[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 164 (Wednesday, November 4, 2015)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1186-D1189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``American Agriculture and Our National Security''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health concluded 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. 3537, the ``Synthetic 
Drug Control Act

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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''. The following bills were forwarded to the full 
committee, without amendment: H.R. 3014 and H.R. 3537. The following 
bills were forwarded to the full committee, as amended: H.R. 2446, H.R. 
3716, H.R. 3821, H.R. 2017, and H.R. 2646.
SEMI-ANNUAL TESTIMONY ON THE FEDERAL RESERVE'S SUPERVISION AND 
REGULATION OF THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee concluded 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. 
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''; H.R. 3868, 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; and a hearing entitled ``Semi-Annual Testimony on the Federal 
Reserve's Supervision and Regulation of the Financial System''. The 
following bills were ordered reported, without amendment: H.R. 1309, 
H.R. 1550, H.R. 2209, H.R. 3557, H.R. 3738, and H.R. 3857. The 
following bills were ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 1478, H.R. 
3340, and H.R. 3868. Testimony was heard from Janet L. Yellen, Chair, 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
U.S. POLICY AFTER RUSSIA'S ESCALATION IN SYRIA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``U.S. Policy after Russia's Escalation in Syria''. Testimony was heard 
from Anne W. Patterson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern 
Affairs, Department of State; and Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary, 
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Department of State.
DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY: EVALUATING THE 2015 `TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS 
REPORT'
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations held a hearing 
entitled ``Demanding Accountability: Evaluating the 2015 `Trafficking 
in Persons Report' ''. Testimony was heard from Kari Johnstone, 
Principal Deputy Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in 
Persons, Department of State; James Carouso, Acting Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of 
State; Alex Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western 
Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State; and a public witness.
CHALLENGE TO EUROPE: THE GROWING REFUGEE CRISIS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing entitled ``Challenge to Europe: The 
Growing Refugee Crisis''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
A NEW APPROACH TO INCREASE TRADE AND SECURITY: AN EXAMINATION OF CBP'S 
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``A New Approach to Increase Trade and 
Security: An Examination of CBP's Public Private Partnerships''. 
Testimony was heard from John Wagner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, 
Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 
Department of Homeland Security; Michael Gelber, Deputy Commissioner, 
Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration; David A. 
Garcia, County Administrator, Cameron County, Texas; and a public 
witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
2285, the ``Prevent Trafficking in Cultural Property Act''; H.R. 2795, 
the ``First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster 
Situations Act''; H.R. 3842, the ``Federal Law Enforcement Training 
Centers Reform and Improvement Act of 2015''; H.R. 3859, the ``HSA 
Technical Corrections Act''; H.R. 3875, the ``Department of Homeland 
Security CBRNE Defense Act of 2015''; H.R. 3869, the ``State and Local 
Cyber Protection Act of 2015''; and H.R. 3878, the ``Strengthening 
Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 
2015''. The following bills were ordered reported, without amendment: 
H.R. 3859

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and H.R. 3869. The following bills were ordered reported, as amended: 
H.R. 2285, H.R. 2795, H.R. 3842, H.R. 3875, and H.R. 3878.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a 
hearing on H.R. 1815, the ``Eastern Nevada Implementation Improvement 
Act''; and H.R. 3342, to provide for the stability of title to certain 
lands in the State of Louisiana. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Hardy and Fleming; and Steve Ellis, Deputy Director, 
Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing on H.R. 3843, the ``Locatable Minerals Claim 
Location and Maintenance Fees Act of 2015; and H.R. 3844, the ``Energy 
and Minerals Reclamation Foundation Establishment Act of 2015''. 
Testimony was heard from Eric Cavazza, Director, Bureau of Abandoned 
Mine Reclamation, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; 
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Research Geochemist Environment, Human Health, and 
Disasters, U.S. Geological Survey; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and 
Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 2009, the ``Pascua Yaqui 
Tribe Land Conveyance Act of 2015''; H.R. 2719, the ``Tribal Coastal 
Resiliency Act''; and H.R. 3079, to take certain Federal land located 
in Tuolumne County, California, into trust for the benefit of the 
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, and for other purposes. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Kilmer; Michael Smith, Deputy Director, Field 
Operations, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior; Glenn 
Casamassa, Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest Systems, U.S. Forest 
Service, Department of Agriculture; and public witnesses.
THE FEDERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REFORM ACT'S (FITARA) ROLE IN 
REDUCING IT ACQUISITION RISK, PART II--MEASURING AGENCIES' FITARA 
IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Technology; and Subcommittee on Government Operations, held 
a joint hearing entitled ``The Federal Information Technology Reform 
Act's (FITARA) Role in Reducing IT Acquisition Risk, Part II--Measuring 
Agencies' FITARA Implementation''. Testimony was heard from Tony Scott, 
U.S. Chief Information Officer, Office of E-Government and Information 
Technology, Office of Management and Budget; Sonny Bhagowalia, Chief 
Information Officer, Department of the Treasury; Richard McKinney, 
Chief Information Officer, Department of Transportation; David Shive, 
Chief Information Officer, General Services Administration; and David 
A. Powner, Director, IT Management Issues, Government Accountability 
Office.-
AN EXAMINATION OF CONTINUED CHALLENGES IN VA'S VETS FIRST VERIFICATION 
PROCESS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations; and Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce of the 
House Committee on Small Business, held a joint hearing entitled ``An 
Examination of Continued Challenges in VA's Vets First Verification 
Process''. Testimony was heard from William Shear, Director, Financial 
Markets and Community Investment, Government Accountability Office; 
Quentin Aucoin, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and Tom Leney, Executive Director, 
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO WAIVE ANTI-TERROR PROVISIONS IN THE TAX CODE 
WITH RESPECT TO IRAN
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on presidential authority to waive anti-terror provisions in the tax 
code with respect to Iran. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE PROGRAM
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
ensuring success for the Social Security Disability Insurance program 
and its beneficiaries, after receiving testimony from Patrick P. 
O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector General, Social Security Administration; Mark 
G. Duggan, Stanford University Institute for Economic Policy Research, 
Stanford, California; and Rebecca D. Vallas, Center for American 
Progress, Washington, D.C.

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