[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D291-D292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
PLATFORM POWER AS SECTION 230 TURNS 30
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine platform power as section 230 turns 30, after 
receiving testimony from Daphne Keller, Stanford Law School, San 
Francisco, California; Nadine Farid Johnson, Columbia University Knight 
First Amendment Institute, and Brad R. Carson, Americans for 
Responsible Innovation, both of Washington, D.C.; and Matthew Bergman, 
Social Media Victims Law Center, Seattle, Washington.
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Fisheries, 
Wildlife, and Water concluded a hearing to examine challenges and 
opportunities with implementing the Endangered Species Act, after 
receiving testimony from Thomas E. Riley, Riley Consulting LLC, Eagle, 
Nebraska; Brian Yablonski, Property and Environment Research Center, 
Bozeman, Montana; and Jake Li, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, D.C.
CURRENT SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee received a closed briefing on 
the current situation in the Middle East from Donald Armine Blome, 
Senior Bureau Official, Steve Galpern, Acting Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Analysis, and additional briefers, all of the Bureau of 
Intelligence and Research, Department of State.
NOMINATION
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Markwayne Mullin, of 
Oklahoma, to be Secretary of Homeland Security, after the nominee, who 
was introduced by Senator Lankford, testified and answered questions in 
his own behalf.
SUNSHINE WEEK
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine sunshine week, focusing on bringing secret 
government spending to light, including 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. 1199, to extend the statute of 
limitations for fraud under certain pandemic programs, S. 4059, to 
provide requirements for Executive agency spending at the end of a 
fiscal year, and S. 4130, to pub a public price tag on all projects 
supported with taxpayer dollars, after receiving testimony from Jeff 
Arkin, Director, Strategic Issues, Government Accountability Office; 
Justin R. Goodman, White Coat Waste, and Joshua Miller, Congress Watch, 
both of Washington, D.C.; and John Hart, Open the Books, Knoxville, 
Maryland.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 342, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize an 
individual who is awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed 
Forces to transfer unused Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to a family 
member, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 410, to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve 
benefits and services for surviving spouses;
  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, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute;
  S. 1116, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
provision of certain additional burial benefits for individuals for 
whom an urn or plaque is furnished, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute;
  S. 1657, to amend title 38, United States Code, to limit the 
authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deny the claim of a 
veteran for benefits under the laws administered by such Secretary on 
the sole basis that such veteran failed to appear for a medical 
examination associated with such claim;
  S. 1665, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of 
secrecy oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1726, to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify that the 
Department of Veterans Affairs definition of ``medical services'' 
includes medically necessary automobile adaptations, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1868, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access by 
veterans to critical access hospitals and affiliated clinics under the 
Veterans Community Care Program, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 2061, to require the Interagency Working Group on Toxic Exposure 
to conduct research on the

[[Page D292]]

diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of 
individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the 
Armed Forces, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2220, to expand presumptions of exposure by members of the Armed 
Forces to toxic substances, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 2264, to improve the emergency management capabilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 2309, to direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not 
later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns 
of such death, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2328, to authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for 
examinations and assessments to receive credit toward degrees awarded 
by institutions of higher learning, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute;
  S. 2333, to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to permit supplementation of health records of 
deceased veterans, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2397, to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations 
relating to the provision of health care through community care 
providers, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2683, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion 
Officer, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2807, to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the 
applicability of the authority to reconsider decisions of the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of the Army to inter remains or 
honor the memory of a person in a national cemetery, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2981, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
provision of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs;
  S. 3033, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish 
partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
  S. 3119, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs available for members of the Armed 
Forces, other individuals on active duty, and family members of such 
individuals on a space-available basis;
  S. 3138, to amend title 38, United States Code, to include adaptive 
prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational 
activities in the medical services furnished to eligible veterans by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 3303, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a 
pilot program to establish or enhance a community integration platform 
for services for veterans, to require the collection from veterans of 
information related to social determinants of health, with an amendment 
in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 3758, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make opioid 
overdose rescue medications available to veterans and their caregivers, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  A committee resolution--lease agreements.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page D292, March 18, 2026, the following language appears: A 
committee resolution.
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: A committee 
resolution--lease agreements.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


                                                 WORLDWIDE THREATS
 Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded open and closed 
 hearings to examine worldwide threats, after receiving testimony from 
    Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, Office of the 
Director of National Intelligence; John L. Ratcliffe, Director, Central 
    Intelligence Agency; Kash P. Patel, Director, Federal Bureau of 
 Investigation, Department of Justice; and William J. Hartman, Acting 
 Commander, Cyber Command, performing the duties of Director, National 
  Security Agency, and Chief, Central Security Service, and James H. 
     Adams III, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, both of the 
Department of Defense.