[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 12, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D760-D762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
THE NEXT FARM BILL: TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN SPECIALTY CROPS
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
Next Farm Bill: Technology and Innovation in Specialty Crops''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Appropriations: Full Committee held a markup on the 
Agriculture Appropriations Bill, FY 2018; and the Energy and Water 
Appropriations Bill, FY 2018. The Agriculture Appropriations Bill, FY 
2018; and the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, FY 2018 were 
ordered reported, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a markup on the Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2018. The Interior, 
Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2018 was 
forwarded to the full committee, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
markup on the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, FY 2018. The 
Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, FY 2018 was forwarded to the 
full committee, without amendment.
REDEFINING JOINT EMPLOYER STANDARDS: BARRIERS TO JOB CREATION AND 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Redefining Joint Employer Standards: Barriers to Job 
Creation and Entrepreneurship''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
COMBATING THE OPIOID CRISIS: BATTLES IN THE STATES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Combating the Opioid Crisis: 
Battles in the States''. Testimony was heard from Rebecca Boss, 
Director, Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental 
Disabilities and Hospitals, Rhode Island; Brian J. Moran, Secretary of 
Public Safety and Homeland Security, Virginia; Boyd K. Rutherford, 
Lieutenant Governor, Maryland; and John Tilley, Secretary, Justice and 
Public Safety Cabinet, Kentucky.
EXAMINING MEDICAL PRODUCT MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Examining Medical Product Manufacturer Communications''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Monetary Policy and the State of the Economy''. Testimony was heard 
from Janet L. Yellen, Chair, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve 
System.
EXAMINING LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE TARGETED REGULATORY RELIEF 
TO COMMUNITY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``Examining Legislative 
Proposals to

[[Page D761]]

Provide Targeted Regulatory Relief to Community Financial 
Institutions''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BEYOND MICROFINANCE: EMPOWERING WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Beyond Microfinance: Empowering Women in the Developing World''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ADVANCING U.S. INTERESTS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE: THE FY 2018 BUDGET 
REQUEST
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a hearing entitled ``Advancing U.S. Interests in the Western 
Hemisphere: The FY 2018 Budget Request''. Testimony was heard from 
Francisco Palmieri, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western 
Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State; and Sarah-Ann Lynch, Acting 
Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, 
U.S. Agency for International Development.
BLACK FLAGS OVER MINDANAO: TERRORISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held 
a hearing entitled ``Black Flags over Mindanao: Terrorism in Southeast 
Asia''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 469, 
the ``Sunshine for Regulations and Regulatory Decrees and Settlements 
Act of 2017''; and H.R. 2851, the ``Stop the Importation and 
Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act of 2017''. H.R. 469 was ordered 
reported, without amendment. H.R. 2851 was ordered reported, as 
amended.
EVALUATING FEDERAL OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ON THE OUTER 
CONTINENTAL SHELF
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing entitled ``Evaluating Federal Offshore Oil and 
Gas Development on the Outer Continental Shelf ''. Testimony was heard 
from Katharine MacGregor, Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals 
Management, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION--ACQUISITION OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Operations; and Subcommittee on Information Technology held 
a joint hearing entitled ``General Services Administration--Acquisition 
Oversight and Reform''. Testimony was heard from Alan Thomas, 
Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service, General Services 
Administration; and Rob Cook, Deputy Commissioner of Technology 
Transformation Service, General Services Administration.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 2810, the 
``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018'' amendment 
consideration . The Committee granted, by record vote of 8-2, a 
structured rule for further consideration of H.R. 2810. The rule 
provides for no further general debate. The rule makes in order only 
those further amendments printed in the Rules Committee report and 
amendments en bloc described in section 3 of the resolution. 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 the report or against amendments en 
bloc described in section 3 of the resolution. In section 3, the rule 
provides that the chair of the Committee on Armed Services or his 
designee may offer amendments en bloc at any time consisting of 
amendments printed in the report not earlier disposed of. Amendments en 
bloc shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 20 minutes 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Armed Services or their designees, shall not be 
subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division 
of the question. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or 
without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Cook, 
Franks of Arizona, Turner, Garamendi, Langevin, O'Rourke, Suozzi, 
Veasey, Hastings, McGovern, Polis, Comstock, Davidson, Donovan, 
Griffith, Hurd, Lewis of Minnesota, Mast, Pittenger, Rogers of Alabama, 
Thomas J. Rooney of Florida, Stewart, Tenney, Westerman, Young of 
Alaska, Cooper, Cuellar, Doggett, Jackson Lee, Pascrell, Plaskett, and 
Schiff.

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U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION AND FIRE GRANT PROGRAMS REAUTHORIZATION: 
EXAMINING EFFECTIVENESS AND PRIORITIES
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Research 
and Technology held a hearing entitled ``U.S. Fire Administration and 
Fire Grant Programs Reauthorization: Examining Effectiveness and 
Priorities''. Testimony was heard from Denis Onieal, Acting 
Administrator, United States Fire Administration; Gavin Horn, Research 
Program Director, Illinois Fire Service Institute; H. ``Butch'' 
Browning, Jr., State Fire Marshall, Louisiana; John Sinclair, Fire 
Chief, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue, Washington; and public 
witnesses.
HELP OR HINDRANCE? A REVIEW OF SBA'S OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION 
OFFICER
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Help or Hindrance? A Review of SBA's Office of the Chief Information 
Officer''. Testimony was heard from Maria Roat, Chief Information 
Officer, Small Business Administration.
IMPLEMENTING THE FEDERAL ASSETS SALE AND TRANSFER ACT (FASTA): 
MAXIMIZING TAXPAYER RETURNS AND REDUCING WASTE IN REAL ESTATE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing entitled ``Implementing the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer 
Act (FASTA): Maximizing Taxpayer Returns and Reducing Waste in Real 
Estate''. Testimony was heard from Tim Horne, Acting Administrator, 
General Services Administration; Brett Simms, Director, Capital Asset 
Management Service, Department of Veterans Affairs; Kevin B. Acklin, 
Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor William Peduto, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania; and a public witness.
CARE WHERE IT COUNTS: ASSESSING VA'S CAPITAL ASSET NEEDS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Care Where It Counts: Assessing VA's Capital Asset Needs''. Testimony 
was heard from Debra Draper, Director, Health Care Team, Government 
Accountability Office; James M. Sullivan, Office of Asset Enterprise 
Management, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a markup on H.R. 2006, the ``VA Procurement 
Efficiency and Transparency Act''; H.R. 2749, the ``Protecting Business 
Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2017''; H.R. 2781, the ``Ensuring 
Veteran Enterprise Participation in Strategic Sourcing Act''; and H.R. 
3169, the ``VA Acquisition Workforce Improvement and Streamlining 
Act''. H.R. 2006, H.R. 2749, H.R. 2781, and H.R. 3169 were forwarded to 
the full committee, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a markup on H.R. 282, the ``Military Residency Choice Act''; H.R. 
1690, the ``Department of Veterans Affairs Bonus Transparency Act''; 
and H.R. 2772, the ``SEA Act''. H.R. 282 and H.R. 2772 were forwarded 
to the full committee, without amendment. H.R. 1690 was forwarded to 
the full committee, as amended.

Joint Meetings
U.S. JOB VACANCIES
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine a 
record six million United States job vacancies, focusing on reasons and 
remedies, after receiving testimony from Diana Furchtgott-Roth, 
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Washington, D.C.; David T. 
Harrison, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio; Scot 
McLemore, Honda North America, Inc., Marysville, Ohio; and Betsey 
Stevenson, University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public 
Policy, Ann Arbor.