[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1126-D1128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DOWN SYNDROME: UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THE SCIENCE AND POTENTIAL FOR 
DISCOVERIES ACROSS OTHER MAJOR DISEASES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing 
entitled ``Down Syndrome: Update on the State of the Science and 
Potential for Discoveries Across Other Major Diseases''. Testimony was 
heard from Chairman Sessions, and Representatives McMorris Rodgers and 
Bustos; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE OPIOID CRISIS: A STATUS UPDATE ON CARA 
AND OTHER INITIATIVES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis: A Status Update 
on CARA and Other Initiatives''. Testimony was heard from Neil Doherty, 
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, Drug 
Enforcement Administration; Scott Gottlieb, Commissioner, Food and Drug 
Administration; Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary for Mental 
Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration; Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention; and Nora Volkow, Director, National 
Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health.

[[Page D1127]]


OVERSIGHT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Federal 
Communications Commission''. Testimony was heard from the following 
Federal Communications Commission officials: Brendan Carr, 
Commissioner; Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner; Michael O'Rielly, 
Commissioner; Ajit Pai, Chairman; and Jessica Rosenworcel, 
Commissioner.
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING FINANCE: PRIVATE SECTOR PERSPECTIVES ON HOUSING 
FINANCE REFORM
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance 
held a hearing entitled ``Sustainable Housing Finance: Private Sector 
Perspectives on Housing Finance Reform''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
EXAMINING THE EQUIFAX DATA BREACH
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Examining the Equifax Data Breach''. Testimony was heard from Sara 
Cable, Director, Data Privacy and Security, Assistant Attorney General, 
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 
Massachusetts; and public witnesses.
THE PRESIDENT'S IRAN DECISION: NEXT STEPS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and North 
Africa held a hearing entitled ``The President's Iran Decision: Next 
Steps''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
STATE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST MAINTENANCE
Committee on House Administration: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``State Voter Registration List Maintenance''. Testimony was 
heard from Connie Lawson, Secretary of State, Indiana; and a public 
witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee concluded a markup on H.R. 
4092, the ``AG Act''; and H.R. 3711, the ``Legal Workforce Act''. H.R. 
4092 and H.R. 3711 were ordered reported, as amended.
EMPOWERING STATE BASED MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR GREATER SAGE GROUSE 
RECOVERY
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Empowering State Based Management Solutions for Greater Sage Grouse 
Recovery''. Testimony was heard from Scott Bedke, Speaker, House of 
Representatives, Idaho; Darin Bird, Deputy Director, Department of 
Natural Resources, Utah; John Tubbs, Director, Department of Natural 
Resources and Conservation, Montana; and J.J. Goicoechea, Chairman, 
Board of Commissioners, Eureka County, Nevada.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and 
Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 215, the ``American Indian 
Empowerment Act of 2017''. Testimony was heard from John Tahsuda III, 
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; 
and public witnesses.
ONGOING MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES AT IRS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Operations; and Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits, and 
Administrative Rules held a joint hearing entitled ``Ongoing Management 
Challenges at IRS''. Testimony was heard from J. Russell George, 
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Gregory Kutz, Deputy 
Inspector General for Inspections and Evaluations, Treasury Inspector 
General for Tax Administration; Jeffrey Tribiano, Deputy Commissioner 
for Operations Support, Internal Revenue Service; and Gina Garza, Chief 
Information Officer, Internal Revenue Service.
BOLSTERING THE GOVERNMENT'S CYBERSECURITY: ASSESSING THE RISK OF 
KASPERSKY LAB PRODUCTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Oversight 
held a hearing entitled ``Bolstering the Government's Cybersecurity: 
Assessing the Risk of Kaspersky Lab Products to the Federal 
Government''. Testimony was heard from Donna Dodson, Associate Director 
and Chief Cybersecurity Advisor, Information Technology Laboratory, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology; David Shive, Chief 
Information Officer, General Services Administration; and public 
witnesses.
GAO AUDIT REVEALS HALF-MEASURES TAKEN BY SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce 
held a hearing entitled ``GAO Audit Reveals Half-Measures Taken by 
Small Business Advocates''. Testimony was heard from William B. Shear, 
Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, Government 
Accountability Office; Robb N. Wong, Associate Administrator,

[[Page D1128]]

Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, Small 
Business Administration; Kevin Boshears, Director, Office of Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of Homeland Security.
EXAMINING HOW VBA CAN EFFECTIVELY PREVENT AND MANAGE OVERPAYMENTS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Examining How VBA Can 
Effectively Prevent and Manage Overpayments''. Testimony was heard from 
Willie C. Clark, Sr., Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a markup on H.R. 815, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
adjust certain limits on the guaranteed amount of a home loan under the 
home loan program of the Department of Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3018, the 
``Veterans' Entry to Apprenticeship Act''; H.R. 3634, the ``Securing 
Electronic Records for Veterans' Ease Act of 2017''; H.R. 3949, the 
``VALOR Act''; H.R. 3965, the ``Veterans Armed for Success Act''; and 
legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 
improvements to the use of educational assistance provided by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs for flight training programs. H.R. 3949 
was forwarded to the full Committee, as amended. Legislation to amend 
title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to the use 
of educational assistance provided by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for flight training programs, H.R. 815, H.R. 3018, H.R. 3634, 
and H.R. 3965 were forwarded to the full Committee, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS TARIFF BILL: PROVIDING TARIFF RELIEF TO U.S. 
MANUFACTURERS THROUGH THE NEW MTB PROCESS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing 
entitled ``Miscellaneous Tariff Bill: Providing Tariff Relief to U.S. 
Manufacturers Through the New MTB Process''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
economic outlook, after receiving testimony from Kevin Hassett, 
Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
  Conferees met in closed session to resolve the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2810, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, but did not complete action thereon, 
and recessed subject to the call.