[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D520-D523] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) NOMINATIONS Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Dudley Hoskins, of the District of Columbia, to be Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, and Scott Hutchins, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, both of the Department of Agriculture. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Luke Lindberg, of South Dakota, to be Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, and Devon Westhill, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of Agriculture. APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of the Interior, after receiving testimony from Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior. APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Energy, after receiving testimony from Christopher Wright, Secretary of Energy. APPROPRIATIONS: SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Small Business Administration, after receiving testimony from Kelly Loeffler, Administrator, Small Business Administration. [[Page D521]] YEMEN Committee on Armed Services: Committee received a closed briefing on an update on Yemen from Katherine Thompson, Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs, Erik A. Olson, Senior Defense Intelligence Analyst for Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, and Christopher J. Almont, Senior Defense Intelligence Analyst for Iraq, Egypt, and the Levant, both of the Defense Intelligence Agency, General Michael E. Kurilla, USA, Commander, United States Central Command, and Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley, USN, Commander, Joint Special Operations Command, all of the Department of Defense. DOD INFORMATION NETWORK Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity concluded open and closed hearings to examine defense of the Department of Defense Information Network, after receiving testimony from Lieutenant General Paul T. Stanton, USA, Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-- Department of Defense Information Network, and Director, Defense Information Systems Agency. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 190, to enhance the operations of the North Pacific Research Board, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 318, to require a plan to improve the cybersecurity and telecommunications of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 337, to amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify the authority of the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration relating to the shipping of household goods; S. 503, to direct the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate and consider the impact of the telecommunications network equipment supply chain on the deployment of universal service; S. 1092, to require certain products to be labeled with 'Do Not Flush' labeling, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1442, to amend title 49, United States Code, to allow for eligibility for projects for the installation of human trafficking awareness signs at rest stops, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1523, to modify operations of the National Water Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1626, to reauthorize the National Landslide Preparedness Act, with an amendment; and The nominations of David Fink, of New Hampshire, to be Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, David Fogel, of Connecticut, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, Robert Gleason, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors for a term of five years, and Pierre Gentin, of New York, to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, and promotions in the Coast Guard. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Jonathan Brightbill, of Virginia, to be General Counsel, Tina Pierce, of Idaho, to be Chief Financial Officer, and Conner Prochaska, of Texas, to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy, all of the Department of Energy, and Ned Mamula, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the United States Geological Survey, Department of the Interior. EPA BUDGET Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2026 for the Environmental Protection Agency, after receiving testimony from Lee Zeldin, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency. COVID-19 VACCINES Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations concluded a hearing to examine science and Federal health agencies, focusing on Myocarditis and other events associated with the COVID-19 vaccines, after receiving testimony from Hawaii Governor John Green, Honolulu; Peter A. McCullough, McCullough Foundation, Dallas, Texas; Jordan Vaughn, Microvascular Research Foundation, Birmingham, Alabama; Joel Wallskog, React 19, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; Aaron Siri, Siri and Glimstad, LLP, New York, New York; and James A. Thorp, Gulf Breeze, Florida. HIGHER EDUCATION Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the state of higher education, after receiving testimony from Andrew Gillen, Cato Institute, Washington, D.C.; Michael Lindsay, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana; Mark Brown, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama; Mike Pierce, Student Borrower Protection Center, Atlanta, Georgia; and Russell Lowery-Hart, Austin Community College District, Austin, Texas. [[Page D522]] NOMINATIONS Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Stanley Woodward, Jr., of the District of Columbia, to be Associate Attorney General, Thomas Gaiser, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Attorney General, who was introduced by Senator Moreno, Joseph Edlow, of Maryland, to be Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, who was introduced by Senator Moody, and John Squires, of Florida, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, who was introduced by Senator Tillis, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. DEEPFAKES Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law concluded a hearing to examine AI-generated deepfakes, after receiving testimony from Mitch Glazier, Recording Industry Association of America, Christen Price, National Center on Sexual Exploitation, and Justin Brookman, Consumer Reports, all of Washington, D.C.; Suzana Carlos, YouTube, New York, New York; and Martina McBride, Nashville, Tennessee. AMERICAN MANUFACTURING Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded a hearing to examine fueling America's manufacturing comeback, including S. 305, to authorize small business loans to finance access to modern business software, S. 1555, to increase loan limits for loans made to small manufacturers, and S. 1593, to exempt small business concerns from duties imposed pursuant to the national emergency declared on April 2, 2025, by the President, after receiving testimony from Kelly Loeffler, Administrator, Small Business Administration. LEGISLATION Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine S. 214, to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the rate of the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients, S. 219, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to improve the ability of veterans to access medical care in medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and in the community by providing veterans the ability to choose health care providers, S. 506, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to coordinate, navigate, and manage care and benefits for veterans enrolled in both the Medicare program and the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 585, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a pre-transition health care registration process to facilitate enrollment in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs by members of the Armed Forces who are separating from the Armed Forces, S. 599, to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the mileage rate offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs through their Beneficiary Travel program for health related travel, S. 605, to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under the CHAMPVA program, S. 635, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize nurse registries for purposes of the Veterans Community Care Program, S. 649, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to members of the National Guard who perform certain full-time duty, S. 778, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 784, to expand and modify the grant program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in highly rural areas, S. 800, to modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 827, to extend and modify the transportation grant program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 879, to expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, S. 1318, to direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a program to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in United States military cemeteries overseas under markers that incorrectly represent their religion and heritage, S. 1320, to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women's health, S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, S. 1441, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit entities to assist such entities in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, S. 1533, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent and codify the pilot program for use of contract physicians for disability examinations, S. 1543, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, and S. 1591, to amend title 38, United States Code, to reorganize the acquisition structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to establish the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Department, after receiving testimony from [[Page D523]] Thomas O'Toole, Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services, Veterans Health Administration, Kenneth Smith, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary, Operations Management, Office of Field Operations, Acting Executive Director, Education Services, Veterans Benefits Administration, and Phillip W. Christy, Acting Principal Executive Director and Chief Acquisition Officer, all of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Morgan Brown, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Brian Dempsey, Wounded Warrior Project, and Jon Retzer, 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.