United States House Energy Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials

United States House Energy Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials is a panel of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Established in the 118th Congress, it consolidates jurisdiction over environmental laws, industrial policy, and the security of mineral supply chains. The subcommittee plays a pivotal role in shaping legislation related to the Environmental Protection Agency, advanced manufacturing, and the sourcing of materials essential for clean energy and national defense.

History and jurisdiction

The subcommittee was formed in January 2023 following a reorganization of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce by then-Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. It inherited jurisdiction from several predecessor panels, including domains once overseen by the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. Its formal jurisdiction, as defined by the Rules of the House of Representatives, encompasses the Environmental Protection Agency, all matters related to environmental law including the Clean Air Act and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and the promotion of United States manufacturing competitiveness. A core component is authority over policy regarding critical materials, covering the entire supply chain from mining governed by the General Mining Act of 1872 to recycling, particularly for minerals vital to technologies like electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors.

Membership

For the 118th Congress, the subcommittee has 20 members, with a Republican majority reflecting the partisan composition of the full United States House of Representatives. The chair is Representative Buddy Carter of Georgia (U.S. state), while the ranking member is Representative Yadira Caraveo of Colorado. Other notable Republican members include John Joyce of Pennsylvania and Randy Weber of Texas. Prominent Democratic members feature Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Paul Tonko of New York (state). Membership often includes representatives from districts with significant manufacturing bases or environmental concerns, such as those near the Great Lakes or in energy-producing states like Texas and Ohio.

Recent activity and hearings

The subcommittee has held numerous hearings examining the implementation of major environmental statutes and challenges in industrial supply chains. Key hearings have included oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and particulate matter standards. Other sessions focused on the reliance on foreign sources, particularly China, for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare-earth elements, and the role of the Department of Energy and Department of Defense in securing domestic supplies. The panel also conducted hearings on modernizing the Toxic Substances Control Act and the impact of regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on small business competitiveness.

Legislative focus and key issues

The subcommittee's legislative agenda is centered on three interconnected pillars: reforming environmental regulation to favor domestic industry, bolstering United States manufacturing through incentives and research, and securing resilient supply chains for critical materials. Key legislative issues include amendments to the Clean Air Act to ease permitting for industrial facilities, promoting the development of a domestic rare-earth element processing industry, and supporting programs like those at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for advanced manufacturing. The panel actively debates policies to counter the influence of the People's Republic of China on global mineral markets, the expansion of recycling infrastructure under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the intersection of climate change policy with industrial competitiveness, often engaging with stakeholders from General Motors, the United Steelworkers, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

See also

* United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works * United States House Energy Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security * Critical raw materials * Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 * CHIPS and Science Act * Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy

Category:Subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce Category:2023 establishments in the United States