[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 15 (Thursday, January 22, 2026)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D106-D109] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings EXAMINING THE POLICIES AND PRIORITIES OF THE MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Committee on Education and Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Mine Safety and Health Administration''. Testimony was heard from Wayne Palmer, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor. LOWERING HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR ALL AMERICANS: AN EXAMINATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled ``Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of Health Insurance Affordability''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. CHEMICALS IN COMMERCE: LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL TO MODERNIZE AMERICA'S CHEMICAL SAFETY LAW, STRENGTHEN CRITICAL SUPPLY CHAINS, AND GROW DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing entitled ``Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize America's Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 7128, the ``TRIA Program Reauthorization Act of 2026''; H. Res. 1007, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the use of artificial intelligence in the financial services and housing industries; H.R. 7056, the ``Community Bank Regulatory Tailoring Act''; H.R. 5877, the ``Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act of 2025''; H.R. 1799, the ``Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act''; H.R. 6967, the ``Public Company Advisory Committee Act of 2026''; and H.R. 7085, to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to repeal certain disclosure requirements related to conflict minerals, and for other purposes. H.R. 7128, H. Res. 1007, H.R. 7056, H.R. 5877, H.R. 1799, H.R. 6967, and H.R. 7085 were ordered reported, as amended. [[Page D107]] ADVANCING PEACE IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND RWANDA THROUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WASHINGTON ACCORDS Committee on Foreign Affairs: Africa Subcommittee held a hearing entitled ``Advancing Peace in DRC and Rwanda through President Trump's Washington Accords''. Testimony was heard from Sarah Troutman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Department of State. SMARTER BORDERS, SAFER NATION: EXPANDING THE USE OF NON-INTRUSIVE INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement held a hearing entitled ``Smarter Borders, Safer Nation: Expanding the Use of Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology''. Testimony was heard from Diane J. Sabatino, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; and Hilary Benedict, Acting Director, Government Accountability Office. OVERSIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE IN A DIGITAL-FIRST ERA Committee on House Administration: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Government Publishing Office in a Digital- First Era''. Testimony was heard from Hugh Halpern, Director, Government Publishing Office. OVERSIGHT OF THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Office of Special Counsel Jack Smith''. Testimony was heard from a public witness. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Natural Resources: Full Committee held a markup on H.R. 4255, the ``Enhancing Safety for Animals Act of 2025''; H.R. 2130, the ``Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025''; H.R. 3073, the ``Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act''; H.R. 3340, the ``Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act''; H.R. 4294, the ``Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2025''; H.R. 5254, the ``Gateway Partnership Act of 2025''; H.R. 5729, the ``North Rim Restoration Act of 2025''; and H.R. 6365, the ``Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act''. H.R. 2130, H.R. 3073, H.R. 3340 were ordered reported, without amendment. H.R. 4255, H.R. 4294, H.R. 5254, H.R. 5729, and H.R. 6365 were ordered reported, as amended. DEEP DIVE: EXAMINING THE REGULATORY AND STATUTORY BARRIERS TO DEEP SEA MINING Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing entitled ``Deep Dive: Examining the Regulatory and Statutory Barriers to Deep Sea Mining''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. DECLASSIFIED MARTIN LUTHER KING RECORDS: WHAT THEY REVEAL AND WHY THEY MATTER Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets held a hearing entitled ``Declassified MLK Records: What They Reveal and Why They Matter''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY: SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Housing Affordability: Saving the American Dream''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026; DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026 Committee on Rules: Full Committee concluded a hearing on H.R. 7148, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026''; and H.R. 7147, the ``Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026''. The Committee granted, by a record vote of 9-4, a rule providing for consideration of H.R. 7148, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026'', and H.R. 7148, the ``Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026''. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7148, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026'', under a structured rule. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees. The rule provides that the amendment printed in part A of the Rules Committee report shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended. The rule makes in order only the further amendments printed in part B of the Rules Committee report. Each such further amendment shall be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the [[Page D108]] proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question. The rule waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part B of the Rules Committee report. The rule provides one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 7147, the ``Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026'', under a closed rule. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against provisions in the bill. The rule provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees. The rule provides one motion to recommit. The rule further provides that the chair of the Committee on Appropriations may insert in the Congressional Record not later than January 23rd, 2026, such material as he may deem explanatory of H.R. 7148 and H.R. 7147. The rule further provides that the Clerk shall not transmit to the Senate a message that the House has passed H.R. 7148 until H.R. 7147 is passed by the House. The rule provides that in the engrossment of H.R. 7148, the Clerk shall: add the text of Divisions A, B, and C of H.R. 7006, as passed by the House, as new matter to follow Division D of H.R. 7148, redesignated as Divisions E, F, and G, respectively; add the text of titles 1 through 5 of H.R. 7147, as passed by the House, as new matter designated as Division H, to follow the text added pursuant to subsection (a); redesignate Divisions E and F of H.R. 7148 as Divisions I and J, respectively; assign appropriate designations to provisions within the engrossment; conform cross-references and provisions for short titles within the engrossment; and be authorized to make technical corrections, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, page and line numbering, section numbering, and insertion of appropriate headings. Finally, the rule provides that House Resolution 375, amended by the amendments printed in part C of the Rules Committee report, is hereby adopted. Testimony was heard from Chairman Cole, and Representatives DeLauro, Tenney, Hoyer, Spartz, Veasey, Smucker, Gomez, Miller of Ohio, Keating, Stansbury, Larson of Connecticut, Titus, Johnson of Texas, Quigley, Horsford, Torres of California, Johnson of Georgia, and Dexter. NATIONWIDE CONSUMER AND FUEL RETAILER CHOICE ACT OF 2025 Committee on Rules: Full Committee began a hearing on H.R. 1346, the ``Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025''. Testimony was heard from Representatives Palmer, Landsman, Smith of Nebraska, Budzinski, Hageman, Feenstra, and Miller-Meeks. ASSESSING U.S. LEADERSHIP IN QUANTUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Assessing U.S. Leadership in Quantum Science and Technology''. Testimony was heard from James Kushmerick, Director, Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; Saul Gonzalez, Deputy Directorate Head, Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Science Foundation; Mark Clampin, Deputy Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and Tanner Crowder, Quantum Information Science Lead, Office of Science, Department of Energy. LOCAL OWNERSHIP, NATIONAL BRANDS: HOW FRANCHISING IS A PATHWAY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Local Ownership, National Brands: How Franchising is a Pathway to Entrepreneurship''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. SMARTER SPENDING, STRONGER RESULTS: REDUCING DUPLICATION AND ENSURING EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REFORMS Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing entitled ``Smarter Spending, Stronger Results: Reducing Duplication and Ensuring Effectiveness Through Economic Development Reforms''. Testimony was heard from Ben Page, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce; Gayle Conelly Manchin, Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission; Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority; Chris Saunders, Federal Co-Chair, Northern Border Regional Commission; Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair, Southeast Crescent Regional Commission; Juan Sanchez, Federal Co-Chair, Southwest Border Regional Commission; and Jocelyn Fenton, Director of Programs, Denali Commission. COMMUNITY CARE NETWORK NEXT GENERATION: ONE TRILLION OF OVERSIGHT Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Community Care Network Next [[Page D109]] Generation: One Trillion of Oversight''. Testimony was heard from Richard F. Topping, Assistant Secretary for Management and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses. HEARING WITH HEALTH INSURANCE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held a hearing entitled ``Hearing with Health Insurance CEOs''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses. COVER ENHANCEMENT AUTHORITIES Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture held a hearing entitled ``Cover Enhancement Authorities''. Testimony was heard from the following Department of Defense officials: Lieutenant General Sean M. Farrell, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Special Operations Command; Rowena Ormiston, Director, HUMINT and Sensitive Activities, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Intelligence and Security; Colonel Ted D. Price, Chief, Defense Support Office, Defense Intelligence Agency; Colleen Swiderski, Director, Joint Defense Accounting Center, Defense Finance and Accounting Service; and Theresa Whelan, Director, Defense Intelligence for Sensitive Activities and Special Programs. This hearing was closed. Joint Meetings No joint committee meetings were held.