[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D503-D505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
DOMESTIC VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN AMERICA
Committee on Appropriations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
domestic violent extremism in America, after receiving testimony from 
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Department of Justice; and 
Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Personnel concluded a 
hearing to examine military and civilian personnel programs in the 
Department of Defense in review of the Defense Authorization Request 
for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program, after 
receiving testimony from Lernes Herbert, Performing the Duties of 
Assistant Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Terry Adirim, 
Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, Elizabeth P. Van Winkle, 
Executive Director, Office of Force Resiliency, Lieutenant General Gary 
M. Brito, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, Vice Admiral John B. Nowell 
Jr., USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, N-1 and Chief of Naval 
Personnel, Lieutenant General Brian T. Kelly, USAF, Deputy Chief of 
Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Lieutenant General David A. 
Ottingnon, USMC, Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, 
and Patricia Mulcahy, Chief Human Capital Officer, United States Space 
Force, all of the Department of Defense.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces concluded 
a hearing to examine the Department of Defense budget posture for 
nuclear forces in review of the Defense Authorization Request for 
Fiscal Year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program, after receiving 
testimony from Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe, Director, Navy Strategic 
Systems Program, General Timothy Ray, Commander, Air Force Global 
Strike Command, Andrew Walter, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear 
Matters, and Leonor Tomero, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear and 
Missile Defense Policy, all of the Department of Defense.
THE PENTAGON
Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
waste, fraud, cost overruns, and auditing at the Pentagon, after 
receiving testimony from Lawrence J. Korb, Center for American

[[Page D504]]

Progress, William D. Hartung, Center for International Policy, Mandy 
Smithberger, Project on Government Oversight, Roger Zakheim, Ronald 
Reagan Institute, and Tom Spoehr, The Heritage Foundation, all of 
Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 82, to require a joint task force on air travel during and after 
the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency;
  S. 116, to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to study 
the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on injuries and deaths associated 
with consumer products, with an amendment;
  S. 140, to improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, 
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute;
  S. 316, to establish a temperature checks pilot program for air 
transportation, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 497, to establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee to 
assist in the awarding of fisheries research and development grants;
  S. 516, to plan for and coordinate efforts to integrate advanced air 
mobility aircraft into the national airspace system, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1037, to provide for the establishment of a section of the website 
of the Department of Commerce that shall serve as the primary hub for 
information relating to Federal manufacturing programs, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1260, to establish a new Directorate for Technology and Innovation 
in the National Science Foundation, to establish a regional technology 
hub program, to require a strategy and report on economic security, 
science, research, innovation, manufacturing, and job creation, to 
establish a critical supply chain resiliency program, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute; and
  S. 1289, to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to 
reauthorize and modify the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue 
Assistance Grant Program;
  The nominations of Leslie B. Kiernan, of Maryland, to be General 
Counsel of the Department of Commerce, and Lina M. Khan, of New York, 
to be a Federal Trade Commissioner.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the nominations of Shannon Aneal Estenoz, of 
Florida, to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and 
Wildlife, and Radhika Fox, of California, to be an Assistant 
Administrator, and Michal Ilana Freedhoff, of Maryland, to be Assistant 
Administrator for Toxic Substances, who was introduced by Senator 
Markey, both of the Environmental Protection Agency, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
PRESIDENT'S TRADE POLICY AGENDA
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
President's 2021 trade policy agenda, after receiving testimony from 
Katherine C. Tai, United States Trade Representative, Executive Office 
of the President.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Health Care concluded a hearing 
to examine the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, focusing on improving 
mental health and addiction services in our communities, after 
receiving testimony from Victor Armstrong, North Carolina Department of 
Health and Human Services, Raleigh; Stephanie Woodard, Nevada 
Department of Health and Human Services, Carson City; Lenette Kosovich, 
Rimrock Foundation, Billings, Montana; and Malkia Newman, CNS 
Healthcare Anti-Stigma Program, Waterford, Michigan.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine COVID-19 pandemic and the United States international response, 
after receiving testimony from Gayle E. Smith, Coordinator for Global 
COVID Response and Health Security, Department of State; and Jeremy M. 
Konyndyk, Executive Director of COVID-19 Task Force, Office of the 
Administrator, United States Agency for International Development.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
ordered favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 1351, to strengthen the security and integrity of the United 
States scientific and research enterprise;
  S. 1316, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to make a declaration of a significant 
incident, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1097, to establish a Federal rotational cyber workforce program 
for the Federal cyber workforce;
  S. 1353, to promote United States values and fulfill agency missions 
through the use of innovative

[[Page D505]]

applied artificial intelligence technologies, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
  S. 73, to ban the Federal procurement of certain drones and other 
unmanned aircraft systems;
  S. 1143, to prohibit certain individuals from downloading or using 
TikTok on any device issued by the United States or a government 
corporation;
  S. 1330, to facilitate the reskilling of Federal employees, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1350, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a 
national risk management cycle, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 1306, to provide for domestic sourcing of personal protective 
equipment, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 732, to strengthen Buy American requirements, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute; and
  S. 1303, to ensure that certain Federal infrastructure programs 
require the use of materials produced in the United States, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
GAO REPORT ON DUPLICATION, OVERLAP, AND FRAGMENTATION
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee 
on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight concluded a hearing to 
examine the findings and recommendations of the Government 
Accountability Office's 2021 report on duplication, overlap, 
fragmentation and opportunities to achieve financial benefits, after 
receiving testimony from Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the 
United States, Government Accountability Office.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nominations of Jocelyn Samuels, of Maryland, to 
be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Seema 
Nanda, of Virginia, to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor.
COVID-19 RESPONSE IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES OVERSIGHT
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine the COVID-19 response in native communities, focusing on 
tourism economies one year later, after receiving testimony from Dennis 
Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic 
Development, Economic Development Administration; Anthony M. Rodman, 
Acting Director, Office of Indian Economic Development, Department of 
the Interior; John De Fries, Hawai'i Tourism Authority, Honolulu; 
Sherry L. Rupert, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, 
Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Russell Dick, Huna Totem Corporation, 
Juneau, Alaska.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nominations of Deborah L. Boardman, and Lydia Kay Griggsby, both to 
be a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, both 
introduced by Senators Cardin and Van Hollen, and Ronald L. Davis, of 
California, to be Director of the United States Marshals Service, 
Department of Justice, after the nominees testified and answered 
questions in their own behalf.
IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN AMERICA
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
and Border Safety concluded a hearing to examine the essential role of 
immigrant workers in America, including S. 747, to amend the 
Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the adjustment of status 
of essential workers, after receiving testimony from Ronald D. 
Vitiello, former Chief, Border Patrol, and former Acting Director, 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; 
Rose Michelle Tilus, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Pawtucket, Rhode Island; 
Bruce Goldstein, Farmworker Justice, and Douglas Holtz-Eakin, American 
Action Forum, both of Washington, D.C.; and Tom K. Wong, University of 
California San Diego, La Jolla.
CLAIMS PROCESS DURING COVID
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine supporting disabled veterans, focusing on the state of claims 
processing during and after COVID-19, after receiving testimony from 
Thomas J. Murphy, Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, and Willie C. 
Clark, Sr., Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, both of the 
Veterans Benefits Administration, and Toby T. Mathew, Chief Officer, 
Office of Disability and Medical Assessment, Veterans Health 
Administration, all of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Elizabeth 
Curda, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Government 
Accountability Office; Ryan Gallucci, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Shane 
Liermann, Disabled American Veterans, and Carmen McGinnis, Disabled 
American Veterans, all of Washington, D.C.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of 
the intelligence community.