[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 163 (Tuesday, September 21, 2021)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D998-D1000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Agriculture: Full Committee held a markup on H. Res. 271, 
recognizing the importance of the blueberry industry to the United 
States and supporting the designation of July 2021 as National 
Blueberry Month; and H.R. 2424, the ``Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act''. 
H. Res. 271 and H.R. 2424 were ordered reported, as amended.
PRESERVING THE RIGHT OF CONSUMERS TO ACCESS PERSONAL FINANCIAL DATA
Committee on Financial Services: Task Force on Financial Technology 
held a hearing entitled ``Preserving the Right of Consumers to Access 
Personal Financial Data''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO ORTEGA'S DESTRUCTION OF DEMOCRACY IN 
NICARAGUA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, 
Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy held a 
hearing entitled ``An International Response to Ortega's Destruction of 
Democracy in Nicaragua''. Testimony was heard from Emily Mendrala, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
WOMEN'S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT OF 2021; MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS 
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2022, AND FOR PROVIDING 
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; NATIONAL DEFENSE 
AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022; EXTENDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING 
AND DELIVERING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT
Committee on Rules: Full Committee concluded a hearing on H.R. 3755, 
the ``Women's Health Protection Act of 2021''; legislation making 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2022, and for providing emergency assistance, and for other purposes; 
and H.R. 4350, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2022''; and held a hearing on H.R. 5305, the ``Extending Government 
Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act''. The Committee 
granted, by record vote of 9-4, a rule providing for consideration of 
H.R. 3755, the ``Women's Health Protection Act of 2021'', H.R. 4350, 
the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022'', and 
H.R. 5305, the ``Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency 
Assistance Act''. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally 
divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce or their designees. The rule waives 
all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
provides that the amendment printed in part A of the Rules Committee 
report 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. 4350, the 
``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022'', under a 
structured rule. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally 
divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Armed Services or their designees. 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 117-13, modified by the amendment printed in 
part B of the Rules Committee report, 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 that following debate, each further amendment printed in 
part C of the Rules Committee report not earlier considered as part of 
amendments en bloc pursuant to section 4 shall be considered only

[[Page D999]]

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, may be withdrawn by the 
proponent at any time before the question is put thereon, shall not be 
subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division 
of the question. Section 4 of the rule provides that at any time after 
debate the chair of the Committee on Armed Services or his designee may 
offer amendments en bloc consisting of further amendments printed in 
part C of the Rules Committee report not earlier disposed of. 
Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 
30 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Armed Services or their designees, 
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 C of the Rules Committee report 
and amendments en bloc described in section 4. The rule provides one 
motion to recommit. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5305, 
the ``Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance 
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 Appropriations or their designees. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives all 
points of order against provisions in the bill. The rule provides one 
motion to recommit. The rule provides that at any time through the 
legislative day of September 24, 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 July 
26, July 27, or September 21, 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 
proceedings may be postponed through October 1, 2021, on measures that 
were the object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative days 
of July 26, July 27, or September 21, 2021 and on which the yeas and 
nays were ordered. The rule provides that House Resolution 188, agreed 
to March 8, 2021, is further amended by striking ``September 22, 2021'' 
and inserting ``October 27, 2021''. The rule provides that the ordering 
of the yeas and nays on the motion that the House suspend the rules and 
pass S. 2382 is vacated. Testimony was heard from Chairman DeLauro, and 
Representatives Granger and Graves of Louisiana.
NASA'S FUTURE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT: CONSIDERATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL 
SPACE STATION EXTENSION AND TRANSITION
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing entitled ``NASA's Future in Low Earth Orbit: 
Considerations for International Space Station Extension and 
Transition''. Testimony was heard from Robyn Gatens, Director, 
International Space Station, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration; Kathleen Rubins, Astronaut, National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
eliminate the Freddie Mac conforming loan limitation; legislation to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to pay to certain veterans, who receive certain educational 
assistance furnished by the Secretary, a weekly stipend for child care 
services; legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
increase and extend the authorization of appropriations for homeless 
veterans reintegration programs; legislation to amend the 
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to establish protections under that Act 
for a member of the Armed Forces who leaves a course of education, paid 
for with certain educational assistance, to perform certain service; 
legislation to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report on 
the Warrior Training Advancement Course of the Veterans Benefit 
Administration; legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
extend eligibility for a certain work-study allowance paid by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certain individuals who pursue 
programs of rehabilitation, education, or training on at least a half-
time basis; legislation on Homeless Grant; legislation to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on grants 
for care for elderly homeless veterans, and for other purposes; 
legislation to extend the delimiting period for certain individuals to 
use educational assistance benefits administered by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; legislation to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to carry out a pilot program on substance use and alcohol use 
disorder recovery for homeless veterans, and for other purposes; 
legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide

[[Page D1000]]

technical assistance to recipients of grants for supportive services 
for very low-income families in permanent housing and comprehensive 
service programs, and for other purposes; legislation to amend title 
38, United States Code, to adjust the rate of per diem payments 
provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to grantees that provide 
services to homeless veterans; legislation to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the shallow subsidy 
program under the supportive services for veteran families program, and 
for other purposes; legislation to direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to carry out a pilot program to improve public transportation 
services for veterans; legislation to amend title 38, United States 
Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members 
of the Armed Forces for certain contributions made by such members 
towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance; H.R. 4874, to amend title 38, 
United States Code, to make certain improvements to the use of 
educational assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
for flight training programs; legislation to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to prohibit the use of entitlement to educational 
assistance under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance 
Program for secondary school education; legislation on Fry Scholarship 
Enhancement Act of 2021; legislation on Col. James Floyd Turner IV 
U.S.M.C. GI Bill Transfer Act of 2021. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Neguse, Strickland, Williams of Georgia, Bilirakis, and 
Cawthorn; Ron Burke, Deputy Under Secretary for Policy and Oversight, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
BELARUS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine Belarus, focusing on updates on the current 
situation and U.S. policy responses and options, after receiving 
testimony from Serge Kharytonau, International Strategic Action Network 
for Security; Tatsiana Khomich, Coordination Council Representative for 
political prisoners; David J. Kramer, Florida International University 
Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs; and Siarhej 
Zikratski, Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.