It's one of the options the committee has in the situation where it feels that a witness the committee wishes to have before it does not come before it. The committee, in that situation, has options. It can accept the situation. It could look for other ways to get the information. However, if it wishes to have this particular witness, and the committee itself doesn't have the power to enforce that request, then its option is to report the situation to the House.
On April 12th, 2021. See this statement in context.