[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D813-D816] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) USDA REORGANIZATION PROPOSAL Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine a review of the USDA reorganization proposal, after receiving testimony from Stephen Alexander Vaden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. AI AND CAPITAL AND INSURANCE MARKETS Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment concluded a hearing to examine guardrails and growth, focusing on AI's role in capital and insurance markets, after receiving testimony from Kevin Kalinich, Aon, Chicago, Illinois; Tal Cohen, Nasdaq, New York, New York; and David Cox, Massachusetts Institute of Technology IBM Watson AI Lab, Yorktown Heights, New York. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 2314, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force regarding shark depredation; S. 2318, to amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to require the periodic update to the strategic plan to guide the Manufacturing USA Program to align with the mandatory updates to the National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 2351, to supplement existing lease authorities available to the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support research, education, and training, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and The nominations of Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Taylor Jordan, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of Commerce, Paul Roberti, of Rhode Island, to be Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Jonathan Morrison, of California, to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Michael Rutherford, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary, Gregory Zerzan, of Texas, to be General Counsel, and Derek Barrs, of Florida, to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, all of the Department of Transportation, and a promotion list in the Coast Guard. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Lanny Erdos, of Ohio, to be Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and Audrey Robertson, of Colorado, to be an Assistant Secretary (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), and Timothy John Walsh, of Colorado, to be an Assistant Secretary (Environmental Management), both of the Department of Energy. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Jason Evans, of Texas, to be an Under Secretary (Management), Thomas Rose, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, and Peter Lamelas, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Argentine Republic, all of the Department of State. U.S.-AFRICA PARTNERSHIPS Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy concluded a hearing to [[Page D814]] examine finding opportunities for U.S.-Africa partnerships, after receiving testimony from Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs, and Scott Woodward, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment, both of the Department of State. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 854, to amend title 31, United States Code, to establish the Life Sciences Research Security Board; S. 855, to require executive branch employees to report certain royalties; S. 269, to improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system; S. 81, to require a guidance clarity statement on certain agency guidance, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 861, to streamline the sharing of information among Federal disaster assistance agencies, to expedite the delivery of life-saving assistance to disaster survivors, to speed the recovery of communities from disasters, to protect the security and privacy of information provided by disaster survivors; S. 766, to require an annual report of taxpayer-funded projects that are over budget and behind schedule; S. 872, to amend the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 to ensure that other transaction agreements are reported to USAspending.gov; S. 727, to correct the inequitable denial of enhanced retirement and annuity benefits to certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 874, to ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 594, to amend the Post-Katrina Management Reform Act of 2006 to repeal certain obsolete requirements, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 865, to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require certain disclosures by registrants regarding exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended; S. 856, to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to clarify a provision relating to certain contents of registrations under that Act; S. 850, to amend the Northern Border Security Review Act to require updates to the northern border threat analysis and the northern border strategy; S. 848, to provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress regarding incidents of terrorism; S. 572, to enhance the effectiveness of the Shadow Wolves Program; to be immediately followed by a Committee ordered favorably reported to consider, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1498, to amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, to prohibit transactions involving certain financial instruments by Members of Congress, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and The nominations of Pedro Allende, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and Sean Plankey, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, both of the Department of Homeland Security, Christopher Fox, of Virginia, to be Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Edward Aloysius O'Connell, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. THE REGULATORY LANDSCAPE Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs concluded a hearing to examine Loper Bright, focusing on Congress's role in the regulatory landscape, after receiving testimony from former Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz, Bipartisan Policy Center, Susan E. Dudley, George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration Regulatory Studies Center, and Chad Squitieri, Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law, all of Washington, D.C. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 2292, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user fee program for over-the-counter monograph drugs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1440, to amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries); S. 2398, to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 2301, to reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health care; [[Page D815]] S. 1728, to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to expand the membership of the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans to include representatives of employee ownership organizations, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and S. 2403, to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide a clear definition of adequate consideration for certain closely held stock, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. NOMINATIONS Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Joshua D. Dunlap, of Maine, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit, who was introduced by Senator Collins, Eric Chunyee Tung, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, William W. Mercer, to be United States District Judge for the District of Montana, who was introduced by Senator Daines, and Stephen Chad Meredith, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, who was introduced by Senator McConnell, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. AMERICANS' ONLINE DATA Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law concluded a hearing to examine protecting and safeguarding Americans' online data, after receiving testimony from Kate Goodloe, Business Software Alliance, Paul Martino, Main Street Privacy Coalition, Joel Thayer, Digital Progress Institute, and Alan Butler, Electronic Privacy Information Center, all of Washington, D.C.; and Samuel Levine, Berkeley Center for Consumer Law and Economic Justice, New York, New York. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 275, to improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 607, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 610, to expand the VetSuccess on Campus program of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 654, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 702, to require a study on the quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of the Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non- Department providers; S. 778, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 787, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a commission to review operations at the Veterans Health Administration and submit to Congress reports with respect to that review, and for other programs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 800, to modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 827, to extend and modify the transportation grant program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 831, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve telephone communication by the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 879, to expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 972, 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1139, to amend the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement [[Page D816]] Act of 2019 to modify and reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 1245, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand health care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for military sexual trauma, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; 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, with amendments; S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Equal Access, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; 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, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 2392, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans; and S. 2393, to authorize a major medical facility project for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. INTELLIGENCE Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of the intelligence community. COMBATING ELDER ABUSE Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded a hearing to examine awareness to action, focusing on combating elder abuse and neglect, after receiving testimony from Maricela Morado, Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, Fort Myers; Nelson Bunn, National District Attorneys Association, Arlington, Virginia; Sean Voskuhl, AARP, Edmond, Oklahoma; and Lori Smetanka, National Consumer Voice for Quality Long- Term Care, Washington, D.C.