[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 39 (Thursday, March 10, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D238-D240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and 
justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department of Education, 
after receiving testimony from John King, Acting Secretary of 
Education.
APPROPRIATIONS: NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to examine proposed 
budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2017 for the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, after receiving 
testimony from Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration.

[[Page D239]]


APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction and 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to examine 
proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2017 and 
fiscal year 2018 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, after 
receiving testimony from Robert A. McDonald, Secretary, David J. 
Shulkin, Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, 
and Danny G. I. Pummill, Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans 
Benefits Administration, all of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to 
examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 
2017 for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, after 
receiving testimony from Julian Castro, Secretary, and David A. 
Montoya, Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, both of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST AND FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
United States Strategic Command, United States Northern Command, and 
United States Southern Command programs and budget in review of the 
Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2017 and the Future Years 
Defense Program, after receiving testimony from Admiral Cecil E. D. 
Haney, USN, Commander, United States Strategic Command, Admiral William 
E. Gortney, USN, Commander, United States Northern Command, and 
Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command, and Admiral Kurt 
W. Tidd, USN, Commander, United States Southern Command, all of the 
Department of Defense.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
nomination of Eric K. Fanning, of the District of Columbia, to be 
Secretary of the Army, Department of Defense.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nomination of Adam J. Szubin, of the District of 
Columbia, to be Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes, 
Department of the Treasury.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 1252, to authorize a comprehensive strategic approach for United 
States foreign assistance to developing countries to reduce global 
poverty and hunger, achieve food and nutrition security, promote 
inclusive, sustainable, agricultural-led economic growth, improve 
nutritional outcomes, especially for women and children, build 
resilience among vulnerable populations, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
  S. Res. 375, raising awareness of modern slavery;
  S. Res. 368, supporting efforts by the Government of Colombia to 
pursue peace and the end of the country's enduring internal armed 
conflict and recognizing United States support for Colombia at the 15th 
anniversary of Plan Colombia;
  S. Res. 388, supporting the goals of International Women's Day, with 
amendments;


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

  
  On page D239, March 10, 2016, the following language appears: S. 
Res. 388, supporting the goals of International Women's Day, S. 
Res. 383, recognizing the importance of the United States-Israel 
economic relationship and encouraging new areas of cooperation, 
with amendments;
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: S. Res. 388, 
supporting the goals of International Women's Day, with 
amendments;


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

  S. Res. 392, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 
prosecution and conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed without 
due process and urging the Government of the Maldives to take all 
necessary steps to redress this injustice, to release all political 
prisoners, and to ensure due process and freedom from political 
prosecution for all the people of the Maldives;
  S. Res. 378, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 
courageous work and life of Russian opposition leader Boris Yefimovich 
Nemtsov and renewing the call for a full and transparent investigation 
into the tragic murder of Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov in Moscow on 
February 27, 2015;
  S. Res. 383, recognizing the importance of the United States-Israel 
economic relationship and encouraging new areas of cooperation; and
  The nominations of Catherine Ann Novelli, of Virginia, to be 
Alternate Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and 
Development, Marcela Escobari, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, and Karen Brevard Stewart, of Florida, to be Ambassador to 
the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Amos J. Hochstein, of the 
District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary (Energy Resources), 
Robert Annan Riley III, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Federated 
States of Micronesia, Matthew John Matthews, of Oregon, for the rank of 
Ambassador during his tenure of service as Senior Official for the 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, and routine lists in 
the Foreign Service, all of the Department of State.

[[Page D240]]


NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Mark Sobel, of Virginia, to be Executive 
Director of the International Monetary Fund, R. David Harden, of 
Maryland, to be an Assistant Aministrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development, and Stephen Michael Schwartz, of 
Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia, Kelly 
Keiderling-Franz, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Oriental 
Republic of Uruguay, Elizabeth Holzhall Richard, of Virginia, to be 
Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic, Christine Ann Elder, of Kentucky, 
to be Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia, and Adam H. Sterling, of 
Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Slovak Republic, all of the 
Department of State, after the nominees testified and answered 
questions in their own behalf.
ACA HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER OPERATED AND ORIENTED PLAN PROGRAM
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Permanent 
Subcommittee on Investigations concluded a hearing to examine the 
Affordable Care Act health insurance Consumer Operated and Oriented 
Plan program, after receiving testimony from Andy Slavitt, Acting 
Administrator, and Kevin Counihan, Marketplace Chief Executive Officer, 
and Deputy Administrator, both of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services; and Scott E. 
Harrington, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Philadelphia.
COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the commercial applications of unmanned aircraft for 
small businesses, including an original bill entitled, ``Micro Drone 
Safety and Innovation Act'', S. 2658, to amend title 49, United States 
Code, to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation 
Administration for fiscal years 2016 through 2017, S. 2156, to amend 
title 18, United States Code, to provide a criminal penalty for 
launching drones that interfere with fighting fires affecting Federal 
property or responding to disasters affecting interstate or foreign 
commerce, S. 1314, to establish an interim rule for the operation of 
small unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes and their safe 
integration into the national airspace system, S. 2626, to authorize 
the operation of unmanned aircraft systems by institutions of higher 
education for educational and research purposes, and S. 635, to amend 
the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to provide guidance and 
limitations regarding the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into 
United States airspace, after receiving testimony from Brian Wynne, 
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, and Eli 
Dourado, George Mason University Mercatus Center Technology Policy 
Program, both of Arlington, Virginia; Tim Canoll, Air Line Pilots 
Association, International, Washington, D.C.; Thomas W. Vaneck, 
Physical Sciences Inc., Andover, Massachusetts; and Gregory S. McNeal, 
Pepperdine University, Santa Monica, California.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on 
intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the 
intelligence community.
  Committee recessed subject to the call.