[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 3, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D212-D214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on National Institutes of Health 
budget. Testimony was heard from Francis S. Collins, M.D., Director, 
National Institute of Health; Thomas R. Insel, M.D., Director, National 
Institute of Mental Health; Jon R. Lorsch, Director, National Institute of 
General Medical Sciences; Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, National Institute 
on Drug Abuse; and Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., Director, National Heart, Lung, 
and Blood Institute.
APPROPRIATIONS--UNITED STATES AFRICA COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
United States Africa Command budget. Testimony was heard from General David 
M. Rodriguez, Commander, United States Africa Command. This hearing was 
closed.
APPROPRIATIONS--FOREST SERVICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on U.S. Forest Service budget. Testimony was 
heard from Tom Tidwell, Chief, U.S. Forest Service; and Antoine ``Tony'' 
Dixon, Director of Strategic Planning, Budget and Accountability, U.S. 
Forest Service.
APPROPRIATIONS--INSTALLATIONS, ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND BRAC
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans 
Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Installations, Environment, 
Energy and BRAC budget. Testimony was heard from John Conger, performing the 
duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense, Energy, Installations and 
Environment; Katherine Hammack, Assistant Secretary of the Army, 
Installations, Energy and Environment; Dennis V. McGinn, Assistant Secretary 
of the Navy, Energy, Installations and Environment; and Miranda Ballentine, 
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Installations, Environment and Energy.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Department of Agriculture Marketing and Regulatory Programs budget. 
Testimony was heard from the following Department of Agriculture officials: 
Ed Avalos, Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs; Kevin Shea, 
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Anne Alonzo, 
Administrator, Agriculture Marketing Service; Larry Mitchell, Administrator, 
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration; and Michael Young, 
Budget Officer.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Department of Commerce budget. Testimony 
was heard from Penny Pritzker, Secretary, Department of Commerce.

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THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST 
ISIL AND U.S. POLICY, STRATEGY, AND POSTURE IN THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
President's Proposed Authorization for Use of Military Force Against ISIL 
and U.S. Policy, Strategy, and Posture in the Greater Middle East''. 
Testimony was heard from Christine Wormuth, Undersecretary of Defense for 
Policy; and General Lloyd Austin, USA, Commander of U.S. CENTCOM.
ALIGNMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND RISK AND DEFENSE STRATEGIC 
REQUIREMENTS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``Alignment of Infrastructure Investment and Risk and Defense 
Strategic Requirements''. Testimony was heard from John Conger, performing 
the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Energy, Installations, and 
Environment; Katherine Hammack, Assistant Secretary of the Army, 
Installations, Energy, and Environment; Dennis V. McGinn, Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations, and Environment; and Miranda 
A. A. Ballentine, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Installations, 
Environment, and Energy.
21ST CENTURY ENERGY MARKETS: HOW THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF WORLD ENERGY 
MARKETS IMPACT OUR ECONOMY AND ENERGY SECURITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a 
hearing entitled ``21st Century Energy Markets: How the Changing Dynamics of 
World Energy Markets Impact our Economy and Energy Security''. Testimony was 
heard from Adam Sieminski, Administrator, U.S. Energy Information 
Administration; and public witnesses.
UNDERSTANDING THE CYBER THREAT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Understanding the Cyber Threat and 
Implications for the 21st Century Economy''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
THE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Semi-Annual Report of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection''. 
Testimony was heard from Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 1147, the 
``Legal Workforce Act''; H.R. 1149, the ``Protection of Children Act of 
2015''; H.R. 1153, the ``Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2015''; 
and H.R. 1148, the ``Michael Davis, Jr. in Honor of State and Local Law 
Enforcement Act''.
CHALLENGES FACING OIRA IN ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVE RULEMAKING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Health Care, 
Benefits and Administrative Rules; and Subcommittee on Government 
Operations, held a joint hearing entitled ``Challenges Facing OIRA in 
Ensuring Transparency and Effective Rulemaking''. Testimony was heard from 
Howard Shelanski, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs.
EPA SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD REFORM ACT OF 2015; SECRET SCIENCE REFORM ACT OF 
2015
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 1029, the ``EPA 
Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015''; and H.R. 1030, the ``Secret 
Science Reform Act of 2015''. The committee granted, by record vote of 7-4, 
a structured rule for H.R 1029. The rule provides one hour of general debate 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The rule waives all points 
of order against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order as 
original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 114-10 and 
provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of 
order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule makes 
in order only those further amendments printed in part A of 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 part A of the report. The rule provides 
one motion to recommit with or without instructions. The rule also grants a 
structured rule for H.R. 1030. The rule provides one hour of general debate 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The rule waives all points 
of order against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order as 
original text for the purpose

[[Page D214]]

of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the 
text of Rules Committee Print 114-11 and provides that it shall be 
considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against that 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule makes in order only those 
further amendments printed in part B of 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 part B of the report. The rule provides one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Lucas, Clark of Massachusetts, and Polis.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION: ENABLING A 21ST CENTURY 
AVIATION SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Aviation 
held a hearing entitled ``Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization: 
Enabling a 21st Century Aviation System''. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Huerta, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration.
Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.
F