[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D178-D181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
EFFORTS TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``The State of 
Efforts to Stop Human Trafficking''. Testimony was heard from Cindy 
McCain, Co-Chairperson, Arizona Governor's Task Force on Human 
Trafficking; William Woolf, Detective, Fairfax County, Virginia Police 
Department; and public witnesses.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on Oversight of Internal Revenue 
Service. Testimony was heard from John Koskinen, Commissioner, Internal 
Revenue Service; J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax 
Administration; and Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, Internal 
Revenue Service.
QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE MILITARY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Quality of 
Life in the

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Military. Testimony was heard from Sergeant Major Raymond F. Chandler, 
III, Sergeant Major of the Army; Master Chief Petty Officer Michael D. 
Stevens, Petty Officer of the Navy; Sergeant Major Michael P. Barrett, 
Marine Corps; and Chief Master Sergeant James A. Cody, Sergeant of the 
Air Force.
U.S. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN COUNTRIES WITH 
REPRESSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a hearing on oversight of U.S. Assistance to 
Promote Freedom and Democracy in Countries with Repressive 
Environments. This was a closed hearing.
POSTURE OF THE U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND AND U.S. SOUTHERN COMMAND
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Posture of the U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command''. 
Testimony General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr, USA, Commander, U.S. Northern 
Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command; and General John 
F. Kelly, USMC, Commander, U.S. Southern Command.
DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on Defense Health Agency. Testimony was heard from Brenda S. 
Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, U.S. Government 
Accountability Office; Lieutenant General Douglas J. Robb, Director, 
Defense Health Agency; and Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary for 
Health Affairs, Department of Defense.
PROVIDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, FLEXIBLE HEALTH PLANS THROUGH SELF-
INSURANCE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, 
Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing entitled ``Providing 
Access to Affordable, Flexible Health Plans through Self-Insurance''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HOW CMS' ATTACK ON THE PART D PROGRAM WILL INCREASE COSTS AND REDUCE 
CHOICES FOR SENIORS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Messing with Success: How CMS' Attack on the Part D Program 
Will Increase Costs and Reduce Choices for Seniors''. Testimony was 
heard from Jonathan Blum, Principal Deputy Administrator, Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services; and public witnesses.
ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER LOBBYING AND OBSTRUCTION AT THE DEPARTMENT OF 
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Inspector General Report: 
Allegations of Improper Lobbying and Obstruction at the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development''. Testimony was heard from David 
Montoya, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, U. S. 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
DOD-FRANK ACT'S IMPACT ON ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets and 
Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled ``The Dodd-
Frank Act's Impact on Asset-Backed Securities''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING THREATS TO CONSERVATION AND NATIONAL 
SECURITY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``International Wildlife Trafficking Threats to Conservation and 
National Security''. Testimony was heard from Kerri-Ann Jones, 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental 
and Scientific Affairs, Department of State; Daniel M. Ashe, Director, 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior; and Robert G. 
Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division, Department of Justice.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations held a hearing 
entitled ``U.S. Policy Toward Sudan and South Sudan''. Testimony was 
heard from Donald Booth, Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
THE SECRETARY'S VISION FOR THE FUTURE--CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Secretary's Vision for the Future--Challenges and Priorities''. 
Testimony was heard from Jeh Johnson, Secretary, Department of Homeland 
Security.

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ENFORCING THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE 
LAWS
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Enforcing the President's Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute 
the Laws''. Testimony was heard from the following Representatives: 
Gerlach; Rice (SC); Black; DeSantis; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing on H.R. 2992, the 
``Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2013''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
AMERICAN ENERGY JOBS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing entitled ``American Energy Jobs: Opportunities 
for Veterans''. Testimony was heard from Mary Pletcher, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Human Capital and Diversity, Department of 
Interior; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands and 
Environmental Regulation held a hearing on the following legislation: 
H.R. 503, the ``National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial 
Act''; H.R. 712, to extend the authorization of the Highlands 
Conservation Act through fiscal year 2024; H.R. 1192, the ``Mount 
Jessie Benton Fre'mont''; H.R. 1501, the ``Prison Ship Martyrs' 
Monument Preservation Act''; H.R. 1744, the ``Multispecies Habitat 
Conservation Plan Implementation Act''; H.R. 2569, the ``Upper 
Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act''; H.R. 3222, the 
``Flushing Remonstrance Study Act''; H.R. 3366, to provide for the 
release of the property interests retained by the United States in 
certain land conveyed in 1954 by the United States, acting through the 
Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for 
the establishment of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension 
Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston, Oregon; H.R. 3802, to 
extend the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to 
establish a commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams 
and his legacy, and for other purposes. Testimony was heard from the 
following Representatives: Roe (TN); Frelinghuysen; Jeffries; Welch; 
Meng; Walden; and Lynch; and Victor Knox, Associate Director, Park and 
Planning, Facilities and Lands, National Park Service, Department of 
Interior; Michael Nedd, Assistant Director, Energy, Minerals and Realty 
Management, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior; Aaron 
Baker, City Liaison Officer, Mesquite, Nevada; and public witnesses.
LIMITLESS SURVEILLANCE AT THE FDA: PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF FEDERAL 
WHISTLEBLOWERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Limitless Surveillance at the FDA: Protecting the 
Rights of Federal Whistleblowers''. Testimony was heard from Senator 
Grassley; and Walter Harris, Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief 
Information Officer, Food and Drug Administration; Jeffrey Shuren, 
M.D., Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and 
Drug Administration; Ruth McKee, Associate Director, Management Center, 
Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration; and a 
public witness.
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CONDUCTING A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION OF IRS 
TARGETING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Economic 
Growth, Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs held a hearing entitled 
``Is the Obama Administration Conducting a Serious Investigation of IRS 
Targeting?''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
UNFUNDED MANDATES INFORMATION AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2013
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 899, the 
``Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2013''. The 
Committee granted, by record vote of 9-4, a structured rule for H.R. 
899. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the bill 
shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against provisions in the bill. The rule makes in order only those 
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

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the report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Foxx and 
Cummings.
OVERSIGHT OF PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL SAFETY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing entitled 
``Oversight of Passenger and Freight Rail Safety''. Testimony was heard 
from Joseph Szabo, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration; 
Cynthia L. Quarterman, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration; Robert L. Sumwalt, National Transportation 
Safety Board; and public witnesses.
VA ACCOUNTABILITY: ASSESSING ACTIONS TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO SUBCOMMITTEE 
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``VA Accountability: Assessing Actions Taken in Response to 
Subcommittee Oversight''. Testimony was heard from Robert Petzel, M.D., 
Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, Department 
of Veterans Affairs.
PREVENTING DISABILITY SCAMS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing entitled ``Preventing Disability Scams''. Testimony was heard 
from Carolyn Colvin, Acting Commissioner, Social Security 
Administration; William B. Zielinski, Deputy Commissioner of Systems 
and Chief Information Officer, Social Security Administration; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.