The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest continuous standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. It was originally established in 1795 to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.
Today, the Committee has the broadest jurisdiction of any authorizing committee in Congress. It legislates on a wide variety of issues, including:
health care, including mental health and substance abuse
health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid
biomedical research and development
food, drug, device and cosmetic safety
environmental protection
clean air and climate change
safe drinking water
toxic chemicals and hazardous waste
national energy policy
renewable energy and conservation
nuclear facilities
electronic communications and the internet
broadcast and cable television
privacy, cybersecurity and data security
consumer protection and product safety
motor vehicle safety
travel, tourism and sports
interstate and foreign commerce
The Committee also oversees several federal departments and agencies, including:
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Food and Drug Administration
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Indian Health Service
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Energy
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Department of Commerce
Department of Transportation
Department of Homeland Security