[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 9, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D232-D234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of the 
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to 
examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 
2017 for the Indian Health Service, after receiving testimony from Mary 
Smith, Principal Deputy Director, Indian Health Service, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

[[Page D233]]


APPROPRIATIONS: DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Defense 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and 
justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Defense Health Program, 
after receiving testimony from Lieutenant General Nadja West, Surgeon 
General of the Army, Vice Admiral C. Forrest Faison III, Surgeon 
General of the Navy, Lieutenant General Mark A. Ediger, Surgeon General 
of the Air Force, and Chris Miller, Program Executive Officer of the 
Defense Healthcare Management Systems, all of the Department of 
Defense.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and 
justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department of Agriculture, 
after receiving testimony from Thomas Vilsack, Secretary of 
Agriculture.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates 
and justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department of Energy, 
after receiving testimony from Ernest J. Moniz, Secretary of Energy.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nominations of General Joseph L. Votel, USA, for reappointment to 
the grade of general and to be Commander, United States Central 
Command, and Lieutenant General Raymond A. Thomas III, USA, to be 
general and Commander, United States Special Operations Command, after 
the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
DOD SECURITY COOPERATION, ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND AUTHORITIES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities concluded a hearing to examine the Department of Defense 
security cooperation and assistance programs and authorities, after 
receiving testimony from Commander Jeff Eggers, USN (Ret.), New 
America, Melissa Dalton, Center for Strategic and International 
Studies, and Michael J. McNerney, RAND Corporation, all of Washington, 
D.C.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST AND FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces concluded 
a closed hearing to examine military space threats and programs in 
review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2017 and 
the Future Years Defense Program, after receiving testimony from 
General John E. Hyten, USAF, Commander, Air Force Space Command, and 
Douglas L. Loverro, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space Policy, both 
of the Department of Defense; and Troy E. Meink, Assistant Director of 
National Intelligence for Systems and Resource Analyses.
EPA REGULATORY ACTIONS
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine cooperative federalism, focusing on state 
perspectives on Environmental Protection Agency regulatory actions and 
the role of states as co-regulators, after receiving testimony from 
Steven Pirner, South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources, Pierre; Becky Keogh, Arkansas Department of Environmental 
Quality, North Little Rock; Randy C. Huffman, West Virginia Department 
of Environmental Protection, Charleston; Deb Markowitz, Vermont Agency 
of Natural Resources, Montpelier; and Ali Mirzakhalili, Delaware 
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of 
Air Quality, Dover.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 1878, to extend the pediatric priority review voucher program, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1077, to provide for expedited development of and priority review 
for breakthrough devices, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 1101, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide 
for the regulation of patient records and certain decision support 
software, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2055, to amend the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, 
Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to national health security, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1767, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with 
respect to combination products, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 1597, to enhance patient engagement in the medical product 
development process, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;

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  S. 2512, to expand the tropical disease product priority review 
voucher program to encourage treatments for Zika virus, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  The nomination of John B. King, of New York, to be Secretary of 
Education.
INDIAN COUNTRY BUDGET
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2017 
for Indian Country, after receiving testimony from Karol V. Mason, 
Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, Department of 
Justice; Lawrence S. Roberts, Acting Assistant Secretary of the 
Interior for Indian Affairs; Lourdes Castro Ramirez, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Public and 
Indian Housing; Mary Smith, Principal Deputy Director, Indian Health 
Service, Department of Health and Human Services; and Aaron Payment, 
National Congress of American Indians, Washington, D.C.
DOJ OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded an oversight hearing to 
examine the Department of Justice, after receiving testimony from 
Loretta E. Lynch, Attorney General, Department of Justice.
ANTITRUST LAWS OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition 
Policy and Consumer Rights concluded an oversight hearing to examine 
the enforcement of the antitrust laws, including S. 2102, to amend the 
Clayton Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act to provide that the 
Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to 
mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural 
manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority, after 
receiving testimony from Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General, 
Antitrust Division, Department of Justice; and Edith Ramirez, 
Chairwoman, Federal Trade Commission.