality of President Biden’s pledge to have 50 percent of all new car sales be EVs by 2030.  On Tuesday, April 30, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held the first of two hearings focused on the Fiscal Year 2025 Maritime Transportation Budget Requests. Tuesday’s hearing examined the budget requests of the federal maritime transportation programs administered by the Maritime Administration and the Federal Maritime Commission. On Wednesday, May 1, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing focused on examining the costs and benefits of FEMA’s increasing emphasis on mitigation. In his opening statement, Chairman Perry expressed concern over the types of mitigation projects that FEMA is choosing to fund. Rep. Perry said, “FEMA can’t solve everyone’s problems, and if FEMA is going to fund mitigation, at the very least the projects should demonstrate they will actually reduce the costs of disasters.”  Veterans Affairs On Wednesday, May 1, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a full committee markup on 22 pieces of legislation. Each of the 22 bills considered at the Full Committee markup came from various subcommittees and would improve the lives of veterans and their families in a unique way. To improve economic opportunity for veterans, legislation was considered to: allow members of the Selective Reserve to receive in-state tuition rates through a waiver, even if they are not residents of that state; change educational entitlement to reduce the financial burden on veterans attending flight schools; increase V.A. Work Study opportunities; and revise the VR&E language to address employment barriers, rather than handicaps. In order to ensure the benefits process is working for veterans and their families, legislation was considered that would: ensure that veterans’ benefits keep pace with inflation; make the V.A. claims and appeals process more understandable and transparent; ensure that V.A. prioritizes the needs of veterans’ survivors, including those who are unaware of the benefits available to them; establish an advisory committee specifically dedicated to resolving accessibility issues for disabled veterans; and finally put a permanent stop to violations of veterans’ due process rights when V.A. assigns them a fiduciary, so that veterans continue seeking care and services from V.A. without the fear of being stripped of their rights. Additional bills were considered to improve the delivery of care at V.A. by: codifying scam and fraud prevention efforts within V.A.; requiring V.A. to develop a system to monitor VA.gov for errors and bugs so veterans have more reliable access to their healthcare and benefits; amending existing law to make clear that if an employee tries to leave V.A. while under investigation to escape accountability, the Secretary must complete the investigation and record if any wrongdoing was substantiated; and authorizing a reasonable and achievable supply chain modernization project – unlike the recklessly ambitious project that V.A. is getting ready to launch. All of the aforementioned bills were reported favorably out of the Committee and are now eligible for consideration on the House floor. Ways and Means On Tuesday, April 30, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee hearing called "Hearing with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen." Ways and Means Republicans warned President Biden’s plan to enact the highest tax increase in American history is completely backwards and will hurt workers, families, farmers, and small businesses already reeling from “Bidenomics.” The President’s proposed budget breaks his pledge to not raise taxes on Americans making less than $400,000. The hearing came a week after President Biden publicly promised to allow the Trump tax cuts to fully expire in 2025. In particular, members warned Secretary Yellen against pursuing the global tax deal currently being negotiated by bureaucrats at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) because it surrenders nearly $200 billion of U.S. profits to foreign governments, cedes America’s competitive edge to China, and bypasses Congress’s constitutional authority. At the same time, Secretary Yellen’s Treasury Department has created a loophole that will allow Chinese billionaires and manufacturers to receive special interest “green” tax handouts, courtesy of American taxpayers.    |