[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 46 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D278-D281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--U.S. ARMY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a budget 
hearing on the U.S. Army. Testimony was heard from Mark T. Esper, 
Secretary of the Army; and General Mark A. Milley, Chief of Staff of 
the Army.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from David J. 
Shulkin, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the 
Department of Energy. Testimony was heard from Rick Perry, Secretary, 
Department of Energy.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the 
Department of Health and Human Services. Testimony was heard from Alex 
Azar, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
APPROPRIATIONS--OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF 
AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
budget hearing on the Office of the Inspector General of the Department 
of Agriculture. Testimony was heard from the following Department of 
Agriculture officials: Phyllis K. Fong, Inspector General; Gil H. 
Harden, Assistant Inspector General for Audit; and Ann Coffey, 
Assistant Inspector General for Investigations.
SECURITY CHALLENGES IN EUROPE AND POSTURE FOR INTER-STATE COMPETITION 
WITH RUSSIA
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Security Challenges in Europe and Posture for Inter-state Competition 
with Russia''. Testimony was heard from General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, 
Commander, U.S. European Command.
FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET REQUEST ON AIR FORCE AIRBORNE INTELLIGENCE, 
SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE (ISR) PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing entitled ``Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request on Air 
Force Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

[[Page D279]]

(ISR) Programs''. Testimony was heard from Lieutenant General John 
Dolan, Director of Operations (J3), Headquarters, Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff; Lieutenant General Jerry Harris, Jr., Deputy Chief of 
Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements (A8), Headquarters, U.S. Air 
Force; Lieutenant General Anthony Ierardi, Director, Force Structure, 
Resources, and Assessments (J8), Headquarters, Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff; and Susan Thornton, Director for Information Dominance 
Programs (SAF/AQI), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force 
for Acquisition.
FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET REQUEST FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing entitled ``Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for National 
Security Space Programs''. Testimony was heard from Kenneth P. Rapuano, 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global 
Security, Department of Defense; General John J. Raymond, Commander, 
Air Force Space Command; and Betty Sapp, Director, National 
Reconnaissance Office.
STRENGTHENING ACCESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO WORK IN WELFARE PROGRAMS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Higher 
Education and Workforce Development held a hearing entitled 
``Strengthening Access and Accountability to Work in Welfare 
Programs''. Testimony was heard from Adam Meier, Deputy Chief of Staff 
for Policy, Office of the Governor, Kentucky; and public witnesses.
EVALUATING CFIUS: ADMINISTRATION PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``Evaluating CFIUS: Administration 
Perspectives''. Testimony was heard from Heath P. Tarbert, Assistant 
Secretary for International Markets and Investment Policy, Department 
of the Treasury, Richard E. Ashooh, Assistant Secretary for Export 
Administration, Department of Commerce; and Eric D. Chewning, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy, 
Department of Defense.
AFTER THE BREACH: THE MONETIZATION AND ILLICIT USE OF STOLEN DATA
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit 
Finance held a hearing entitled ``After the Breach: the Monetization 
and Illicit Use of Stolen Data''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a markup on H. Res. 
644, strongly condemning the slave auctions of migrants and refugees in 
Libya, and for other purposes; H.R. 4681, the ``No Assistance for Assad 
Act''; H.R. 4744, the ``Iran Human Rights and Hostage-Taking 
Accountability Act''; and H. Con. Res. 111, recognizing and supporting 
the efforts of the United Bid Committee to bring the 2026 Federation 
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup competition to 
Canada, Mexico, and the United States. H.R. 4681, H.R. 4744, H. Res. 
644, and H. Con. Res. 111 were ordered reported, as amended.
PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND REBUILDING: LESSONS FROM THE 2017 DISASTERS
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Preparedness, Response, and Rebuilding: Lessons from the 2017 
Disasters''. Testimony was heard from Brock Long, Administrator, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security; 
Major General Donald E. Jackson, Jr., Deputy Commanding General, Civil 
and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of 
the Army, Department of Defense; John V. Kelly, Acting Inspector 
General, Office of the Inspector General, Department of Homeland 
Security; Reed Clay, Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Governor, 
Texas; Wesley Maul, Director, Division of Emergency Management, 
Florida; Jose E. Melendez-Ortiz, Vice-Chairman, Committee on Federal 
and International Relations, and Status, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; 
and a public witness.
BANG FOR THE BORDER SECURITY BUCK: WHAT DO WE GET FOR $33 BILLION?
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime 
Security held a hearing entitled ``Bang for the Border Security Buck: 
What do we get for $33 billion?''. Testimony was heard from Claire M. 
Grady, Under Secretary for Management, Directorate for Management, 
Department of Homeland Security; Ronald D. Vitiello, Acting Deputy 
Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security; Rebecca Gambler, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, 
Government Accountability Office; and public witnesses.

[[Page D280]]


POLICY PRIORITIES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE 
ADMINISTRATION'S FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET PROPOSAL
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Policy Priorities at the Department of the Interior and the 
Administration's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Proposal''. Testimony was 
heard from Ryan Zinke, Secretary, Department of the Interior.
ABANDONED HARDROCK MINES AND THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing entitled ``Abandoned Hardrock Mines and the 
Role of Non-Governmental Entities''. Testimony was heard from Autumn 
Coleman, Program Manager, Abandoned Mine Lands Program, Department of 
Environmental Quality, Montana; Jeff Graves, Director, Office of Active 
and Inactive Mines, Colorado; David Strohmaier, County Commissioner, 
Missoula County, Montana; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
markup on H.R. 50, the ``Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency 
Act of 2017''; H.R. 2846, the ``Federal Agency Customer Experience Act 
of 2017''; H.R. 4809, the ``GOOD Act''; H.R. 5253, the ``Office of 
Government Information Services Empowerment Act of 2018''; H.R. 1376, 
the ``Electronic Message Preservation Act of 2017''; H.R. 3303, the 
``First Responder Fair RETIRE Act''; H.R. 4446, to amend the Virgin 
Islands of the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the 
expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes; H.R. 2979, 
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 390 West 5th Street in San Bernardino, California, as the ``Jack H. 
Brown Post Office Building''; H.R. 4574, to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 108 West Schick Road in 
Bloomingdale, Illinois, as the ``Bloomingdale Veterans Memorial Post 
Office Building''; H.R. 4722, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 111 Market Street in Saugerties, New 
York, as the ``Maurice D. Hinchey Post Office Building''; H.R. 4840, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
567 East Franklin Street in Oviedo, Florida, as the ``Sergeant First 
Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe Post Office Building''; H.R. 4890, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
9801 Apollo Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, as the ``Wayne K. Curry 
Post Office Building''; H.R. 4960, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 511 East Walnut Street in 
Columbia, Missouri, as the ``Spc. Sterling William Wyatt Post Office 
Building''; S. 931, to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 4910 Brighton Boulevard in Denver, Colorado, 
as the ``George Sakato Post Office''; H.R. 1496, to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4040 West 
Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the ``Marvin Gaye 
Post Office''; and H.R. 3184, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, 
Virginia, as the ``Captain Humayun Khan Post Office''. H.R. 50, H.R. 
2846, H.R. 4809, H.R. 3303, H.R. 4446, H.R. 1496, and H.R. 3184 were 
ordered reported, as amended. H.R. 5253, H.R. 1376, H.R. 2979, H.R. 
4574, H.R. 4722, H.R. 4840, H.R. 4890, H.R. 4960, and S. 931 were 
ordered reported, without amendment.
AN EXAMINATION OF FEDERAL PERMITTING PROCESSES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on the 
Interior, Energy, and Environment held a hearing entitled ``An 
Examination of Federal Permitting Processes''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR 
FISCAL YEAR 2019
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``An Overview of the National Science Foundation 
Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2019''. Testimony was heard from France 
Cordova, Director, National Science Foundation; and Maria T. Zuber, 
Chair, National Science Board.
BUILDING A 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AMERICA: WATER RESOURCES 
PROJECTS AND POLICY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing entitled ``Building a 21st 
Century Infrastructure for America: Water Resources Projects and 
Policy''. Testimony was heard from R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of 
the Army (Civil Works), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army--
Civil Works; and Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite, Commanding 
General and Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

[[Page D281]]


FY 2019 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE VETERANS 
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``FY 2019 Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for 
the Veterans Health Administration''. Testimony was heard from Carolyn 
M. Clancy, M.D., Executive in Charge, Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; Rachel Mitchell, Deputy Chief Financial 
Officer, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and public witnesses.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET: VETERANS 
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs; and Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a 
joint hearing entitled ``U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Fiscal 
Year 2019 Budget: Veterans Benefits Administration and the Board of 
Veterans' Appeals''. Testimony was heard from Cheryl L. Mason, 
Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals, Department of Veterans Affairs; 
and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.