Press Releases
In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court recognized a woman's constitutional right to make what is perhaps the most profoundly personal of healthcare decisions –when to start a family – free from undue government interference.
Unfortunately, since 1976, Congress has sought to undermine this important constitutional right by attaching the so-called "Hyde Amendment" to annual appropriations measures funding the Department of Health and Human Services.
I want to begin my remarks by thanking Director Sarah Saldaña for her service and appearing before our Committee today. As head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Director Saldaña has one of the toughest jobs in government. With limited resources, she must ensure that our immigration statutes are enforced as well as ensure that this is done in fair, just, and balanced way.
Sudden and sharp increases in the cost of life-saving prescription medications have caused much public outcry, most recently regarding the substantial spike in the price of EpiPen, which is used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions.
Although today's hearing focuses on competition in the markets for a particular set of life-saving drugs -- namely, those that treat opioid addiction -- I hope that there are some broader lessons that we can draw from our discussion today.
H.R. 3438, the "Require Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists Act of 2016," would stay the enforcement of any rule imposing an annual cost to the economy in excess of $1 billion pending judicial review.
Notwithstanding the bill's colorful short title, H.R. 3438 would have a pernicious impact on rulemaking and the ability of agencies to respond to critical health and safety issues.
In essence, the bill would encourage anyone who wants to delay a significant rule from going into effect by simply seeking judicial review of the rule.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you, Commissioner Koskinen, for joining us today on short notice, under these unusual circumstances.
Last week, a handful of my colleagues attempted to force a vote on your impeachment. When it appeared that they would fall short of the necessary votes, that effort was abandoned-and this hearing was scheduled instead.
"Under the modern practice, an impeachment is normally instituted by the House by the adoption of a resolution calling for a committee investigation. This committee may, after investigation, recommend the dismissal of charges or it may recommend impeachment."[1] The effort to impeach Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen contains none of the hallmarks of actual impeachment hearings-which would entail an independent investigation and due process for the accused.
The Impeachment Process:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
10:00 a.m. Full Committee Hearing
Impeachment Articles Referred on John Koskinen, Part III
Witness:
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The Honorable John Koskinen, Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service
2237 Rayburn House Office Building
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
10:00 a.m. Full Committee Hearing
Oversight of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Witness:
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), today sent a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding the agency's set-top box proposal.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) released the following statement regarding copyright concerns with the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) set-top box proposal.