Chronology of Committee Work

Luggage Screening Machines Not Used to Full Capacity

In a letter to Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and Transportation Secretary Mineta, Rep. Waxman and Rep. Oberstar express concern that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been, and continues to be, severely deficient in screening luggage for explosives at our nation’s airports. According to recent data, TSA is using less than 3% of existing explosive detection machines at maximum capacity levels.

Health Professional, Industry, and Advocacy Groups Oppose FDA Plan

On Aug. 26, Rep. Waxman wrote HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to protest a dangerous FDA plan to make colored contact lenses available to children and others without medical supervision or manufacturing standards. Since then, Rep. Waxman's position that colored contact lenses are medical devices has received strong support from the major organizations representing eye health professionals, pediatricians, the major manufacturers of colored lenses now legally available in the United States, and Prevent Blindness, a national advocacy organization devoted to eye health and safety. Sen. Edward Kennedy has also written in opposition to the FDA plan.

Rep. Waxman asks EPA for Information Provided by Electric Utilities and Unions

Rep. Waxman asks EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to release the information that convinced the EPA to reject a proposal that would have protected public health and the environment better than the President's Clear Skies Initiative.

Justice Department Responds to GAO Brief

The Justice Department files a brief with the court responding to GAO's latest brief regarding a motion to dismiss.

Letter to Army Secretary White on Enron Stock and Fake Trading Floors

Rep. Waxman and Senator Barbara Boxer ask Army Secretary Thomas White whether the Enron stock he divested more than 90 days after his appointment was held in an illiquid private equity fund, as he has previously stated, and if it was not, than to explain why he waited more than 90 days to divest these holdings. Rep. Waxman and Senator Boxer also ask Secretary White about news accounts that Enron Energy Services (EES) set up a fake trading floor to mislead visiting analysts while Secretary White was EES vice chairman.

Major Deficiencies in Homeland Security Bill

The Government Reform Committee minority staff released a summary of the major deficiencies in the legislation creating a new Department of Homeland Security, as well as other provisions affecting the jurisdiction of the Committee.

Energy Bill Rewards Industry Contributors

A new report by the Special Investigations Division for Rep. Waxman finds that energy interests that gave millions of dollars in campaign contributions will receive billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies.

Administration's Changes Undermine Medical Privacy Rule

Six members write Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson with questions on the Administration's proposed changes to the medical privacy rule, including the creation of a broad loophole through which drug companies could access patient health records without patient permission.

Questions on Proposed Medical Privacy Rule Changes

Six members wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson with questions on the Administration's proposed changes to the medical privacy rule, including the creation of a broad loophole through which drug companies could access patient health records without patient permission.

Rep. Waxman Details EPA's "Sea Change"

At a Subcommittee hearing on elevating the Environmental Protection Agency to a cabinet-level Department, Rep. Waxman details EPA's retreat from its core missions over the past year-and-a-half.

Rep. Waxman Calls on Bush to Set an Example on Stock Earnings

In a letter to President Bush, Rep. Waxman calls on the President to consider donating to charity all or some of the profits from his sale of $848,560 worth of Harken Energy Company stock.

Government Reform Committee Markup of H.R. 5005

The Government Reform Committee held a meeting to consider H.R. 5005, the President's proposal for a new Department of Homeland Security. The Committee held a one-day markup in which approximately 50 amendments were offered and 35 were adopted. The reported bill is over 200 pages long, four times the length of H.R. 5005 as introduced.

CBO Estimate: Homeland Security Department Will Cost $3 Billion

In a letter to Majority Leader Armey and Democratic Whip Pelosi, Rep. Waxman released a Congressional Budget Office cost estimate that finds that the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security will cost about $3 billion over the next four years. The CBO estimate counters Administration claims that the creation of the new Department "would not 'grow' government."

Members Raise Questions on Homeland Security Department Proposal Details

Rep. Waxman and Rep. Obey, ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, wrote Director Of Homeland Security Ridge to address ten areas where questions have arisen over the details of the President's Department of Homeland Security proposal. These areas include the lack of a mechanism for coordinating a unified security strategy across the government and the many responsibilities given to the Department that have nothing to do with homeland security.

Senator Reid Urges Finding in Favor of GAO

Sen. Harry Reid files an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief urging the court to decide the case in favor of GAO.

GAO Responds to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss

GAO files its reply to the Justice Department's motion to dismiss.

Prescription Drugs Are More Expensive in Rep. Waxman's Congressional District in California than in Canada, Europe, and Japan

Rep. Waxman released a report that shows dramatic price difference between what an average senior on the Westside of Los Angeles pays for prescription drugs compared to the price paid by seniors in other countries. Said Rep. Waxman, "A grandmother on the Westside has to pay more than twice as much for her drugs as a grandmother in France, in Canada, in Germany, in Italy, and in the United Kingdom. And for some drugs, seniors in Los Angeles are paying over three times more than seniors in other countries. This unconscionable gouging is unacceptable and has to end."

Prescription Drugs Are More Expensive in the 4th Congressional District in Arkansas than in Canada, Europe, and Japan

This report for Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas is an example of the reports prepared by the Special Investigations Division that compare international drug prices to prices in the United States. It finds that seniors are forced to pay up to twice as much for drugs as consumers in Canada, Europe, and Japan.

Committee Members Ask Ridge for Comprehensive Homeland Security Strategy

The minority members of the Committee on Government Reform ask Director of Homeland Security Ridge for a comprehensive national homeland security strategy so that they may gauge whether the Administration's reorganization proposal best serves the nation's security goals.

Letter from JPMorgan Chase on Enron Transactions

JPMorgan Chase responds to Rep. Waxman's June 3 request for more information on the company's transactions with Enron involving a special-purpose entity named Sequoia.

Rep. Waxman Releases Analysis of House Energy Bill

The conference between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on energy legislation began today. Rep. Waxman released a detailed section-by-section analysis of H.R. 4, the House energy bill, which shows that H.R. 4 is not a coherent national energy policy but is instead a collection of special interest giveaways to large energy industry campaign contributors.

HHS Actions Contradict Expert Recommendations

Rep. Waxman and Rep. Elijah Cummings, ranking Democrat of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, along with leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus, write to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to protest HHS actions that contradict the Institute of Medicine's expert recommendations on how to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.

Evaluating California Energy Crisis Claims

Rep. Waxman re-evaluates claims about the causes of the energy crisis in light of the facts as they are now known a year after the California energy crisis.

Ridge Testifies Before the Committee

White House Office of Homeland Security Director Ridge testifies at a Committee hearing on "The Department of Homeland Security: An Overview of the President's Proposal."

Committee Hearings Provide Forum for Unsubstantiated Allegations About Vaccine Safety

In his opening statement at a hearing on vaccine safety, Rep. Waxman states that, with this series of hearings, Chairman Burton has repeatedly provided a forum for unsubstantiated allegations about vaccine safety that have alarmed and confused parents. Rep. Waxman also urges Chairman Burton drop his threats to subpoena patient information from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project, a national database for monitoring vaccine safety, and instead accept the CDC's solution of working with the HMOs to create a process for allowing independent researchers access to the data.

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