[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 65 (Thursday, May 12, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D496-D498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing to review 
pending free trade agreements. Testimony was heard from Tom Vilsack, 
Secretary of Agriculture; Ron Kirk, United States Trade Representative; 
and public witnesses.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT--APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Smithsonian Institution FY12 Budget 
Oversight. Testimony was heard from Wayne Clough, Secretary, 
Smithsonian Institution.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH--APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on the House of Representatives FY 2012. Testimony was heard 
from Dan J. Strodel, Chief Administrative Officer; Karen Haas, Clerk of 
the House; and Wilson Livingood, Sergeant at Arms.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on Reviewing Workers' Compensation for 
Federal Employees. Testimony was heard from Daniel Bertoni, Director of 
Education, Workforce and Income Security, GAO; Elliot P. Lewis, 
Assistant Inspector General for Audit, Department of Labor, Office of 
Inspector General; Gary A. Steinberg, Acting Director, Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs, Department of Labor; Scott Szymendera, 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a markup 
of H.R. 1683, the State Flexibility Act of 2011. The bill was 
forwarded, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Manufacturing, and Trade held a markup of legislation regarding the 
Enhancing CPSC Authority and Discretion Act of 2011 (ECADA). The bill 
was forwarded, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee began a markup on the 
following legislation: H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 
2011; H.R. 1573, to facilitate implementation of title VII of the Dodd-
Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; H.R. 1121, the 
Responsible Consumer Financial Protection Regulations Act of 2011; H.R. 
1315, the Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness 
Improvement Act of 2011; and H.R. 1667, to postpone the date for the 
transfer of functions to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection if 
the Bureau does not yet have a Director in place.
EXPORT CONTROLS, ARMS SALES, AND REFORM
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing on Export 
Controls, Arms Sales, and Reform: Balancing U.S. Interests, Part 1. 
Testimony was heard from Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary, Arms Control 
and International Security, Department of State; Eric L. Hirschhorn, 
Under Secretary, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of 
Commerce; and James N. Miller, Jr., Principal Deputy Under Secretary of 
Defense for Policy, Department of Defense.
TAKING MEASURE OF COUNTERMEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Response, and Communications held a hearing entitled ``Taking Measure 
of Countermeasures (Part 2): A Review of Efforts to Protect the 
Homeland Through Distribution and Dispensing of CBRN Medical 
Countermeasures.'' Testimony was heard from Alexander G. Garza, MD, 
Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, Chief Medical Officer, 
Department of Homeland Security; Ali Khan, MD, Director, Office of 
Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention; Mike McHargue, Director of Emergency Operations, 
Division of Emergency Medical Operations, Florida Department of Health; 
David Starr, Director, Countermeasures Response Unit,

[[Page D497]]

Emergency Preparedness and Response, NYC Department of Health and 
Mental Hygiene; Lawrence E. Tan, Chief, Emergency Medical Services 
Division, Department of Public Safety, New Castle County, Delaware; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
held a markup of the following: H.R. 1690, MODERN Security Credentials 
Act; H.R. 1801, Risk-Based Security Screening for Members of The Armed 
Forces Act; and H.R. 1165, Transportation Security Administration 
Ombudsman Act of 2011. H.R. 1690 and H.R. 1165 were both forwarded, as 
amended. H.R. 1801, was forwarded, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 1800, 
the FISA Sunsets Reauthorization Act of 2011. The bill was ordered 
reported, without amendment.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing on the following: H.R. 470, to further allocate and expand the 
availability of hydroelectric power generated at Hoover Dam, and for 
other purposes; H.R. 489, to clarify the jurisdiction of the Secretary 
of the Interior with respect to the C.C. Cragin Dam and Reservoir, and 
for other purposes; and H.R. 818, to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to allow for prepayment of repayment contracts between the 
United States and the Uintah Water Conservancy District. Testimony was 
heard from Kenny Evans, Mayor, Payson, Arizona; David Murillo, Deputy 
Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Reclamation; and public 
witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, 
Oceans, and Insular Affairs held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
295, to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to 
authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic 
services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineating the 
United States extended continental shelf, and the monitoring and 
description of coastal changes; H.R. 670, to convey certain submerged 
lands to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in order to 
give that territory the same benefits in its submerged lands as Guam, 
the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have in their submerged lands; 
H.R. 991, to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to allow 
importation of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada 
before the date the polar bear was determined to be a threatened 
species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; H.R. 1160, McKinney 
Lake National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act; H.R. 1670, Sikes Act 
Amendments Act. Testimony was heard from Rep. Kissell; Rowan Gould, 
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service; Capt. John Lowell, 
Director, Office of Coast Survey, NOAA; Gordon Myers, Executive 
Director, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; and public 
witnesses.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA'S FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Health 
Care, DC, Census and the National Archives held a hearing entitled 
``The District of Columbia's Fiscal Year 2012 Budget: Ensuring Fiscal 
Sustainability.'' Testimony was heard from Vincent Gray, Mayor, 
District of Columbia; Kwame Brown, Chairman, DC City Council; Natwar 
Gandhi, Chief Financial Officer, District of Columbia; and public 
witnesses.
THE MAILING INDUSTRY AND ITS FUTURE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy held a hearing entitled 
``Where Have All the Letters Gone?--The Mailing Industry and Its 
Future.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
POLITICIZING PROCUREMENT: WILL PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSAL CURB FREE 
SPEECH AND HURT SMALL BUSINESS?
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee and the 
Committee on Small Business held a joint hearing entitled 
``Politicizing Procurement: Will President Obama's Proposal Curb Free 
Speech and Hurt Small Business?'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
EPA REGULATIONS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations 
and Regulations held a hearing entitled ``Green Isn't Always Gold: Are 
EPA Regulations Harming Small Businesses?'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
CIVILIAN PROPERTY REALIGNMENT ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on How to Stop Sitting on Our Assets: A Review of the Civilian 
Property Realignment Act. Testimony was

[[Page D498]]

heard from Daniel I. Werfel, Controller, OMB; Patrick F. Kennedy, Under 
Secretary for Management, Department of State; Anthony J. Principi, 
Former Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs; Chairman, 2005 
Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission; David Winstead, Former 
Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General Services 
Administration; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup of the 
following: H.R. 1407, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment 
Act of 2011; H.R. 1484, Veterans Appeals Improvement Act of 2011; H.R. 
1627, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain 
requirements for the placement of monuments in Arlington National 
Cemetery, and for other purposes; H.R. 1383, Restoring G.I. Bill 
Fairness Act of 2011; H.R. 1657, to amend title 38, United States Code, 
to revise the enforcement penalties for misrepresentation of a business 
concern as a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or 
as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled 
veterans; and H.R. 802, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish a VetStar Award Program. The following were ordered reported, 
as amended: H.R. 1383, H.R. 802; H.R. 1407; H.R. 1484; and H.R. 1627. 
H.R. 1657 was ordered reported, without amendment.
BURDENS THAT THE TAX CODE IMPOSES ON AMERICAN COMPANIES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a hearing on the 
burdens that the tax code imposes on American companies and how such 
burdens place them at a competitive disadvantage as they try to sell 
goods and services around the world. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
REFORMING MEDICARE PHYSICIAN PAYMENTS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
reforming Medicare physician payments. Testimony was heard from Lisa 
Dulsky Watkins, MD, Associate Director, Vermont Blueprint for Health, 
Department of Vermont Health Access; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.