[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 111 (Wednesday, July 22, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D892-D894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FY 2010
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the Defense 
appropriations for fiscal year 2010.
OVERSIGHT--MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on oversight of family support programs. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Arthur J. 
Myers, Principal Director, Military Community and Family Policy, Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; COL Cory Lyman, USAF, Assistant 
Director, Individual and Family Support Policy, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary, Reserve Affairs, Manpower and Personnel; SGM Kenneth O. 
Preston, USDA; SGM Carlton W. Kent, USMC; Master Chief Petty Officer, 
Rick D. West, USN; and CMSgt James A. Roy, USAF.
ADMINISTRATION'S FINANCIAL REGULATOR REFORM PROPOSALS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Regulatory 
Perspectives on the Obama Administration's Financial Regulatory Reform 
Proposals.'' Testimony was heard from Mary L. Schapiro, Chairman, SEC; 
and Gary Gensler, Chairman, CFTC.
TARP OVERSIGHT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``TARP Oversight Warrant 
Repurchases and Protecting Taxpayers.'' Testimony was heard from 
Herbert M. Allison, Jr., Assistant Secretary, Financial Stability, 
Department of the Treasury; Thomas J. McCool, Director, Center for 
Economics, GAO; Neil Barofsky, Special Inspector General, Troubled 
Asset Relief Program; and Elizabeth Warren, Chair, Congressional 
Oversight Panel.
U.S.-IRAN POLICY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on IRAN: Recent 
Developments and Implications for U.S. Policy. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
BRIEFING--FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE'S ABILITY
Committee on Homeland Security: Met in executive session to receive a 
briefing on Federal Protective Service's ability to protect Federal 
facilities. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.

[[Page D893]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and 
Global Counterterrorism approved for full Committee action the 
following bills: H.R. 1517, To allow certain U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection employees who serve under an overseas limited appointment 
for at least 2 years, and whose service is rated fully successful or 
higher throughout that time, to be converted to a permanent appointment 
in the competitive service; H.R. 1726, amended, Border Security Search 
Accountability Act of 2009; and H.R. 3239, amended, To require the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of 
State, to submit a report on the effects of the Merida initiative on 
the border security of the United States.
AUTO INDUSTRY BANKRUPTCIES RAMIFICATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law continued hearings on Ramifications of the Auto 
Industry Bankruptcies, Part III. Testimony was heard from Louann Van 
Der Wiele, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Chrysler Group 
LLC; Michael J. Robinson, Vice-President and General Counsel of North 
America, General Motors Company; Richard E. Mourdock, Treasurer, State 
of Indiana; and public witnesses.
FAIRNESS IN COCAINE SENTENCING ACT OF 2009; OVER-FEDERALIZATION OF 
CRIMINAL LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security approved for full Committee action H.R. 3245 Fairness 
in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Over-Criminalization of 
Conduct/Over-Federalization of Criminal Law. Testimony was heard from 
Richard Thornburgh, former Attorney General; and public witnesses.
PUERTO-RICAN DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2009
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
2499, Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009.
CONSUMER DEBT ARBITRATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing entitled ``Arbitration or `Arbitrary': The Misuse 
of Mandatory Arbitration to Collect Consumer Debts.'' Testimony was 
heard from Lori Swanson, Attorney General, State of Minnesota; and 
public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010
The Committee on Rules: granted, by a record vote of 7 to 2, a 
structured rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3288, the 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2010. The rule provides one hour of general debate 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 
or 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered 
as read through page 160, line 6. The rule waives points of order 
against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI.
  The rule makes in order the following amendments; (1) the amendments 
printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules; (2) not to 
exceed seven of the amendments printed in part B of the Rules Committee 
report if offered by Representative Flake of Arizona or his designee; 
and (3) not to exceed two of the amendments printed in part C of the 
Committee report if offered by Representative Hensarling of Texas or 
his designee. The rule provides that each such amendment may be offered 
only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a 
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject to a demand for 
division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. 
The rule provides that the proponent of any such amendment may modify 
its amendatory instructions. All points of order against such 
amendments are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 
XXI.
  The rule provides that for those amendments reported from the 
Committee of the Whole, the question of their adoption shall be put to 
the House en gros and without demand for division of the question. The 
rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
  The rule provides that after disposition of the amendments specified 
in the first section of the rule, the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees each may offer 
one pro forma amendment to the bill for the purpose of debate, which 
shall be controlled by the proponent. The rule provides that the Chair 
may entertain a motion that the Committee rise only if offered by the 
chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee and that the 
Chair may not entertain a motion to strike out the enacting words of 
the bill (as described in clause 9 of rule XVIII). The

[[Page D894]]

rule provides that during consideration of the bill, the Chair may 
reduce to two minutes the minimum time for electronic voting. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Olver and Representatives Waters, Latham, 
Frelinghuysen, Mica, King (IA), Turner, Jordan, and Thompson (PA).
WATER REGULATION--FARMERS' NEEDS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Meeting the 
Needs of Small Businesses and Family Farmers in Regulating our Nation's 
Waters.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
UNION STATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on The Congressional Vision for a 21st Century Union Station: 
New Intermodal Uses and a New Union Station Livable Community. 
Testimony was heard from Gabe Klein, Director, Department of 
Transportation, District of Columbia; David Ball, President, Union 
Station Redevelopment Corporation; Steven Alleman, General 
Superintendent, AMTRAK; and public witnesses.
VA'S BRACHYTHERAPY PROGRAM SAFETY
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Enforcement of VA's Brachytherapy 
Program Safety Standards. Testimony was heard from Steven A. Reynolds, 
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Region III, NRC; Joseph 
A. Williams, Jr., RN, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary, Health, 
Operations and Management, Veterans Health Administration, Department 
of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGY
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on National Intelligence Strategy. The 
Committee was briefed by Dennis Blair, Director, Office of the 
Director of National Intelligence.
BRIEFING--DOD HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Department of Defense Human 
Intelligence. The Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.