[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 22, 2019)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1145-D1148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
REALIZING THE CONSERVATION BENEFITS OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry 
held a hearing entitled ``Realizing the Conservation Benefits of 
Precision Agriculture''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SHIP AND SUBMARINE MAINTENANCE: COST AND SCHEDULE CHALLENGES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
entitled ``Ship and Submarine Maintenance: Cost and Schedule 
Challenges''. Testimony was heard from James F. Geurts, Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, U.S. 
Department of the Navy; and Vice Admiral Thomas J. Moore, Commander, 
Naval Sea Systems Command, U.S. Department of the Navy.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Civil Rights and 
Human Services held a hearing entitled ``Long Over Due: Exploring the 
Pregnant Workers' Fairness Act (H.R. 2694)''. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Nadler and public witnesses.
THE END OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING? A REVIEW OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S 
PLANS TO CHANGE HOUSING FINANCE IN AMERICA
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The End of Affordable Housing? A Review of the Trump Administration's 
Plans to

[[Page D1146]]

Change Housing Finance in America''. Testimony was heard from Steven T. 
Mnuchin, Secretary, Department of the Treasury; Benjamin S. Carson, 
Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development; and Mark A. 
Calabria, Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE DECLINE OF MINORITY DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS AND 
THE IMPACT ON UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Consumer Protection 
and Financial Institutions held a hearing entitled ``An Examination of 
the Decline of Minority Depository Institutions and the Impact on 
Underserved Communities''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN SOUTH ASIA: VIEWS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE 
REGION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and 
Nonproliferation held a hearing entitled ``Human Rights in South Asia: 
Views from the State Department and the Region''. Testimony was heard 
from Alice G. Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and 
Central Asian Affairs, Department of State; Robert A. Destro, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of 
State; and public witnesses.
PROTECTING THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT FROM BREXIT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, 
and the Environment held a hearing entitled ``Protecting the Good 
Friday Agreement from Brexit''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: AN ASSESSMENT OF EMERGING CYBER THREATS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Infrastructure Protection and Innovation held a hearing entitled 
``Preparing for the Future: An Assessment of Emerging Cyber Threats''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SECURING AMERICA'S ELECTIONS PART II: OVERSIGHT OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Securing America's Elections Part II: Oversight of Government 
Agencies''. Testimony was heard from Matthew Masterson, Senior 
Cybersecurity Advisor, Department of Homeland Security; Nikki Floris, 
Deputy Assistant Director for Counterterrorism, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation; Adam Hickey, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, National 
Security Division, Department of Justice; and Ben Hovland, Vice Chair, 
U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a hearing on 
legislation to amend the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and 
Economic Stability Act or `PROMESA,' and for other purposes. Testimony 
was heard from Omar Marrero, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Fiscal 
Agency and Financial Advisory Authority; Natalie Jaresko, Executive 
Director, Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico; 
Carmelo Rios, Majority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Eduardo Bhatia 
Gautier, Minority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Antonio L. Soto 
Torres, Member, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; Rafael Hernandez, 
Minority Leader, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; and Carmen Yulin 
Cruz Soto, Mayor, San Juan, Puerto Rico.


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

  
  October 22, 2019, on page D1146, the following language appears: 
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee 
held a hearing on legislation to amend the Puerto Rico Oversight, 
Management, and Economic Stability Act or `PROMESA,' and for other 
purposes. Testimony was heard from Omar Marrero, Executive 
Director, Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory 
Authority; Natalie Jaresko, Executive Director, Financial 
Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico; Carmelo Rios, 
Majority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Eduardo Bhatia Gautier, 
Minority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Antonio L. Soto Torres, 
Member, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; Rafael Hernandez, 
Minority Leader, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; Carmen 
Yulin Cruz Soto, Mayor, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: LEGISLATIVE 
MEASURE Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a 
hearing on legislation to amend the Puerto Rico Oversight, 
Management, and Economic Stability Act or `PROMESA,' and for other 
purposes. Testimony was heard from Omar Marrero, Executive 
Director, Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory 
Authority; Natalie Jaresko, Executive Director, Financial 
Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico; Carmelo Rios, 
Majority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Eduardo Bhatia Gautier, 
Minority Leader, Senate of Puerto Rico; Antonio L. Soto Torres, 
Member, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; Rafael Hernandez, 
Minority Leader, Puerto Rico House of Representatives; and Carmen 
Yulin Cruz Soto, Mayor, San Juan, Puerto Rico.


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


NO MORE STANDOFFS: PROTECTING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND ENDING THE CULTURE 
OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT ATTACKS AND ABUSE
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing entitled ``No More Standoffs: 
Protecting Federal Employees and Ending the Culture of Anti-Government 
Attacks and Abuse''. Testimony was heard from Anne-Marie Fennell, 
Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, Government 
Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
METRO: REPORT CARD FOR AMERICA'S SUBWAY
Committee on Oversight and Reform: Subcommittee on Government 
Operations held a hearing entitled ``Metro: Report Card for America's 
Subway''. Testimony was heard from David L Mayer, Chief Executive 
Officer, Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, and the following 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials: Geoffrey 
Cherrington, Inspector General; Paul Smedberg, Chair, Board of 
Directors; and Paul Wiedefeld, General Manager and Chief Executive 
Officer.
STOPPING HARMFUL INTERFERENCE IN ELECTIONS FOR A LASTING DEMOCRACY ACT
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 4617, the 
``Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy 
Act''. The Committee granted, by record vote of 9-2, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 4617, the ``Stopping Harmful 
Interference in Elections for a

[[Page D1147]]

Lasting Democracy Act''. The rule provides one hour of general debate 
on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on House Administration. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 116-35, as modified by the amendment printed in Part A 
of the Rules Committee report, 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 
amendments printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report accompanying 
the resolution. 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 Part B of 
the report. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or 
without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Lofgren and 
Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois.
NATIVE 8(A) CONTRACTING: EMERGING ISSUES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, 
and Regulations held a hearing entitled ``Native 8(a) Contracting: 
Emerging Issues''. Testimony was heard from Seto Bagdoyan, Director, 
Forensic Audits and Investigative Service, Government Accountability 
Office; and public witnesses.
AN ASSESSMENT OF FEDERAL RECOVERY EFFORTS FROM RECENT DISASTERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency held a hearing 
entitled ``An Assessment of Federal Recovery Efforts from Recent 
Disasters''. Testimony was heard from Jeffrey Byard, Associate 
Administrator for Response and Recovery, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, Department of Homeland Security; Dennis Alvord, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Chief Operating 
Officer, Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce; 
Chris P. Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Government 
Accountability Office; Fernando Gil-Ensenat, Secretary, Departamento de 
la Vivienda (Department of Housing), Puerto Rico; Rhonda Wiley, 
Emergency Management/911 Director and Floodplain Manager, Atchison 
County, Missouri; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 4360, the ``VA Overpayment 
Accountability Act''; H.R. 592, the ``Protect Veterans from Financial 
Fraud Act of 2019''; H.R. 1030, the ``Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment 
Act''; H.R. 4165, the ``Improving Benefits for Underserved Veterans 
Act''; H.R. 4183, the ``Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study 
Act''; H.R. 628, the ``WINGMAN Act''; H.R. 1424, the ``Fallen Warrior 
Battlefield Cross Memorial Act''; H.R. 1911, the ``SFC Brian Woods Gold 
Star and Military Survivors Act''; legislation to extend increased 
dependency and indemnity compensation paid to surviving spouses of 
veterans who die from ALS; and legislation to permit appellants to 
appear before the Board of Veterans' Appeals via picture and voice 
transmission from locations outside the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA). Testimony was heard from Representatives Cisneros, Brownley of 
California, Delgado, Gonzalez of Ohio, Yoho, and Waltz; Ronald Burke, 
Executive Director, Pension and Fiduciary Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Kimberly McLeod, Deputy 
Vice Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 3398, 
the ``Pathways to Health Careers Act of 2019''; H.R. 3, the ``Lower 
Drug Costs Act Now Act of 2019''; H.R. 4650, the ``Medicare Dental Act 
of 2019''; H.R. 4665, the ``Medicare Vision Act of 2019''; and H.R. 
4618, the ``Medicare Hearing Act of 2019''. H.R. 3398, H.R. 3, H.R. 
4650, H.R. 4665, and H.R. 4618 were ordered reported, as amended.
SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISIS: NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO CUTTING POLLUTION AND 
BUILDING RESILIENCE
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Solving the Climate Crisis: Natural Solutions to Cutting 
Pollution and Building Resilience''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ARMENIA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine reform in Armenia, after receiving testimony from 
Hamazasp

[[Page D1148]]

Danielyan, National Assembly of Armenia, and Daniel Ioannisian, Union 
of Informed Citizens, both of Yerevan, Armenia; and Arsen Kharatyan, 
Aliq Media, Miriam Lanskoy, National Endowment for Democracy, and 
Jonathan D. Katz, German Marshall Fund, all of Washington, D.C.