Earlier this week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified before the House Judiciary Committee on a wide-ranging set of issues, from alleged liberal bias in search results to YouTube moderation issues to the company’s plans to launch a search product for the Chinese market. The event was notable because it was Pichai’s first appearance before the Republican-controlled House, after a long string of such congressional hearings over the last two years, but also because it happens to coincide with one of Google’s most contentious moments in its history.

The company is facing employee revolt over its China plans and government contract work, as well as the threat of regulation and the unfounded but widespread belief that it unfairly punishes conservative viewpoints in its search rankings and other products. With Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin effectively out of the picture, it’s now up to Pichai to defend the company and forge a way forward.