[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 24, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D296-D298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
DOD CYBER OPERATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity received a 
closed briefing on Department of Defense cyber operations from Mieke 
Eoyang, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy, Office of the 
Under Secretary for Policy, Jeffrey R. Jones, Vice Director, Command, 
Control, Communications and Computers/Cyber, Joint Staff, J-6, Major 
General Kevin B. Kennedy, Jr., USAF, Director of Operations, United 
States Cyber Command, and Rear Admiral Jeffrey J. Czerewko, USN, Deputy 
Director, Global Operations, J39, Joint Staff, J-3, all of the 
Department of Defense.
SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Personnel concluded a 
hearing to examine sexual assault in the military, including how 
continued Congressional oversight and an additional focus on prevention 
could aid the Department of Defense's efforts in this area, after 
receiving testimony from Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense 
Capabilities and Management, Government Accountability Office; Eugene 
R. Fidell, Yale Law School and New York University Law School, New 
Haven, Connecticut; Colonel Don Christensen, USAF (Ret.), Protect our 
Defenders, Alexandria, Virginia; Colonel Lawrence J. Morris, USA 
(Ret.), The Catholic University Of America, Washington, D.C.; Natalie 
Khawam, Whistleblower Law Firm, Tampa, Florida; Amy Braley Franck, 
Never Alone; Quinton M. McNair, USA (Ret.); and Amy Marsh.
CARES ACT
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the quarterly CARES Act report to Congress, after 
receiving testimony from Janet L. Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury; 
and Jerome H. Powell, Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nomination of Polly Ellen Trottenberg, of New 
York, to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation, and a routine list in 
the Coast Guard.
REBUILDING AMERICA'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine rebuilding America's transportation 
infrastructure, after receiving testimony from John D. Porcari, former 
Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Cheverly, Maryland; Mayor Toby 
Barker, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Douglas R. Hooker, Atlanta Regional 
Commission, Atlanta, Georgia; and Mark McAndrews, Port of Pascagoula, 
Pascagoula, Mississippi.
WESTERN WATER MANAGEMENT
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and 
Power concluded a hearing to examine the viability of incorporating 
natural infrastructure in western water management and policy to 
support economic development, protect watershed health, and build more 
resilient communities, after receiving testimony from Charles V. Stern, 
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy, Congressional Research Service, 
Library of Congress; Bobby Cochran, Willamette Partnership, Portland, 
Oregon, Troy Larson, Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Tea, South 
Dakota; and Holly Richter, The Nature Conservancy, Hereford, Arizona.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following business items:
  S. 400, to designate the headquarters building of the Department of 
Transportation located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, in Washington, 
DC, as the ``William T. Coleman, Jr., Federal Building''; and
  The nominations of Brenda Mallory, of Maryland, to be a Member of the 
Council on Environmental Quality, and Janet Garvin McCabe, of Indiana, 
to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.


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

  
  On page D296, March 24, 2021, the following language appears: 
BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Environment and Public Works: 
Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: 
S. 914, to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act to reauthorize programs under those Acts, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 400, to 
designate the headquarters building of the Department of 
Transportation located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, in 
Washington, DC, as the ``William T. Coleman, Jr., Federal 
Building''; and The nominations of Brenda Mallory, of Maryland, to 
be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Janet 
Garvin McCabe, of Indiana, to be Deputy Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency.
  
  The Online and Printed Record have been corrected to read: 
BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Environment and Public Works: 
Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: 
S. 400, to designate the headquarters building of the Department 
of Transportation located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, in 
Washington, DC, as the ``William T. Coleman, Jr., Federal 
Building''; and The nominations of Brenda Mallory, of Maryland, to 
be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Janet 
Garvin McCabe, of Indiana, to be Deputy Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency.


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


                                                  BUSINESS MEETING
  Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 615, to establish an interagency program to assist countries in 
North Africa and West Africa to improve immediate and long-term 
capabilities to counter terrorist threats, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
  S. 335, to reauthorize the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef 
Conservation Act of 1998;
  S. Res. 22, reaffirming the partnership between the United States and 
the Republic of Ecuador and recognizing the restoration and advancement 
of economic relations, security, and development opportunities in both 
nations;

[[Page D297]]


  S. Res. 37, expressing solidarity with the San Isidro Movement in 
Cuba, condemning escalated attacks against artistic freedoms in Cuba, 
and calling for the repeal of laws that violate freedom of expression 
and the immediate release of arbitrarily detained artists, journalists, 
and activists, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. Res. 44, denouncing the Maduro regime's fraudulent legislative 
elections, the absence of acceptable conditions to ensure free, fair, 
and transparent electoral processes in Venezuela, and the further 
erosion of Venezuelan democracy;
  S. Res. 81, honoring Las Damas de Blanco, a women-led nonviolent 
movement in support of freedom and human rights in Cuba, and calling 
for the release of all political prisoners in Cuba;
  S. Res. 120, recognizing the Ninth Summit of the Americas and 
reaffirming the commitment of the United States to a more prosperous, 
secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere;
  S. Res. 34, recognizing the 200th anniversary of the independence of 
Greece and celebrating democracy in Greece and the United States;
  S. Res. 117, expressing support for the full implementation of the 
Good Friday Agreement, or the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent 
agreements and arrangements for implementation to support peace on the 
island of Ireland, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. Res. 35, condemning the military coup that took place on February 
1, 2021, in Burma and the Burmese military's detention of civilian 
leaders, calling for an immediate and unconditional release of all 
those detained and for those elected to serve in parliament to resume 
their duties without impediment, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. Res. 36, reaffirming the strategic partnership between the United 
States and Mongolia and recognizing the 30th anniversary of democracy 
in Mongolia, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. Res. 99, observing the 10th anniversary of the uprising in Syria;
  S. Res. 97, calling on the Government of Ethiopia, the Tigray 
People's Liberation Front, and other belligerents to cease all 
hostilities, protect human rights, allow unfettered humanitarian 
access, and cooperate with independent investigations of credible 
atrocity allegations pertaining to the conflict in the Tigray Region of 
Ethiopia, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. Res. 114, commending the United States African Development 
Foundation on the occasion of its 40th anniversary for creating 
pathways to prosperity for underserved communities on the African 
continent through community-led development; and
  S. Res. 122, reaffirming the importance of United States alliances 
and partnerships, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the state of democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean, 
after receiving testimony from Secretary General Luis Almagro, 
Organization of American States, Deborah Ullmer, National Democratic 
Institute, and Ryan C. Berg, American Enterprise Institute, all of 
Washington, D.C.
NATIONAL RESPONSE ENTERPRISE
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee 
on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight concluded a hearing to 
examine the National Response Enterprise, focusing on preparing for 
future crises, after receiving testimony from General Joseph L. Votel, 
USA (Ret.), Business Executives for National Security, and Kristi M. 
Rogers, Principal to Principal LLC, both of Washington, D.C.; W. Craig 
Fugate, former Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security, Gainesville, Florida; and Michael 
Capps, Diveplane Corporation, Raleigh, North Carolina.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Cynthia Minette 
Marten, of California, to be Deputy Secretary of Education, after the 
nominee, who was introduced by former Representative Susan Davis, 
testified and answered questions in her own behalf.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following bills:
  S. 421, to amend the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 to 
expand the Indian reservation drinking water program; and
  S. 789, to repeal certain obsolete laws relating to Indians.
NATIVE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine water infrastructure needs for Native communities, after 
receiving testimony from Raymond Tsumpti, Confederated Tribes of Warm 
Springs, Warm Springs, Oregon; Amelia Flores, Colorado River Indian 
Tribes, Parker, Arizona; Valerie Nurr'Araaluk Davidson, Alaska Native 
Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage; and Jason

[[Page D298]]

John, Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources, Ft. Defiance, 
Arizona.
FOR THE PEOPLE ACT
Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine S. 1, to expand Americans' access to the ballot box, reduce the 
influence of big money in politics, strengthen ethics rules for public 
servants, and implement other anti-corruption measures for the purpose 
of fortifying our democracy, after receiving testimony from former 
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., National Democratic Redistricting 
Committee, Washington, D.C.; Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn 
Benson, Lansing; West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, 
Charleston; Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, Indianapolis; Lee E. 
Goodman, former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission, Trevor 
Potter, Campaign Legal Center, Fred Wertheimer, Democracy 21, and 
Tiffany Muller, End Citizens United/Let America Vote Action Fund, all 
of Washington, D.C.; Michael Waldman, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU 
Law School, New York, New York; and Bradley A. Smith, Institute for 
Free Speech, Columbus, Ohio.
SBA'S COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded 
an oversight hearing to examine Small Business Administration's COVID-
19 relief programs, including S. 723, to amend the Small Business Act 
and the CARES Act to extend the covered period for the paycheck 
protection program, after receiving testimony from Patrick Kelly, 
Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access, James Rivera, 
Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Assistance, Hannibal Ware, 
Inspector General, all of the Small Business Administration; and 
William B. Shear, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, 
Government Accountability Office.
VETERANS' MENTAL HEALTH AND THE HANNON ACT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine veterans' mental health and implementation of the Hannon Act, 
focusing on coping during COVID, after receiving testimony from David 
Carroll, Executive Director, and Lisa K. Kearney, Acting Director, 
Veterans Crisis Line, Deputy Director, and Matthew A. Miller, Director, 
both of Suicide Prevention, Clifford A. Smith, Director, Field Support 
and Analytics, all of the Office of Mental Health and Suicide 
Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; Chad Bradford, Director, Mental Health Policy and Oversight, 
and Karin A. Orvis, Director, Defense Suicide Prevention Office, both 
of the Department of Defense; Tammy Barlet, Veterans of Foreign Wars of 
the United States, and Tom Porter, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of 
America, both of Washington, D.C.; and Lieutenant Colonel James 
Lorraine, USAF (Ret.), America's Warrior Partnership, Augusta, Georgia.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of 
the intelligence community.