[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D427-D428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to 
examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 
2016 for the Department of Transportation, after receiving testimony 
from Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Defense 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and 
justification for fiscal year 2016 for defense innovation and research, 
after receiving testimony from Frank Kendall, Under Secretary for 
Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Alan Shaffer, Acting Assistant 
Secretary for Development Research and Engineering, and Arati 
Prabhakar, Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), 
all of the Department of Defense.
APPROPRIATIONS: FEMA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Homeland 
Security concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and 
justification for fiscal year 2016 for Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA), after receiving testimony from W. Craig Fugate, 
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of 
Homeland Security.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST AND FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management 
Support concluded a hearing to examine reform of the defense 
acquisition system in review of the Defense Authorization Request for 
fiscal year 2016 and the Future Years Defense Program, after receiving 
testimony from Heidi Shyu, Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, Sean J. Stackley, Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, and 
William A. LaPlante, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 
Acquisition, all of the Department of Defense.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST AND FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces concluded 
a hearing to examine Air Force and Navy nuclear programs and the 
implementation of nuclear enterprise review recommendations in review 
of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2016 and the 
Future Years Defense Program, after receiving testimony from Major 
General Garrett Harencak, USAF, Assistant Chief of Staff, Strategic 
Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Lieutenant General Stephen W. 
Wilson, USAF, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Vice Admiral 
Terry J. Benedict, USN, Director, Strategic Systems Programs, and 
Yisroel E. Brumer, Director, Strategic, Defensive and Space Programs, 
Office of the Secretary, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, all of 
the Department of Defense; and Madelyn R. Creedon, Deputy 
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of 
Energy.
WEATHER COMMUNICATION TO ENHANCE COMMERCE AND SAFETY
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine how to better communicate weather to enhance 
commerce and safety, after receiving testimony from Don Hermey, Manatee 
County Emergency Management, Bradenton, Florida; Jay Trobec, Keloland 
Television, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Ron Sznaider, Schneider 
Electric, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Kim Klockow, University 
Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Silver Spring, Maryland.

[[Page D428]]


LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine reauthorization of and potential reforms to the Land 
and Water Conservation Fund, after receiving testimony from Michael 
Connor, Deputy Secretary of the Interior; Lewis Ledford, National 
Association of State Park Directors, Raleigh, North Carolina; Lynn 
Scarlett, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia; and Reed Watson, 
Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), Bozeman, Montana.
NOMINATION
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the nomination of Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland, 
of Virginia, to be a Member and Chairperson of the Chemical Safety and 
Hazard Investigation Board, after the nominee testified and answered 
questions in her own behalf.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Finance: Committee began consideration of S. 995, to 
establish congressional trade negotiating objectives and enhanced 
consultation requirements for trade negotiations, to provide for 
consideration of trade agreements, an original bill relating to 
extension of the trade adjustment assistance program, and amending the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the credit for 
health insurance costs of certain eligible individuals, an original 
bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Generalized 
System of Preferences, the preferential duty treatment program for 
Haiti, and an original bill to reauthorize trade facilitation and trade 
enforcement functions and activities.
STATE DEPARTMENT REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine State Department reauthorization, focusing on ensuring 
effective United States diplomacy within a reasonable budget, after 
receiving testimony from Heather Higginbotom, Deputy Secretary of State 
for Management and Resources.
SECURING THE BORDER
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine securing the border, focusing on 
understanding threats and strategies for the northern border, after 
receiving testimony from Michael Fisher, Chief, Border Patrol, and John 
Wagner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, both 
of Customs and Border Protection, and James C. Spero, Special Agent in 
Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, all of the Department of Homeland Security; Dave 
Rodriguez, Director, Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, 
Office of National Drug Control Policy; and Richard S. Hartunian, 
United States Attorney, Northern District of New York, Department of 
Justice.
TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine tribal transportation, focusing on pathways to safer roads 
in Indian country, after receiving testimony from Michael Black, 
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; Delbert 
A. McOmie, Wyoming Department of Transportation Chief Engineer, 
Cheyenne; J. Michael Chavarria, Pueblo of Santa Clara, Espanola, New 
Mexico; Rick Kirn, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck 
Reservation, Poplar, Montana; and John Smith, Northern Arapaho and 
Eastern Shoshone Tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation, Fort 
Washakie, Wyoming.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported S. 
710, to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996, with an amendment.