Dear Friends,

Before we kick off this newsletter, I wanted to take a moment to address the recent storms currently impacting much of our region. These storms brought historic amounts of rain, significant flooding and damage to property. Rest assured, my office stands ready to assist Kentuckians recover from any damage caused by this emergency. Thank you to our first responders who have been tirelessly working to keep Kentuckians safe. Please continue exercising caution while traveling and follow local emergency guidance. 

This week, the House is currently scheduled to vote on several pieces of legislation. This includes the No Rogue Rulings Act which would prohibit U.S. district courts from issuing nationwide rulings that impact cases outside of their jurisdiction, and the SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship in order to vote in our federal elections.

In addition to our work on the House floor, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is scheduled to vote on a broad range of legislation, like the TAKE IT DOWN Act, to protect victims, especially children, from real and deepfake ‘revenge pornography,’ and my bill, the SUPPORT Act, to address the opioid crisis. You can read more about our upcoming work below. 

Now on to the latest edition of Brett’s Bulletin! 

Voting to Deliver Results for America:

Over the last two weeks, the House has voted on a variety of bills and resolutions to deliver on our promise of reversing the failed Biden-Harris Administration policies. You can take a look at some of what we voted on below. 

• H.J. Res. 24 – Repealing Biden Department of Energy Regulations on Walk-In Coolers and Freezers
  • H.J. Res 24 passed out of Congress and now heads to President Trump for his signature. Once signed, it will eliminate the Biden Department of Energy’s rule which expanded emissions standards on walk-in freezers and fridges. These burdensome regulations have hurt American small businesses, driving up their cost to do business.
• H.J. Res. 75 – Rescinding Multiple Biden Administration Rules Regulating Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers
  • H.J. Res. 75 passed out of both the House and Senate. If signed into law, it would repeal Biden Administration policies that set energy efficiency standards for commercial fridges and freezers, resulting in high costs for consumers, new burdens for small businesses, and jeopardizing food safety.
• H.R. 1048 – The DETERRENT Act
  • This bill passed by a vote of 241 to 169. If signed into law, this legislation would counter foreign adversaries’ influence on American college and university campuses by increasing transparency and accountability for foreign gift contributions.

One of my top priorities in my capacity as Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is keeping our children safe online. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen digital technologies help bring about new and amazing innovations in our lives. But at the same time, bad actors have misused these technologies to do harm. 

Like so many across Kentucky, I was deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of Elijah Heacock, who heartbreakingly took his own life after falling victim to an online extortion scheme. Our Barren County community will forever remember the void left by Elijah’s passing and working together we will honor his memory.  

Unfortunately, stories like Eli’s occur far too often across our country. I recently spoke during a committee hearing to examine online harms and to honor Eli’s life. You can watch my remarks below. 

Keeping the Lights On: The Importance of Grid Reliability

As a result, half the nation is at risk of power short falls over the next ten years. For all the benefits of all-of-the-above resource policies, the current path that incentivizes a massive renewable build out is putting the electric system out-of-balance and dramatically increasing risk.

A focus on meeting the China challenge raises serious questions about what is really necessary to clear the way in permitting and regulatory policy, which will enable tremendous energy and power growth in the coming years. We can start by recognizing that we are only going to meet this challenge if we fully appreciate the scale and pace of change that will be necessary to ensure a reliable system in the future. You can watch my full remarks by clicking the image above. 

Last week, I authored an op-ed in the Washington Times highlighting my work to expand opportunities for American innovation in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space. To implement AI at the scale necessary to counter China, we must have a flexible, pro-innovation regulatory environment. 

You can read my full Op-Ed by clicking here or on the image above. 

Upcoming Congressional Art Competition Deadline:

A Busy Week Hosting Kentuckians on Spring Break:

I had the opportunity to meet with countless families who made the trip to our nation’s Capitol to see Congress in action, visit monuments and museums, and even see the cherry blossoms in full bloom. We also were visited by several school groups from across the district including Richardsville Elementary, Old Kentucky Home Middle School, West Hardin Middle School, Lost River Elementary, and Alvaton Elementary School. If you are planning a trip to D.C., my office can assist you in booking tours of the Capitol, the White House, and more. You can schedule tours through my office here. 

Meeting with Groups to Grow Our Commonwealth:

In addition to all the visitors touring the Capitol recently, we also had Kentuckians stop by for meetings about the issues that matter most to them. 

It was an honor to host the Knox Regional Development Alliance, the Kentucky Dental Association, the Kentucky Department of Emergency Management, and more!