[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 15, 2016)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D256-D259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DEFENDING AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AGAINST FOREIGN PESTS AND DISEASES
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, 
and Research; and Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture 
held a hearing entitled ``Defending American Agriculture Against 
Foreign Pests and Diseases''. Testimony was heard from Kevin Shea, 
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; and Kevin Harriger, Executive Director, 
Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison, Office of Field Operations, 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
MEMBERS' DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing 
entitled ``Members' Day''. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Valadao, Bost, McSally, Byrne, Aguilar, Thompson of Pennsylvania, 
Bridenstine, Cook, Ted Lieu of California, Reichert, Carter of Georgia, 
Clay, Gibson, Meehan, Blumenauer, Wagner, Tsongas, Kennedy, and Brooks 
of Alabama.
APPROPRIATIONS--U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service. Testimony was heard from Dan Ashe, Director,

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Chris Nolin, Budget Officer, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
APPROPRIATIONS--U.S. SECRET SERVICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
budget hearing on U.S. Secret Service. Testimony was heard from Joseph 
Clancy, Director, U.S. Secret Service.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a budget hearing on the Department of 
Labor. Testimony was heard from Thomas E. Perez, Secretary, Department 
of Labor.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
budget hearing on the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development. 
Testimony was heard from Lisa Mensah, Under Secretary, Rural 
Development; Sam Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business--Cooperative 
Service; Tony Hernandez, Administrator, Rural Housing Service; Brandon 
McBride, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service; and Michael Young, 
Budget Officer, Department of Agriculture.
APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Testimony was heard from Charles 
Bolden Jr., Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a budget hearing on Department of Energy, 
Environmental Management. Testimony was heard from Monica Regalbuto, 
Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, Department of Energy.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a budget hearing on Department of Treasury 
International Programs. Testimony was heard from Jack Lew, Secretary, 
Department of the Treasury.
APPROPRIATIONS--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a budget hearing on the Federal Communications 
Commission. Testimony was heard from Tom Wheeler, Chairman, Federal 
Communications Commission; and Ajit Pai, Commissioner, Federal 
Communications Commission.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND 
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing 
on Offices of Inspector General. Testimony was heard from Calvin L. 
Scovel III, Inspector General, Department of Transportation; and David 
A. Montoya, Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.
THE U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND FISCAL YEAR 2017 READINESS POSTURE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``The U.S. Transportation Command Fiscal Year 2017 Readiness 
Posture''. Testimony was heard from General Darren W. McDew, Commander, 
U.S. Transportation Command.
FISCAL YEAR 2017 BUDGET REQUEST FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing entitled ``Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request for National 
Security Space''. Testimony was heard from General John Hyten, USAF, 
Commander, Air Force Space Command; Doug Loverro, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, Department of Defense; Dyke 
Weatherington, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space, 
Strategic, and Intelligence Systems, Department of Defense; Lieutenant 
General David Buck, USAF, Commander, Joint Functional Component Command 
for Space; Robert Cardillo, Director, National Geospatial Intelligence 
Agency; and Frank Calvelli, Principal Deputy Director, National 
Reconnaissance Office.
EXAMINING THE POLICIES AND PRIORITIES OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
AND HUMAN SERVICES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services''. Testimony was heard from

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Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee concluded a markup on 
H.R. 2666, the ``No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act''; 
and H.R. 4725, the ``Common Sense Savings Act of 2016''. H.R. 2666 was 
ordered reported, as amended. H.R. 4725 was ordered reported, without 
amendment.
REVIEW OF THE FY 2017 FOREIGN ASSISTANCE BUDGET: ALIGNING INTERESTS, 
ENSURING EFFECTIVENESS AND TRANSPARENCY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Review of the FY 2017 Foreign Assistance Budget: Aligning Interests, 
Ensuring Effectiveness and Transparency''. Testimony was heard from 
Gayle Smith, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; 
and Dana J. Hyde, Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge 
Corporation.
TRADE WITH CUBA: GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled ``Trade with Cuba: 
Growth and Opportunities''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS: DEMOCRATIC PARTNERS OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held 
a hearing entitled ``U.S.-India Relations: Democratic Partners of 
Economic Opportunity''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION MOVEMENTS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing entitled ``U.S. Policy Toward National 
Self-Determination Movements''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
STATE OF EMERGENCY: THE DISASTER OF CUTTING PREPAREDNESS GRANTS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Response, and Communications held a hearing entitled ``State of 
Emergency: The Disaster of Cutting Preparedness Grants''. Testimony was 
heard from Bill de Blasio, Mayor, City of New York, New York; and 
public witnesses.
EXECUTIVE OVERREACH IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS PART I--HEALTH CARE AND 
IMMIGRATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Executive Overreach held a 
hearing entitled ``Executive Overreach in Domestic Affairs Part I--
Health Care and Immigration''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
THE CHEVRON DOCTRINE: CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY QUESTIONS IN 
JUDICIAL DEFERENCE TO AGENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, 
Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing entitled ``The Chevron 
Doctrine: Constitutional and Statutory Questions in Judicial Deference 
to Agencies''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 
87, the ``Shiloh National Military Park Boundary Adjustment and 
Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Designation Act''; H.R. 295, to 
reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic 
Preservation program; H.R. 329, the ``Indian Employment, Training and 
Related Services Consolidation Act of 2015''; H.R. 496, the ``Alabama 
Hills National Scenic Area Establishment Act''; H.R. 1621, to modify 
the boundary of Petersburg National Battlefield in the Commonwealth of 
Virginia, and for other purposes; H.R. 1838, the ``Clear Creek National 
Recreation Area and Conservation Act''; H.R. 2009, the ``Pascua Yaqui 
Tribe Land Conveyance Act of 2015''; H.R. 2733, the ``Nevada Native 
Nations Land Act''; H.R. 3070, the ``EEZ Clarification Act''; H.R. 
3211, to provide for the addition of certain real property to the 
reservation of the Siletz Tribe in the State of Oregon; H.R. 3826, the 
``Mount Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act''; H.R. 4245, 
to exempt importation and exportation of sea urchins and sea cucumbers 
from licensing requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; 
H.R. 4579, the ``Utah Test and Training Range Encroachment Prevention 
and Temporary Closure Act''; and H.R. 4680, to prepare the National 
Park Service for its Centennial in 2016 and for a second century of 
promoting and protecting the natural, historic, and cultural resources 
of our National Parks for the enjoyment of present and future 
generations, and for other purposes.

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EXAMINING FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT IN 
FLINT, MICHIGAN--PART II
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Examining Federal Administration of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act in Flint, Michigan--Part II''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY REFORM AT THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND 
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Operations held a hearing entitled ``Accountability and 
Transparency Reform at the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs''. Testimony was heard from Michelle Sager, Director, Strategic 
Issues, Government Accountability Office; Howard Shelanski, 
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget; and public witnesses.
RACING TO REGULATE: EPA'S LATEST OVERREACH ON AMATEUR DRIVERS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Oversight 
held a hearing entitled ``Racing to Regulate: EPA's Latest Overreach on 
Amateur Drivers''. Testimony was heard from Representative McHenry; 
Brent Yacobucci, Section Research Manager, Energy and Minerals Section, 
Congressional Research Service; and public witnesses.
THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2017 BUDGET REQUEST FOR COAST GUARD AND 
MARITIME TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing entitled ``The 
President's Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request for Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation Programs''. Testimony was heard from Admiral 
Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard; Paul ``Chip'' N. 
Jaenichen, Sr., Administrator, Maritime Administration; and Mario 
Cordero, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PERSIAN GULF WAR: AN ASSESSMENT OF VA'S 
DISABILITY CLAIM PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO GULF WAR ILLNESS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs; and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a joint hearing entitled ``Twenty Five Years After the Persian 
Gulf War: An Assessment of VA's Disability Claim Process with Respect 
to Gulf War Illness''. Testimony was heard from David R. McLenachen, 
Deputy Under Secretary for Disability Assistance, U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.