[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D887-D889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
U.S. PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN POST-2014: VIEWS OF OUTSIDE EXPERTS
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The U.S. Presence in Afghanistan Post-2014: Views of Outside 
Experts''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S POSTURE FOR SEPTEMBER 11, 2013: THE LESSONS OF 
BENGHAZI
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigation held a hearing entitled ``Defense Department's posture 
for September 11, 2013: What are the Lessons of Benghazi?'' Testimony 
was heard from Gary Reid, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Defense, Department of Defense; and Major General Darryl Roberson, 
USAF, Vice Director, Operations (J-3), Department of Defense, Joint 
Staff.
FUTURE OF UNION ORGANIZING
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, 
Employment, Labor, and Pension held a hearing entitled ``Future of 
Union Organizing''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
TWO WEEKS UNTIL ENROLLMENT: QUESTIONS FOR CCIIO
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Two Weeks Until Enrollment: 
Questions for CCIIO''. Testimony was heard from Gary Cohen, Deputy 
Administrator and Director, Center for Consumer Information and 
Insurance Oversight, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
KEYSTONE'S RED TAPE ANNIVERSARY: FIVE YEARS OF BUREAUCRATIC DELAY AND 
ECONOMIC BENEFITS DENIED
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``Keystone's Red Tape 
Anniversary: Five Years of Bureaucratic Delay and Economic Benefits 
Denied''. Testimony was heard from Representatives Daines; Poe (TX); 
Holt; and Senator Hoeven; and public witnesses.
TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE ACT OF 2002
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002''. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Grimm; Capuano; King (NY); and Maloney; and public 
witnesses.
EXAMINING THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and North 
Africa held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Syrian Refugee Crisis''. 
Testimony was heard from Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau 
of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Department of State; and Nancy 
E. Lindborg, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, Conflict 
and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development.
AN UNCLEAR ROADMAP: BURMA'S FRAGILE POLITICAL REFORMS AND GROWING 
ETHNIC STRIFE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held 
a hearing entitled ``An Unclear Roadmap: Burma's Fragile Political 
Reforms and Growing Ethnic Strife''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

[[Page D888]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a markup on H. Res. 284, expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives with respect to promoting energy security 
of European allies through opening up the Southern Gas Corridor. The 
resolution was forwarded, as amended.
ASSESSING THE NATION'S STATE OF PREPAREDNESS: A FEDERAL, STATE, AND 
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Response, and Communications held a hearing entitled ``Assessing the 
Nation's State of Preparedness: A Federal, State, and Local 
Perspective''. Testimony was heard from Tim Manning, Deputy 
Administrator, Protection and National Preparedness, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; and public witnesses.
DHS ACQUISITION PRACTICES: IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR TAXPAYERS USING 
DEFENSE AND PRIVATE SECTOR LESSONS LEARNED
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Management Efficiency held a hearing entitled ``DHS Acquisition 
Practices: Improving Outcomes for Taxpayers Using Defense and Private 
Sector Lessons Learned''. Testimony was heard from Rafael Borras, 
Undersecretary for Management, Department of Homeland Security; Michele 
Mackin, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, Government 
Accountability Office; Anne L. Richards, Assistant Inspector General 
for Audits, Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland 
Security; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland 
Security, and Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the 
Federal Bureau of Prisons''. Testimony was heard from Charles E. 
Samuels, Jr., Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons.
PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, CONSOLIDATION, AND THE 
CONSEQUENT IMPACT ON COMPETITION IN HEALTHCARE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing entitled ``The Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act, Consolidation, and the Consequent 
Impact on Competition in Healthcare''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
KEEPING HYDROPOWER AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE: THE PROTECTION OF EXISTING 
HYDROPOWER INVESTMENTS AND THE PROMOTION OF NEW DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing entitled ``Keeping Hydropower Affordable and Reliable: The 
Protection of Existing Hydropower Investments and the Promotion of New 
Development''. Testimony was heard from Kerry McCalman, Senior Advisor, 
Hydropower and Electric Reliability Compliance Office, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Denver, Colorado; and public witnesses.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH STANDARDS FOR LAND-IN-TRUST DECISIONS FOR GAMING 
PURPOSES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska 
Native Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Executive Branch standards for 
land-in-trust decisions for gaming purposes''. Testimony was heard from 
Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of 
Interior; Todd Mielke, County Commissioner, County of Spokane; and 
public witnesses.
REVIEWS OF THE BENGHAZI ATTACK AND UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Reviews of the Benghazi Attack and Unanswered 
Questions''. Testimony was heard from Thomas R. Pickering, Chairman of 
the Benghazi Accountability Review Board; Admiral Michael G. Mullen, 
USN (Ret.), Vice Chairman, Benghazi Accountability Review Board; and 
public witnesses.
DYSFUNCTION IN MANAGEMENT OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE SATELLITES--COMMITTEE 
ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
  Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment held a 
joint subcommittee hearing entitled ``Dysfunction in Management of 
Weather and Climate Satellites''. Testimony was heard from David A. 
Powner, Director, Information Technology Management Issues, Government 
Accountability Office; Mary Kicza, Assistant Administrator, Satellite 
and Information Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; Marcus Watkins, Director, Joint Agency Satellite 
Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

[[Page D889]]


PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES TO EDUCATE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND 
ENTREPRENEURS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and 
Capital Access held a hearing entitled ``Private Sector Initiatives to 
Educate Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 3080, the ``Water Resources Reform and Development Act 
of 2013''; H.R. 3095, to ensure that any new or revised requirement 
providing for the screening, testing, or treatment of individuals 
operating commercial motor vehicles for sleep disorders is adopted 
pursuant to a rulemaking proceeding, and for other purposes; and H.R. 
3096, to designate the building occupied by the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation located at 801 Follin Lane, Vienna, Virginia, as the 
``Michael D. Resnick Terrorist Screening Center''. The bills were 
ordered reported, without amendment.
TRIALS IN TRANSPARENCY: AN ANALYSIS OF VA COOPERATION WITH CONGRESS IN 
MEETING ITS OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES ON BEHALF OF VETERANS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Trials in Transparency: An Analysis of VA Cooperation with Congress 
in Meeting its Oversight Responsibilities on Behalf of Veterans''. 
Testimony was heard from Joan Mooney, Assistant Secretary for 
Congressional and Legislative Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE FRAUD CONSPIRACY IN PUERTO RICO
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing entitled ``Social Security Disability Insurance fraud 
conspiracy in Puerto Rico''. Testimony was heard from Patrick P. 
O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector General, Social Security Administration; and 
Beatrice M. Disman, Regional Commissioner, New York Region, Social 
Security Administration, New York.
ONGOING INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Ongoing Intelligence Activities''. This was a closed 
hearing.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.