[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 17 (Thursday, February 2, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D73-D74]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
STATE OF THE U.S. ECONOMY
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
State of the U.S. Economy''. Testimony was heard from Ben S. Bernanke, 
Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
CHALLENGES FACING PBGC AND DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, Labor 
and Pensions held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Challenges Facing 
PBGC and Defined Benefit Pension Plans''. Testimony was heard from 
Joshua Gotbaum, Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; 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: 
Part 2''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
IRAN'S AGENDA IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Ahmadinejad's Tour of Tyrants and Iran's Agenda in the Western 
Hemisphere''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
POST-ELECTION DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
and Human Rights held a hearing entitled ``U.S. Policy Toward Post-
Election Democratic Republic of Congo''. Testimony was heard from 
Donald Y. Yamamoto, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
African Affairs, Department of State; Daniel B. Baer, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of 
State; and Sarah E. Mendelson, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau 
for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for 
International Development.
CONTINGENT FEES AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN STATE AG ENFORCEMENT OF 
FEDERAL LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing entitled ``Contingent Fees and Conflicts of Interest in State 
AG Enforcement of Federal Law''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

[[Page D74]]


FAST AND FURIOUS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Fast and Furious: Management Failures at the 
Department of Justice''. Testimony was heard from Eric Holder, Attorney 
General, Department of Justice.
FUTURE OF THE FAMILY FARM
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``The Future of the Family Farm: The 
Effect of Proposed DOL Regulations on Small Business Producers''. 
Testimony was heard from Nancy J. Leppink, Deputy Administrator, Wage 
and Hour Division, Department of Labor; Bob Tabb, Deputy Commissioner, 
West Virginia State Department of Agriculture; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
markup of H.R. 7, the ``American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act''. 
The bill was ordered reported, as amended.
LOWERING UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``Lowering the Rate of Unemployment for the 
National Guard''. Testimony was heard from MG Terry M. Haston, Adjutant 
General, Tennessee National Guard; MG Timothy E. Orr, Adjutant General, 
Iowa National Guard; BG Margaret Washburn, Assistant Adjutant General, 
Indiana National Guard; BG Marianne Watson, Director, Manpower and 
Personnel, National Guard Bureau; Ronald G. Young, Director, Family and 
Employer Program and Policy, Department of Defense; Ismael ``Junior'' 
Ortiz, Acting Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training 
Service, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S DEATH MASTER FILE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on the accuracy and uses of the Social Security 
Administration's Death Master File. Testimony was heard from Michael J. 
Astrue, Commissioner, Social Security Administration; Patrick P. 
O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector General, Social Security Administration; and 
public witnesses.
WORLD THREATS
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``World Threats''. This hearing began as an open 
hearing and moved to a closed hearing. Testimony was heard from James 
R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence; David Petraeus, Director 
of the Central Intelligence Agency; Lieutenant General Ronald L. 
Burgess, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of 
Defense; and Robert S. Mueller, Director of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation.

Joint Meetings
TEMPORARY PAYROLL TAX CUT CONTINUATION ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 3630, to extend the payroll tax holiday, 
unemployment compensation, Medicare physician payment, provide for the 
consideration of the Keystone XL pipeline, but did not complete action 
thereon, and recessed subject to the call.