[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D849-D850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
LOW-EARTH ORBIT TO MARS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the path from low-Earth orbit to Mars, after 
receiving testimony from Fuk Li, Director, Mars Exploration 
Directorate, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and John Grunsfeld, Associate 
Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, both of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration; Charles F. Kennel, Chair, 
National Research Council Space Studies Board, Division on Engineering 
and Physical Sciences, The National Academies, and University of 
California San Diego Scripps Institute of Oceanography; John 
Grotzinger, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; Steven W. 
Squyres, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; and Jim Maser, Pratt and 
Whitney Rocketdyne, Los Angeles, California.
NUCLEAR WASTE ADMINISTRATION ACT
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine S. 3469, to establish a new organization to manage 
nuclear waste, provide a consensual process for siting nuclear waste 
facilities, ensure adequate funding for managing nuclear waste, after 
receiving testimony from General Brent Scowcroft, Co-Chairman, and 
Richard A. Meserve, Commissioner, both of the Blue Ribbon Commission on 
America's Nuclear Future; Peter Lyons, Assistant Secretary of Energy 
for Nuclear Energy; Henry B. Barron, Constellation Energy Nuclear 
Group, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland; and Geoffrey H. Fettus, Natural 
Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee with the 
Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety concluded a joint 
oversight hearing to examine the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 
implementation of recommendations for enhancing nuclear reactor safety 
in the 21st century, after receiving testimony from Allison M. 
MacFarlane, Chairman, and Kristine L. Svinicki, George Apostolakis, 
William D. Magwood, IV, and William C. Ostendorff, each a Commissioner, 
all of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
UPDATE ON SYRIA AND IRAN
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee received a closed briefing on 
an intelligence update on Syria and Iran from national security 
briefers.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Joseph E. Macmanus, of New York, to be 
Representative to the Vienna Office of the United Nations, with the 
rank of Ambassador, and to be Representative to the International 
Atomic Energy Agency, with the rank of Ambassador, Sharon English Woods 
Villarosa, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius, and 
to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador 
to the Republic of Seychelles, and Walter North, of Washington, to be 
Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, and to serve concurrently and without 
additional compensation as Ambassador to the Solomon Islands, and 
Ambassador to the Republic of Vanuatu, all of the Department of State, 
after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own 
behalf.
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the future of the General Services 
Administration, after receiving testimony from Daniel Tangherlini, 
Acting Administrator, and Brian D. Miller, Inspector General, both of 
the General Services Administration.
CITIZENS UNITED
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the Citizens United court and the continuing importance of the ``Voting 
Rights Act'', after receiving testimony from Senator Tester; Anthony 
Johnstone, University of Montana School of Law, Missoula; and Michael 
A. Carvin, Jones Day, and Elisabeth MacNamara, League of Women Voters 
of the United States, both of Washington, DC.
BUSINESS MEETING
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 3340, to improve and enhance the programs and activities of the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding 
suicide

[[Page D850]]

prevention and resilience and behavioral health disorders for members 
of the Armed Forces and veterans, with amendments;
  S. 3322, to strengthen enforcement and clarify certain provisions of 
the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, the Uniformed and Overseas 
Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and chapter 43 of title 38, United States 
Code, and to reconcile, restore, clarify, and conform similar 
provisions in other related civil rights statutes;
  S. 3313, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to women 
veterans, to improve health care furnished by the Department, with 
amendments;
  S. 2259, to provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2012, in 
the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected 
disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for 
the survivors of certain disabled veterans;
  S. 2241, to ensure that veterans have the information and protections 
they require to make informed decisions regarding use of Post-9/11 
Educational Assistance; and
  S. 1707, to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the 
conditions under which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated 
mentally incompetent for certain purposes.