[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 187 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Daily Digest]
[Page D1222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
PREVENT AND COMBAT OPIOID OVER MEDICATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction and 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to examine 
Department of Veterans Affairs efforts to prevent and combat opioid 
over medication, after receiving testimony from Michael L. Missal, 
Inspector General, Laurence Meyer, Chief Officer for Specialty Care, 
Veterans Health Administration, and Friedhelm Sandbrink, Acting 
National Program Director for Pain Management, all of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and Marvin Simcakoski, Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
BUDGET RECONCILIATION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee completed its 
review of reconciliation legislation to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to establish and administer a competitive oil and gas program 
in the non-wilderness portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 
known as the ``1002 Area'' or Coastal Plain, pursuant to H. Con. Res. 
71, establishing the congressional budget for the United States 
Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate 
budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027, and agreed on 
recommendations which it will make to the Committee on the Budget 
thereon.
REDUCING AIR EMISSIONS
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine promoting American leadership in reducing air 
emissions through innovation, after receiving testimony from Kipp 
Coddington, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, Laramie; 
and Ross Eisenberg, National Association of Manufacturers, and Zoe 
Lipman, BlueGreen Alliance, both of Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Finance: Committee continued consideration of an original 
bill entitled, ``Tax Cuts and Jobs Act'', but did not complete action 
thereon, and will meet again on Thursday, November 16, 2017.
ENCOURAGING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine encouraging healthy communities, 
focusing on perspective from the Surgeon General, after receiving 
testimony from Vice Admiral Jerome M. Adams, Surgeon General of the 
Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Mitchell Zais, of 
South Carolina, to be Deputy Secretary, and James Blew, of California, 
to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy 
Development, both of the Department of Education, and Kate S. 
O'Scannlain, of Maryland, to be Solicitor, and Preston Rutledge, of the 
District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the 
Department of Labor, after the nominees, who were introduced by Senator 
Alexander, testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nominations of Claria Horn Boom, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky, Rebecca Grady 
Jennings, to be United States District Judge for the Western District 
of Kentucky, and Robert Earl Wier, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Kentucky, who were all introduced by 
Senator McConnell, John W. Broomes, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Kansas, who was introduced by Senator Roberts and 
Moran, James C. Ho, of Texas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the 
Fifth Circuit, and Don R. Willett, of Texas, to be a Circuit Judge, 
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf, and 
after receiving testimony from Pamela A. Bresnahan, American Bar 
Association, Washington, D.C.