[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 26 (Thursday, February 16, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D130-D132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
FY 2013 budget request for the Department of Defense. Testimony was 
heard from Leon Panetta, Secretary, Department of Defense; General 
Martin Dempsey, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Robert Hale, 
Undersecretary of Defense.
APPROPRIATIONS--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND RELATED 
AGENCIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Quality of 
Life in the Military. Testimony was heard from James A. Roy, Chief 
Master Sergeant, Air Force; Raymond F. Chandler III, Sergeant Major, 
Army; Michael P. Barrett, Sergeant Major, Marine Corp; and Rick West, 
Master Chief Petty Officer, Navy.
APPROPRIATIONS--INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on FY 2013 budget request for the 
Department of the Interior. Testimony was heard from the following 
Department of Interior officials: Ken Salazar, Secretary; David Hayes, 
Deputy Secretary; and Pamela Haze, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget, 
Finance, Performance and Acquisition.
GOVERNANCE, OVERSIGHT, AND MANAGEMENT OF NUCLEAR SECURITY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on governance, oversight, and management of the nuclear 
security enterprise to ensure high quality science, engineering, and 
mission effectiveness in an age of austerity. Testimony was heard from 
Charles Shank, Co-Chair, National Academies Panel on Managing for High 
Quality Science and Engineering, NNSA National Security Laboratories; 
Charles B. Curtis, National Academies Panel on Managing for High 
Quality Science and Engineering at NNSA National Security Laboratories; 
and public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing on FY 2013 
National Defense Authorization

[[Page D131]]

Budget Request from the Department of the Navy. Testimony was heard 
from Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy; Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, 
Chief of Naval Operations; and General James F. Amos, Commandant of the 
Marine Corps.
PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2013 REVENUE AND ECONOMIC POLICY PROPOSALS
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
President's Fiscal Year 2013 Revenue and Economic Policy Proposals''. 
Testimony was heard from Timothy Geithner, Secretary, Department of the 
Treasury.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
on the following: H.R. 3989, the ``Student Success Act'' and H.R. 3990, 
the ``Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act''. Testimony 
was heard from Tom Luna, Superintendent, Public Instruction, Idaho 
Department of Education; Bob Schaffer, Chairman, Colorado State Board 
of Education; Felicia Kazmier, Art Teacher, Otero Elementary School; 
and public witnesses.
SPENDING OF FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``The Budget and Spending of Federal 
Communications Commission''. Testimony was heard from Julius 
Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission; David H. 
Hunt, Inspector General, Federal Communications Commission; and public 
witnesses.
REGULATORY REFORM SERIES #8--PRIVATE SECTOR VIEWS AFTER ONE YEAR OF 
EXECUTIVE ORDER 13563
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigation held a hearing entitled ``Regulatory Reform Series #8, 
Private Sector Views of the Regulatory Climate One Year After Executive 
Order 13563''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a markup of the 
following: H.R. 3606, the ``Reopening American Capital Markets to 
Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011''; H.R. 2308, the ``SEC 
Regulatory Accountability Act''; H.R. 1838, to repeal a provision of 
the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
prohibiting any Federal bailout of swap dealers or participants; and 
H.R. 4014, to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to 
information provided to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. 
H.R. 4014 was ordered reported without amendment. The following were 
ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 1838, H.R. 2308, and H.R. 3606.
EGYPT AT A CROSSROAD
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Egypt at a Crossroads''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CUBA
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights; and 
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a joint hearing entitled 
``Further Human Rights Violations in Castro's Cuba: The Continued Abuse 
of Political Prisoners''. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Burton of Indiana; and public witnesses.
DHS MONITORING OF SOCIAL NETWORKING AND MEDIA
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and 
Intelligence held a hearing entitled ``DHS Monitoring of Social 
Networking and Media: Enhancing Intelligence Gathering and Ensuring 
Privacy''. Testimony was heard from Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy 
Officer, Department of Homeland Security; and Richard Chavez, Director, 
Office of Operations Coordination and Planning, Department of Homeland 
Security.
SCREENING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
held 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.
FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE 10 YEARS AFTER 9/11
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
held a hearing entitled ``Last Line of Defense: the Federal Air Marshal 
Service 10 Years After 9/11''. Testimony was heard from Robert S. Bray, 
Assistant Administrator for Law Enforcement, Director, Federal Air 
Marshal Service, Transportation Security Administration; Michael Novak, 
Assistant Administrator, Training and Workforce Engagement, 
Transportation Security Administration; Roderick J. Allison, Deputy 
Assistant Administrator for Law Enforcement, Deputy Director, Federal 
Air Marshal Service, Transportation Security Administration; and 
Charles K. Edwards, Acting Inspector General, Office of the Inspector 
General, Department of Homeland Security.

[[Page D132]]


OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security held a hearing entitled ``The U.S. Department of 
Justice and Office on Violence Against Women''. Testimony was heard 
from Susan Carbon, Director, Office of Violence Against Women, 
Department of Justice.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 3541, 
the ``Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal 
Nondiscrimination Act of 2011''. The bill was ordered reported, as 
amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a markup of the 
following: H.R. 1837, the ``San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act''; 
and H.R. 4019, the ``Federal Forest County Revenue, Schools, and Jobs 
Act of 2012''. Both bills were ordered reported, as amended.
LINES CROSSED: SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has 
the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of 
Conscience?''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF AND JOB CREATION ACT OF 2012
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3630, the 
``Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012''. The Committee 
granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of order against the 
conference report 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 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. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Brady of Texas; and Representative Levin.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and 
Capital Access held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Role of 
Government Assistance for Disaster Victims: A Review of H.R. 3042''. 
Testimony was heard from Doug Hoell, North Carolina Division of 
Emergency Management; and public witnesses.
BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on FY 2013 budget request for the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from Diana Rubens, 
Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Steven Muro, Under 
Secretary for Memorial Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; Max Cleland, Secretary, American Battle 
Monuments Commission; and Bruce E. Kasold Chief Judge, U.S. Court of 
Appeals for Veterans Claims.
ONGOING INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
  Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a hearing on 
ongoing intelligence activities.

Joint Meetings
MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF AND JOB CREATION ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on 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.