Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade

The Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade is a specialized panel within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of the oldest and broadest committees in Congress. This subcommittee handles a narrower but still expansive slice of the parent committee's jurisdiction, focusing on interstate and foreign commerce, trade, consumer protection, and product safety. Its authority extends to regulating commercial practices through the Federal Trade Commission, overseeing consumer product safety, protecting privacy and data security, ensuring motor vehicle safety, and regulating travel and tourism industries.

Chaired by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) with Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), the 23-member subcommittee has a documented history of bipartisan collaboration on consumer protection issues. Recent hearings have examined motor vehicle safety modernization, artificial intelligence in manufacturing, online dangers to children, and travel and tourism policy. The subcommittee has advanced legislation including the INFORM Consumers Act to combat counterfeit products on online marketplaces and the STURDY Act to protect children from dangerous furniture products. This specialized panel prepares the ground for full committee action by holding initial hearings, reviewing bills, and developing legislation within its jurisdiction before recommendations move to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for potential floor consideration.