The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is one of the oldest​ and most consequential panels in the House. The full committee convened for the first time in the new Congress on Tuesday for an organizational meeting and to hold a hearing on American energy expansion. 

What You Need To Know

  • The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is one of the oldest​ and most consequential panels in the House: the full committee convened for the first time in the new Congress on Tuesday for an organizational meeting and to hold a hearing on American energy expansion
  • Florida is now one of the most represented states on the committee with five members; Only California (7) and Texas (6), boast more members on the panel

  • Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., one of the panel's members, said that having five members from Florida on the Energy & Commerce Committee will be a benefit to the state

Florida is now one of the most represented states on the committee with five members; in the previous Congress, the state only had four members on the panel. Only California (7) and Texas (6), boast more members.

"The Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible for nearly 80% of the bills passed through the House of Representatives and I'm looking forward to having a direct role in and front-row seat to the policies that matter to Florida’s 3rd Congressional District," said Florida Rep. Kat Cammack, who represents north central Florida and Gainesville, on her selection to the panel.

The other Florida lawmakers on the panel are Republican Reps. Neal Dunn and Gus Bilirakis and Democrat Reps. Darren Soto and Kathy Castor.

Of note, Bilirakis chairs the panel’s Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce, while Castor will serve as the top Democrat on the panel's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

Castor said that having five members from Florida on the panel will be a benefit to the state. 

"The Energy and Commerce Committee is the most productive in the entire Congress," Castor said. "Most of the legislation that passes the House of Representatives comes through the Energy and Commerce Committee because our jurisdiction is so broad." 

Castor said with a closely divided Congress, there will need to be a focus on bipartisanship. She told Spectrum News that she sees measures to protect children online as one of those issues. 

"​This is a bipartisan issue that the new chairwoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, has made one of her priorities, so I look forward to working with her to get some protections for families, especially kids online," Castor added.