[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D541-D544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
STATE OF THE RURAL ECONOMY: SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE SONNY PERDUE
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``State of the Rural Economy: Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue''. 
Testimony was heard from Sonny Perdue, Secretary, Department of 
Agriculture.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE PUBLIC WITNESS HEARING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a

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hearing entitled ``American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness 
Hearing''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ADVANCES IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing 
entitled ``Advances in Biomedical Research''. Testimony was heard from 
Francis Collins, Director, National Institutes of Health.
APPROPRIATIONS--HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
budget hearing on the House of Representatives. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials from the House of Representatives: Karen 
L. Haas, Clerk; Paul D. Irving, Sergeant at Arms; and Phil Kiko, Chief 
Administrative Officer.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE PUBLIC WITNESS HEARING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``American Indian and Alaska 
Native Public Witness Hearing''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
THE JUDICIARY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held an oversight hearing on the Judiciary. 
Testimony was heard from Julia S. Gibbons, Chair, Committee on the 
Budget of the Judicial Conference of the United States; and James C. 
Duff, Director, Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
APPROPRIATIONS--ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
budget hearing entitled ``Architect of the Capitol: FY 2018 Budget''. 
Testimony was heard from Stephen T. Ayers, Architect of the Capitol.
INITIAL FINDINGS OF THE SECTION 809 PANEL: SETTING THE PATH FOR 
STREAMLINING AND IMPROVING DEFENSE ACQUISITION
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Initial Findings of the Section 809 Panel: Setting the Path for 
Streamlining and Improving Defense Acquisition''. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials from the Section 809 Panel: Deidre Lee, 
Chair; and Commissioners Joseph Dyer, Charlie Williams Jr., and William 
LaPlante.
MILITARY PERSONNEL POSTURE: FY 2018
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing entitled ``Military Personnel Posture: FY 2018''. Testimony was 
heard from Lieutenant General James McConville, Deputy Chief of Staff, 
G-1, U.S. Army; Vice Admiral Robert Burke, Chief of Naval Personnel; 
Lieutenant General Mark Brilakis, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and 
Reserve Affairs, U.S. Marine Corps; and Lieutenant General Gina Grosso, 
Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, U.S. Air 
Force.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a markup 
on H.R. 2353, the ``Strengthening Career and Technical Education for 
the 21st Century Act''. H.R. 2353 was ordered reported, as amended.
FUTURE OF EMERGENCY ALERTING
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``Future of Emergency Alerting''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EXAMINING INITIATIVES TO ADVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining Initiatives to Advance Public Health''. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES IN SOUTH AMERICA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a hearing entitled ``Energy Opportunities in South America''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
THE BALKANS: THREATS TO PEACE AND STABILITY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing entitled ``The Balkans: Threats to 
Peace and Stability''. Testimony was heard from Hoyt Brian Yee, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
REVITALIZING U.S.-ASEAN RELATIONS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held 
a hearing entitled ``Revitalizing U.S.-ASEAN Relations''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.

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TRANSFORMING GPO FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND
Committee on House Administration: Committee on House Administration 
held a hearing entitled ``Transforming GPO for the 21st Century and 
Beyond''. Testimony was heard from Davita Vance-Cooks, Director, 
Government Publishing Office.
CHALLENGES FACING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland 
Security, and Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Challenges 
Facing Law Enforcement in the 21st Century''. Testimony was heard from 
Jim McDonnell, Sheriff, Los Angeles County, California; Alonzo 
Thompson, Chief of Police, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Art Acevedo, 
Chief of Police, City of Houston, Texas; and a public witness.
REVIEWING RECENT STATE SUCCESSES WITH THE RIGS TO REEFS PROGRAM
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing entitled ``Reviewing Recent State Successes 
with the Rigs to Reefs Program''. Testimony was heard from Frank Rusco, 
Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, Government 
Accountability Office; J. Dale Shively, Leader, Artificial Reef 
Program, Coastal Fisheries Division, Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department; and public witnesses.
SEEKING BETTER MANAGEMENT OF AMERICA'S OVERGROWN, FIRE-PRONE NATIONAL 
FORESTS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a 
hearing entitled ``Seeking Better Management of America's Overgrown, 
Fire-Prone National Forests''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
SBA'S 7(a) LOAN PROGRAM: A DETAILED REVIEW
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``SBA's 7(a) Loan Program: A Detailed Review''. Testimony was heard 
from Linda Rusche, Director, Office of Credit Risk Management, Office 
of Capital Access, Small Business Administration; and William Manger, 
Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access, Small Business 
Administration.
THE NEED TO REFORM FAA AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TO BUILD A 21ST CENTURY 
AVIATION SYSTEM FOR AMERICA
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``The Need to Reform FAA and Air Traffic Control to 
Build a 21st Century Aviation System for America''. Testimony was heard 
from Calvin Scovel III, Inspector General, Department of 
Transportation; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
91, the ``Building Supportive Networks for Women Veterans Act''; H.R. 
467, the ``VA Scheduling Accountability Act''; H.R. 1005, to improve 
the provision of adult day health care services for veterans; H.R. 
1162, the ``No Hero Left Untreated Act''; H.R. 1329, the ``Veterans' 
Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017''; H.R. 1461, the 
``VET Protection Act of 2017''; H.R. 1545, the ``VA Prescription Data 
Accountability Act 2017''; H.R. 1662, to prohibit smoking in any 
facility of the Veterans Health Administration; H.R. 1725, the 
``Quicker Veterans Benefits Delivery Act of 2017''; H.R. 1848, the 
``Veterans Affairs Medical Scribe Pilot Act of 2017''; and H.R. 2288, 
the ``Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017''. 
H.R. 1461 and H.R. 1725 were ordered reported, as amended. H.R. 2288, 
H.R. 1329, H.R. 1005, H.R. 1662, H.R. 467, H.R. 1545, H.R. 1848, H.R. 
91, and H.R. 1162 were ordered reported, without amendment.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing entitled ``Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults to Break 
the Cycle of Poverty''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
SOCIAL CAPITAL IN AMERICA
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
state of social capital in America today, after receiving testimony 
from Robert D. Putnam, Harvard Kennedy School, and Mario L. Small, 
Harvard University, both of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Charles 
Murray, American Enterprise Institute, and Yuval Levin, The Ethics and 
Public Policy Center, both of Washington, D.C.

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RUSSIAN MILITARY THREAT IN EUROPE
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the growing Russian military threat in Europe, 
focusing on assessing and addressing the challenge, after receiving 
testimony from Michael Carpenter, University of Pennsylvania Biden 
Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, Steven Pifer, The Brookings 
Institution, and Stephen G. Rademaker, The Podesta Group, all of 
Washington, D.C.