U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released a report on Wednesday outlining the committee’s accomplishments during the first seven months of 2015.
The report, which Upton referred to as the Mid-Session Review, highlights a number of successful benchmarks and discusses the committee’s ongoing oversight efforts as well as future goals on the agenda.
“These principles have guided the panel for more than four years, and they continue to drive its work today,” the report said.
The overarching theme of the report is the committee’s focus on promoting jobs and economic growth; modernizing government for the innovation era; and protecting families, communities and civic initiatives.
“With over 70 hearings in the books, we have advanced nearly two dozen bills through the House, several of which have made it to the president, all in a bipartisan way proving we can govern,” Upton explained upon the report’s release. “We’ve had big bipartisan victories this year – [Sustainable Growth Rate] is finally done with important entitlement reforms now law, and we saw overwhelming bipartisan House votes for 21st Century Cures and important chemical safety updates. But our success has not come overnight as we are now seeing the fruits of our labor following thoughtful, deliberative, multi-year efforts. We must keep the momentum going as we work to get Cures, the Architecture of Abundance, [the Toxic Substance Control Act] and [Federal Communications Commission] process reforms, and many other important bills across the finish line.”
Within the report is information regarding 40 bills that the Energy and Commerce Committee has worked to advance this year, as well as areas where the committee’s oversight team is actively engaged. Also highlighted is information regarding the committee’s future plans.
“This record of success in the first seven months of the 114th Congress maintains the legislative production and policy innovation that have become hallmarks of the Energy and Commerce Committee in recent years,” the report concluded. “The committee has tackled a wide range of issues and found bipartisan agreement on vexing public policy challenges even as members stand firm on their core policy principles. The future for the committee is bright. The progress delivered so far in 2015 proves that there is good news to be found in Washington, D.C., and the initiatives under development show near limitless potential for continued success on behalf of the American people.”