[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 176 (Thursday, November 17, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1243-D1244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nominations of Michael A. Sheehan, of New Jersey, to be Assistant 
Secretary for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, Mark 
William Lippert, of Ohio, to be Assistant Secretary for Asian and 
Pacific Security Affairs, who was introduced by Senator Leahy, and Brad 
Carson, of Oklahoma, to be General Counsel of the Department of the 
Army, who was introduced by Senator Inhofe, all of the Department of 
Defense, and Kevin A. Ohlson, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United 
States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the nominations of Maurice A. Jones, of Virginia, to 
be a Deputy Secretary, who was introduced by Senator Warner, and Carol 
J. Galante, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Thomas Hoenig, to be a 
Member and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation, who was introduced by Senators McCaskill 
and Blunt, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their 
own behalf.
NASA HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Science and Space concluded a hearing to examine NASA's human space 
exploration, focusing on direction, strategy and progress, after 
receiving testimony from Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, Robert 
D. Cabana, Director, Kennedy Space Center, Michael L. Coats, Director, 
Johnson Space Center, and Robert M. Lightfoot, Director, Marshall Space 
Flight Center, all of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
TOURISM IN AMERICA
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion concluded a hearing 
to examine tourism in America, focusing on moving our economy forward, 
after receiving testimony from Ken Hyatt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Commerce for Services; David T. Donahue, Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
State for Visa Services; James P. Evans, Brand USA, Washington, D.C.; 
John F. Edman, Explore Minnesota Tourism, St. Paul; Jonathan Zuk, 
Receptive Services Association of America (RSAA), Lexington, Kentucky; 
and Jonathan Tisch, Lowes Hotels, New York, New York.
OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the Secretary of the Interior's Order No. 3315 to 
consolidate and establish the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement within the Bureau of Land Management, after receiving 
testimony from David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior; 
Bradley C. Lambert, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy 
Deputy Director, Big Stone Gap, on behalf of the Interstate Mining 
Compact Commission; John Corra, Wyoming Department of Environmental 
Quality Director, Cheyenne; Patrick C. McGinley, West Virginia 
University College of Law, Morgantown; Katie Sweeney, National Mining 
Association, Washington, D.C.; and DarAnne Dunning, Western 
Organization of Resource Councils, Helena, Montana.
SAFE CHEMICALS ACT
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a joint 
hearing with the Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental 
Health to examine S. 847, to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to 
ensure that risks from chemicals are adequately understood and managed, 
after receiving testimony from Ted Sturdevant, Washington State 
Department of Ecology Director, Lacey; and Charlotte Brody, BlueGreen 
Alliance, Cal Dooley, American Chemistry Council, Robert A. Matthews, 
McKenna, Long and Aldridge, on behalf of The Consumer Specialty 
Products Association (CSPA), and Richard A. Denison, Environmental 
Defense Fund (EDF), all of Washington, D.C.

[[Page D1244]]


NOMINATIONS
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
nominations of Mary John Miller, of Maryland, to be an Under Secretary, 
and Alastair M. Fitzpayne, of Maryland, to be a Deputy Under Secretary, 
both of the Department of the Treasury, who were both introduced by 
Senator Cardin, Kathleen Kerrigan, of Massachusetts, to be a Judge of 
the United States Tax Court, who was introduced by Senator Kerry, and 
Henry J. Aaron, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the 
Social Security Advisory Board, after the nominees testified and 
answered questions in their own behalf.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the Americans with Disabilities Act and 
accessible transportation, focusing on challenges and opportunities, 
after receiving testimony from David M. Capozzi, U.S. Access Board, and 
Jill Houghton, US Business Leadership Network, both of Washington, 
D.C.; Marca Bristo, Access Living, Chicago, Illinois; and Billy Altom, 
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, North Little 
Rock, Arkansas.
INTERNET GAMING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine the future of internet gaming, focusing on what's at stake 
for tribes, after receiving testimony from Lawrence S. Roberts, 
National Indian Gaming Commission, Ernest Stevens, Jr., and Mark Van 
Norman, both of the National Indian Gaming Association, and former 
Senator Alfonse D'Amato, and John Pappas, both of the Poker Players 
Alliance, all of Washington, D.C.; Bruce Bozsum, Mohegan Tribe, 
Uncasville, Connecticut; Glen Gobin, Tulalip Tribes, Tulalip, 
Washington; Penny Coleman, Coleman Indian Law, Arlington, Virginia; and 
Grant Eve, Joseph Eve, Great Falls, Montana.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 1793, to amend title 28, United States Code, to clarify the 
statutory authority for the longstanding practice of the Department of 
Justice of providing investigatory assistance on request of State and 
local authorities with respect to certain serious violent crimes;
  H.R. 2076, to amend title 28, United States Code, to clarify the 
statutory authority for the longstanding practice of the Department of 
Justice of providing investigatory assistance on request of State and 
local authorities with respect to certain serious violent crimes, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1794, to correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 
(relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United 
States Code, with amendments;
  H.R. 347, to correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 
(relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United 
States Code, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  H.R. 2189, to encourage States to report to the Attorney General 
certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody 
of law enforcement agencies.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on 
intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the 
intelligence community.
  Committee recessed subject to the call.