[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 158 (Thursday, September 28, 2023)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D995-D997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
EXAMINING IRREGULARITY IN THE STRATEGIC BASING PROCESS FOR U.S. SPACE 
COMMAND
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Examining Irregularity in the Strategic Basing Process for U.S. Space 
Command''. Testimony was heard from Frank Kendall III, Secretary of the 
Air Force, Department of Defense; General James H. Dickinson, U.S. 
Army, Commander, U.S. Space Command; and General Chance Saltzman, Chief 
of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force.
HOW SCOTUS'S DECISION ON RAC-BASED ADMISSIONS IS SHAPING UNIVERSITY 
POLICIES
Committee on Education and Workforce: Subcommittee on Higher Education 
and Workforce Development held a hearing entitled ``How SCOTUS's 
Decision on Race-Based Admissions is Shaping University Policies''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CATASTROPHIC 
MAUI FIRE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Investigating the Role of 
Electric Infrastructure in the Catastrophic Maui Fire''. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Case and Tokuda; Leodoloff R. Asuncion, Jr., 
Chairman, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission; Mark B. Glick, Chief 
Energy Officer, Hawai'i State Energy Office; and a public witness.
POWERING AMERICA'S ECONOMY, SECURITY, AND OUR WAY OF LIFE: EXAMINING 
THE STATE OF GRID RELIABILITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and 
Grid Security held a hearing entitled ``Powering America's Economy, 
Security, and Our Way of Life: Examining the State of Grid 
Reliability''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RECLAIMING CONGRESS'S ARTICLE I POWERS: COUNTERTERRORISM AUMF REFORM
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Reclaiming Congress's Article I Powers: Counterterrorism AUMF 
Reform''. Testimony was heard from Victoria Nuland, Undersecretary of 
State for Political Affairs, Department of State; Christopher P. Maier, 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity 
Conflict, Department of Defense; Caroline Krass,

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General Counsel, Department of Defense; and Richard C. Visek, Acting 
Legal Adviser, Department of State.
COMMUNISM ON OUR DOORSTEP: THE THREAT OF CHINA'S MALIGN INFLUENCE IN 
LATIN AMERICA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Communism on Our Doorstep: The Threat of China's Malign Influence in 
Latin America''. Testimony was heard from Kerri Hannan, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Department 
of State; and Mileydi Guilarte, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau 
for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International 
Development.
LASERS AND WATER CANNONS: EXPOSING THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY'S 
HARASSMENT IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific held hearing 
entitled ``Lasers and Water Cannons: Exposing the Chinese Communist 
Party's Harassment in the South China Sea''. Testimony was heard from 
Jung H. Pak, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs, 
Department of State; Lindsey W. Ford, Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for South and Southeast Asia, Department of Defense; and Vice 
Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander, Pacific Area, U.S. Coast Guard.
PROJECTING PRESENCE AND POWER IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: AN EXAMINATION OF 
THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO MARITIME SECURITY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Maritime Security held a hearing entitled ``Projecting Presence and 
Power in the Indo-Pacific: An Examination of the United States Coast 
Guard's Contributions to Maritime Security''. Testimony was heard from 
Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander, Pacific Area, U.S. Coast 
Guard; Brigadier General Neil R. Richardson, Deputy Director for 
Strategic Planning and Policy, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Air 
Force; and Camille P. Dawson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on House Administration: Full Committee held a markup on 
Committee Resolution 118-22, to update and modernize the Members 
Congressional Handbook; Committee Resolution 118-23, to update and 
modernize the Committee Handbook; Committee Resolution 118-24, to 
update and modernize the Eligible Congressional Member Organization 
Handbook; Committee Resolution 118-21, to approve an additional 
Committee Consultant Contract Agreement with the Committee on the 
Budget; H. Res. 731, amending the Rules of the House of Representatives 
to modify the period before the date of any primary election or general 
election during which a mass mailing is not frankable by a Member of 
the House who is a candidate in such election, and for other purposes; 
H.R. 3196, the ``Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act of 2023''; 
and H.R. 5734, to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to 
extend the Administrative Fine Program for certain reporting 
violations. Committee Resolutions 118-21, 118-22, 118-23, and 118-24 
were approved. H.R. 3196, H. Res. 731, and H.R. 5734 were ordered 
reported, without amendment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 5736, 
the ``Federal Accountability in Interviews Reform Act''; H.R. 1105, the 
``Debbie Smith Act of 2023''; H.R. 5721, the ``Rape Kit Backlog 
Progress Act of 2023''; H.R. 4531, the ``Support for Patients and 
Communities Reauthorization Act''; H.R. 2553, the ``No More Political 
Prosecutions Act''; H.J. Res. 11, proposing an amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States to limit the number of terms that a 
Member of Congress may serve; and H.R. 786, to amend title 28, United 
States Code, to provide an additional place for holding court for the 
Pecos Division of the Western District of Texas, and for other 
purposes. H.R. 4531, H.R. 5721, and H.R. 2553 were ordered reported, as 
amended. H.R. 786 and H.R. 1105 were ordered reported, without 
amendment. H.J. Res. 11 was not agreed to.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and 
Fisheries held a hearing on H.R. 2437, to revise the boundaries of a 
unit of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System in Topsail, 
North Carolina, and for other purposes; H.R. 3415, the ``Pilot Butte 
Power Plant Conveyance Act''; H.R. 4385, the ``Drought Preparedness 
Act''; and H.R. 5490, the ``BEACH Act''. Testimony was heard from Matt 
Strickler, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks, 
Department of the Interior; Tom Leonard, Alderman, North Topsail Beach, 
North Carolina; and public witnesses.
TRIBAL AUTONOMY AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIAN 
TRIBAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-DETERMINATION ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian and Insular 
Affairs held a hearing entitled

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``Tribal Autonomy and Energy Development: Implementation of the Indian 
Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act''. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing on H.R. 1121, the ``Protecting American Energy 
Production Act''; and H.R. 5616, the ``BRIDGE Production Act of 2023''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
THE BASIS FOR AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY OF PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR.
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``The Basis for an Impeachment Inquiry of President 
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE: HOW BURDENSOME REGULATIONS ARE CRUSHING OFFSHORE 
SMALL ENERGY PRODUCERS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy 
and Supply Chains held a hearing entitled ``Energy Independence: How 
Burdensome Regulations are Crushing Offshore Small Energy Producers''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING: STATE AND LOCAL PERSPECTIVES AND 
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing entitled ``Clean Water 
Infrastructure Financing: State and Local Perspectives and Recent 
Developments''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
VA'S FIDUCIARY PROGRAM: ENSURING VETERANS' BENEFITS ARE PROPERLY 
MANAGED
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing entitled ``VA's Fiduciary Program: 
Ensuring Veterans' Benefits are Properly Managed''. Testimony was heard 
from Kevin Friel, Deputy Director, Pension and Fiduciary Service, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
Lisa Van Haeren, Director, Claims and Fiduciary Division, Office of 
Audits and Evaluations, Office of Inspector General, Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
MODERNIZING CHILD WELFARE TO PROTECT VULNERABLE CHILDREN
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Work and Welfare held a 
hearing entitled ``Modernizing Child Welfare to Protect Vulnerable 
Children''. Testimony was heard from Tracy Gruber, Executive Director, 
Utah Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 5688, 
the ``Bipartisan HSA Improvement Act of 2023''; and H.R. 5687, the 
``HSA Modernization Act of 2023''. H.R. 5688 and H.R. 5687 were ordered 
reported, as amended.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.