[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 140 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D859-D862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY: THE VALUE 
OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH BENEFITS
Committee on Education and Workforce: Subcommittee on Health, 
Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing entitled ``ERISA's 50th 
Anniversary: The Value of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits''. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EVALUATING FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION HUMAN FOODS AND TOBACCO 
PROGRAMS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Evaluating FDA Human Foods and Tobacco Programs''. Testimony 
was heard from James Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Food 
and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; and 
Brian King, Director, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug 
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.

[[Page D860]]


FROM INTRODUCTION TO IMPLEMENTATION: A BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND 
DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing entitled ``From Introduction to 
Implementation: A BEAD Program Progress Report''. Testimony was heard 
from Misty Ann Giles, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Department 
of Administration, Montana; and public witnesses.
DECODING DECENTRALIZED FINANCE: BREAKING DOWN THE FUTURE OF 
DECENTRALIZED FINANCE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Digital Assets, 
Financial Technology and Inclusion held a hearing entitled ``Decoding 
DeFi: Breaking Down the Future of Decentralized Finance''. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
THE FALL OF ESG: SCRUTINIZING THE FAILED USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, 
AND GOVERNANCE STANDARDS AND THE INFLUENCE OF PROXY ADVISORS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Fall of ESG: Scrutinizing 
the Failed Use of Environmental, Social, and Governance Standards and 
the Influence of Proxy Advisors''. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Frerichs, State Treasurer, Illinois; and public witnesses.
THE GOLDMAN ACT TURNS 10: HOLDING HAGUE CONVENTION VIOLATORS 
ACCOUNTABLE AND BRINGING ABDUCTED AMERICAN CHILDREN HOME
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Global Health, Global 
Human Rights, and International Organizations held a hearing entitled 
``The Goldman Act Turns 10: Holding Hague Convention Violators 
Accountable and Bringing Abducted American Children Home''. Testimony 
was heard from Robert T. Koepcke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Japan, 
Korea, and Mongolia, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of State; Michelle Bernier-Toth, Special Advisor for 
Children's Issues, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State; and 
public witnesses.
THE BIDEN-HARRIS BORDER CRISIS: VICTIM PERSPECTIVES
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: Victim Perspectives''. Testimony was 
heard from Mike Boudreaux, Sheriff, Tulare County, California; and 
public witnesses.
THE BIDEN-HARRIS BORDER CRISIS: NONCITIZEN VOTING
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution and 
Limited Government held a hearing entitled ``The Biden-Harris Border 
Crisis: Noncitizen Voting''. Testimony was heard from Cord Byrd, 
Secretary of State, Florida; and public witnesses.
EXAMINING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION 
AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2024
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Indian and Insular 
Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Implementation of the 
Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024''. Testimony was 
heard from Taylor Ruggles, Senior Advisor, Department of State; John 
Brewer, Jr., Director, Office of Insular and International Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; Anka Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Department of Defense; Miguel LaPuz, Special Assistant, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE GONE WILD: EXAMINING OPERATION LONG TAIL 
LIBERATION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Fish and Wildlife Service 
Gone Wild: Examining Operation Long Tail Liberation''. Testimony was 
heard from Martha Williams, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and 
Fisheries held a hearing on H.R. 6352, the ``Tax Stamp Revenue Transfer 
for Wildlife and Recreation Act''; H.R. 8413, the ``Swanson and Hugh 
Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyances Act''; H.R. 8632, the ``BIOSAFE Act 
of 2024''; H.R. 8836, ``Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act''; 
and legislation to require the Administrator of the National Marine 
Fisheries Service to establish a coastal protection and restoration 
grant program. Testimony was heard from Representatives Moore of Utah, 
Smith of Nebraska, Grothman, Zinke, and Graves of Louisiana; Steve 
Guertin, Deputy Director for Program Management and Policy, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; Paul Nichols, 
Chairman, Hitchcock County Board of Commissioners, Nebraska; Richard 
Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator, 
Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.

[[Page D861]]


WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? EXAMINING A PATH FORWARD TO ASSESS AGENCIES' 
EFFORTS TO PREVENT IMPROPER PAYMENTS AND FRAUD
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Subcommittee on Government 
Operations and the Federal Workforce held a hearing entitled ``Where Do 
We Go From Here? Examining a Path Forward to Assess Agencies' Efforts 
to Prevent Improper Payments and Fraud''. Testimony was heard from 
Orice Williams Brown, Chief Operating Officer, Government 
Accountability Office; Michael E. Horowitz, Chair, Pandemic Response 
Accountability Office; and a public witness.
A HEARING WITH FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Select Subcommittee on the 
Coronavirus Pandemic, hearing entitled ``A Hearing with former New York 
Governor Andrew Cuomo''. Testimony was heard from a public witness.
RISKS AND REWARDS: ENCOURAGING COMMERCIAL SPACE INNOVATION WHILE 
MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing entitled ``Risks and Rewards: Encouraging 
Commercial Space Innovation While Maintaining Public Safety''. 
Testimony was heard from Kelvin Coleman, Associate Administrator for 
Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, 
Department of Transportation; Mike French, Vice Chair, Federal Aviation 
Administration Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, 
Department of Transportation; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 8033, 
the ``Regulatory Transparency for Small Businesses Act''; H.R. 9031, 
the ``Assurance for Small Business Act of 2024''; H.R. 9032, the 
``Enhanced Regulatory Flexibility Assessment Act''; H.R. 9030, the 
``Regulatory Agenda Clarity Act''; H.R. 9085, the ``Regulatory Review 
Improvement Act of 2024''; H.R. 9033, the ``Let American Businesses be 
On Record Act''; and H.R. 7198, the ``Prove It Act of 2024''. H.R. 
8033, H.R. 9031, H.R. 9032, H.R. 9030, H.R. 9085, H.R. 9033, and H.R. 
7198 were ordered reported, without amendment.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a business meeting 
on the resolution for the subcommittee assignments of Representative 
Timothy M. Kennedy; and the Subpoena Resolution offered by Chairman 
Bost. The resolution for subcommittee assignments and the subpoena 
resolution passed.
ACCOUNTABLE OR ABSENT?: EXAMINING VA LEADERSHIP UNDER THE BIDEN-HARRIS 
ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Accountable or Absent?: Examining VA Leadership Under the Biden-
Harris Administration''. Testimony was heard from the following 
Department of Veterans Affairs officials: Shereef Elnahal, M.D., Under 
Secretary for Health; Joshua Jacobs, Under Secretary for Benefits; and 
Michael J. Missal, Inspector General.
MISSION TRANSITION: EVALUATING MENAL HEALTH SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR 
SEPARATING SERVICEMEMBERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``Mission Transition: Evaluating Menal Health 
Support Programs for Separating Servicemembers''. Testimony was heard 
from Melissa Cohen, Executive Director, Outreach Transition, and 
Economic Development, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; Jill Debord, Executive Director, Care Management and 
Social Work, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; Susan Orsega, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Services Policy and Oversight, Department of Defense; Alyssa Hundrup, 
Director of Health Care, Government Accountability Office; and James 
Rodriguez, Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training 
Service, Department of Labor.

Joint Meetings
ARMENIA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine supporting Armenia's democracy and Western future, 
after receiving testimony from Dan Baer, former Ambassador to the 
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Department of 
State; Tigran Grigoryan, Regional Center for Democracy and Security in 
Yerevan; and Olesya Vartanyan.

[[Page D862]]