[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D91-D94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on the FY 2013 budget request of the Library of Congress, 
Government Accountability Office, Government Printing Office, and 
Congressional Budget Office. Testimony was heard from James H. 
Billington, Librarian of Congress, Library of Congress; Gene L. Dodaro, 
Comptroller General, Government Accountability Office; Davita Vance-
Cooks, Acting Public Printer, Government Printing Office; and Douglas 
Elmendorf, Director, Congressional Budget Office.
NLRB RECESS APPOINTMENTS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``The NLRB Recess Appointments: Implications for America's 
Workers and Employers''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee continued markup of 
H.R. 3548, the ``North American Energy Access Act''. The bill was 
ordered reported, as amended.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and 
Community Opportunity held a markup of the following: the ``Affordable 
Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012''; the ``FHA 
Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act of 2012''; and H.R. 32, the ``Homeless 
Children and Youth Act of 2011''. The discussion draft of the 
``Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012'' was 
forwarded without amendment. The following were forwarded, as amended: 
discussion draft of the ``FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act of 2012''; 
and H.R. 32.
EXPORT CONTROLS, ARMS SALES, AND REFORM
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Export Controls, Arms Sales, and Reform: Balancing U.S. Interests, 
Part II''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
U.S.-PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``The U.S.-
Philippines Alliance: Deepening the Security and Trade Partnership''. 
Testimony was heard from Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State; and Peter Lavoy, 
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security 
Affairs, Department of Defense.
BALANCING MARITIME SECURITY AND TRADE FACILITATION
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``Balancing Maritime Security and 
Trade Facilitation: Protecting our Ports, Increasing Commerce and 
Securing the Supply Chain--Part I''. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Nadler; David Heyman, Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Policy, Department of Homeland Security; Kevin McAleenan, Acting 
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security; Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft, 
Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship, U.S. 
Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; and Stephen Caldwell, 
Director, Maritime and Coast Guard Issues, Homeland Security and 
Justice Team, Government Accountability Office.
SCREENING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
began a hearing entitled ``Screening Partnership Program: Why is a Job-
Creating, Public-Private Partnership Meeting Resistance at TSA?'' 
Testimony was heard from John S. Pistole, Administrator, Transportation 
Security Administration; and public witnesses. This hearing will 
reconvene at a date and time to be announced.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee continued markup of H.R. 
3541, the ``Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal 
Nondiscrimination Act of 2011''.
WATER FOR OUR FUTURE AND JOB CREATION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing entitled ``Water for Our Future and Job Creation: Examining 
Regulatory and Bureaucratic Barriers to New Surface Storage 
Infrastructure''. Testimony was heard from Michael Gabaldon, Director, 
Technical Resources, Bureau of Reclamation; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska 
Native Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 3532, the ``American Indian 
Empowerment Act of 2011''. Testimony was heard from Donald ``Del'' 
Laverdure, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
JOBS FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and 
Procurement Reform held a hearing entitled ``Jobs for Wounded Warriors: 
Increasing Access to Contracts for Service Disabled Veterans''. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Johnson of Ohio; Senator 
Cleland; Belinda Finn, Assistant Inspector General, Veterans 
Administration, Office of the Inspectors General; James J. O'Neill, 
Assistant IG for Investigations, VA Office of Inspectors General; 
Richard Hillman, Managing Director of Forensic Audits and Investigative 
Services, Government Accountability Office; Andrew Gudger, Director, 
Office of Small Business Programs, Office of the Undersecretary of 
Defense, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Department of Defense; 
Thomas Leney, Executive Director, Small and Veteran Owned Business 
Programs, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
IMPROPER PAYMENTS TOTAL $115 BILLION IN FEDERAL MISSPENDING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management held a 
hearing entitled ``Solutions Needed: Improper Payments Total $115

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Billion in Federal Misspending''. Testimony was heard from Senator 
Carper; Daniel I. Werfel, Controller, Office of Federal Financial 
Management, Office of Management and Budget; Beryl Davis, Director, 
Financial Management and Assurance, Government Accountability Office; 
and public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
markup of the District of Columbia Special Elections Reform Act; H.R. 
3813, the ``Securing Annuities for Federal Employees Act of 2012''; 
H.R. 3276, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 2810 East Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, Florida, as 
the ``Reverend Abe Brown Post Office Building''; H.R. 3378, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
220 Elm Avenue in Munising, Michigan, as the ``Elizabeth L. Kinnunen 
Post Office Building''; H.R. 3412, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 1421 Veterans Memorial Drive in 
Abbeville, Louisiana, as the ``Sergeant Richard Franklin Abshire Post 
Office Building''; H.R. 3413, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 1449 West Avenue in Bronx, New York, 
as the ``Private Isaac T. Cortes Post Office''; H.R. 3477, to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 133 Hare 
Road in Crosby, Texas, as the ``Army First Sergeant David McNerney Post 
Office Building''; H.R. 3501, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 125 Kerr Avenue in Rome City, Indiana, 
as the ``SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office''; H.R. 3593, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
787 State Route 17M in Monroe, New York, as the ``National Clandestine 
Service of the Central Intelligence Agency NCS Officer Gregg David 
Wenzel Memorial Post Office''; H.R. 3637, to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 401 Old Dixie Highway in 
Jupiter, Florida, as the ``Roy Schallern Rood Post Office Building''; 
H.R. 3772, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 150 South Union Street in Canton, Mississippi, as 
the ``First Sergeant Landres Cheeks Post Office Building''; H.R. 3869, 
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 600 East Capitol Avenue in Little Rock, Arkansas, as the ``Sidney 
`Sid' Sanders McMath Post Office Building''; H.R. 3870, to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6083 
Highway 36 West in Rose Bud, Arkansas, as the ``Nicky `Nick' Daniel 
Bacon Post Office''; and H.R. 3892, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 8771 Auburn Folsom Road in 
Roseville, California, as the ``Private First Class Victor A. Dew Post 
Office''.
  The following were ordered reported without amendment: H.R. 3276, 
H.R. 3378, H.R. 3412, H.R. 3413, H.R. 3477, H.R. 3501, H.R. 3593, H.R. 
3637, H.R. 3772, H.R. 3869, H.R. 3870, and H.R. 3892, and H.R. 3902.
  The following were ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 3813.
EXPEDITED LINE-ITEM VETO AND RESCISSIONS ACT OF 2011
Committee on Rules: Full Committee continued a hearing on H.R. 3521, 
the ``Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011''. The 
Committee granted, by record vote of 7 to 4, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate equally divided among and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
the Budget and Representative Simpson of Idaho or his designee. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The 
rule makes in order as original text for purpose of amendment the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 112-12, and provides that it shall be considered as 
read. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute made in order as original text. The rule makes 
in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution. Each such amendment may be offered only in 
the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question. The rule waives all points of order against the amendments 
printed in the Rules Committee report. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions. Finally, the rule provides that 
it shall be in order at any time through the legislative day of 
February 9, 2012, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House 
suspend the rules, as though under clause 1(c) of rule XV, relating to 
a measure addressing securities trading based on nonpublic information.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
markup of the following: H.R. 3834, the ``Advancing America's 
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act of 
2012''; and H.R. 3199, to provide a comprehensive assessment of the 
scientific and technical research on the implications of the use of 
mid-level ethanol

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blends, and for other purposes. Both bills were ordered reported, as 
amended.
PROGRAMS THAT REWARD PHYSICIANS WHO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AND EFFICIENT 
CARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
``Programs that Reward Physicians Who Deliver High Quality and 
Efficient Care''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
PAYROLL TAX CUT AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
bolstering the economy, focusing on helping American families by 
reauthorizing the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance benefits, 
after receiving testimony from Mark W. Everson, Indiana Department of 
Workforce Development Commissioner, Indianapolis; Mark Zandi, Moody's 
Analytics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and James Sherk, Heritage 
Foundation, and Judith M. Conti, National Employment Law Project, both 
of Washington, D.C.
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.