[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 11, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D794-D796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Appropriations: Full Committee held a markup on FY 2019 
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Bill. The FY 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill was ordered 
reported, as amended.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S ROLE IN FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and 
Capabilities held a hearing entitled ``Department of Defense's Role in 
Foreign Assistance''. Testimony was heard from Robert Jenkins, Deputy 
Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian 
Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development; Jason Ladnier, 
Director, Office of Partnerships, Strategy, and Communications, Bureau 
of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Department of State; Mark 
Mitchell, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special 
Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict, Department of Defense; and public 
witnesses.
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE 340B DRUG PRICING PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Opportunities to Improve the 340B Drug Pricing Program''. 
Testimony was heard from Debra Draper, Director, Health Care Team, 
Government Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
PROTECTING CUSTOMER PROPRIETARY NETWORK INFORMATION IN THE INTERNET AGE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``Protecting Customer Proprietary 
Network Information in the Internet Age''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
EXAMINING DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVING
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Examining Drug-Impaired 
Driving''. Testimony was heard from Jennifer Harmon, Assistant 
Director, Forensic Chemistry, Orange County Crime Laboratory, Orange 
County Sheriff's Department, California; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
3555, the ``Exchange Regulatory Improvement Act''; H.R. 6177, the 
``Developing and Empowering our Aspiring Leaders Act''; H.R. 6319, the 
``Expanding Investment in Small Businesses Act''; H.R. 6322, the 
``Enhancing Multi-Class Stock Disclosure Act''; H.R. 6324, the ``Middle 
Market IPO Underwriting Cost Act''; H.R. 6320, the ``Promoting 
Transparent Standards for Corporate Insiders Act''; H.R. 6321, the 
``Investment Adviser Regulatory Flexibility Improvement Act''; and H.R. 
6323, the ``National Senior Investor Initiative Act of 2018. H.R. 6321, 
H.R. 6319, and H.R. 6320 were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 
3555, H.R. 6177, H.R. 6322, H.R. 6323, and H.R. 6324 were ordered 
reported, as amended.
ADVANCING U.S. INTERESTS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Advancing U.S. Interests in the Western Hemisphere''. Testimony was 
heard from Kenneth H. Merten, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of 
State; and Sarah-Ann Lynch, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, 
Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for 
International Development.

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CHINA'S PREDATORY TRADE AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation, and Trade; and Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific 
held a joint hearing entitled ``China's Predatory Trade and Investment 
Strategy''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DHS'S PROGRESS IN SECURING ELECTION SYSTEMS AND OTHER CRITICAL 
INFRASTRUCTURE
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``DHS's Progress in Securing Election Systems and Other Critical 
Infrastructure''. Testimony was heard from Christopher Krebs, Under 
Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security; and Nellie Gorbea, Secretary of State, Rhode Island.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 
577, to designate a peak in the State of Nevada as Maude Frazier 
Mountain; H.R. 1482, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
maintain or replace certain facilities and structures for commercial 
recreation services at Smith Gulch in Idaho, and for other purposes; 
H.R. 3764, the ``Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act 
of 2017''; H.R. 5613, the ``Quindaro Townsite National Historic 
Landmark Act''; H.R. 6077, the ``National Comedy Center Recognition 
Act''; and H.R. 6302, to enact as law certain regulations relating to 
the taking of double-crested cormorants. H.R. 577, H.R. 1482, and H.R. 
6077 were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 3764, H.R. 5613, 
and H.R. 6302 were ordered reported, as amended.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans 
held a hearing on H.R. 6038, to establish a procedure for the 
conveyance of certain Federal property around the Dickinson Reservoir 
in the State of North Dakota; H.R. 6039, to establish a procedure for 
the conveyance of certain Federal property around the Jamestown 
Reservoir in the State of North Dakota, and for other purposes; H.R. 
6040, the ``Contra Costa Canal Transfer Act''; and H.R. 5556, the 
``Environmental Compliance Cost Transparency Act of 2018''. Testimony 
was heard from Craig Headland, North Dakota State Legislative Assembly, 
Montpelier, North Dakota; Stephen Welch, Assistant General Manager, 
Contra Costa Water District, California; and Austin Ewell, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior; 
and public witnesses.
THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD'S GLOBAL THREAT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security held a hearing entitled ``The Muslim Brotherhood's Global 
Threat''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MATTHEW YOUNG POLLARD INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEARS 
2018 AND 2019
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 6237, the 
``Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 
2018 and 2019''. The Committee granted, by record vote of 6-4, a rule 
providing for the consideration of H.R. 6237 under a structured rule. 
The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order as original 
text for purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-80 and 
provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule waives all 
points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
The rule makes in order only those further amendments printed in the 
Rules Committee report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the 
order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated 
in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall 
not be subject to a demand for division of the question. The rule 
waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the 
report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Nunes, and 
Representatives LoBiondo, Schiff, Hastings, Torres, and Jackson Lee.
INNOVATION NATION: HOW SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 
INDUSTRY USE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Innovation Nation: How Small Businesses in the Digital Technology 
Industry Use Intellectual Property''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 
6301, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide high 
deductible health plans with first dollar coverage flexibility; 
legislation

[[Page D796]]

to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that direct 
primary care service arrangements do not disqualify deductible health 
savings account contributions, and for other purposes; H.R. 6305, the 
``Bipartisan HSA Improvement Act of 2018''; H.R. 6312, the ``PHIT 
Act''; H.R. 6309, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow 
individuals entitled to Medicare Part A by reason of being over age 65 
to contribute to health savings accounts; H.R. 6199, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include certain over-the-counter 
medical products as qualified medical expenses; H.R. 6306, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the contribution limitation 
for health savings accounts, and for other purposes; H.R. 6313, the 
``Responsible Additions and Increases to Sustain Employee Health 
Benefits Act of 2018''; H.R. 4616, to amend the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act to provide for a temporary moratorium on the 
employer mandate and to provide for a delay in the implementation of 
the excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage; H.R. 
6314, the ``Health Savings Act of 2018''; and H.R. 6311, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act to modify the definition of qualified health plan for purposes 
of the health insurance premium tax credit and to allow individuals 
purchasing health insurance in the individual market to purchase a 
lower premium copper plan.

Joint Meetings
JOHN S. McCAIN NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 5515, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2019 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.