[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 24, 2013)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D369-D373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
PUBLIC WITNESS DAY
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, 
Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing for the public to 
Review Horticulture Priorities for the 2013 Farm Bill. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--PUBLIC WITNESS DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on American Indian and Alaska Native 
issues. Testimony was heard from pubic witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT BUDGET
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, FDA, and Related Agencies held a hearing on USDA Rural 
Development Budget Hearing. Testimony was heard from the following 
Department of Agriculture officials: Doug O'Brien, Acting Under 
Secretary, Rural Development; John Padalino, Acting Administrator, 
Rural Utilities Service; Lillian Salerno, Acting Administrator, Rural 
Business-Cooperative Service; Tammye Trevino, Administrator, Rural 
Housing Service, Michael Young, Budget Officer.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM BUDGET
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Defense Health Program Budget. Testimony was heard from Jonathan 
Woodson, Assistant Secretary, Department of Defense, Health Affairs, 
Director, TRICARE Management Activity; Lieutenant General Patricia D. 
Horoho, Surgeon General, United States Army; Vice Admiral Matthew L. 
Nathan, Surgeon General, United States Navy; and Lieutenant General Dr. 
Thomas W. Travis, Surgeon General, United States Air Force.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS BUDGET
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations, 
and Related Agencies held a hearing on Department of Treasury, 
International Programs Budget. Testimony was heard from Jacob Lew, 
Secretary, Department of the Treasury.
APPROPRIATIONS--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION BUDGET
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development held a hearing on Federal Aviation Administration 
Budget. Testimony was heard from Michael Huerta, Administrator, Federal 
Aviation Administration.
APPROPRIATIONS--UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State and Foreign 
Operations, and Related Programs held a hearing on United States Agency 
for International Development. Testimony was heard from Rajiv Shah, 
Administrator, United States Agency for International Development.
APPROPRIATIONS--USDA NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, FDA, and Related Agencies held a hearing on USDA Natural 
Resources and Environment. Testimony was heard from the following 
Department of Agriculture officials: Ann

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Mills, Deputy Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment; Jason 
Weller, Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and 
Michael Young, Budget Officer.
OVERSIGHT OF U.S. NAVAL AND U.S. AIR FORCE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS IN THE 
FISCAL YEAR 2014 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection 
Forces held a hearing on Oversight of U.S. Naval and U.S. Air Force 
Acquisition Programs in the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense 
Authorization Budget Request. Testimony was heard from Lieutenant 
General Robert R. Allardice, USAF, Vice Commander, Air Mobility 
Command, U.S. Air Force; Lieutenant General Charles R Davis USAF, 
Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 
Acquisition, U.S. Air Force; Lieutenant General Richard P. Mills, USMC, 
Deputy Commander for Combat Development and Integration, MCCDC, U.S. 
Marine Corps; Vice Admiral Allen G. Myers USN, Deputy Chief Naval 
Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (N-8), U.S. 
Navy; and Sean J. Stackley Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, 
Development and Acquisition), Department of Defense.
READINESS POSTURE OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``The Readiness Posture of the U.S. Air Force''. Testimony was 
heard from the following Department of Defense officials: Lieutenant 
General Judith A. Fedder, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, 
Installations and Mission Support A4/7; Lieutenant General Burton M. 
Field, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements A3/
5; and Lieutenant General Michael R. Moeller Deputy Chief of Staff for 
Strategic Plans and Programs A8.
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOW ACT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on the status of implementation of the requirements of the VOW 
Act and the recommendations of the Presidential Veteran Employment 
Initiative Task Force for the DOD Transition Assistance Program--Goals, 
Plans, and Success. Testimony was Susan S. Kelly, Deputy Director, 
Transition to Veterans' Program Office, Department of Defense; John K. 
Moran, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veteran's Employment Training 
Service, Department of Labor; and Danny Pummill Director, VBA-DoD 
Program Office, Department of Veteran's Affairs.
STATE OF THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND: LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR SOLVENCY
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``State 
of the Highway Trust Fund: Long-Term Solutions for Solvency''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
KEEPING COLLEGE WITHIN REACH: ENHANCING TRANSPARENCY FOR STUDENTS, 
FAMILIES AND TAXPAYERS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Higher 
Education and Workforce Training held a hearing entitled ``Keeping 
College Within Reach: Enhancing Transparency for Students, Families and 
Taxpayers''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CENTER FOR CONSUMER INFORMATION AND INSURANCE OVERSIGHT AND THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Center for Consumer 
Information and Insurance Oversight and the Implementation of the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act''. Testimony was heard from 
Gary Cohen, Director, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance 
Oversight, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of 
Health and Human Services.
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE HOUSING FINANCE SYSTEM
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Building a Sustainable Housing Finance System: Examining Regulatory 
Impediments to Private Investment Capital''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
EVALUATING U.S. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``Evaluating U.S. Contributions to the 
International Monetary Fund''. Testimony was heard from Lael Brainard, 
Under Secretary for International Affairs, Department of the Treasury.
EXPORT CONTROL REFORM: THE AGENDA AHEAD
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Export Control Reform: the Agenda Ahead''. Testimony was heard from 
Thomas Kelly, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military 
Affairs, Department of State; Kevin J. Wolf, Assistant Secretary of 
Commerce for Export

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Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of 
Commerce; and James A. Hursch, Director, Defense Technology Security 
Administration Department of Defense.
KOSOVO AND SERBIA: A PATHWAY TO PEACE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing entitled ``Kosovo and Serbia: A Pathway 
to Peace''. Testimony was heard from Jonathan Moore, Director, Office 
of South Central European Affairs, Bureau of European and Eurasian 
Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a markup on H.R. 1417, the ``Border Security Results Act 
of 2013''. The bill was reported to the Full Committee, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a markup on the 
following measures: H.R. 3, the ``Northern Route Approval Act''; H.R. 
85, to create the Office of Chief Financial Officer of the Government 
of the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes; H.R. 126, the ``Corolla 
Wild Horses Protection Act''; H.R. 251, the ``South Utah Valley 
Electric Conveyance Act''; H.R. 253, the ``Y Mountain Access 
Enhancement Act''; H.R. 330, the ``Distinguished Flying Cross National 
Memorial Act''; H.R. 356, the ``Hill Creek Cultural Preservation and 
Energy Development Act''; H.R. 426, the ``Utah National Guard Readiness 
Act''; H.R. 520, the ``Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks Study 
Act''; H.R. 573, to amend Public Law 93-435 with respect to the 
Northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with Guam, the Virgin 
Islands, and American Samoa; H.R. 674, the ``Rota Cultural and Natural 
Resources Study Act''; H.R. 723, the ``Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 
Protection Act''; H.R. 739, the ``Chesapeake Bay Accountability and 
Recovery Act of 2013''; H.R. 767, to amend the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 to modify the Pilot Project offices of the Federal Permit 
Streamlining Pilot Project; H.R. 829, to amend the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act to designate a segment of Illabot Creek in Skagit County, 
Washington, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System; H.R. 862, to authorize the conveyance of two small parcels of 
land within the boundaries of the Coconino National Forest containing 
private improvements that were developed based upon the reliance of the 
landowners in an erroneous survey conducted in May 1960; H.R. 876, the 
``Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act''; H.R. 885, the 
``San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Boundary Expansion Act 
of 2013''; H.R. 934, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act related to 
a segment of the Lower Merced River in California, and for other 
purposes; H.R. 993, the ``Fruit Heights Land Conveyance Act''; H.R. 
1156, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundary 
of the Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park 
in order to allow the rebuilding of a road outside of the floodplain 
while ensuring that there is no net loss of acreage to the Park or the 
Wilderness, and for other purposes; H.R. 1157, the ``Rattlesnake 
Mountain Public Access Act''; H.R. 1158, the ``North Cascades National 
Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act''; H.R. 1206, the ``Permanent 
Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2013''; H.R. 1208, the ``Manhattan Project 
National Historical Park Act''; H.R. 1241, to facilitate a land 
exchange involving certain National Forest System lands in the Inyo 
National Forest, and for other purposes; and H.R. 1377 the ``Mescalero 
Apache Tribe Leasing Authorization Act''. The following bills were 
ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 723; H.R. 767; H.R. 829; H.R. 885; 
and H.R. 1377. The following bills were ordered reported without 
amendment: H.R. 3; H.R. 85; H.R. 126; H.R. 251; H.R. 253; H.R. 330; 
H.R. 356; H.R. 462; H.R. 520; H.R. 573; H.R. 674; H.R. 739; H.R. 862; 
H.R. 876; H.R. 934; H.R. 993; H.R. 1156; H.R. 1157; H.R. 1158; H.R. 
1206; H.R. 1208; and H.R. 1241.
BROKEN PROMISES: THE SMALL BUSINESS LENDING FUND'S BACKDOOR BANK 
BAILOUT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Broken Promises: the Small Business Lending Fund's 
Backdoor Bank Bailout''. Testimony was heard from Christy Romero, 
Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
GREEN ENERGY OVERSIGHT: EXAMINING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S BAD BET ON 
FISKER AUTOMOTIVE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Economic 
Growth held a hearing entitled ``Green Energy Oversight: Examining the 
Department of Energy's Bad Bet on Fisker Automotive''. Testimony was 
heard from Nicholas Whitcombe, Supervisory Senior Investment Officer, 
Loan Programs Office, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.

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RESPONSIBLE HELIUM ADMINISTRATION AND STEWARDSHIP ACT
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 527, the 
``Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act''. The 
Committee granted, by voice vote, a structured rule for H.R. 527. The 
rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled 
by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural 
Resources. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill. The rule makes in order as original text for the purpose of 
amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the 
text of Rules Committee Print 113-9 and provides that it shall be 
considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendment in a nature of a substitute. The rule makes in order only 
those further 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, 
shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand 
for division of the question. The rule waives all points of order 
against the amendments printed in the report. The rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. In Section 2, the rule 
provides that on each legislative day during the period from April 27, 
2013, through May 3, 2013: the Journal of the proceedings of the 
previous day shall be considered as approved; and the Chair may at any 
time declare the House adjourned to meet at a date and time to be 
announced by the Chair in declaring the adjournment. In Section 3, the 
rule provides that the Speaker may appoint Members to perform the 
duties of the Chair for the duration of the period addressed by section 
2 of the resolution. In Section 4, the rule provides that the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce may, at any time before 5 p.m. on 
Tuesday, April 30, 2013, file a report to accompany H.R. 1406. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Hastings (WA) and Representatives 
Holt, Lamborn, and Dent.
NEXT GENERATION COMPUTING AND BIG DATA ANALYTICS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology 
and Subcommittee on Research held a joint hearing entitled ``Next 
Generation Computing and Big Data Analytics''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION BUDGET 
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space held 
a hearing entitled ``An Overview of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Budget for Fiscal Year 2014''. Testimony was heard from 
Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
BUDGET OUTLOOK FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Budget Outlook for the Small Business Administration''. Testimony 
was heard from Karen Mills, Administrator, Small Business 
Administration.
OVERVIEW OF THE UNITED STATES' FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing on ``Overview of the United States' Freight Transportation 
System''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2014 BUDGET: ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES FOR THE 
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing entitled ``The President's 
Fiscal Year 2014 Budget: Administration Priorities for the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers''. Testimony was heard from Lieutenant General 
Thomas P. Bostick, Chief of Engineers; and Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant 
Secretary of the Army, Civil Works.
EXAMINING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ON VA HEALTHCARE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Examining the Implications of the Affordable Care Act on VA 
Healthcare''. Testimony was heard from Robert A. Petzel, M.D., Under 
Secretary for Health Veterans, Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and Lisa Zarlenga, Tax Legislative Counsel, 
Department of the Treasury.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 807, 
the ``Full Faith and Credit Act''. The bill was ordered reported, as 
amended.

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Joint Meetings
LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
long-term unemployment, focusing on consequences and solutions, after 
receiving testimony from Randy R. Johnson, Workforce Development, Inc., 
Rochester, Minnesota; Keith Hall, George Mason University Mercatus 
Center, Arlington, Virginia; and Harry J. Holzer, Georgetown 
University, and Kevin A. Hassett, American Enterprise Institute, both 
of Washington, D.C.