[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 51 (Thursday, March 26, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D364-D365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
IMPLEMENTING THE AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014: COMMODITY POLICY AND CROP 
INSURANCE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk 
Management held a hearing on implementing the Agricultural Act of 2014: 
commodity policy and crop insurance. Testimony was heard from Brandon 
Willis, Administrator, Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency; and 
Val Dolcini, Administrator, Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Department of Homeland Security budget. Testimony was heard from 
Jeh Johnson, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.
APPROPRIATIONS--ARMY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on Army 
budget. Testimony was heard from John M. McHugh, Secretary, United States 
Army; and General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff, United States Army.
FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROTECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Federal Investments in Neuroscience and 
Neurotechnology oversight. Testimony was heard from Jo Handelsman, Associate 
Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy; James Olds, 
Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation; and 
public witnesses.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S READINESS POSTURE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``The Department of Defense's Readiness Posture''. Testimony was 
heard from General Daniel Allyn, Vice Chief of Staff, Army; Admiral Michelle 
Howard, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Navy; General Larry Spencer, Vice 
Chief of Staff, Air Force; and General John Paxton, Assistant Commandant, 
Marine Corps.
COMBAT AVIATION MODERNIZATION PROGRAMS AND THE FISCAL YEAR 2016 BUDGET 
REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces 
held a hearing entitled ``Combat Aviation Modernization Programs and the 
Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request''. Testimony was heard from Vice Admiral 
Paul A. Grosklags, USN, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary 
of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition), Navy; Lieutenant 
General Jon M. Davis, USMC, Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for 
Aviation, Marine Corps; Rear Admiral Michael C. Manazir, USN, Director of 
the Air Warfare Division, Navy; Major General Timothy M. Ray, USAF, 
Director, Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the 
Air Force; and Lieutenant General James M. ``Mike'' Holmes, USAF, Deputy 
Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Requirements, Air Force.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FISCAL YEAR 2016 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS: 
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK TO MAINTAIN TECHNOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing entitled ``Department of Defense Fiscal Year 
2016 Science and Technology Programs: Laying the Groundwork to Maintain 
Technological Superiority''. Testimony was heard from Alan Shaffer, 
Principal Deputy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering; Mary Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
Research and Technology; Rear Admiral Upper Half Mathias Winter, USN, Chief 
of Naval Research; David Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force 
for Science, Technology, and Engineering; and Arati Prabhakar, Director, 
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
EXAMINING THE GROWING PROBLEMS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG AND HEROIN ABUSE: STATE 
AND LOCAL PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Growing Problems of 
Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse: State and Local Perspectives''. 
Testimony was heard from Corporal Michael Griffin, Narcotics Unit 
Supervisor--K9 Handler, Special Investigations Division, Tulsa Police 
Department; and public witnesses.
NEXT STEPS FOR SPECTRUM POLICY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``Next Steps for Spectrum Policy''. 
Testimony was heard from Gary Epstein, Chair, Incentive Auction Task Force, 
Federal Communications Commission; Julius Knapp, Chief, Office of 
Engineering and Technology, Federal Communications Commission; John 
Liebovitz, Deputy Bureau Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal 
Communications Commission; and Roger Sherman, Chief, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, Federal Communications Commission.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee concluded a markup on H.R. 
299, the ``Capital Access for Small Community Financial Institutions Act of 
2015''; H.R. 601, the ``Eliminate Privacy Notice

[[Page D365]]

Confusion Act''; H.R. 650, the ``Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing 
Act of 2015''; H.R. 685, the ``Mortgage Choice Act of 2015''; H.R. 1195, the 
``Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act''; H.R. 1259, 
the ``Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities Act''; H.R. 
1265, the ``Bureau Advisory Commission Transparency Act''; H.R. 1367, to 
amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act to clarify the application of 
that Act to American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands; H.R. 1408, the 
``Mortgage Servicing Asset Capital Requirements Act of 2015''; H.R. 1480, 
the ``SAFE Act Confidentiality and Privilege Enhancement Act''; and H.R. 
1529, the ``Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act of 2015''. The 
following bills were ordered reported, without amendment: H.R. 299, H.R. 
601, H.R. 1195, H.R. 1265, H.R. 1259, H.R. 1480, H.R. 1367, H.R. 1408, H.R. 
1529, H.R. 650, and H.R. 685.
THE ADMINISTRATION'S STRATEGY TO CONFRONT ISIS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
Administration's Strategy to Confront ISIS''. Testimony was heard from 
General John Allen, USMC, Retired, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global 
Coalition to Counter ISIL, Department of State; Brigadier General Michael 
Fantini, USAF, Middle East Principal Director, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Department of 
Defense; and Brigadier General Gregg Olson, USMC, Deputy Director for Middle 
East, Joint Staff Strategic Plans and Policy, Department of Defense.
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a business meeting to 
consider rules change and a hearing entitled ``Leadership Challenges at the 
Department of Homeland Security''. The committee agreed to a committee 
resolution amending the rules of the Committee on Homeland Security. 
Testimony was heard from John Roth, Inspector General, Department of 
Homeland Security; and Maria M. Odom, Ombudsman, Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security.
EFFECT OF THE PRESIDENT'S FY 2016 BUDGET AND LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS FOR THE 
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE'S ENERGY AND MINERALS 
PROGRAMS ON PRIVATE SECTOR JOB CREATION, DOMESTIC ENERGY AND MINERALS 
PRODUCTION AND DEFICIT REDUCTION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``Effect of the President's FY 2016 Budget and 
Legislative Proposals for the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest 
Service's Energy and Minerals Programs on Private Sector Job Creation, 
Domestic Energy and Minerals Production and Deficit Reduction''. Testimony 
was heard from Neil Kornze, Director, Bureau of Land Management; and Tom 
Tidwell, Chief, Forest Service.
DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS AT EPA--WHEN RECORDS MUST BE KEPT
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Oversight; and 
Subcommittee on Environment, held a joint hearing entitled ``Destruction of 
Records at EPA--When Records Must Be Kept''. Testimony was heard from Paul 
M. Wester, Jr., Chief Records Officer, National Archives and Records 
Administration; Kevin Christensen, Assistant Inspector General for Audit, 
Office of Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency; and a public 
witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a markup on 
H.R. 1560, the ``Protecting Cyber Networks Act''. H.R. 1560 was ordered 
reported, as amended. This markup was closed.
Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.
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