Energy and Commerce

Energy and Commerce

For over 210 years, The Committe of Energy and Commerce has

served for the principal guide for the House in matters relating to the promotions

of commerce and to the public's health and marketplace interests.

"These telephone calling records, which detail some of the most

intimate and sensitive aspects of our lives, are easily available to anyone with an

Internet connection, a credit card and $100 to spend. We're going to start the

formal process of ending that unique threat to personal privacy, and we're

going to do it without choking off the flow of data that makes information-age

Americans the happiest, healthiest and wealthiest people in the history of the

world." This is one of the many quotes stated by Chairman Joe Barton on

the subject of earnings and spendings.

While performing such historic functions, the Committee

has developed the broadest jurisdiction of any Congressional committee

e.

Today its main job is to maintain the principal responsibility for

telecommunications, air quality, consumer protection, food and drug

safety, public health, and environmental health, the supply and delivery of

energy, and interstate and foreign commerce in general. This jurisdiction

extends over five Cabinet-level departments and seven independent

agencies. Energy Department, Health and Human Services, the Transportation

Department to the Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration,

and Federal Communications Commission.