News Releases
Today Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman released two Dear Colleague letters urging members to vote in opposition to amendments offered by Rep. David McKinley and Rep. John Shimkus to H.R. 4435, the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. McKinley’s amendment denies the harm of carbon pollution and tells the Defense Department to ignore the impacts climate change will have on our national security. Rep. Shimkus’s amendment jeopardizes an open Internet and calls into question Congress’s commitment to a global multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance.
Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman issued the following statement today in response to the Federal Communications Commission's adoption of a Report and Order implementing the broadcast incentive auction:
Today Rep. Waxman and Rep. Brownley, joined by thirteen California Democrats, sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki requesting information on the “face-to-face” audit of all Department of Veterans Affairs clinics, particularly seeking additional details on the audit of the Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. The members also requested a briefing on the VA Inspector General’s review and findings regarding allegations of destruction of medical files at the Greater Los Angeles Medical Center.
Today Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler urging the FCC to move forward with a vote on proposed net neutrality rules this week. Rep. Waxman supports Chairman Wheeler's proposal to seek comment on adopting no blocking and nondiscrimination rules based on the FCC's authority under Section 706 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, but calls on the FCC to also propose using its authority under Title II of the 1996 Telecommunications Act as a backup to ensure the rules survive a potential court challenge.
Today Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman wrote to Chairman Upton requesting that – in the wake of NBA owner Don Sterling's ban for life for racist comments – the Committee hold a hearing to examine another instance of racial insensitivity in sports: the use of the derogatory term “Redskins” as the name of the Washington football team.
Today the Democrat members of the Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter to Chairman Fred Upton requesting a hearing on the third National Climate Assessment, released earlier this week. The National Climate Assessment is the most authoritative statement of the science on climate change impacts in the United States, and it confirms that climate change is real, is being caused by humans, and is already harming communities across America.
Today Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman released the following statement on the Department of Health and Human Services report on patient safety, reductions in costs, and improvements in quality in the Medicare program:
Today the Democratic Staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee released a memo to Democratic members and staff regarding 13 identified areas of false or misleading claims by Republicans regarding the Affordable Care Act.
Today Ranking Member Waxman released the following statement on the release of the National Climate Assessment:
Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman distributed the following dear colleague today on the sucess of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program: