[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 27, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D312-D315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACHIEVING HEALTHIER NATIONAL FORESTS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and 
Forestry held a hearing entitled ``U.S. Forest Service Land Management: 
Challenges and Opportunities for Achieving Healthier National 
Forests''. Testimony was heard from Tom Tidwell, Chief, Forest Service, 
Department of Agriculture; Gary Barth, Director, Business and Community 
Services, Clackamas County, Oregon; and public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE PUBLIC WITNESS DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing for American Indian and Alaska Native 
Public Witnesses. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

[[Page D313]]


APPROPRIATIONS--GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on FY 2013 Budget Request for the 
General Services Administration. Testimony was heard from Martha N. 
Johnson, Administrator, General Services Administration; Robert Peck, 
Public Building Commissioner, General Services Administration; and 
Steven Kempf, Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner, General 
Services Administration.
APPROPRIATIONS--ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on FY for Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Electricity Delivery 
and Energy Reliability. Testimony was heard from Henry Kelly, Acting 
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; 
Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and 
Energy Reliability; and Charles McConnell, Acting Assistant Secretary 
for Fossil Energy.
APPROPRIATIONS--HOUSE OFFICERS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on FY 2013 Budget Request for U.S. House of Representatives 
Officers. Testimony was heard from Daniel J. Strodel, Chief 
Administrative Officer; Karen L. Haas, Clerk; and Paul D. Irving, 
Sergeant At Arms.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a hearing on FY 2013 Budget Request for the 
Department of the Treasury. Testimony was heard from Timothy Geithner, 
Secretary of the Treasury.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the FY 2013 
Budget for the Department of Education, K-12. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE PUBLIC WITNESS DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing for American Indian and Alaska Native 
Public Witnesses. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on FY 2013 Budget Request National 
Drug Policy. Testimony was heard from R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director, 
National Drug Control Policy.
UNDERSTANDING FUTURE IRREGULAR WARFARE CHALLENGES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing on understanding future irregular warfare 
challenges. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ROTOCRAFT MODERNIZATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2013 DOD Rotocraft Modernization 
Programs. Testimony was heard from Lieutenant General Terry G. Robling, 
USMC, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, U.S. Marine Corps; Rear Admiral 
William F. Moran, USN, Director, Air Warfare Division, U.S. Navy; 
Richard Gilpin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Air Programs 
Office; Major General William T. Crosby, USA, PEO Aviation 
Headquarters, U.S. Army; Major General Noel T. Jones, USAF, Director, 
Operational Capability Requirements, U.S. Air Force; and Major General 
Robert C. Kane, USAF, Director, Global Reach Programs, U.S. Air Force.
LEARNING FROM THE UPPER BIG BRANCH TRAGEDY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Learning from the Upper Big Branch Tragedy''. Testimony was 
heard from Joseph A. Main, Assistant Secretary, Mine Safety and Health 
Administration, Department of Labor; Jeffery Kohler, Director, Office 
of Mine Safety and Health Research, National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health; Howard L. Shapiro, Counsel to the Inspector General, 
Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor; and public witness.
IT SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``IT Supply Chain Security: 
Review of Government an Industry Efforts''. Testimony was heard from 
Gregory C. Wilshusen, Director of Information Security Issues, 
Government Accountability Office; Mitchell Komaroff, Director, Trusted 
Mission Systems Networks, Department of Defense; Gil Vega, Associate 
CIO for Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer, 
Department of Energy; and public witnesses.

[[Page D314]]


CURRENT STATE OF COSMETICS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining the Current State of Cosmetics''. Testimony was 
heard from Michael M. Landa, Director, Center for Food Safety and 
Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration; Michael J. 
DiBartolomeis, Chief Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and 
California, Safe Cosmetics Program California Department of Public 
Health; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL RESERVE AID TO THE EUROZONE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary 
Policy and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Federal Reserve Aid to 
the Eurozone: Its Impact on the U.S. and the Dollar''. Testimony was 
heard from William C. Dudley, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and Steven B. Kamin, Director, 
Division of International Finance, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve 
System.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 
4264, the ``FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act of 2012''; H.R. 2446, the 
``RESPA Home Warranty Clarification Act of 2011''; H.R. 3283, the 
``Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act''; and H.R. 4235, the ``Swap Data 
Repository and Clearinghouse Indemnification Correction Act of 2012''. 
The following bills were ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 2446; H.R. 
3283; and H.R. 4235. The following bill was ordered reported, without 
amendment: H.R. 4264.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
and Human Services held a markup of H.R. 1940, the ``International 
Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2011''; H.R. 3605, the 
Global Online Freedom Act of 2011''; and H.R. 4141 the ``International 
Food Assistance Improvement Act of 2012''. The following bills were 
ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 1940; H.R. 3605; and H.R. 4141.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN EUROPE AND EURASIA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia held a 
hearing entitled ``Creating Jobs: Economic Opportunities in Europe and 
Eurasia''. Testimony was heard from Robert D. Hormats, Under Secretary, 
Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Department of State; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a markup of H.R. 4251, the ``SMART Port Security Act''. 
The bill was ordered reported, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 3862, 
the ``Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2012''; 
and H.R. 2299, the ``Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act''. H.R. 
3862 was ordered reported, as amended; and H.R. 2299 was ordered 
reported, without amendment.
HARNESSING AMERICAN RESOURCES TO CREATE JOBS AND ADDRESS RISING 
GASOLINE PRICES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Harnessing American Resources to Create Jobs and Address Rising 
Gasoline Prices: Family Vacations and U.S. Tourism Industry''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CAN A USPS-RUN HEALTH PLAN SOLVE ITS FINANCIAL CRISIS?
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy held a hearing entitled 
``Can a USPS-Run Health Plan Solve its Financial Crisis?''. Testimony 
was heard from Patrick Donahoe, Postmaster General and CEO, United 
States Postal Service; and public witness.
LABOR ABUSES, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and 
Procurement Reform held a hearing entitled ``Labor Abuses, Human 
Trafficking, and Government Contracts: Is the Government Doing Enough 
to Protect Vulnerable Workers?''. Testimony was heard from Senators 
Blumenthal and Portman; Luis C. deBaca, Ambassador at Large, Department 
of State; Cathy J. Read, Director, Office of Acquisitions Management, 
Department of State; Evelyn R. Klemstine, Assistant Inspector General 
for Audits, Department of State; Richard T. Ginman, Director, Defense 
Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Department of Defense; Sharon 
Cooper, Director, Defense Human Resources Activity, Department of 
Defense; and Kenneth P. Moorefield, Deputy Inspector General for 
Special Plans & Operations, Department of Defense.

[[Page D315]]


CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013; AND 
SUSPENSION AUTHORITY
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H. Con. Res. 112, 
the ``Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2013''. The 
Committee, granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing four 
hours of general debate, with three hours confined to the congressional 
budget equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on the Budget and one hour on the subject of 
economic goals and policies equally divided and controlled by Rep. 
Brady of Texas and Rep. Hinchey of New York or their designees. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the concurrent 
resolution. The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in 
the Rules Committee report. 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, and shall not be subject 
to amendment. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendments printed in the report except that the adoption of an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall constitute the conclusion 
of consideration of the concurrent resolution for amendment. The rule 
provides, upon the conclusion of consideration of the concurrent 
resolution for amendment, a final period of general debate, which shall 
not exceed 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on the Budget. The rule 
permits the chair of the Committee on the Budget to offer amendments in 
the House pursuant to section 305(a)(5) of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974 to achieve mathematical consistency. The rule provides that the 
concurrent resolution shall not be subject to a demand for division of 
the question. Finally, the rule provides that it shall be in order at 
any time on the legislative day of March 29, 2012, for the Speaker to 
entertain motions that the House suspend the rules, as though under 
clause 1 of rule XV, relating to a measure extending expiring surface 
transportation authority. Testimony was heard from the following 
Representatives: Chairman Ryan (WI); Van Hollen; Mulvaney; Honda; Scott 
(VA); and Ellison.
FOSTERING THE U.S. COMPETITIVE EDGE
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology 
and Innovation held a hearing entitled ``Fostering the U.S. Competitive 
Edge: Examining the Effects of Federal Policies on Competition, 
Innovation, and Job Growth''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2013 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE ARMY CORPS OF 
ENGINEERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing entitled ``A Review of the 
President's Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request for the Army Corps of 
Engineers''. Testimony was heard from Major General Meredith ``Bo'' 
Temple, Acting Chief of Engineers, United States Army Corps of 
Engineers.
FROM THE GROUND UP: ASSESSING ONGOING DELAYS IN VA MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``From the Ground Up: Assessing Ongoing Delays in VA Major 
Construction''. Testimony was heard from Robert A. Petzel, Under 
Secretary for Health Veterans Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; Glenn D. Haggstrom, Executive Director, Office of 
Acquisitions, Logistics, and Construction, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and public witnesses.
ONGOING INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
hearing on ongoing intelligence activities. This was a closed hearing.

Joint Meetings
MONETARY POLICY
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
monetary policy going forward, focusing on why a sound dollar boosts 
growth and employment, after receiving testimony from John B. Taylor, 
Stanford University, Stanford, California; and Laurence H. Meyer, 
Macroeconomic Advisers, and William Poole, University of Delaware, both 
of Washington, D.C.