Following President Obama’s recent statement in his inaugural address that failing to respond to the threat of climate change would “betray our children and future generations,” Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse today announced the formation of a bicameral Task Force on Climate Change to address this important issue.
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Rep. Henry A. Waxman is the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
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Today Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Waxman and Subcommittee Ranking Members Pallone, Rush, Eshoo, DeGette, Schakowsky, and Tonko sent a letter to Chairman Upton requesting hearings on the impact of the automatic budget cuts scheduled to go into effect as part of the March 1 sequester. The cuts will affect almost every agency within the Committee’s jurisdiction and will result in over $85 billion in cuts to key domestic priorities and defense programs.
Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman issued the following statement on a new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), titled, “Countering the Problem of Falsified and Substandard Drugs”:
Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman was interviewed on C-SPAN's Washington Journal on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, to discuss new climate change policies and the creation of the Bicameral Climate Change Task Force. The complete interview is available here:
Bipartisan Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today sought information on steps taken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess and improve upon our nation’s mental health system following previous incidences of mass violence. Following the tragedy in Newtown, the committee announced Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy and Ranking Member Diana DeGette would spearhead an examination into a range of programs, including the federal government’s role in mental health research and care. The request is part of the panel’s ongoing efforts to gain a better understanding of societal factors contributing to and potential causes of outbreaks of violence.
Today, the Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee offered three amendments to direct the Committee to hear from experts about the science of climate change, the risks it poses for the nation, and the shrinking window for action. Two of the three amendments were debated and voted upon. The purpose of these amendments was to force the Committee to vote on whether it will educate itself through hearings, so the members will be in a position to have informed discussions about the preeminent energy challenge of our era.
The Committee is currently meeting to discuss the draft oversight plan for the 113th Congress. Democrats are offering a series of amendments to the oversight plan to direct the Committee to hear from experts about the science of climate change, the risks it poses for the nation, and the shrinking window for action. The purpose of these amendments is to force the Committee to vote on whether it will educate itself through hearings so the members will be in a position to have informed discussions about the preeminent energy challenge of our ear. Watch live here as Democratic members offer amendments.