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Washington, DC– Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, penned an op-ed in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer about the work the Energy and Commerce Committee has accomplished and will continue to work on this Congress.

“The Energy and Commerce Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee in the House, ranging from Medicaid reform and pharmaceuticals to auto safety and grid security. As such, I am in a unique position to advocate for the Second District on a variety of issues, including addressing our nation’s opioid epidemic, improving public safety and protecting consumers’ data,” wrote Guthrie. “Our country faces many pressing issues, and our work in Congress will never be done. I am proud to sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which is doing so much good for Kentuckians. I look forward for the great work to come so far this year.”

Congressman Guthrie serves as vice chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee. He is also a member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology and the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Click here to read the full piece in the Messenger-Inquirer. You can read the piece below. 

Serving Kentuckians from the Energy and Commerce Committee
 

As the second session of the 115th Congress ramps up, I am excited to share with you the many things my committee, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has accomplished and will continue working on this Congress to serve Kentuckians. The Energy and Commerce Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee in the House, ranging from Medicaid reform and pharmaceuticals to auto safety and grid security. As such, I am in a unique position to advocate for the Second District on a variety of issues, including addressing our nation's opioid epidemic, improving public safety and protecting consumers' data.

The opioid epidemic is taking a devastating toll in every corner of our district. Sadly, life expectancy in the United States has actually gone down because of rampant opioid addiction and deaths across the country. Kentucky has been hit particularly hard, but our committee has been working hard to fight back. Last Congress our committee passed sweeping legislation to devote significant resources toward combating this crisis in our communities, while ensuring that the executive branch is doing its job to establish programs that are needed to help those suffering from addiction.

We have been working closely with the White House, which has made this issue a top priority, to ensure proper resources are delivered to the states that need it the most, including Kentucky. Our first full committee hearing of this Congress focused exclusively on what more needs to be done to save our country from this tragic epidemic. Later this month, we are taking the next step by looking at new legislation that will continue to combat this crisis, and I look forward to more hearings and legislative action as we tackle this issue.

Another committee focus has been improving our public safety technology infrastructure. Our society has become increasingly dependent on wireless technology -- just think of what you can do from the push of a button on your smartphone. It is vital for the safety of our communities to ensure that 9-1-1 services keep up with new innovation. Congress established the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) program in 2012 to update this emergency technology throughout the country. Kentucky is one of the states that has adopted a statewide NG911 plan, an important step toward implementation.

While work still remains to realize the full life-saving potential of this technology nationwide, and with many decisions being made at the state and local level, we in Congress are committed to doing our part to support the realization of state- and nationwide Next Generation 911. One piece of the NG911 effort that I have advocated for is a ready and reliable supply of "spectrum," the invisible radio waves that power wireless technology. Our committee has explored the incredible ways that wireless and other advanced technologies can be applied to emergency services, and I'm excited to see these various ideas implemented over the next several years.

Spectrum can also be used commercially. I have introduced two other bills to make more spectrum frequencies available for commercial use, which would be a huge benefit to consumers. Smartphone and Wi-Fi users across Kentucky crave better and faster wireless service for streaming video, using social media, and processing business data. As this demand for wireless applications continues to rise, whether it's for public safety, business, or consumer uses, we in Congress will continue working to make more spectrum available.

Along with the boom in technological innovation and the more we rely on Internet-connected devices, the more we need to think about protecting the data that is collected through online platforms. I have heard from many residents in particular about the Equifax data breach last year that affected millions of consumers' personal information. That level of data breach is simply unacceptable, and unfortunately, such breaches have become increasingly more common. The Energy and Commerce Committee has been working hard to hold companies accountable for protecting their customers' information. My subcommittee on consumer protection held a hearing with the former Equifax CEO, where I had the opportunity to press him on how they allowed such a massive breach to occur, and how they intend to regain consumer trust. Credit reporting agencies play a significant role in our financial system, and if they lose consumer trust, it will be very difficult to avoid upsetting the system. We on the committee are committed to continuing these investigations on behalf of consumers and will consider introducing legislation as needed.

Another major concern for my committee, and a priority shared by President Trump, is addressing the health needs of consumers, and this includes the price of prescription drugs. We have seen unfortunate situations such as the case of the Epipen, which suddenly spiked in price leaving parents unable to purchase lifesaving drugs for their children. I have personally introduced legislation that would allow pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies to communicate more about prescription drugs and their cost. This may seem like a small step toward solving a much larger problem, but allowing more information to be shared about drugs that are being developed means insurance companies can better prepare to pay for them and can make them accessible to patients faster.

If a revolutionary new drug is approved halfway through the year, I want to make sure that insurance companies will pay for it as soon as it hits the market -- rather than making patients pay exorbitant prices out of pocket until insurance companies have a chance to review the developments. This bill recently passed the Subcommittee on Health, and the full Energy and Commerce Committee is working on passing it along with additional legislation to help lower drug prices.

In addition to my bill on pharmaceutical communication, I have worked with my colleagues on the committee to introduce multiple pieces of legislation on various topics that will help Kentuckians. My Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (EDHI) was signed into law by President Trump in October, and the EPS Improvement Act was signed by the president on Jan.12. The EHDI bill ensures that this important program to screen newborns for hearing loss will continue, and the EPS bill fixes a Department of Energy regulation that prevented manufacturers from developing more energy efficient appliances. Most recently, I introduced a bill that would establish a national map of broadband internet availability -- a crucial first step toward identifying underserved areas to get those areas connected to the internet. These may seem small or lack the national attention certain other issues attract in the public eye, but I am confident they will make a difference in the lives of Second District residents.

That is why I am here and why I worked hard for a seat on the most active and longest-standing committee in Congress -- so I would have the opportunity to serve the Second District through meaningful oversight and legislation. Our country faces many pressing issues, and our work in Congress will never be done. I am proud to sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which is doing so much good for Kentuckians. I look forward for the great work to come so far this year.

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