Energy-H

Energy and Commerce

**Members: Kacey, Hannah, Zach** **Sub Committees:** **Member: Kacey** **Health- Public health and quarantine; hospital construction; mental health and research; biomedical programs and health protection in general, including public and private health insurance; Food and drugs; and, Drug abuse. **

** BiLLS: ** ** Section 4101(a) of PPACA, authorizes the Secretary to award grants to support the construction of school-based health centers. However, it prohibits using the funds for personnel or to provide health services. In addition, the president’s budget did not request funds for a grant program to provide health care services. H.R. 1214, authored by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), eliminates this subsection and rescinds any unobligated funds. **

**Oversight and Investigations- Responsibility for oversight of agencies, departments, and programs within the jurisdiction of the full committee, and for conducting investigations within such jurisdiction. **
 * Member: Hannah **

** BILLS : ****A bill for an act relating to the use of bisphenol A in certain products and providing penalties.** **Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is an organic compound. It is used to make polycarbonate plastic along with other applications. Concerns about the use of bisphenol A in consumer products were regularly reported in the news media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, encouraging some retailers to remove products containing it from their shelves. A 2010 report from the United States FDA raised further concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants and young children. In September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA as a toxic substance. But some people still use is putting people as risk.**

**Member: Zach** **Communications and Technology- Interstate and foreign telecommunications including, but not limited to, all telecommunication and information transmission by broadcast, radio, wire, microwave, satellite, or other mode. **

** BiLLS: ****The Federal Communications Commission has set a goal of ensuring that 100 million U.S. homes have affordable access to broadband by 2015. ** **NTIA chief Lawrence Strickling and RUS administrator Jonathan Adelstein testified at the hearing. Both said that they welcomed the spirit of the bill, but added that its provisions are consistent with the agencies’ standard processes and current U.S. law. Walden said that the bill provides important oversight of the programs and will “prevent misspent funds and fraud.” Other members of the subcommittee have argued that those measures are already on the books. After the bill passed, subcommittee ranking member Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) said the new measure was redundant. “We passed a bill which is already law and current Agency practice,” she said in a statement. “There are real issues the Subcommittee should be addressing to improve the economy, spur competition, and enhance public safety. After three months, four hearings, and two mark-up s, the Subcommittee has yet to consider a single bill that will actually help the American people.” **