[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 151 (Thursday, September 19, 2019)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1037-D1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FEDERAL FARM AND DISASTER PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management; and Subcommittee and Livestock and Foreign Agriculture 
held a joint hearing entitled ``To Review the Implementation of Federal 
Farm and Disaster Programs''. Testimony was heard from Bill Northey, 
Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation, Department of 
Agriculture.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) ENGAGEMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``Science, 
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement''. Testimony 
was heard from Michael Kincaid, Associate Administrator for STEM 
Engagement, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and Karen 
Marrongelle, Assistant Director, Education and Human Resources, 
National Science Foundation.

[[Page D1038]]


MARINE DEBRIS: IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing entitled ``Marine Debris: Impacts on 
Ecosystems and Species''. Testimony was heard from Stephen Guertin, 
Deputy Director for Program Management/Policy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of the Interior; Anne Kinsinger, Associate 
Director, Ecosystems Mission Area, U.S. Geological Survey, Department 
of the Interior; Linsey Haram, Marine Ecologist, Marine Invasions 
Research Lab, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian 
Institution; and public witnesses.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  September 19, 2019, on page D1038, the following appeared: 
MARINE DEBRIS: IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES Committee on 
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related 
Agencies held a hearing entitled ``Marine Debris: Impacts on 
Ecosystems and Species''. Testimony was heard from Stephen 
Guertin, Deputy Director for Program Management/Policy, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; Anne Kinsinger, 
Associate Director Ecosystems Mission Area, U.S. Geological 
Survey, Department of the Interior; Linsey Haram, Marine 
Ecologist, Marine Invasions Research Lab, Smithsonian 
Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Institution; and public 
witnesses.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: MARINE DEBRIS: 
IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES Committee on Appropriations: 
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing entitled ``Marine Debris: Impacts on Ecosystems and 
Species''. Testimony was heard from Stephen Guertin, Deputy 
Director for Program Management/Policy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of the Interior; Anne Kinsinger, Associate 
Director, Ecosystems Mission Area, U.S. Geological Survey, 
Department of the Interior; Linsey Haram, Marine Ecologist, Marine 
Invasions Research Lab, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 
Smithsonian Institution; and public witnesses.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


                           SOLUTIONS TO RISING ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
    Committee on the Budget: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
 ``Solutions to Rising Economic Inequality''. Testimony was heard from 
                           public witnesses.
      BROKEN PROMISES: EXAMINING THE FAILED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 
                           PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Higher Education and 
    Workforce Investment held a hearing entitled ``Broken Promises: 
    Examining the Failed Implementation of the Public Service Loan 
Forgiveness Program''. Testimony was heard from Yael Shavit, Assistant 
Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Massachusetts Office of 
    the Attorney General; Melissa Emery-Arras, Director, Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security, Government Accountability Office; Jeff 
 Appel, Office of Federal Student Aid, Director of Policy Liaison and 
     Implementation, Department of Education; and public witnesses.
     EXAMINING THE POLICIES AND PRIORITIES OF THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT 
          OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION (EEOC) AND THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL 
                              CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS (OFCCP)
  Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Civil Rights and 
  Human Services held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Policies and 
 Priorities of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and 
the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)''. Testimony 
    was heard from Craig Leen, Director, Office of Federal Contract 
 Compliance Programs, Department of Labor; Janet Dhillon, Chair, U.S. 
   Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Cindy Brown Barnes, 
    Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Government 
                         Accountability Office.
     PROTECTING UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN: THE ONGOING IMPACT OF THE 
                             TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S CRUEL POLICIES
    Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
   Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Protecting Unaccompanied 
   Children: The Ongoing Impact of the Trump Administration's Cruel 
 Policies''. Testimony was heard from Jonathan Hayes, Director, Office 
  of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, 
Department of Health and Human Services; Commander Jonathan White, U.S. 
  Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Department of Health and 
Human Services; Ann Maxwell, Assistant Inspector General for Evaluation 
   and Inspections, Office of Evaluation and Inspections, Office of 
Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; and John R. 
Modlin, Acting Deputy Chief, Law Enforcement Operational Programs, Law 
 Enforcement Operations Directorate, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
     PROFITS OVER CONSUMERS: EXPOSING HOW PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES 
                                                   GAME THE SYSTEM
 Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Consumer Protection 
and Commerce held a hearing entitled ``Profits Over Consumers: Exposing 
  How Pharmaceutical Companies Game the System''. Testimony was heard 
                         from public witnesses.
                                            MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
 Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee continued a markup on 
  H.R. 123, the ``FHA Additional Credit Pilot Program Reauthorization 
 Act''; H.R. 132, the ``North America Development Bank Improvement Act 
of 2019''; H.R. 4029, the ``Tribal Eligibility for Homeless Assistance 
 Grants Act of 2019''; H.R. 4067, the ``Financial Inclusion in Banking 
 Act of 2019''; H.R. 4242, the ``Greater Accountability in Pay Act of 
2019''; H.R. 4300, the ``Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act of 
2019''; H.R. 4302, the ``Facilitating Access to Homeless Assistance Act 
of 2019''; H.R. 4328, the ``Protecting Innocent Consumers Affected by a 
 Shutdown Act''; H.R. 4329, the ``ESG Disclosure Simplification Act of 
2019''; H.R. 4344, to amend the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 to 
 allow for the SEC to seek and Federal courts to grant restitution to 
 investors and disgorgement of unjust enrichment; H.R. 4335, the ``8-K 
 Trading Gap Act of 2019''; and H.R. 4320, the ``Corporate Management 
                     Accountability Act of 2019''.

[[Page D1039]]


                     THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S AFGHANISTAN POLICY
 Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Trump Administration's Afghanistan Policy''. Testimony was heard 
 from Alice G. Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and 
Central Asian Affairs, Department of State; Karen Freeman, Assistant to 
  the Administrator, Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, U.S. 
      Agency for International Development; and public witnesses.
     THE NORTHERN NORTHERN BORDER: HOMELAND SECURITY PRIORITIES IN 
                                                THE ARCTIC, PART I
  Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
   Maritime Security held a hearing entitled ``The Northern Northern 
Border: Homeland Security Priorities in the Arctic, Part I''. Testimony 
                    was heard from public witnesses.
                           OVERSIGHT HEARING ON POLICING PRACTICES
  Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
 ``Oversight Hearing on Policing Practices''. Testimony was heard from 
                           public witnesses.
                                              LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
  Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
  Resources held a hearing on H.R. 496, the ``Sinkhole Mapping Act of 
  2019''; H.R. 2485, the ``Federal Land Asset Inventory Reform Act of 
2019''; H.R. 2640, the ``Buffalo Tract Protection Act''; H.R. 4026, the 
  ``Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act''; and H.R. 
 4299, the ``Data Preservation Act of 2019''. Testimony was heard from 
   Representatives Haaland, Soto, Fulcher, and Westerman; and public 
                               witnesses.
                                              LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
    Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on H.R. 3458, the ``Recreation 
  Not Red Tape Act''; and H.R. 3879, the ``SOAR Act''. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Bishop of Utah; Leah Baker, Acting Assistant 
Director, Resources and Planning, Bureau of Land Management, Department 
   of the Interior; Chris French, Deputy Chief, U.S. Forest Service, 
            Department of Agriculture; and public witnesses.
                                              LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of 
the United States held a hearing on H.R. 1312, the ``Yurok Lands Act of 
     2019''; S. 216, the ``Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane 
 Reservation Equitable Compensation Act''; H.R. 3846, the ``Safeguard 
Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act of 2019''; and H.R. 4153, the ``Health 
 Care Access for Urban Native Veterans Act''. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Huffman, Lujan, and Khanna; Darryl LaCounte, Director, 
  Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; Rear Admiral 
 Chris Buchanan, Deputy Director, Indian Health Service, Department of 
    Health and Human Services; Sonya Baskerville, Manager, National 
    Relations, Bonneville Power Administration, Oregon; and public 
                               witnesses.
                               H.R. 51: MAKING D.C. THE 51ST STATE
   Committee on Oversight and Reform: Full Committee held a hearing 
 entitled ``H.R. 51: Making D.C. the 51st State''. Testimony was heard 
   from Muriel Bowser, Mayor, District of Columbia; Phil Mendelson, 
Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia; Jeffrey S. DeWitt, Chief 
Financial Officer, District of Columbia; Kenneth R. Thomas, Legislative 
  Attorney, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and 
                           public witnesses.
       MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, AND 
                                                FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 4378, making 
continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes. 
 The Committee granted, by nonrecord vote, a closed rule providing for 
consideration of H.R. 4378, making continuing appropriations for fiscal 
   year 2020, and for other purposes. The rule provides one hour of 
general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all 
 points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides 
 that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points 
of order against provisions in the bill. Finally, the rule provides one 
                          motion to recommit.
     SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
    hearing entitled ``Science and Technology at the Environmental 
     Protection Agency''. Testimony was heard from Andrew Wheeler, 
            Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency.
                                  SBA PROGRAMS SPURRING INNOVATION
 Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce 
      Development held a hearing entitled ``SBA Programs Spurring 
        Innovation''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

[[Page D1040]]


                                            MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
 markup on H.R. 3632, the ``Fair and Open Skies Act''; H.R. 1620, the 
 ``Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act''; H.R. 1132, the ``San 
  Francisco Bay Restoration Act''; H.R. 2247, the ``Promoting United 
  Government Efforts to Save Our Sound Act''; H.R. 4031, the ``Great 
 Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019''; H.R. 4044, the ``Protect 
and Restore America's Estuaries Act''; H.R. 4275, to amend the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin 
      Restoration Program, and for other purposes; H.R. 3779, the 
``Resilience Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2019''; H.R. 2242, to amend the 
  Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to 
 include certain services in the definition of critical services, and 
for other purposes; H.R. 4347, the ``PREPARE Act of 2019''; and General 
   Services Administration's Capital Investment and Leasing Program 
Resolutions. H.R. 3632, H.R. 1620, H.R. 4031, H.R. 4044, and H.R. 4347 
 were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 1132, H.R. 2242, H.R. 
   2247, H.R. 4275, and H.R. 3779 were ordered reported, as amended. 
   General Services Administration's Capital Investment and Leasing 
                   Program Resolutions were adopted.
       UPDATE ON VA CONTRACTED EXAMS, QUALITY REVIEW PROCESS, AND 
                                         SERVICE TO RURAL VETERANS
 Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Update on VA Contracted 
    Exams, Quality Review Process, and Service to Rural Veterans''. 
    Testimony was heard from Mary Glenn, Deputy Director, Mandatory 
 Disability Exams Program, Veterans Benefit Administration, Department 
 of Veterans Affairs; Elizabeth Curda, Director, Education, Workforce 
   and Income Security Issues, Government Accountability Office; and 
                           public witnesses.
              EXAMINING VA'S OVERPAYMENTS AND COLLECTION PROCESSES
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
 Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Examining VA's Overpayments 
  and Collection Processes''. Testimony was heard from Jon Rychalski, 
    Assistant Secretary for Management and Chief Financial Officer, 
         Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
                                  HOW THE TAX CODE SUBSIDIZES HATE
 Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
entitled ``How the Tax Code Subsidizes Hate''. Testimony was heard from 
                           public witnesses.
      RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS 
         PROCESS: A LOOK AT THE WORK OF THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE
Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress: Full Committee held 
   a hearing entitled ``Recommendations for Improving the Budget and 
    Appropriations Process: A Look at the Work of the Joint Select 
Committee''. Testimony was heard from Chairman Lowey and Representative 
    Womack; Megan Lynch, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative 
   Process, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and 
                           public witnesses.
Joint Meetings
                                NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Conferees met in closed session to resolve the differences between the 
   Senate and House passed versions of S. 1790, a bill to authorize 
  appropriations for fiscal year 2020 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.

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