[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 141 (Tuesday, September 29, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1028-D1030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
RESEARCH INNOVATIONS ACHIEVED BY OUR NATION'S AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES AND 
UNIVERSITIES
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture 
and Research held a hearing to highlight research innovations achieved 
by our nation's agricultural colleges and universities. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CYBER STRATEGY
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Outside Perspectives on the Department of Defense Cyber Strategy''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
USAF BOMBER FORCE STRUCTURE--CURRENT REQUIREMENTS AND FUTURE VISION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection 
Forces held a hearing entitled ``USAF Bomber Force Structure--current 
requirements and future vision''. Testimony was heard from Lieutenant 
General Arnold W. Bunch (USAF), Military Deputy, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, U.S. Air Force; 
General Robin Rand (USAF), Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; 
and Randall G. Walden, Director, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, 
Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on H.R. 3459, the 
``Protecting

[[Page D1029]]

Local Business Opportunity Act''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
AN OVERDUE CHECKUP: EXAMINING THE ACA'S STATE INSURANCE MARKETPLACES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``An Overdue Checkup: Examining 
the ACA's State Insurance Marketplaces''. Testimony was heard from 
Patrick Allen, Director, Oregon Department of Consumer and Business 
Services; Louis Gutierrez, Executive Director, Massachusetts Health 
Connector; Jeff Kissel, Chief Executive Officer, Hawai`i Health 
Connector; Peter V. Lee, Executive Director, Covered California; 
Allison O'Toole, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota Health 
Insurance Exchange; and James Wadleigh, Chief Executive Officer, Access 
Health CT.
THE DISRUPTER SERIES: HOW THE SHARING ECONOMY CREATES JOBS, BENEFITS 
CONSUMERS, AND RAISES POLICY QUESTIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``The Disrupter 
Series: How the Sharing Economy Creates Jobs, Benefits Consumers, and 
Raises Policy Questions''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 
8, the ``North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 
2015''; H.R. 3242, the ``Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 
2015''; and Proposed Matters for Inclusion in Reconciliation 
Recommendations.
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.
THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC REGULATORY STANDARDS ON THE U.S. INSURANCE 
MARKET
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance 
held a hearing entitled ``The Impact of Domestic Regulatory Standards 
on the U.S. Insurance Market''. Testimony was heard from Michael 
McRaith, Director, Federal Insurance Office, Department of the 
Treasury; Tom Sullivan, Senior Advisor, Department of Banking 
Supervision and Regulation, Federal Reserve Board of Governors; S. Roy 
Woodall, Jr., Independent Member, Financial Stability Oversight 
Council, Department of the Treasury; and a public witness.
U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SYRIA: A WINNING STRATEGY?
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``U.S. 
Counterterrorism Efforts in Syria: A Winning Strategy?''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil 
Justice held a hearing on H.R. __, the ``Fraudulent Joinder Prevention 
Act of 2015''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HEALTHY COMPETITION? AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROPOSED HEALTH INSURANCE 
MERGERS AND THE CONSEQUENT IMPACT ON COMPETITION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing entitled ``Healthy 
Competition? An Examination of the Proposed Health Insurance Mergers 
and the Consequent Impact on Competition''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF PENDING MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT 
DESIGNATIONS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans 
held a hearing entitled ``The Potential Implications of Pending Marine 
National Monument Designations''. Testimony was heard from Holly 
Bamford, Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management, 
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; and public witnesses.
STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL APPROACHES TO FOREST MANAGEMENT: LESSONS FOR 
BETTER MANAGEMENT OF OUR FEDERAL FORESTS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a 
hearing entitled ``State, Local, and Tribal Approaches to Forest 
Management: Lessons for Better Management of our Federal Forests''. 
Testimony was heard from Thomas Crafford, Associate Director of State-
Federal Relations, Office of Governor Bill Walker, State of Alaska; Dan 
Gibbs, County Commissioner, Summit County, Colorado; and public 
witnesses.

[[Page D1030]]


LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and 
Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 286, the ``Little Shell 
Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act of 2015''; and H.R. 872, the 
``Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act 
of 2015''. Testimony was heard from Kevin Washburn, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; and 
public witnesses.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S TAXPAYER FUNDING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Planned Parenthood's Taxpayer Funding''. Testimony 
was heard from a public witness.
JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF IRANIAN TERRORISM ACT
Committee on Rules: Full Committee began a hearing on H.R. 3457, the 
``Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act''. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Poe of Texas and Engel.
ASTROBIOLOGY AND THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH IN THE NEXT DECADE
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Astrobiology and the Search for Life Beyond Earth in 
the Next Decade''. Testimony was heard from Ellen Stofan, Chief 
Scientist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and public 
witnesses.
THE BLACKLIST: ARE SMALL BUSINESSES GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT?
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce; 
and Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations, held a 
joint hearing entitled ``The Blacklist: Are Small Businesses Guilty 
Until Proven Innocent?''. Testimony was heard from Anne Rung, 
Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of 
Management and Budget; Lafe Solomon, Senior Labor Compliance Advisor, 
Office of the Solicitor, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on 
legislative proposals in response to the reconciliation directive 
included in section 2002 of S. Con. Res. 11. The Reconciliation 
Legislative Recommendations Relating to Repeal of Certain Excise Taxes 
Enacted in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was favorably 
transmitted to the House Committee on the Budget, as amended. The 
Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations Relating to Repeal of 
Independent Payment Advisory Board was favorably transmitted to the 
House Committee on the Budget, without amendment.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.