Barton Probes FDA Contract
Monday, December 22, 2008
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today wrote to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach asking him to provide answers about a personal services contract given to Vengazo Consulting. The contract was for providing the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations in "ongoing criminal cases and all phases of employee relations."   Read More »

Lawmakers Seek More Answers from Paulson
Monday, December 22, 2008
WASHINGTON – Eleven Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, today wrote to Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson asking him to respond to questions related to the Treasury Department's briefing to committee members on Nov. 19, 2008. It also asks Paulson for a response to the lawmakers' earlier letter.   Read More »

New Information Raises Doubts about FDA’s Heparin Review Process
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today wrote to Food and Drug Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach with further questions about FDA’s review process regarding the cause of death in heparin cases.   Read More »

Enforcement Delays in Heparin Case Prompt Inquiry by Barton to FDA
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today wrote to Food and Drug Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach asking for information about the delay in FDA’s seizure of contaminated lots of heparin.   Read More »

Barton Introducing Bill to Scrap BCS
‘Consumers…are being deceived. The BCS championship game is not a championship game under any sensible interpretation.’
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Statement of U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas "The Energy and Commerce Committee is vested with the responsibility for overseeing sports, and that includes the current process for determining a national college football champion: the BCS system. College football is more than an exhilarating sport, it’s a billion-dollar business. I’m introducing legislation today because despite every effort to fix the problems of BCS, college seasons still end in sniping and controversy, rather than clear winners and losers determined on the field.   Read More »