[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 [[Page D1218]] 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. [[Page D1219]] 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.