[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 15, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D247-D250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FY 2012 BUDGET
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a business meeting to 
consider the Budget Views and Estimates Letter of the Committee on 
Agriculture for the agencies and programs under jurisdiction of the 
Committee for FY2012.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on FY 2012 Budget Requests. Testimony was heard from Elisabeth 
Hagen, Under Secretary for Food Safety, Department of Agriculture.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on FY 2012 Budget Request. 
Testimony was heard from Harley G. Lappin, Director, Bureau of Prisons.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on FY 2012 Budget 
Request for the Department of Energy. Testimony was heard from Steven 
Chu, Secretary of Energy.
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on FY 2012 Budget Securities and 
Exchange Commission. Testimony was heard from Mary L. Schapiro, 
Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on FY 2012 Oversight & Budget. Testimony was heard from John 
Pistole, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration, 
Department of Homeland Security.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Pell Grants. 
Testimony was heard from Martha Kanter, Under Secretary, Department of 
Education.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on FY 2012 Budget. Testimony was heard from Stephen T. Ayers, 
Architect of the Capitol.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations 
and Related Agencies held a hearing on the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation. Testimony was heard from Daniel W. Yohannes, Chief 
Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development and Related Agencies held a hearing on Department 
of Housing and Urban Development--Transformation Initiative FY 2012 
Oversight and Budget. Testimony was heard from the following HUD 
officials: Jerry Williams, Chief Information Officer; Estelle Richman, 
Chief Operating Officer; and Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for 
Policy Development and Research.
MILITARY PERSONNEL
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on military health system overview and Defense Health Program 
cost efficiencies. Testimony was heard from Clifford L. Stanley, Under 
Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; Jonathan Woodson, 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; LTG Eric Schoomaker, 
USA, Surgeon General; VADM Adam Robinson, USN, Surgeon General; and Lt. 
Gen. Charles Bruce Green, USAF, Surgeon General.
LONG-TERM READINESS CHALLENGES IN THE PACIFIC
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on long-term readiness challenges in the Pacific. Testimony was heard 
from Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy, 
Installations and Environment; Michael Schiffer, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, East Asia; 
and Major General Randolph Alles, Director, J-5, Strategic Planning and 
Policy, U.S. Pacific Command.
FY 2012 BUDGET--NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE ACTIVITIES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on the fiscal year 2012 national defense authorization budget 
request for national security space activities. Testimony was heard

[[Page D248]]

from Erin C. Conaton, Under Secretary of the Air Force, DOD; Gen. 
William L. Shelton, USAF, Commander, Air Force Space Command; Gregory 
L. Schulte, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Space Policy, DOD; 
and Betty Sapp, Principal Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance 
Office.
TACTICAL AVIATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force tactical 
aviation programs. Testimony was heard from David M. Van Buren, Acting 
Assistant Secretary of the Air force for Acquisition, USAF; VADM David 
Venlet, USN, Program Executive Officer, F-35 Lightning II Program, DOD; 
Michael J. Sullivan, Director for Acquisition and Sourcing, GAO; VADM 
Mark Skinner, USN, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary 
of the Navy, Research, Development and Acquisition, USN' Lt. Gen. Terry 
G. Robling, USMC, Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Aviation, 
USMC; Rear Admiral Kenneth E. Floyd, USN, Director of the Air Warfare 
Division, Lt. Gen. Mark D. ``Shack'' Shackelford, USAF, Military 
Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 
Acquisition; and Lt. Gen. Herbert J. ``Hawk'' Carlisle, USAF, Deputy 
Chief of Staff for Operations.
BURYING SCHOOLS IN PAPERWORK
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing on 
Education Regulations: Burying Schools in Paperwork. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011; and H.J. Res. 37, a 
resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Federal 
Communications Commission with respect to regulating the Internet and 
broadband industry practices. H.R. 910 was ordered reported, as 
amended; and H.J. Res. 37, was ordered reported, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a markup and 
passed, as amended, their Views and Estimates of the Committee on 
Financial Services on Matters to be Set Forth in the Concurrent 
Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2012.
STRENGTHENING THE BORDER
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``Strengthening the Border--Finding 
the Right Mix of Personnel, Infrastructure and Technology.'' Testimony 
was heard from the following Customs and Border Protection, Department 
of Homeland Security officials: Michael J. Fisher, Chief of the Border 
Patrol; Mark Borkowski, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Technology 
Innovation and Acquisition; and Michael C. Kostelnik, Assistant 
Commissioner, Office of CBP Air & Marine; also, MG Hugo E. Salazar, 
Adjutant General, Arizona National Guard; and Richard M. Stana, 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice, GAO.
WIRELESS TAX FAIRNESS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 1002, the ``Wireless Tax 
Fairness Act of 2011.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION, WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION, 
SOUTHWESTERN POWER ADMINISTRATION, AND SOUTHEASTERN POWER 
ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing entitled ``Examining the Spending, Priorities and the Missions 
of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power 
Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration and the 
Southeastern Power Administration'' including the President's Fiscal 
Year 2012 budget requests and other spending as it relates to the four 
Power Marketing Administrations. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
STATE AND MUNICIPAL DEBT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on TARP, 
Financial Services and Bailouts of Public and Private Programs held a 
hearing entitled, ``State and Municipal Debt: The Coming Crisis? Part 
II.'' Testimony was heard from Dan Liljenquist, State Senator, Utah; 
and public witnesses.
OBAMACARE AND WAIVERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Health 
Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives held a 
hearing entitled, ``Obamacare: Why the Need for Waivers?'' Testimony 
was heard from Steven Larsen, Deputy Administrator and Director, Center 
for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services and public witnesses.

[[Page D249]]


HAMP TERMINATION ACT OF 2011; AND NSP TERMINATION ACT OF 2011
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, a structured 
rule for H.R. 839 and H.R. 861. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of H.R. 839 and provides one hour of general 
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Financial Services. The rule provides that 
the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on Financial Services shall be considered as an original bill 
for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule 
waives all points of order against the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute. The rule makes in order only those amendments 
printed in Part A of the Rules Committee report accompanying the 
resolution. The rule provides that each amendment made in order 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 the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, 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 waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in Part A of the 
report. The rule provides one motion to recommit H.R. 839 with or 
without instruction.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 
861. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Financial Services. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature 
of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services 
shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
and shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule 
makes in order only those amendments printed in Part B of the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that 
each amendment made in order may be offered only in the order printed 
in the report (except that amendment Number 9 and amendment number 10 
may be offered only en bloc), may be offered only by a Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, 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 waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in Part B of the 
report. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit H.R. 861 with 
or without instructions.
  On H.R. 839, testimony was heard from: Rep. Biggert; Rep. Gary Miller 
of California; Rep. Waters; Rep. Maloney of New York; Rep. Miller of 
North Carolina; and Rep. Jackson Lee of Texas.
  On H.R. 861, testimony was heard from: Rep. Biggert; Rep. Gary Miller 
of California; Rep. Waters; Rep. Maloney of New York; Rep. Jackson Lee 
of Texas; and Rep. Laura Richardson.
EFFECTIVELY PROTECTING HOMELAND SECURITY WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Technology and Innovation held a hearing on An Overview of Science 
and Technology Research and Development Programs and Priorities to 
Effectively Protect Homeland Security. Testimony was heard from Tara 
O'Toole, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of 
Homeland Security; Warren Stern, Director, Domestic Nuclear 
Detection Office, Department of Homeland Security; David Maurer, 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Team, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a markup and passed 
their views and estimates on the Small Business Administration's FY 
2012 budget request.
FREEDOM OF AMERICANS ON THE HIGH SEAS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Assuring the 
Freedom of Americans on the High Seas: The United States Response to 
Piracy. Testimony was heard from Admiral Kevin Cook, Director of 
Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, USCG; 
William Wechsler, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Counternarcotics and Global Threats, DOD; Kurt Amend, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs, 
Department of State; and Stephen L. Caldwell, Director, Maritime 
Security and Coast Guard Issues; GAO.
MEDPAC ANNUAL MARCH REPORT TO CONGRESS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health met for 
organizational purposes and held a hearing on the Medicare Payment 
Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) annual March Report to the Congress 
which details the Commission's recommendations for updating Medicare 
payment policies. Testimony was heard from Glen M. Hackbarth, Chairman, 
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

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Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.