[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D761-D763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
REVIEW OF U.S. INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing on review of 
U.S. international food aid programs. Testimony was heard from Phil 
Karsting, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of 
Agriculture; and Thomas H. Staal, Acting Assistant Administrator, 
Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency 
for International Development.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Full Committee held a markup on the Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill for FY 
2016. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education 
Appropriations Bill for FY 2016 was ordered reported, as amended.
THE COUNTERTERRORISM STRATEGY AGAINST THE ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND THE 
LEVANT (ISIL): ARE WE ON THE RIGHT PATH?
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing entitled ``The Counterterrorism Strategy 
Against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL): Are We on the 
Right Path?''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CHILD NUTRITION ASSISTANCE: LOOKING AT THE COST OF COMPLIANCE FOR 
STATES AND SCHOOLS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled 
``Child Nutrition Assistance: Looking at the Cost of Compliance for 
States and Schools''. Testimony was heard from Melody Schopp, Secretary 
of Education, South Dakota Department of Education; John Payne, 
President, Blackford County School Board of Trustees, Indiana; Donna 
Martin, Director, School Nutrition Program, Burke County Public 
Schools, Georgia; and Lynn Harvey, Chief, School Nutrition Services, 
Safe and Healthy Schools Support Division, North Carolina Department of 
Public Instruction.

[[Page D762]]


EXAMINING THE ADMINISTRATION'S APPROVAL OF MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining the Administration's Approval of Medicaid 
Demonstration Projects''. Testimony was heard from Katherine Iritani, 
Director, Health Care, Government Accountability Office; and public 
witnesses.
EVALUATING THE SECURITY OF THE U.S. FINANCIAL SECTOR
Committee on Financial Services: Task Force to Investigate Terrorism 
Financing held a hearing entitled ``Evaluating the Security of the U.S. 
Financial Sector''. Testimony was heard from Cyrus Vance, Jr., District 
Attorney, New York County District Attorney's Office; and public 
witnesses.
COLOMBIA: PEACE WITH THE FARC?
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a hearing entitled ``Colombia: Peace with the FARC?''. Testimony 
was heard from Bernard Aronson, Special Envoy to the Colombian Peace 
Process, Department of State; and Alex Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for South America and Cuba, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 
Department of State.
ADMITTING SYRIAN REFUGEES: THE INTELLIGENCE VOID AND THE EMERGING 
HOMELAND SECURITY THREAT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and 
Intelligence held a hearing entitled ``Admitting Syrian Refugees: The 
Intelligence Void and the Emerging Homeland Security Threat''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DHS' EFFORTS TO SECURE .GOV
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies held a hearing 
entitled ``DHS' Efforts to Secure .Gov''. Testimony was heard from Andy 
Ozment, Assistant Security, Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, 
National Protections and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland 
Security; Gregory C. Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues, 
Government Accountability Office; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 1927, 
the ``Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015''. H.R. 1927 was 
ordered reported, as amended.
GAO REPORT DOCUMENTS BLM'S CHRONIC MISMANAGEMENT OF WIND AND SOLAR 
RECLAMATION BONDS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``GAO Report Documents BLM's 
Chronic Mismanagement of Wind and Solar Reclamation Bonds''. Testimony 
was heard from Anne-Marie Fennell, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment Team, Government Accountability Office; and Steven A. 
Ellis, Deputy Director for Operations, Bureau of Land Management, 
Department of the Interior.
EXAMINING PROCEDURES REGARDING PUERTO RICO'S POLITICAL STATUS AND 
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and 
Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Examining Procedures 
Regarding Puerto Rico's Political Status and Economic Outlook''. 
Testimony was heard from Resident Commissioner Pierluisi; Cesar A. 
Miranda Rodriguez, Attorney General of Puerto Rico, testifying on 
behalf of Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla; Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, 
Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico; and public witnesses.
OPM DATA BREACH: PART II
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``OPM Data Breach: Part II''. Testimony was heard from 
Katherine Archuleta, Director, Office of Personnel Management; Patrick 
E. McFarland, Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management; Donna 
K. Seymour, Chief Information Officer, Office of Personnel Management; 
Ann Barron-DiCamillo, Director, U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, 
Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
SENATE AMENDMENT TO THE TRADE PREFERENCES EXTENSION ACT OF 2015
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on Senate Amendment 
to H.R. 1295, the ``Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015'' (meeting 
II). The committee granted, by voice vote, a rule that provides for the 
consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1295. The rule makes in 
order a motion offered by the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means 
or his designee that the House concur in the Senate amendment. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the motion. The 
rule provides that the Senate amendment and the motion shall be 
considered as read. The rule provides one hour of debate on the motion 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Ways and Means.

[[Page D763]]


U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION REPORT: ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS 
OF THE EPA'S CLEAN POWER PLAN
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Environment; and Subcommittee on Energy, held a joint hearing entitled 
``U.S. Energy Information Administration Report: Analysis of the 
Impacts of the EPA's Clean Power Plan''. Testimony was heard from 
Howard Gruenspecht, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Energy Information 
Administration; and public witnesses.
THE STATE OF POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL IMPLEMENTATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing entitled 
``The State of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United 
States''. Testimony was heard from Sarah Feinberg, Acting 
Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration; Charles Mathias, 
Associate Bureau Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal 
Communications Commission; and public witnesses.
MEETING THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF RURAL AMERICA
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing entitled ``Meeting the 
Transportation Needs of Rural America''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 2214, the ``Disabled 
Veterans' Access to Medical Exams Improvement Act''; H.R. 1380, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for a 
medallion furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to signify the 
veteran status of a deceased individual; H.R. 2706, the ``Veterans 
National Remembrance Act''; H.R. 2691, the ``Veterans' Survivors Claims 
Processing Automation Act of 2015''; H.R. 303, the ``Retired Pay 
Restoration Act''; H.R. 1338, the ``Dignified Interment of Our Veterans 
Act of 2015''; H.R. 1302, the ``VA Appeals Backlog Relief Act''; H.R. 
2605, the ``Veterans Fiduciary Reform Act of 2015''; and H.R. 1384, the 
``Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act''. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Johnson of Ohio; David R. McLenachen, Acting Deputy 
Under Secretary for Disability Assistance, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
RISING HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS UNDER OBAMACARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on rising health insurance premiums under Obamacare. Testimony was 
heard from Julie McPeak, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of 
Commerce and Insurance; Al Redmer, Jr., Commissioner of the Maryland 
Insurance Administration; Mike Kreidler, Washington State Insurance 
Commissioner; and a public witness.
REPATRIATION OF FOREIGN EARNINGS AS A SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE HIGHWAY 
TRUST FUND
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures 
held a hearing on repatriation of foreign earnings as a source of 
funding for the Highway Trust Fund. Testimony was heard from Tom 
Barthold, Chief of Staff, Joint Committee on Taxation; Jane Gravelle, 
Senior Specialist in Economic Policy, Congressional Research Service; 
and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.