By Rep. Fred Upton For the last three years, the Affordable Care Act – commonly known as Obamacare – has been plagued by broken promises, projected cost increases, delays, and missed deadlines. Last week over the Independence Day holiday, the healthcare law continued to unravel. First, the Obama administration announced a one-year delay of the “employer mandate,” a key component of the healthcare law that requires all businesses with more than 50 workers to provide health insurance to their empl... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) - Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to establish a deliberate, collaborative and mandatory process to site, license, build and operate a national permanent nuclear waste repository. The act obliges the federal government to safely dispose of high-level nuclear defense waste and commercial spent fuel from power plants. Electricity consumers and taxpayers have paid approximately $15 billion to determine if the Yucca Mountain... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - It has been more than three years since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – better known as Obamacare – was signed into law. In that time, we have exposed time and again why the law is bad policy. We were promised that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep you health care plan” – but because of the law’s costly penalties and mandates, we know that simply will not be true for many Americans. We were also told that the law would “lower costs for familie... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - Every April, we come together as a nation to observe National Autism Awareness Month – a call for greater public understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and of the challenges facing the autism community. ASDs are developmental disabilities that cause social, communication, and behavioral challenges. ASDs affect people in different ways and symptoms can range from mild to severe. Because autism is so complex, it is important that we are all aware of the effects of a... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - Every year on the third Monday in January, we come together as a nation to celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While we have made much progress as a nation in the decades since the Civil Rights Movement, we know that we must continue to work together to ensure that Dr. King’s “Dream” remains alive for future generations. While one man violently took Dr. King from us nearly 45 years ago, he could not silence Dr. King’s teachings. His spi... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - As we have officially entered the New Year, many challenges face Congress, including implementation of President Obama’s healthcare law. While most attention remains focused on the fiscal cliff, state leaders in Michigan and around the country are working hard to determine the best course of action for enacting new reforms under Obamacare. With repeal of the law unlikely, allowing governors across the nation more flexibility in implementation could provide positive solutions... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - This weekend, folks will once again brave the crowded roads and airports, bus and train stations to reunite with loved ones across the country in celebration of the Christmas holiday season. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, let us give a moment’s pause to reflect upon the blessings in our lives. The holidays are a special time of year when folks gather with family and friends to celebrate and reflect – reliving treasured memories, partaking in time-honored traditions, ... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - “Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,” began President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his now-famous December 8th address to the nation. Now 71 years after the attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, we not only remember the tragic loss of American lives that occurred that fateful morning but the subsequent acts of selfle... Read more

By Rep. Fred Upton - As the mercury continues to plummet and millions of Americans hit the road to visit loved ones across the country this holiday season, we are continually reminded of the real impact that energy prices have in our day-to-day lives. That impact further underscores the urgency of fully embracing a comprehensive national energy policy that says “Yes!” to the increased production of North American energy and the thousands of jobs that come with it. Earlier this month, the Interna... Read more

Last week, I proudly released a report highlighting the legislative work of the House Energy and Commerce Committee thus far in 2012. The report details a record of accomplishment on issues where our committee has been able to make strides toward the overall goal of creating a more efficient, limited government that provides the necessary conditions for job creation and economic growth. In a year when many would suggest that Congress is hopelessly gridlocked, our committee has continued the long... Read more