[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1134-D1135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
MILITARY THREAT BY CHINA AND RUSSIA
Committee on Armed Services: Committee received a closed briefing on 
the military threat posed by near peer adversaries China and Russia 
from John C. Rood, Under Secretary for Policy, Lieutenant General 
Anthony R. Ierardi, USA, Director for Force Structure, Resources and 
Assessment (J8), Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Major General Michael 
Groen, all of the Department of Defense.
CRYPTOCURRENCY AND BLOCKCHAIN ECOSYSTEM
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem, 
including S. 3179, to require the Comptroller General of the United 
States to carry out a study on how virtual currencies and online 
marketplaces are used to buy, sell, or facilitate the financing of 
goods or services associated with sex trafficking or drug trafficking, 
after receiving testimony from Nouriel Roubini, New York University 
Stern School of Business, New York, New York; and Peter Van 
Valkenburgh, Coin Center, Washington, D.C.
FUTURE OF THE FLEETS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard concluded a hearing to 
examine the future of the fleets, focusing on Coast Guard and National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship recapitalization, after 
receiving testimony from Rear Admiral Michael J. Haycock, Assistant 
Commandant for Acquisition and Chief Acquisition Officer, Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security; Marie A. Mak, Director, Contracting 
and National Security Acquisitions, Government Accountability Office; 
and Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs, Congressional 
Research Service, Library of Congress.
BLACKSTART
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine blackstart and other system restoration plans in the 
electric utility industry, after receiving testimony from David S. 
Ortiz, Acting Director, Office of Electric Reliability, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission; Juan Torres, Associate Laboratory Director for 
Energy Systems Integration, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 
Department of Energy; Joy Ditto, Utilities Technology Council, 
Washington, D.C.; Thomas J. Galloway, Sr., North American Transmission 
Forum, Charlotte, North Carolina; Andrew L. Ott, PJM Interconnection, 
L.L.C., Norristown, Pennsylvania; and Timothy M. Yardley, University of 
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Information Trust Institute, Urbana.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of John Mark Pommersheim, of Florida, to be 
Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan, William H. Moser, of North 
Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Donald 
Armin Blome, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia, 
all of the Department of State, after the nominees testified and 
answered questions in their own behalf.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 2785, to designate foreign persons who improperly interfere in 
United States elections as inadmissible aliens, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute;
  S. 3178, to amend title 18, United States Code, to specify lynching 
as a deprivation of civil rights, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute; and
  The nominations of Jonathan A. Kobes, of South Dakota, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, Kenneth D. Bell, to be 
United States District Judge for the Western District of North 
Carolina, Stephanie A. Gallagher, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Maryland, Mary S. McElroy, to be United States 
District Judge for the District of Rhode Island, Carl J. Nichols, to be 
United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, and Martha 
Maria Pacold, Mary M. Rowland, and Steven C. Seeger, each to be a 
United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.

[[Page D1135]]


BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 2679, to provide access to and manage the distribution of excess 
or surplus property to veteran-owned small businesses, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 3552, to amend the Small Business Act to adjust the real estate 
appraisal thresholds under the 7(a) program of the Small Business 
Administration to bring those thresholds into line with the thresholds 
used by the Federal banking regulators;
  S. 3553, to amend the Small Business Act to adjust the real estate 
appraisal thresholds under the section 504 program of the Small 
Business Administration to bring those thresholds into line with the 
thresholds used by the Federal banking regulators;
  S. 3554, to extend the effective date for the sunset for collateral 
requirements for Small Business Administration disaster loans;
  S. 3561, to support entrepreneurs serving in the National Guard and 
Reserve; and
  S. 3562, to amend the Small Business Act to modify the method for 
prescribing size standards for business concerns.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of 
the intelligence community.