Upton Chronicles E&C’s Sweeping Bipartisan #RecordOfSuccess in 114th Congress
WASHINGTON, DC – Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) today highlighted the committee’s sweeping #RecordOfSuccess for the 114th Congress.
In the update to committee members, Chairman Upton writes, “Ideas factory. Bipartisan collaboration. Legislative workhorse. Remarkable achievement. Thoughtful tenacity. Thanks to everyone’s collective efforts, these are the traits that have come to define the Energy and Commerce Committee in the 114th Congress. In a polarized Washington where the public sadly expects very little from their representatives, we shattered the trend by working together and delivered an impressive bipartisan Record of Success. The proof is in the pudding. Just look at the numbers…”
Energy and Commerce By the Numbers for the 114th Congress:
- 185 Hearings
- 175 E&C bills and provisions passed the House
- 111 E&C bills and provisions signed into law
- 6 E&C bills vetoed by the president
Upton highlights the committee’s major accomplishments, writing, “We have a lot to be proud of. And it is not just the quantity of our legislative success, but the quality as well. Thoughtful legislating takes time, often years and longer in some cases. We shepherded major new laws in landmark SGR and entitlement reforms to provide certainty for doctors and seniors – an accomplishment that was over a decade in the making. We’ve been able to implement the most meaningful update to issues involving the environment and the economy in decades with the signing of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. We lifted the 40-year-old ban on oil exports, and improved our pipeline safety laws. Robust oversight led to the development and enactment of critical solutions to answer the nation’s opioid crisis, attacking the problem from every angle. And our thoughtful oversight led to the remarkable success we had this Congress in advancing landmark mental health reforms across the finish line after years of painstaking work. And last and certainly not least, the three-year effort to deliver 21st Century Cures paid off, big time.”
The committee’s major legislative priorities passed with overwhelming bipartisan votes in the House:
- SGR repeal (392-37)
- TSCA (403-12)
- 21st Century Cures (392-26)
- Sweeping opioid legislation (407-5)
- Oil exports (included in the 2015 omnibus which passed 316-113)
- Pipeline safety (voice vote)
- Mental health reform (422-2)
Upton also highlights a hallmark of E&C is never let a legislative opportunity go to waste, always always looking for opportunities to advance the committee’s work:
- Opioid package – included 12 committee bills
- Budget deal - included SPR, spectrum, and health reforms
- Highway bill – 9 provisions total – 5 to boost energy security (also included in HR 8) and several auto safety provisions
- Omnibus – included big wins with Oil exports, cures funding, health care for 911 first responders, and 5 public health wins
- 21st Century Cures – included Cures package, landmark mental health reform, and critical resources to fight the opioid epidemic
- The WIIN Act – included coal ash reforms, as well as improvements to ensure safe drinking water and resources for Flint, Michigan
In the report, Upton breaks down the committee’s accomplishments into four distinct categories:
- Advancing Public Health
- Advancing Affordable Energy
- Modernizing Government for 21st Century Jobs
- Protecting and Empowering Consumers
Upton concludes, “Across the board, we had great success. … We have a better way, and should all be proud of this #RecordOfSuccess.”
Read the full report HERE.
View the committee’s #RecordOfSuccess HERE.
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