WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce announced its hearing and vote schedule for the week of May 13, 2013. The committee will mark up three pieces of legislation pertaining to electric reliability, animal drug user fees, and the security of our nation’s prescription drug supply. The Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee will examine steps to protect our nation’s elderly population from fraud, while the Subcommittees on Energy and Power and Environment and the Economy will hear from the EPA on the agency’s FY2014 budget. Finally, the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing on three important bills to modernize existing federal law and increase state authority for certain environmental regulations.
On Tuesday, May 14, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold opening statements for a mark up on the Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2013 (H.R. 271), the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2013 (H.R. 1407), and the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act of 2013 (H.R. 1919). The full committee will reconvene on Wednesday, May 15 to consider the legislation. A background memo, legislative text, amendments, and votes will be posted here as they become available.
* H.R. 271, authored by Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX), will ensure America’s power companies are able to comply with DOE emergency orders to maintain grid reliability without facing penalties for violating potentially conflicting environmental laws.
* H.R. 1407, authored by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) and Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), would reauthorize two successful user fee programs, the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA), that expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2013. Reauthorization of these programs is essential to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can continue the timely review of new and generic animal drugs. The programs have ensured that veterinarians, livestock and poultry producers, and pet owners have access to the drugs they need to keep their animals healthy.
* H.R. 1919, co-authored by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), would enhance the security of the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain for America’s patients while preventing duplicative federal and state requirements from saddling drug manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and pharmacies. Further, the legislation would establish a collaborative, transparent process between the FDA and stakeholders in order to better understand how and when to move to unit-level traceability.
On Thursday, May 16, the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Fraud on the Elderly: A Growing Concern for a Growing Population." With America’s baby boomers beginning to enter retirement, the subcommittee will examine current and future fraud threats to seniors and the trends federal consumer protection and law enforcement agencies expect. Members will hear from expert witnesses from the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Government Accountability Office on federal efforts to combat fraud targeting America’s seniors, including expanded consumer outreach and enforcement. Additional government witnesses may be added.as they are posted.
Also on Thursday, the Energy and Power Subcommittee and the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee will hold a joint hearing on “The Fiscal Year 2014 Environmental Protection Agency Budget." Members will review the president’s FY2014 EPA Budget Request and discuss the agency’s agenda. EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe will be the only witness.as they are posted.
On Friday, the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine three legislative proposals: the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act, the Federal and State Partnership for Environmental Protection Act, and the Federal Facility Accountability Act. These three bills seek to modernize existing federal law and increase state authority for certain environmental regulations. The legislative proposals incorporate ideas learned from past subcommittee hearings, including the Feb. 15, 2013, hearing on “The Role of the States in Protecting the Environment." The discussion drafts, the Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
HEARING AND VOTE DETAILS:
Tuesday, May 14
4 p.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Markup of the Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act of 2013 (H.R. 271), the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2013 (H.R. 1407) and the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act of 2013 (H.R. 1919) (Opening Statements Only)
Wednesday, May 15
10 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Reconvening of markup on H.R. 271, H.R. 1407, and H.R. 1919
Thursday, May 16
9:45 a.m.
2322 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
Hearing on “Fraud on the Elderly: A Growing Concern for a Growing Population"
Thursday, May 16
10 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Energy and Power with the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
Hearing on “The Fiscal Year 2014 Environmental Protection Agency Budget"
Friday, May 17
10 a.m.
2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
Legislative hearing on the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act, the Federal and State Partnership for Environmental Protection Act, and the Federal Facility Accountability Act
