Chairman Recap: Griffith Supports Policies to Protect Americans, Patients and Rural Communities

Wednesday, July 1, 2026 – U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, continues to work on health care policies that support scores of patients across the United States. Through May and June, he accomplished these goals.

 

Chairman Griffith is a proponent of House Republicans’ push to keep American communities safe and deliver more affordable health care options. Chairman Griffith advanced potential solutions to crack down on illicit drug threats posed to American communities. As the chief House sponsor of the HALT Fentanyl Act, Chairman Griffith will continue to advocate for policies that combat illicit drug threats, secure our communities and provide meaningful resources. Further, through his Health Subcommittee’s Affordability Series, recent hearings highlighted legislation that will strengthen transparency, clarify the health care landscape and provide patients with a greater understanding of costs. Such reforms are critical to help lower health care costs for Americans.

 

One of the rare disease bills that Chairman Griffith is helping advance is the ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026. This legislation continues to receive support as Major League Baseball recently recognized Lou Gehrig Day and the United States observed ALS Awareness Month. Grey’s Anatomy TV series star Eric Dane, who passed away this year from a battle with ALS, was featured in a recent documentary that followed Dane’s advocacy journey. A clip of Dane’s meeting with Chairman Griffith is included in the documentary. Chairman Griffith will continue to fight to reauthorize key funding avenues for research and treatments into ALS, Huntington’s disease and other rare diseases.

 

Additionally, the Rural Health Transformation Program is beginning to deliver funds to Virginia communities. Created by the landmark Working Families Tax Cuts, the first grant in Virginia issued under the federal Program went to the Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon, Virginia. This funding will expand healthcare workforce training opportunities for an underserved region, one of many goals of the program. Chairman Griffith will continue to highlight these Program funds as they support rural communities in Virginia.