[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1172-D1174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AIRCRAFT CARRIER--PRESENCE AND SURGE LIMITATIONS. EXPANDING POWER 
PROJECTION OPTIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection 
Forces; and Subcommittee on Readiness, held a joint hearing entitled 
``Aircraft Carrier--Presence and Surge Limitations. Expanding Power 
Projection Options''. Testimony was heard from Vice Admiral John C. 
Aquilino, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Operations, Plans and 
Strategy (N3/N5), U.S. Navy; Sean J. Stackley, Assistant Secretary of 
the Navy, Research, Development, and Acquisition; Rear Admiral Michael 
C. Manazir, USN, Director, Air Warfare (OPNAV N98); and Rear Admiral 
Thomas J. Moore, USN, Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers.
FUTURE OPTIONS FOR THE U.S. NUCLEAR DETERRENT--VIEWS FROM PROJECT ATOM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing entitled ``Future Options for the U.S. Nuclear Deterrent--Views 
from Project Atom''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EXAMINING THE EU SAFE HARBOR DECISION AND IMPACTS FOR TRANSATLANTIC 
DATA FLOWS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Manufacturing, and Trade; and Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology, held a joint hearing entitled ``Examining the EU Safe 
Harbor Decision and Impacts for Transatlantic Data Flows''. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
EXAMINING LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining Legislation to Improve Medicare and Medicaid''. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Jenkins; Katharine Iritani, 
Director, Health Care Team, Government Accountability Office; and Anne 
Schwartz, Executive Director, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access 
Commission.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held 
a markup on H. J. Res. 71, providing for congressional disapproval 
under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by 
the Environmental Protection Agency relating to 'Standards of 
Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and 
Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units'; 
and H.J. Res. 72, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 
8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the 
Environmental Protection Agency relating to 'Carbon Pollution Emission 
Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating 
Units'. H.J. Res. 71 and H.J. Res. 72 were both forwarded to the full 
committee, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health began a markup 
on H.R. 2017, the ``Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015''; 
H.R. 2446, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require the 
use of electronic visit verification for personal care services 
furnished under the Medicaid program; H.R. 2646, the ``Helping Families 
in Mental Health Crisis Act''; H.R. 3014, the ``Medical Controlled 
Substances Transportation Act''; H.R.

[[Page D1173]]

3537, the ``Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2015''; H.R. 3716, the 
``Ensuring Terminated Providers Are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP 
Act''; and H.R. 3821, the ``Medicaid Directory of Caregivers Act''.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 
1309, the ``Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act of 2015''; H.R. 
1478, the ``Policyholder Protection Act of 2015''; H.R. 1550, the 
``Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2015''; H.R. 
1660, the ``Federal Savings Association Charter Flexibility Act of 
2015''; H.R. 2209, to require the appropriate Federal banking agencies 
to treat certain municipal obligations as level 2A liquid assets, and 
for other purposes; H.R. 3340, the ``Financial Stability Oversight 
Council Reform Act''; H.R. 3557, the ``FSOC Transparency and 
Accountability Act''; H.R. 3738, the ``Office of Financial Research 
Accountability Act of 2015''; the ``Small Business Credit Availability 
Act''; H.R. 3857, to require the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System and the Financial Stability Oversight Council to carry 
out certain requirements under the Financial Stability Act of 2010 
before making any new determination under section 113 of such Act, and 
for other purposes. H.R. 1660 was ordered reported, without amendment.
DEFENDING AGAINST BIOTERRORISM: HOW VULNERABLE IS AMERICA?
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Defending Against Bioterrorism: How Vulnerable is America?''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing on H.R. 3438, the ``Require 
Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists Act of 2015''; and 
H.R. 2631, the ``Regulatory Predictability for Business Growth Act of 
2015''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL DATA FLOWS: PROMOTING DIGITAL TRADE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual 
Property, and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``International Data 
Flows: Promoting Digital Trade in the 21st Century''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
TSA: SECURITY GAPS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``TSA: Security Gaps''. Testimony was heard from Peter 
Neffenger, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration, 
Department of Homeland Security; John Roth, Inspector General, 
Department of Homeland Security; and Jennifer Grover, Director, 
Homeland Security and Justice, Government Accountability Office.
PREPARING FOR THE 2020 CENSUS: WILL THE TECHNOLOGY BE READY?
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Operations; and Subcommittee on Information Technology, held 
a joint hearing entitled ``Preparing for the 2020 Census: Will the 
Technology Be Ready?''. Testimony was heard from John H. Thompson, 
Director, Census Bureau; Steven I. Cooper, Chief Information Officer, 
Department of Commerce; Carol R. Cha, Director, Information Technology 
Acquisition Management Issues, Government Accountability Office; and 
Robert Goldenkoff, Director, Strategic Issues, Government 
Accountability Office.
SENATE AMENDMENTS TO THE HIRE MORE HEROES ACT OF 2015
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on Senate amendments 
to H.R. 22, the ``Hire More Heroes Act of 2015'' [DRIVE Act] [Amendment 
consideration]. The committee granted, by voice vote, a rule that 
provides for further consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 22 
under a structured rule. In section 2, the rule makes in order only the 
further amendments to the amendment consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 114-32 printed in part A of the Rules Committee report 
and amendments en bloc. Each further amendment printed in part A of the 
report shall be considered 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, 
may be withdrawn by the proponent at any time before action thereon, 
shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand 
for division of the question. The rule provides that it shall be in 
order at any time for the chair of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure or his designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting 
of amendments printed in part A of the report not earlier disposed of. 
Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 
20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
or their designees, 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 further amendments

[[Page D1174]]

printed in part A of the report and amendments offered en bloc. In 
section 3, the rule makes in order only those further amendments to the 
Senate amendment, as amended, printed in part B of the Rules Committee 
report. Each such further amendment shall be considered 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, may be withdrawn by the proponent at any 
time before action thereon, 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 further amendments printed in 
part B of the report. In section 4, the rule provides that if the 
Committee of the Whole reports the Senate amendment, as amended, back 
to the House with multiple amendments, the question of their adoption 
shall be put to the House en gros and without division of the question. 
The rule provides that if the Committee of the Whole reports the Senate 
amendment, as amended, back to the House without further amendment or 
the question of adoption of amendments en gros fails, no further 
consideration of the Senate amendments shall be in order except 
pursuant to a subsequent order of the House. In section 5, the rule 
provides that the Chair may postpone further consideration of the 
Senate amendments in the House to such time as may be designated by the 
Speaker.
  In section 6, the rule provides that upon adoption of the further 
amendment or amendments in the House: (1) a motion that the House 
concur in the Senate amendment to the text, as amended, with such 
further amendment or amendments shall be considered as adopted; (2) the 
Clerk shall engross the action of the House as a single amendment in 
the nature of a substitute; (3) a motion that the House concur in the 
Senate amendment to the title shall be considered as adopted; and (4) 
it shall be in order for the chair of the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure or his designee to move that the House insist on its 
amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 22 and request a conference 
with the Senate thereon. Finally, in section 7, the rule provides that 
the chair of the Committee on Armed Services may insert in the 
Congressional Record not later than November 16, 2015, such material as 
he may deem explanatory of defense authorization measures for the 
fiscal year 2016. Testimony was heard from Chairman Goodlatte, Chairman 
McCaul, and Representatives Farenthold, Lipinski, Denham, Garamendi, 
Rodney Davis of Illinois, Ashford, Polis, Maxine Waters of California, 
Clawson of Florida, Blumenauer, Pascrell, Schakowsky, Mulvaney, 
Renacci, Palmer, Moulton, Rothfus, Sablan, Russell, Schweikert, Yoho, 
Young of Iowa, and Zinke.
THE RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD: A TEN YEAR REVIEW OF COSTS AND BENEFITS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Environment; and Subcommittee on Oversight, held a joint hearing 
entitled ``The Renewable Fuel Standard: A Ten Year Review of Costs and 
Benefits''. Testimony was heard from Terry Dinan, Senior Advisor, 
Congressional Budget Office; and public witnesses.
EXAMINING VA'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE ECONOMIC 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``Examining VA's Information Technology Systems 
that Provide Economic Opportunities for Veterans''. Testimony was heard 
from Curtis L. Coy, Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses.
BETTER COORDINATING WELFARE PROGRAMS TO SERVE FAMILIES IN NEED
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing entitled ``Better Coordinating Welfare Programs to Serve 
Families in Need''. Testimony was heard from Nick Lyon, Director, 
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
STATUS OF THE CONSUMER OPERATED AND ORIENTED PLAN (CO-OP) PROGRAM, 
ESTABLISHED UNDER THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE LAW
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
the status of the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) Program, 
established under the President's health care law. Testimony was heard 
from Mandy Cohen, Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff, Centers 
for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.