[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 25 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D150-D153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Fort Hood. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: GEN Carter

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Ham, USA, Advisor to the Independent Review; and BG Richard W. Thomas, 
USA, Assistant Surgeon General (Force Projection), Office of the 
Surgeon General.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2011 Budget for the Department of Homeland 
Security. Testimony was heard from Janet Napolitano, Secretary, 
Department of Homeland Security.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Biosurveillance: Smart 
Investments for Early Warning. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Alexandria Garza, 
Assistant Secretary, Office of Health Affairs and Chief Medical 
Officer; and Tara O'Toole, Under Secretary, Science and Technology; 
Daniel Sosin, Acting Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and 
Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and Bernhard Goldstein, National Academy of 
Sciences.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Restoring America's Forests and 
Headwaters: Fiscal Year 2011 Budget for U.S. Forest Service. Testimony 
was heard from Tom Tidwell, Chief, Forest Service, USDA.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee State, Foreign Operations and 
Related Programs held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2011 Budget for the 
Department of State. Testimony was heard from Hillary Rodham Clinton, 
Secretary of State.
FY 2011 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST FROM ARMY 
DEPARTMENT
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2011 
National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of 
the Army. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Army: John McHugh, Secretary of the Army; and GEN 
George W. Casey, Jr., USA, Chief of Staff.
MANAGING DEFENSE ACQUISITION SYSTEM AND DEFENSE WORKFORCE
Committee on Armed Services: Defense Acquisition Reform Panel held a 
hearing on expert perspectives on managing the defense acquisition 
system and the defense acquisition workforce. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
PRIVATE SECTOR PERSPECTIVES--DOD TECHNOLOGY AND CYBERSECURITY 
ACTIVITIES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on private sector perspectives 
on Department of Defense information technology and cybersecurity 
activities. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Department of Education 
Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. Testimony was heard from Arne Duncan, 
Secretary of Education.
RISK OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS IN DRINKING WATER
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing entitled ``Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in 
Drinking Water: Risks to Human Health and the Environment.'' Testimony 
was heard from James Jones, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA; Linda Birnbaum, 
Director, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
COMPENSATION IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY--GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Compensation 
in the Financial Industry--Government Perspectives.'' Testimony was 
heard from Kenneth Feinberg, Special Master for TARP Executive 
Compensation, Department of the Treasury; Scott Alvarez, General 
Counsel, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; and Edward 
DeMarco, Acting Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
PROMOTING SECURITY--DIPLOMACY AND DEVELOPMENT--FY 2011 INTERNATIONAL 
AFFAIRS BUDGET
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Promoting Security 
through Diplomacy and Development: The Fiscal Year 2011 International 
Affairs Budget. Testimony was heard from Hillary Rodham Clinton, 
Secretary of State.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``The 
President's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request for the Department of 
Homeland Security.''

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Testimony was heard from Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland 
Security.
MEDIA COMPETITION AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRIBUTION MARKET
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on Competition in the Media 
and Entertainment Distribution Market. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MARIANAS TRENCH MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans 
and Wildlife held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3511, Marianas 
Trench Marine National Monument Visitor Facility Authorization Act of 
2009; and H.R. 4493, Bonitan Tasi. Testimony was heard from Benigno 
Repeki Fitial, Governor, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 
Eileen Sobeck, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2100, To 
provide for the conveyance of certain public lands in Mohave Valley, 
Mohave County, Arizona, administered by the Bureau of Land Management 
to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, for use as a public shooting 
range; H.R. 3425, To authorize the Fair Housing Commemorative 
Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the 
District of Columbia to commemorate the enactment of the Fair Housing 
Act of 1968; H.R. 4438, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 
Leasing and Boundary Expansion Act of 2010; H.R. 4491, Buffalo Soldiers 
in the National Parks Study Act; and H.R. 4524, Blue Ridge Parkway 
Protection Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Norton, 
Rodriguez, Franks of Arizona, Shuler and Speier; Stephen E. Whitesell, 
Associate Director, Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands, National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
FORECLOSURES CONTINUE--WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing entitled ``Foreclosures Continue: What Needs to 
Change in the Administration's Response.'' Testimony was heard from 
Phyllis Caldwell, Chief Homeownership Preservation Officer, Department 
of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010
Committee on Rules: granted, by a non-record vote, a rule providing for 
further consideration of H.R. 2701, the ``Intelligence Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2010''. The rule provides that amendment number 1 
printed in House Report 111-419 shall be modified by striking the 
matter proposed to be inserted as section 506.
SENATE AMENDMENTS TO MEDICARE PHYSICIAN PAYMENT REFORM ACT
Committee on Rules: Committee granted, by a non-record vote, a rule 
providing for the consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3961, 
to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the Medicare 
SGR payment system for physicians and to reinstitute and update the 
Pay-As-You-Go requirement of budget neutrality on new tax and mandatory 
spending legislation, enforced by the threat of annual, automatic 
sequestration. The rule makes in order a single motion by the Chair of 
the Committee on the Judiciary to concur in the Senate amendments. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the motion 
except clause 10 of Rule XXI and provides that the Senate amendments 
shall be considered as read. Finally, the rule provides one hour of 
debate on the motion equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
NASA'S FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on NASA's Fiscal 
Year 2011 Budget Request and Issues. Testimony was heard from Charles 
F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, NASA.
COAST GUARD, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION/FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION BUDGET 
REQUESTS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2011 
Budget for the Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration and the Federal 
Maritime Commission. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security: ADM. Thad W. 
Allen, Commandant; and Charles W. Bowen, Master Chief Petty Officer; 
David Matusda, Acting Administrator, Federal Maritime Administration; 
Richard A. Lidinsky, Jr., Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission; and 
Steven Caldwell, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO.

[[Page D153]]


RECOVERY ACT LESSONS--STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on EDA: Lessons Learned From the Recovery Act and New Plans to 
Strengthen Economic Development. Testimony was heard from John R. 
Fernandez, Assistant Secretary, Economic Development, Economic 
Development Administration, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3257, Military Family Leave 
Act of 2009; H.R. 3484, To amend title 38, United States Code, to 
extend the authority for certain qualifying work-study activities for 
purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3579, To amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide for an increase in the amount of the reporting fees payable to 
educational institutions that enroll veterans receiving educational 
assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3813, Veterans 
Training Act; H.R. 3948, Test Prep for Heros Act; H.R. 3976, Helping 
Heroes Keep Their Homes Act of 2009; H.R. 4079, To amend title 38, 
United States Code, to temporarily remove the requirement for employers 
to increase wages for veterans enrolled in on-the-job training 
programs; H.R. 4203, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct 
the Secretary of the Veterans Affairs to provide veterans certain 
educational assistance payments through direct deposit; H.R. 4359, 
WARMER Act; H.R. 4469, To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to 
provide for protection of child custody arrangements for parents who 
are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency 
operation; and H.R. 4592, To provide for the establishment of a pilot 
program to encourage the employment of veterans in energy-related 
positions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Putnam, Hall of New 
York, Sestak, Smith of Washington and Turner; COL. Shawn Shumake, USA, 
Director, Office of Legal Policy, Office of the Under Secretary, 
(Personnel and Readiness), Program Integration and Legal Policy, 
Department of Defense; Keith M. Wilson, Director, Education Service, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs 
representatives of veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
CYBER SECURITY DEFENSE BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Cyber Security Defense. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.