[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 193 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1371-D1373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 3521, the 
``Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011.'' The bill was 
ordered reported, as amended.

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LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets and 
Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing on H.R. 3606, the 
``Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act 
of 2011.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and 
Community Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``The Homeless Children 
and Youth Act of 2011: Proposals to Promote Economic Independence for 
Homeless Children and Youth.'' Testimony was heard from Alicia Puente 
Cackley, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, 
Government Accountability Office; Seth Diamond, Commissioner, New York 
City Department of Homeless Services; Maria Estella Garza, Homeless 
Liaison, San Antonio Independent School District; Mark Johnston, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Special Needs, Office of Community Planning and 
Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Barbara 
Poppe, Executive Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness; 
Grace Whitney, Director, Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration 
Office, Connecticut State Department of Education; and public 
witnesses.
COLLAPSE OF MF GLOBAL
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Collapse of MF Global.'' 
Testimony was heard from Dan M. Berkovitz, General Counsel, Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission; Robert Cook, Director, Division of Trading 
and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a markup of the following: H.R. 3401, to apply counterinsurgency 
tactics under a coordinated and targeted strategy to combat the 
terrorist insurgency in Mexico waged by transnational criminal 
organizations, and for other purposes; and H.R. 2542, to withhold 
twenty percent of United States assessed and voluntary contributions to 
the Organization of American States (OAS) for every permanent council 
meeting that takes place where Article 20 of the Inter-American Charter 
is not invoked with regard to Venezuela's recent constitutional 
reforms, and for other purposes. H.R. 3401 was forwarded without 
amendment. H.R 2542 was forwarded, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee began markup of H.R. 3261, 
the ``Stop Online Piracy Act.''
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, 
Oceans and Insular Affairs held a hearing on the following: the Harris 
Neck National Wildlife Refuge and How the Federal Government Obtained 
Title to This Land and Promises Made to the Original Landowners; H.R. 
1171, the ``Marine Debris Act Reauthorization Amendments of 2011''; and 
S. 363, to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to convey property of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the City of 
Pascagoula, Mississippi, and for other purposes. Testimony was heard 
from Rep. Farr; Rep. Kingston; Cindy Dohner, Regional Director, Fish 
and Wildlife Service; Holly Bamford, Deputy Assistant Administrator, 
Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; and public witnesses.
WHAT THE EURO CRISIS MEANS FOR TAXPAYERS AND THE U.S. ECONOMY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on TARP, 
Financial Services and Bailouts of Public and Private Programs held a 
hearing entitled ``What the Euro Crisis Means for Taxpayers and the 
U.S. Economy, Pt. I.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012; DISASTER RELIEF APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012; AND 
DIRECTING THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE CORRECTIONS 
IN THE ENROLLMENT OF H.R. 3672
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on the following: 
H.R. 2055, the ``Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans 
Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012; H.R. 3672, the 
``Appropriations Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2012''; and H. 
Con. Res. 94, the ``Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 3672''. The Committee 
granted, by record vote of 7 to 2, a rule waiving all points of order 
against the conference report to accompany H.R. 2055 and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. The rule provides that the previous question shall 
be considered as ordered without intervention of any motion except one

[[Page D1373]]

hour of debate and one motion to recommit if applicable. Debate on the 
conference report is divided pursuant to clause 8(d) of rule XXII. The 
resolution also provides a closed rule for H.R. 3672 with one hour of 
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points 
of order against consideration of the bill and provides that it shall 
be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against 
provisions in the bill. The rule provides one motion to recommit. The 
resolution further provides a closed rule for H. Con. Res. 94. The rule 
provides 20 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled by the 
chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. 
The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the 
concurrent resolution and provides that it shall be considered as read. 
The rule waives all points of order against provisions in the 
concurrent resolution. The rule provides one motion to recommit without 
instructions. The rule provides that the Clerk shall not transmit to 
the Senate a message that the House has passed H.R. 3672 until notified 
by the Speaker or by message from the Senate that the Senate has taken 
the question on adoption of H. Con. Res. 94 as adopted by the House. 
The rule provides that it shall be in order at any time through the 
legislative day of December 16, 2011, for the Speaker to entertain 
motions that the House suspend the rules relating to a measure 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2012. Finally, the rule waives clause 6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a 
two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the same day it is reported from 
the Rules Committee) against any resolution reported through the 
legislative day of December 31, 2011, providing for consideration or 
disposition of any of the following measures: (1) a measure relating to 
expiring provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; (2) a measure 
relating to the Medicare payment system for physicians; and (3) a 
measure relating to appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2012.
  Testimony was heard from Chairman Rogers of Kentucky.
MEDICAL LOSS RATIOS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight 
and Regulations held a hearing entitled ``New Medical Loss Ratios: 
Increasing Health Care Value or Just Eliminating Jobs?'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
CALIFORNIA'S HIGH-SPEED RAIL PLAN
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``California's High-Speed Rail Plan: Skyrocketing 
Costs & Project Concerns.'' Testimony was heard from Rep. McCarthy; 
Rep. Cardoza; Rep. Nunes; Rep. Costa; Rep. Rohrabacher; Rep. Zoe 
Lofgren of California; Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California; Joseph 
Szabo, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration; Jerry Amante, 
Mayor, Tustin, California and Member, Orange County Transportation 
Authority Board of Directors; Ashley Swearengin, Mayor, Fresno, 
California; and public witnesses.
VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT OF 2011
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``Reviewing the Implementation of the VOW to 
Hire Heroes Act of 2011.'' Testimony was heard from Ismael Ortiz, Jr., 
Acting Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, 
Department of Labor; and Curtis L. Coy, Deputy Under Secretary for 
Economic Opportunity, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.