Look Ahead: Committee Announces Hearing and Vote Schedule for Week of July 15

The following press release was published by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 12, 2013. It is reproduced in full below.

WASHINGTON, DC - The House Energy and Commerce Committee today announced its hearing and markup schedule for the week of July 15, 2013. Beginning on Tuesday, the Subcommittee on Health will consider ideas for reforming the regulation of drug compounding. Also on Tuesday, the full committee will begin its markup of six important energy, health, and jobs bills. Thursday, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will explore the federal government’s role in protecting consumers after data breaches and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will discuss the Obama administration’s recent decisions to delay Obamacare’s employer mandate and to scale back verification of exchange applicants’ information.

On Tuesday, July 16, the Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on “Reforming the Drug Compounding Regulatory Framework." The hearing will examine potential legislative options for reforming the regulation of drug compounding and clarifying the authority of state and federal regulators. The subcommittee previously examined drug compounding on May 23, and the ongoing effort builds on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee’s investigation into the deadly fungal meningitis outbreak stemming from tainted steroid injections produced by the New England Compounding Center. The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and bill text are posted here. Witness testimony will be available at the same link as they are posed.

Also on Tuesday, July 16, the Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold opening statements for a markup of six bills. The full committee will reconvene on Wednesday, July 17, to consider the following pieces of legislation:

· H.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, authored by Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), will help protect consumers by increasing transparency for major EPA regulations that may drive up energy costs and destroy jobs. It requires that before EPA finalizes any new energy-related rules estimated to cost more than $1 billion, the agency must submit a report to Congress detailing certain cost, benefit, energy price, and job impacts, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with other relevant agencies, must make a determination regarding the impacts of the rule. EPA would be prohibited from finalizing certain rules if the rule is determined to cause significant adverse effects to the economy.

· H.R. 1900, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act, authored by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS), is a bill to help expedite and modernize the federal review process for interstate natural gas pipeline permits. The legislation helps facilitate the construction of new pipelines needed to help transport the nation’s growing natural gas supply to markets and consumers. To do this, the bill sets reasonable deadlines for review and helps hold agencies involved in the permitting process accountable.

· H.R. 83, authored by Rep. Donna Christensen (D- VI), would require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States through the development of energy action plans aimed at increasing the use of energy resources, and for other purposes.

· H.R. 2094, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, authored by Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN), would amend the Children’s Asthma Treatment Grants Program and other asthma programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to aid in preparing schools to treat allergic reactions.

· H.R. 698, the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE Act), authored by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), would eliminate the restriction on acquiring HIV-positive organs in order to permit research on transplants involving HIV-positive individuals. In June, the Senate passed similar legislation, S. 330, which was introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Tom Coburn (R-OK).

· H.R. 2052, the Global Investment in American Jobs Act, co-authored by Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Lee Terry (R-NE) and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), seeks to increase the United States’ share of foreign direct investment and create jobs.

Electronic copies of the legislation 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 are posted.

On Thursday, July 18, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on “Reporting Data Breaches: Is Federal Legislation Needed to Protect Consumers?" Cyber attacks and security breaches are on the rise, putting the personal and sensitive information of American consumers and businesses at greater risk. The Federal Trade Commission estimates nine million Americans a year are victims of identity theft. This hearing will explore the federal government’s role in protecting consumers after data breaches and discuss whether a need exists for a federal breach notification regime.as they are posted.

Also on Thursday, July 18, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implementation in the Wake of Administrative Delay." The hearing, part of the committee’s ongoing investigation into the delays, seeks to provide transparency and demand answers regarding these significant changes to the already massive and intrusive health care law.as they are posted.

Hearing and Vote Details:

Tuesday, July 16

3 p.m.