House Energy and Commerce Committee
Republicans Press Release
9/9/2011
WASHINGTON, DC – The House Energy and Commerce Committee today announced its schedule for the week of September 12. The committee will continue its focus on the impact of burdensome regulations on American job creators and consumers. Additionally, the committee will continue its investigation into Solyndra and the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program.
On Tuesday, September 13, the Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a markup on two key pieces of regulatory relief legislation: H.R. 2250, the “EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011,” and H.R. 2681, the “Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011.” A background memo and amendments will be posted here when they are available.
On Wednesday, September 14, the Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold the twelfth day of its hearing on “The American Energy Initiative.” The hearing will focus on the implications of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new and proposed power sector regulations on the reliability of the nation’s grid. Witness list available here.
Also on Wednesday, September 14, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on “Solyndra and the DOE Loan Guarantee Program” as part of its seven month investigation into DOE’s $535 million stimulus loan guarantee to the now-bankrupt solar company. Solyndra was awarded the first stimulus DOE loan in the spring of 2009 and has been widely promoted as a stimulus jobs “success story” ever since, with President Obama visiting the plant in May 2010. Solyndra was the subject of an FBI raid on September 8, 2011. Despite partisan roadblocks and repeated pushback, protest, and misleading claims on Solyndra’s viability by administration officials, company executives, and Congressional Democrats, the Energy and Commerce Committee has continued investigating the highly publicized loan guarantee. A list of invited witnesses is available here.
On Thursday, September 15, the Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on “Cutting the Red Tape: Saving Jobs from PPACA’s Harmful Regulations.” The hearing will focus on protecting the health plans that Americans currently have and like from disappearing or being forced to change because of Obamacare’s rigid “grandfathering” regulations that significantly restrict protections for existing plans. The subcommittee will also discuss legislation that protects jobs by repealing the Medical Loss Ratio requirements included in the health care law. A witness list and background information will be available here when it is posted.
Also on Thursday, September 15, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on “Internet Privacy: The Impact and Burden of EU Regulation.” The hearing will focus on the EU’s privacy and data collection regulations and how they have impacted the internet economy. A witness list and background information will be available here when it is posted.
The schedules and locations of hearings is at EnergyCommerce.House.gov
Related: Chu Hands Out Another $1.2 Billion in Loan Guarantees To Another Solar Company
