[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2024)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D285-D289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
budget hearing on the Department of Agriculture. Testimony was heard 
from Thomas Vilsack, Secretary, Department of Agriculture.
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing entitled ``President Biden's Fiscal 
Year 2025 Budget Request and Economic Outlook''. Testimony was heard 
from Janet Yellen, Secretary, Department of the Treasury; Shalanda 
Young, Director, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of 
the President of the United States; and Jared Bernstein, Chairman, 
Council of Economic Advisers, Executive Office of the President of the 
United States.
U.S. MILITARY POSTURE AND NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE GREATER 
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater 
Middle East and Africa''. Testimony was heard from the following 
Department of Defense officials: Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for International Security Affairs; General Michael Kurilla, 
U.S. Army, Commander, U.S. Central Command; and General

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Michael Langley, U.S. Marine Corps, Commander, U.S. Africa Command.
FY25 STRATEGIC FORCES POSTURE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing entitled ``FY25 Strategic Forces Posture''. Testimony was heard 
from the following Department of Defense officials: John Plumb, 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Policy; General Anthony Cotton, U.S. Air 
Force, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command; General Stephen Whiting, U.S. 
Space Force, Commander, U.S. Space Command; and General Gregory M. 
Guillot, U.S. Air Force, Commander, U.S. Northern Command, North 
American Aerospace Defense Command.
THE PRESIDENT'S FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on the Budget: Full Committee, hearing entitled ``The 
President's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request''. Testimony was heard from 
Shalanda D. Young, Director, Office of Management and Budget, Executive 
Office of the President of the United States.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Education and Workforce: Full Committee held a markup on 
H.J. Res. 116, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 
of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department 
of the Labor relating to ``Employee or Independent Contractor 
Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act''; H.R. 6418, the 
``Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act''; H.R. 3724, the 
``Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023''; and H.R. 7683, 
the ``Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act''. H.R. 3724, H.R. 
6418, and H.R. 7683 were ordered reported, as amended. H.J. Res. 116 
was ordered reported, without amendment.
EVALUATING APPROACHES TO DIAGNOSTIC TEST REGULATION AND THE IMPACT OF 
THE FDA'S PROPOSED RULE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the 
Impact of the FDA's Proposed Rule''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
TIMEOUT: EVALUATING SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED TO PROTECT ATHLETES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigation held a hearing entitled ``Timeout: Evaluating Safety 
Measures Implemented to Protect Athletes''. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
IMPORTING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: EXAMINING THE DANGERS OF CEDING AUTHORITY 
OVER AMERICAN FINANCIAL REGULATION
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Importing Global Governance: Examining the Dangers of Ceding 
Authority Over American Financial Regulation''. Testimony was heard 
from Michael Gibson, Director of Supervision and Regulation, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Ryan Billingsley, Deputy 
Director of Capital Markets and Accounting Policy, Division of Risk 
Management Supervision, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and 
Grovetta Gardineer, Senior Deputy Comptroller for Bank Supervision 
Policy, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee concluded a markup on H.R. 
6727, to establish the United States Foundation for International 
Conservation to promote long-term management of protected and conserved 
areas, and for other purposes; H.R. 7256, to require a full review of 
the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa; 
H.R. 7701, to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to any 
foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, 
maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian 
mainland with the Crimean peninsula; H. Res. 901, expressing support 
for democracy and human rights in Pakistan; H.R. 3334, to provide for 
the imposition of sanctions on members of the National Communist Party 
Congress of the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes; H. 
Res. 1084, condemning the killing of Alexei Navalny and calling for the 
release of all political prisoners in the Russian Federation; H.R. 
5245, to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to 
require certain congressional notification prior to entering into, 
renewing, or extending a science and technology agreement with the 
People's Republic of China, and for other purposes; H.R. 6831, to 
reauthorize the Venezuela Emergency Relief, Democracy Assistance, and 
Development Act of 2019, and for other purposes; and H.R. 7710, to 
authorize and encourage the United States Agency for International 
Development to pursue a model of locally led development and 
humanitarian response and expand engagement with local partners and 
increase its local partner base. H.R. 6727, H.R. 7701, H.R. 6831, and 
H.R. 7710 were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 7256, H.R. 
3334, H.R. 5245, H.

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Res. 1084, and H. Res. 901 were ordered reported, as amended.
COUNTERING CHINA ON THE WORLD STAGE: EMPOWERING AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND 
DENYING CHINESE MILITARY OUR TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Countering China on the World Stage: Empowering American Businesses 
and Denying Chinese Military Our Technology''. Testimony was heard from 
Alan Estevez, Under Secretary of the Bureau of Industry and Security, 
Department of Commerce; and Jose W. Fernandez, Under Secretary for 
Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Department of State.
ASSESSING STATE DEPARTMENT COMPLIANCE WITH OVERSIGHT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Accountability held a hearing entitled ``Assessing State Department 
Compliance with Oversight''. Testimony was heard from Richard R. Verma, 
Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Department of State; and 
Naz Durakoglu, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Legislative Affairs, 
Department of State.
COMMERCE AS STATECRAFT: BETTER LEVERAGING U.S. BUSINESS TO ADVANCE OUR 
ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY GOALS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific held a 
hearing entitled ``Commerce as Statecraft: Better Leveraging U.S. 
Business to Advance our Economic and National Security Goals in the 
Indo-Pacific''. Testimony was heard from Kin Moy, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of State; Matt Murray, Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific 
Economic Cooperation, Department of State; and Pamela Phan, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Asia, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
EXAMINING CBP ONE: FUNCTIONS, FEATURES, EXPANSION, AND RISKS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border Security and 
Enforcement; and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and 
Accountability held a joint hearing entitled ``Examining CBP One: 
Functions, Features, Expansion, and Risks''. Testimony was heard from 
Adam Hunter, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Immigration Policy, Office 
of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Department of Homeland Security; Diane 
J. Sabatino, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field 
Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security; Tammy Meckley, Associate Director, Immigration Records and 
Identity Services Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security; and Marta Youth, Principal 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and 
Migration, Department of State.
SAFETY ON CAPITOL HILL: DC CRIME'S IMPACT ON CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS 
AND VISITORS
Committee on House Administration: Full Committee held a hearing 
entitled ``Safety on Capitol Hill: DC Crime's Impact on Congressional 
Operations and Visitors''. Testimony was heard from Thomas Manger, 
Chief, U.S. Capitol Police; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 5082, 
the ``Revising Existing Procedures On Reporting via Technology Act''; 
H.R. 7187, the ``Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateurs Sports 
Act''; H.R. 7198, the ``Prove It Act of 2024''; and H.R. 661, ``Sarah's 
Law''. H.R. 5082, H.R. 7187, H.R. 7198, and H.R. 661 were ordered 
reported, as amended.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and 
Fisheries held a hearing on H.R. 1395, the ``Delaware River Basin 
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2023''; H.R. 5487, the ``Help Our 
Kelp Act''; H.R. 6814, the ``Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act''; 
and H.R. 7020, the ``Great Lakes Mapping Act''. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Graves of Louisiana, Huffman, Fitzpatrick, and 
McClain; Clay Porch, Director, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
WHITE HOUSE OVERREACH ON AI
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Subcommittee on 
Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation held a 
hearing entitled ``White House Overreach on AI''. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
ACCOUNTABLE ASSISTANCE: REVIEWING CONTROLS TO PREVENT MISMANAGEMENT OF 
FOREIGN AID
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Subcommittee on National 
Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled 
``Accountable

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Assistance: Reviewing Controls to Prevent Mismanagement of Foreign 
Aid''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ASSESSING AMERICA'S VACCINE SAFETY SYSTEMS, PART 2
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Select Subcommittee on the 
Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing entitled ``Assessing America's 
Vaccine Safety Systems, Part 2''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY: ASSESSING THE STATUS OF NASA'S SCIENCE 
MISSION DIRECTORATE
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing entitled ``Advancing Scientific Discovery: 
Assessing the Status of NASA's Science Mission Directorate''. Testimony 
was heard from Nicola Foxy, Associate Administrator, Science Mission 
Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; George A. 
Scott, Acting Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration; and public witnesses.
RURAL TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES: STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing entitled ``Rural Transportation 
Challenges: Stakeholder Perspectives''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON: TOXIC EXPOSURE FUND IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2024
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Legislative Hearing on: Toxic Exposure Fund Improvement Act of 
2024''. Testimony was heard from Jon Rychalski, Assistant Secretary for 
Management and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on H.R. 3584, the ``Veterans Care Act''; H.R. 3644, the ``Act for 
Veterans Act''; H.R. 3649, the ``Veterans National Traumatic Brain 
Injury Treatment Act''; H.R. 4424, the ``Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke 
Cancer Study Act''; H.R. 5530, the ``VA Emergency Transportation Access 
Act''; H.R. 6324, the ``FY24 VA Major Medical Facility Authorization 
Act''; H.R. 6373, the ``Veterans STAND Act''; H.R. 7347, to amend title 
38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
report on whether the Secretary will include certain psychedelic drugs 
in the formulary of the Department of Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3225, the 
``BUILD for Veterans Act''; H.R. 5794, the ``VA Peer Review Neutrality 
Act''; H.R. 3303, the ``Maternal Health for Veterans Act''; and H.R. 
5247, the ``Expedited Hiring for VA Trained Psychiatrists Act of 
2023''. Testimony was heard from Chairman Bost, and Representatives 
Deluzio, Bergman, Murphy, Van Orden, LaLota, Dingell, Latta, and 
Underwood; Ajit Pai, Executive Director, Office of Rehabilitation and 
Prosthetic Services, Veterans Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; Michael Brennan Executive Director, Office of 
Construction and Facilities Management, Department of Veterans Affairs; 
Wendy Tenhula, Deputy Chief Research and Development Officer, Office of 
Research and Development, Veterans Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; David Perry Chief Officer, Workforce Management and 
Consulting Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on H.R. 6452, the ``Veterans Scam and 
Fraud Evasion Act''; H.R. 6531, the ``TRAIN VA Employees Act''; H.R. 
6538, the ``VA Correct Compensation Act''; H.R. 6874, the ``VA WEB 
Act''; H.R. 6947, the ``Veterans Affairs Centennial and Heritage Act''; 
H.R. 7342, the ``Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act''; 
legislation on the VA Security Screening Pilot Program Act; legislation 
on the Required Notation of Investigation in Personnel Record File Act; 
and legislation on the Reporting Performance Plans for VA Political 
Appointees Act. Testimony was heard from John W. Boerstler, Chief 
Veterans Experience Officer, Office of Human Resources and 
Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
HEARING WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY, MARTIN O'MALLEY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security; and 
Subcommittee on Work and Welfare held a joint hearing entitled 
``Hearing with the Commissioner of Social Security, Martin O'Malley''. 
Testimony was heard from Martin O'Malley, Commissioner, Social Security 
Administration.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.

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