[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D740-D742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a markup of the Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education Appropriations Bill, FY 2013. The bill was 
forwarded without amendment.
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION AND IMPACT ON MILITARY OPERATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee began a hearing on 
disclosures of national security information and impact on military 
operations. No testimony was heard.
SEQUESTRATION IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS AND THE EFFECTS ON NATIONAL 
DEFENSE
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing on 
Sequestration Implementation Options

[[Page D741]]

and the Effects on National Defense: Industry Perspectives. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Withdrawal from Afghanistan: 
Historical Lessons. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
KEEPING COLLEGE WITHIN REACH
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Higher 
Education and Workforce Training held a hearing entitled ``Keeping 
College Within Reach: Exploring State Efforts to Curb Costs''. 
Testimony was heard from Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner for Higher 
Education, Indiana; and public witnesses.
USING INNOVATION TO REFORM MEDICARE PHYSICIAN PAYMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Using Innovation to Reform Medicare Physician Payment''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held 
a hearing on the discussion draft of the ``U.S. Agricultural Sector 
Relief Act of 2012''; and the ``Asthma Inhalers Relief Act of 2012''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power 
began a markup of the following: the ``U.S. Agricultural Sector Relief 
Act of 2012''; the ``Asthma Inhalers Relief Act of 2012''; and the ``No 
More Solyndras Act''.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Monetary Policy and the State of the Economy''. Testimony was heard 
from Ben Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held 
a markup of H.R. 6040, to approve the Agreement providing terms for a 
continuation of the free association between the United States and 
Palau, and for other purposes. The bill was forwarded, as amended.
A DECADE AFTER 9/11 COULD AMERICAN FLIGHT SCHOOLS STILL UNKNOWINGLY BE 
TRAINING TERRORISTS?
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
held a hearing entitled ``A Decade After 9/11 Could American Flight 
Schools Still Unknowingly Be Training Terrorists?'' Testimony was heard 
from Kerwin Wilson, General Manager for General Aviation, Office of 
Security Policy and Industry Engagement, Transportation Security 
Administration, Department of Homeland Security; John Woods, Assistant 
Director, National Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; Stephen Lord, Director, 
Homeland Security and Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office; 
and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION AND PATENT DISPUTES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, 
Competition and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``The 
International Trade Commission and Patent Disputes''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H.J. Res. 110, an Amendment to the Constitution Concerning 
Parental Rights and Education. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup of the 
following: H.R. 6062, the ``Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance 
Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2012''; H.R. 3796, the ``Adam 
Walsh Reauthorization Act of 2012''; and H.R. 3803, the ``District of 
Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act''. H.R. 6062 was 
ordered reported without amendment. H.R. 3796 and H.R. 3803 were 
ordered reported, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
6082, the ``Congressional Replacement of President Obama's Energy-
Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan''. The bill was 
ordered reported, as amended.

[[Page D742]]


ADMINISTRATION'S BET OF ABOUND SOLAR
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending held a 
hearing entitled ``The Administration's Bet of Abound Solar: Assessing 
the Costs to the American Taxpayers''. Testimony was heard from David 
G. Frantz, Acting Executive Director, Loan Programs Office, Department 
of Energy; Jonathan Silver, former Executive Director, Loan Program 
Office, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
TAKING CARE OF OUR VETERANS: WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
DOING TO ELIMINATE THE CLAIMS BACKLOG?
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations held a hearing 
entitled ``Taking Care of Our Veterans: What is the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Doing to Eliminate the Claims Backlog?'' Testimony was 
heard from Allison Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
EXPANDING BROADBAND ACCESS TO SMALL BUSINESSES
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Digital Divide: Expanding Broadband Access to Small Businesses''. 
Testimony was heard from Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal 
Communications Commission, Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural 
Utility Service, Department of Agriculture; and Lawrence E. Strickling, 
Assistant Secretary, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration, Department of Commerce.
FAA'S CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing entitled ``A Review of the FAA's Contract Tower 
Program''. Testimony was heard from Calvin L. Scovel, Inspector 
General, Department of Transportation; David Grizzle, Chief Operating 
Officer, Air Traffic Organization, FAA; and Julie Oettinger, Assistant 
Administrator for Policy, International Affairs and Environment, FAA.
DISABILITY COMPENSATION BENEFITS PROCESS FOR VICTIMS OF MILITARY SEXUAL 
TRAUMA
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Invisible Wounds: 
Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of 
Military Sexual Trauma''. Testimony was heard from Col. Alan Metzler, 
Deputy Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, 
Department of Defense; Thomas Murphy, Director of Compensation and 
Pension Service, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VIOLENCE AGAINST COPTIC WOMEN AND GIRLS IN EGYPT
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the escalation of violence against Coptic women 
and girls in Egypt, after receiving testimony from Michele Clark, 
George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, 
Medford, Massachusetts; and Walid Phares, Transatlantic Legislative 
Group on Counterterrorism, and Katrina Lantos Swett, United States 
Commission on International Religious Freedom, both of Washington, DC.