[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 24 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D140-D143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a business meeting to 
consider the Budget Views and Estimates Letter of the Committee on 
Agriculture for the agencies and programs under jurisdiction of the 
Committee for FY 2016 and other organizational matters. The committee's 
views and estimates were adopted. The committee also amended its rules 
package.
REVIEW OF THE 2015 AGENDA FOR THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing to review the 
2015 Agenda for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Testimony was 
heard from Timothy Massad, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission.

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APPROPRIATIONS--BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on the Bureau of Reclamation budget. 
Testimony was heard from Estevan R. Lopez, Commissioner, Bureau of 
Reclamation.
UPDATE ON DETAINEE TRANSFERS FROM GTMO
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Update on Detainee Transfers 
from GTMO''. Testimony was heard from Paul Lewis, Special Envoy for the 
Closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility, Department of 
Defense; and Charles Trumbull, Acting Special Envoy for Guantanamo 
Closure, Department of State. A portion of the hearing was closed.
HOW EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS STUDENT PRIVACY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled 
``How Emerging Technology Affects Student Privacy''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
734, the ``Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act 
of 2015''; H.R. 639, the ``Improving Regulatory Transparency for New 
Medical Therapies Act''; H.R. 471, the ``Ensuring Patient Access and 
Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015''; H.R. 647, the ``Access to 
Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act''; H.R. 648, the ``Trauma 
Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act''; 
and H.R. 212, the ``Drinking Water Protection Act''. The following 
bills were ordered reported, without amendment: H.R. 734, H.R. 471, 
H.R. 647, and H.R. 648. The following bills were ordered reported, as 
amended: H.R. 212 and H.R. 639.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
Committee on Ethics: Full Committee held an organizational meeting for 
the 114th Congress. The committee adopted its rules of procedure and 
oversight plan for the 114th Congress.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee began a business 
meeting to adopt the committee's views and estimates on the budget for 
fiscal year 2016.
THE GROWING STRATEGIC THREAT OF ISIS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Growing Strategic Threat of ISIS''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
AZERBAIJAN: U.S. ENERGY, SECURITY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS INTERESTS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing entitled ``Azerbaijan: U.S. Energy, 
Security, and Human Rights Interests''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
THE SYRIAN HUMANITARIAN CRISIS: FOUR YEARS LATER AND NO END IN SIGHT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and North 
Africa; Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and 
International Organizations, held a joint hearing entitled ``The Syrian 
Humanitarian Crisis: Four Years Later and No End in Sight''. Testimony 
was heard from Kelly Tallman Clements, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Department of State; and 
Thomas Staal, Acting Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, 
Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International 
Development.
EMERGING THREATS AND TECHNOLOGIES TO PROTECT THE HOMELAND
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies held a hearing 
entitled ``Emerging Threats and Technologies to Protect the Homeland''. 
Testimony was heard from the following Department of Homeland Security 
officials: Andy Ozment, Assistant Secretary, Office of Cybersecurity 
and Communications, National Protection and Programs Directorate; Huban 
Gowadia, Director, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office; Joseph Martin, 
Acting Director, Homeland Security Enterprise and First Responders 
Group, Science and Technology Directorate; and William Noonan, Deputy 
Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, Secret 
Service; and William Painter, Government and Finance Division, 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a business meeting to 
adopt the committee's oversight plan for the 114th Congress. The 
committee adopted its oversight plan.

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CONSUMERS SHORTCHANGED? OVERSIGHT OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S MORTGAGE 
LENDING SETTLEMENTS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing entitled ``Consumers 
Shortchanged? Oversight of the Justice Department's Mortgage Lending 
Settlements''. Testimony was heard from Geoffrey Graber, Deputy 
Associate Attorney General and Director, Residential Mortgage-Backed 
Securities Working Group of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
EXAMINING RECENT SUPREME COURT CASES IN THE PATENT ARENA
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual 
Property, and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Examining Recent 
Supreme Court Cases in the Patent Arena''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
U.S. SECRET SERVICE: IDENTIFYING STEPS TO RESTORE THE PROTECTIVE AGENCY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``U.S. Secret Service: Identifying Steps to Restore 
the Protective Agency''. Testimony was heard from Thomas J. Perrelli, 
Secret Service Protective Mission Panel; Mark Filip, Secret Service 
Protective Mission Panel; Danielle C. Gray, Secret Service Protective 
Mission Panel; and Joseph W. Hagin, Secret Service Protective Mission 
Panel.
THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON IMMIGRATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON 
FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTIONS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security; and Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits and Administrative 
Rules, held a joint hearing entitled, ``The President's Executive 
Actions on Immigration and Their Impact on Federal and State 
Elections''. Testimony was heard from Kris W. Kobach, Kansas Secretary 
of State; Jon A. Husted, Ohio Secretary of State; Matthew Dunlap, Maine 
Secretary of State; and a public witness.
BRIDGING THE GAP: AMERICA'S WEATHER SATELLITES AND WEATHER FORECASTING
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Environment; and Subcommittee on Oversight, held a joint hearing 
entitled ``Bridging the Gap: America's Weather Satellites and Weather 
Forecasting''. Testimony was heard from David Powner, Director, 
Information Technology Management Issues, Government Accountability 
Office; Stephen Volz, Assistant Administrator, National Environmental 
Satellite, Data, and Information Services, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; Steven Clarke, Director, Joint Agency 
Satellite Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; 
Alexander MacDonald, Director, Earth System Research Laboratory, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Chief Science 
Advisor, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration; and John Murphy, Director, Office of 
Science and Technology, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
CAN AMERICANS TRUST THE PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF THEIR INFORMATION ON 
HEALTHCARE.GOV?
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Research 
and Technology; and Subcommittee on Oversight, held a joint hearing 
entitled ``Can Americans Trust the Privacy and Security of their 
Information on HealthCare.gov?''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING; CONTRACTING AND THE INDUSTRIAL BASE
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held an organizational 
meeting for the 114th Congress and a hearing entitled ``Contracting and 
the Industrial Base''. The committee adopted its rules and procedures, 
oversight plan, and views and estimates. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 749, the ``Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 
2015''; the committee's Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Views and Estimates; 
General Services Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program 
Resolutions. The committee's views and estimates and General Services 
Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program Resolutions were 
approved. H.R. 749 was ordered reported, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
280, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recoup bonuses 
and awards paid to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
H.R. 294, the ``Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act''; H.R. 216, the 
``Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015''; 
and H.R. 189, the ``Servicemember Foreclosure Protections Extension Act 
of 2015''. The following bills were ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 
280, H.R.

[[Page D143]]

294, and H.R. 216. The following bill was ordered reported, without 
amendment: H.R. 189.
A REVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2016 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE 
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S VETERAN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2016 
Budget Request for the Department of Labor's Veteran Employment and 
Training Service''. Testimony was heard from Teresa W. Gerton, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, 
Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on the 
committee's Views and Estimates on the Fiscal Year 2016 Federal Budget; 
H.R. 529, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve 529 
plans; H.R. 622, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make 
permanent the deduction of State and local general sales taxes; and 
H.R. 880, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to simplify and 
make permanent the research credit. The committee's views and estimates 
were ordered reported. The following bills were ordered reported, as 
amended: H.R. 529, H.R. 622, and H.R. 880.
BUSINESS MEETING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
business meeting to consider member access requests and views and 
estimates. Eight access requests were granted, and the committee 
adopted its views and estimates. This meeting was closed.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.