[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D484-D485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: EUROPEAN COMMAND AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Defense 
received a closed briefing on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 
2013 for European Command and Special Operations Command Programs from 
Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and 
Commander, United States European Command, and Admiral William H. 
McRaven, Commander, United States Special Operations Command, both of 
the Department of Defense.

[[Page D485]]


TSUNAMI GENERATED MARINE DEBRIS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard concluded a hearing to 
examine the United States response to tsunami generated marine debris, 
after receiving testimony from David M. Kennedy, Assistant 
Administrator, Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce; and 
Rear Admiral Cari B. Thomas, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy, 
United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.
CLEAN ENERGY STANDARD ACT
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine S. 2146, to amend the Public Utility Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978 to create a market-oriented standard for clean 
electric energy generation, after receiving testimony from David 
Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, and 
Howard Gruenspecht, Acting Administrator, U.S. Energy Information 
Administration, both of the Department of Energy; Collin O'Mara, 
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control 
Secretary, Dover; Karen Palmer, Resources for the Future, and Thomas J. 
Gibson, American Iron and Steel Institute, both of Washington, D.C.; 
Judi Greenwald, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Arlington, 
Virginia; Keith Trent, Duke Energy, Charlotte, North Carolina; and 
James A. Dickenson, JEA, Jacksonville, Florida.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
Social Security Administration, focusing on saving taxpayer dollars and 
serving the public, after receiving testimony from Michael J. Astrue, 
Commissioner, Social Security Administration.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Edward M. Alford, of Virginia, to be 
Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia, Mark L. Asquino, of the 
District of Columbia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial 
Guinea, Douglas M. Griffiths, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Mozambique, and David J. Lane, of Florida, for the rank of 
Ambassador during his tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the 
United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, who was introduced by 
Senator Nelson (FL), all of the Department of State, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
FULFILLING FEDERAL TRUST RESPONSIBILITY
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine fulfilling the Federal trust responsibility, focusing on the 
foundation of the government-to-government relationship, after 
receiving testimony from Melody McCoy, Native American Rights Fund 
(NARF), Boulder, Colorado; Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Michigan State 
University College of Law, East Lansing; Daniel I.S.J. Rey-Bear, 
Nordhaus Law Firm, LLP, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Ray Halbritter, Oneida 
Indian Nation, Verona, New York; Fawn Sharp, Quinault Indian Nation, 
Taholah, Washington; Brooklyn D. Baptiste, Nez Perce Tribal Executive 
Committee, Lapwai, Idaho; and Shenan Atcitty, Jicarilla Apache Nation, 
Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 2554, to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 to extend the authorization of the Bulletproof Vest 
Partnership Grant Program through fiscal year 2017, with amendments;
  S. 2276, to permit Federal officers to remove cases involving crimes 
of violence to Federal court, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute; and
  The nominations of David Medine, of Maryland, to be Chairman, James 
Xavier Dempsey, of California, Elisebeth Collins Cook, of Illinois, 
Rachel L. Brand, of Iowa, and Patricia M. Wald, of the District of 
Columbia, all to be a Member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Oversight Board.