[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 178 (Thursday, November 2, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1165-D1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
THE 2017 HURRICANE SEASON: A REVIEW OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND ENERGY 
INFRASTRUCTURE RECOVERY EFFORTS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled ``The 2017 Hurricane Season: A Review of Emergency Response 
and Energy Infrastructure Recovery Efforts''. Testimony was heard from 
Ray Alexander, Director of Contingency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; Robert Corbin, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Petroleum Reserves, Department of Energy; Patricia Hoffman, Acting 
Under Secretary for Science and Energy, and Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, 
Department of Energy; Julio Rhymer, Executive Director, Virgin Islands 
Water and Power Authority; Frank Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, Government Accountability Office; DeAnn Walker, Chairman, 
Public Utility Commission of Texas; and public witnesses.
CONCERNS OVER FEDERAL SELECT AGENT PROGRAM OVERSIGHT OF DANGEROUS 
PATHOGENS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Concerns Over Federal Select 
Agent Program Oversight of Dangerous Pathogens''. Testimony was heard 
from Mary Denigan-Macauley, Acting Director, Health Care, Government 
Accountability Office; Samuel S. Edwin, Director, Division of Select 
Agents and Toxins, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and 
Freeda E. Isaac, Director, Agriculture Select Agent Services, Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service.

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SUSTAINABLE HOUSING FINANCE: PRIVATE SECTOR PERSPECTIVES ON HOUSING 
FINANCE REFORM, PART II
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance 
held a hearing entitled ``Sustainable Housing Finance: Private Sector 
Perspectives on Housing Finance Reform, Part II''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 3249, 
the ``Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 
2017''; H.R. 1730, the ``Combating Anti-Semitism Act of 2017''; H.R. 
3317, the ``Stopping Abusive Female Exploitation Act''; and H.R. 4203, 
the ``Combat Online Predators Act''. H.R. 3249, H.R. 1730, and H.R. 
4203 were ordered reported, as amended. H.R. 3317 was ordered reported, 
without amendment.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans 
held a hearing on H.R. 221, the ``Hydrographic Services Improvement 
Amendments Act''; H.R. 1176, the ``Keep America's Waterfronts Working 
Act''; and S. 140, to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water 
Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to clarify the use of amounts in the 
WMAT Settlement Fund. Testimony was heard from Representatives Pingree 
and Young of Alaska; W. Russell Callender, Assistant Administrator for 
Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; Paul LePage, Governor, Maine; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 4174, the ``Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking 
Act of 2017''; H.R. 4182, the ``Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act 
of 2017''; H.R. 1132, the ``Political Appointee Burrowing Prevention 
Act''; H.R. 4043, the ``Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 
2017''; H.R. 4171, to amend title 5, United States Code, to extend the 
authority to conduct telework travel expenses test programs, and for 
other purposes; H.R. 3121, the ``All-American Flag Act''; H.R. 4177, 
the ``Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme Weather Patterns 
Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness Act of 2017''; H.R. 1850, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
907 Fourth Avenue in Lake Odessa, Michigan, as the ``Donna Sauers Besko 
Post Office''; H.R. 2672, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 520 Carter Street in Fairview, 
Illinois, as the ``Sgt. Douglas J. Riney Post Office''; H.R. 2673, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
514 Broadway Street in Pekin, Illinois, as the ``Lance Corporal Jordan 
S. Bastean Post Office''; H.R. 3821, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 430 Main Street in Clermont, 
Georgia, as the ``Zachary Addington Post Office''; and H.R. 3893, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
100 Mathe Avenue in Interlachen, Florida, as the ``Robert H. Jenkins 
Post Office''. H.R. 1132, H.R. 4043, and H.R. 3121 were ordered 
reported, as amended. H.R. 4174, H.R. 4182, H.R. 4171, H.R. 4177, H.R. 
1850, H.R. 2672, H.R. 2673, H.R. 3821, and H.R. 3893 were ordered 
reported, without amendment.
EXAMINING THE REGULATION OF SHARK FINNING IN THE UNITED STATES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on the 
Interior, Energy, and Environment held a hearing entitled ``Examining 
the Regulation of Shark Finning in the United States''. Testimony was 
heard from Brandi Reeder, Assistant Commander, Fisheries Law 
Administrator, Law Enforcement Division, Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department; and public witnesses.
PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE--A REVIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE 
RESEARCH
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Research 
and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Putting Food on the Table--A 
Review of the Importance of Agriculture Research''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
OPERATING OR RULEMAKING? A REVIEW OF SBA'S OPAQUE STANDARD OPERATING 
PROCEDURES PROCESS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, 
and Regulations held a hearing entitled ``Operating or Rulemaking? A 
Review of SBA's Opaque Standard Operating Procedures Process''. 
Testimony was heard from Joseph Loddo, Chief Operating Officer, Small 
Business Administration.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY: CENTRAL TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 
UNPRECEDENTED 2017 HURRICANE SEASON
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Emergency Response and Recovery: Central Takeaways 
from the Unprecedented 2017 Hurricane Season''. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman McCaul, and Representatives Gene Green of Texas, 
Rutherford, Lawson of Florida, Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, and

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Plaskett; William Long, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency; Vice Admiral Karl Schultz, Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic 
Area; Major General Donald E. Jackson, Jr., Deputy Commanding General 
for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and 
Pete Lopez, Regional Administrator for Region 2, Environmental 
Protection Agency.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
1133, the ``Veterans Transplant Coverage Act of 2017''; H.R. 1900, the 
``National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act''; H.R. 2123, the ``VETS 
Act of 2017''; H.R. 2601, the ``VICTOR Act of 2017''; H.R. 3634, the 
``SERVE Act of 2017''; H.R. 3705, the ``Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act 
of 2017''; H.R. 3949, the ``VALOR Act''; and H.R. 4173, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the Veterans Crisis 
Line. H.R. 1133, H.R. 1900, H.R. 2601, H.R. 3705, and H.R. 4173 were 
ordered reported, as amended. H.R. 2123, H.R. 3634, and H.R. 3949 were 
ordered reported, without amendment.
APPEARANCE OF CARTER W. PAGE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Appearance of Carter W. Page''. Testimony was heard 
from a public witness. This was an open hearing in a closed space.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.