| Weekly Update from Sam |
| Dear Friends,
The Committee has the privilege of hearing from small businesses across the country, and working on the issues that matter most to them. We get to see the innovative capabilities and the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans, and work to help lower the barriers to their success. This week, Chairman Chris Collins led a Subcommittee on Health and Technology hearing to learn more about a practice known as telemedicine, which uses technology to help more patients have the access they need to more affordable health care services, from advice to diagnosis.
As always, the challenge is to keep unnecessary red tape from preventing this promising practice from reaching its full potential. In this case, reimbursement, licensing, and communications regulations are creating the barriers. More than ever, America’s health care system needs patient-centered reforms that empower patients and gives them options that can help them access the best innovations while keeping costs down. Telemedicine, and other advances, can focus the best medical knowledge on a patient’s need even in remote areas. Many doctors are small businesses, and this technology can improve their ability to offer excellent health care in communities all over the United States. This is a perfect example of how small companies are leading the way on technological changes that will lower costs and improve our quality of life. And, once again, government needs to get out of the way.
Sincerely,
Sam Graves
Chairman
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Latest Committee Action
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| On Wednesday, the Committee conducted an oversight hearing to determine whether the Environmental Protection Agency is assessing the impacts of its rules on small businesses as required by law. The Committee examined the EPA’s failure to assess the economic impacts of both the recently issued “waters of the United States” proposed rule and the proposed rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants on small businesses. EPA Deputy Director Bob Perciasepe testified. Chairman Graves and other Members of the Committee urged the EPA to withdraw the economically costly and confusing “waters” rule because it infringes on the rights of small businesses and other individuals.
On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Health and Technology examined how small medical practices are using telemedicine to grow and reach more people. Among the examples, a new mobile health small business launched a new product this week that allows people to see a doctor virtually via video conference on a smartphone. According to a recent study, the number of households using video consultations for medical care will grow from 900,000 in 2013 to 22.6 million in 2018.
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News from Washington
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On Wednesday, the House approved H. Res. 676, which authorizes the House to enter into litigation to defend the Constitution by restoring constitutional separation of powers and opposing President Obama from acting unilaterally without the Congress.
On Thursday, the House passed the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (H.R. 935), which prevents an unnecessary new layer of costs, delays and red tape for farms, ranches, local governments, forests and scientific entities that use pesticides, while maintaining the longstanding statutory protections under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
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| Stay Plugged In |
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