About E&C
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest continuous standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. It was originally established in 1795 to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.
Today, the Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any authorizing committee in Congress. It legislates on a wide variety of issues, including:
- health care, including mental health and substance abuse
- health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid
- biomedical research and development
- food, drug, device and cosmetic safety
- environmental protection
- clean air and climate change
- safe drinking water
- toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
- national energy policy
- renewable energy and conservation
- nuclear facilities
- electronic communications and the internet
- broadcast and cable television
- privacy, cybersecurity and data security
- consumer protection and product safety
- motor vehicle safety
- travel, tourism and sports
- interstate and foreign commerce
The Committee also oversees several federal departments and agencies, including:
- Department of Health and Human Services
- National Institutes of Health
- Food and Drug Administration
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Indian Health Service
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Department of Energy
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Federal Communications Commission
- Federal Trade Commission
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Homeland Security
In the current 116th Congress, the Committee includes 55 members – 24 Republicans and 31 Democrats.