[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 118 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D771-D773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
THE FUTURE OF FARMING: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND 
CHALLENGES FOR PRODUCERS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing entitled ``The Future of Farming: 
Technological Innovations, Opportunities, and Challenges for 
Producers''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Appropriations: Full Committee held a markup on the 
Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2018; the Financial 
Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, FY 2018; and the 
Report on the Revised Interim Suballocation of the Budget Allocations, 
FY 2018. The Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2018; 
and

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the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, FY 
2018 were ordered reported, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a markup on the State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, FY 2018. The State, Foreign 
Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, FY 2018 was 
forwarded to the full committee, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a markup on the Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Bill, FY 2018. The Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2018 was 
forwarded to the full committee, as amended.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STATE LEADERSHIP OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled 
``Opportunities for State Leadership of Early Childhood Programs''. 
Testimony was heard from Cindy Brown Barnes, Director, Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security, Government Accountability Office; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Environment held a 
markup on legislation on the Drinking Water System Improvement Act. The 
legislation was forwarded to the full committee, as amended.
IMPACT OF THE DOL FIDUCIARY RULE ON THE CAPITAL MARKETS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Securities, and Investment held a hearing entitled ``Impact of the DOL 
Fiduciary Rule on the Capital Markets''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
AMERICA'S INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA: THE 
PRESIDENT'S FY 2018 BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East and North 
Africa held a hearing entitled ``America's Interests in the Middle East 
and North Africa: The President's FY 2018 Budget Request''. Testimony 
was heard from Stuart Jones, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near 
Eastern Affairs, Department of State; and Maria Longi, Acting Assistant 
Administrator, Bureau for the Middle East, U.S. Agency for 
International Development.
THE PERSISTENT THREAT: AL QAEDA'S EVOLUTION AND RESILIENCE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and 
Intelligence held a hearing entitled ``The Persistent Threat: al 
Qaeda's Evolution and Resilience''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
THE TERRORIST DIASPORA: AFTER THE FALL OF THE CALIPHATE
Committee on Homeland Security: Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry 
into the United States held a hearing entitled ``The Terrorist 
Diaspora: After the Fall of the Caliphate''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
THE IMPACT OF BAD PATENTS ON AMERICAN BUSINESSES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual 
Property, and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``The Impact of Bad 
Patents on American Businesses''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
COMPARING 21ST CENTURY TRUST LAND ACQUISITION WITH THE INTENT OF THE 
73RD CONGRESS IN SECTION 5 OF THE INDIAN REORGANIZATION ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and 
Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Comparing 21st Century 
Trust Land Acquisition with the Intent of the 73rd Congress in Section 
S of the Indian Reorganization Act''. Testimony was heard from James 
Cason, Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior; Fred B. 
Allyn III, Mayor, Ledyard, Connecticut; and public witnesses.
THE PUERTO RICO OVERSIGHT, MANAGEMENT, AND ECONOMIC STABILITY ACT: 
STATE OF SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce; 
and Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access held a joint hearing 
entitled ``The Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic 
Stability Act: State of Small Business Contracting''. Testimony was 
heard from William Shear, Director, Financial Markets and Community 
Investment, Government Accountability Office; and Robb

[[Page D773]]

N. Wong, Associate Administrator, Office of Government Contracting and 
Business Development, Small Business Administration.
EXAMINING VA'S PROCESSING OF GULF WAR ILLNESS CLAIMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations; and Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial 
Affairs held a joint hearing entitled ``Examining VA's Processing of 
Gulf War Illness Claims''. Testimony was heard from Bradley Flohr, 
Senior Advisor, Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; Melissa Emrey-Arras, Director, 
Education, Workforce and Income Security, Government Accountability 
Office; and public witnesses.
MAXIMIZING ACCESS AND RESOURCES: AN EXAMINATION OF VA PRODUCTIVITY AND 
EFFICIENCY
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Maximizing Access and Resources: An Examination of VA 
Productivity and Efficiency''. Testimony was heard from Carolyn Clancy, 
M.D., Deputy Under Secretary for Organizational Excellence, Veterans 
Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Randall B. 
Williamson, Director, Health Care, Government Accountability Office; 
and public witnesses.
HOW TAX REFORM WILL HELP AMERICA'S SMALL BUSINESSES GROW AND CREATE NEW 
JOBS
Committee on Ways and Means:  Subcommittee on Tax Policy held a hearing 
on ``How Tax Reform Will Help America's Small Businesses Grow and 
Create New Jobs''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 3178, 
the ``Medicare Part B Improvement Act of 2017''; H.R. 3168, to amend 
title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide continued access to 
specialized Medicare Advantage plans for special needs individuals, and 
for other purposes; and H.R. 1843, the ``Restraining Excessive Seizure 
of Property through the Exploitation of Civil Forfeiture Tools Act''. 
H.R. 3178, H.R. 3168, and H.R. 1843 were ordered reported, as amended.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 3180, the ``Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2018''. H.R. 3180 was ordered reported, as amended. This was a 
closed hearing.

Joint Meetings
ENERGY INSECURITY IN RUSSIA'S PERIPHERY
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission received a 
briefing on energy insecurity in Russia's periphery from Peter Doran, 
Center for European Policy Analysis, Edward Chow, Center for Strategic 
and International Studies, Lyndon Allin, Baker McKenzie, and Mamuka 
Tsereteli, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, all of Washington, D.C., 
and Andrian Prokip, Kennan Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine.