[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 8, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D237-D240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MEMBERS' DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``Members' 
Day''. Testimony was heard from Representatives Barragan, Bilirakis, 
Carbajal, Carter of Georgia, Comer, Crawford, Crist, Foster, Gosar, 
Gene Green of Texas, Griffith, Huizenga, Jackson Lee, Johnson of 
Louisiana, Larson of Connecticut, Loebsack, Mast, Matsui, Murphy of 
Pennsylvania, Nolan, Panetta, Polis, Francis Rooney of Florida, Scott 
of Virginia, Taylor, Tipton, Watson Coleman, and Wilson of South 
Carolina.
PUBLIC WITNESS DAY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing for public 
witnesses. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

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QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE MILITARY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on quality of 
life in the military. Testimony was heard from Daniel A. Dailey, 
Sergeant Major, U.S. Army; Steven S. Giordano, Master Chief Petty 
Officer, U.S. Navy; Ronald L. Green, Sergeant Major, U.S. Marine Corps; 
and Kaleth O. Wright, Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Force.
MILITARY ASSESSMENT OF NUCLEAR DETERRENCE REQUIREMENTS
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Military Assessment of Nuclear Deterrence Requirements''. Testimony 
was heard from General John Hyten, U.S. Air Force, Commander, U.S. 
Strategic Command; Admiral Bill Moran, U.S. Navy, Vice Chief of Naval 
Operations; General Paul Selva, U.S. Air Force, Vice Chairman, Joint 
Chiefs of Staff; and General Stephen Wilson, Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. 
Air Force.
THE CURRENT STATE OF U.S. ARMY READINESS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``The Current State of U.S. Army Readiness''. Testimony was 
heard from the following U.S. Army officials: Lieutenant General Joseph 
Anderson, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7; Lieutenant General Gwendolyn 
Bingham, Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management; and 
Lieutenant General Aundre F. Piggee, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4.
AN INDEPENDENT FLEET ASSESSMENT OF THE U.S. NAVY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection 
Forces held a hearing entitled ``An Independent Fleet Assessment of the 
U.S. Navy''. Testimony was heard from Charles Werchado, Deputy 
Director, Assessment Division (N81B), U.S. Navy; Rear Admiral Lower 
Half Jesse Wilson, Jr., Director, Assessment Division (OPNAV N81), U.S. 
Navy; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a markup 
on H.R. 1304, the ``Self-Insurance Protection Act''; H.R. 1101, the 
``Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2017''; and H.R. 1313, the 
``Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act''. The following 
legislation was ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 1101, H.R. 1313, and 
H.R. 1304.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee began a markup on a 
committee print of Budget Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations 
Relating to Repeal and Replace of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act; and H. Res. 154, of inquiry requesting the President of the 
United States and directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to transmit certain information to the House of Representatives 
relating to plans to repeal or replace the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act and the health-related measures of the Health Care 
and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
876, the ``Aviation Employee Screening and Security Enhancement Act of 
2017''; H.R. 1238, the ``Securing our Agriculture and Food Act''; H.R. 
1249, the ``DHS Multiyear Acquisition Strategy Act of 2017''; H.R. 
1252, the ``DHS Acquisition Authorities Act of 2017''; H.R. 1258, the 
``HSA Technical Corrections Act''; H.R. 1282, the ``DHS Acquisition 
Review Board Act of 2017''; H.R. 1294, the ``Reducing DHS Acquisition 
Cost Growth Act''; H.R. 1297, the ``Quadrennial Homeland Security 
Review Technical Corrections Act of 2017''; H.R. 1302, the ``Terrorist 
and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017''; H.R. 1309, the ``TSA 
Administrator Modernization Act of 2017''; H.R. 1353, the 
``Transparency in Technological Acquisitions Act of 2017''; H.R. 1370, 
the ``Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act 
of 2017''; H.R. 1372, the ``Homeland Security for Children Act''; and 
H.R. 1365, the ``Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation 
Act''. The following legislation was ordered reported, without 
amendment: H.R. 1294, H.R. 1297, H.R. 1302, H.R. 1309, H.R. 1353, H.R. 
1238, H.R. 1249, and H.R. 1258. The following legislation was ordered 
reported, as amended: H.R. 876, H.R. 1252, H.R. 1282, H.R. 1370, H.R. 
1372, and H.R. 1365.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on House Administration: Full Committee held a markup on H. 
Res. 173, a committee funding resolution. H. Res. 173 was ordered 
reported, without amendment.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S PROPOSED REGULATIONS REFORMING 
THE INVESTOR VISA PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Department of Homeland Security's Proposed Regulations Reforming 
the Investor Visa Program''. Testimony was heard from Senators Grassley 
and Leahy; Rebecca Gambler, Homeland Security and Justice Team, 
Government Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee began a 
markup on H.R. 1293, to amend title 5, United States Code, to require 
that the Office of Personnel Management submit an annual report to 
Congress relating to the use of official time by Federal employees; 
H.R. 1364, the ``Official Time Reform Act of 2017''; H.R. 653, the 
``Federal Intern Protection Act of 2017''; H.R. 680, the ``Eliminating 
Pornography from Agencies Act''; H. Res. 38, expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives that offices attached to the seat of 
Government should not be required to exercise their offices in the 
District of Columbia; the ``SOAR Reauthorization Act''; H.R. 745, the 
``Federal Records Modernization Act of 2017''; and the ``Electronic 
Message Preservation Act of 2017''.
EXAMINING IRS CUSTOMER SERVICE CHALLENGES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Operations; and Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and 
Administrative Rules held a joint hearing entitled ``Examining IRS 
Customer Service Challenges''. Testimony was heard from John Dalrymple, 
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, Internal Revenue 
Service; Russell Martin, Assistant Inspector General, Returns 
Processing and Account Services, Treasury Inspector General for Tax 
Administration; and Jessica Lucas-Judy, Acting Director, Strategic 
Issues, Government Accountability Office.
LAWSUIT ABUSE REDUCTION ACT OF 2017; FAIRNESS IN CLASS ACTION 
LITIGATION ACT OF 2017
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 720, the 
``Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017''; H.R. 985, the ``Fairness in 
Class Action Litigation Act of 2017''. The committee granted, by voice 
vote, a structured rule for H.R. 720. The rule provides one hour of 
general debate on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chair 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives all 
points of order against provisions in the bill. The rule makes in order 
only those amendments printed in part A of 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 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 part A of the report. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 
Additionally, the rule grants a structured rule for H.R. 985. The rule 
provides one hour of general debate on the bill equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
the Judiciary. 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 an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-5 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 part B of 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 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 part B of 
the report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Goodlatte and 
Representatives Cohen and Johnson of Georgia.
REGULATING SPACE: INNOVATION, LIBERTY, AND INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space held 
a hearing entitled ``Regulating Space: Innovation, Liberty, and 
International Obligations''. Testimony was heard from Henry B. Hogue, 
Specialist in American National Government, Congressional Research 
Service; and public witnesses.

[[Page D240]]


SMALL BUSINESS CYBERSECURITY: FEDERAL RESOURCES AND COORDINATION
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Small Business Cybersecurity: Federal Resources and Coordination''. 
Testimony was heard from Maureen K. Ohlhausen, Acting Chairman, Federal 
Trade Commission; Chuck Romine, Director Information Technology Lab, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology; and public witnesses.
BUILDING A 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AMERICA: AIR TRANSPORTATION 
IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing entitled ``Building a 21st Century 
Infrastructure for America: Air Transportation in the United States in 
the 21st Century''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee began a markup on Budget 
Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations Relating to Remuneration 
from Certain Insurers; Budget Reconciliation Legislative 
Recommendations Relating to Repeal of Tanning Tax; Budget 
Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations Relating to Repeal of 
Certain Consumer Taxes; Budget Reconciliation Legislative 
Recommendations Relating to Repeal of Net Investment Income Tax; Budget 
Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations Relating to Repeal and 
Replace of Health-Related Tax Policy.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
369, to eliminate the sunset of the Veterans Choice Program, and for 
other purposes; H.R. 1181, the ``Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection 
Act''; H.R. 1259, the ``VA Accountability First Act of 2017''; H.R. 
1367, to improve the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
hire and retain physician and other employees of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and H.R. 1379, to amend title 38, United States Code, 
to provide for the entitlement to educational assistance under the 
Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for members of the Armed Forces awarded the Purple Heart. The 
following legislation was ordered reported, as amended: H.R. 369 and 
H.R. 1379. The following legislation was ordered reported, without 
amendment: H.R. 1181, H.R. 1259, and H.R. 1367.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.