[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D479-D481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CFTC: MARKET PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
Future of the CFTC: Market Perspectives''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Appropriations: Full Committee held a markup on Military 
Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Bill for FY 2014; and consideration of the Report on the Suballocations 
of Budget Allocations. The bill was ordered reported, as amended. The 
Report on the Suballocations of Budget Allocation for FY 2014 was 
approved, as amended.
PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2014 BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 
EDUCATION
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Proposal 
for the U.S. Department of Education''. Testimony was heard from Arne 
Duncan, Secretary, Department of Education.
CYBER THREATS AND SECURITY SOLUTIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Cyber Threats and Security Solutions''. Testimony was heard 
from Patrick D. Gallagher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards 
and Technology, Director National Institute of Standards and 
Technology; and public witnesses.
CYBERSECURITY: AN EXAMINATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS SUPPLY CHAIN
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``Cybersecurity: An Examination of 
the Communications Supply Chain''. Testimony was heard from Mark 
Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, Government 
Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
QUALIFIED MORTGAGES: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF THE ABILITY TO REPAY RULE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``Qualified Mortgages: 
Examining the Impact of the Ability to Repay Rule''. Testimony was 
heard from Peter Carroll, Assistant Director for Mortgage Markets, 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and Kelly Cochran, Assistant 
Director for Regulations, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF DODD-FRANK'S CONFLICT MINERALS PROVISION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``The Unintended Consequences of Dodd-
Frank's

[[Page D480]]

Conflict Minerals Provision''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
CALL FOR ECONOMIC LIBERTY IN THE ARAB WORLD
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Call for Economic Liberty in the Arab World''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
THE GROWING CRISIS IN AFRICA'S SAHEL REGION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; Subcommittee on 
the Middle East and North Africa; and Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a joint hearing entitled ``The Growing 
Crisis in Africa's Sahel Region''. Testimony was heard from Donald Y. 
Yamamoto, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of African 
Affairs, Department of State; Nancy E. Lindborg, Assistant 
Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian 
Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development; and public 
witnesses.
VISA SECURITY AND OVERSTAYS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``Visa Security and Overstays: How 
Secure is America?''. Testimony was heard from the following Department 
of Homeland Security officials: John Wagner, Acting Deputy Assistant 
Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border 
Protection; James Dinkins, Executive Associate Director, Homeland 
Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Shonnie 
Lyon, Acting Director, Office of Biometric Identity Management, 
National Protection and Programs Directorate; Rebecca Gambler, Director 
of the Homeland and Security and Justice, Government Accountability 
Office.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 982, 
the ``Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2013''. The bill 
was ordered reported, without amendment.
DATA COLLECTION ISSUES IN RELATION TO THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE 
MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittees on Fisheries, Wildlife 
Oceans and Insular Affairs held a hearing on data collection issues in 
relation to the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. Testimony was heard from Richard 
Merrick, Chief Science Advisor, National Marine Fisheries Services, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and public witnesses.
PERSPECTIVES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAND
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands and 
Environmental Regulation held a hearing entitled ``Perspectives on the 
Management of Federal and State Land''. Testimony was heard from Gary 
Herbert, Governor, State of Utah.
EXAMINING THE CONCERN ABOUT OBAMACARE OUTREACH CAMPAIGN
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy 
Policy, Health Care and Entitlements; Subcommittee on Economic Growth, 
Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs held a joint hearing entitled 
``Examining the Concern About ObamaCare Outreach Campaign''. Testimony 
was heard from Gary Cohen, Deputy Administrator and Director, Center 
for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services.
NORTHERN ROUTE APPROVAL ACT
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3, the 
``Northern Route Approval Act''. The Committee granted, by voice vote, 
a structured rule for H.R. 3. The rule provides 90 minutes of general 
debate equally divided among and controlled by the respective chairs 
and ranking minority members of the Committees on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Natural Resources. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
makes in order as original text for purpose of amendment an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee 
Print 113-11 and provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule 
waives all points of order against the amendment in the 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. Testimony was heard from Chairman Shuster and 
Representatives

[[Page D481]]

Whitfield, Terry, Rush, Shea-Porter, Weber (TX), and Jackson Lee.
CURRENT AND FUTURE APPLICATIONS OF BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Research 
and Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing entitled ``The Current 
and Future Applications of Biometric Technologies''. Testimony was 
heard from Charles H. Romine, Director, Information Technology 
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and public 
witnesses.
NEXT STEPS IN HUMAN EXPLORATION TO MARS AND BEYOND
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space held 
a hearing entitled ``Next Steps in Human Exploration to Mars and 
Beyond''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
THE ROLE OF U.S. SHIPS AND MARINERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing entitled ``Maritime 
Transportation: The Role of U.S. Ships and Mariners''. Testimony was 
heard from John Porcari, Deputy Secretary, Department of 
Transportation; General William M. Fraser III, Commander, 
Transportation Command; and public witnesses.
UNDERSTANDING THE COST DRIVERS OF PASSENGER RAIL
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroad, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing entitled 
``Understanding the Cost Drivers of Passenger Rail''. Testimony was 
heard from Joseph H. Boardman, President and CEO, Amtrak; and public 
witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on the following: legislation concerning the ``Veterans Integrated 
Mental Health Care Act of 2013''; legislation concerning the 
``Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act of 2013''; H.R. 241, the 
``Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act''; H.R. 288, the ``CHAMPVA 
Children's Protection Act of 2013''; and H.R. 1284, to amend title 38, 
United States Code, to provide for coverage under the beneficiary 
travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain 
disabled veterans for travel for certain special disabilities 
rehabilitation, and for other purposes. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Ross and Guthrie; Robert L. Jesse, M.D. Principal 
Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
PRESIDENT'S AND OTHER BIPARTISAN PROPOSALS TO REFORM MEDICARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
the President's and Other Bipartisan Proposals to Reform Medicare. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, focusing on 
accomplishments and challenges, including crackdowns on civil society 
in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, anti-Semitism 
and discrimination in the OSCE region, challenges faced by Roma in 
various countries, recent and upcoming election observations, and 
protecting human rights in the fight against terrorism, after receiving 
testimony from Janez Lenarcic, Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human 
Rights, Warsaw, Poland.