Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gary Palmer, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, announced on April 15 a hearing titled "Help or Hindrance? The Impact of U.S. Environmental Laws on Critical Material Supply Chains, National Security, and Economic Growth."
The upcoming hearing aims to examine how current environmental regulations affect the ability of American manufacturers to produce chemicals and critical materials needed for new technologies. Lawmakers say this discussion is important for maintaining national security, supporting economic growth, and ensuring competitiveness in manufacturing.
Guthrie and Palmer said in a joint statement: "America cannot lead the development of new technologies if we cannot produce the chemicals and critical materials that our businesses depend on. Our nation’s environmental laws were written for a different era, and now, it’s essential that we address the burdensome and unworkable regulations that are jeopardizing the ability of our nation’s manufacturers to create jobs." They added: "This hearing will examine how we can modernize TSCA, the Clean Air Act, and other environmental laws to strengthen domestic supply chains, advance commonsense reforms, and keep American manufacturing competitive for generations to come."
The Subcommittee on Environment will hold this public hearing at 2:00 PM ET on Wednesday, April 22 at Room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The event will be open to both press and public with live streaming available online.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible for legislation related to energy policy, health care issues, environmental protection measures as well as telecommunications matters according to its official website. Over time it has played a role in shaping policies such as energy innovation initiatives, broadband expansion efforts, pharmaceutical pricing rules according to its official website, while also being recognized as one of Congress's oldest standing committees according to its official website. Its origins date back to 1795 when it was established as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures according to its official website.
Observers expect further discussions about reforming major environmental statutes like TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) or the Clean Air Act following this session.
