WASHINGTON, DC - The House Energy and Commerce Committee today announced its hearing and vote schedule for the week of July 30. The committee will consider several pieces of legislation to eliminate government waste and protect taxpayers, families, and job-creators. The committee will also hold hearings to compare energy development on federal and non-federal lands, and to examine consumer product safety issues.
On Tuesday (opening statements only) and Wednesday, the full committee will hold a markup to consider the following legislation:
* H.R. 6213, the “No More Solyndras Act";
* H.R. 6190, the “Asthma Inhalers Relief Act";
* H.R. 6194, the “U.S. Agricultural Sector Relief Act";
* S. 710, the “Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act"; and
* H.R. 6131, a bill to extend the Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers Beyond Borders Act of 2006 (SAFE WEB Act)
H.R. 6213, the “No More Solyndras Act," will phase out the Department of Energy’s mismanaged loan guarantee program and provide taxpayers strong new protections for any pending applications in the program. The legislation provides greater loan guarantee transparency and prohibits DOE from restructuring the terms of any loan guarantee without Treasury consultation. Like current law, the legislation also forbids the subordination of U.S. taxpayers’ dollars to any other investors. The Energy and Power Subcommittee approved the legislation after adopting an amendment offered by Rep. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) that would subject senior federal employees and federal appointees to penalties, including suspension without pay and removal, for violations of any requirements of the Title XVII loan guarantee program, including the subordination of taxpayers’ interests to private investors.
H.R. 6190, the “Asthma Inhalers Relief Act," seeks to provide asthma patients with access to remaining inventories of the over-the-counter asthma inhaler known as Primatene Mist, which has been phased out in the U.S. under the Montreal Protocol, and Title VI of the Clean Air Act. An estimated two million asthma sufferers in the United States relied on this affordable medication before the ban went into effect, and no over-the-counter replacement is currently available.
H.R. 6194, the “U.S. Agricultural Sector Relief Act," directs the EPA to seek critical use exemptions under the Montreal Protocol treaty process to ensure the availability of the crop fumigant methyl bromide where no viable alternative is available. For decades, methyl bromide was widely used for cultivation of crops like strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and flowers, and at mills and food storage and processing facilities, but recent shortages have been caused by rigid EPA regulations.
S.710, the “Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act," is a commonsense solution that will modernize the way the federal government and states track the shipment of hazardous waste. The legislation calls for replacing the current paper-based tracking system with an electronic system, which would help reduce paper work, streamline processes, and eliminate government waste. The transition to an electronic tracking system could save over $100 million annually.
H.R. 6131 will reauthorize the U.S. Safe Web Act, which is set to expire next year, to ensure Americans continue to be protected from threats of cross-border fraud, spam, and spyware.
The committee will convene on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 for opening statements only, and will reconvene on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 to consider the legislation. Electronic copies of the bills can be found on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website here. A background memo, amendments, and votes will be available at the same link as they become available.
On Thursday, Aug. 2, the Subcommittee on Energy and Power will continue its hearing on The American Energy Initiative with a focus on the growing disparities in energy development on federal vs. non-federal lands. Energy production has grown significantly on non-federal lands, spurring job creation and economic growth, while development on federal lands has lagged. The subcommittee will hear testimony from the relevant federal agencies as well as state and private stakeholders. A Majority Memorandum, witness list, and testimony will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.
Also on Thursday, Aug. 2, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on “Oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission" with CPSC Chairman Inez Moore Tenenbaum and CPSC Commissioners Nancy Nord, Robert Adler, and Anne Meagher Northup. Last summer, President Obama signed into law H.R. 2715, a bill to provide the Consumer Product Safety Commission with greater authority and discretion in enforcing consumer product safety laws. This law, which makes important and necessary modifications to reduce the burdens of the troubled Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, is approaching its one-year anniversary. At next week’s hearing, members and the commissioners will discuss the CPSC’s progress implementing the changes made by H.R. 2715, as well as other emerging consumer product issues. A Majority Memorandum and witness testimony will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.
Hearing and Vote Details:
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
4:00 p.m. (Opening Statements Only)
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Markup of:
* H.R. 6213, the “No More Solyndras Act";
* H.R. 6190, the “Asthma Inhalers Relief Act";
* H.R. 6194, the “U.S. Agricultural Sector Relief Act";
* S. 710, the “Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act"; and
* H.R. 6131, a bill to extend the Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers Beyond Borders Act of 2006 (SAFE WEB Act).
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012
10:00 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Reconvening of full committee markup
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012
9:00 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Energy and Power
Hearing on “The American Energy Initiative: A Focus on Growing Differences for Energy Development on Federal vs. Non-Federal Lands"
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012
9:30 a.m.
2322 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
Hearing on “Oversight of the Consumer Product Safety Commission"
