[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1240-D1242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
F-35 PROGRAM UPDATE: SUSTAINMENT, PRODUCTION, AND AFFORDABILITY 
CHALLENGES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness; and 
Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces held a joint hearing 
entitled ``F-35 Program Update: Sustainment, Production, and 
Affordability Challenges''. Testimony was heard from Ellen M. Lord, 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Office of 
the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense; Robert F. Behler, 
Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of 
Defense, Department of Defense; Lieutenant General Eric Fick, Program 
Executive Officer, F-35 Lightening II Joint Program Office; Diana 
Maurer, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, Government 
Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a markup 
on H.R. 2339, the ``Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019''; 
H.R. 4995, the ``Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019''; 
H.R. 4996, the ``Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act of 
2019''; and H.R. 2387, the ``STOP GAMES Act of 2019''. H.R. 2339 and 
H.R. 4996 were forwarded to the full Committee, as amended. H.R. 4995 
and H.R. 2387 were forwarded to the full Committee, without amendment.
HOW AMERICA LEADS ABROAD: AN EXAMINATION OF MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT 
INSTITUTIONS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on National Security, 
International Development, and Monetary Policy held a hearing entitled 
``How America Leads Abroad: An Examination of Multilateral Development 
Institutions''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee began a markup on H.R. 
2445, the ``Self-Employed Mortgage Act''; H.R. 3490, the ``Small 
Business Lending Fairness Act''; H.R. 3948, the ``Debt Collection 
Practices Harmonization Act''; H.R. 4403, the ``Stop Debt Collection 
Abuse Act''; H.R. 5021, the ``Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act of 
2019''; H.R. 2398, to amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 and 
title 38, United States Code, to expand

[[Page D1241]]

eligibility for the HUD-VASH program, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to submit annual reports to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives regarding 
homeless veterans, and for other purposes; H.R. 5003, the ``Fair Debt 
Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act''; H.R. 5001, the ``Non-
Judicial Foreclosure Debt Collection Clarification Act''; and H.R. 
5013, the ``Small Business Fair Debt Collection Protection Act''.
DEMOCRACY AND THE NATO ALLIANCE: UPHOLDING OUR SHARED DEMOCRATIC VALUES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, 
and the Environment held a hearing entitled ``Democracy and the NATO 
Alliance: Upholding our Shared Democratic Values''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.J. Res. 
79, removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights 
amendment. H.J. Res. 79 was ordered reported, as amended.
ONLINE PLATFORMS AND MARKET POWER, PART 4: PERSPECTIVES OF THE 
ANTITRUST AGENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and 
Administrative Law held a hearing entitled ``Online Platforms and 
Market Power, Part 4: Perspectives of the Antitrust Agencies''. 
Testimony was heard from Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney General, 
Antitrust Division, Department of Justice; and Joseph Simons, Chairman, 
Federal Trade Commission.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of 
the United States held a hearing on H.R. 4957, the ``Native American 
Child Protection Act''. Testimony was heard from Spike Bighorn, Deputy 
Bureau Director, Office of Indian Services, Department of the Interior; 
Rear Admiral Brandon L. Taylor, Chief of Staff, Indian Health Service, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
ROADS TO RUIN: EXAMINING THE IMPACTS OF REMOVING NATIONAL FOREST 
ROADLESS PROTECTIONS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing entitled ``Roads to Ruin: 
Examining the Impacts of Removing National Forest Roadless 
Protections''. Testimony was heard from Christopher French, Deputy 
Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Forest Service, Department of 
Agriculture; Kyle Moselle, Associate Director, Office of Project 
Management and Permitting, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, 
Anchorage, Alaska; and public witnesses.
UNITED STATES EXPORT FINANCE AGENCY ACT OF 2019
Committee on Rules: Full Committee concluded a hearing on H.R. 4863, 
the ``United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019''. The Committee 
granted, by record vote of 9-3, a structured rule providing for 
consideration of H.R. 4863, the ``United States Export Finance Agency 
Act of 2019''. 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 Financial Services. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 116-36 shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as 
amended, shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of 
order against provisions in the bill, as amended. The rule makes in 
order only those amendments printed in 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 the report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or 
without instructions. The rule amends House Resolution 6 to extend the 
Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress until the conclusion 
of the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress. The rule provides that House 
Resolution 661 and House Resolution 693 are hereby adopted. The rule 
provides that a motion to discharge House Concurrent Resolution 70 
shall be in order on November 21, 2019, if offered by Representative 
Gabbard, with 20 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled by 
Representative Gabbard and an opponent. The rule provides that the 
provisions of section 7 of the War Powers Resolution shall not apply 
during the remainder of the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress to House 
Concurrent Resolution 70.

[[Page D1242]]


STRENGTHENING TRANSPARENCY OR SILENCING SCIENCE? THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE 
IN EPA RULEMAKING
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science? The 
Future of Science in EPA Rulemaking''. Testimony was heard from 
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for 
Science, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection 
Agency; and public witnesses.
KEEPING OUR SIGHTS ON MARS PART 2: STRUCTURING A MOON-MARS PROGRAM FOR 
SUCCESS
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing entitled ``Keeping Our Sights on Mars Part 
2: Structuring a Moon-Mars Program for Success''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
UPSKILLING THE MEDICAL WORKFORCE: OPPORTUNITIES IN HEALTH INNOVATION
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Upskilling the Medical Workforce: Opportunities in Health 
Innovation''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
AMTRAK NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing entitled 
``Amtrak Now and Into the Future''. Testimony was heard from Nancy 
Nathanson, Representative, State Legislature, Oregon; Stacey Mortensen, 
Executive Director, San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, Stockton, 
California; and public witnesses.
REVIEW OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION CURRENT FACILITIES AND FUTURE SPACE 
NEEDS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing entitled ``Review of Smithsonian Institution Current Facilities 
and Future Space Needs''. Testimony was heard from Lonnie G. Bunch III, 
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.
HIJACKING OUR HEROES: EXPLOITING VETERANS THROUGH DISINFORMATION ON 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Hijacking our Heroes: Exploiting Veterans through Disinformation on 
Social Media''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM B. TAYLOR AND MR. GEORGE KENT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``Impeachment Inquiry: Ambassador William B. Taylor 
and Mr. George Kent''. Testimony was heard from William B. Taylor, 
Charge d'Affaires Ad Interim, Ukraine, Department of State; and George 
Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, 
Department of State.

Joint Meetings
THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
economic outlook, after receiving testimony from Jerome H. Powell, 
Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.