Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) made the advancement of the U.S. economy and the safety of the country’s citizens his top priorities during the 113th session of Congress.
As chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Upton led the bipartisan group in sponsoring 32 bills into law and sending another 52 to be voted on by the Senate.
While Upton wishes the Senate would act more swiftly on the committee’s bills, he is happy with what the committee has been able to accomplish so far.
“I am incredibly proud of the bipartisan success that the Energy and Commerce Committee has demonstrated over the 113th Congress,” Upton said in an interview with the Ripon Advance. “Our members have proven that we are able to work together on legislative solutions that have a profound effect on the lives of families in each of our districts and all across the country. It is this success that makes me optimistic for what the coming years will hold, not the least of which will be continued progress on the 21st Century Cures initiative.”
The 21st Century Cures initiative is expected to yield new legislative proposals to improve biomedical research and innovation when Congress reconvenes in January.
One of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s successes during the 113th Congress was the Drug Quality and Security Act, authored by Upton and signed into law in November 2013. The law gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the ability to better ensure the safety and effectiveness of the complex drugs that are compounded in pharmacies.
The committee also sponsored the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which was signed into law on July 22. The act updated the 1998 Workforce Investment Act and improved job training for America’s workforce.
In addition to his work with the Energy and Commerce Committee, Upton authored the Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350), which calls for preserving health plans that insurance companies had previously been able to offer to customers before the Affordable Care Act was put into place. The bill passed the House on Nov. 15, 2013.
Upton views his work during the 113th Congress as a success, and he is committed to making further advancements in America’s economic growth and overall security in the future.