[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 113 (Thursday, August 1, 2013)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D822-D824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing entitled ``Department of Defense's Challenges in Accounting for 
Missing Persons from Past Conflicts''. Testimony was heard from Paul M. 
Cole, ORISE Fellow, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, Central 
Identification Laboratory; Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense 
Capabilities and Management, Government Accountability Office.
INITIAL CONCLUSIONS FORMED BY THE DEFENSE STRATEGIC CHOICES AND 
MANAGEMENT REVIEW
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Initial Conclusions Formed by the Defense Strategic Choices and 
Management Review''. Testimony was heard from Ashton B. Carter, Deputy 
Secretary of Defense; and Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr., Vice 
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense.
ENSURING NAVY SURFACE FORCE EFFECTIVENESS WITH LIMITED MAINTENANCE 
RESOURCES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness; and 
Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces held a joint 
subcommittee hearing entitled ``Ensuring Navy Surface Force 
Effectiveness With Limited maintenance resources''. Testimony was heard 
from Rear Admiral Timothy S. Matthews, USN, Director, Fleet Readiness, 
Chief of Naval Operations, Department of Defense; and Rear Admiral 
Thomas S. Rowden, USN, Chief of Naval Operations, Department of 
Defense.
PPACA PULSE CHECK
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``PPACA Pulse Check''. Testimony was heard from Marilyn 
Tavenner, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
2848, the ``Department of State Operations and Embassy Security 
Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2014''; and H.R. 419, to strengthen and 
clarify the commercial, cultural, and other relations between the 
people of the United States and the people of Taiwan, as codified in 
the Taiwan Relations Act, and for other purposes. The following bills 
were ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 419; and H.R. 2848.
TRAN-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP: OUTLOOK AND OPPORTUNITIES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``The Trans-Pacific 
Partnership: Outlook and Opportunities''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
IRANIAN PRESENCE IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE 19 YEARS AFTER AMIA ATTACK
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and North 
Africa; and Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a joint hearing 
entitled ``Examining the State Department's Report on Iranian Presence 
in the Western Hemisphere 19 Years After AMIA Attack''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.

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IMPACT OF U.S. WATER PROGRAMS ON GLOBAL HEALTH
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations held a hearing 
entitled ``The Impact of U.S. Water Programs on Global Health''. 
Testimony was heard from Christian Holmes, Global Water Coordination, 
U.S. Agency for International Development; Aaron A. Salzberg, Special 
Coordinator for Water Resources, Department of State; and public 
witnesses.
WEST FERTILIZER, OFF THE GRID: THE PROBLEM OF UNIDENTIFIED CHEMICAL 
FACILITIES
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technology held a hearing 
entitled ``West Fertilizer, Off the Grid: The Problem of Unidentified 
Chemical Facilities''. Testimony was heard from Stephen L. Caldwell, 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Government Accountability 
Office; David Wulf, ISCD Director, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
INNOVATION IN AMERICA: THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual 
Property and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Innovation in 
America: The Role of Technology''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
IMPACTS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S CLOSED-DOOR SETTLEMENTS ON 
ENDANGERED SPECIES AND PEOPLE
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Transparency and Sound Science Gone Extinct?: The Impacts of the 
Obama Administration's Closed-Door Settlements on Endangered Species 
and People''. Testimony was heard from Dan Ashe, Director, Fish and 
Wildlife Service; Kent McMullen Chairman, Franklin County Natural 
Resources Advisory Committee, Pasco, WA; and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION: DISCRIMINATING 
AGAINST VETERANS AND RETALIATING AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Department of Energy's Bonneville Power 
Administration: Discriminating Against Veterans and Retaliating Against 
Whistleblowers''. Testimony was heard from Daniel B. Poneman, Deputy 
Secretary, Department of Energy; Gregory H. Friedman, Inspector 
General, Department of Energy; and Anita J. Decker, Chief Operating 
Officer, Bonneville Power Administration.
``EPA HYDRAULIC FRACTURING STUDY IMPROVEMENT ACT''; AND ISSUANCE OF 
SUBPOENAS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 2850, the ``EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Improvement 
Act''; and to authorize the issuance of a subpoena. The bill H.R. 2850 
was ordered reported, as amended. The Committee voted to approve a 
resolution authorizing the Chairman to issue a subpoena.
EPA'S BRISTOL BAY WATERSHED ASSESSMENT--A FACTUAL REVIEW OF A 
HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Oversight 
held a hearing entitled ``EPA's Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment--A 
Factual Review of a Hypothetical Scenario''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on the 
following legislation: H.R. 813, the ``Putting Veterans Funding First 
Act of 2013''; H.R. 1804, the ``Foreign Travel Accountability Act''; 
H.R. 2072, the ``Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act of 2013''; 
H.R. 2189, to establish a commission or task force to evaluate the 
backlog of disability claims of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
H.R. 2481, the ``Veterans G.I. Bill Enrollment Clarification Act of 
2013''; H.R. 1443, the ``Tinnitus Research and Treatment Act of 2013''; 
and H.R. 2011, the ``Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education 
Improvement Act of 2013''. The following bills were ordered reported, 
as amended: H.R. 813; H.R. 1804; H.R. 2072; H.R. 2189; H.R. 2481; and 
H.R. 1443. The following bill was ordered reported, without amendment: 
H.R. 2011.
STATUS OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Status of the Affordable Care Act Implementation''. Testimony was 
heard from Gary Cohen, Deputy Administrator and Director, Center for 
Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services; and Daniel 
Werfel, Principal Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for 
Services and Enforcement Internal Revenue Service.

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Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.