[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 154 (Thursday, October 22, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1217-D1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
PORK INDUSTRY
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry 
held a hearing to review the economic conditions facing the pork 
industry. Testimony was heard from Michael Scuse, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Farm Service Agency, USDA; and public witnesses.
U.S. AFGHANISTAN/IRAQ STRATEGY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Afghanistan and Iraq: Perspectives on 
U.S. Strategy. Testimony was heard from Beth Ellen Cole, Senior Program 
Officer, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operation, U.S. 
Institute for Peace; the following former officials of the Department 
of the Army: GEN Barry McCaffrey, (ret.); and LTG David Barro, (ret.); 
and public witnesses.
AFGHANISTAN COUNTERINSURGENCY AND COUNTERTERRORISM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing on

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counterterrorism within the Afghanistan counterinsurgency. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
VIDEO COMPETITION IN A DIGITAL AGE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications, 
Technology, and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Video 
Competition in a Digital Age.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION ACT OF 2009
Committee on Financial Assistance: Ordered reported, as mended, the 
following bills: H.R. 3126, Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 
2009; and H.R. 3639, Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009.
NORTHERN IRELAND COLLUSION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight held a hearing on Concerns 
Regarding Possible Collusion in Northern Ireland: Police and 
Paramilitary Groups. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CARGO SECURITY AT LAND PORTS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and 
Global Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled ``Cargo Security at 
Land Ports of Entry: Are we Meeting the Challenge?'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland 
Security: Todd Owen, Executive Director, Cargo and Conveyance Security, 
Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection; and Janice 
Ayala, Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Investigations, Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement; and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL REGULATION REFORM BANKRUPTCY/ANTITRUST LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on too Big to Fail: The Role for 
Bankruptcy and antitrust Law in Financial Regulation Reform. Testimony 
was heard from Michael H. Krimminger, Special Advisor for Policy, FDIC; 
Michael Barr, Assistant Secretary, Financial Institutions, Department 
of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
ENGINEERING IN K-12 EDUCATION
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on Engineering in K-12 Education. 
Testimony was heard from Thomas Peterson, Assistant Director, 
Engineering, NSF; and public witnesses
NASA TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on Strengthening NASA's Technology 
Development Programs. Testimony was heard from Christopher Scolese, 
Associate Administrator, NASA; and public witnesses.
NIST CYBERSECURITY ACTIVITIES
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held a hearing on Cybersecurity Activity at NIST's 
Information Technology Laboratory. Testimony was heard from Cita 
Furlani, Director, Information Technology Lab, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
HOMELESS VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Health approved for full 
Committee action the following: H.R. 2504, To amend title 38, United 
States Code, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 
comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans; H.R. 2559, 
amended, Help Our Homeless Veterans Act; H.R. 2735, amended, To amend 
title 38, United States Code, to mark certain improvements to the 
comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans; H.R. 3885, 
Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act, and a draft measure, to amend title 
38, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs program to provide financial assistance for 
supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent 
housing.
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on administration of the first-time homebuyer tax credit. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of the Treasury: 
J. Russell George, Inspector General, Tax Administration; and Linda E. 
Stiff, Deputy Commissioner, Services and Enforcement, IRS; and James R. 
White, Director, Tax Issues, GAO.
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITY CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Community Management held a hearing on Statutory 
Requirements for Congressional Notifications. Testimony was heard from 
L. Britt Snider, former Inspector General, CIA; Fritz A. O. Schwarz, 
former Chief Counsel, Select Committee on Government Intelligence 
Activities, (94th Congress) known as the ``Church Committee,'' and a 
public witness.

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GLOBAL WARMING IMPACTS--BUILDING U.S. RESILENCE
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Hearing 
entitled ``Building U.S. Resilience to Global Warming Impacts'' 
Testimony was heard from Joseph Stephenson, Director, Natural Resources 
and Environment Issues, GAO; Eric Schwaab, Deputy Secretary, Department 
of Natural Resources, State of Maryland; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
current economic outlook, after receiving testimony from Christina D. 
Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisers.
NEW MEDIA IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission met to 
receive a briefing on new media in authoritarian regimes from Daniel 
Calingaert, Freedom House, Evgeny Morozov, Yahoo, and Chris Spence, 
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, all of 
Washington, DC; and Nathanial Freitas, New York University Interactive 
Telecom Program, and Shiyu Zhou, Global Internet Freedom Consortium, 
both of New York, New York.