Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Richard Hudson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced on July 21 a legislative hearing focused on protecting communications networks and improving connectivity. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET in Room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Chairmen Guthrie and Hudson said, “Bad actors, whether adversarial nations or agents of chaos, often seek to exploit communications networks to carry out their objectives, so it is imperative that we in Congress do our part to secure our nation’s communications networks and ensure that every American has access to the reliable connectivity that underpins the digital economy. This hearing will give Members the opportunity to examine legislation that aims to protect Americans from foreign threats, such as China, cut down on scammers and bad actors using illegal robocalls to target Americans, and expand access to the reliable broadband needed for the 21st Century economy. We look forward to discussing and examining these bipartisan proposals as we work to keep families and businesses safe and connected.”
The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will consider several bills during this session: H.R. 9129 (GUARD Act), H.R. 6152 (Foreign Robocall Elimination Act), H.R. 1027 (QUIET Act), H.R. 7294 (AI for Secure Networks Act), H.R. 2805 (PLAN for Broadband Act), and H.R. 4950 (Data BRIDGE Act). The hearing will be open to both the public and press with a live stream available online at energycommerce.house.gov.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee addresses legislation concerning energy policy, health care matters, environmental protection efforts, telecommunications regulation, consumer issues such as product safety standards; it also influences areas like energy innovation initiatives, broadband deployment strategies across communities nationwide as well as pharmaceutical pricing policies, according to the official website.
As one of the oldest standing committees in Congress tracing its origins back to its formation in 1795 as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures, according to its official website, this committee continues shaping major policy decisions affecting Americans’ daily lives.