Washington, D.C. - Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced today that the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a full Committee markup on Wednesday, July 17, at 9:30 am in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The Committee will markup 26 bills approved by four of its subcommittees.
“This week, the Committee will continue to put consumers first by addressing annoying robocalls, dangerous consumer products, prescription drug pricing transparency and surprise medical bills," Pallone said. “We’ll invest in energy efficiency, which will create good-paying jobs, save consumers money and help us combat climate change by reducing carbon pollution. We’ll also improve health care for all Americans by reauthorizing critical public health and Medicare programs and make our nation’s energy infrastructure more secure."
The Committee will consider the following bills on Wednesday:
Proposal to Combat Robocalls:
H.R. 3375, the “Stopping Bad Robocalls Act," introduced by Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA), and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-OH), would require the Federal Communications Commission to adopt critical consumer protections, require all carriers, over time, to implement a new technology to make sure that caller-ID information is appropriately authenticated with no additional line item charge for consumers on their bill, allow the blocking of calls in a reasonable manner without an extra charge, and more.
Proposals to Protect American Families from Dangerous Products:
H.R. 2211, the “Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act" or the “STURDY Act," introduced by Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to prevent them from tipping over onto children.
H.R. 3172, the “Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2019," introduced by Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), would prohibit the manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribution in commerce, or import of inclined sleepers for infants.
H.R. 3170, the “Safe Cribs Act of 2019," introduced by Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), would prohibit the manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribution in commerce, or import of crib bumpers.
H.R. 1618, the “Nicholas and Zachary Burt Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Earl L. “Buddy" Carter (R-GA), would direct CPSC to establish a grant program for states to purchase and install carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units of low-income families or the elderly; facilities that commonly serve children or the elderly, including childcare facilities, public schools, and senior centers; or dwelling units owned by public universities, and to assist in enforcement and education efforts related to carbon monoxide alarms.
H.R. 806, the “Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH), would direct CPSC to issue a consumer product safety rule to require flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers.
H.R. 2647, the “Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act" or “SOFFA," introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), would adopt the California upholstered furniture flammability standard, known as Technical Bulletin 117-2013, as a national flammability standard for upholstered furniture.
Proposals to Improve Energy Efficiency, Energy Sector Jobs and Infrastructure Security:
H.R. 1315, the “Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2019," introduced by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), would establish energy workforce development by creating “a comprehensive nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries" to encourage underrepresented groups-including religious and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, and returning citizens-to enter the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. An amendment in the nature of a substitute (AINS) will be offered to this legislation during the Committee markup.
H.R. 2665, the “Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), would establish a smart energy and water efficiency management program at the Department of Energy (DOE) to award grants to eligible entities to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that would increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems, among other things.
H.R. 2044, the “Smart Building Acceleration Act," introduced by Reps. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), would require DOE to conduct a survey of smart buildings across the country and then select at least one building from an appropriate range of building sizes and types to be evaluated for further assessment, and require the development of a smart building initiative, under the umbrella of the DOE Better Buildings challenge, to demonstrate policies and approaches that facilitate the transition to smart buildings.
H.R. 359, the “Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act," introduced by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) and Bob Latta (R-OH), would direct the Secretary of Energy to create and implement a program to enhance the physical and cyber security of electric utilities.
H.R. 360, the “Cyber Sense Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Jerry McNerney (D-CA), would require the Secretary of Energy to establish the Cyber Sense Program to identify cyber-secure products that could be used in the bulk-power system.
H.R. 362, the “Energy Emergency Leadership Act," introduced by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), would create a new DOE Assistant Secretary position with jurisdiction over all energy emergency and security functions related to energy supply, infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
H.R. 370, the “Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act," introduced by Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Fred Upton (R- MI) and Rep. David Loebsack (D-IA), would establish a program at DOE to create policies and procedures to improve the physical and cyber security and resiliency of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities.
H.R. 2088, a bill to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reauthorize the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, and for other purposes, introduced by Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and Marc Veasey (D-TX), would reauthorize the program that provides grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to assist their efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions and conserve energy.
H.R. 2041, the “Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act," introduced by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), would update the 1976 DOE Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and would reauthorize the program at $350 million per year from Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 through FY 2024.
H.R. 2119, a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize grants for improving the energy efficiency of public buildings, and for other purposes, introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), would amend Section 125(c) of EPAct05, which established a grant program, implemented by DOE, to provide grants for states to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings and facilities, to authorize $100 million each year from FY 2021-2025.
Proposals to Reauthorize Public Health and Medicare Programs, Improve Drug Pricing Transparency, Provide Medicaid Funding for the U.S. Territories & Address Surprise Billing:
H.R. 2781, the “Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019" or the “EMPOWER for Health Act of 2019," introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Burgess (R-TX), would provide a five-year reauthorization for the Public Health Service Act Title VII health care workforce development grant programs, including Area Health Education Centers, and Health Professions Training for Diversity.
H.R. 728, the “Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. David Joyce (R-OH), Doris Matsui (D-CA), David McKinley (R-WV), Kathy Castor (D-FL), and others, would reauthorize federal nursing workforce development grant programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for five years.
H.R. 1058, the “Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2019" or the “Autism CARES Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA), would reauthorize funding for programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and HRSA through FY 2024. An AINS will be offered to this legislation during the Committee markup.
H.R. 2507, the “Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Michael Simpson (R-ID), and others, would reauthorize newborn screening programs for five years with appropriations of $60.65 million per year through FY 2024.
H.R. 776, the “Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Kathy Castor (D-FL), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Chris Stewart (R-UT), would reauthorize the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program at $22.3 million dollars each year through FY 2024.
H.R. 2035, the “Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2019," introduced by Reps. James Langevin (D-RI) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), would reauthorize the Lifespan Respite Care program at $20 million in FY 2020, and increase the funding level by ten million dollars each year thereafter through FY 2024.
H.R. 2296, the “More Efficient Tools to Realize Information for Consumers Act" or the “METRIC Act," introduced by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Francis Rooney (R-FL), would require certain drug manufacturers to submit documentation to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) before increasing the price of a qualifying drug. The bill was amended in Subcommittee and includes provisions from the following bills: H.R. 2115, the “Public Disclosures of Drug Discounts Act," introduced by Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Jodey Arrington (R-TX); H.R. 2376, the “Prescription Pricing for the People Act," introduced by Reps. Doug Collins (R-GA) and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY); H.R. 2064, the “Sunshine for Samples Act," introduced by Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Devin Nunes (R-CA); H.R. 2087, the “Drug Price Transparency Act," introduced by Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).
H.R. 2328, the “Reauthorizing and Extending America’s Community Health Act" or the “REACH Act," introduced by Reps. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would reauthorize and extend funding for community health centers through the Community Health Center Fund (CHC Fund), the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, the Special Diabetes Program and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, Family to Family Health Information Centers, the Personal Responsibility Education Program, the Sexual Risk Avoidance Program, and extensions of certain expiring Medicare programs.
An AINS is expected to be offered to H.R. 2328, which will incorporate H.R. 3631, the “Territories Health Care Improvement Act," introduced by Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), which would increase Medicaid funding for the U.S. Territories and increase the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), and H.R. 3630, the “No Surprises Act," introduced by Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), which would remove the “surprise" from billing by completely protecting patients from emergency situations, patients who did not specifically choose to see an out of network physician for scheduled care, and patients in situations where there is no in-network provider available to treat them.
Proposal to Improve Pipeline Safety:
H.R. 3432, the “Safer Pipelines Act of 2019," introduced by Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL), would reauthorize the federal pipeline safety program, which expires on Sept. 30, 2019, and make changes to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) enforcement regime.
Information for this markup, including the Committee Memorandum, electronic copies of the legislation and any amendments, and a link to the live webcast will be posted HERE as they become available.
