[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 27, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D857-D859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
EXAMINATION OF TITLE I AND THE SURE PROGRAM
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing on Agricultural Program Audit: 
Examination of Title I and the SURE Program. Testimony was heard from 
Bruce Nelson, Administrator, Farm Service Agency, Department of 
Agriculture.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a markup of the FY 2012 State and Foreign 
Operations Appropriations Bill. The bill was forwarded without 
amendment.
THE WAY AHEAD IN AFGHANISTAN
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing on The Way 
Ahead in Afghanistan. Testimony was heard from Francis J. ``Bing'' 
West, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security 
Affairs, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
RESERVE COMPONENTS AS AN OPERATIONAL FORCE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on The Reserve Components as an Operational Force: Potential 
Legislative and Policy Changes. Testimony was heard from Gen. Craig R. 
McKinley, USAF, Chief, National Guard Bureau; LTG Jack Stultz, USA, 
Chief, Army Reserve; VADM Dirk J. Debbink, USN, Chief of Naval Reserve; 
Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner, USAF, Chief, Air Force Reserve; Lt. Gen. 
Harry Wyatt, USAF, Director, Air National Guard; MG Raymond Carpenter, 
USA, Acting Director, Army National Guard; Maj. Gen. Darrell L. Moore, 
USMC, Director, Reserve Affairs Division, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves; 
and Rear Admiral David Callahan, USCG, Acting Director of Reserve and 
Leadership, U.S. Coast Guard Reserves.
SUSTAINING NUCLEAR DETERRENCE AFTER NEW START
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Force held a 
hearing on sustaining nuclear deterrence after New START. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
EXPLORING TEACHER QUALITY INITIATIVES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Education Reforms: Exploring Teacher Quality Initiatives.'' 
Testimony was heard from Kevin S. Huffman, Commissioner, Tennessee 
Department of Education; Tom Boasberg, Superintendent; Denver Public 
Schools; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held 
a markup of the following: discussion draft of the ``Pipeline 
Infrastructure and Community Protection Act of 2011''; and H.R. 2054, 
the ``Energy and Revenue Enrichment Act of 2011''. Both bills were 
forwarded, as amended.
OVERSIGHT OF THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES POST DODD-FRANK
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Credit Rating 
Agencies Post Dodd-Frank.'' Testimony was heard from John Ramsay, 
Deputy Director, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities Exchange 
Commission; Mark Van Der Weide, Senior Associate Director, Division of 
Banking Supervision and Regulation, Federal Reserve Board; David 
Wilson, Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief National Bank Examiner, 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; and public witnesses.
IMPACT OF THE WORLD BANK AND MULTI-LATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS ON 
NATIONAL SECURITY AND U.S. JOB CREATION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on International Monetary 
Policy and Trade, hearing entitled ``The Impact of the World Bank and 
Multi-Lateral Development Banks on National Security and U.S. Job 
Creation.'' Testimony was heard from James T. Kolbe, former Member of 
Congress, Senior Transatlantic Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the 
United States; James A. Harmon, Chairman, Caravel Management, LLC, 
Past-President and CEO, Export-Import Bank of the United States; 
Benjamin Leo, Research Fellow, Center for Global Development, former 
Treasury Department and National Security Council Official; and public 
witnesses.
U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY TOWARD IRAN AND SYRIA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing on Axis of Abuse: U.S. Human Rights Policy toward 
Iran and Syria, Part 1. Testimony was heard from Jeffrey D. Feltman, 
Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, 
Department of State; and Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary of 
State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of 
State.

[[Page D858]]


AL SHABAAB: RECRUITMENT AND RADICALIZATION WITHIN THE MUSLIM AMERICAN 
COMMUNITY AND THE THREAT TO THE HOMELAND
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Al Shabaab: Recruitment and Radicalization within the Muslim American 
Community and the Threat to the Homeland.'' Testimony was heard from 
William Anders Folk, former Assistant United States Attorney, District 
of Minnesota; Tom Smith, Chief of Police, Saint Paul, Minnesota; and 
public witnesses.
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND REMUNERATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing entitled ``Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 
Trustee Responsibilities and Remuneration.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee began to mark up the 
following: H.R. 1981, the ``Protecting Children From Internet 
Pornographers Act of 2011''; H.R. 1433, the ``Private Property Rights 
Protection Act of 2011''; H.R. 2633, the ``Appeal Time Clarification 
Act of 2011''; H.R. 83, the ``Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act 
of 2011''; and H.R. 2189, the ``Death in Custody Reporting Act of 
2011''. H.R. 2633 was ordered reported without amendment. This markup 
is scheduled to continue July 28, 11 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
STATE PERSPECTIVES ON OFFSHORE REVENUE SHARING
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``State Perspectives on Offshore Revenue Sharing.'' Testimony was heard 
from Doug Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resources, Virginia; Garret 
Graves, Chairman, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Office 
of the Governor State of Louisiana; and public witnesses.
DISPOSAL OF FEDERAL REAL PROPERTY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Disposal of Federal Real Property: Legislative 
Proposals.'' Testimony was heard from Rep. Chaffetz; Rep. Quigley; Rep. 
Denham; Daniel I. Werfel, Controller, Office of Management and Budget; 
David E. Foley, Deputy Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General 
Services Administration; Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director, 
Budget Analysis Division, Congressional Budget Office; F. Joseph 
Moravec, former Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General 
Services Administration; and public witnesses.
THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy held a hearing entitled 
``The Thrift Savings Plan: Helping Federal Employees Achieve Retirement 
Security.'' Testimony was heard from Gregory T. Long, Executive 
Director, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board; and public 
witnesses.
FASTER FOIA ACT OF 2011 (BUDGET CONTROL ACT OF 2011)
Committee on Rules: Granted, by record vote of 8 to 4, a closed rule 
providing two hours of debate with one hour equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Rules, 30 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means; and 30 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Budget. The rule waives all 
points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides 
that the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in Part A of 
the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution, modified by the 
amendment printed in Part B of the report, shall be considered as 
adopted. The rule provides that the bill, as amended, shall be 
considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against 
provisions in the bill, as amended. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions.
  The rule authorizes the Speaker to entertain motions to suspend the 
rules at any time through Sunday, July 31, 2011 if the measure was made 
available on the previous legislative day, except measures proposing an 
amendment to the Constitution, which must be available for three 
legislative days. The rule provides two hours of debate on a motion to 
suspend the rules relating to a balanced budget amendment to the 
Constitution. The rule sets the dates for the convening of the House 
for the anticipated pro forma sessions during the period from August 1, 
2011 through September 6, 2011, and provides that the Speaker may 
dispense with legislative business for those pro forma sessions and 
authorizes the Speaker to declare the House adjourned to a time on the 
next pro forma session day. The rule provides for the approval of the 
Journal during pro forma sessions from August 1, 2011 through September 
6, 2011. The rule provides that days during the period from August 1, 
2011 through September 6, 2011 shall not constitute calendar days for 
purposes of the War Powers Resolution. Finally, the rule provides that 
the Speaker may delay the referral of introduced measures from August 
1, 2011 through September 6, 2011.

[[Page D859]]


BUREAUCRATIC OBSTACLES FOR SMALL EXPORTERS
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Bureaucratic Obstacles for Small Exporters: Is our National Export 
Strategy Working?'' Testimony was heard from Suresh Kumar, Assistant 
Secretary and Director General, Department of Commerce, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Commercial Service; Christian Foster, Deputy 
Administrator, Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agriculture Service; 
and public witnesses.
EUROPEAN UNION'S EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing entitled ``The European Union's Emissions 
Trading Scheme: A Violation of International Law.'' Testimony was heard 
from Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International 
Affairs, Department of Transportation; Kl'islma R. Urs, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs, Department of State; 
and public witnesses.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing entitled ``The Economic Development Administration: How to 
Improve Effectiveness through Reforms and Consolidations.'' Testimony 
was heard from John R. Fernandez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
Economic Development, Department of Commerce; William Shear, Director, 
Financial Markets and Community Investment, GAO; and public witnesses.
PREVENTING VIOLENT RADICALIZATION IN AMERICA
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Terrorism, HUMINT, Analysis, and Counterintelligence held a hearing on 
Preventing Violent Radicalization in America. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
MAXIMIZING AMERICA'S PROSPERITY
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
maximizing America's prosperity, focusing on how fiscal rules can 
restrain Federal overspending, after receiving testimony from James C. 
Miller III, former Director, Office of Management and Budget, Executive 
Office of the President, Daniel J. Mitchell, Cato Institute, and Robert 
D. Reischauer, Urban Institute, all of Washington, DC.