[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D194-D197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a business meeting on the 
Budget Views and Estimates Letter of the Committee on Agriculture for 
the Agencies and Programs under the Jurisdiction of the Committee for 
Fiscal Year 2020. The Committee adopted its Budget Views and Estimates 
letter for 2020.
THE STATE OF THE RURAL ECONOMY
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``The 
State of the Rural Economy''. Testimony was heard from Sonny Perdue, 
Secretary, Department of Agriculture.
ELECTION SECURITY: ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF U.S. ELECTION SYSTEMS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing entitled ``Election Security: 
Ensuring the Integrity of U.S. Election Systems''. Testimony was heard 
from Steven Sandvoss, Executive Director, Illinois State Board of 
Elections; and public witnesses.
REVIEWING THE ADMINISTRATION'S UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN PROGRAM: STATE-
SANCTIONED CHILD ABUSE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing entitled ``Reviewing the Administration's Unaccompanied 
Children Program: State-Sanctioned Child Abuse''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
budget hearing on the Government Accountability Office. Testimony was 
heard from Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, 
Government Accountability Office.
THE PRESIDENT'S 2019 NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION CIRCUMVENTING 
CONGRESS TO BUILD A BORDER WALL AND ITS EFFECT ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION 
AND READINESS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``The 
President's 2019 National Emergency Declaration Circumventing Congress 
to Build a Border Wall and Its Effect on Military Construction and 
Readiness''. Testimony was heard from Phyllis L. Bayer, Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations and Environment; Alex A. 
Beehler, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Installations, Energy and 
Environment; John W. Henderson, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, 
Installations, Environment and Energy; Robert H. McMahon, Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, Department of Defense; and Robert 
G. Salesses, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense 
Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities, Department of 
Defense.
OVERSIGHT OF U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID), 
PROGRAMS AND POLICIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of U.S. Agency 
for International Development (USAID), Programs and Policies''. 
Testimony was heard from Mark Green, Administrator, U.S. Agency for 
International Development.

[[Page D195]]


STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES: FAIR HOUSING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
held a hearing entitled ``Stakeholder Perspectives: Fair Housing''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
APPROPRIATIONS--GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
budget hearing on the Government Publishing Office. Testimony was heard 
from Herbert H. Jackson, Jr., Acting Deputy Director, Government 
Publishing Office.
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held an 
oversight hearing on the Food and Drug Administration. Testimony was 
heard from Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Commissioner, Food and Drug 
Administration.
TRANSGENDER SERVICE POLICY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing entitled ``Transgender Service Policy''. Testimony was heard 
from Lieutenant Commander Blake Dremann, U.S. Navy; Captain Alivia 
Stehlik, U.S. Army, Captain Jennifer Peace, U.S. Army; Staff Sergeant 
Patricia King, U.S. Army; HM3 Akira Wyatt, U.S. Navy; James N. Stewart, 
Performing the Duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
Readiness, Department of Defense; Admiral Raquel C. Bono, Director, 
Defense Health Agency; and a public witness.
2017 TAX LAW: IMPACT ON THE BUDGET AND AMERICAN FAMILIES
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``2017 
Tax Law: Impact on the Budget and American Families''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
CLASSROOMS IN CRISIS: EXAMINING THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF SECLUSION AND 
RESTRAINT PRACTICES
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled 
``Classrooms in Crisis: Examining the Inappropriate Use of Seclusion 
and Restraint Practices''. Testimony was heard from Jacqueline Nowicki, 
Director of Education Workforce and Income Security, Government 
Accountability Office; Allison Sutton, Special Education Teacher, 
Wichita Public Schools; and public witnesses.
CARING FOR OUR CAREGIVERS: PROTECTING HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE 
WORKERS FROM WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 
held a hearing entitled ``Caring for Our Caregivers: Protecting Health 
Care and Social Service Workers from Workplace Violence''. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
CONFRONTING A GROWING PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT: MEASLES OUTBREAKS IN THE 
U.S.
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Confronting a Growing Public 
Health Threat: Measles Outbreaks in the U.S.''. Testimony was heard 
from Nancy Messonnier, M.D., Director, National Center for Immunization 
and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 
and Anthony Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute for Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
CLEAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE WORKFORCE TO BUILD IT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled ``Clean Energy Infrastructure and the Workforce to Build It''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
Committee on Ethics: Full Committee held an organizational meeting. The 
Committee adopted its Rules for the 116th Congress.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Monetary Policy and the State of the Economy''. Testimony was heard 
from Jerome H. Powell, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System.
AN OVERVIEW OF DIVERSITY TRENDS IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Diversity and 
Inclusion held a hearing entitled ``An Overview of Diversity Trends in 
the Financial Services Industry''. Testimony was heard from Daniel 
Garcia-Diaz, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, 
Government Accountability Office.

[[Page D196]]


THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN POLICY: A MID-TERM ASSESSMENT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Trump Administration's Foreign Policy: A Mid-Term Assessment''. 
Testimony was heard from a public witness.
AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP: WHY DIPLOMACY AND DEVELOPMENT MATTER
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``America's Global Leadership: 
Why Diplomacy and Development Matter''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
SECURING OUT NATION'S CHEMICAL FACILITIES: BUILDING ON THE PROGRESS OF 
THE CFATS PROGRAM
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing on 
``Securing out Nation's Chemical Facilities: Building on the Progress 
of the CFATS Program''. Testimony was heard from David Wulf, Director, 
Infrastructure Security Compliance Division, Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security; and 
Nathan Anderson, Acting Director, Homeland Security and Justice, 
Government Accountability Office.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 
560, the ``Northern Mariana Islands Residents Relief Act''. Testimony 
was heard from Nickolao Pula, Director, Office of Insular Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; Lou Leon Guerrero, Governor, Guam; David B. 
Gootnick, Director, International Affairs and Trade, Government 
Accountability Office; Ralph DLG Torres, Governor, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands; and a public witness.
HEARING WITH MICHAEL COHEN, FORMER ATTORNEY TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
Committee on Oversight and Reform: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Hearing with Michael Cohen, Former Attorney to President 
Donald Trump''. Testimony was heard from a public witness.
SEA CHANGE: IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR OCEANS AND COASTS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on 
Environment held a hearing entitled ``Sea Change: Impacts of Climate 
Change on Our Oceans and Coasts''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
SUPPORTING AMERICA'S STARTUPS: REVIEW OF SBA ENTREPRENEURIAL 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Supporting America's Startups: Review of SBA Entrepreneurial 
Development Programs''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BUSINESS MEETING; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
business meeting on Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Views and Estimates of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and markup on H. Con. 
Res. 16, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National 
Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe 
Band Exhibition; H. Con. Res. 19, authorizing the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby; H.R. 1318, to direct 
the Library of Congress to obtain a stain glassed panel depicting the 
seal of the District of Columbia and install the panel among the 
stained glass panels depicting the seals of States which overlook the 
Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building; 
and H.R. 639, to amend section 327 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to clarify that National Urban 
Search and Rescue Response System task forces may include Federal 
employees. The Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Views and Estimates of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure were adopted, without 
amendment. H. Con. Res. 16, H. Con. Res. 19, H.R. 639, H.R. 1318, were 
ordered reported, without amendment.
VA 2030: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF VA
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``VA 2030: A Vision for the Future of VA''. Testimony was heard from 
Robert Wilkie, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
U.S.-CHINA TRADE
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``U.S.-China Trade''. Testimony was heard from Robert E. Lighthizer, 
United States Trade Representative.

Joint Meetings
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a joint 
hearing with the House Committee

[[Page D197]]

on Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative presentation of The 
American Legion, after receiving testimony from Brett P. Reistad, 
Joseph Sharpe, Vincent Troiola, Matthew Shuman, Chanin Nuntavong, Ralph 
Bozella, and Randall Fisher, all of The American Legion, Washington, 
D.C.