[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 20, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D376-D378]
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 to 
consider 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 2022. The Budget Views and Estimates Letter 
of the Committee on Agriculture was approved.
RURAL BROADBAND--EXAMINING INTERNET CONNECTIVITY NEEDS AND 
OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL AMERICA
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Rural Broadband--Examining Internet Connectivity Needs and 
Opportunities in Rural America''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
FOOD, NUTRITION, AND CONSUMER SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held an 
oversight hearing on Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Department 
of Agriculture. Testimony was heard from Stacy Dean, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Department of 
Agriculture.
APPROPRIATIONS--U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a budget 
hearing on U.S. European Command. Testimony was heard from General Tod 
D. Wolters, Commander, U.S. European Command. This hearing was closed.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the Department of the 
Interior. Testimony was heard from Deb Haaland, Secretary, Department 
of the Interior; and Rachael Taylor, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Policy, Management, and Budget, Department of the 
Interior.
BUILDING CAPACITY, BUILDING COMMUNITY: INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN 
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled 
``Building Capacity, Building Community: Increasing Investments in 
Community Colleges''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES AND U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN THE 
GREATER MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activities in the 
Greater Middle East and Africa''. Testimony was heard from Amanda Dory, 
Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Department of Defense; 
General Kenneth McKenzie, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, Commander, U.S. 
Central Command; and General Stephen Townsend, U.S. Army, Commander, 
U.S. Africa Command.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Education and Labor: Full Committee held a business 
meeting to approve new subcommittee assignments. Subcommittee 
assignments were approved.
FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE CONVERSIONS: EXAMINING WAYS TO IMPROVE 
ACCOUNTABILITY AND PREVENT FRAUD
Committee on Education and Labor: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``For-Profit College Conversions: Examining Ways to Improve 
Accountability and Prevent Fraud''. Testimony was heard from Melissa 
Emrey-Arras, Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, 
Government Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
GENERATING EQUITY: DEPLOYING A JUST AND CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing 
entitled ``Generating Equity: Deploying a Just and Clean Energy 
Future''. Testimony was heard from Louise Carter-King, Mayor, Gillette, 
Wyoming; and public witnesses.

[[Page D377]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee began a markup on the 
Views and Estimates of the Committee on Financial Services on Matters 
to be Set Forth in the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal 
Year 2022 Budget; A Resolution Establishing the Task Force on 
Artificial Intelligence in the Committee on Financial Services; A 
Resolution Establishing the Task Force on Financial Technology in the 
Committee on Financial Services; H.R. 1087, the ``Shareholder Political 
Transparency Act''; H.R. 1187, the ``ESG Disclosure Simplification 
Act''; H.R. 1277, the ``Improving Corporate Governance Through 
Diversity Act''; H.R. 2123, the ``Diversity and Inclusion Data 
Accountability and Transparency Act''; H.R. 2516, the ``Promoting 
Diversity and Inclusion in Banking Act''; H.R. 2543, the ``Federal 
Reserve Racial and Economic Equity Act''; H.R. 2547, the 
``Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act''; and H.R. 2553, the 
``Real Estate Valuation Fairness and Improvement Act of 2021''.
RESTORATION OF THE TRANSATLANTIC DIALOGUE: THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST 
CLIMATE CHANGE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the 
Environment, and Cyber held a hearing entitled ``Restoration of the 
Transatlantic Dialogue: The Global Fight Against Climate Change''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 2393, 
the ``No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2021''; H.R. 704, 
the ``Artistic Recognition for Talented Students Act''; and H.R. 2453, 
the ``Driving for Opportunity Act of 2021''. H.R. 2393 and H.R. 2453 
were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 704 was ordered 
reported, as amended.
BUILDING BACK BETTER: REDUCING POLLUTION AND CREATING JOBS THROUGH 
OFFSHORE WIND
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing entitled ``Building Back Better: Reducing 
Pollution and Creating Jobs Through Offshore Wind''. Testimony was 
heard from Amanda Lefton, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
RESTORING INDEPENDENCE: REBUILDING THE FEDERAL OFFICES OF INSPECTORS 
GENERAL
Committee on Oversight and Reform: Subcommittee on Government 
Operations held a hearing entitled ``Restoring Independence: Rebuilding 
the Federal Offices of Inspectors General''. Testimony was heard from 
Kathy A. Buller, Inspector General, Peace Corps, and Executive Chair, 
Legislation Committee, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity 
and Efficiency; Allison C. Lerner, Inspector General, National Science 
Foundation, and Chair, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity 
and Efficiency; Mia M. Forgy, Deputy Inspector General, U.S. Election 
Assistance Commission; and public witnesses.
WASHINGTON, D.C. ADMISSION ACT; NO BAN ACT; ACCESS TO COUNSEL ACT OF 
2021
Committee on Rules: Full Committee held a hearing on H.R. 51, the 
``Washington, D.C. Admission Act''; H.R. 1333, the ``NO BAN Act''; and 
H.R. 1573, the ``Access to Counsel Act of 2021''. The Committee 
granted, by record vote of 7-4, a rule providing for consideration of 
H.R. 51, the ``Washington, D.C. Admission Act'', H.R. 1573, the 
``Access to Counsel Act of 2021'', and H.R. 1333, the ``NO BAN Act''. 
The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 51, the ``Washington, D.C. 
Admission Act'', under a closed rule. The rule provides one hour of 
general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform or their 
designees. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Reform now 
printed in the bill 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 provides one 
motion to recommit. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1573, 
the ``Access to Counsel Act of 2021'', under a closed rule. The rule 
provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary 
or their designees. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary 
now printed in the bill 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 provides one 
motion to recommit. The rule provides for consideration of H.R.

[[Page D378]]

1333, the ``NO BAN Act'', under a closed rule. The rule provides one 
hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their 
designees. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in 
the bill 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 provides one motion to 
recommit. The rule provides that House Resolution 316 is hereby 
adopted. The rule provides that House Resolution 188, agreed to March 
8, 2021, is amended: in section 11, by striking ``April 22, 2021'' and 
inserting ``May 20, 2021''; in section 16, by striking ``calendar day 
of April 22, 2021'' and inserting ``legislative day of May 20, 2021''; 
and in section 17, by striking ``April 22, 2021'' and inserting ``May 
20, 2021''. The rule provides that at any time through the legislative 
day of Thursday, April 22, 2021, the Speaker may entertain motions 
offered by the Majority Leader or a designee that the House suspend the 
rules with respect to multiple measures that were the object of motions 
to suspend the rules on the legislative days of April 19 or 20, 2021, 
and on which the yeas and nays were ordered and further proceedings 
postponed. The Chair shall put the question on any such motion without 
debate or intervening motion, and the ordering of the yeas and nays on 
postponed motions to suspend the rules with respect to such measures is 
vacated. The rule provides that House Concurrent Resolution 30 is 
hereby adopted. The rule provides that for purposes of the joint 
session to receive the President of the United States on April 28, 
2021, former Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners shall not 
be admitted to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Lofgren, and Representatives Norton, 
Comer, McClintock, Griffith, and Sessions.
UPDATE ON SBA'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE PROGRAMS
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Update on SBA's Pandemic Response Programs''. Testimony was heard 
from William Shear, Director, Financial Markets and Community 
Investment, Government Accountability Office; and Hannibal Ware, 
Inspector General, U.S. Small Business Administration.
MAKING THE CASE FOR CLIMATE ACTION: CREATING NEW JOBS AND CATALYZING 
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Making the Case for Climate Action: Creating New Jobs and 
Catalyzing Economic Growth''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
No joint committee meetings were held.