[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 184 (Friday, December 2, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1309-D1311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a business meeting to consider 
the issuance of a subpoena to compel the attendance of a witness at the 
subsequent hearing to examine the MF Global Bankruptcy. The Chairman was 
authorized to issue the subpoena.
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a 
hearing entitled ``Expediting the Keystone XL Pipeline: Energy Security and 
Jobs.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing on the following: H.R. 976, to terminate certain hydropower 
reservations, and for other purposes; and H.R. 3263, the ``Lake Thunderbird 
Efficient Use Act of 2011.'' Testimony was heard from Kira Finkler, Deputy 
Commissioner for External and Intergovernmental Affairs, Bureau of 
Reclamation; Randy Worden, District Manager, Central Oklahoma Master 
Conservancy District; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and 
Public Lands held a hearing on the following: H.R. 1038, to authorize the 
conveyance of two small parcels of land within the boundaries of the 
Coconino National Forest containing private improvements that were developed 
based upon the reliance of the landowners in an erroneous survey conducted 
in May 1960; H.R. 1237, to provide for a land exchange with the Trinity 
Public Utilities District of Trinity County, California, involving the 
transfer of land to the Bureau of Land Management and the Six Rivers 
National Forest in exchange for National Forest System land in the Shasta-
Trinity National Forest, and for other purposes; H.R. 2157, to facilitate a 
land exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo 
National Forest, and for other purposes; H.R. 2490, to amend the National 
Trails System Act to provide for a study of the Cascadia Marine Trail; H.R. 
2504, the ``Coltsville National Historical Park Act''; H.R. 2745 to amend 
the Mesquite Lands Act of 1986 to facilitate implementation of a 
multispecies habitat conservation plan for the Virgin River in Clark County, 
Nevada; H.R. 2947, to provide for the release of the reversionary interest 
held by the United States in certain land conveyed by the United States in 
1950 for the establishment of an airport in Cook County, Minnesota; H.R. 
3222, to designate certain National Park System land in Olympic National 
Park as wilderness or potential wilderness, and for other purposes; H.R. 
3452, the ``Wasatch Range Recreation Access Enhancement Act''; and S. 684, 
to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of 
Alta, Utah. Testimony was heard from Rep. Herger; Rep. McKeon; Rep. Larson 
of Connecticut; Rep. Cravaack; Rep. Gosar; Rep. Heck; Gregory Smith, Acting 
Deputy Chief of Staff, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Peggy 
O'Dell, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; 
Michael Jensen, Councilman, Salt Lake County Council; Ralph Becker, Mayor, 
Salt Lake City, Utah; Matt Ryan, Supervisor, Coconino County, Arizona; Pedro 
Segarra, Mayor, Hartford, Connecticut; and public witnesses.
UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING VETERAN SUICIDE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing on 
Understanding and Preventing Veteran Suicide. Testimony was heard from Jan 
E. Kemp, National Mental Health Director for Suicide Prevention, Veterans 
Heath Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a hearing 
series entitled ``Securing the Future of the Social Security Disability 
Insurance (SSDI) Program.'' The focus of this hearing is the history of the 
disability insurance program, the income security it provides and its 
financing challenges. Testimony was heard from Stephen C. Goss, Chief 
Actuary, Social Security Administration; and public witnesses.
Joint Meetings
COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE OSCE REGION
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded a 
hearing to examine combating

[[Page D1310]]

anti-Semitism in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
region, focusing on taking stock of the situation today, including 
initiatives designed to target violent and other manifestations on anti-
Semitism in the fifty-six North American and European countries that 
comprise the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), 
after receiving testimony from Hannah Rosenthal, Department of State Special 
Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism; Andrew Baker, The OSCE Chairman-
in Office's Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism, Stacy 
Burdett, Anti-Defamation League, and Mark Levin, National Conference on 
Soviet Jewry, all of Washington, D.C.; and Shimon Samuels, Simon Wiesenthal 
Center, Paris, France.
F


                       CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM AHEAD

              Week of December 5 through December 10, 2011

                             Senate Chamber

  On Monday, at 4:30 p.m., Senate will begin consideration of the 
nominations of Edgardo Ramos, of Connecticut, to be United States District 
Judge for the Southern District of New York, Andrew L. Carter, Jr., of New 
York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New 
York, James Rodney Gilstrap, of Texas, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Texas, and Dana L. Christensen, of Montana, to 
be United States District Judge for the District of Montana, with votes on 
confirmation of the nominations at 5:30 p.m.
  During the balance of the week, Senate may consider any cleared 
legislative and executive business.


                            Senate Committees

          (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
  Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: December 6, to hold 
hearings to examine continued oversight of the implementation of the 
``Wall Street Reform Act'', 10 a.m., SD-538.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer 
Protection, to hold hearings to examine enhanced supervision, focusing on 
a new regime for regulating large, complex financial institutions, 2 
p.m., SD-538.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: December 6, 
Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance, to 
hold hearings to examine contaminated drywall, focusing on examining the 
current health, housing and product safety issues facing homeowners, 10 
a.m., SR-253.
  December 7, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine turning the 
investigation on the science of forensics, 2:30 p.m., SR-253.
  December 8, Full Committee, business meeting to consider pending 
calendar business, Time to be announced, Room to be announced.
  December 8, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the Internet 
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers' (ICANN) expansion of top 
level domains, 10 a.m., SR-253.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: December 8, to hold hearings 
to examine the nomination of Arunava Majumdar, of California, to be Under 
Secretary of Energy, 9:30 a.m., SD-366.
  December 8, Subcommittee on Water and Power, to hold hearings to 
examine opportunities and challenges to address domestic and global water 
supply issues, 2:30 p.m., SD-366.
  Committee on Finance: December 6, to hold a joint hearing with the 
House Committee on Ways and Means to examine tax reform and the tax 
treatment of financial products, 10 a.m., HVC-210.
  December 7, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine drug shortages, 
focusing on why they happen and what they mean, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: December 8, to hold hearings to examine 
the nominations of Tara D. Sonenshine, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary 
of State for Public Diplomacy, and Earl W. Gast, of California, to be an 
Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, 10 a.m., SD-419.
  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: December 8, to 
hold hearings to examine barriers facing the long-term unemployed, 9:45 
a.m., SD-106.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: December 6, Ad 
Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, to hold hearings to examine 
whistleblower protections for government contractors, 10 a.m., SD-342.
  December 7, Full Committee, to hold a joint hearing with the House 
Committee on Homeland Security to examine homegrown terrorism, focusing 
on the threat to military communities inside the United States, 9:30 
a.m., HVC-210.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the 
Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, with the Ad Hoc 
Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery and Intergovernmental Affairs, to hold 
joint hearings to examine earthquakes to terrorist attacks, focusing on 
if the national capital region is prepared for the next disaster, 2:30 
p.m., SD-342.
  Committee on Indian Affairs: December 8, to hold an oversight hearing 
to examine state and Federal tax policy, focusing on building new markets 
in Indian country, 2:15 p.m., SD-628.
  Committee on the Judiciary: December 6, Subcommittee on Administrative 
Oversight and the Courts, to hold hearings to examine access to the 
court, focusing on televising the Supreme Court, 10 a.m., SD-226.
  December 6, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer 
Rights, to hold hearings to examine the Express Scripts/Medco merger, 
2:30 p.m., SD-226.
  December 7, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine reauthorizing 
the EB-5 Regional Center Program, focusing on promoting job creation and 
economic development in American communities, 10 a.m., SD-226.
  December 7, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the nomination 
of Paul J. Watford, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for 
the Ninth Circuit, 2:30 p.m., SD-226.
  December 8, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S.1886, to 
prevent trafficking in counterfeit drugs, S. 678, to increase the 
penalties for economic espionage,

[[Page D1311]]

S.1821, to prevent the termination of the temporary office of bankruptcy 
judges in certain judicial districts, and the nomination of Kathryn 
Keneally, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General, Department of 
Justice, 10 a.m., SD-226.
  Select Committee on Intelligence: December 8, to hold closed hearings 
to examine certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219.


                            House Committees

  Committee on Agriculture, December 8, full Committee, hearing on the 
Examination of MF Global bancruptcy, 9:30 a.m., 1300 Longworth.
  Committee on Financial Services, December 6, full Committee, hearing on 
H.R. 1148, the ``Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act.'' 10 a.m., 
2128 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored 
Enterprises, hearing on the Private Mortgage Market Investment Act, Part 
2.'' 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, business 
meeting for the purpose of authorizing and issuing a subpoena ad 
testificandum for the appearance of Jon Corzine in conjunction with the 
hearing scheduled for Thursday, December 15, 2011, 3 p.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, December 5, Subcommittee on Africa, 
Global Health, and Human Rights, hearing entitled ``Fighting Malaria: 
Progress and Challenges.'' 3 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations; and 
Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia; joint hearing entitled ``Camp 
Ashraf: Iraqi Obligations and State Department Accountability.'' 2:30 
p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  Committee on Homeland Security, December 6, Subcommittee on 
Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies, 
hearing entitled ``Hearing on Draft Legislative Proposal on 
Cybersecurity.'' 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
  December 6, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, hearing 
entitled ``Jihadist Use of Social Media--How to Prevent Terrorism and 
Preserve Innovation.'' 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
  December 8, Subcommittee on Transportation Security, hearing entitled 
``A Review of Passenger Screening Technology at U.S. Airports.'' Noon, 
311 Cannon.
  Committee on the Judiciary, December 6, Subcommittee on the 
Constitution, hearing on H.R. 3541, the ``Susan B. Anthony and Frederick 
Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2011.'' 1 p.m., 2141 
Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the 
Internet, hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Antitrust Enforcement 
Agencies.'' 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, hearing 
entitled ``Visa Waiver Program Oversight: Risks and Benefits of the 
Program.'' 1 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  December 8, full Committee, hearing on the United States Department of 
Justice, 9:30 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  Committee on Natural Resources, December 6, full Committee, hearing 
entitled ``The Endangered Species Act: How Litigation is Costing Jobs and 
Impeding True Recovery Efforts.'' 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, December 7, Subcommittee 
on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management; and 
Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the 
National Archives, joint hearing entitled ``A Medicaid Fraud Victim 
Speaks Out: What's Going Wrong and Why?'' 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and 
Foreign Operations, hearing entitled ``Oversight in Iraq and Afghanistan: 
Challenges and Solutions.'' 10 a.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  Committee on Rules, December 6, full Committee, hearing on H.R. 1633, 
the ``Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011'' 3 p.m., H-313 
Capitol.
  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, December 6, full 
Committee, hearing entitled ``The Next Great Observatory: Assessing the 
James Webb Space Telescope.'' 2 p.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  December 7, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, hearing entitled 
``Energy Critical Elements: Identifying Research Needs and Strategic 
Priorities.'' 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, December 6, full 
Committee, hearing entitled ``The Federal Railroad Administration's High 
Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program: Mistakes and Lessons 
Learned.'' 11 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  December 7, full Committee, hearing entitled ``Restoring Jobs, Coastal 
Viability and Economic Resilience in the Gulf of Mexico: H.R. 3096, the 
Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and 
Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2011.'' 10 a.m., 2167 
Rayburn.
  House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, December 8, full 
Committee, hearing on ongoing intelligence activities, 10 a.m., HVC-304. 
This is a closed hearing.