[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D126-D129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
REVIEW OF THE 2016 AGENDA FOR THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing to review the 
2016 Agenda for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Testimony was 
heard from Timothy Massad, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission.
APPROPRIATIONS--NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a budget hearing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 
Testimony was heard from Stephen Burns, Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission; Kristine Svinicki, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission; William Ostendorff, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission; and Jeff Baran, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission.

[[Page D127]]


APPROPRIATIONS--COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
budget hearing on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Testimony 
was heard from Timothy Massad, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission.
UNDERSTANDING AND DETERRING RUSSIA: U.S. POLICIES AND STRATEGIES
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Understanding and Deterring Russia: U.S. Policies and Strategies''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE FUTURE OF THE ARMY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing entitled ``Recommendations from the National 
Commission on the Future of the Army''. Testimony was heard from 
General Carter Ham, USA (Retired), Chairman, National Commission on the 
Future of the Army; and Robert F. Hale, Commissioner, National 
Commission on the Future of the Army.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION POLICY AND 
PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing entitled ``Department of Defense (DoD) 
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Policy and Programs for 
Fiscal Year 2017''. Testimony was heard from Arthur T. Hopkins, 
performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs; Kenneth A. Myers, 
Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and U.S. Strategic Command 
Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (SCC-MD); and Wendin 
D. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering Weapons 
of Mass Destruction.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  February 10, 2016, on page D127, the following appeared: . . . 
Weapons of Mass Destruction (SC-MD); and . . .
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: . . . Weapons of 
Mass Destruction (SCC-MD); and . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

NEXT STEPS FOR K-12 EDUCATION: IMPLEMENTING THE PROMISE TO RESTORE 
STATE AND LOCAL CONTROL
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled 
``Next Steps for K-12 Education: Implementing the Promise to Restore 
State and Local Control''. Testimony was heard from Joy Hofmeister, 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Oklahoma State Department of 
Education, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Paul `Vic' Wilson, Superintendent, 
Hartselle City Schools, Hartselle, Alabama; and public witnesses.
EXAMINING MEDICAID AND CHIP'S FEDERAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining Medicaid and CHIP's Federal Medical Assistance''. 
Testimony was heard from John Hagg, Director of Medicaid Audits, Office 
of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; Alison 
Mitchell, Health Care Financing Analyst, Congressional Research 
Service; Anne Schwartz, Executive Director, Medicaid and CHIP Payment 
and Access Commission; and Carolyn Yocom, Director, Health Care, 
Government Accountability Office.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES ON THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``Industry 
Perspectives on the Consumer Product Safety Commission''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology began a markup on H.R. 2666, the ``No Rate Regulation of 
Broadband Internet Access Act''; H.R. 1301, the ``Amateur Radio Parity 
Act of 2015''; and the ``Small Business Broadband Deployment Act''.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power 
began a markup on H.R. 3021, the ``AIR Survey Act of 2015''; H.R. 3797, 
the ``Satisfying Energy Needs and Saving the Environment (SENSE) Act''; 
the ``Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns (BRICK) 
Act''; H.R. 4444, the ``EPS Improvement Act''; H.R. 2984, the ``Fair 
RATES Act''; H.R. 4427, to amend section 203 of the Federal Power Act; 
H.R. 4238, to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act and the 
Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976 to 
modernize terms relating to minorities; H.R. 2080, to reinstate and 
extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric 
project involving Clark Canyon Dam; H.R. 2081, to extend the deadline 
for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving 
the Gibson Dam; H.R. 3447, to extend the

[[Page D128]]

deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project; 
H.R. 4416, to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a 
hydroelectric project; and H.R. 4434, to extend the deadline for 
commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Monetary Policy and the State of the Economy''. Testimony was heard 
from Janet Yellen, Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System.
FROM IRAQ AND SYRIA TO LIBYA AND BEYOND: THE EVOLVING ISIL THREAT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``From Iraq and Syria to Libya and Beyond: The Evolving ISIL Threat''. 
Testimony was heard from Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for 
the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, Department of State.
THE GLOBAL ZIKA EPIDEMIC
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; and Subcommittee 
on the Western Hemisphere, held a joint hearing entitled ``The Global 
Zika Epidemic''. Testimony was heard from Tom Frieden, M.D., Director, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and 
Human Services; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and Ariel Pablos-Mendez, M.D., 
Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency for 
International Development.
AFTER SAN BERNARDINO: THE FUTURE OF ISIS-INSPIRED ATTACKS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``After San 
Bernardino: The Future of ISIS-inspired Attacks''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT: BREAKING THE NEW VISA WAIVER LAW 
TO APPEASE IRAN
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``National Security and Law Enforcement: Breaking the New Visa Waiver 
Law to Appease Iran''. Testimony was heard from R. Gil Kerlikowske, 
Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security; and Hillary Batjer Johnson, Deputy Coordinator, Homeland 
Security, Screening, and Designations, Bureau of Counterterrorism, 
Department of State.
THE COSTLY IMPACTS OF PREDATION AND CONFLICTING FEDERAL STATUTES ON 
NATIVE AND ENDANGERED FISH SPECIES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans 
held a hearing entitled ``The Costly Impacts of Predation and 
Conflicting Federal Statutes on Native and Endangered Fish Species''. 
Testimony was heard from Will Stelle, Regional Administrator, West 
Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service; and public witnesses.
THE PRESIDENT'S WAIVER OF RESTRICTIONS ON THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security; and Subcommittee on Government Operations, held a joint 
hearing entitled ``The President's Waiver of Restrictions on the Visa 
Waiver Program''. Testimony was heard from R. Gil Kerlikowske, 
Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security; Hilary Batjer Johnson, Deputy Coordinator for Homeland 
Security, Screening, and Designations, Bureau of Counterterrorism, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
COMMON SENSE NUTRITION DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2015
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 2017, the 
``Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015''. The committee 
granted, by voice vote, a structured rule for H.R. 2017. The rule 
provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill. The rule makes in order as original text for the purpose of 
amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill and 
provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule waives all 
points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
The rule makes in order only those further amendments printed in the 
Rules Committee report. Each such amendment may be offered 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

[[Page D129]]

and an opponent, 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 amendments printed in the report. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. In 
section 2, the rule provides that on any legislative day during the 
period from February 15, 2016, through February 22, 2016: the Journal 
of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved; 
and the Chair may at any time declare the House adjourned to meet at a 
date and time to be announced by the Chair in declaring the 
adjournment. In section 3, the rule provides that the Speaker may 
appoint Members to perform the duties of the Chair for the duration of 
the period addressed by section 2. Finally, in section 4, the rule 
provides that the Committee on the Judiciary may, at any time before 5 
p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2016, file a report to accompany H.R. 
3624. Testimony was heard from Representatives McMorris Rodgers and 
Pallone.
MIDNIGHT REGULATIONS: EXAMINING EXECUTIVE BRANCH OVERREACH
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Midnight Regulations: Examining Executive Branch 
Overreach''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EXPORT CONTROL REFORM: CHALLENGES FOR SMALL BUSINESS? PART I
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``Export Control Reform: Challenges for 
Small Business? (Part I)''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT OF THE OFFICE OF ADVOCACY AND THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL 
OMBUDSMAN AT THE SBA
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight 
and Regulations held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Office of 
Advocacy and the Office of the National Ombudsman at the SBA''. 
Testimony was heard from Darryl L. DePriest, Chief Counsel for 
Advocacy, Small Business Administration; and Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay, 
USN (Retired), Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement 
Ombudsman, Small Business Administration.
REVIEW OF ATC REFORM PROPOSALS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Review of ATC Reform Proposals''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Year 
2017''. Testimony was heard from Robert A. McDonald, Secretary, 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
A REVIEW OF VA'S LOAN GUARANTY AND SPECIALLY ADAPTIVE HOUSING GRANT 
PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``A Review of VA's Loan Guaranty and Specially 
Adaptive Housing Grant Programs (SAH)''. Testimony was heard from Mike 
Frueh, Director, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES' FISCAL YEAR 2017 BUDGET 
REQUEST
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a hearing on the 
Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Fiscal Year 2017 Budget 
Request. Testimony was heard from Sylvia Burwell, Secretary, Department 
of Health and Human Services.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.