[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D435-D436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FORMULATION OF 2012 FARM BILL: SPECIALTY CROP AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture 
held a hearing entitled ``Formulation of the 2012 Farm Bill: Specialty 
Crop and Nutrition Programs''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a markup of 
Defense Appropriations Bill FY 2013. The bill was ordered reported, 
without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs held a markup of Military Construction, Veterans 
Affairs Appropriations Bill FY 2013. The bill was ordered reported, 
without amendment.
SEQUESTER REPLACEMENT ACT OF 2012; AND SEQUESTER REPLACEMENT 
RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2012
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a markup of H.R. 4966, the 
``Sequester Replacement Act of 2012'' and legislation regarding 
Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. H.R. 4966 was ordered 
reported, as amended; and the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act 
of 2012 was ordered reported without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a markup 
of legislation to reauthorize under fee programs for prescription drugs 
and medical devices, established under fee programs for generic drugs 
and biosimilars, and reform FDA programs. The legislation was ordered 
reported, as amended.
IMPROVING THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary 
Policy and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Improving the Federal 
Reserve System: Examining Legislation to Reform the Fed and Other 
Alternatives''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MEASURING BORDER SECURITY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``Measuring Border Security: U.S. 
Border Patrol's New Strategic Plan and the Path Forward''. Testimony 
was heard from Michael J. Fisher, Border Patrol, Department of Homeland 
Security; Rebecca Gambler, Acting Director, Homeland Security and 
Justice, Government Accountability Office; and Marc Rosenblum, 
Specialist in Immigration Policy, Congressional Research Service.
BUILDING SECURE PARTNERSHIPS IN TRAVEL, COMMERCE, AND TRADE WITH THE 
ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
held a hearing entitled ``Building Secure Partnerships in Travel, 
Commerce, and Trade with the Asia-Pacific Region''. Testimony was heard 
from John Halinski, Assistant Administrator, Office of Global 
Strategies, Transportation Security Administration; Mark Koumans, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, Department 
of Homeland Security; Hans G. Klemm, U.S. Senior Official for Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee began a markup of H.R. 4970, 
the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012; H.R. 4377, the 
``Responsibly And Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 
2012''; and the ``Divisional Realignment Act of 2012''. H.R. 4970 was 
ordered reported, as amended.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, 
Oceans and Insular Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 3210, the ``Retailers 
and Entertainers Lacey Implementation and Enforcement Fairness Act''; 
and H.R. 4171, the ``Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust 
Seizures Act of 2012''. Testimony was heard from Senator Paul (KY) and 
the following Representatives: Cooper; Blumenauer; and Broun (GA); 
Eileen Sobeck, Deputy Assistant Director for Fish and Wildlife and 
Parks, Department of Interior; Kevin Shea, Associate Administrator, 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture; 
and public witnesses.
SCIENCE BEHIND GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEMS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Investigations and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``The Science 
Behind Green Building Rating Systems''. Testimony was heard from 
Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy; 
Kevin

[[Page D436]]

Kampschroer, Director of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green 
Buildings, General Services Administration; and public witnesses.
VA MENTAL HEALTH CARE STAFFING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``VA Mental Health Care Staffing: Ensuring Quality and Quantity''. 
Testimony was heard from Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; John D. Daigh, Jr., Assistant Inspector General for 
Healthcare Inspections, Office of Inspector General, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; RADM Thomas Carrato, USPHS (Ret.), President, Health 
Net Federal Services; and public witnesses.
IDENTITY THEFT AND TAX FRAUD
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee 
on Social Security held a hearing entitled ``Identity Theft and Tax 
Fraud''. Testimony was heard from J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector 
General for Tax Administration; Patrick P. O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector 
General, Social Security Administration; Steven T. Miller, Deputy 
Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service; 
Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, Internal Revenue Service; 
and David E. Black, General Counsel, Social Security Administration.

Joint Meetings
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2012, PART II
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 4348, to provide an extension of Federal-aid 
highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other 
programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a 
multiyear law reauthorizing such programs, but did not complete action 
thereon, and recessed subject to the call.