[House Report 115-1114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Union Calendar No. 881
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 115-1114
_______________________________________________________________________
ACTIVITIES
of the
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND
GOVERNMENT REFORM
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
JANUARY 2, 2019
(Pursuant to House Rule XI, 1(d)(1))
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdys.gov
http://oversight.house.gov/
January 2, 2016.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
33-945 WASHINGTON : 2019
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
TREY GOWDY, South Carolina, Chairman
JOHN DUNCAN, Tennessee ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland
DARRELL ISSA, California CAROLYN MALONEY, New York
JIM JORDAN, Ohio ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of
MARK SANFORD, South Carolina Columbia
JUSTIN AMASH, Michigan WILLIAM LACY CLAY, Missouri
PAUL GOSAR, Arizona STEPHEN LYNCH, Massachusetts
SCOTT DESJARLAIS, Tennessee JIM COOPER, Tennessee
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky ROBIN KELLY, Illinois
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina BRENDA LAWRENCE, Michigan
DENNIS ROSS, Florida BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN, New Jersey
MARK WALKER, North Carolina RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI, Illinois
ROD BLUM, Iowa JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland
JODY B. HICE, Georgia JIMMY GOMEZ, California
STEVE RUSSELL, Oklahoma PETER WELCH, Vermont
GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin MATT CARTWRIGHT, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM HURD, Texas MARK DESAULNIER, California
GARY J. PALMER, Alabama STACEY E. PLASKETT, Virgin Islands
JAMES COMER, Kentucky JOHN SARBANES, Maryland
PAUL MITCHELL, Michigan
GREG GIANFORTE, Montana
MICHAEL CLOUD, Texas
Sheria Clarke, Staff Director
William McKenna, General Counsel and Parliamentarian
Laura Rush, Chief Clerk
Dave Rapallo, Minority Staff Director
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
----------
House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform,
Washington, DC, January 2, 2019.
Hon. Paul D. Ryan,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with 1(d)(1) of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit the
report on the activities of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform for the 115th Congress.
Sincerely,
Trey Gowdy,
Chairman.
C O N T E N T S
I. Legislative Activities............................................1
a. Bills Enacted into Law.............................. 1
b. Bills Enacted into Law as Part of Another Bill...... 10
c. Bills Presented to the President.................... 11
d. Bills Passed by the House........................... 11
e. Bills Favorably Reported by the Committee........... 15
f. Bills Adversely Reported by the Committee........... 16
g. Full Committee Business Meetings Held............... 17
II. Hearings Held....................................................32
a. Full Committee...................................... 32
b. Subcommittee on Government Operations............... 41
c. Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits and
Administrative Rules............................... 43
d. Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and
Environment........................................ 44
e. Subcommittee on Information Technology.............. 48
f. Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs........... 47
g. Subcommittee on National Security................... 51
h. Joint Subcommittee.................................. 54
III.Oversight Activities & Recommendations...........................62
a. Summary of Committee Oversight Plan................. 63
b. Government Operations............................... 63
c. Healthcare, Benefits, & Administrative Rules........ 86
d. Interior, Energy, & Environment..................... 92
e. Intergovernmental Affairs........................... 96
f. Information Technology.............................. 105
g. National Security................................... 109
Calendar No. 881
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 115-1114
======================================================================
ACTIVITIES OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
_______
January 2, 2019.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Gowdy, from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
I. LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES
BILLS ENACTED INTO LAW
H.J. Res. 37, Disapproving the rule submitted by the
Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to
the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Introduced by Rep. Virginia
Foxx (R-NC) on 1/30/2017; passed House on 2/2/2017 (by record
vote of 236-187); passed Senate on 3/6/2017 (by record vote of
49-48); became Pub. L. 115-11 on 3/27/2017.
H.R. 39, TALENT Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Kevin
McCarthy (R-CA) on 1/3/2017; passed House on 1/11/2017 (under
suspension by record vote of 386-17); passed Senate on 1/17/
2017 (by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-1 on 1/20/2017.
H.R. 72, GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2017. Introduced
by Rep. Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter (R-GA) on 1/3/2017; passed
House on 1/4/2017 (under suspension by voice vote); passed
Senate on 1/17/2017 (by record vote of 99-0); became Pub. L.
115-3 on 1/31/2017.
H.R. 194, Federal Agency Mail Management Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) on 1/3/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 2/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
66); passed House on 5/17/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote); passed Senate on 11/8/2017 (by unanimous consent);
became Pub. L. 115-85 on 11/21/2017.
H.R. 195, Making further continuing appropriations for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes.
Introduced by Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) on 1/3/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 2/14/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
128); passed House on 5/17/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote); passed Senate on 12/21/2017 (by unanimous consent);
became Pub. L. 115-120 on 1/22/2018.
H.R. 274, Modernizing Government Travel Act. Introduced by
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) on 1/4/2017; passed House on 1/10/2017
(under suspension by voice vote); passed Senate on 5/2/2017 (by
unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-34 on 5/16/2017.
H.R. 624, Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of
2017. Introduced by Rep. David G. Valadao (R-CA) on 1/24/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 2/14/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-150); passed House on 5/24/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed Senate on 9/6/2017 (by unanimous consent);
became Pub. L. 115-59 on 9/15/2017.
H.R. 657, Follow the Rules Act. Introduced by Rep. Sean P.
Duffy (R-WI) on 1/24/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 2/
2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-67); passed House on 5/1/
2017 (under suspension by record vote of 407-0); passed Senate
on 5/25/2017 (by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-40 on
6/14/2017. Senate Companion (S. 576, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)).
H.R. 1242, 400 Years of African-American History Commission
Act. Introduced by Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-VA) on 2/28/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 3/28/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-105); passed House on 5/1/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed Senate on 12/21/2017 (voice vote); became
Pub. L. 115-102 on 1/8/2018.
H.R. 2229, All Circuit Review Act. Introduced by Rep.
Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) on 4/28/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 5/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-337); passed
House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by voice vote); passed
Senate on 6/12/2018 (by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-
195 on 7/7/2018.
H.R. 2331, Connected Government Act. Introduced by Rep.
Robin L. Kelly (D-IL) on 5/3/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-406); passed
House on 11/15/2017 (under suspension by record vote of 423-0);
passed Senate on 12/21/2017 (by unanimous consent); became Pub.
L. 115-114 on 1/10/2018.
H.R. 2989, Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act.
Introduced by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) on 6/21/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-340); passed House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed Senate on 10/18/2017 (by unanimous
consent); became Pub. L. 115-77 on 11/2/2017.
H.R. 3031, TSP Modernization Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) on 6/23/2017; ordered reported
by Committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-343);
passed House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by voice vote);
passed Senate on 11/6/2017 (by unanimous consent); became Pub.
L. 115-84 on 11/17/2017.
H.R. 3210, Securely Expediting Clearances Through Reporting
Transparency Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Stephen Knight (R-
CA) on 7/12/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 7/19/2017 by
voice vote (H. Rept. 15-258); passed House on 7/26/2017 (under
suspension by voice vote); passed Senate on 3/15/2018 (by
unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-173 on 5/22/2018.
H.R. 3243, FITARA Enhancement Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) on 7/14/2017; ordered reported
by Committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-344);
passed House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by record vote of
418-0); passed Senate on 11/8/2017 (by unanimous consent);
became Pub. L. 115-88 on 11/21/2017.
H.R. 3398, REAL ID Act Modification for Freely Associated
States Act. Introduced by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) on 7/25/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 2/6/2018 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-945); passed House on 9/26/2018 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed Senate on 12/6/2018; became Pub. L. 115-323
on 12/17/2018.
H.R. 3731, Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of
2018. Introduced by Rep. John Katko (R-NY) on 9/11/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-435); passed House on 12/5/2017 (under suspension by
record vote of 407-4); passed Senate on 3/19/2018 (by unanimous
consent); became Pub. L. 115-160 on 4/3/2018.
H.R. 4431, Correcting Miscalculations in Veterans' Pensions
Act. Introduced by Rep. Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter (R-GA) on 11/
16/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 11/30/2017 by voice
vote (H. Rept. 115-946); passed House on 9/26/2018 (under
suspension by voice vote); passed Senate on 12/13/2018 (by
unanimous consent); became law on 12/22/2018.*
H.R. 5759, 21st Century IDEA. Introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna
(D-CA) on 5/10/2018; ordered reported by Committee on 9/27/2018
by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-1055); passed House on 11/29/2018
(under suspension by voice vote); passed Senate on 12/11/2018
(by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-336 on 12/20/2018.
H.R. 6870, An act to rename the Stop Trading on
Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 in honor of Representative
Louise McIntosh Slaughter. Introduced by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY)
on 9/25/2018; discharged from the Committee on 9/25/2018;
passed House on 9/28/2018 (by unanimous consent); passed Senate
on 12/11/2018 (by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-277 on
11/3/2018.
H.R. 6893, Secret Service Overtime Pay Extension Act.
Introduced by Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) on 9/25/2018; ordered
reported by Committee on 9/27/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
1069); passed House on 12/10/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote); passed Senate on 12/19/2018 (by unanimous consent);
became law on December 21, 2018.*
S. 188, EGO Act. Introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on
1/23/2017; passed Senate on 9/18/2017 (by unanimous consent);
passed House on 3/6/2018 (under suspension by voice vote);
became Pub. L. 115-158 on 3/27/2018. House companion (H.R.
1701. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)) ordered reported by
Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-511).
S. 585, Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act
of 2017. Introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) on 3/8/2017;
passed Senate on 5/25/2017 (by unanimous consent); passed House
on 10/12/2017 (by record vote of 420-0); became Pub. L. 115-73
on 10/26/2017. House companion (H.R. 3042, Rep. Sean P. Duffy
(R-WI)).
S. 899, Veterans Providing Healthcare Transition
Improvement Act. Introduced by Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) on
4/7/2017; passed Senate on 3/28/2018 (by unanimous consent);
passed House on 7/16/2018 (under suspension by voice vote);
became Pub. L. 115-238 on 9/7/2018. House companion (H.R. 2648,
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)) ordered reported by Committee on 5/
23/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-825).
S. 1083, A bill to amend section 1214 of title 5, United
States Code, to provide for stays during a period that the
Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum. Introduced by
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) on 5/10/2017; passed Senate on 5/11/
2017 (by unanimous consent); passed House on 5/25/2017 (by
unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-42 on 6/27/2017.
S. 1869, Whistleblower Protection Coordination Act.
Introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on 9/27/2017; passed
Senate on 3/15/2018 (by unanimous consent); passed House on 6/
7/2018 (by unanimous consent); became Pub. L. 115-192 on 6/25/
2018. House companion (H.R. 4043, Rep. Rod Blum (R-IA)) ordered
reported by Committee on 11/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
510).
* Pub. L. number not available at the time of printing.
POSTAL NAMING BILLS ENACTED INTO LAW
H.R. 294, Olson (R-TX), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 2700 Cullen
Boulevard in Pearland, Texas, as the ``Endy Nddiobong Ekpanya
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-133).
H.R. 452, Luetkemeyer (R-MO), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 324
West Saint Louis Street in Pacific, Missouri, as the
``Specialist Jeffrey L. White, Jr. Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-
134).
H.R. 606, DeSaulnier (D-CA), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1025
Nevin Avenue in Richmond, California, as the ``Harold D.
McCraw, Sr., Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-283).
H.R. 1207, Cuellar (D-TX), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 306 River Street
in Tilden, Texas, as the ``Tilden Veterans Post Office'' (Pub.
L. 115-311).
H.R. 1208, Cuellar (D-TX), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 9155 Schaefer
Road, Converse, Texas, as the ``Converse Veterans Post Office
Building'' (Pub. L. 115-138).
H.R. 1209, Cuellar (D-TX), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 901 N. Francisco
Avenue, Mission, Texas, as the ``Mission Veterans Post Office
Building'' (Pub. L. 115-284).
H.R. 1210, Cuellar (D-TX), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 122 W. Goodwin
Street, Pleasanton, Texas, as the ``Pleasanton Veterans Post
Office.''*
H.R. 1211, Cuellar (D-TX), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 400 N. Main
Street, Encinal, Texas, as the ``Encinal Veterans Post
Office.''*
H.R. 1496, Bass (D-CA), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 4040 West
Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the
``Marvin Gaye Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-207).
H.R. 1850, Amash (R-MI), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 907 Fourth
Avenue in Lake Odessa, Michigan, as the ``Donna Sauers Besko
Post Office.''*
H.R. 1858, Marino (R-PA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 4514 Williamson
Trail in Liberty, Pennsylvania, as the ``Staff Sergeant Ryan
Scott Ostrom Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-139).
H.R. 1988, McCarthy (R-CA), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1730
18th Street in Bakersfield, California, as the ``Merle Haggard
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-140).
H.R. 2254, Thompson (D-CA), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2635
Napa Street in Vallejo, California, as the ``Janet Capello Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-142).
H.R. 2302, Watson Coleman (D-NJ), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 259
Nassau Street, Suite 2 in Princeton, New Jersey, as the ``Dr.
John F. Nash, Jr. Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-143).
H.R. 2464, Lynch (D-MA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 25 New Chardon
Street Lobby in Boston, Massachusetts, as the ``John Fitzgerald
Kennedy Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-144).
H.R. 2672, Bustos (D-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 520 Carter
Street in Fairview, Illinois, as the ``Sgt. Douglas J. Riney
Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-145).
H.R. 2673, Bustos (D-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 514 Broadway
Street in Pekin, Illinois, as the ``Lance Corporal Jordan S.
Bastean Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-208).
H.R. 2815, Lance (R-NJ), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 30 East Somerset
Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the ``Sergeant John Basilone
Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-146).
H.R. 2873, Boyle (D-PA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 207 Glenside
Avenue in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, as the ``Staff Sergeant Peter
Taub Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-147).
H.R. 2979, Aguilar (D-CA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 390 West 5th
Street in San Bernardino, California, as the ``Jack H. Brown
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-285).
H.R. 3109, LaHood (R-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1114 North 2nd
Street in Chillicothe, Illinois, as the ``Sr. Chief Ryan Owens
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-148).
H.R. 3183, Garrett (R-VA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 13683 James
Madison Highway in Palmyra, Virginia, as the ``U.S. Navy Seaman
Dakota Kyle Rigsby Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-209).
H.R. 3184, Garrett (R-VA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 180 McCormick
Road in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the ``Captain Humayun
Khan Post Office.''*
H.R. 3230, Labrador (R-ID), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 915
Center Avenue in Payette, Idaho, as the ``Harmon Killebrew Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-286).
H.R. 3369, Hudson (R-NC), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 225 North Main
Street in Spring Lake, North Carolina, as the ``Howard B. Pate,
Jr. Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-149).
H.R. 3638, Lawson (D-FL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1100 Kings Road
in Jacksonville, Florida, as the ``Rutledge Pearson Post Office
Building'' (Pub. L. 115-150).
H.R. 3655, Smith (R-NJ), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 Main Street
in Belmar, New Jersey, as the ``Dr. Walter S. McAfee Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-151).
H.R. 3821, Collins (R-GA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 430 Main Street
in Clermont, Georgia, as the ``Zachary Addington Post Office''
(Pub. L. 115-152).
H.R. 3893, Yoho (R-FL), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 100 Mathe Avenue in
Interlachen, Florida, as the ``Robert H. Jenkins Post Office''
(Pub. L. 115-153).
H.R. 4042, Soto (D-FL), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 1415 West Oak
Street, in Kissimmee, Florida, as the ``Borinqueneers Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-154).
H.R. 4285, LoBiondo (R-NJ), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123
Bridgeton Pike in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, as the ``James C.
'Billy' Johnson Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-155).
H.R. 4301, Norman (R-SC), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 201 Tom Hall
Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, as the ``J. Elliott
Williams Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-210).
H.R. 4326, LaHood (R-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 200 West North
Street in Normal, Illinois, as the ``Sgt. Josh Rodgers Post
Office.''*
H.R. 4406, Espaillat (D-NY), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 99
Macombs Place in New York, New York, as the ``Tuskegee Airmen
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-211).
H.R. 4407, Hultgren (R-IL), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3s101
Rockwell Street in Warrenville, Illinois, as the ``Corporal
Jeffery Allen Williams Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-
316).
H.R. 4463, Velazquez (D-NY), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6
Doyers Street in New York, New York, as the ``Mabel Lee
Memorial Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-212).
H.R. 4574, Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 108
West Schick Road in Bloomingdale, Illinois, as the
``Bloomingdale Veterans Memorial Post Office Building'' (Pub.
L. 115-213).
H.R. 4646, Palmer (R-AL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1900 Corporate
Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, as the ``Lance Corporal Thomas E.
Rivers, Jr. Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-214).
H.R. 4685, Cicilline (D-RI), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 515
Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, as the ``First Sergeant
P. Andrew McKenna Jr. Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-215).
H.R. 4722, Faso (R-NY), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 111 Market Street
in Saugerties, New York, as the ``Maurice D. Hinchey Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-216).
H.R. 4840, Murphy (D-FL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 567 East
Franklin Street in Oviedo, Florida, as the ``Sergeant First
Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-
217).
H.R. 4890, Brown (D-MD), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 9801 Apollo
Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, as the ``Wayne K. Curry Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-287).
H.R. 4913, Harris (R-MD), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 816 East
Salisbury Parkway in Salisbury, Maryland, as the ``Sgt. Maj.
Wardell B. Turner Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-288).
H.R. 4946, Correa (D-CA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1075 North
Tustin Street in Orange, California, as the ``Specialist Trevor
A. Win'E Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-289).
H.R. 4960, Hartzler (R-MO), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 511
East Walnut Street in Columbia, Missouri, as the ``Spc.
Sterling William Wyatt Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-
290).
H.R. 5205, Kihuen (D-NV), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 701 6th Street
in Hawthorne, Nevada, as the ``Sergeant Kenneth Eric Bostic
Post Office.''*
H.R. 5238, Clarke (D-NY), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1234 Saint
John's Place in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Major Robert Odell
Owens Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-317).
H.R. 5349, Cohen (D-TN), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1320 Autumn
Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, as the ``Judge Russell B.
Sugarmon Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-291).
H.R. 5395, Collins (R-NY), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 116 Main Street
in Dansville, New York, as the ``Staff Sergeant Alexandria
Gleason-Morrow Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 5412, King (R-NY), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 25 2nd Avenue in
Brentwood, New York, as the ``Army Specialist Jose L. Ruiz Post
Office Building.''*
H.R. 5475, Graves (R-MO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 108 North Macon
Street in Bevier, Missouri, as the ``SO2 Navy SEAL Adam Olin
Smith Post Office.''*
H.R. 5504, Newhouse (R-WA), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4801
West Van Giesen Street in West Richland, Washington, as the
``Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman Post Office Building'' (Pub. L.
115-292).
H.R. 5737, Bustos (D-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 108 West D
Street in Alpha, Illinois, as the ``Captain Joshua E. Steele
Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-293).
H.R. 5784, Moore (D-WI), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 2650 North
Doctor Martin Luther King Drive in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the
``Vel R. Phillips Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-294).
H.R. 5791, Coffman (R-CO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 9609 South
University Boulevard in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, as the
``Deputy Sheriff Zackari Spurlock Parrish, III, Post Office
Building.''*
H.R. 5792, Coffman (R-CO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 90 North 4th
Avenue in Brighton, Colorado, as the ``Detective Heath McDonald
Gumm Post Office.''*
H.R. 5868, Gibbs (R-OH), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 530 Claremont
Avenue in Ashland, Ohio, as the ``Bill Harris Post Office''
(Pub. L. 115-295).
H.R. 5935, Davis (R-IL), An act to designate the facility
at the United States Postal Service located at 1355 North
Meridian Drive in Harristown, Illinois, as the ``Logan S.
Palmer Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-296).
H.R. 6020, Bishop (R-MI), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 325 South
Michigan Avenue in Howell, Michigan, as the ``Sergeant Donald
Burgett Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6059, Moulton (D-MA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 51 Willow Street
in Lynn, Massachusetts, as the ``Thomas P. Costin, Jr. Post
Office Building.''*
H.R. 6116, Moolenaar (R-MI), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 362
North Ross Street in Beaverton, Michigan, as the ``Colonel
Alfred Asch Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-297).
H.R. 6167, Roskam (R-IL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 5707 South Cass
Avenue in Westmont, Illinois, as the ``James William Robinson
Jr. Memorial Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6216, Tipton (R-CO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 3025 Woodgate
Road in Montrose, Colorado, as the ``Sergeant David
Kinterknecht Post Office.''*
H.R. 6217, Tipton (R-CO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 241 N 4th Street
in Grand Junction, Colorado, as the ``Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer
Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6335, Esty (D-CT), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 322 Main Street in
Oakville, Connecticut, as the ``Oakville Veterans Memorial Post
Office.''*
H.R. 6405, Denham (R-CA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 2801 Mitchell
Road in Ceres, California, as the ``Lance Corporal Juana
Navarro Arellano Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6428, Gottheimer (D-NJ), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 332
Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland, New Jersey, as the ``Frank Leone
Post Office.''*
H.R. 6513, Brooks (R-AL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 1110 West Market
Street in Athens, Alabama, as the ``Judge James E. Horton, Jr.
Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6591, Butler Demings (D-FL), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 501
South Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida, as the ``Napoleon 'Nap'
Ford Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6621, Roe (R-TN), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 530 East Main
Street in Johnson City, Tennessee, as the ``Major Homer L.
Pease Post Office.''*
H.R. 6628, Smith (D-WA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 4301 Northeast
4th Street in Renton, Washington, as the ``James Marshall
'Jimi' Hendrix Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6655, LaMalfa (R-CA), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 44160 State
Highway 299 East Suite 1 in McArthur, California, as the
``Janet Lucille Oilar Post Office.''*
H.R. 6780, Castor (D-FL), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 7521 Paula Drive
in Tampa, Florida, as the ``Major Andreas O'Keeffe Post Office
Building.''*
H.R. 6831, Polis (D-CO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 35 West Main
Street in Frisco, Colorado, as the ``Patrick E. Mahany, Jr.,
Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 6930, Stefanik (R-NY), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10
Miller Street in Plattsburgh, New York, as the ``Ross Bouyea
Post Office Building.''*
H.R. 7230, Clyburn (D-SC), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 226 West Main
Street in Lake City, South Carolina, as the ``Postmaster
Frazier B. Baker Post Office.''*
H.R. 7243, Murphy (D-FL), An act to amend Public Law 115-
217 to change the address of the postal facility designated by
such Public Law in honor of Sergeant First Class Alwyn Crendall
Cashe, and for other purposes.''*
S. 831, Toomey (R-PA), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 120 West Pike
Street in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, as the ``Police Officer
Scott Bashioum Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-137).
S. 931, Gardner (R-CO), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 4910 Brighton
Boulevard in Denver, Colorado, as the ``George Sakato Post
Office'' (Pub. L. 115-220).
S. 2040, Roberts (R-KS), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 621 Kansas
Avenue in Atchison, Kansas, as the ``Amelia Earhart Post Office
Building'' (Pub. L. 115-162).
S. 2692, Gillibrand (D-NY), An act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4558
Broadway in New York, New York, as the ``Stanley Michels Post
Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-223).
S. 3209, Menendez (D-NJ), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 413 Washington
Avenue in Belleville, New Jersey, as the ``Private Henry Svehla
Post Office Building'' (Pub. L. 115-318).
S. 3237, Perdue (R-GA), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 120 12th Street
Lobby in Columbus, Georgia, as the ``Richard W. Williams, Jr.,
Chapter of the Triple Nickles (555th P.I.A.) Post Office''
(Pub. L. 115-319).
S. 3414, Reed (D-RI), An act to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 20 Ferry Road in
Saunderstown, Rhode Island, as the ``Captain Matthew J. August
Post Office'' (Pub. L. 115-313).
S. 3442, McCaskill (D-MO), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 105 Duff Street
in Macon, Missouri, as the ``Arla W. Harrell Post Office''
(Pub. L. 115-313).
*Pub. L. number not available at the time of submission.
BILLS ENACTED AS PART OF ANOTHER BILL
H.R. 69, Thoroughly Investigating Retaliation Against
Whistleblowers Act. Introduced by Rep. Rod Blum (R-IA) on 1/3/
2017; passed House on 1/4/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote). H.R. 69 was included as Section 1097 of National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R. 2810, Rep. Mac
Thornberry (R-TX)), which became Pub. L. 115-91 on 12/12/2017.
H.R. 1387, SOAR Reauthorization Act. Introduced by Rep.
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on 3/7/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 3/10/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-62). H.R.
1387 was included as Title IX of Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2017 (H.R. 244, Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA)), which became Pub.
L. 115-31 on 5/5/2017.
H.R. 2227, MGT Act. Introduced by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) on
4/28/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 5/2/2017 by voice
vote (H. Rept. 115-129); passed House on 5/17/2017 (under
suspension by voice vote). H.R. 2227 was included as Subtitle G
of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
(H.R. 2810, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX)), which became Pub. L.
115-91 on 12/12/2017.
H.R. 3019, Promoting Value Based Procurement Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) on 6/22/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote. H.R. 3019 was
included as Section 880 of John S. McCain National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (H.R. 5515, Rep. Mac
Thornberry (R-TX)), which became Pub. L. 115-232 on 8/13/2018.
H.R. 3071, Federal Acquisition Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter (R-GA) on 6/8/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/15/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
402); passed House on 11/13/2017 (under suspension by record
vote 396-0). H.R. 3071 was included as Section 555 of the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 302, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-
KY)), which became Pub. L. 115-254 on 10/5/2018.
H.R. 4171, To amend title 5, United States Code, to extend
the authority to conduct telework travel expenses test
programs, and for other purposes. Introduced by Greg Gianforte
(R-MT) on 10/31/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 11/2/
2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-460); passed House on 12/12/
2017 (under suspension by voice vote). H.R. 4171 was included
as Section 1105 of John S. McCain National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (H.R. 5515, Rep. Mac
Thornberry (R-TX)), which became Pub. L. 115-232 on 8/13/2018.
H.R. 5925, CRISIS Act. Introduced by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC)
on 5/23/2018; ordered reported by Committee on 5/23/2018 by
voice vote (H. Rept. 115-767); passed House on 6/20/2018 (under
suspension by voice vote). H.R. 5925 was included as Subtitle K
of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid
Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, or
``SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act'' (H.R. 6, Rep. Greg
Walden (R-OR)), which became Pub. L. 115-271 on 10/24/2018.
POSTAL NAMING BILLS ENACTED VIA ANOTHER BILL
H.R. 1950, Murphy (R-PA), A bill to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 120 West Pike
Street in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, as the ``Police Officer
Scott Bashioum Post Office Building'' (enacted via S. 831 as
Pub. L. 115-137).
H.R. 4188, Jenkins (R-KS), A bill to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 621 Kansas
Avenue in Atchison, Kansas, as the ``Amelia Earhart Post Office
Building'' (enacted via S. 2040 as Pub. L. 115-162).
H.R. 4405, Espaillat (D-NY), A bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4558
Broadway in New York, New York, as the ``Stanley Michaels Post
Office Building'' (enacted via S. 2692 as Pub. L. 115-223).
BILLS PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT
S. 2276, Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act.
Introduced by Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) on 1/04/2018; passed
Senate on 12/06/2018 (by unanimous consent); passed House on
12/21/2018 (under suspension by recorded vote of 382-2);
presented to the President on December 27, 2018.* House
companion (H.R. 5415, Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC)) ordered reported
by Committee on 5/23/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-823);
passed House on 7/16/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
S. 3191, Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of
2018. Introduced by Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) on 7/10/2018; passed
Senate on 12/17/2018 (by unanimous consent); passed House on
12/21/2018 (under suspension by recorded vote of 376-6);
presented to the President on December 27, 2018. House
companion (H.R. 1272, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)) ordered reported
by Committee on 9/27/2018 by UC.
BILLS PASSED THE HOUSE
H. Res. 759, Expressing the condolences of the House of
Representatives on the death of the Reverend Billy Graham.
Introduced by Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) on 3/1/2018; Committee
discharged on 3/1/2018; passed House on 3/1/2018 (by unanimous
consent).
H. Res. 838, Honoring the life of First Lady Barbara Bush.
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) on 4/24/2018;
Committee discharged on 4/24/2018; passed House on 4/24/2018
(by unanimous consent).
H. Res. 1138, Condemning the anti-Semitic attack on the
building housing three congregations, Tree of Life, Dor Hadash,
and New Light, honoring the memory of the victims of the
attack, and offering condolences to and expressing support for
their families, friends, and community. Introduced by Rep.
Michael Doyle (D-PA) on 11/6/2018; Committee discharged on 11/
13/2018; passed House on 11/13/2018 (by unanimous consent).
H. Res. 838, Honoring the life of President George Herbert
Walker Bush. Introduced by Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX) on 12/10/
2018; Committee discharged on 12/11/2018; passed House on 12/
11/2018 (by unanimous consent).
H.R. 50, Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act
of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) on 01/03/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 3/15/2018 by record vote of
20-10 (H. Rept. 115-798, Part I); passed House on 7/13/2018 (by
record vote of 230-168).
H.R. 70, Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO) on 01/03/2017; passed
House on 1/4/2017 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 71, Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act. Introduced by Rep.
Tim Walberg (R-MI) on 1/3/2017; Passed House on 1/4/2017 (under
suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 73, Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) on 1/3/2017;
passed House on 1/4/2017 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 378, Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2017. Introduced
by Rep. Charles J. ``Chuck'' Fleischmann (R-TN) on 1/9/2017;
ordered reported by committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-341); passed House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote).
H.R. 653, Federal Intern Protection Act of 2017. Introduced
by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) on 1/24/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/8/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
78); passed House on 5/17/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 702, Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) on 1/27/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 2/2/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-79); passed House on 7/11/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote).
H.R. 998, SCRUB Act. Introduced by Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO)
on 2/9/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 2/14/2017 by
record vote of 22-17 (H. Rept. 115-14); passed House on 3/1/
2017 (by record vote of 240-185).
H.R. 1004, Regulatory Integrity Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) on 2/13/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 2/14/2017 by record vote of 22-16 (H. Rept. 115-
15); passed House on 3/2/2017 (by record vote of 246-176).
H.R. 1009, OIRA Insight, Reform, and Accountability Act.
Introduced by Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) on 2/13/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 2/14/2017 by record vote of 23-16 (H.
Rept. 115-19); passed House on 3/1/2017 (by record vote of 241-
184).
H.R. 1132, Political Appointee Burrowing Prevention Act.
Introduced by Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) on 2/16/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 11/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
439); passed House on 3/6/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 1293, To amend title 5, United States Code, to require
that the Office of Personnel Management submit an annual report
to Congress relating to the use of official time by Federal
employees. Introduced by Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-FL) on 3/1/
2017; ordered reported by Committee on 3/8/2017 by voice vote
(H. Rept. 115-118); passed House on 5/24/2017 (under suspension
by voice vote).
H.R. 1376, Electronic Message Preservation Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings on 3/7/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/15/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
824); passed House on 7/16/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 1694, Fannie and Freddie Open Records Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on 3/23/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/28/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
93); passed House on 4/27/2017 (by record vote of 425-0).
H.R. 2196, To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow
whistleblowers to disclose information to certain recipients.
Introduced by Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) on 4/27/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 5/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
342); passed by House on 10/11/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 2846, Federal Agency Customer Experience Act of 2018.
Introduced by Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) on 6/8/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/15/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
1043); passed House on 11/29/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 2897, An act to authorize the Mayor of the District of
Columbia and the Director of the National Park Service to enter
into cooperative management agreements for the operation,
maintenance, and management of units of the National Park
System in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
Introduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) on 6/13/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-436); passed House on 1/16/2018 (under suspension by
voice vote).
H.R. 3076, Creating Advanced Streamlined Electronic
Services for Constituents Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep.
Garret Graves (R-LA) on 6/27/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 2/6/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-826); passed
House on 7/16/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 3121, All-American Flag Act. Introduced by Rep. Cheri
Bustos (D-IL) on 6/29/2017; ordered reported by Committee on
11/2/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-1044); passed House on
11/29/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 3154, Inspector General Access Act of 2017. Introduced
by Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) on 6/29/2017; ordered reported
by Committee on 9/27/2018 by unanimous consent (H. Rept. 115-
1045); passed House on 11/29/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 3737, Social Media Use in Clearance Investigations Act
of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) on 9/12/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-512); passed House on 3/6/2018 (under suspension by
voice vote).
H.R. 3739, Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of
2017. Introduced by Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) on 9/12/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 9/13/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
407); passed House on 11/13/2017 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 4182, Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service (EQUALS) Act
of 2017. Introduced by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) on 10/31/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 11/2/2017 by record vote of
19-17 (H. Rept. 115-415); passed House on 11/30/2017 (by record
vote of 213-204).
H.R. 4446, To amend the Virgin Islands of the United States
Centennial Commission Act to extend the expiration date of the
Commission, and for other purposes. Introduced by Rep. Stacey
Plaskett (D-VI) on 11/16/2017; ordered reported by Committee on
3/15/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-822); passed House on 7/
16/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4809, Guidance Out of Darkness Act. Introduced by Rep.
Mark Walker (R-NC) on 1/16/2018; ordered reported by Committee
on 3/15/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-972); passed House on
9/26/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4887, Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements
Transparency Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-
NC) on 1/29/2018; ordered reported by Committee on 2/6/2018 by
voice vote (H. Rept. 115-947); passed house on 9/26/2018 (under
suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 4917, IG Subpoena Authority Act. Introduced by Rep.
Steve Russell (R-OK) on 2/2/2018; ordered reported by Committee
on 2/6/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-799); passed House on
9/26/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 5896, Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendments Act of
2018. Introduced by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) on 5/21/2018; ordered
reported by Committee on 5/23/2018 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
973); passed House on 9/26/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 6777, Settlement Agreement Information Database Act of
2018. Introduced by Rep. Gary J. Palmer (R-AL) on 9/12/2018;
ordered reported by Committee on 9/27/2018 by unanimous
consent; passed House on 11/29/2018 (under suspension by voice
vote).
H.R. 6846, To require the United States Postal Service to
establish new ZIP codes, and for other purposes. Introduced by
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) on 9/20/2018; passed House on 9/
26/2018 (under suspension by voice vote).
H.R. 6901, Federal CIO Authorization Act of 2018.
Introduced by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) on 9/26/2018; ordered
reported by Committee on 9/27/2018 by unanimous consent (H.
Rept. 115-987); passed House on 11/29/2018 (under suspension by
record vote 391-0).
H.R. 4174, Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act
of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) on 10/31/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 11/2/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-411); passed House on 11/15/2017 (under suspension by
voice vote); passed Senate with an amendment on 12/19/2018 (by
unanimous consent); amendment agreed to by House on 12/21/2018
(under suspension by record vote of 356-17); returned to Senate
with an Enacting Correction via H. Con. Res. 149; H. Con Res.
149 agreed to in the House by unanimous consent on 12/22/2018.
The Committee expects H.R. 4174 to be presented to the
President before the end of the Congress, but it had yet to be
presented to him at the time of submission of this report.
POSTAL NAMING BILLS PASSED BY THE HOUSE
H.R. 6838, Comer (R-KY), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 128 East
Carlisle Street in Marion, Kentucky, as the ``Ollie M. James
Post Office Building''.
H.R. 7293, Morelle (D-NY), An act to designate the facility
of the United States Postal Service located at 770 Ayrault Road
in Fairport, New York, as the ``Louise and Bob Slaughter Post
Office''.
BILLS FAVORABLY REPORTED BY THE COMMITTEE
H. Res. 38, Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that offices attached to the seat of Government
should not be required to exercise their offices in the
District of Columbia. Introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)
on 1/10/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 3/10/2017 by
record vote of 21-19.
H.J. Res. 27, Disapproving the action of the District of
Columbia Council in approving the Death with Dignity Act of
2016. Introduced by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) on 1/12/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 2/13/2017 by record vote of
22-14.
H.R. 24, Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on 1/3/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/28/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
318).
H.R. 559, MERIT Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Barry
Loudermilk (R-GA) on 1/3/2017; ordered reported by Committee on
7/17/2018 by record vote of 19-11.
H.R. 679, Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement
Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) on 1/24/
2017; ordered reported by Committee on 2/2/2017 by voice vote
(H. Rept. 115-68).
H.R. 680, Eliminating Pornography from Agencies Act.
Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) on 1/24/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/8/2017 by voice vote (H. Rept. 115-
81).
H.R. 756, Postal Service Reform Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) on 1/31/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 3/16/2017 by voice vote.
H.R. 760, Postal Service Financial Improvement Act of 2017.
Introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) on 1/31/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 3/16/2017 by voice vote.
H.R. 1003, District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender
Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act. Introduced
by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) on 2/13/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 2/14/2017 by voice vote.
H.R. 1364, Official Time Reform Act of 2017. Introduced by
Rep. Jody B. Hice (R-GA) on 3/6/2017; ordered reported by
Committee on 3/10/2017 by record vote of 23-17.
H.R. 1552, FOCA Act. Introduced by Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-
FL) on 3/15/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 3/28/2017 by
voice vote.
H.R. 1701, EGO Act. Introduced by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-
PA) on 3/23/2017; ordered reported by the Committee on 9/13/
2017 by voice vote.
H.R. 2195, OSC Access Act. Introduced by Rep. Rod Blum (R-
IA) on 4/27/2017; ordered reported by the Committee on 5/2/2017
by voice vote.
H.R. 2623, Lessening Regulatory Costs and Establishing a
Federal Regulatory Budget Act of 2017. Introduced by Rep. Mark
Meadows (R-NC) on 5/24/2017; ordered reported by Committee on
11/30/2017 by record vote of 23-17.
H.R. 3244, To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide
for annual surveys of Federal employees, and for other
purposes. Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) on 7/14/2017;
ordered reported by Committee on 7/19/2017 by voice vote (H.
Rept. 115-403).
H.R. 3303, First Responder Fair RETIRE Act. Introduced by
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) on 7/19/2017; ordered reported
by Committee on 3/15/2018 by voice vote.
H.R. 4177, Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme
Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness Act of
2017 or PREPARE Act. Introduced by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
on 10/31/2017; ordered reported by Committee on 11/2/2017 by
voice vote.
H.R. 4631, Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act.
Introduced by Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) on 12/12/2017; ordered
reported by Committee on 4/12/2018 by voice vote.
H.R. 5253, Office of Government Information Services
Empowerment Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Blake Farenthold
(R-TX) on 3/13/2018; ordered reported by Committee on 3/15/2018
by voice vote.
H.R. 5300, Federal Information Systems Safeguards Act of
2018. Introduced by Rep. Gary J. Palmer (R-AL) on 3/15/2018;
ordered reported by Committee on 7/17/2018 by voice vote.
H.R. 5321, TL; DR Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Seth
Moulton (D-MA) on 3/15/2018; ordered reported by Committee on
5/23/2018 by voice vote.
H.R. 5381, Government Risk and Taxpayer Exposure Reduction
(GRATER) Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Edward Royce (R-CA) on
3/22/2018; ordered reported by Committee on 9/27/2018 by voice
vote.
H.R. 6391, Merit Systems Protection Board Reauthorization
Act of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Jody B. Hice (R-GA) on 7/16/
2018; ordered reported by Committee on 7/17/2018 by record vote
of 20-12.
H.R. 6891, The Anti-Deficiency Reform and Enforcement Act
of 2018. Introduced by Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) on 9/25/2018;
ordered reported by Committee on 9/27/2018 by record vote of
14-11.
BILLS ADVERSELY REPORTED BY THE COMMITTEE
H. Res. 877, Resolution of inquiry directing the Secretary
of Commerce to provide certain documents in the Secretary's
possession to the House of Representatives relating to the
decision to include a question on citizenship in the 2020
decennial census of population. Introduced by Rep. Jimmy Gomez
(D-CA) on 5/8/2018; ordered reported adversely by Committee on
5/23/2018 by record vote of 20-16 (H. Rept. 115-705).
FULL COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETINGS HELD
January 24, 2017--Organization Meeting
Committee Rules: (1) Mr. Chaffetz offered an amendment
making two technical changes--one to Rule 2(d) and one to Rule
4(d): The amendment was agreed to by a voice vote. (2) Mr.
Connolly offered an amendment to Rule 12(g): The amendment was
not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 12-21. (3) Ms. Lawrence
offered an amendment to Rule 12(g). (4) Mr. Cummings offered an
amendment to Rule 13: The amendment was not agreed to, with a
recorded vote of 12-20. The Committee Rules were agreed to, as
amended, by a vote of 21-12.
January 31, and February 2, 2017--Business Meeting
Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 115th Congress:
(1) Ms. Norton offered an amendment regarding the Government of
the District of Columbia: The amendment was not agreed to by
voice vote. (2) Mr. Clay offered an amendment to add a new
section, ``President's Global Business Dealings.'': The
amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 10-15. (3)
Mr. Lynch offered an amendment regarding the federal workforce:
The amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 10-16.
(4) Mr. Connolly offered an amendment to the section,
``Homeland Security.'': The amendment was withdrawn. (5) Ms.
Lawrence offered an amendment to add a new section,
``President's Global Business Dealings.'': The amendment was
not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 13-20. (6) Ms. Watson
Coleman offered an amendment to the section, ``Criminal Justice
Reform.'': The amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded
vote of 13-19. (7) Ms. Demings offered an amendment to the
section, ``Homeland Security.'': The amendment was not agreed
to, with a recorded vote of 13-19. (8) Mr. Raskin offered an
amendment to insert a new section, ``President's Global
Business Dealings.'': The amendment was not agreed to, with a
recorded vote of 13-20. (9) Mr. Cummings offered an amendment
to add a new section, ``Voting Rights.'': The amendment was not
agreed to, with a recorded vote of 13-19. (10) Mr. Connolly
offered an amendment at the end of the section titled,
``Homeland Security.'': The amendment was agreed to by voice
vote. The Authorization and Oversight Plan, as amended, was
approved by a recorded vote of 20-14.
H.R. 194 (Russell), Federal Agency Mail Management Act of
2017: The bill was ordered reported favorably to the House by
voice vote.
H.R. 702 (Cummings), Federal Employee Antidiscrimination
Act of 2017: The bill was ordered reported favorably to the
House by voice vote.
H.R. 679 (Meadows), Construction Consensus Procurement
Improvement Act of 2017: Mr. Meadows offered an amendment. The
amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill was ordered
reported favorably to the House, as amended, by voice vote.
H.R. 657 (Duffy), Follow the Rules Act: Mr. Chaffetz
offered an amendment in the Nature of a Substitute. The
amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill was ordered
reported favorably to the House, as amended, by voice vote.
February 13, 2017
H.J. Res. 27, A Resolution disapproving the action of the
District of Columbia Council in approving the Death with
Dignity Act of 2016: The resolution was ordered reported
favorably to the House by a recorded vote of 22-14.
February 14, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 195 (Russell), Federal Register Printing Savings Act
of 2017: The bill was favorably reported to the House by a
voice vote.
H.R. 624 (Valadao), Social Security Fraud Prevention Act of
2017: Mr. Chaffetz offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute (ANS). The amendment was agreed to by voice vote.
The bill, as amended, was favorably reported to the House by
voice vote.
H.R. 998 (Smith-MO), Searching for and Cutting Regulations
that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2017: (1) Mr. Cummings
offered an amendment regarding protections for whistleblowers.
The amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 12-21.
(2) Ms. Lawrence offered an amendment relating to protection
against lead poisoning. The amendment was not agreed to, with a
recorded vote of 14-21. (3) Mr. Krishnamoorthi offered an
amendment regarding reviewing oldest rules first. The amendment
was not agreed to by a voice vote. (4) Mr. Raskin offered an
amendment related to conflicts of interest. The amendment was
not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 17-22. (5) Mr. Raskin
offered an amendment relating to the Clean Air Act. The
amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded vote of 17-22. The
bill was favorably reported to the House by a vote of 22-17.
H.R. 1004 (Walberg), Regulatory Integrity Act of 2017: The
bill was favorably reported to the House by a vote of 22-16.
H.R. 1009 (Mitchell), OIRA Insight, Reform, and
Accountability Act: The bill was favorably reported to the
House by a vote of 23-16.
H.R. 1003 (Norton), District of Columbia Courts and Public
Defender Service Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act:
The resolution was ordered reported favorably to the House by a
voice vote.
March 8-10, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 1293 (Ross), A Bill to amend title 5, United States
Code, to require that the Office of Personnel Management submit
an annual report to Congress relating to the use of official
time by Federal employees: Mr. Cummings offered an amendment
that adds a reporting requirement to the list of reporting
requirements in the underlying bill. Requires reporting on
official time used to work on behalf of non-union members. The
amendment was agreed to by a voice vote. The bill was favorably
reported to the House, as amended, by a voice vote.
H.R. 653 (Cummings), Federal Intern Protection Act of 2017:
The bill was favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
H. Res. 38 (Chaffetz), A Resolution expressing the sense of
the House of Representatives that offices attached to the seat
of Government should not be required to exercise their offices
in the District of Columbia: (1) Mr. Blum offered an amendment
that changes the word ``should'' to ``may'' with regard to
agencies relocating to clarify that agency relocation should be
based on case-by-case determinations. Inserts the requirement
that agencies conduct an analysis of the costs associated with
relocating outside of the District. The amendment was agreed to
by a voice vote. (2) Ms. Norton offered an amendment that
requires federal agencies to conduct a 30-year cost analysis
and relocate only if the cost is net neutral and then only to
property already owned by the federal government. The amendment
was not agreed to by a voice vote. The bill was favorably
reported to the House, as amended, by a recorded vote of 21-19.
H.R. 680 (Meadows), Eliminating Pornography from Agencies
Act: The bill was favorably reported to the House by a voice
vote.
H.R. 1364 (Hice), Official Time Reform Act of 2017: (1) Ms.
Foxx offered an amendment that prevents employees engaged in
80% or more official time from getting bonuses. The amendment
was agreed to by a recorded vote of 18-11. (2) Mr. Connolly
offered an amendment that exempts the use of official time by
whistleblowers. The amendment was not agreed to, with a
recorded vote of 12-21. (3) Mr. Krishnamoorthi offered an
amendment that exempts the use of official time by national
security whistleblowers. The amendment was not agreed to by a
vote of 15-21. (4) Ms. Kelly offered an amendment that exempts
the use of official time addressing conflicts of interests. The
amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 15-21. (5) Mr. Lynch
offered an amendment that exempts categories from benefit
reductions in the underlying bill. The amendment was not agreed
to by a vote of 17-21. (6) Mr. Raskin offered an amendment that
exempts the use of official time addressing conflicts of
interests. The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 17-21.
(7) Ms. Plaskett offered an amendment that exempts official
time spent fighting sexual harassment. The amendment was not
agreed to by a vote of 17-22. (8) Ms. Lawrence offered an
amendment that provides exceptions to the underlying bill
regarding discrimination. The amendment was not agreed to by a
vote of 17-22. (9) Ms. Norton (for Mr. Cummings) offered an
amendment that exempts employees representing non-union members
in grievances. The amendment was not agreed to, with a recorded
vote of 17-23. The bill was reported favorably to the House, as
amended, by a recorded vote of 23-17.
H.R. 1387 (Chaffetz), SOAR Reauthorization Act: (1) Mr.
Connolly offered an amendment that would require the use of the
strongest possible research design for determining the
effectiveness of the opportunity scholarship program. The
amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 17-23. (2) Ms. Watson
Coleman offered an amendment that would insert sexual
orientation and gender identity into the list of protected
classes under the SOAR Act. The amendment was not agreed to by
a vote of 17-22. (3) Mr. DeSaulnier offered an amendment that
would require protection of students and applicants under civil
rights laws. The amendment was not agreed to by a vote of 18-
23. The bill was reported favorably to the House by a voice
vote.
March 16, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 756 (Chaffetz), the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017:
(1) Mr. Chaffetz offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute (ANS). (2) Mr. Issa offered an amendment to the ANS
that changes the structure for the voluntary conversion of
residential addresses to centralized delivery by automatically
enrolling all addresses within a designated block once the
Postal Service receives the 40 percent of signatures necessary
to begin the conversion and allowing the remaining 60 percent a
30-day window to opt out. Mr. Issa later asked unanimous
consent to withdraw the amendment. There was no objection and
the amendment was withdrawn. (3) Mr. Desaulnier offered an
amendment to the ANS that requires the Postal Service to notify
the appropriate Member of Congress 10 days before a
consolidation, closure, or a reduction in services provided at
a postal retail facility or mail processing plant. The
amendment was agreed to by a voice vote. (4) Mr. Issa offered
an amendment to the ANS that requires the Postal Service to
eliminate one mail delivery day per week if it does not meet a
2 percent net sales profit. Mr. Issa later asked unanimous
consent to withdraw the amendment. There was no objection and
the amendment was withdrawn. (5) Mr. Issa offered an amendment
to the ANS requiring that if the Postal Service does not meet a
2 percent net sales profit, it must alter the system used to
convert residential addresses to centralized delivery. Mr. Issa
later asked unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment. There
was no objection and the amendment was withdrawn. (6) Mr. Issa
offered an amendment to the ANS requiring that if the Postal
Service does not meet a .001 percent net sales profit, it must
alter the system used to convert residential addresses to
centralized delivery. The amendment was not agreed to by a
voice vote. The ANS, as amended by the DeSaulnier amendment,
was agreed to by a voice vote. The bill was favorably reported
to the House, as amended, by a voice vote.
H.R. 760 (Lynch), the Postal Service Financial Improvement
Act of 2017: Mr. Chaffetz offered an amendment in the nature of
a substitute (ANS). The ANS was agreed to by a voice vote. The
bill was favorably reported to the House, as amended, by a
voice vote.
March 28, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 1694 (Chaffetz), Fannie and Freddie Open Records Act
of 2017: Mr. Chaffetz offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute (ANS). The ANS was agreed to by a voice vote. The
bill was favorably reported to the House, as amended, by a
voice vote.
H.R. 1552 (Ross), Fair and Open Competition Act: The bill
was favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 1242 (Scott-VA), 400 Years of African-American History
Commission Act: The bill was favorably reported to the House by
a voice vote.
H.R. 24 (Massie), Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2017:
The bill was favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
May 2, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 2227 (Hurd), Modernizing Government Technology Act of
2017: The bill was favorably reported to the House by a voice
vote.
H.R. 2196 (Russell), A Bill to amend title 5, United States
Code, to allow whistleblowers to disclose information to
certain recipients: The bill was favorably reported to the
House by a voice vote.
H.R. 2195 (Blum), OSC Access Act: Mr. Blum offered an
amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS). The ANS was
agreed to by a voice vote. The bill was favorably reported to
the House, as amended, by a voice vote.
H.R. 2229 (Cummings), All Circuit Review Act: The bill was
favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
July 19, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 3244 (Meadows), A Bill to amend title 5, United States
Code, to provide for annual surveys of Federal employees, and
for other purposes: (1) Mr. Meadows offered an amendment in the
nature of a substitute (ANS). (2) Mr. Connolly offered an
amendment to the ANS that requires agencies to submit to the
Office of Personnel Management a list of all incentives offered
to employees to increase participation on the annual Federal
Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). It also requires the
Government Accountability Office to study the types of
incentives offered by agencies to employees in exchange for
participation in the FEVS, to provide an evaluation of the
impact of such incentives on employee survey responses and
response rates, and to issue any recommendations considered
necessary. The Connolly amendment was agreed to by a voice
vote. The Meadows ANS, as amended, was agreed to by a voice
vote. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to
the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 3031 (Cummings), TSP Modernization Act of 2017: The
bill was ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice
vote.
H.R. 378 (Fleischmann), Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of
2017: Mr. Duncan offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute (ANS). The Duncan ANS was agreed to by a voice vote.
The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House by a voice vote.
H.R. 2897 (Norton), A Bill to authorize the Mayor of the
District of Columbia and the Director of the National Park
Service to enter into cooperative management agreements for the
operation, maintenance, and management of units of the National
Park System in the District of Columbia, and for other
purposes: The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House
by a voice vote.
H.R. 3210 (Knight), Securely Expediting Clearances Through
Reporting Transparency Act of 2017: (1) Mr. Krishnamoorthi
offered an amendment that requires the National Background
Investigations Bureau (NBIB) to report on the process for
Executive Office of the President personnel security clearance
investigations and adjudications. The amendment was agreed to
by a voice vote. (2) Mr. Connolly offered an amendment that
requires the NBIB to report to Congress on duplicative costs
that might arise under a potential transfer of background
investigation responsibilities to the Department of Defense.
The amendment was agreed to by a voice vote. The bill, as
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice
vote.
H.R. 2989 (Norton), Frederick Douglass Bicentennial
Commission Act: (1) Ms. Norton offered an amendment in the
nature of a substitute (ANS). The Norton ANS was agreed to by a
voice vote. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably
reported to the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 3243 (Connolly), FITARA Enhancement Act of 2017: The
bill was ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice
vote.
September 13, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 3731 (Katko), Secret Service Recruitment and Retention
Act of 2017: The bill was ordered favorably reported to the
House by a voice vote.
H.R. 3739 (Hice), Presidential Allowance Modernization Act
of 2017: The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House
by a voice vote.
H.R. 3071 (Carter--GA), Federal Acquisition Savings Act of
2017: The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House by a
voice vote.
H.R. 1701 (Cartwright), Eliminating Government-funded Oil-
painting Act: Mr. Cartwright offered an amendment in the nature
of a substitute. The Cartwright ANS was agreed to by a voice
vote. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to
the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 3019 (Meadows), Promoting Value Based Procurement Act
of 2017: Mr. Connolly offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute. The Connolly ANS was agreed to by a voice vote. The
bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House
by a voice vote.
H.R. 3737 (DeSantis), Social Media Use in Clearance
Investigations Act of 2017: The bill was ordered favorably
reported to the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 2331 (Kelly-IL), Connected Government Act: Ms. Kelly
offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The Kelly
ANS was agreed to by a voice vote. The bill, as amended, was
ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
The following bills were reported favorably (en bloc) to
the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 294 (Olson), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
2700 Cullen Boulevard in Pearland, Texas, as the ``Endy
Ekpanya Post Office Building'';
H.R. 452 (Luetkemeyer), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 324 West Saint Louis Street in Pacific,
Missouri, as the ``Specialist Jeffrey L. White, Jr.
Post Office'';
H.R. 606 (DeSaulnier), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 1025 Nevin Avenue in Richmond, California,
as the ``Harold D. McCraw, Sr., Post Office Building'';
H.R. 1207 (Cuellar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
306 River Street in Tilden, Texas, as the ``Tilden
Veterans Post Office'';
H.R. 1208 (Cuellar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
9155 Schaefer Road, Converse, Texas, as the ``Converse
Veterans Post Office Building'';
H.R. 1209 (Cuellar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
901 N. Francisco Avenue, Mission, Texas, as the
``Mission Veterans Post Office Building'';
H.R. 1210 (Cuellar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
122 W. Goodwin Street, Pleasanton, Texas, as the
``Pleasanton Veterans Post Office'';
H.R. 1211 (Cuellar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
400 N. Main Street, Encinal, Texas, as the ``Encinal
Veterans Post Office'';
H.R. 1858 (Marino), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
4514 Williamson Trail in Liberty, Pennsylvania, as the
``Staff Sergeant Ryan Scott Ostrom Post Office'';
H.R. 1950 (Murphy-PA), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 120 West Pike Street in Canonsburg,
Pennsylvania, as the ``Police Officer Scott Bashioum
Post Office Building'';
H.R. 2254 (Thompson-CA), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 2635 Napa Street in Vallejo, California, as
the ``Janet Capello Post Office Building'';
H.R. 2302 (Watson Coleman), A Bill to
designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 259 Nassau Street, Suite 2 in
Princeton, New Jersey, as the ``Dr. John F. Nash, Jr.
Post Office'';
H.R. 2464 (Lynch), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
25 New Chardon Street Lobby in Boston, Massachusetts,
as the ``John Fitzgerald Kennedy Post Office'';
H.R. 2815 (Lance), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
30 East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the
``Sergeant John Basilone Post Office'';
H.R. 2873 (Boyle), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
207 Glenside Avenue in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, as the
``Staff Sergeant Peter Taub Post Office Building'';
H.R. 3109 (LaHood), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1114 North 2nd Street in Chillicothe, Illinois, as the
``Sr. Chief Ryan Owens Post Office Building'';
H.R. 3230 (Labrador), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 915 Center Avenue in Payette, Idaho, as the
``Harmon Killebrew Post Office Building''; and
H.R. 3369 (Hudson), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
225 North Main Street in Spring Lake, North Carolina,
as the ``Howard B. Pate, Jr. Post Office.''
November 2, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 4174 (Ryan-WI), Foundations for Evidence-Based
Policymaking Act of 2017: The bill was ordered favorably
reported to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 4182 (Comer), Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service
(EQUALS) Act of 2017: Mr. Connolly offered an amendment in the
nature of a substitute (ANS). The amendment was not agreed to
by voice vote. The bill was ordered favorably reported to the
House by a record vote of 19-17.
H.R. 1132 (Buck), Political Appointee Burrowing Prevention
Act: Mr. Meadows offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute. The ANS was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House, by voice
vote.
H.R. 4043 (Blum), Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of
2017: Mr. Blum offered an amendment that makes a technical fix
to make the effective date of the bill retroactive. The
amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as amended,
was ordered favorably reported to the House, by voice vote.
H.R. 4171 (Gianforte), A Bill to amend title 5, United
States Code, to extend the authority to conduct telework travel
expenses test programs, and for other purposes: The bill was
ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 3121 (Bustos), All-American Flag Act: Mr. Russell
offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The ANS was
agreed to by a record vote of 35-1. The bill, as amended, was
ordered favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
H.R. 4177 (Cartwright), Preparedness and Risk Management
for Extreme Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and
Effectiveness (PREPARE) Act of 2017: The bill was ordered
favorably reported to the House by a voice vote.
The following postal naming bills (en bloc) were reported
favorably to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 1850 (Amash), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
907 Fourth Avenue in Lake Odessa, Michigan, as the
``Donna Sauers Besko Post Office'';
H.R. 2672 (Bustos), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
520 Carter Street in Fairview, Illinois, as the ``Sgt.
Douglas J. Riney Post Office'';
H.R. 2673 (Bustos), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
514 Broadway Street in Pekin, Illinois, as the ``Lance
Corporal Jordan S. Bastean Post Office'';
H.R. 3821 (Collins-GA), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 430 Main Street in Clermont, Georgia, as the
``Zachary Addington Post Office'' (with an amendment
and an amendment to the title); and
H.R. 3893 (Yoho), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
100 Mathe Avenue in Interlachen, Florida, as the
``Robert H. Jenkins Post Office'' (with an amendment in
the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the
title).
November 30, 2017--Business Meeting
H.R. 2623 (Meadows-NC), Lessening Regulatory Costs and
Establishing a Federal Regulatory Budget Act of 2017: (1) Mr.
Meadows offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute
(ANS). (2) Ms. Norton offered an amendment to the ANS that
exempts regulations related to sexual harassment from the one-
in-two-out process and reporting requirements in section 5. The
amendment failed by a record vote of 15-20 (vote #1). (3) Ms.
Plaskett offered an amendment to the ANS that exempts
regulations related to protecting whistleblowers from the one-
in-two-out process and reporting requirements in section 5. The
amendment failed by a record vote of 16-21 (vote #2). (4) Mr.
Krishnamoorthi offered an amendment to the ANS that exempts
regulations related to obtaining or retaining security
clearances from the one-in-two-out process and reporting
requirements in section 5. The amendment failed by a record
vote of 17-23 (vote #3). The Meadows ANS passed by a record
vote of 23-17 (vote #4). The bill, as amended, was favorably
reported to the House by a record vote of 23-17 (vote #5).
H.R. 4431 (Carter-GA), Correcting Miscalculations in
Veterans' Pensions Act: Mr. Cummings offered an amendment that
provides permissive authority to the Office of Personnel
Management to pay interest assessed on federal government
civilian pension deposits made by former Peace Corps and
AmeriCorps members. The amendment was withdrawn. The bill was
ordered favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 3638 (Lawson-FL), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 1100 Kings Road in Jacksonville, Florida, as
the ``Rutledge Pearson Post Office Building'';
H.R. 3655 (Smith-NJ), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 1300 Main Street in Belmar, New Jersey, as
the ``Dr. Walter S. McAfee Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4042 (Soto-FL), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1415 West Oak Street, in Kissimmee, Florida, as the
``Borinqueneers Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4285 (LoBiondo-NJ), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 123 Bridgeton Pike in Mullica Hill, New
Jersey, as the ``James C. `Billy' Johnson Post Office
Building''; and
H.R. 4301 (Norman-SC), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 201 Tom Hall Street in Fort Mill, South
Carolina, as the ``J. Elliott Williams Post Office
Building.''
February 2, 2018--Business Meeting
H.R. 4887 (Foxx), Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements
Transparency (GREAT) Act of 2018: (1) Ms. Foxx offered an
amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS). (2) Mr. Gomez
offered and then withdrew an amendment to the ANS. (3) Mr.
Connolly offered an amendment to the ANS that strikes
``nonproprietary'' from the ANS and inserts a new section that
requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the
Secretary of the standard setting agency to make a
determination on nonproprietary identifiers and report their
decision and reasoning to the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee within one year. The Connolly amendment was
agreed to by voice vote. The Foxx ANS, as amended, was agreed
to by voice vote. The bill, as amended, was favorably reported
to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 4917 (Russell), IG Subpoena Authority Act: The bill
was favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 3076 (Graves), Creating Advanced Streamlined
Electronic Services (CASES) for Constituents Act of 2017: Mr.
Meadows offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute
(ANS). The Meadows ANS was agreed to by voice vote. The bill,
as amended, was agreed to by voice vote.
H.R. 4631 (Quigley), Access to Congressionally Mandated
Reports Act: Mr. Mitchell offered an amendment that replaces
the term ``website'' throughout the bill, with ``online
portal.'' The amendment also tightens the language in section 6
regarding the Freedom of Information Act. The text as amended
creates a uniform approach to withholding sensitive information
in both the report and the information submitted with the
report. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as
amended, was favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 3398 (Young-AK), REAL ID Act Modification for Freely
Associated States Act: The bill was favorably reported to the
House by voice vote.
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 3183 (Garrett), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
13683 James Madison Highway in Palmyra, Virginia, as
the ``U.S. Navy Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby Post
Office'';
H.R. 4188 (Jenkins), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
621 Kansas Avenue in Atchison, Kansas, as the ``Amelia
Earhart Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4405 (Espaillat), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 4558 Broadway in New York, New York, as the
``Stanley Michaels Post Office Building'' (as amended);
H.R. 4406 (Espaillat), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 99 Macombs Place in New York, New York, as
the ``Tuskegee Airman Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4463 (Velazquez), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 6 Doyers Street in New York, New York, as
the ``Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office'';
H.R. 4646 (Palmer), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1900 Corporate Drive in Birmingham, Alabama, as the
``Lance Corporal Thomas E. Rivers, Jr. Post Office
Building''; and
H.R. 4685 (Cicilline), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 515 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, as
the ``First Sergeant P. Andrew McKenna Jr. Post
Office.''
March 15, 2018--Business Meeting
H.R. 50 (Foxx), Unfunded Mandates Information and
Transparency Act of 2017: Ms. Foxx offered an amendment that
reauthorizes funding of $1.5 million annually for the
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) from 2018 through 2024 to
fulfill their responsibilities under the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act (UMRA) of 1995--reducing the amount by $3 million
compared to prior authorization levels. The Foxx amendment was
agreed to by voice vote. The bill, as amended, was ordered
favorably reported to the House by a record vote of 20-10 (Vote
#1).
H.R. 1339 (Duncan-TN), Freedom from Government Competition
Act of 2017: (1) Mr. Duncan offered an amendment in the nature
of a substitute (ANS). (2) Mr. Farenthold offered an amendment
to the ANS that exempts functions performed by Department of
Defense civilian employees for depot-level maintenance and
repair from possible outsourcing. Mr. Duncan asked unanimous
consent to postpone consideration of H.R. 1339. There was no
objection.
H.R. 2846 (Farenthold), Federal Agency Customer Experience
Act of 2017: (1) Mr. Farenthold offered an ANS. (2) Mr. Raskin
offered an amendment to the ANS that adds a Sense of Congress
provision that adequate federal funding is needed to ensure
agency staffing levels that can provide the public with
appropriate customer service levels. The Raskin amendment was
agreed to by voice vote. The ANS, as amended, was agreed to by
voice vote. The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably
reported to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 4809 (Walker), Guidance Out of Darkness (GOOD) Act:
Mr. Walker offered an ANS. The ANS was agreed to by voice vote.
The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House by voice vote.
H.R. 5253 (Farenthold), Office of Government Information
Services Empowerment Act of 2018: The bill was ordered
favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
H.R. 1376 (Cummings), Electronic Message Preservation Act
of 2017: The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House
by voice vote.
H.R. 3303 (Connolly), First Responder Fair RETIRE Act: Mr.
Russell offered an ANS. The ANS was agreed to by voice vote.
The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House by voice vote.
H.R. 4446 (Plaskett), A Bill to amend the Virgin Islands of
the United States Centennial Commission Act to extend the
expiration date of the Commission, and for other purposes: Mr.
Grothman offered an ANS. The ANS was agreed to by voice vote.
The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House by voice vote.
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 2979 (Aguilar), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
390 West 5th Street in San Bernardino, California, as
the ``Jack H. Brown Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4574 (Krishnamoorthi), A Bill to
designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 108 West Schick Road in
Bloomingdale, Illinois, as the ``Bloomingdale Veterans
Memorial Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4722 (Faso), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
111 Market Street in Saugerties, New York, as the
``Maurice D. Hinchey Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4840 (Murphy-FL), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 567 East Franklin Street in Oviedo, Florida,
as the ``Sergeant First Class Alwyn Crendall Cashe Post
Office Building'';
H.R. 4890 (Brown), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
9801 Apollo Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, as the
``Wayne K. Curry Post Office Building'';
H.R. 4960 (Hartzler), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 511 East Walnut Street in Columbia,
Missouri, as the ``Spc. Sterling William Wyatt Post
Office Building'';
S. 931 (Gardner), An Act to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
4910 Brighton Boulevard in Denver, Colorado, as the
``George Sakato Post Office'';
H.R. 1496 (Bass), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
4040 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles,
California, as the ``Marvin Gaye Post Office'' with an
amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
H.R. 3184 (Garrett), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the
``Captain Humayun Khan Post Office'' with an amendment
in the nature of a substitute.
May 23, 2018--Business Meeting
H.R. 5925 (Gowdy), A Bill to codify provisions relating to
the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and for other
purposes: (1) Mr. Cummings offered an amendment that adds the
Director of the Fusion Center to the membership of the Emerging
Threats Task Force, clarifies the Emerging Threats Plan and
information sharing requirements include substance use disorder
treatment, and clarifies the Treatment Coordinator section of
the bill. The amendment also introduces a new requirement to
convene an advisory committee to promulgate standards for
substance abuse disorder treatment and recovery facilities. The
amendment was agreed to by voice vote. (2) Mr. Lynch offered an
amendment that requires the President to notify Congress if the
President has not issued the National Drug Control Strategy by
the due date. It also requires the OGR Committee to hold a
hearing at which the Director shall explain the failure to
provide the Strategy. (3) Mr. Palmer offered an amendment (2nd
degree) to the Lynch amendment. Mr. Palmer's amendment removes
the requirement that the OGR Committee hold a hearing if the
President has not issued the National Drug Control Strategy by
the due date. The Palmer amendment was agreed to by voice vote.
The Lynch amendment, as amended, was agreed to by voice vote.
(4) Mr. Mitchell offered an amendment that requires the
Director to establish a tracking system of federally funded
initiatives and grant programs, establish performance metrics
and goals for grant programs, develop a common application form
for drug control related grant programs, and maintain a
comprehensive list of all drug control program grant award
opportunities. The Mitchell amendment was agreed to by voice
vote. (5) Mr. DeSaulnier offered an amendment that requires a
GAO report three years after enactment and every three years
thereafter. The DeSaulnier amendment was agreed to by voice
vote. The bill, H.R. 5925, as amended, was ordered favorably
reported, by voice vote.
H.R. 5415 (Walker), GAO-IG Act: Mr. Walker offered an
amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS). The ANS was
agreed to by voice vote. The bill, H.R. 5415, as amended, was
ordered favorably reported, by voice vote.
H.R. 2648 (Stivers), Veterans Transition Improvement Act:
Mr. Russell offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute
(ANS). The ANS was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, H.R.
2648, as amended, was ordered favorably reported, by voice
vote.
H.R. 5321 (Moulton), Too Long; Didn't Read Act of 2018: Mr.
Gianforte offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute
(ANS). The ANS was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, H.R.
5321, as amended, was ordered favorably reported, by voice
vote.
H.R. 5896 (Hurd), Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendments
Act of 2018: Mr. Hurd offered an amendment that fixes two
technical reference issues in the bill by: 1) inserting
guidance on alternative work schedules for agents at the level
2 and basic rates of pay to conform with current law; and 2)
clarifying the Office of Personnel Management has the authority
to regulate the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act. The
amendment was agreed to by voice vote. The bill, H.R. 5896, as
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House, by voice
vote.
H. Res. 877 (Gomez), A Resolution of inquiry directing the
Secretary of Commerce to provide certain documents in the
Secretary's possession to the House of Representatives relating
to the decision to include a question on citizenship in the
2020 decennial census of population: The resolution, H. Res.
877, was ordered adversely reported, with the recommendation
the resolution not be agreed to by the House, by a record vote
of 20-16 (Vote #1).
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 4407 (Hultgren), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 3s101 Rockwell Street in Warrenville,
Illinois, as the ``Corporal Jeffery Allen Williams Post
Office Building'';
H.R. 4946 (Correa), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1075 North Tustin Street in Orange, California, as the
``Specialist Trevor A. Win'E Post Office'';
H.R. 5205 (Kihuen), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
701 6th Street in Hawthorne, Nevada, as the ``Sergeant
Kenneth Eric Bostic Post Office'';
H.R. 5238 (Clarke), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1234 Saint John's Place in Brooklyn, New York, as the
``Major Robert Odell Owens Post Office;''
H.R. 5349 (Cohen), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
1320 Autumn Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, as the
``Judge Russell B. Sugarmon Post Office Building (as
amended);''
H.R. 5412 (King-NY), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
25 2nd Avenue in Brentwood, New York, as the ``Army
Specialist Jose L. Ruiz Post Office Building'';
H.R. 5504 (Newhouse), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 4801 West Van Giesen Street in West
Richland, Washington, as the ``Sergeant Dietrich
Schmieman Post Office Building'';
H.R. 5737 (Bustos), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
108 West D Street in Alpha, Illinois, as the ``Captain
Joshua E. Steele Post Office''; and
H.R. 5784 (Moore), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
2650 North Doctor Martin Luther King Drive in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the ``Vel R. Phillips Post
Office Building.''
July 17, 2018--Business Meeting
H.R. 559 (Loudermilk), Modern Employment Reform,
Improvement, and Transformation (MERIT) Act of 2017: Mr.
Mitchell offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
The amendment was agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 559, as
amended, was ordered favorably reported to the House, by a
record vote of 19-11 (VOTE #1).
H.R. 6391 (Hice), Merit Systems Protection Board
Reauthorization Act of 2018: H.R. 6391, was ordered favorably
reported to the House, by a record vote of 20-12 (VOTE #2).
H.R. 5300 (Palmer), Federal Information Systems Safeguards
Act of 2018: H.R. 5300 was ordered favorably reported to the
House, by voice vote.
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 4913 (Harris), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
816 East Salisbury Parkway in Salisbury, Maryland, as
the ``Sgt. Maj. Wardell B. Turner Post Office
Building;''
H.R. 5395 (Collins), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
116 Main Street in Dansville, New York, as the ``Staff
Sergeant Alexandria Gleason-Morrow Post Office
Building;''
H.R. 5868 (Gibbs), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
530 Claremont Avenue in Ashland, Ohio, as the ``Bill
Harris Post Office;''
H.R. 5935 (Rodney Davis) A Bill to designate
the facility at the United States Postal Service
located at 1355 North Meridian Drive in Harristown,
Illinois, as the ``Logan S. Palmer Post Office;''
H.R. 6020 (Bishop-MI), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 325 South Michigan Avenue in Howell,
Michigan, as the ``Sergeant Donald Burgett Post Office
Building;''
H.R. 6059 (Moulton), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
51 Willow Street in Lynn, Massachusetts, as the
``Thomas P. Costin, Jr. Post Office Building;''
H.R. 6116 (Moolenaar), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 362 North Ross Street in Beaverton,
Michigan, as the ``Colonel Alfred Asch Post Office.''
September 27, 2018--Business Meeting
H.R. 5381 (Royce), Government Risk and Taxpayer Exposure
Reduction (GRATER) Act of 2018: Mr. Ross offered an amendment
in the nature of a substitute (ANS). The amendment was agreed
to by a record vote of 13-7 (Vote #1): H.R. 5381, as amended,
was ordered favorably reported to the House, by voice vote.
H.R. 6891 (Mitchell), Anti-Deficiency Reform and
Enforcement Act of 2018: The bill was ordered favorably
reported to the House by a record vote of 14-11 (VOTE #2).
H.R. 6893 (Russell), A Bill to amend the Overtime Pay for
Protective Services Act of 2016 to extend the Secret Service
overtime pay exemption through 2019, and for other purposes:
Mr. Cummings offered an amendment that increases the life of
the premium pay cap waiver from 2019 to 2020. The amendment was
agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 6893, as amended, was ordered
favorably reported to the House, by voice vote.
H.R. 5759 (Khanna), 21st Century Integrated Digital
Experience Act: Mr. Russell offered an amendment in the nature
of a substitute (ANS). The ANS was agreed to by voice vote, and
the bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House, by voice vote.
H.R. 6901 (Hurd), Federal CIO Authorization Act of 2018:
The bill was ordered reported favorably to the House by
unanimous consent.
H.R. 6777 (Palmer), Settlement Agreement Information
Database Act of 2018: The bill was ordered reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent.
H.R. 3154 (Richmond), Inspector General Access Act of 2017:
The bill was ordered reported favorably to the House by
unanimous consent.
H.R. 1272 (Rush), Cold Case Record Collections Act of 2017:
The bill, as amended by an amendment in the nature of a
substitute, was ordered reported favorably to the House by
unanimous consent.
The following postal naming bills were reported favorably
to the House by unanimous consent:
H.R. 5791 (Coffman), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
9609 South University Boulevard in Highlands Ranch,
Colorado, as the ``Deputy Sheriff Zackari Spurlock
Parrish, III, Post Office Building;''
H.R. 5792 (Coffman), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
90 North 4th Avenue in Brighton, Colorado, as the
``Deputy Sheriff Heath McDonald Gumm Post Office (AS
AMENDED);''
H.R. 6216 (Tipton), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
3025 Woodgate Road in Montrose, Colorado, as the
``Sergeant David Kinterknecht Post Office;''
H.R. 6217 (Tipton), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
241 N 4th Street in Grand Junction, Colorado, as the
``Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer Post Office Building;''
H.R. 6428 (Gottheimer), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 332 Ramapo Valley Road in Oakland, New
Jersey, as the ``Frank Leone Post Office;''
H.R. 6513 (Brooks-AL), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 1110 West Market Street in Athens, Alabama,
as the ``Judge James E. Horton, Jr. Post Office
Building;''
H.R. 6591 (Demings), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
501 South Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida, as the
``Napoleon `Nap' Ford Post Office Building;''
H.R. 6621 (Roe), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
530 East Main Street in Johnson City, Tennessee, as the
``Major Homer L. Pease Post Office;''
H.R. 6628 (Smith-WA), A Bill to designate
the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 4301 Northeast 4th Street in Renton,
Washington, as the ``James Marshall `Jimi' Hendrix Post
Office Building;'' and
H.R. 6780 (Castor), A Bill to designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at
7521 Paula Drive in Tampa, Florida, as the ``Major
Andreas O'Keeffe Post Office Building.''
II. Hearings Held
Pursuant to House Rule XI, cl. 1(d)(A) and (E), this
section summarizes the Committee's legislative and oversight
hearings held in the 115th Congress and delineates those
hearings held pursuant to clauses 2(n), (o), or (p) of Rule XI.
FULL COMMITTEE HEARINGS
February 1, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Empowering the Inspectors General.'' The hearing considered
challenges inspectors general face when working with federal
agencies and departments. The hearing also discussed recent
legislative changes enacted by the Inspector General
Empowerment Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-217) and their impact on the
inspector general community and identified areas for future
reform. Witnesses: The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Chair,
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency,
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice; The Honorable
Kath A. Buller, Executive Chair, Legislation Committee, Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency,
Inspector General, Peace Corps; The Honorable Scott S. Dahl,
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor; The Honorable John
Roth, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
February 2, 2017, 9:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Improving Security and Efficiency at OPM and the National
Background Investigations Bureau.'' The hearing examined the
National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) transition,
information technology security related to background
investigations, and the security clearance investigation
process. The hearing also examined the state of information
technology and cybersecurity at the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) in the aftermath of the data breach discovered
in 2015. Witnesses: Ms. Kathleen McGettigan, Acting Director,
Office of Personnel Management; Mr. Cord Chase, Chief
Information Security Officer, Office of Personnel Management;
Mr. Charles Phalen, Director, National Background
Investigations Bureau; Mr. David Devries, Chief Information
Officer, National Background Investigations Bureau; Mr. Terry
Halvorsen, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of
Defense.
February 7, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Accomplishing Postal Reform in the 115th Congress--H.R. 756,
The Postal Service Reform Act of 2017.'' The hearing examined
the continued need for timely and comprehensive postal reform
legislation and discussed provisions that various stakeholders
believe are necessary in the Committee's comprehensive reform
bill. The hearing also discussed the U.S. Government
Accountability Office's reporting on the United States Postal
Service's ongoing financial challenges. Witnesses: The
Honorable Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States
Postal Service; The Honorable Robert G. Taub, Chairman, Postal
Regulatory Commission; Ms. Lori Rectanus, Director, Physical
Infrastructure Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office;
Mr. Arthur Sackler, Manager, Coalition for a 21st Century
Postal Service; Mr. Fredric V. Rolando, President, National
Association of Letter Carriers.
February 15, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``GAO's 2017 High Risk Report: 34 Programs in Peril.''
The hearing reviewed the Government Accountability Office's
2017 High Risk List. Witness: The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro,
Comptroller General, U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Held pursuant to clause 2(p) of House Rule XI.
March 2, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Transparency at TSA.'' This hearing examined the
Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) handling of the
Sensitive Security Information program, TSA's cooperation with
Office of Special Counsel investigations, and other related
matters. Witnesses: Dr. Huban A. Gowadia, Acting Administrator,
Transportation Security Administration; The Honorable John
Roth, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security;
The Honorable Carolyn Lerner, Special Counsel; U.S. Office of
Special Counsel. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
March 9, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Reviewing ATF's Failures in the Death of ICE Agent Jaime
Zapata.'' This hearing examined the Department's Office of
Inspector General's investigation and report titled ``A Review
of Investigations of the Osorio and Barba Firearms Trafficking
Rings.'' The report details the government's oversight of the
investigation of a firearms trafficking ring that sent weapons
to a Mexican drug cartel, members of which murdered Immigration
and Customs Enforcement agent Jaime Zapata and wounded his
partner. The hearing also examined the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' cigarette trafficking
practices, including the handling of informants and oversight
of revenue-generating operations. Witnesses: The Honorable
Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General, Department of Justice;
Mr. Thomas E. Brandon, Acting Director, Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Mr. Ronald B. Turk,
Associate Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Held pursuant to
clause 2(n) and (o) of House Rule XI.
March 21, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``$125 Billion in Savings Ignored: Review of DOD's Efficiency
Study.'' The hearing examined the Department of Defense's
commissioning and use of an efficiency study conducted by the
Defense Business Board (DBB). According to press reports, the
DBB's study outlined ways in which the Department could save
$125 billion over several years. Witnesses: Mr. David Tillotson
III, Acting Deputy Chief Management Officer, Department of
Defense; Mr. Scott Rutherford, Senior Partner, McKinsey &
Company; Mr. Michael Bayer, Current ChairmanDefense, Business
Board; Mr. Robert ``Bobby'' Stein, Former Chairman, Defense
Business Board; Mr. Kenneth ``Kenny'' Klepper, Former Board
Member, Defense Business Board; Dr. Lawrence J. Korb, Senior
Fellow, Center for American Progress. Held pursuant to clause
2(n) and (o) of House Rule XI.
March 22, 2017, 9:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Committee to Review Law Enforcement's Policies on Facial
Recognition Technology.'' Witnesses: Ms. Kimberly Del Greco,
Deputy Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Information
Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Ms. Diana
Maurer, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Dr. Charles Romine, Ph.D.,
Director, Information Technology Lab, National Institute of
Standards and Technology; Mr. Alvaro Bedoya, Executive
Director, Center on Privacy and TechnologyGeorgetown Law; Mr.
Benji Hutchinson, Senior Director, NEC Corporation of America
On Behalf of The International Biometrics & Identity
Association; Ms. Jennifer Lynch, Senior Staff Attorney,
Electronic Frontier Foundation.
March 23, 2017, 10:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Legislative Proposals for Fostering Transparency.'' The
hearing allowed Members to consider legislative proposals aimed
at increasing government transparency: the OPEN Government Data
Act, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, and the Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac Transparency Act. The Committee examined how
subjecting federal agencies, the Federal Reserve, and also
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to more transparent measures, such
as data access, audits, and the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA), will hold those entities more accountable to American
taxpayers. Witnesses: Mr. Hudson Hollister, Founder and
Executive Director, The Data Coalition; Mr. Norman Singleton,
President, Campaign for Liberty; Mr. John Berlau, Senior
Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute; Mr. Thomas Fitton,
President, Judicial Watch; Richard Painter, Professor of Law,
University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
March 29, 2017, 9:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Federally Funded Cancer Research: Coordination and
Innovation.'' The hearing highlighted the value to the taxpayer
of federally funded medical research, with a focus on
initiatives contributing to improved cancer survival rates.
Witnesses: Ms. Tammi Carr, Mother of Chad Carr, The ChadTough
Foundation; Dr. Mary Beckerle, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer
and Director, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah
Medical School; Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., Deputy Director,
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins
University; Dr. Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Director, Koch Institute
for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
April 4, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Use of Confidential Informants at ATF and DEA.'' This hearing
examined the forthcoming Department of Justice Office of
Inspector General (OIG) report on the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' use of confidential
informants. The hearing also examined the Drug Enforcement
Administration's response to the September 2016 OIG report and
recent addendum on the agency's use of confidential informants.
Witnesses: The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector
General, Department of Justice; Mr. Robert Patterson, Acting
Principal Deputy Administrator, Drug Enforcement
Administration; Mr. Ronald B. Turk, Associate Deputy Director
and Chief Operating Officer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) and (o)
of House Rule XI.
April 5, 2017, 9:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
Response to the Baton Rouge Flood Disaster: Part II.'' This
hearing served as a follow-up to the Committee's September 9,
2016, hearing on Federal Emergency Management Agency's response
to the August 2016 flood disaster in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Specifically, this hearing provided an opportunity for
witnesses to update the Committee on recovery efforts and
described actions taken to address the areas of improvement
identified in the September 2016 hearing. The Committee also
examined the effectiveness of temporary housing assistance
programs in Baton Rouge, including manufactured housing units
and the Shelter at Home program. Witnesses: The Honorable John
Bel Edwards, Governor of Louisiana, Mr. Robert J. Fenton, Jr.,
Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency; Rear
Admiral David Boone, USN, Retired, President, CB&I Federal
Services LLC; Mr. Mark Harrell, Emergency Coordinator,
Livingston Parish, Louisiana. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of
House Rule XI.
May 3, 2017, 9:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Reviewing the FAFSA Data Breach.'' The hearing examined the
cybersecurity incident that has affected the Data Retrieval
Tool (DRT) and the information assurance practices and policies
of the FAFSA application. In particular, the hearing focused on
the operational and cybersecurity decisions made by the
Department of Education and the Internal Revenue Service, both
before and after this critical tool was taken offline on March
3, 2017. Witnesses: Mr. James W. Runcie, Chief Operating
Officer, Office of Federal Student Aid, Department of
Education; Mr. Jason K. Gray, Chief Information Officer,
Department of Education; The Honorable Ken Corbin, Deputy
Commissioner, Wage and Investment Division, Internal Revenue
Service; Ms. Gina Garza, Chief Information Officer, Internal
Revenue Service; Mr. Tim Camus, Deputy Inspector General,
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Held
pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
May 18, 2017, 9:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Federal Employee Compensation: An Update.'' The hearing
examined the recent Congressional Budget Office report
comparing federal pay, benefits, and total compensation to that
of the private sector. It also reviewed the current federal
compensation system to identify potential areas of improvement
and ways to modernize it. Witnesses: Mr. Joseph Kile, Assistant
Director for Microeconomic Studies, Congressional Budget
Office; Mr. Andrew Biggs, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise
Institute; Ms. Rachel Greszler, Research Fellow in Economics,
Budget and Entitlements, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Robert
Goldenkoff, Director of Strategic Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Jacqueline Simon, Policy Director,
American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO. Held
pursuant to clause 2(o) of House Rule XI.
June 7, 2017, 9:30 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Fast and Furious, Six Years Later.'' This hearing examined
the events relating to Congress's investigation into the
Department of Justice's Operation Fast and Furious. Witnesses:
The Honorable Charles E. Grassley, Chairman, Committee on the
Judiciary, U.S. Senate; Josephine Terry, Mother of Late Border
Patrol Agent Brian Terry; Robert Heyer, Terry Family Spokesman,
Cousin of Late Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry; John Dodson,
Special Agent, Phoenix Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Held pursuant to clause 2(n)
of House Rule XI.
June 28, 2017, 1:00 p.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Criminal Justice Reform and Efforts to Reduce Recidivism.''
The hearing examined current topics in the area of criminal
justice reform and initiatives being undertaken at the state
and local levels to assist individuals with criminal records
with reentry and reducing recidivism. Witnesses: The Honorable
Tim Scott, Senator, South Carolina; The Honorable Cory Booker;
Senator, New Jersey; Bryan P. Stirling, Director, Department of
Corrections, South Carolina; Pastor Omar Jahwar, Founder & CEO
Urban Specialists; William C. McGahan, Chairman, Georgia
Works!.
July 26, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Office of National Drug Control Policy: Reauthorization in
the 115th Congress.'' The hearing considered the
reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP), which is uniquely equipped to coordinate drug policy
across the federal and state governments. The hearing also
explored how ONDCP can accelerate the implementation of
effective state programs at the federal level. Additionally,
this hearing was an opportunity for Members to hear from law
enforcement at the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
(HIDTA) about successful strategies in reducing illicit drugs
nationwide. Witnesses: Mr. Richard Baum, Acting Diretor, Office
of National Drug Control Policy; Ms. Diana Maurer, Director of
Justice and Law Enforcement Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Dr. Keith Humphreys, Professor of
Psychiatry, Stanford University; Mr. Don Flattery, Policy
Director, Fed Up! Coalition.
September 26, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Recommendations of the Commission on Evidence Based
Policymaking.'' The hearing considered the findings and
recommendations from the Commission on Evidence-Based
Policymaking (CEP). The CEP was established by the bipartisan
Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2016, jointly
sponsored by Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Patty Murray, to
explore ways that existing data may improve how government
programs operate. Witnesses: Ron Haskins, Ph.D., Co-Chair,
Commission on Evidence-Based Policy Making; Katharine G.
Abraham, Ph.D., Chair, Commission on Evidence-Based Policy
Making; Latanya Sweeney, Ph.D., Commissioner, Commission on
Evidence-Based Policy Making; Robert Shea, Esq., Commissioner,
Commission on Evidence-Based Policy Making.
October 12, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Hearing on the 2020 Census.'' The hearing examined whether
the Bureau's estimated $5 billion in savings is accurate, and
what preventative steps may be required to prevent potential
cost overruns. The hearing also reviewed the Bureau's progress
in procuring and implementing the information technology
systems needed for the 2020 Decennial Census. Witnesses: Panel
I: The Honorable Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary, U.S.
Department of Commerce. Panel II: Mr. Robert Goldenkoff,
Director of Strategic Issues, Census Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. David A. Powner, Director of
Information Technology Management Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Ms. Carol N. Rice, Assistant Inspector
General, Office of Economic and Statistical Program Assessment,
U.S. Department of Commerce; Ms. Vanita Gupta, President and
CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
November 15, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Recommendations and Reforms from the Inspectors
General.'' The hearing provided an opportunity to discuss
implementation of the Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016
(P.L. 114-317) and the impact of this law on the community of
inspectors general. The hearing also provided an opportunity to
discuss ongoing management and access challenges and identified
areas for reform. In addition, the hearing allowed members to
hear directly from the inspectors general on their ongoing
oversight work throughout the federal government. Witnesses:
The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Chair, Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, Inspector
General, U.S. Department of Justice; The Honorable Kathy A.
Buller, Executive Chair, Legislation Committee, Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, Inspector
General, Peace Corps; The Honorable John Roth, Inspector
General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
November 28, 2017, 12:30 p.m. Full Committee field hearing
titled, ``Combating the Opioid Crisis.'' This hearing was an
opportunity to discuss efforts to combat the current opioid
crisis. The hearing also reviewed the recent report issued by
the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the
Opioid Crisis, which provides findings and recommendations on
how the federal government could better address the crisis.
Witnesses: Panel I: The Honorable Chris Christie, Governor of
New Jersey. Panel II: Mr. Richard Baum, Acting Director, Office
of National Drug Control Policy; Dr. Leana Wen, Health
Commissioner, Baltimore City Health Department; Dr. Caleb
Alexander, Co-Director, Center for Drug Safety and
Effectiveness Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
December 13, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Oversight of the Bureau of Prisons and Inmate
Reentry.'' This hearing was an opportunity for the Committee to
conduct oversight of federal inmates' release and reentry into
the community, and to examine reports by the Department of
Justice's Office of the Inspector General and the Government
Accountability Office on the Bureau of Prisons' reentry
policies and procedures. Witnesses: The Honorable Mark S. Inch,
Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons; The Honorable Michael E.
Horowitz, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice; Ms.
Diana Maurer, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Ms. Jennifer Doleac,
Assistant Professor of Public Policy & Economics, Director,
Justice Tech Lab; University of Virginia; Ms. Cynthia W.
Roseberry, Executive Director, Council for Court Excellence;
Mr. Glenn E. Martin, President and Founder, JustLeadershipUSA.
Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
February 27, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Federalism Implications of Treating States as
Stakeholders.'' The hearing, in collaboration with the
Speaker's Intergovernmental Task Force, examined the roles of
States in relation to federal decision making. Specifically,
the hearing explored ways in which federal agencies engage with
States in the course of implementing federal law and policies,
and activities affecting the federal-state relationship.
Witnesses: The Honorable Gary Richard Herbert, Governor of
Utah; The Honorable Susana Martinez, Governor of New Mexico;
The Honorable Clement Leroy Otter, Governor of Idaho.
March 14, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Shining Light on the Federal Regulatory Process.'' Federal
rulemaking and regulatory activities are governed by a variety
of statutes and executive directives designed to require
federal agencies to engage in certain practices, such as
seeking public comment on a regulatory proposal. The hearing
highlighted agency rulemaking and guidance practices, and
whether agencies routinely comply with applicable statutes and
law. Witnesses: Ms. Kris Nguyen, Acting Director for Strategic
Issues, Government Accountability Office; Mr. Paul Noe, Vice
President, Public Policy, American Forest and Paper
Association; Ms. Karen Harned, Executive Director, National
Federation of Independent Business: Small Business Legal
Center; Professor Nicholas Parrillo, Professor of Law, Yale Law
School; Mr. Amit Narang, Regulatory Policy Advocate, Public
Citizen.
April 18, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Top management and Performance Challenges Identified
Government-Wide by the Inspector General Community.'' The
hearing examined the first Council of Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) report of top management and
performance challenges identified by the Inspector General (IG)
community. The hearing also provided an opportunity to discuss
the top management challenges most frequently reported by the
IG community, and allowed each IG to speak on specific examples
of these challenges within their agency. Witnesses: The
Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Chair, Council of the Inspectors
General on Integrity and Efficiency, Inspector General, U.S.
Department of Justice; The Honorable Allison Lerner, Vice
Chair, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency, Inspector General, National Science Foundation; The
Honorable Glenn Fine, Principal Deputy Inspector General, U.S.
Department of Defense. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) and (o) of
House Rule XI.
April 26, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Waste and Inefficiency in the Federal Government: GAO's 2018
Duplication Report.'' The hearing examined the findings of the
Government Accountability Office's annual report on areas of
duplication, overlap, and fragmentation within federal
government programs that was issued on April 25, 2018, and
prior reports dating back to 2011. Witness: The Honorable Gene
Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, U.S.
Government Accountability Office. Held pursuant to clause 2(n)
of House Rule XI.
May 8, 2018, 1:00 p.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Progress Report on the 2020 Census.'' With less than two
years until the full census count begins, the hearing
scrutinized the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau
ongoing preparations for the 2020 census. The hearing also
examined the current status of the 2018 End-to-End Census Test
and deployment of IT systems in advance of the test. Witnesses:
Mr. Earl Comstock, Director of the Office of Policy and
Strategic Planning, U.S. Department of Commerce; Ron S. Jarmin,
Ph.D., Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau; Mr. David A.
Powner, Director of Information Technology Management Issues,
U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr. Robert Goldenkoff,
Director of Strategic Issues, Census Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Justin Levitt, Associate Dean for
Research, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles; Mr. John M. Gore,
Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S.
Department of Justice.
May 16, 2018, 1:30 p.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Workforce for the 21st Century: Analyzing the President's
Management Agenda.'' The hearing allowed Members of the
Committee to hear from outside stakeholders on the workforce
modernization provisions of the President's Management Agenda.
Members learned how the Agenda fits into ongoing government
reorganization efforts and discussed the Administration's
vision for a modern, efficient, effective, and accountable
federal government. Witnesses: Panel I: The Honorable Margaret
Weichert, Deputy Director for Management, U.S. Office of
Management and Budget; The Honorable Jeff Pon, Director, U.S.
Office of Personnel Management. Panel II: Mr. Bill Valdez,
President, Senior Executives Association; Mr. Max Stier,
President and CEO, Partnership for Public Service; Ms.
Jacqueline Simon, Policy Director, American Federation of
Government Employees.
May 17, 2018, 11:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled, ``A
Sustainable Solution to the Evolving Opioid Crisis:
Revitalizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy.'' The
hearing provided Members the opportunity to discuss
reauthorizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP) to more effectively elevate evidence-based initiatives
to combat the current opioid crisis. Witnesses: Panel I: The
Honorable John Cornyn, Senator from Texas and Senate Majority
Whip. Panel II: Anand Parekh, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Advisor,
Bipartisan Policy Center; Rahul Gupta, MD, MPH, MBA, FACP,
Commissioner and State Health Officer, Department of Health and
Human Resources' Bureau for Public Health, State of West
Virginia; Mr. Thomas Carr, Executive Director, Washington/
Baltimore, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program; Ms.
Gretta Goodwin, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S.
Government Accountability Office.
June 19, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee joint hearing with
Judiciary titled, ``Oversight of the FBI and DOJ Actions in
Advance of the 2016 Election.'' This hearing was an opportunity
for the Committees to conduct oversight and obtain additional
information about the election-related review the DOJ IG
initiated in January 2017. Witness: The Honorable Michael E.
Horowitz, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice. Held
pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
June 27, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Examining the Administration's Government-Wide Reorganization
Plan.'' This hearing examined the upcoming government-wide
reform plan called for in the President's March 13, 2017,
Executive Order, which was publicly released the week of June
18. Members learned how the reform plan creates a federal
government that meets the needs of the American people and
discussed the Administration's vision for a modern, efficient,
effective, and accountable federal government. Witness: The
Honorable Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director for Management,
U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
July 12, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee joint with the
House Judiciary Committee hearing titled, ``Oversight of FBI
and DOJ Actions Surrounding the 2016 Election: Testimony by FBI
Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strozok.'' This hearing
examined the actions taken and decisions made by Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok,
during his tenure as a top counterintelligence investigator.
Witness: Peter Strozok, Deputy Assistant Director, Federal
Bureau of Investigation. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House
Rule XI.
July 24, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``Cyber-Securing the Vote: Ensuring the Integrity of the U.S.
Election System.'' The hearing assessed the role of the federal
government, states, and localities in safeguarding the
integrity of the U.S. election system. The hearing also
determined what actions must be taken ahead of the 2018 midterm
elections to ensure the voting process is secure. Witnesses:
The Honorable Christopher Krebs, Under Secretary, National
Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security; The Honorable Thomas Hicks, Commissioner,
U.S. Election Assistance Commission; The Honorable Maggie
Toulouse Oliver, Secretary of State, New Mexico; The Honorable
Ricky Hatch, County Auditor, Weber County, Utah.
September 26, 2018, 1:00 p.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Examining Misconduct and Retaliation at TSA.'' The
hearing examined the Committee's findings into senior level
misconduct and whistleblower retaliation at the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA). Witness: The Honorable David
Pekoske, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration.
Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
November 15, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Examining Misconduct and Retaliation at the U.S.
Forest Service.'' The hearing examined the U.S. Forest
Service's response to allegations of misconduct, sexual
harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Witnesses: Ms.
Vicki Christiansen, Chief, U.S. Forest Service; The Honorable
Phyllis K. Fong, Inspector General, U.S. Department of
Agriculture; Ms. Shannon Reed, Air Quality Specialist, Former
Employee, U.S. Forest Service. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of
House Rule XI.
November 28, 2018, 1:00 p.m. Full Committee hearing titled,
``BOP Management of Its Female Inmate Population, and Other
Challenges.'' This hearing evaluated the Bureau of Prisons'
(BOP) response to findings and recommendations from the
Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General (IG).
The hearing also examined how BOP intends to hold its leaders
accountable for wrongdoing, and uphold the ideals of
professionalism, safety, and integrity within the federal
prison system. Witnesses: The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz,
Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Department
of Justice; Mr. Hugh J. Hurwitz, Acting Director, Federal
Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice. Held pursuant to
clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
November 29, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Full Committee hearing
titled, ``Evaluating Federal Disaster Response and Recovery
Efforts.'' The hearing examined the U.S. government's response
to the 2017 hurricane season, including efforts to aid affected
survivors and communities. The hearing also discussed lessons-
learned and additional opportunities to improve federal natural
disaster-related programs. Witnesses: The Honorable William B.
``Brock'' Long, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management
Agency; Major General Scott A. Spellmon, Deputy Commanding
General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; Dr. Lynn Goldman, Michael and Lori Milken Dean,
Milken Institute of Public Health, George Washington
University. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
March 29, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``WMATA After SafeTrack.'' The hearing examined the planned
final stages of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority's (WMATA) SafeTrack program, as well as WMATA's plans
for the Back2Good initiative. The hearing also reviewed WMATA's
financial situation, including the proposed Fiscal Year 2018
budget. Witnesses: Mr. Paul Wiedefeld, General Manager,
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Mr. Dennis
Anosike, Chief Financial Officer, Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority; Dr. Mark L. Goldstein, Ph.D., Director of
Physical Infrastructure Issues, U.S. Government Accountability
Office.
April 6, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``The Best and Worst Places to Work in the Federal
Government.'' The annual hearing examined the 2016 Best Places
to Work in the Federal Government rankings assembled by the
Partnership for Public Service and the associated Federal
Employee Viewpoint Survey administered by the U.S. Office of
Personnel Management. The Committee wished to study recent
trends revealed by the data and ways to ensure positive growth
in employee engagement at agencies. Witnesses: Ms. Roberta
Jeanquart, Director of the Office of Human Resources
Management, Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Department of
Agriculture; Ms. Lacey Dingman, Director of the Office of Human
Resources, Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission; Ms. Angela Bailey, Chief Human Capital
Officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Mr. Lee Gardner,
Managing Director, U.S. Surface Transportation Board; Ms.
Veronica Villalobos, Principal Deputy Associate Director--
Employee Services, Acting Executive Director, Chief Human
Capital Officers Council, U.S. Office of Personnel Management;
Mr. Max Stier, President and CEO, Partnership for Public
Service. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
April 26, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Reviewing the Unintended Consequences of the Foreign Account
Tax Compliance Act.'' The hearing examined the consequences of
the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) for expatriates,
as well as its effects on tax revenue, and tax compliance
costs. The hearing discussed potential legislative proposals to
alleviate negative impacts on Americans living abroad.
Witnesses: The Honorable Rand Paul, U.S. Senator, State of
Kentucky; Mr. James Bopp, Jr., Attorney, The Bopp Law Firm, PC;
Mr. Mark Crawford, Director, AKSIONER International Security
Brokerage; Mr. Daniel Kuettel, Former U.S. citizen living in
Switzerland who renounced his U.S. citizenship due to FATCA;
Ms. Elise Bean, Washington Co-Director, Levin Center at Wayne
Law Wayne State University.
September 7, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining the Shipment of Illicit Drugs in International
Mail.'' The hearing explored how international drug traffickers
exploit discrepancies in security standards between the U.S.
Postal Service and its private express counterparts for
international mail to ship contraband into the United States.
Witnesses: The Honorable Gregory Thome, Director, Office of
U.N. Specialized and Technical Agencies, Bureau of
International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State;
Mr. Guy Cottrell, Chief Postal Inspector, United States Postal
Service; Mr. Todd C. Owen, Executive Assistant, Commissioner,
Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
Ms. Lori Rectanus, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues,
U.S. Government Accountability Office; Ms. Tammy Whitcomb,
Acting Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of the
Inspector General. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule
XI.
October 11, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Security Clearance Investigation Challenges and Reforms.''
The hearing examined the current security clearance
investigation backlog, as well as ongoing reform efforts at the
National Background Investigations Bureau and the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence. Members of the Subcommittee
had an opportunity to discuss potential changes to the
clearance investigation process and questioned experts inside
and outside of the federal government on the status of the
backlog and strategies for reducing the backlog. Witnesses: Mr.
Charles S. Phalen, Jr., Director, National Background
Investigations Bureau, Office of Personnel Management; Mr.
Garry P. Reid, Director of Defense Intelligence, Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, U.S. Department of
Defense; Mr. William R. Evanina, Director, National
Counterintelligence and Security Center, Office of the Director
of National Intelligence; Mr. A.R. ``Trey'' Hodgkins III,
Senior Vice, President, Public Sector, Information Technology
Alliance for Public Sector.
February 15, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``General Services Administration--Checking in the with the
Government's Acquisition and Property Manager.'' The hearing
examined the GSA's administration and management of federal
acquisition programs and reforms as well as the agency's
efforts to improve its management of federal real property,
particularly initiatives aimed at reducing the federal
government's real property portfolio. The subcommittee heard
about efforts to improve federal acquisition, including cost
savings and modernization efforts. The subcommittee also heard
about GSA plans to recruit and retain a high quality
acquisition, real property, and IT workforce, including any
reorganization plans. Witnesses: The Honorable Emily W. Murphy,
Administrator, General Services Administration; The Honorable
Alan B. Thomas, Jr., Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service,
General Services Administration; The Honorable Dan Mathews,
Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General Services
Administration; The Honorable Carol F. Ochoa, Inspector
General, General Services Administration.
April 19, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds for All Aboard
Florida's Brightline Passenger Rail System.'' The hearing
examined the use of $600 million and $1.15 billion in tax-
exempt private activity bonds to support the Brightline
passenger rail system project in Florida, and the broader
implications of this type of financing for future
infrastructure projects. Additionally, this hearing examined
the safety implications of the Brightline passenger rail system
project and its impact on the local communities. Witnesses: Mr.
Grover Burthey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S.
Department of Transportation; Mr. Patrick Goddard, President
and Chief Operating Officer, All Aboard Florida/Brightline; Mr.
Robert Crandall, former CEO, American Airlines; Chief Dan
Wouters, Division Chief Emergency Management, Martin County
Fire Rescue; Mr. Dylan Reingold, County Attorney, Indian River
County. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) and (o) of House Rule XI.
May 24, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Union Time on the People's Dime: A Closer Look at Official
Time.'' The hearing examined the use of union ``official
time''--paid time off for federal employees to represent a
union or its bargaining unit employees during work hours in
lieu of their regular duties. The hearing: (1) highlighted
findings from agency responses to the Committee's January 9,
2018, letter requesting official time data, (2) identified
official time usage at agencies across government, (3) reviewed
problems associated with official time data reporting, and (4)
considered possible official time reforms. Witnesses: Mr. Trey
Kovacs, Policy Analyst, Competitive Enterprise Institute; Mr.
Bob Gilson, Senior Labor and Employee Relations Consultant and
Author; Mr. Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director of
Governance Studies, Brookings Institution.
December 13, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Oversight of Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study on the
Clinton Foundation.'' The hearing discussed the management of
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and how the designation
impacts the programs and activities a nonprofit is allowed to
conduct. Witnesses: Panel I: Tom Fitton, President, Judicial
Watch; Mr. Phillip Hackney, Associate Professor of Law,
University of Pittsburgh. Panel II: Mr. Lawrence W. Doyle,
Managing Partner, DM Income Advisors; Mr. John F. Moynihan,
Principal, JFM and Associates.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTHCARE, BENEFITS, AND
ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
January 31, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Fraud, Waste and Abuse Under the Affordable Care Act.'' The
hearing examined the implementation of the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the impact of the law on
the health insurance marketplace. Witnesses: Ms. Vicki
Robinson, Senior Counselor for Policy, Office of Inspector
General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Mr. John
Dicken Director, Health Care, U.S. Government Accountability
Office; Mr. Jonathan W. Siegel, Citizen, Rochester, NY. Held
pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
March 22, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining the Impact of Voluntary Restricted Distribution
Systems in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.'' The hearing
examined the use of restricted distribution systems in the
pharmaceutical supply chain and the potential for some
companies to use restricted distribution systems to delay
generic competition in certain instances. Witnesses: Dr. Janet
Woodcock, Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research,
Food and Drug Administration; Mr. Bruce Leicher, Senior Vice
President and General Counsel, Momenta Pharmaceuticals,
Testifying on behalf of the Association for Accessible
Medicines (AAM); Dr. Gerard Anderson, Director, Center for
Hospital Finance and Management, Professor, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health; Mr. David Mitchell,
President and Founder, Patients for Affordable Drugs.
April 11, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Local Responses and Resources to Curtail the Opioid
Epidemic.'' The hearing examined local efforts and resources to
address the ongoing opioid epidemic. This hearing also assessed
state and federal coordination to curtail this crisis, focusing
on how federal grant programs can assist localities struggling
to address opioid use and other drug crises. Witnesses: Ms. Amy
Haskins, Project Director, Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition;
Ms. Lisa Roberts, Coordinator, Scioto County Drug Action Team
Alliance; Mr. Derek Siegle, Executive Director, Ohio HIDTA; Ms.
Karen Ayala, Lead Staff, DuPage HOPE (Heroin/Opioid Prevention
and Education) Task-Force.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERIOR, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENT
February 15, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining Federal Programs that Serve Tribes and their
Members.'' The hearing reviewed recent studies and analyses
conducted by the Government Accountability Office and the
Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General on the
management of federal programs that serve tribes and their
members. Witnesses: Mr. Frank Rusco, Director, Natural
Resources and Environment, Energy and Science Issues, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; The Honorable Mary Kendall,
Deputy Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, U.S.
Department of Interior; The Honorable Tyson Thompson,
Councilman, Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council. Held pursuant
to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
March 21, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining GAO Findings on Deficiencies at the Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement.'' The hearing reviewed
recent studies and reports conducted by the Government
Accountability Office on leadership and management at the
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Witnesses: Mr.
Richard T. Cardinale, Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and
Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior; Mr. Frank
Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and Environment-Energy
Issues, Government Accountability Office. Held pursuant to
clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
April 5, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Improving the Visitor Experience at National Parks.'' This
hearing examined ways to improve the visitor experience at
national parks. Witnesses: Mr. Glenn Casamassa, Associate
Deputy Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Forest Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture; Ms. Linda Lanterman, Director of the
Division of State Parks, State of Kansas; Mr. Chris Edmonston,
President, BoatU.S. Foundation; Mr. Rick Cables, Vice President
of Natural Resources and Conservation, Vail Resorts.
May 2, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining the Management of Red Snapper Fishing in the Gulf
of Mexico.'' This hearing examined management issues with red
snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Witnesses: Mr. Earl
Comstock, Director, Office of Policy and Strategic Planning,
U.S. Department of Commerce; Mr. Jamie M. Miller, Executive
Director, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources State of
Mississippi; Mr. Christopher Brown, President, Seafood
Harvesters of America; Mr. Mark Ray, Vice Chairman, Coastal
Conservation Association.
September 26, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining America's Nuclear Waste Management and Storage.''
This hearing examined the issue of nuclear waste storage and
disposal. Specifically, the committee focused on the needs and
challenges of communities currently holding this waste.
Witnesses: Mr. Anthony J. O'Donnell, Commissioner, Maryland
Public Service Commission, Chair, National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners Subcommittee on Nuclear
Issues--Waste Disposal; Mr. Chuck Smith, Councilmember, Aiken
County, South Carolina, On behalf of Energy Communities
Alliance; Mr. David G. Victor, Chairman, San Onofre Nuclear
Generating Station, Community Engagement Panel, Professor, UC
San Diego School of Global Policy & Strategy; Dr. Edwin Lyman,
Senior Scientist, Global Security Program, Union of Concerned
Scientists; Ms. Katie Tubb, Policy Analyst, Institute for
Economic Freedom, The Heritage Foundation.
November 2, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining the Regulation of Shark Finning in the United
States.'' This hearing examined the effects of the practice of
shark finning. Specifically, the hearing considered the issue
from an international and domestic perspective, including
existing laws and loopholes, and issues related to enforcement
of those laws. Witnesses: Ms. Lora Snyder, Campaign Director,
Oceana, International Headquarters; Assistant Commander Brandi
L. Reeder, Fisheries Law Administrator, Law Enforcement
Division, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Alistair D.M.
Dove, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Conservation,
Georgia Aquarium.
March 6, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.'' The hearing
will examine how USACE can improve communication and
interaction with local communities where it conducts its work
and projects. Witnesses: James C. Dalton, SES, Director of
Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Mr. Sean
Strawbridge, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Corpus Christi
Authority; Ms. Kirsten Mickelsen, Executive Director, Upper
Mississippi River Basin Association; Mr. Jim Weakley,
President, Lake Carriers' Association.
March 12, 2018, 9:30 a.m. Subcommittee field hearing
titled, ``The Historic 2017 Hurricane Season: Impacts on the
U.S. Virgin Islands.'' The hearing examined the effects of
Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well
as highlighted response and recovery efforts in the territory.
Witnesses: Panel 1: Senator Myron D. Jackson, Senate President,
U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature; Senator Tregenza A. Roach,
U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature. Panel 2: Mr. William ``Bill''
Vogel, Federal Coordinating Officer, Federal Emergency
Management Agency; Mr. Murad ``Mojo'' Raheem, ASPR Regional
Emergency Coordinator, Region 2, Department of Health and Human
Services; COL Scott Heintzelman, Defense Coordinating Officer
for FEMA Region II, Department of Defense; COL Robert J. Clark,
Commander, USACE Field Recovery Office, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; Mr. Randy Lavasseur, Caribbean Group Superintendent,
National Park Service; Mr. Henry ``Hank'' Dynka, Manager, In-
Plant Support, Northeast Area Operations, U.S. Postal Service.
Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
March 15, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled, ``An
Examination of Federal Permitting Processes.'' The hearing
examined federal permitting processes, focusing on the National
Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Water Act. The
hearing provided a forum to identify problems and
inefficiencies within those processes, highlighting why reforms
are necessary. Witnesses: Mr. James Iwanicki, PE, Engineer-
Manager, Marquette County Road Commission; Ms. Valerie
Wilkinson, CPA, Vice President and CFO, The ESG Companies; Mr.
Kevin DeGood, Director, Infrastructure Policy, Center for
American Progress; Ms. Diane Katz, Senior Research Fellow in
Regulatory Policy, The Heritage Foundation.
June 26, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Access to Public Lands: The Effects of Forest Service Road
Closures.'' The purpose of this hearing was to examine the
effects of Forest Service policies on access to federally owned
land. The hearing also focused on the challenges of addressing
access issues through coordination with the Forest Service.
Witnesses: The Honorable Kerry White, Representative, Montana
House of Representatives; Mr. Bill Harvey, Commission Chair,
Baker County, Oregon; Ms. Amy Granat, Managing Director,
California Off-Road Vehicle Association; Mr. Jim Furnish,
Consulting Forester.
July 17, 2018, Subcommittee hearing titled, ``Tribal Energy
Resources: Reducing Barriers to Opportunity.'' The hearing
explored management challenges imposed by the fragmented
regulatory process for energy development on tribal lands.
Witnesses: Mr. Eric Henson, Executive Vice President, Compass
Lexecon, Research Affiliate, The Harvard Project on American
Indian Economic Development Visiting Senior Scholar, The
Harvard University Native American Program; The Honorable Alvin
Not Afraid, Jr., Chairman, Crow Tribe of Indians; The Honorable
Adam Red, Councilman, Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Mr.
Christopher Clark Deschene, Partner, Rosette, LLP.
July 24, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Preserving Opportunities for Grazing on Federal Land.'' The
hearing examined challenges faced by ranchers seeking to graze
livestock on federal land and identified opportunities for more
productive range management practices. Witnesses: Mr. Dave
Eliason, President, Public Lands Council; Mr. John Helle, Owner
Partner, Helle Livestock; Mr. Scott Horngren, Staff Attorney &
Adjunct Professor, Western Resources Legal Center; Honorable
Shannon Wheeler, Chairman, Nez Perce Tribe.
September 27, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Restoring Balance to Environmental Litigation.'' The hearing
examined special-interest environmental litigation against
federal agencies and identified reforms to curb excessive
litigation and the abuse of fee shifting statutes such as the
Equal Access to Justice Act. Witnesses: Mr. Jonathan
Brightbill, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Environment and
Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Mr.
Lawson Fite, General Counsel, American Forest Resource Counsel;
Mr. Ryan Yates, Director of Congressional Relations, American
Farm Bureau Federation; Ms. Sara A. Colangelo, Environment Law
and Policy Program Director, Visiting Professor of Law,
Georgetown University Law Center.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
April 26, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Unfunded Mandates: Examining Federally Imposed Burdens on
State and Local Governments.'' The Committee evaluated numerous
federal unfunded mandates and how those unfunded mandates
impacted state and local governments. The hearing followed up
to the Committee's December 2016 request to state and local
government partners for information relating to federal
unfunded mandates that impose burdens on state and local
governments, and associated costs or compliance challenges.
Witnesses: The Honorable Wayne Niederhauser, President, Utah
State Senate; The Honorable Jim Davis, Senator, North Carolina
State Senate; The Honorable Gary Moore, Judge/Executive, Boone
County, Kentucky; The Honorable Jermaine Reed, Councilman, City
of Kansas City, Missouri; The Honorable Jeff McKay, Supervisor,
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Alexandria, Virginia.
October 3, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs and the
Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security of the
Committee on Homeland Security titled, ``Innovations in
Security: Examining the Use of Canines.'' The hearing reviewed
the use of canines, explored the procurement process, and
addressed issues with the supply of canines. Witnesses: Ms.
Sheila Goffe, Vice President, Government Relations, American
Kennel Club; Lieutenant Scott R. Smith, Orlando Police
Department, Orlando, Florida; Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, Penn Vet Working Dog Center, School of
Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
July 25, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing before the
Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Federal
Grant Management.'' The hearing examined opportunities to
modernize the federal grantmaking process. Witnesses: Mr.
Hudson Hollister, Executive Director, Data Coalition; Ms.
Michelle Sager, Director, Strategic Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Ms. Andrea L. Brandon, MPA, Deputy
Assistant Secretary Office of Grants and Acquisition Policy and
Accountability OS/ASFR/OGAPA, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services; Mr. Peter Tyler, Senior Policy Advisor, Project
on Government Oversight; Ms. Natalie Keegan, Analyst American
Federalism and Emergency Management, Congressional Research
Service.
December 11, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Examining `Backdoor' Spending by Federal Agencies.'' This
hearing examined the extent to which federal agencies use
backdoor spending to avoid the annual appropriations process.
The hearing also explored how backdoor spending undermines
Congress' authority and what Congress can do to reassert its
authority over the power of the purse. Witnesses: Ms. Tranchau
(Kris) T. NguyenDirector of Strategic Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Ms. Julia C. Matta, Managing Associate
General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Government
Accountability Office, Mr. James Wallner, Senior Fellow,
Governance Project, R Street Institute; Mr. Robert Weissman,
President, Public Citizen. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) and (o)
of House Rule XI.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
April 4, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Reviewing Federal IT Workforce Challenges and Possible
Solutions.'' The hearing examined the development, recruitment,
and retention of the federal government's information
technology, and specifically cybersecurity, workforce.
Witnesses: Mr. Steven Cooper, Former Chief Information Officer,
U.S. Department of Commerce; Ms. Elizabeth Hyman, Executive
Vice President, Public Advocacy, CompTIA; Ms. Lisa Depew, Head
of Industry and Academic Outreach, Intel; Mr. Dan Waddell,
Managing Director, (ISC)2; Mr. Nick Marinos, Director,
Information Technology, Government Accountability Office, Ms.
Debora Plunkett, Board Member, Strategic Advisory Board,
International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity
Professionals.
May 23, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Information Technology and Subcommittee on
Social Security of the Committee on Ways & Means titled,
``Protecting American's Identities: Examining Efforts to Limit
the Use of Social Security Numbers.'' The hearing focused on
efforts by federal agencies to reduce the use of Social
Security numbers (SSNs), and the challenges these agencies face
in doing so. Witnesses: Mr. Greg Wilshusen, Director,
Information Security Services, Government Accountability
Office; Ms. Mariana LaCanfora, Acting Deputy Commissioner,
Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security
Administration; Mr. David Devries, Chief Information Officer,
Office of Personnel Management; Ms. Karen Jackson, Deputy Chief
Operating Officer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services;
Mr. John Oswalt, Executive Director for Privacy, Office of
Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
June 13, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing titled,
``The Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act
(FITARA) 4.0.'' This hearing was part of a continuing oversight
effort on federal information technology (IT). This effort
began with a June 10, 2015, hearing on the U.S. Government
Accountability Office's (GAO) 2015 designation of IT
acquisition as ``High Risk'' area, and plans for FITARA
implementation. The Committee continued this effort with the
first FITARA Scorecard hearing on November 4, 2015, the FITARA
Scorecard 2.0 hearing on May 18, 2016, and the FITARA Scorecard
3.0 hearing on December 6, 2016. The subcommittees heard
details on agencies' progress in FITARA implementation
(including data center consolidation, incremental development,
and portfolio review efforts) and implications for IT
acquisition reform and security. Witnesses: Mr. David A.
Powner, Director, IT Management Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office ; Ms. Beth Killoran, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for IT, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Ms. Sheila Conley, Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Acting Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Dr. Rick Holgate, Research Director,
Gartner, Inc.
October 3, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Cybersecurity of the Internet of Things.'' The increasing use
of internet connected devices known as the ``Internet of
Things'' poses potential cybersecurity risks. Currently, there
is no industry-wide security standard in use for these devices.
Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced
legislation (S. 1691) intended to improve the security of the
Internet of Things. This hearing examined the legislation and
discussed additional potential strategies for securing the
Internet of Things. Witnesses: Mr. Matthew J. Eggers, Executive
Director, Cybersecurity Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Mr.
Tommy Ross, Senior Director of Policy, The Software Alliance
(BSA); Mr. Josh Corman, Director of the Cyber Statecraft
Initiative, Atlantic Council; Mr. Ray O'Farrell, Chief
Technology Officer, VMware.
October 24, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Oversight of Federal Political Advertisement Laws and
Regulations.'' The hearing examined the regulations and laws
for political ad disclaimers and disclosures in traditional and
new media. Witnesses: Mr. Allen Dickerson, Legal Director,
Center for Competitive Politics; Mr. David Chavern, President
and Chief Executive Officer, News Media Alliance; Mr. Jack N.
Goodman, Owner, Law Offices of Jack N. Goodman; Mr. Randall
Rothenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer, Interactive
Advertising Bureau; Mr. Ian Vandewalker, Senior Counsel,
Brennan Center for Justice, Democracy Program, New York
University School of Law.
December 7, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Oversight of IT and Cybersecurity at the Department of
Veterans Affairs.'' This hearing was an opportunity for the
Committee to conduct oversight of the Veterans Affairs'
information technology systems, including its performance on
the most recent FITARA scorecard, the development of an
interoperable Electronic Health record, and its VistA
modernization efforts. Witnesses: Mr. Scott Blackburn, Acting
Chief Information Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs; Mr.
Dominic Cussatt, Chief Information Security Officer, Department
of Veterans Affairs; Mr. Bill James, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for the Enterprise Program Management Office, U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs; Mr. John Windom, Program Executive for
Electronic Health Records Modernization, U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs; Mr. David A. Powner, Director, IT Management
Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office. Held pursuant to
clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
February 14, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence Part I.'' Artificial
intelligence is increasingly cited as the solution for many of
the problems government faces, but few in government understand
artificial intelligence or its potential. This hearing
addressed artificial intelligence, its development, uses,
barriers to deployment and potential for both societal good and
harm. Witnesses: Dr. Amir Khosrowshahi, Vice President and
Chief Technology Officer, Artificial Intelligence Products
Group, Intel; Dr. Charles Isbell, Executive Associate Dean and
Professor, College of Computing, Georgia Institute of
Technology; Dr. Oren Etzioni, Chief Executive Officer, Allen
Institute for Artificial Intelligence; Dr. Ian Buck, Vice
President and General Manager, Tesla Data Center Business,
NVIDIA.
March 7, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence Part II, Artificial
Intelligence and the Federal Government.'' The hearing examined
the federal government's engagement of artificial intelligence.
The discussion centered on artificial intelligence research and
development, adoption of artificial intelligence technologies
and policies affected by artificial intelligence. Witnesses:
John O. Everett, Ph.D., Deputy Director Information Innovation
Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, U.S.
Department of Defense; Mr. Keith Nakasone, Deputy Assistant
Commissioner, Acquisition, Office of Information Technology
Category, Federal Acquisition Service, U.S. General Services
Administration; James F. Kurose, Ph.D., Assistant Director,
Computer and Information Science and Engineering, National
Science Foundation; Douglas Maughan, Ph.D., Division Director
Cybersecurity Division, Homeland Security Advanced Research
Projects Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
March 20, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee Joint hearing before
the Subcommittees on Information Technology and Subcommittee on
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure of the Committee on Homeland
Security titled, ``CDM: Government Perspectives on Security and
Modernization.'' This hearing examined the status of the
Department of Homeland Security's Continuous Diagnostics and
Mitigation (CDM) program rollout at specific agencies. This
hearing also examined impediments to full deployment of CDM,
such as the lack of funds, lack of training, and issues with
contracting vehicles and shared services. Witnesses: Mr. Max
Everett, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Energy;
Mr. Scott Blackburn, Executive in Charge, Office of Information
and Technology, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Mr. David
Garcia, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Office of Personnel
Management; Mr. Kevin Cox, CDM Program Manager, Office of
Cybersecurity and Communications, National Protection and
Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
April 18, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence Part III, Artificial
Intelligence and Public Policy.'' The hearing was an
opportunity for Members to discuss the private and public
responses to the barriers that artificial intelligence faces.
Witnesses discussed potential solutions to workforce, ethics,
privacy, bias and global competitiveness and the role the
government should play when addressing these concerns.
Witnesses: Gary Shapiro, President, Consumer Technology
Association; Jack Clark, Director, OpenAI; Terah Lyons,
Executive Director, Partnership on AI; Ben Buchanan,
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cyber Security Project, Science,
Technology, and Public Policy Program; Belfer Center for
Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School.
September 26, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Countering China: Ensuring America Remains the World Leader
in Advanced Technologies and Innovation.'' This hearing
discussed the effects Chinese trade practices have on American
companies working to enter Chinese markets and examined how to
protect American economic and security interests. Witnesses:
John Neuffer, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Semiconductor Industry Association; Robert Atkinson, Ph.D,
President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation;
Dean Cheng, Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, The
Heritage Foundation; Sarah Cook, Senior Research Analyst,
Freedom House.
HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
March 1, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled, ``VA:
Path to Reform.'' At this hearing, the Subcommittee examined
the policies and procedures of the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) as they relate to recent issues regarding fraud,
waste and abuse. This hearing also addressed strategies for
future reform and the new leadership's vision of improving
practices within all of the agencies in the Department.
Witnesses: Mrs. Pamela Mitchell, Acting Assistant Secretary,
Office of Human Resources and Administration, Department of
Veterans Affairs; Mr. Nich Dahl, Deputy Assistant Inspector
General for Audits and Evaluations, Office of Inspector
General, Department of Veterans Affairs; Dr. Irene Barnett,
Ph.D., Director of the Bedford Office for Audits and
Evaluations, Office of Inspector General, Department of
Veterans Affairs.
April 5, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Assessing the Iran Deal.'' This hearing examined the Iranian
noncompliance with the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action and UN Security Council Resolution 2231 as well as
Iran's regional aggression. Witnesses: Lieutenant General
Michael Barbero, U.S. Army, Retired, Advisory Board Member,
United Against Nuclear Iran; Mr. David Albright, President,
Institute for Science and International Security; Mr. Mark
Dubowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for Defense of
Democracies; Ray Takeyh, Ph.D., Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow
for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Jim
Walsh, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Security Studies
Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
April 27, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``The Border Wall: Strengthening Our National Security.'' The
hearing examined the potential benefits from the U.S. border
wall and addressed the wall's impact on national security. The
National Security Subcommittee investigated the wall's possible
reduction of illegal aliens and crime. Witnesses: Dr. Steven
Camarota, Ph.D., Director of Research, Center for Immigration
Studies; Mr. Brandon Judd, President, National Border Patrol
Council; Ms. Maria Espinoza, Director, The Remembrance Project;
Ms. Agnes Gibboney, Mother whose son was killed by an illegal
immigrant; The Honorable Seth Stodder, Former Assistant
Secretary, Border, Immigration, & Trade Policy U.S. Department
of Homeland Security.
July 27, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Combatting Homegrown Terrorism.'' The hearing examined what
the United States can do to counter the threat of violent
extremism within domestic communities. This hearing also sought
answers from witnesses on the strengths and weaknesses of
current countering violent extremism programs and identified
potential strategic improvements. Witnesses: Mr. Kerry Sleeper,
Assistant Director, Office of Partner Engagement, Federal
Bureau of Investigation; Mr. George Selim, Director of
Countering Violent Extremism, Department of Homeland Security;
Ms. Raheel Raza, President, Muslims Facing Tomorrow; Mr. Adnan
Kifayat, Director, Global Security Ventures, Gen Next
Foundation; Mr. Seamus Hughes, Deputy Director of Program on
Extremism, George Washington University.
October 11, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Review of the U.S. Government's Role in Protecting
International Religious Freedom.'' The hearing examined issues
related to the state of international religious freedom
worldwide and its connection to national security. The hearing
also considered the implementation of the Frank R. Wolf
International Religious Freedom Act, as well as the legal
requirement that the President appoint an Ambassador-at-Large
for International Religious Freedom. Witnesses: The Honorable
Michael G. Kozak, Senior Advisor, Bureau of Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State; Ms. Kristina
Arriaga de Bucholz, Vice Chair, Commission on International
Religious Freedom; Thomas F. Farr, Ph.D., President, Religious
Freedom Institute, Director, Religious Freedom Research
Project, Georgetown University, Associate Professor, Walsh
School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; Mr. Rob
Berschinski, Senior Vice President, Policy, Human Rights First.
November 1, 2017, 10:30 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Overview of 16 Years of Involvement in Afghanistan.'' The
hearing examined issues related to the state of America's
reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and the applicable
lessons to other security sector assistance missions globally.
The hearing considered the recent Special Inspector General for
Afghanistan (SIGAR) report released September 21, 2017,
entitled ``Reconstructing the Afghan National Defense and
Security Forces: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in
Afghanistan.'' Witness: The Honorable John Sopko, Special
Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Held pursuant
to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
November 8, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem:
Challenges and Opportunities.'' The hearing examined issues
related to the proposed relocation of the United States Embassy
in Israel to Jerusalem. The hearing also considered the
implementation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act. Witnesses: The
Honorable John Bolton, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise
Institute; The Honorable Dore Gold, President, Jerusalem Center
for Public Affairs; Mr. Morton Klein, President, Zionist
Organization of America; Dr. Michael Koplow, Policy Director,
Israel Policy Forum; Mr. Eugene Kontorovich, Professor of Law,
Northwestern University.
January 17, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Battlefield Successes and Challenges: Recent Efforts to Win
the War Against ISIS.'' The hearing demonstrated the successes
against ISIS because of changes in the U.S. military's
delegation of authorities, increases in aerial bombing, and a
more aggressive use of Special Forces. The work of the US
military and intelligence communities as well as the support of
important regional allies has been instrumental in the
battlefield destruction of ISIS--and yet it has been woefully
covered by the mainstream media. The Committee highlighted
these victories to the American people and also laid out the
path forward for success against radical Islamic terrorism.
Witnesses: Sebastian Gorka, Ph.D., Former Deputy Assistant to
the President; Mr. Michael Pregent, Adjunct Fellow, Hudson
Institute; Mr. Phillip Lohaus, Research Fellow, Marilyn Ware
Center for Security Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Mr.
Robert Anthony Pape, Jr., Professor, Political Science
Department, University of Chicago.
March 22, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Bureaucratic Challenges to Hurricane Recovery in Puerto
Rico.'' The hearing highlighted the challenges that Puerto Rico
faces in its rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Maria in
September of 2017. Witnesses: The Honorable Michael Byrne,
Assistant Administrator for Field Operations, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Mr.
William Parks, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary,
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S.
Department of Energy; Mr. Peter Lopez, Regional Administrator,
Region 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Mr. Scott
Aaronson, Vice President, Security and Preparedness, Edison
Electric Institute; SSG Johnathan Sutton (Ret.), Former U.S.
Army, 82nd Airborne Division, Puerto Rico Volunteer. Held
pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
April 12, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled, ``A
`Caravan' of Illegal Immigrants: A Test of U.S. Borders.'' The
hearing highlighted the impact of surging asylum seekers on law
enforcement and the U.S. immigration system, and examined what
the Department of Homeland Security is doing to prepare for the
2018 Pueblo Sin Fronteras cause. The hearing also explored how
U.S. authorities are partnering with Mexican law enforcement
and immigration authorities. Witnesses: Ms. Carla L. Provost
(Declined invitation to testify), Acting Chief, U.S. Border
Patrol; Mr. Brandon Judd, President, National Border Patrol
Council; Colonel Steven McCraw, Director, Texas Department of
Public Safety; The Honorable Andrew R. Arthur, Resident Fellow
in Law and Policy, Center for Immigration Studies; Mr. Michael
Breen, President and CEO, Truman Center.
June 6, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Protecting America from a Bad Deal: Ending U.S. Participation
in the Nuclear Agreement with Iran.'' The hearing discussed the
withdrawal of American participation in the Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action, that is, the Iran Nuclear Deal, examined the
agreement's flaws, and identified potential U.S. policy options
for addressing the national security threat posed by Iran.
Witnesses: Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor, Foundation for
Defense of Democracies; David Albright, President, Institute
for Science and International Security; Michael Pregent, Senior
Fellow, Hudson Institute; Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar,
American Enterprise Institute; Jim Walsh, Senior Research
Associate, Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT).
June 20, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``Holding Cuban Leaders Accountable.'' The hearing discussed
the Trump Administration's policy on Cuba, reviewed the 1996
shoot down of the Hermanos al Rescate humanitarian aircraft,
and examined the possibility of criminal indictments for senior
Cuban governmental officials for gross human rights violations.
Witnesses: Mr. Jason Poblete Attorney, Poblete Tamargo LLP;
Ambassador Roger Noriega, Visiting Fellow, American Enterprise
Institute; Ms. Ana Alejandre Ciereszko, Sister of Hermanos al
Rescate Pilot, Armando Alejandre Jr.; Ms. Miriam de la Pena,
Mother of Hermanos al Rescate Pilot, Mario de la Pena; William
LeoGrande, Professor of Government, American University.
July 11, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled,
``The Muslim Brotherhood's Global Threat.'' The hearing
discussed the threat that the Muslim Brotherhood and its
affiliates pose to the United States and its interests and how
to most effectively counter it. Witnesses: Dr. Hillel Fradkin,
Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; Dr. Jonathan Schanzer,
Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Foundation for Defense of
Democracies; M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., President & Founder,
American Islamic Forum for Democracy; The Honorable Daniel
Benjamin Norman E. McCulloch Jr., Director, John Sloan Dickey
Center for International Understanding, Dartmouth University.
July 17, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Subcommittee hearing titled, ``A
New Horizon in U.S.-Israel Relations: From an American Embassy
in Jerusalem to Potential Recognition of Israeli Sovereignty
Over the Golan Heights.'' The hearing discussed the potential
for American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan
Heights in furtherance of U.S. national security interests.
Witnesses: Michael Doran, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Hudson
Institute; Ambassador Dore Gold, Ph.D., President, Jerusalem
Center for Public Affairs; Eugene Kontorovich, Professor,
Northwestern University School of Law; Ambassador Daniel
Kurtzer, Ph.D., S. Daniel Abraham Professor in Middle Eastern
Policy Studies, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and
International Affairs, Princeton University; Mr. Morton Klein,
President, Zionist Organization of America.
JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS
March 1, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Interior, Energy, and Environment and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Examining Environmental
Barriers to Infrastructure Development.'' The hearing reviewed
instances of environmental laws and regulations that have
hindered general infrastructure development. Witnesses: Mr.
Richie Beyer, County Engineer, Elmore County, Alabama; Mr.
Wayne D'Angelo, Counsel for the Steel Manufacturers,
Association, Kelley Drye and Warren LLP; Mr. Nicholas Loris,
Herbert and Joyce Morgan Research Fellow in Energy and
Environmental Policy Institute for Economic Freedom and
Opportunity, The Heritage Foundation.
March 8, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled, ``Examining IRS
Customer Service Challenges.'' The hearing examined customer
service at the Internal Revenue Service. The Committee was also
interested in IRS decisions to fund priorities other than
customer service. Witnesses: The Honorable John Dalrymple,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, Internal
Revenue Service; Mr. Russell Martin, Assistant Inspector
General, Returns Processing and Account Services, Treasury
Inspector General for Tax Administration; Ms. Jessica Lucas-
Judy, Acting Director, Strategic Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House
Rule XI.
March 28, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``Reviewing Challenges in Federal IT
Acquisition.'' This hearing examined why the federal IT
acquisition system fails to perform and options to fix the IT
acquisition system. Witnesses: Mr. David A. Powner, Director,
IT Management Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office;
Mr. Richard A. Spires, Chief Executive Officer and Director,
Learning Tree International, Inc.; Mr. Venkatapathi ``PV''
Puvvada, President, Unisys Federal Systems; Mr. A.R. ``Trey''
Hodgkins III, Senior Vice President, Information Technology
Alliance for Public Sector, Information Technology Industry
Council; Ms. Deidre ``Dee'' Lee, Director, IT Management
Issues, Chair, Section 809 Panel.
May 4, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled, ``Examining a
Church's Right to Free Speech.'' The hearing examined the
Johnson Amendment's effect on a religious institution's right
to free speech. Witnesses: Ms. Mandi Ancalle, Counsel for
Government Affairs, Family Research Council; Ms. Catherine
Engelbrecht, Citizen, Cat Spring, Texas; Ms. Christiana
Holcomb, Legal Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom; Rabbi David
Saperstein, Former Director and Counsel, Religious Action
Center.
May 24, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Interior, Energy, and Environment and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Examining `Sue and Settle'
Agreements: Part I.'' The hearing reviewed how federal agencies
and environmental interest groups make policy through court-
ordered agreements. Witnesses: Mr. William Kovacs, Senior Vice
President, Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs, U.S.
Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Darcy Helmick, Simplot Livestock Co.,
Grand View, Idaho; Mr. Kent Holsinger, Holsinger Law, LLC,
Denver, Colorado; Mr. Justin Pidot, Environmental and Natural
Resources Law, Denver, Colorado.
May 25, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Improper Payments in the
Federal Government: Student Aid.'' The hearing examined the
Department of Education's federal student aid programs, and the
rate of improper payments associated with them. Specifically,
the hearing focused on the Department's improper payment
estimates, the most recent audit of improper payment compliance
conducted by the Office of Inspector General, and the Agency's
plan to reduce the level of improper payments within its
programs. Witnesses: The Honorable Kathleen S. Tighe, Inspector
General, U.S. Department of Education; Mr. Justin Draeger,
President, National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators (NASFAA); Jay Hurt, Chief Financial Officer,
Office of Federal Student Aid. Held pursuant to clause 2(o) of
House Rule XI.
June 13, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``The Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) 4.0.'' This hearing was part of
a continuing oversight effort on federal information technology
(IT). This effort began with a June 10, 2015, hearing on the
U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO) 2015 designation
of IT acquisition as ``High Risk'' area, and plans for FITARA
implementation. The Committee continued this effort with the
first FITARA Scorecard hearing on November 4, 2015, the FITARA
Scorecard 2.0 hearing on May 18, 2016, and the FITARA Scorecard
3.0 hearing on December 6, 2016. The subcommittees heard
details on agencies' progress in FITARA implementation
(including data center consolidation, incremental development,
and portfolio review efforts) and implications for IT
acquisition reform and security. Witnesses: Mr. David A.
Powner, Director, IT Management Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Ms. Beth Killoran, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for IT, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Ms. Sheila Conley, Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Acting Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; Dr. Rick Holgate, Research Director,
Gartner, Inc.
July 12, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``General Services Administration--
Acquisition Oversight and Reform.'' This hearing was a part of
a continuing oversight effort on federal acquisition oversight
and reform. This effort began with a March 28, 2017, hearing
titled, ``Reviewing Challenges for Federal Information
Technology Acquisition.'' The subcommittees heard details on
the role of the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) in federal
acquisition and the recent FAS reorganization. Witnesses: Mr.
Alan Thomas, Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service, General
Services Administration; Mr. Rob Cook, Deputy Commissioner of
Technology Transformation Service, General Services
Administration.
July 25, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Interior, Energy, and Environment and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Examining `Sue and Settle'
Agreements: Part II.'' The hearing reviewed how advocacy groups
and federal agencies implement policy across state and local
governments through court-ordered agreements. Witnesses: The
Honorable John Engler, Former Governor, State of Michigan; Mr.
Carl E. Geffken, City Administrator, Fort Smith, Arkansas;
David Sanders, Ph.D., Executive Vice-President of Systems
Improvement, Casey Family Programs; Mr. Robert Weissman,
President, Public Citizen.
July 27, 2017, 9:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative
Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Challenges to
Freedom of Speech on College Campuses.'' The hearing examined
the culture and policies related to free speech on college
campuses. Witnesses: Ms. Nadine Strossen, John Marshal Harlan
II Professor of Law, New York Law School; Mr. Ben Shapiro,
Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Wire; Mr. Adam Carolla, Comedian and
Filmmaker, No Safe Spaces Documentary; Dr. Michael Zimmerman,
Former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, The
Evergreen State College; Mr. Frederick Lawrence, Secretary and
CEO, The Phi Beta Kappa Society, Anti-Defamation League.
October 24, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled,
``Regulatory Reform Task Forces Check-In.'' The hearing focused
on agency implementation of the President's Executive Order
13771 ``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,''
and Executive Order 13777 ``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform
Agenda.'' The hearing evaluated the Department's efforts to
implement these policies and establish a Regulatory Reform Task
Force to reduce unnecessary, costly, duplicative, and
burdensome regulations. Witnesses: Panel I: Ms. Joo Y. Chung,
Director of Oversight and Compliance, Office of the Deputy
Chief Management Officer Department of Defense; Mr. Giancarlo
Brizzi, Principal Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of
Government-wide Policy, General Services Administration; Dr.
James C. Owens, Acting General Counsel, Department of
Transportation. Panel II: Mr. Jitinder Kohli, Managing
Director, Deloitte Consulting; Ms. Diane Katz, Senior Research
Fellow for Regulatory Policy, The Heritage Foundation; Mr.
James Goodwin, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Progressive
Reform; Mr. Clyde Wayne Crews, Vice President for Policy,
Competitive Enterprise Institute.
October 25, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled,
``Ongoing Management Challenges at IRS.'' The hearing examined
specific issues at IRS identified by the Treasury Inspector
General for Tax Administration and other oversight bodies.
These issues included rehiring employees who were previously
fired from IRS or separated while under investigation for
conduct or performance issues. Witnesses: Mr. Jeffrey Tribiano,
Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support, Internal Revenue
Service; Ms. Gina Garza, Chief Information Officer, Internal
Revenue Service; The Honorable J. Russell George, Treasury
Inspector General for Tax Administration; Mr. Greg Kutz,
Assistant Inspector General for Audit, Treasury Inspector
General for Tax Administration. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of
House Rule XI.
November 14, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled,
``Regulatory Reform Task Forces Check-In: Part II.'' The
hearing focused on agency implementation of the President's
Executive Order 13771 ``Reducing Regulation and Controlling
Regulatory Costs,'' and Executive Order 13777 ``Enforcing the
Regulatory Reform Agenda.'' The hearing evaluated the
Department's efforts to implement these policies and establish
a Regulatory Reform Task Force to reduce unnecessary, costly,
duplicative, and burdensome regulations. Witnesses: Mr. Robert
Eitel, Senior Counselor to the Secretary, Department of
Education; Ms. Rebeckah Adcock, Senior Advisor to the
Secretary, Department of Agriculture; Mr. Charles Keckler,
Associate Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human
Services.
November 15, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Information Technology titled, ``The Federal Information
Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) Scorecard 5.0.''
This hearing was part of a continuing oversight effort on
federal information technology (IT). This effort began with a
June 10, 2015, hearing on the U.S. Government Accountability
Office's (GAO) 2015 designation of IT acquisition as ``High
Risk'' area, and plans for FITARA implementation. Witnesses:
Panel I: Mr. Dave Powner, Director of IT Management Issues,
Government Accountability Office; Mr. Max Everett, Chief
Information Officer, Department of Energy; Ms. Alison Doone,
Acting Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy; Mr. John
Bashista, Director of Acquisition Management, Department of
Energy; Ms. Barbara Helland, Associate Director of Advanced
Scientific Computing Research, Department of Energy. Panel II:
Mr. Dave Powner, Director of IT Management Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Jay Mahanand, Chief Information
Officer, U.S. Agency for International Development; Mr.
Reginald Mitchell, Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Agency for
International Development; Mr. Wade Warren, Acting Deputy
Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development. Panel
III: Mr. Dave Powner, Director of IT Management Issues,
Government Accountability Office; Ms. Maria Roat, Chief
Information Officer, Small Business Administration; Mr. Tim
Gribben, Chief Financial Officer, Small Business
Administration; Ms. Althea Coetzee Leslie, Deputy
Administrator, Small Business Administration.
November 29, 2017, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Interior, Energy, and Environment
and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Regulatory Reform Task
Force Check-In Part III.'' The hearing focused on agency
implementation of the President's Executive Order 13771
``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,'' and
Executive Order 13777 ``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform
Agenda.'' The hearing evaluated the Agency's efforts to
implement these policies and establish a Regulatory Reform Task
Force to reduce unnecessary, costly, duplicative, and
burdensome regulations. Witnesses: The Honorable David
Bernhardt, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior; Ms.
Brittany Bolen, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of
Policy Environmental Protection Agency; Mr. Daniel Simmons,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. November
29, 2017, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before the
Subcommittees on Intergovernmental Affairs and Information
Technology titled, ``Cybersecurity of Voting Machines.'' This
hearing discussed recent actions taken by state election
officials, the federal government, and security researchers to
mitigate known cybersecurity risks to voting machines. The
hearing focused on identifying steps that the states, the
federal government, and Congress can take to ensure the
machines are secure. Witnesses: The Honorable Christopher C.
Krebs, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under
Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S.
Department of Homeland Security; The Honorable Tom Schedler,
Secretary of State of Louisiana; The Honorable Edgardo Cortes,
Commissioner, Virginia Department of Elections; Matthew Blaze,
Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science,
University of Pennsylvania; Ms. Susan Klein Hennessey, Fellow
in National Security, Governance Studies, Brookings
Institution.
March 14, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``State of Play: Federal IT in 2018.'' The
hearing provided an opportunity to discuss the state of federal
information technology with key federal IT leaders. The hearing
examined government-wide plans for IT modernization and
cybersecurity, including implementation of the Administration's
December 2017 IT Modernization Report and the creation of
working capital funds authorized by the Modernizing Government
Technology Act. Witnesses: Mr. David Powner, Director of IT
Management Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; The
Honorable Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director for Management,
Office of Management and Budget; Mr. Bill Zielinski, Deputy
Assistant, Commissioner of the IT Category, U.S. General
Services Administration; The Honorable Jeanette Manfra,
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and
Communications, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
April 12, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Improper Payments in State-
Administered Programs: Medicaid.'' The hearing focused on
federal and state efforts to identify, prevent, and recover
improper payments made through state Medicaid programs. The
hearing also examined the federal-state relationship in
Medicaid data-sharing quality and identifying and preventing
fraud in the Medicaid program. Witnesses: Mr. Tim Hill, Deputy
Director, Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services; Ms. Megan Tinker,
Senior Advisor for Legal Review, Office of Counsel, Office of
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; Ms. Carolyn Yocom, Director of Health Care, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; The Honorable Daryl Purpera,
CPA, CFE, Legislative, Auditor, Louisiana Legislative Auditor;
Mr. Andy Schneider, JD, Research Professor of the Practice,
Center for Children and Families; Georgetown University. Held
pursuant to clause 2(o) of House Rule XI.
April 17, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled,
``Continued Oversight Over the Internal Revenue Service.'' The
hearing provided an opportunity for continuing IRS oversight by
this Committee during Tax week. The subcommittees examined
oversight issues at IRS identified in several recent Committee
oversight letters and in reports by the Treasury Inspector
General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Witnesses: The
Honorable David Kautter, Acting Commissioner, Internal Revenue
Service; The Honorable J. Russell George, Inspector General,
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Ms. Nina
Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, Internal Revenue Service.
Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
May 9, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative
Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Program Integrity
for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.'' This
hearing explored opportunities for reform in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The hearing also examined
fraud, waste, and abuse in SNAP and discussed recommendations
on strengthening the program's integrity. Witnesses: Mr.
Brandon Lipps, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer
Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Ms. Kathy Larin,
Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Mr. Sam Adolphsen, Senior
Fellow, The Foundation for Government Accountability; Ms. Stacy
Dean, Vice President for Food Assistance Policy, The Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of
House Rule XI.
May 22, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Ten Years of TARP:
Examining the Hardest Hit Fund.'' This hearing examined
implementation and oversight of the Hardest Hit Fund. The
hearing provided Members an opportunity to review recent
findings and recommendations from the Special Inspector General
for Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) aimed at increasing
the effectiveness of the Hardest Hit Fund. This hearing also
focused on identifying steps that the states, the federal
government, and Congress can take to prevent misuse of program
funds. Witnesses: Mr. Kipp Kranbuhl, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Small Business, Community Development, and Affordable
Housing Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial
Institutions, U.S. Department of the Treasury; The Honorable
Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the
Troubled Asset Relief Program, U.S. Department of Treasury; Ms.
Verise Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Nevada Affordable
Housing Assistance Corporation; Ms. Cathy James, Business
Development Manager, Alabama Housing Finance Authority; Mr.
Scott Farmer, Executive Director, North Carolina Housing
Finance Agency. Held pursuant to clause 2(n) of House Rule XI.
May 22, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative
Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Challenges to the
Freedom of Speech on College Campuses: Part II.'' The joint
hearing examined firsthand accounts from faculty and students
at the center of the debate over free speech on college
campuses. Witnesses: Mr. Tyson Langhofer, Senior Counsel and
Director Center for Academic Freedom, Alliance Defending
Freedom; Dr. Bret Weinstein, Professor In-Exile, Evergreen
State College, Washington; Dr. Allison Stanger, Russell J. Leng
'60 Professor of International Politics and Economics,
Middlebury College, Vermont; Dr. Shaun Harper, Provost
Professor of Education and Business, Allen Chair in Urban
Leadership, University of Southern California; Dr. Robert P.
George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of
the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions,
Princeton University, New Jersey.
May 23, 2018, 10:30 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``The Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) Scorecard 6.0.'' The hearing
continued the Committee's oversight of information technology
management and acquisition issues across the federal government
by examining multiple agencies implementation of relevant IT
laws, including FITARA and the Modernizing Government
Technology Act. Witnesses: Panel I: Mr. David A. Powner,
Director of IT Management Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Gary Washington, Chief Information
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Ms. Lynn Moaney,
Acting Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture;
Mr. Donald Bice, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration,
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Panel II: Mr. David A. Powner,
Director of IT Management Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Mr. Dana Deasy, Chief Information
Officer, U.S. Department of Defense; Mr. Mark Easton, Deputy
Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Defense; The
Honorable Kevin Fahey, Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, U.S. Department of Defense.
July 24, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative
Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Shielding
Sources: Safeguarding the Public's Right to Know.'' The hearing
provided an opportunity for Members to discuss laws and
practices that shield reporters from the government compelling
disclosure of confidential sources. Members were also able to
explore the case for a formal federal reporter's privilege, in
addition to the merits of the Free Flow of Information Act.
Witnesses: Mr. Lee Levine, Senior Counsel, Ballad Spahr, LLP;
Ms. Sharyl Attkisson, Investigative Correspondent, Full
Measure; Mr. Rick Blum, Policy Director, Reporters' Committee
for Freedom of the Press.
July 25, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information
Technology titled, ``GAO High Risk Focus: Cybersecurity.'' The
hearing reviewed the findings of a special mid-cycle GAO High
Risk report on government-wide cybersecurity, which was
scheduled for release in July 2018. This hearing also provided
the opportunity to discuss how the federal government plans to
address the problems identified by the report. Witnesses: The
Honorable Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United
States, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Ms. Suzette
Kent, Federal Chief Information Officer, U.S. Office of
Management and Budget. Held pursuant to clause 2(p) of House
Rule XI.
July 26, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing before
the Subcommittees on Government Operations and National
Security titled, ``The Federal Trade Commission's Enforcement
of Operation Chokepoint-Related Businesses.'' This hearing
examined the Federal Trade Commission's enforcement measures
since the Department of Justice formally ended Operation
Chokepoint, an initiative targeting the payment processing
industry when associated with the illegal activity of
merchants. Members learned the Federal Trade Commission's
procedures for collecting complaints, conducting
investigations, and suing payment processing companies.
Witnesses: Mr. Andrew Smith, Director of the Bureau of Consumer
Protection, U.S. Federal Trade Commission; Mr. Jason Oxman,
Chief Executive Officer, Electronic Transactions Association;
Ms. Lauren Saunders, Associate Director, National Consumer Law
Center.
September 6, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Interior, Energy, and Environment
and Intergovernmental Affairs titled, ``Permitting: Finding a
Path Forward.'' The hearing explored the economic costs imposed
by the existing federal permitting system and also served as a
forum for evaluating current proposals to streamline and
improve permitting processes. Witnesses: Mr. Daren Bakst,
Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Philip K.
Howard, Founder and Chair, Common Good; Mr. Frank Rusco,
Director, Natural Resources and Environment Issues, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Ms. Christy Goldfuss, Senior
Vice President, Energy and Environment Policy, Center for
American Progress.
September 26, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled,
``Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fraud.'' This
hearing discussed how to combat Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud from both a federal and state
perspective. The hearing also explored how Food and Nutrition
Services (FNS) can more effectively assist states in the
program's administration. Witnesses: Ann Coffey, Assistant
Inspector General for Investigations, USDA Inspector General;
Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO, The Foundation for
Government Accountability; Thomas Roth, Director, Fraud
Investigations Unit, Maine Department of Health and Human
Services; Dr. Craig Gundersen, Soybean Industry Endowed
Professor in Agricultural Strategy, University of Illinois.
September 27, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Healthcare, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules and Intergovernmental Affairs titled,
``The Benefits of a Deregulatory Agenda: Examples from
Pioneering Governments.'' The hearing examined experiences of
state and international governments engaged in regulatory
reform and discussed best practices that may be beneficial if
implemented in the U.S. Witnesses: Mr. Scott Brinkman,
Secretary of the Executive Cabinet, Commonwealth of Kentucky;
Ms. Laura Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic
Officer, Canadian Federation of Independent Business; Mr. Matt
Vickers, Product Sales Engineer, New Markets, Xero; Mr. Amit
Narang, Regulatory Policy Advocate, Public Citizen.
December 12, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Information Technology titled, ``Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) Scorecard 7.0.'' The hearing
continued oversight of the federal agencies' implementation of
the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act
(FITARA). Witnesses: Ms. Carol C. Harris, Director of IT
Management Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr.
Ed Simcox, Chief Technology Officer and Acting Chief
Information Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; Ms. Sheila Conley, Deputy Chief Financial Officer,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
December 13, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Joint Subcommittee hearing
before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules titled,
``Exploring Alternatives to Fetal Tissue Research.'' The
hearing evaluated the ethical considerations of fetal tissue
research and explored alternative research methods. The hearing
also discussed recent steps taken by the Administration to
expand efforts in developing and implementing the use of
alternatives. Witnesses: Dr. Tara Sander Lee, Associate
Scholar, Charlotte Lozier Institute; Dr. David Prentice,
Advisory Board Member, Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center; Dr.
Sally Temple, Board Member and Former President, International
Society for Stem Cell Research.
III. Oversight Activities & Recommendations
Pursuant to House Rule XI, cl. 1(d)(B)-(D), this section
summarizes the Committee's authorization and oversight plan for
the 115th Congress, summarizes actions taken and
recommendations made by the Committee in the 115th Congress
with respect to the authorization and oversight plan, and
summarizes additional oversight activities taken and
recommendations made during the 115th Congress.
SUMMARY OF AUTHORIZATION & OVERSIGHT PLAN
The Committee's authorization and oversight plan for the
115th Congress reflected an intent to enact legislation to
reauthorized lapsed authorizations and conduct oversight of
programs under the Committee's legislative and its much broader
oversight jurisdiction. Planned authorizations included the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; the Office of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP); the Opportunity Scholarship Program and
DC Tuition Assistance Grant program; the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission; the Paperwork Reduction
Act; the Merit Systems Protection Board; the E-Government Act;
the Office of Government Ethics; and the Office of Special
Counsel.
Planned oversight covered such broad, government-wide
topics as examining instances of waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement generally; issues relating to open government,
government records, classification policy, and transparency;
whistleblower protection; the federal workforce; federal
regulation and the regulatory process; the Government
Accountability Office and inspectors general; contracting and
acquisition; government reorganizations; and grant reform. In
addition, the Committee's oversight plan discussed the intent
to conduct oversight over a number of discrete topics:
cybersecurity; security clearances; information technology
management and acquisition; privacy; emerging technology;
implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act; drug policy and safety issues; the financial sector and
implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act; the District of Columbia
and Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority; the 2020
Decennial Census; the U.S. Postal Service; issues within the
purview of the Department of Homeland Security such as the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and Transportation Security
Administration; national security issues such as armed
conflicts abroad, embassy protection, the relationship between
U.S. and international organizations; the Department of
Veterans Affairs; energy, environmental, and transportation
issues; issues related to the interior and federal property;
and criminal justice reform.
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Lapsed Authorizations
In the 115th Congress, the Committee led enactment of
legislation to address lapsed authorizations for the Office of
National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the Office of Special
Counsel (OSC) and Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act
(SOAR) for school scholarships in the District of Columbia. In
addition, the Committee reported a reauthorization bill for the
Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and a bill to reform
portions of the E-Government Act of 2002.
Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization
Given the lapsed authorization and the unrelenting opioid
crisis devastating the nation, reauthorizing and strengthening
the ONDCP to lead the federal effort to stem the epidemic was a
priority for the Committee. ONDCP had not been reauthorized
since 2006, and the most recent reauthorization expired in
2010. On October 24, 2018, the Support for Patients and
Communities Act (H.R. 6, Pub. L. 115-271) was signed into law.
Subtitle M of title VIII of the bill includes reauthorization
of the ONDCP, including the Drug-Free Communities Program and
the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA).
The Committee conducted extensive oversight of ONDCP
throughout the 115th Congress leading up to the
reauthorization, working on a bipartisan, bicameral basis.
These efforts led to significant reforms to ONDCP, including a
reorganization of the Office with a focus on emerging drug
threats, increased transparency of the federal drug control
budget, revamped requirements for a National Drug Control
Strategy, and establishment of a grant tracking system and
public data dashboard.
The House bill to reauthorize ONDCP, H.R. 5925 was the
product of thorough oversight by the Committee during the 115th
Congress. The Committee and its Subcommittees held a series of
hearings to examine reauthorizing the Office and to explore
options for more effectively combatting the opioid epidemic.
On July 26, 2017, the Committee held a hearing entitled,
``Office of National Drug Control Policy: Reauthorization in
the 115th Congress.'' This hearing examined ONDCP's
effectiveness in coordinating the government-wide effort to
reduce illicit drug use and its consequences. The witnesses
included Richard Baum, Acting Director, Office of National Drug
Control Policy; Diana Maurer, Director of Justice and Law
Enforcement Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; and
Dr. Keith Humphreys Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Stanford University.
On November 28, 2017, at Johns Hopkins Hospital's Chevy
Chase Auditorium in Baltimore, Maryland, the Committee held a
field hearing entitled, ``Combating the Opioid Crisis,'' to
provide Members the opportunity to evaluate recommendations
finalized by the President's Commission on Combating Drug
Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and also discuss Baltimore's
efforts to address the opioid epidemic in their community to
better guide federal determinations. Governor Christie, of New
Jersey testified on the findings and recommendations from the
President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the
Opioid Crisis. Other witnesses included: Richard Baum, Acting
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy; Dr. Leana
Wen, Health Commissioner, Baltimore City Health Department; and
Dr. Caleb Alexander, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness.
On May 9, 2018, Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC), Ranking member
Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and other members of the Committee held
a Roundtable discussion with key leaders of ONDCP on
reauthorization of the Office and challenges in addressing the
opioid epidemic and reauthorization. The discussion included
topics such as development of alternatives to addictive
medications for pain, treatment options for those with
substance use disorders, and the role of local law enforcement
through the HIDTA Program. Participants included Kemp Chester,
Acting Director, National Heroin Coordination Group; Terry
Zobeck, Associate Director, Policy, Research, and Budget
Office; Jim Olson, Deputy Director, U.S. Interdiction
Coordinator; and Michael Gottlieb, Director, National HIDTA
Association.
On May 17, 2018, the Committee held a hearing entitled, ``A
Sustainable Solution to the Evolving Opioid Crisis:
Revitalizing the Office of National Drug Control Policy.'' The
hearing provided Members with the opportunity to discuss how
the draft reauthorization bill would strengthen ONDCP's role in
leading the federal response to drug control and how evidence-
based policymaking and information sharing could be used to
combat the current opioid crisis and prevent future crises. The
witnesses included: Dr. Anand Parekh, Chief Medical Advisor,
Bipartisan Policy Center; Dr. Rahul Gupta, Commissioner and
State Health Officer, Department of Health and Human Resources'
Bureau for Public Health, State of West Virginia; Thomas Carr,
Executive Director, Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Areas Program; and Gretta Goodwin, Director,
Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. Government Accountability
Office.
Committee field work also informed ONDCP reauthorization
legislation. In March 2018, Committee staff traveled to China
to investigate the trafficking of illicit fentanyl through the
U.S. Postal Service. Staff reviewed the roles of the Department
of Homeland Security, the intelligence community, and the U.S.
Postal Service to identify opportunities for better
coordination and information sharing. On March 23, 2018,
Committee staff conducted a site visit to a newly designated
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas initiative in Greenville,
South Carolina within the Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA region and
held a roundtable discussion. Staff met with federal and state
law enforcement officials who highlighted the collaborative
nature of the HIDTA program and discussed recent
accomplishments in disrupting local drug trafficking
organizations.
On May 23, 2018, Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) introduced H.R.
5925, the Coordinated Response through Interagency Strategy and
Information Sharing (CRISIS) Act, with Ranking Member Elijah
Cummings (D-MD), Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman
Mark Meadows (R-NC), and Subcommittee on Government Operations
Ranking Member Gerald Connolly (D-VA). H.R. 5925 was referred
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, with
additional referrals to the Committees on Energy and Commerce,
Foreign Affairs, the Judiciary, Intelligence (Permanent
Select), and Appropriations. The Committee ordered the bill
favorably reported on May 23, 2018. The bill passed the House
under suspension of the rules on June 20, 2018. H.R. 5925 was
ultimately included, in part, in the Support for Patients and
Communities Act (H.R.6, Pub. L. 115-271).
U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) Reauthorization
The mission of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel is to
protect federal employees from prohibited personnel practices,
including reprisal from whistleblowing. OSC provides employees
a mechanism to disclose wrongdoing in the federal government.
The Committee conducts ongoing oversight of OSC, and interacts
with the agency frequently regarding the protection of
whistleblowers. OSC's 2002 reauthorization expired at the end
of fiscal year 2007. On January 3, 2017, Rep. Rod Blum
reintroduced the Thoroughly Investigating Retaliation Against
Whistleblowers Act as H.R. 69, which the House voted to approve
on January 4, 2017. H.R. 69 would have reauthorized OSC through
fiscal year 2021.
H.R. 69 was included, in part, in Section 1097 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R.
2810), which was signed into law on December 12, 2017 (Pub. L.
115-91). Section 1097 reauthorizes OSC through 2023. The
Section 1097 language also clarifies federal agencies may not
assert common law privileges to withhold information and
documents from OSC when OSC requests information from the
agency.
SOAR Reauthorization
The Committee also reauthorized the Scholarships for
Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act. The SOAR Act provides
funding to (1) the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), which
provides grants to low-income students to attend private
schools; (2) improve D.C. public schools; and (3) D.C. public
charter schools. This three-part funding scheme was originally
authorized in 2011. The authorization expired in 2016. On March
7, 2017, then-Chairman Jason Chaffetz introduced H.R. 1387, the
SOAR Reauthorization Act. The bill would have reauthorized the
SOAR Act through fiscal year 2022. The bill was favorably
reported by the Committee on March 27, 2017 by voice vote. The
SOAR Act reauthorization was included as part of the Financial
Services and General Government appropriations bill and enacted
through a Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 244, which
became Public Law Number 115-31 on May 5, 2017. This SOAR
authorization expires at the end of fiscal year 2019.
Merit Systems Protection Board
The Committee continued its efforts to reauthorize the
Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which lapsed in 2007.
After gathering information, including multiple hearings
regarding performance of some government employees and a
December 16, 2015, reauthorization hearing in the 114th
Congress, MSPB reauthorization language was introduced in the
115th Congress. On July 16, 2018, Rep. Jody Hice, Vice Chair of
the Government Operations Subcommittee introduced, H.R. 6391,
the Merit Systems Protection Board Reauthorization Act of 2018.
This bill would have reauthorized the MSPB for five years
(2019-2023) at its current appropriations level and institute
several reforms. For example, the bill would have authorized a
filing fee, authorized summary judgment authority for the
Board, authorized reappointment of Board members, and reduced
the evidentiary burden agencies must meet to defend actions
before the Board. On July 17, 2018, the Committee ordered the
bill favorably reported.
E-Government Act
The Committee worked to reauthorize the E-Government Act of
2002. During the 115th Congress, the Committee met with the
General Services Administration and other stakeholders to
discuss E-Government reauthorization. On September 26, 2018,
Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) introduced H.R. 6901, the Federal CIO
Authorization Act of 2018 with Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL). The
bill would have updated parts of the 2002 E-Government Act by
reauthorizing and renaming the Office of Electronic Government
as the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer,
codified the positions of the Chief Information Officer and the
Federal Chief Information Security Officer as presidential
appointees, and elevated the Federal CIO within the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to report directly to the OMB
Director. The bill also requires the OMB Director to create a
technology investment planning and oversight process to more
effectively manage Federal IT investments. On September 27,
2018, the Committee reported the Federal CIO Authorization Act,
taking a step toward E-Government Act reauthorization and
reform. On November 30, 2018, the bill passed the House under
suspension with a recorded vote of 391-1.
Open Government and Transparency
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
In the 115th Congress, the Committee worked to enhance
government transparency. The Committee advocated for
technological solutions to increase transparency throughout the
government. On February 6, 2018, the Committee reported H.R.
4631, the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act. This
bill requires the Government Publishing Office to compile
congressionally mandated reports and make them available to the
public in a single, accessible website. As there is currently
no single repository where the public can go to see the
reports, this bill increases transparency by giving citizens
convenient access to all executive agency reports submitted to
Congress.
The Committee sought to increase government transparency by
ensuring citizens had access to records from entities not
already subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). On
March 23, 2017, the Committee held a hearing, ``Legislative
Proposals for Fostering Transparency,'' which examined
transparency related to government data, audits, and FOIA.
Specifically, the hearing discussed legislative proposals to
hold governmental entities more accountable to taxpayers. As a
result, former Chairman Jason Chaffetz introduced H.R. 1694 the
Fannie and Freddie Open Records Act of 2017. This bill makes
the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) subject to
FOIA while under government conservatorship, allowing citizens
to request access to documents from these entities through
FOIA. H.R. 1694 was favorably reported from the Committee by
voice vote on March 28, 2017.
The Committee's activities also focused on addressing
challenges to accessing government records. For example, the
Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) requested a
legislative change to allow OGIS to perform its statutory duty
to review agency compliance with FOIA. In order to perform
these reviews, OGIS must review agency FOIA records. However,
many agencies have not provided access to the records OGIS
needs to complete its statutory duties due to a minor
administrative requirement under the Privacy Act. On March 13,
2018, Committee Member Blake Farenthold introduced H.R. 5253,
the Office of Government Information Services Empowerment Act
of 2018. This bill amends FOIA to allow OGIS to access agency
records as necessary for OGIS to conduct its statutorily
required agency FOIA compliance reviews. On March 15, 2018, the
Committee ordered H.R. 5253 favorably reported.
In addition, the Committee addressed challenges related to
accessing civil rights cold case records. On September 27,
2018, the Committee ordered H.R. 1272, the Cold Case Records
Collection Act of 2017, favorably reported by unanimous
consent. Many civil rights cold case records are not currently
eligible for public disclosure. H.R. 1272 addresses this
problem by creating an enforceable, independent, and
accountable process for timely public disclosure of these
records. The bill directs the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) to establish a Civil Rights Cold Case
Collection and Review Board to ensure the timely disclosure of
records. The Senate companion to H.R. 1272 was signed into law
in December, 2018.
During the 115th Congress, the Committee worked to oversee
the implementation of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, Public
Law Number 114-185. On April 28, 2016, the Committee requested
the Government Accountability Office (GAO) complete a
comprehensive review of the federal government's compliance
with FOIA, including the amendments to FOIA under the FOIA
Improvement Act of 2016. In March 2018, GAO released the
report.
The 2016 FOIA amendments also required the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ)
to build an online FOIA request portal. To oversee the
implementation of this section of the Act, the Committee held
several meetings with OMB and DOJ where updates on the portal
were provided. The portal went live in July 2018.
Federal Financial Management & Improper Payments
The Committee has responsibility for overseeing agency
compliance with federal improper payment laws. In the 115th
Congress, the Committee held agencies accountable through
rigorous oversight, including briefings and hearings. On May
25, 2017, the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the
Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a joint hearing
to discuss improper payments at entitled ``Improper Payments in
the Federal Government: Student Aid.'' The Subcommittees heard
testimony about the state of improper payments at the
Department of Education, the Department of Education Inspector
General, and the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administration. The hearing examined the Department of
Education's progress towards accurately and completely
estimating improper payments in its programs, and how the
Department recovers overpayments and it plans to prevent future
improper payments. The hearing allowed members the opportunity
to hear from the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators on how best to ensure program integrity without
deterring student access to postsecondary education.
The Committee continued its oversight of programs with high
improper payment rates by holding another joint hearing of the
Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs on April 12, 2018. The hearing was
titled, ``Improper Payments in State-Administered Programs:
Medicaid,'' and discussed Medicaid program challenges and
program integrity efforts, examined Medicaid improper payments,
and reviewed federal and state data coordination efforts aimed
at reducing Medicaid improper payments and fraud.
Government Management and Federal Civilian Workforce
In the 115th Congress, the Committee continued its efforts
to improve the efficiency of the civil service. The Committee
held five hearings focused on the Federal civilian workforce:
On February 16, 2017, the Subcommittee on Government
Operations and the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a joint hearing entitled,
``The Use of Official Time for Union Activities at the
Department of Veterans Affairs.'' The hearing allowed Members
to examine findings from the Government Accountability Office
related to the use of taxpayer-funded union official time at
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also highlighted
the disparity between VA's inability to meet veterans' needs
with the rising number of employees engaged in union activities
on official time.
On April 6, 2017, the Subcommittee on Government Operations
held a hearing entitled, ``The Best and Worst Places to Work in
the Federal Government.'' The hearing focused on the 2016
results of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), an
annual survey designed to gauge how Federal workers feel about
engagement, motivation, job satisfaction, agency leadership,
and other employment-related topics. Members questioned
representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Homeland
Security, and the Surface Transportation Board on their
respective finishes in the Best Places to Work agency rankings,
as well as ways to increase employee morale and corresponding
government efficiency. Members also heard from Max Stier,
President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, on
agency results and from Veronica Villalobos, Principal Deputy
Associate Director for Employee Services at the Office of
Personnel Management (OPM), on changes made to the FEVS.
On May 18, 2017, the full Committee held a hearing
entitled, ``Federal Employee Compensation: An Update.'' The
hearing gave Members the opportunity to hear about a
Congressional Budget Office study which found Federal employees
have total compensation rates higher than other American
workers. It also gave Members the opportunity to examine the
implications of an outdated, inflexible compensation system and
explore opportunities for reform.
On May 16, 2018, the full Committee held a hearing
entitled, ``Workforce for the 21st Century: Analyzing the
President's Management Agenda.'' The hearing gave Members the
opportunity to discuss with two top Administration officials,
Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director for Management
Margaret Weichert and OPM Director Jeff Pon, the President's
Management Agenda, which highlighted the need for a 21st
century workforce. The hearing gave Members the opportunity to
discuss the Administration's legislative proposals for changes
to civil service laws and recap the Committee's previous
efforts on legislative reform. A second panel allowed Members
to hear the viewpoints of non-government groups.
On May 24, 2018, the Subcommittee on Government Operations
held a hearing entitled, ``Union Time on the People's Dime: A
Closer Look at Official Time.'' The hearing gave Members the
opportunity to highlight findings from a Committee Republican
staff memorandum on government-wide use of taxpayer-funded
union official time. Members reviewed problems with official
time data reporting, explored how and why the use of official
time expanded, and discussed possible official time reforms.
On October 19, 2017, Committee Republican staff released a
report detailing uneven use of tables of penalties for sexual
misconduct across the Federal government. The report found some
agencies did not even have a table of penalties, making it
challenging for managers in addressing employee discipline
issues. The report listed eight recommendations for improved
handling of sexual misconduct in Federal agencies.
Throughout the 115th Congress, the Committee investigated
premium pay cap violations at the Department of Homeland
Security, payments from the Judgement Fund at the Department of
the Treasury for federal employee sexual misconduct, agency
leave without pay policies for union members, and salary
redactions required under OPM's data release policy. The
Committee also worked with the U.S. Secret Service to evaluate
strategies for reducing overtime pay burdens at the agency.
The Committee worked on several important pieces of civil
service legislation, including: H.R. 4182, the EQUALS Act of
2017, sponsored by Rep. James Comer (R-KY); H.R. 6391, the
Merit Systems Protection Board Reauthorization Act of 2018,
sponsored by Government Operations Subcommittee Vice Chairman
Jody Hice (R-GA); and H.R. 559, the MERIT Act of 2017,
sponsored by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA). All three bills
would facilitate management of poor performing employees or
those who engage in misconduct. H.R. 4182 was passed by the
House on November 30, 2017, while H.R. 6391 and H.R. 559 were
both ordered favorably reported by the Committee on July 17,
2018. The Committee also continued coordination with the House
Armed Services Committee on civil service reform initiatives in
the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). For
example, the Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA (Pub. L. 115-232) included a
provision to expand direct hiring for students and recent
graduates (Sec. 1108), extend authority to conduct telework
travel expenses test programs (Sec. 1105), and expanded
flexibility in selecting candidates from referral lists (Sec.
1107).
National Archives and Federal Records (NARA)
The Committee continued its oversight of the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the 115th
Congress. On March 8, 2017, the Committee sent a letter to 55
agencies regarding compliance with federal record keeping laws,
the use of personal email for official business, and the use of
new forms of electronic communication, including encrypted
messaging applications that could limit or prevent the
preservation of federal records. A similar letter was sent to
the White House about compliance with the Presidential Records
Act, the use of personal email for official business, the use
of encrypted messaging applications, and the use of Twitter by
the President. On September 25, 2017, the Committee followed up
with 24 Chief Financial Officer Act Agencies and the White
House about the same issues, and any changes that may have
occurred to policies.
In the 115th Congress, the Committee considered two bills
related to federal records and NARA. H.R. 194, the Federal
Agency Mail Management Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Russell
(R-OK), made a technical correction to P.L. 113-187 to clarify
the General Services Administration is responsible for mail
management at federal agencies and not NARA. On February 2,
2017, the Committee ordered H.R. 194 favorably reported by
voice vote. H.R. 194 became Public Law 115-85 on November 21,
2017.
H.R. 1376, Electronic Message Preservation Act of 2017,
introduced by Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) would
have required the Archivist of the United States to issue
regulations requiring agencies to electronically capture,
preserve, and manage federal records that were created
electronically. The bill also requires the heads of each
federal agency to report to the Archivist on agency compliance
with the new regulations and make the report publicly available
on the agency's website. On March 15, 2018, the Committee
ordered H.R. 1376 favorably reported by voice vote.
Government Contracting Oversight and Reform
The Committee conducted federal government contract
oversight during the 115th Congress with the overall objectives
of reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as increasing
efficiency and reducing contract costs. The Committee also
focused on ensuring the federal government acquisition process
reflects commercial best practices, to the extent practicable,
with streamlined contract processes to reduce duplication and
inefficiency while limiting government-unique requirements.
The Committee continued efforts from the 114th Congress to
reduce the complexity of the federal acquisition process and
compliance burden on federal contractors. As reported in the
114th Congress, the Committee sent a letter to the Secretary of
Labor and the Administrator for the Office of Federal
Procurement on July 15, 2015, requesting withdrawal of a
proposed rule and guidance implementing Executive Order 13673.
The proposed rule was duplicative and imposed a complex new
labor compliance system on federal contractors. On August 25,
2016, this rule was finalized. Early in the 115th Congress, the
Congressional Review Act process was used to roll back this
rule. On January 30, 2017, Rep. Virginia Foxx, a member of this
Committee introduced H.J. Res. 37 to disapprove this
acquisition rule. H.J. Res. 37 was enacted on March 27, 2017,
revoking the rule.
As part of the process of reforming and simplifying the
federal government's acquisition process, the Committee
received numerous briefings during the 115th Congress from
members of the statutorily-created ``Section 809 Panel''
consisting of acquisition professionals and experts charged
with making recommendations to improve the Department of
Defense's (DOD) acquisition system. The Section 809 Panel was
created in the Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA (Pub. L. 114-92). Although
the panel is tasked with identifying reforms to DOD
acquisition, many of the recommendations and principles are
applicable to government-wide procurement. Several
recommendations from the Section 809 Panel were incorporated in
the Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA (Pub. L. 115-232). For example, the
Committee coordinated with the House Armed Services Committee
to include in the FY2019 NDAA changes to the definition of
``commercial item'' in title 41 to avoid confusion between
commercial items and commercial services.
IT Acquisition Oversight and Reform
During the 115th Congress, the Committee continued to focus
on Information Technology (IT) acquisition and specifically
implementation of the Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA).
The Government Operations and Information Technology
Subcommittees held a number of joint hearings focusing on the
federal acquisition of IT. On March 28, 2017, the two
Subcommittees held a joint hearing entitled, ``Reviewing
Challenges in Federal IT Acquisition.'' This hearing provided
an opportunity to discuss challenges in the current federal IT
acquisition system, best practices from the private sector, and
areas for IT acquisition reform. Witnesses included David A.
Powner, Director, IT Management Issues, GAO, Richard A. Spires,
Chief Executive Officer and Director, Learning Tree
International, Inc., Venkatapathi ``PV'' Puvvada, President,
Unisys Federal Systems, Professional Services Council, Board
Member, Mr. A.R. ``Trey'' Hodgkins III, Senior Vice President,
Information Technology Alliance for Public Sector, Information
Technology Industry Council, Ms. Deidre ``Dee'' Lee, Director,
IT Management Issues, Chair, Section 809 Panel.
The Government Operations and Information Technology
Subcommittees also held a hearing on July 12, 2017, entitled
``General Services Administration--Acquisition Oversight and
Reform. This hearing focused on GSA's acquisition role,
particularly the roles of the Federal Acquisition Service,
which is responsible for over $50 billion of goods and services
bought by the government, and the Technology Transformation
Service, which is responsible for technology transformation and
modernized IT services. The hearing also focused on federal
acquisition challenges, such as the increasing complexity of
federal acquisition rules, the compliance burden of these
rules, and the need to use commercial based best practices.
Witnesses included: Alan Thomas, Commissioner, Federal
Acquisition Service, GSA and Rob Cook, Deputy Commissioner and
Director of Technology Transformation Service.
The Committee continued to develop reform proposals based
on hearings and oversight and successfully enacted several such
reform proposals in the Fiscal Year 2018 and 2019 NDAAs. The
Committee worked with the House Armed Services Committee to
develop a proposal to authorize GSA to establish a program to
buy commercial goods by contracting with several online
marketplace providers in order to leverage modern commerce
practices such as dynamic pricing, rapid point-and-click
transactions, and delivery of goods under standard commercial
terms and conditions. This E-Commerce portal language was
enacted as Section 846 in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA (Pub. L.
115-91). This language was modified with input from GSA and
other stakeholders to clarify authorities and data security
requirements in Section 838 of the Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA (Pub.
L. 115-232). The Committee continues oversight of GSA's effort
to implement the E-Commerce portal with regular briefings from
GSA. In an effort to further reduce the complexity of federal
acquisition rules, the Committee included a provision in the
Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA directing a review of the federal
acquisition regulations on commercial products, commercial
services, and commercially available off-the-shelf items (Sec.
839).
The Committee also continued an effort that began on
November 4, 2015, to hold regular oversight hearings to hold
agencies accountable for implementation of the Federal
Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) with a
bipartisan and biannual FITARA Scorecard. On June 13, 2017, the
Subcommittees on Government Operations and the Subcommittee on
Information Technology held a joint hearing entitled, ``The
Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA)
Scorecard 4.0.'' The hearing focused on agencies' progress in
FITARA implementation including data center consolidation,
incremental development, and portfolio review efforts and
implications for IT acquisition reform and security. Witnesses
included David A. Powner, Director, IT Management Issues, GAO;
Beth Killoran, Deputy Asst. Secretary for IT and Chief
Information Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; and Sheila Conley, Deputy Chief Financial Officer,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
On November 15, 2017, the Subcommittees on Government
Operations and Information Technology held a joint hearing
entitled, ``Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform
Act (FITARA) Scorecard 5.0.'' The Committee received testimony
from three panels regarding FITARA implementation at the
Department of Energy, U.S. Agency for International
Development, and the Small Business Administration. Each panel
featured the CIO, CFO, and a senior official in charge of IT
acquisition at the agency.
On May 23, 2018, the Subcommittees on Government Operations
and Information Technology held a joint hearing entitled,
``Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act
(FITARA) Scorecard 6.0.'' This hearing consisted of two panels
to discuss FITARA Scorecard 6.0 grades earned by the Department
of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Defense (DOD). Each
panel featured the CIO, CFO, and a senior official in charge of
IT acquisition at the agency. On December 12, 2018, the
Subcommittees held the FITARA Scorecard 7.0 hearing.
Based on oversight and legislative activity beginning in
the 114th Congress, the Committee continued efforts to
incentivize agencies to modernize IT. The Committee's oversight
showed agencies continued to operate numerous outdated and
unsecure mission critical systems, use legacy programming
languages with millions of lines of code, and deploy
unsupported operating systems and software. The Modernizing
Government Technology (MGT) Act of 2017, is the culmination of
the Committee's oversight work.
On May 2, 2017, the Committee favorably reported H.R. 2227,
the MGT Act of 2017. The MGT Act was included as Subtitle G of
Title X of the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, which was signed into law
on December 12, 2017. The MGT Act authorizes two types of funds
for the purpose of modernizing the federal government's legacy
IT and to incentivize IT savings in federal agencies. It
authorizes all Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act agencies to
establish an agency-specific IT modernization fund controlled
by the agency CIO and it authorizes the OMB to oversee a
government-wide IT modernization fund to be administered by
GSA. The Committee continued its oversight of agencies'
implementation of the MGT Act including by incorporating MGT
requirements into the FITARA Scorecard.
In the 115th Congress, the Committee also conducted
oversight of major government-wide contract vehicles, such as
Networx and the Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS)
contracts. These contract vehicles are tools to facilitate
efficiency and modernization of telecommunications and IT
infrastructure services at federal agencies. The most recent of
these contract vehicles, EIS has a contract ceiling of $50
billion over 15 years. The Committee has held numerous
briefings with GSA on their activities to ensure successful
modernization of federal telecommunications and related
information technology services. On September 21, 2017, the
Committee received a report from GAO on the EIS contract
vehicle. The report found GSA and agencies have started
planning for the transition to new contracts for these
telecommunications and IT services to be provided under the EIS
contract vehicle, but there was increased risk of transition
delays and additional costs. On September 6, 2018, the
Committee sent a follow up letter to GAO, requesting a further
review of EIS transition activities. The Committee will
continue to monitor agencies' modernization of these critical
services.
Other Contracting Legislation
On February 2, 2017, the Committee favorably reported H.R.
679, the Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act.
This bill is designed to encourage competition and reduce the
costs of bidding for federal construction contracts by
encouraging the use of the two-step bid and proposal process
for design-build construction contracts. Encouraging use of the
two-step process for design and construction services will
reduce the costs of competing in the government marketplace for
small businesses and reduce the time contracting officers must
spend reviewing numerous complicated design proposals in the
one-step process.
On September 13, 2017, the Committee favorably reported
H.R. 3071, the Federal Acquisition Savings Act of 2017. The
bill requires the federal government to analyze the cost
effectiveness of renting equipment compared to buying or
leasing such equipment and revise the Federal Acquisition
Regulation (FAR) to implement this requirement. This bill also
requires the GAO to submit a report to Congress two years after
enactment on agency decisions to acquire equipment by purchase,
lease, or rental. The bill passed the House on November 13,
2017, and was later incorporated in large part in the Federal
Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Sec. 555,
Pub. L. 115-254).
On September 13, 2017, the Committee favorably reported
H.R. 3019, the Promoting Value Based Procurement Act of 2017.
The bill establishes a policy requiring all federal agencies to
avoid using lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) source
selection criteria for certain procurements, such as those for
the acquisition of IT or knowledge-based professional services.
Employing LPTA criteria for acquisitions of complex services
can have the effect of focusing competing contractors on price,
while minimizing or deterring creative or innovative approaches
that will ultimately provide greater value. Using LPTA
selection criteria for such services deprives an agency of the
option of being able to choose to pay more to reap the benefits
of a superior solution or a more skilled or qualified
contractor. The bill was enacted as section 880 of Title VIII--
Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management and Related Matters,
NDAA Fiscal Year 2019.
Federal tax accountability
The Committee continued the work of the Committee in
previous Congresses to address the issue of tax delinquency
among federal employees, retirees, and contractors. On January
31, 2017, the Committee wrote to the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) to request a report to update work on tax
delinquent contractors. This request was to follow up on
previous GAO work, and update Congress on the scale of the
issue. Chairman Chaffetz introduced H.R. 396, the Tax
Accountability Act of 2017 to prohibit contractors and grant
applicants with seriously delinquent tax debt from receiving
federal contracts or grants. The bill also would make
individuals with seriously delinquent tax debt ineligible for
federal civilian employment.
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
The Committee has authorizing responsibilities over the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) and in addition to
highlighting GAO's signature work products during the 115th
Congress, the Committee initiated a legislative reform to
strengthen GAO's role as a leader and authority in federal
appropriations law.
GAO Authorizing Activities
On September 27, 2018, the Committee approved H.R. 6891,
the Anti-Deficiency Reform and Enforcement Act of 2018,
sponsored by Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI). The bill strengthens
the Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA) to prevent illegal spending by
Executive branch agencies and provides specific statutory
authority and timing requirements for the GAO to issue legal
opinions on alleged violations. The bill also increases
transparency in enforcement and implementation of GAO's
opinions by requiring agencies to report to Congress on actions
taken in response to the GAO opinions. H.R. 6891 provides for
greater transparency in agency enforcement of the ADA by
requiring more detailed information to be reported by agencies
to Congress and to GAO regarding violations of the ADA. The
bill also prescribes a range of administrative penalties,
including suspension or demotion, agencies must take for
certain serious violations and requires agencies to terminate
employees who knowingly violate the ADA. H.R. 6891 implements a
proposal from the Speaker's ``A Better Way'' initiative, which
seeks to reinforce Congress's power of the purse and improve
the enforcement of Congressionally-imposed limits on agency
authority and spending.
GAO Duplication Report and Oversight
On April 26, 2018, the Committee held a hearing on the
Government Accountability Office's 2018 duplication report
entitled, ``Waste and Inefficiency in the Federal Government:
GAO's 2018 Duplication Report.'' Since 2011, GAO has issued
annual reports on opportunities to reduce fragmentation,
overlap, and duplication, as well as reduce costs and increase
revenue, for the federal government. These reports have
resulted in $136 billion in financial benefits for the federal
government. GAO's 2017 report identified 29 new areas where
federal agencies could achieve greater efficiency or
effectiveness. In 2018, GAO identified 23 new areas.
Comptroller General of the United States Gene L. Dodaro
testified at the April hearing.
GAO High Risk List and Related Oversight
On February 15, 2017, the Committee held a hearing on the
GAO high risk list entitled ``GAO's High Risk Report: 34
Programs in Peril.'' The hearing reviewed GAO's biennial high
risk list, which in 2017 identified the 34 areas of government
most susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. The
Comptroller General testified about new areas, including the
2020 Decennial Census and Improving Federal Programs that Serve
Tribes and Their Members.
Following the High Risk Report hearing, on March 21, 2017,
the Committee held a roundtable on cybersecurity threats to the
2020 Decennial Census and steps the Bureau should consider
taking to address these threats. The costs associated with
administrating of the Decennial Census have risen dramatically
as a result of lower self-response rates and costs associated
with field enumeration. The Census Bureau (Bureau) estimated it
would cost $17.8 billion if it relied on previously used
methods for conducting the census. For the 2020 Census, the
Bureau is attempting modernization on a larger scale than has
been attempted previously.
Oversight efforts of both the Committee and GAO have
focused on the need of the Bureau to procure the necessary
technologies in a timely manner. With an estimated 324 million
individuals in the United States, and the Bureau's mission to
count and collect information on the United States population,
the Census represents a major potential target for cyber
threats. GAO highlighted a number critical security challenges
the Bureau will face in its modernization efforts, including
minimizing the threat of phishing attacks aimed at Census
respondents, contractors, and employees and ensuring limited
and appropriate access to Census data. Participants in the
Roundtable included Stewart Baker, Partner, Steptoe and
Johnson; Tony Cole, Vice President of FireEye; David Powner,
Director of Information Technology Management Issues, GAO; John
Thompson, Director, U.S. Census Bureau; and other government
officials and representative from academia and the private
sector.
On July 25, 2018, the Subcommittees on Information
Technology and Subcommittee on Government Operations hold a
joint hearing entitled, ``GAO High Risk Focus: Cybersecurity.''
This hearing reviewed the findings of an interim high-risk list
report on the state of government-wide cybersecurity and
information technology issues. GAO identified four major
cybersecurity challenges and ten critical actions that the
federal government must take to address them. Specifically, GAO
said the federal government needs to implement a more
comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and improve its oversight.
In addition, the federal government must focus on maintaining a
qualified cybersecurity workforce; addressing security
weaknesses in federal systems and information and enhancing
cyber incident response efforts; bolstering the protection of
cyber critical infrastructure; and prioritizing efforts to
protect individual's privacy and personally identifiable
information. The Subcommittees heard testimony from Comptroller
General Gene L. Dodaro and Federal Chief Information Office
Suzette Kent.
Federal Real Property
On February 15, 2018, the Subcommittee on Government
Operations held a hearing entitled, ``General Services
Administration--Checking in with the Government's Acquisition
and Property Manager''. This was the first appearance of the
new GSA Administrator, Emily Murphy, and Public Buildings
Commissioner, Dan Mathews. The hearing focused on all aspects
of GSA's portfolio, but many questions focused on GSA's real
property portfolio. Topics included implementation of the
Federal Asset Sales and Transfer Act, GSA leasing and
holdovers, and modernizing GSA buildings, particularly the FBI
headquarters project.\1\
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\1\Pub. L. No. 114-287, 130 Stat. 1463 (2016).
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Regarding the FBI headquarters project, the Committee
continues to conduct oversight in conjunction with the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. On August 27,
2018, the GSA Inspector General released a review of the FBI
headquarters project. On September 5, 2018, Subcommittee on
Government Operations Chairman Mark Meadows and Ranking Member
Gerald Connolly requested the unredacted Inspector General
report. Then, on September 17, 2018, Representatives Meadows
and Connolly requested the report case file.
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
The Committee continued to conduct oversight of the United
States Postal Service's (Postal Service) current operations to
inform congressional reform efforts in the 115th Congress. The
Committee held quarterly briefings with the Postal Service on
the quarterly and yearly financials to monitor the financial
health of the Postal Service throughout the 115th Congress. The
Committee also continued oversight of the Postal Service's
process to replace its current fleet of vehicles with a
briefing on July 13, 2017. Further, the Committee participated
in oversight over potential Hatch Act violations at the Postal
Service during the 2016 election cycle. Following a Postal
Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on the issue,
the Committee requested the full report of investigation from
the OIG on August 29, 2017, and requested transcripts of all
witness interviews conducted by the Office of Special Counsel
during the investigation on September 14, 2017. These documents
combined with further briefings and continued oversight raised
concerns about potential Hatch Act violations in the 2018
election cycle.
During the 115th Congress, the Committee continued to work
on reform efforts to stabilize the Postal Service's financials.
On February 7, 2017, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Accomplishing Postal Reform in the 115th Congress--H.R. 756,
the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017.'' The hearing examined
the ongoing financial challenges facing the agency as a result
of diminishing demand for mail and growing legacy benefit
costs. The hearing also provided an opportunity to discuss a
path forward for the Committee's proposed solution for the
Postal Service, H.R. 756, the Postal Service Reform Act of
2017. H.R. 756 was introduced on January 31, 2017 by Chairman
Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, Reps. Meadows, Ross,
Connolly, and Lynch. The bill included provisions requiring the
Postal Service employees and retirees to fully enroll in
Medicare benefits, if they are eligible, in order to maintain
their access to Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan coverage
in retirement. This change would address the Postal Service's
unfunded liability for retiree health care benefits and allow
the agency to operate more like a private sector business, in
line with its self-funding mandate. This bill included only
minor changes, and was nearly identical to H.R. 5714, the
Postal Reform Act of 2016, introduced by Chairman Chaffetz in
the 114th Congress. The bill was reported favorably on March
16, 2017.
On September 7, 2017, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Examining the Shipment of Illicit Drugs in International
Mail.'' This hearing covered the issues of the discrepancy in
security standards between the Postal Service and the private
express carriers that have facilitated an influx of illicit
drugs through the mail. Also, the hearing reviewed procedures
that have been effective in thwarting contraband from entering
the United States, as well as what procedures could be
effective in the future from those in charge of investigating
and examining international mail.
Government of the District of Columbia
In the 115th Congress, the Committee reviewed the District
of Columbia's use of federal dollars to fund programs such as
school choice. In doing so, the Committee worked to reauthorize
the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), which provides
grants to District students to expand school choice, part of
the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act. The
SOAR Act program was reauthorized through the end of fiscal
year 2019 as a part of a Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R.
244, which became Public Law Number 115-31 on May 5, 2017.
The Committee continued to review District expenditures for
local programs to ensure the expenditures are in line with
Congressional mandates and federal law. The Committee worked on
two bills related to D.C. expenditures:
On February 13, 2017, Committee Member
Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced H.R. 1003, the
District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service
Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments Act. The bill
amends D.C. Code and the D.C. Court Reform and Criminal
Procedure Act of 1970 to establish and authorize a
voluntary separation incentive payments program for
D.C. public defenders. The program would provide a one-
time lump sum payment in exchange for the individual
voluntarily ending their employment. This program would
reduce the D.C. Court's personnel costs by $25 million
over nine years. The Committee ordered the bill
favorably reported on February 14, 2017.
On June 13, 2017, Committee Member Eleanor
Holmes Norton introduced H.R. 2897, to authorize the
Mayor of the District of Columbia and the Director of
the National Park Service to enter into cooperative
management agreements for the operation, maintenance,
and management of units of the National Park System in
the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. The
bill was in response to the District request to
undertake a greater share of the responsibilities for
the city's green spaces and parks. The bill permits the
Mayor to enter into cooperative agreements on
management of National Park Service (NPS) land in D.C.
The bill would allow D.C. to spend money on maintenance
and repair to NPS facilities in D.C. On July 19, 2017,
the Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by
voice vote. On January 16, 2018, the House passed H.R.
2897 under suspension by voice vote.
Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
On March 29, 2017 the Government Operations Subcommittee
held a hearing titled ``WMATA After SafeTrack,'' to examine
results from WMATA's ``SafeTrack'' program as well as its
``Back2Good'' initiative. The Committee also reviewed WMATA's
financial situation and necessary steps for improvement.
Members received additional info from WMATA and GAO officials
about a GAO report detailing the SafeTrack project's
effectiveness and implementation.
On January 15, 2018, a Metrorail Red Line train derailed
after it passed over a cracked section of rail line in the
tunnel between Farragut North and Metro Center station. After
the derailment, Metro officials said this section of track had
undergone multiple previous inspections and testing, but the
cracked rail was never detected. On January 19, 2018, the
Committee sent a letter to WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld
requesting a briefing on the issue. WMATA officials briefed the
Committee [staff] on February 1, 2018, with a detailed timeline
of the incident and answered related questions.
Additionally, the Committee has regularly coordinated with
WMATA OIG office. Inspector General Geoffrey Cherrington
briefed the Committee staff on September 4, 2018 on a number of
issues including the January 15 derailment investigation. IG
Cherrington provided additional information concerning agency
funding concerns, office independence, and continued safety
audits of WMATA operations.
Security Clearances
In the 115th Congress, the Committee continued to conduct
oversight on the security clearance process, especially given
the government-wide impact of this function on federal
employees and contractors and concerns a prospective transfer
of background investigation functions to the Department of
Defense exacerbate the background investigations backlog and
increase unnecessary duplication. On February 2, 2017, the
Committee held a hearing entitled, ``Improving Security and
Efficiency at OPM and the National Background Investigations
Bureau.'' Members learned about steps the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) took to secure their IT systems, particularly
as they relate to background investigations, following the 2015
data breach. The hearing also gave the Committee the
opportunity to discuss the security clearance backlog and
process challenges while learning about the Administration's
efforts to improve background investigation coordination
between the Department of Defense (DOD) and OPM.
On October 11, 2017, the Committee held a hearing entitled,
``Security Clearance Investigation Challenges and Reforms.''
This hearing provided Members the opportunity to make the case
for keeping responsibility for DOD security clearance
investigations at the National Background Investigations Bureau
(NBIB), a component of OPM. It also educated Members on ongoing
and potential reform initiatives to reduce the security
clearance investigation backlog and discuss flaws in the
interim clearance process.
On October 26, 2017, the Committee sent a bipartisan letter
to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees recommending
the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year
2018 not include a provision transferring responsibility for
conducting DOD background investigations from OPM. The
Committee argued such a move would be duplicative, unnecessary,
and counterproductive, especially given DOD's failure to
effectively administer this function ten years ago. The
provision was ultimately included in the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA.
As a result of Congress's decision to transfer DOD-related
background investigations to DOD, the Administration announced
its intent in its June 21, 2018, government-wide reorganization
plan to move all remaining background investigations to DOD in
order to realize efficiencies and eliminate duplicative
functions. Committee staff continue to receive quarterly
briefings on the status of the transfer, in addition to
briefings on the status of background investigation process
improvements.
Inspectors General
During the 115th Congress, the Committee held three
hearings on Inspector General specific issues. The first
hearing was held on February 1, 2017, and titled, ``Empowering
the Inspectors General.'' The hearing reviewed the impact of
the Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016 on the work of
the IGs, which the Committee passed in the 114th Congress, and
examined the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency's (CIGIE) legislative priorities and potential
additional reforms. On November 15, 2017, the Committee held
another hearing titled, ``Recommendations and Reforms from the
Inspectors General.'' This hearing discussed CIGIE's
legislative priorities, the importance of filling vacant IG
positions, and the importance of the oversight role of the IGs.
At this hearing, CIGIE Chair and Department of Justice IG
Michael Horowitz highlighted the issue of bifurcated
jurisdiction at the DOJ IG when investigating allegations of
misconduct DOJ attorneys, which is investigated by the Office
of Professional Responsibility, versus other DOJ employee
misconduct, which is investigated by the DOJ IG.
On April 18, 2018, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Top Management and Performance Challenges Identified
Government-wide by the Inspector General Community.'' The
hearing provided the opportunity to discuss the first ever
CIGIE report on the top management and performance challenges
identified by IGs government-wide. The report, for the first
time, provided information about, analyses of, and links to the
61 publicly available IG reports on agency management and
performance challenges.
As a result of issues raised by the IGs in Committee
hearings, the Committee moved several bills to address these
issues. The Committee moved H.R. 3154, the Inspector General
Access Act of 2017, which was introduced by Rep. Cedric
Richmond (D-LA) and sponsored by Committee Members Reps. Jody
Hice (R-GA) and Stephen Lynch (D-MA). H.R. 3154 repeals a
provision requiring the IG to refer certain allegations of
misconduct involving DOJ attorneys to the Office of
Professional Responsibility. The bill was favorably reported by
unanimous consent on September 27, 2018 and passed the House
under suspension by voice vote on November 29, 2018.
The Committee also moved H.R. 4917, the IG Subpoena
Authority Act, which was introduced by Rep. Steve Russell (R-
OK). The bill would authorize IGs to issue testimonial
subpoenas for contractors, grant recipients, and former federal
employees, as necessary to perform the functions required by
the Inspector General Act of 1978. This provision enhances the
ability of the IGs to identify waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement in the Executive Branch by preventing former
employees, contractors, or grant recipients from resigning to
avoid speaking with the IG. The bill was ordered favorably
reported by voice vote on February 6, 2018, and was agreed to
in the House on September 26, 2018.
Whistleblower Protection
The Committee continued its efforts related to the
protection of whistleblowers in the federal government by
enacting five bills:
On February 2, 2017, the Committee favorably
reported H.R. 657, the Follow the Rules Act. This Act
clarifies the prohibition against certain personnel
actions including those actions taken against any
employee applicant for refusing to obey an order that
would violate a rule or regulation. H.R. 657 was signed
into law on June 14, 2017 (Pub. L. 115-40).
On April 28, 2017, Ranking Minority Member
Elijah Cummings introduced H.R. 2229, the All Circuit
Review Act. This bill allows individuals to appeal
Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) final orders
regarding whistleblower retaliation complaints to any
U.S. Court of Appeals. On May 2, 2017, the Committee
favorably reported the bill by voice vote. H.R. 2229
was signed into law on June 25, 2017 (Pub. L. 115-192).
On May 25, 2017, the Committee discharged S.
1083, a bill to amend section 1214 of title 5, U.S.
Code, to provide for stays during a period that the
Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum. This
bill allows the MSPB to act on a request from the
Office of Special Counsel (OSC) to extend a stay of
personnel action while the Board lacks a quorum. On
June 27, 2017 the bill was enacted into law (Pub. L.
115-42).
On October 26, 2017, S. 585, the Dr. Chris
Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, was
signed into law (Pub. L. 115-73). The Act extends
protections provided to federal employees who are
retaliated against for disclosing fraud, waste, or
abuse. The bill also directs the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) to address concerns relating to gaps in
its whistleblower protections.
On October 12, 2017, Committee Member Rod
Blum introduced H.R. 4043, the Whistleblower Protection
Extension Act of 2017. This bill extends the
whistleblower ombudsman program. The program directs
agency inspectors general to designate an ombudsman at
the agency to provide information to employees on
whistleblower protections and remedies. The Committee
ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote on
November 2, 2017. The Senate companion text to the
bill, S. 1896, was signed into law on June 25, 2018
(Pub. L. 115-192).
The Committee encouraged a culture
throughout the federal government of protecting
whistleblowers and encouraged best practices to prevent
retaliation. In doing so, the Committee worked to
reauthorize the Office of Special Counsel (OSC). The
OSC was reauthorized through the end of fiscal year
2023 in Section 1097 of H.R. 2810, the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. On December 12,
2017, H.R. 2810 was enacted into law.
In addition, 2017 marked the five-year anniversary of the
enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of
2012 (WPEA). At a hearing on February 1, 2017, the Committee
received updates on new provisions implemented in the WPEA and
reviewed provisions expiring in 2017.
Oversight of the Decennial Census
The Committee continued to conduct oversight of the 2020
decennial census in the 115th Congress. This oversight role is
particularly important given the extent to which the Census
Bureau is shifting toward the use of more technology to
administer the Census. During the 115th Congress, the Committee
held a number of hearings related to the 2020 Census. The
Committee has also worked to maintain constant communication
with the Bureau to ensure the 2020 Census is executed in an
efficient and effective manner.
On October 12, 2017, the Committee held a hearing entitled
``Hearing on the 2020 Census.'' The hearing was the first time
the Committee heard testimony from Secretary Ross on the status
of the 2020 Census. The hearing examined the Department of
Commerce's role in overseeing the Bureau, including management
changes made in the decennial census program. The hearing also
examined updated lifecycle cost estimate for the 2020 Census,
which was ordered by Secretary Ross after he was confirmed as
Secretary. The new estimate projected the 2020 Census will cost
$15.6 billion, a $3.3 billion increase over previous
projections.
On May 8, 2018, and on May 18, 2018, the Committee held a
hearing entitled ``Progress Report on the 2020 Census.'' On May
8, 2018, the Committee received testimony from the Department
of Commerce, the Census Bureau, and GAO about current status of
IT systems, the 2018 Census Test, and the release of the
decennial census questionnaire. Chairman Gowdy invited the
Department of Justice to the hearing; however, the witness was
unable to appear on May 8. Chairman Gowdy recessed the hearing
until May 18, 2018, where the Committee heard testimony from
the Department of Justice regarding the decennial census
questionnaire.
In addition to the aforementioned hearings, the Committee
has held numerous briefings with key Census Bureau personnel.
In response to a request letter sent by Chairman Gowdy, on
April 11, 2018, the Committee held a member briefing with the
Census Bureau to discuss the release of the 2020 Census
questionnaire. On July 18, 2018, the Subcommittee on Government
Operations and the Subcommittee on Information Technology held
a joint member briefing on the status of 2020 Census IT system
development. On December 12, 2018, the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a member briefing on cybersecurity
for the 2020 Census. This was the second cybersecurity
roundtable hosted by the Committee. The first was held March
21, 2017. These meetings have focused on issues related to
cybersecurity and procurement schedules.
Federal Advisory Committees Act (FACA)
The Committee also examined the implementation of open
government laws, such as the Federal Advisory Committees Act
(FACA). The Committee continued to work on H.R. 70, the Federal
Advisory Committees Amendment Act. The bill seeks to create a
formal process for the public to recommend Committee members
and requires member selection without regard to partisan
affiliation. In addition, the bill increases each FACA
Committees' disclosure requirements. The House passed H.R. 70
on January 4, 2017.
Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act
The Committee continued to monitor the implementation of
the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act (Pub. L. 114-
50). The Commission's final report was released on September 7,
2017. On September 26, 2017, the Committee held a hearing
titled, ``Recommendations of the Commission on Evidence-Based
Policymaking.'' The hearing focused on how Congress can improve
access to data, protect privacy and confidentiality, and
facilitate the creation of evidence-based policies. On October
31, 2017, Speaker Paul Ryan introduced H.R. 4174, the
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2017. H.R.
4174 codified several of the recommendations from the Evidence-
Based Policymaking Commission. On November 2, 2017, the
Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by voice vote and
on November 15, 2017, H.R. 4174 was agreed to under suspension
of the rules in the House and was sent to the President for
signature on December 21, 2018.
Government Reorganization
As required by House Rule X, clause 4(c)(1)(B), the
Committee evaluates the effects of laws enacted to reorganize
the legislative and executive branches of the Government. On
June 21, 2018, President Trump released a report with multiple
government reorganization proposals impacting much of the
federal government. On June 27, 2018, the Committee held a
hearing titled, ``Examining the Administration's Government-
wide Reorganization Plan.'' The hearing discussed the specifics
of the Administration's executive branch reorganization plan
and how it might lead to a modern, efficient, effective, and
accountable federal government, examined the process by which
the administration developed its executive branch
reorganization plan and the rationale behind it, and sought to
understand Congress's role in executive branch reorganizations.
During the Committee's review of these proposals over the
summer and fall of 2018, staff held multiple briefings agencies
on government-wide reorganization and internal agency
reorganization activities. Briefings were held with the Office
of Management and Budget, the General Service Administration,
the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of
Education, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the
Interior, the United States Agency for International
Development, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Additional Oversight Activities Undertaken and Recommendations Made and
Actions Taken Thereon
Investigation Into the Purchase of Tourniquets by the U.S.
Army
In 2017, the Committee began a review of the decision by
the Army to pursue the development of an alternative to the
Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), the tourniquet issued to
soldiers as part of first aid kit. The CAT had been fielded by
the Army with great success since 2004. The decision to pursue
an alternative began in 2012, when the Army awarded a
noncompetitive contract for $125,000 for the development of
prototype tourniquets. The Committee's investigation focused on
the circumstances surrounding the decision to seek an
alternative tourniquet for which the Army would need to provide
training as well as the use of a noncompetitive contract to
develop a new tourniquet despite the proven reliability of the
CAT.
On June 22, 2017, Army officials briefed Committee staff on
the tourniquet contracting process and why the Army moved
forward with the contract for the development of a prototype
tourniquet. The Army subsequently provided limited information
and a timeline of events from 2004 to 2017 relating to testing
and fielding of tourniquets. On October 3, 2017, Chairman Trey
Gowdy (R-SC) sent a letter to Lt. General Nadja Y. West,
Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General, U.S.
Army Medical Command, requesting a briefing and additional
documents.
On November 2, 2017, Major General Brian C. Lien,
Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and
School Health Readiness Center of Excellence briefed Committee
staff, highlighting the need for a standardized and reliable
tourniquet. General Lien advised the Committee an internal Army
investigation was underway. Following the results of the
investigation, the Commanding General directed actions be taken
to implement the recommendations and a report be submitted by
March 31, 2018 detailing the actions taken. Based on those
recommendations, the Army determined the CAT tourniquet will
remain as the chosen capability solution to ensure extremity
tourniquets are standardized across the U.S. Army. On November
6, 2018, the Army updated its regulations to clarify the
upgrade and modification processes for medical sets, kits and
outfit contents. The Committee continues to monitor
implementation of the recommendations.
Investigation of Government Travel
On September 26, 2017, the Committee opened an oversight
investigation to review taxpayer funded travel by non-career
agency officials by sending a letter to all 24 CFO Act agencies
requesting travel information for non-career officials during
the period of January 2017 to September 2017. On October 17,
2017 a follow up letter was sent to all 24 agencies requesting
travel information for non-career agency officials during the
period of January 2016 to January 2017. Several Inspectors
General also launched investigations at agencies to review
agency specific travel practices.
Investigation on Equifax Data Breach
On September 14, 2017, the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform and Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology for the U.S. House of Representatives sent a request
to Equifax Chief Executive Officer Richard Smith for documents
and communications related to the Equifax data breach announced
on September 7. On November 20, 2017, the Committees sent an
additional letter to Equifax requesting organizational charts,
documents, and communications from the offices of the Chief
Security Officer and Chief Information Officer, and information
related to Equifax's notification to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. In response to the document requests, the
Committees received over 122,000 documents in rolling
productions from October 2017 through September 2018. The
Committees also conducted three transcribed interviews of key
witnesses and received briefings from Equifax and other key
stakeholders. On December 10, 2018, the Committee majority
staff produced an investigative report entitled, ``the Equifax
Data Breach.''
Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act
On September 15, 2017, the President signed into law the
Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017 (Pub. L.
115-59). The Act prohibits federal agencies from including any
individual's Social Security account number on any document
sent by mail unless deemed necessary, requires agencies to
promulgate regulations to specify the circumstances under which
a Social Security account number can be included on a document
sent by mail, and a series of reports on agency implementation
of the law. The Committee conducted oversight to help ensure
agencies implement the requirements of the Act by holding
agencies accountable for producing required reports.
Legislative Activity To Reduce Waste
On February 14, 2017, the Committee considered H.R. 195,
the Federal Register Printings Savings Act of 2017, which
prohibits the Director of the Government Publishing Office from
distributing printed copies of the Federal Register without
charge to Members of Congress and other offices of the federal
government without a request. The bill was signed into law on
January 22, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-120). The bill will reduce waste
by eliminating unused Federal Registers within Congressional
offices that were typically recycled each day because this
publication can be accessed electronically.
On May 23, 2018, the Committee considered H.R. 5415, the
GAO-IG Act, which was introduced by Representative Mark Walker
(R-NC). The bill would require agencies to submit within the
agency's annual budget justification to Congress a list of
``open'' or ``closed unimplemented'' recommendations from the
Government Accountability Office (GAO), and recommendations for
corrective action from the agency's office of the inspector
general (OIG) for which no final action has been taken. The
bill would also require agencies to report on the
implementation status of each recommendation, and why they have
not been implemented fully. This creates a process in which
agencies must take stock of their open and unimplemented
recommendations, and helps promote economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness within Executive Branch departments and agencies.
The bill was ordered favorably reported, as amended, by voice
vote at mark up, and was agreed to in the House on July 16,
2018.
HEALTHCARE, BENEFITS, & ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
The Health Insurance Industry and the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (PPACA)
The Committee continued oversight of the implementation of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in the
115th Congress.
On January 31, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules held a hearing titled,
``Fraud, Waste, and Abuse under the Affordable Care Act.'' The
hearing examined challenges with implementation of the PPACA
and the impact of the law on the health insurance market.
Witnesses were Vicki Robinson, Senior Counselor for Policy,
Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, and John Dicken, Director of Health Care, U.S.
Government Accountability Office.
Implementation of the health care law relied on
coordination with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). On April
5, 2018, the Committee wrote the Assistant Secretary for Tax
Policy, the Honorable David Katter with concerns about the
arbitrary enforcement of the PPACA's Employer Shared
Responsibility Provision--commonly referred to as the employer
mandate--in November 2017 after years of delays and internal
shortcomings. The Committee raised questions related to the
IRS's capacity to evaluate compliance and assess penalties.
The Pharmaceutical Industry and the Cost of Prescription Drugs
The Committee also continued oversight of the rising prices
of prescription medications. The federal government pays for a
growing share of costly retail prescription drug costs,
primarily through Medicare's prescription drug benefit.
On March 22, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules held a hearing titled,
``Examining the Impact of the Voluntary Restricted Distribution
Systems in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.'' The hearing
examined the purpose of using restricted distribution systems
in the pharmaceutical supply chain, and how, in certain
instances, a manufacturer may use a restricted distribution
system to delay or block generic competition. Witnesses were
Bruce Leicher, Senior Vice President and General Counsel,
Momenta Pharmaceuticals on behalf of the Association for
Accessible Medicines; Dr. Gerard Anderson, Director of the
Center for Hospital Finance and Management, Professor at the
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and David
Mitchell, President and Founder, Patients for Affordable Drugs.
On August 18, 2017, the Committee requested the U.S.
Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice
brief staff on the practice of pharmaceutical companies raising
prices of treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in lockstep
with other competitors. Since the FTC and the DOJ are jointly
responsive for enforcing antitrust laws, officials were able to
explain the distinct differences between the various treatments
from one another and wide range of variability in the products.
Federally-Funded Medical Research
On March 29, 2017, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Federally Funded Cancer Research: Coordination and
Innovation.'' The hearing reviewed developments in research
relating to curing certain cancers. It also examined the
enterprise of cancer researchers that galvanize and contribute
to comprehending the complexities of cancer that is leading to
innovative therapies and cures. The hearing discussed the
national infrastructure that generates and facilities cancer
research, delving into the coordination amongst primary funders
of and advocates for cancer research, including the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), pharmaceutical companies,
philanthropists, and nonprofit organizations. Witnesses were
Tammi Carr, mother of Chad Carr, the ChadTough Foundation; Dr.
Mary Beckerle, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Huntsman
Cancer Institute, University of Utah Medical School; Dr.
Elizabeth Jaffee, Deputy Director, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive
Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University; and Dr. Tyler Jacks,
Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
On December 13, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a hearing titled, ``Exploring
Alternatives to Fetal Tissue Research.'' The hearing examined
the ethical considerations of fetal tissue research and
explored alternative methods. Witnesses were Dr. Tara Lee
Sander, Associate Scholar of the Charlotte Lozier Institute;
Dr. David Prentice, Advisory Board Member of the Midwest Stem
Cell Therapy Center; Dr. Sally Temple, Board Member and former
President, International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Improper Payments in the Medicaid Program
On April 12, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a hearing titled, ``Improper
Payments in State-Administered Programs: Medicaid.'' The
hearing examined federal and state efforts to identify,
prevent, and recover improper payments made through state
Medicaid programs. The hearing also examined the federal-state
relationship in Medicaid data-sharing quality and identifying
and preventing fraud in the Medicaid program. Witnesses were
Tim Hill, Deputy Director, Centers for Medicaid and CHIP
Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Megan
Tinker, Senior Advisor for Legal Review, Office of Counsel,
Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services; Carolyn Yocome, Director of Health Care, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; the Honorable Daryl Purpera,
CPA, CFE, Legislative Auditor, Louisiana Legislative Auditor;
and Andy Schneider, Research Professor of the Practice, Center
for Children and Families, Georgetown University.
Waste and Fraud Involving Food Stamps
The Subcommittee continued oversight of the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with the goal of restoring
it to a transitional program, helping those who are in need of
assistance while providing resources so they can become self-
sufficient, instead of serving as a mechanism for long-term
dependence on the government.
On February 8, 2017, the Committee requested the GAO to
conduct three studies related to retailer fraud, out-of-state
electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, and Employment and
Training programs. The latter was published on December 20,
2018, while the EBT report was published on November 1, 2018.
On May 9, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits,
and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled, ``Program
Integrity for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.''
The hearing examined the waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP and
explored how the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) can more
effectively assist states in the program's administration.
Witnesses were Brandon Lipps, Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service Acting Deputy Undersecretary, Food, Nutrition, and
Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Kathy Larni,
Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security, U.S.
Government Accountability Office; Sam Adolphsen, Senior Fellow,
the Foundation for Government Accountability; and Stacy Dean,
Vice President for Food Assistance Policy, the Center on Budget
and Policy Priorities.
On September 26, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled, ``Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program Fraud.'' The hearing examined how
to combat SNAP fraud from both a federal and state perspective
and discussed how the FNS can more effectively assist states in
the program's administration, including calculating the
improper payment rate and fraudulent reporting by state
agencies. Witnesses were Ann Coffey, Assistant Inspector
General for Investigations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
Office of the Inspector General; Tarren Bragdon, President and
Chief Executive Officer, the Foundation for Government
Accountability; Thomas Roth, Director of Fraud Investigations
Unite, Maine Department of Health and Human Services; and Dr.
Craig Gundersen, Soybean Industry Endowed Professor in
Agricultural Strategy, University of Illinois.
The authorizing statute for SNAP vests discretion with the
Secretary in granting a waiver of the work requirements for
able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) receiving
benefits through SNAP. The regulations implementing this
section states FNS ``will'' approve requests for waivers when
certain information is provided by a state agency requesting a
waiver, wresting away discretion granted to the Secretary by
Congress. The Subcommittee received a briefing on the Food and
Nutrition Service's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
relating to the Secretary's discretion in waiving requirements
for ABAWDs who qualify for SNAP.
Federal Regulation and the Regulatory Process
On September 6, 2017, the Committees on Oversight and
Government Reform and Judiciary requested briefings from 24
federal agencies on the progress of implementing the
President's Executive Orders requiring the establishment of
Regulatory Reform Task Forces for the purpose of recommending
agency rules to be repealed, replaced, or modified to alleviate
unnecessary regulatory burdens. The briefings supplemented the
Committee's three-part hearing series on the Administration's
regulatory reform task forces, discussed in Intergovernmental
Affairs, infra.
On December 8, 2017, and January 11, 2018, the Committee
requested information from 46 federal agencies on their use of
guidance documents over the past 10 years. Agency responses
revealed significant problems with regulatory guidance
practices as well as failure to comply with the Congressional
Review Act and applicable regulatory procedures.
On March 14, 2018, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Shining Light on the Federal Regulatory Process.'' The
hearing examined agency rulemaking and guidance procedures and
practices. The hearing also assessed federal agencies'
processes for and compliance with rulemaking and guidance
procedures requirements and expanded on findings from the
Committee's oversight into agency guidance procedures.
Witnesses were Kris Nguyen, Acting Director, Strategic Issues
Division, Government Accountability Office; Paul Noe, Vice
President of Public Policy, American Forest and Paper
Association; Karen Harned, Executive Director, Small Business
Legal Center, National Federal of Independent Business;
Nicholas Parrillo, Profess of Law, Yale Law School; and Amit
Narang, Regulatory Policy Advocate, Public Citizen.
On March 16, 2018, the Committee issued a staff report
detailing findings from the oversight of federal agencies'
regulatory guidance documents. The report compiles information
received from dozens of agencies and shows both best practices
and problem areas with regulatory guidance practices.
Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service
The Committee continued its oversight of the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) in the 115th Congress and assisted the
U.S. Department of the Treasury in reform efforts to
standardize the IRS rulemaking process in line with other
federal agencies, along with protecting taxpayers' freedom to
associate. Also, the Subcommittee inquired into the IRS's
selection and resolution processes with respect to Applicable
Large Employer compliance with the Employer Shared
Responsibility Provision (ESRP). Finally, the Subcommittee
worked with the IRS to address challenges to its customer
service, information technology, and rehiring processes.
On March 8, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits,
and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on Government
Operations held a hearing titled, ``Examining IRS Customer
Service Challenges.'' The hearing examined the IRS's failure to
efficiently direct available resources to customer service.
Witnesses were the Honorable John Dalrymple, Deputy
Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, IRS; Russell Martin,
Assistant Inspector General, Returns Processing and Account
Services, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration;
and Jessica Lucas-Judy, Acting Director, Strategic Issues, U.S.
Government Accountability Office.
On October 25, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a hearing titled, ``Ongoing
Management Challenges at IRS.'' The hearing discussed a variety
of management issues at the IRS ranging from the rehiring of
problematic employees to outdated information technology.
Witnesses were the Honorable J. Russell George, Treasury
Inspector General for Tax Administration; Gregory Kutz, Deputy
Inspector General for Inspections and Evaluations, Treasury
Inspector General for Tax Administration; Jeffrey Tribiano,
Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support, IRS; and Gina
Garza, Chief Information Officer, IRS.
Under previous Administrations, the IRS asserted the
rulemaking process was interpretive rules or guidances
therefore not subject to various requirements, effectively
exempting the IRS from administrative laws and policies
requiring regulatory accountability and transparency. On
February 20, 2018, the Committee wrote the Assistant Secretary
for Tax Policy, the Honorable David Kautter, at the U.S.
Department of the Treasury requesting information related to
Treasury's 1983 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that was
providing the Department unique legal analysis for the
avoidance of key regulatory process requirements. On April 11,
2018, Treasury issued a new MOA. On April 20, 2018, the
Subcommittee wrote Treasury to reaffirm the implementation of
the new MOA.
On April 17, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a hearing titled, ``Continued
Oversight Over the Internal Revenue Service.'' The hearing
examined several oversight topics at the IRS, including
unjustified bonuses, unusual rulemaking, repeated management
failures of rehiring bad employees, customer service
challenges, and the IRS's capability to implement the ESRP of
the PPACA. Witnesses were the Honorable David Kautter, Acting
Commissioner, IRS; the Honorable J. Russell George, Inspector
General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and
Nin Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, IRS.
The nature of Schedule B information lends itself to misuse
because such sensitive information could be utilized to target
individuals for their political beliefs, just as conservative
organizations were targeted by the IRS under the previous
Administration. For instance, California--albeit
inadvertently--publicly disclosed this sensitive information,
revealing the names and addresses of donors and placing the
individuals who contribute to non-profit organizations at risk
of having their information misused. Because the requirement
that non-profit organizations other than those described in
section 501(c)(3) submit Schedule B information to the IRS is
imposed through regulation, it could be eliminated through a
regulatory action. On June 27, 2018, the Subcommittee wrote the
Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, the Honorable David
Kautter, at the U.S. Department of the Treasury requesting a
briefing on the matter. On July 16, 2018, the Treasury
rescinded the regulations requiring the submission of this
information by non-profit entities.
Additional Oversight Activities Undertaken and Recommendations Made and
Actions Taken Thereon--Challenges to the Freedom of Speech and
First Amendment Issues
To address free speech at the pulpit, the Committee
examined the Johnson Amendment, which is the section of federal
tax law that prohibits churches and other charitable
organizations from engaging in any political campaign on behalf
of, or in opposition to, any candidates for public office.
Although the provision is rarely enforced, Johnson Amendment
violators risk losing their tax-exempt status or facing penalty
excise taxes. It can result in self-censorship by many church
leaders and chills their political speech, even when current
issues intersect with core tenants of their religion. On May 4,
2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on Government
Operations held a hearing titled, ``Examining a Church's Right
to Free Speech.'' The hearing examined the Johnson Amendment's
effect on churches' and other non-profit organizations' freedom
of speech. Witnesses were Tony Perkins, President, Family
Research Council; Catherine Engelbrecht of Cat Spring, Texas;
Christiana Holcomb, Legal Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom;
and Rabbi David Saperstein, former Director and Counsel,
Religious Action Center.
To address free speech on college campuses, the Committee
held a series of hearings on the state of intellectual and
ideological diversity at public universities. On July 27, 2017,
the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative
Rules and the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a
hearing titled, ``Challenges to Freedom of Speech on College
Campuses.'' The hearing identified the harms of infringing on
the right to free speech on college campuses, explored
recommendations on how best to safeguard First Amendment
rights, and to understand college administrators' concerns
about public safety and controversial speakers on campus.
Witnesses were Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II
Professor of Law, New York Law School; Ben Shapiro, Editor-in-
Chief, The Daily Wire; Adam Carolla, Comedian and Filmmaker, No
Safe Spaces Documentary; Dr. Michael Zimmerman, Former Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Evergreen State
College; and Frederick Lawrence, Secretary and CEO, The Phi
Beta Kappa Society, Anti-Defamation League.
On May 22, 2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits,
and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled, ``Challenges
to the Freedom of Speech on College Campuses: Part II.'' The
hearing further explored the current state of free speech
protections on college campuses and examined first-hand
accounts from the perspectives of those at the forefront of the
debate. Members discussed policies and viewpoints that have
enabled suppression of constitutionally protected free speech
at institutions of higher education, including topics like safe
spaces, free speech zones, the heckler's veto, and security
fees. Witnesses were Tyson Langhofer, Senior Counsel and
Director, Center for Academic Freedom, Alliance Defending
Freedom; Bret Weinstein, Professor In-Exile, Evergreen State
College in Washington; Dr. Allison Stanger, Russell J. Leng '60
Professor of International Politics and Economics, Middleburg
College in Vermont; Dr. Shaun Harper, Provost Professor of
Education and Business, Allen Chair in Urban Leadership, USC
Race and Equity Center Executive Director, University of
Southern California; and Dr. Robert P. George, McCormick
Professor of Jurisprudence, Director of the James Madison
Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Princeton
University in New Jersey.
To address freedom of the press, the Committee inquired
into the Federal Government's use of compulsory process on the
press when all other reasonable avenues of obtaining necessary
investigatory information have been foreclosed. On June 21,
2018, the Committee wrote the U.S. Department of Justice for
information on its use of compulsory process and other means of
obtaining documents and testimony from journalists. On July 24,
2018, the Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and
Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental
Affairs held a hearing titled, ``Shielding Sources:
Safeguarding the Public's Right to Know.'' The hearing
discussed H.R. 4382, the Free Flow of Information Act, a shield
law that conditions the federally compelled disclosure of
information by journalists. Witnesses were Lee Levine, Senior
Counsel, Ballad Spahr, LLP; Sharyl Attkisson, Investigative
Correspondent, FullMeasure; and Rick Blum, Policy Director,
Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press.
To address platforms like Twitter and Google deceptively
behaving like publishers, on September 5, 2018, the Committee
wrote the Chief Executive Officer of Twitter Jack Dorsey
inquiring into the limited visibility of certain accounts
associated with several high-profile Republicans and concerns
about the search-related algorithm's apparent bias against
conservatives.
INTERIOR, ENERGY, & ENVIRONMENT
Energy
The Committee continued its oversight of the Department of
Energy in the 115th Congress. On September 26, 2017, the
Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and Environment held a
hearing to highlight the need for a permanent nuclear waste
storage solution. Local officials, academics, and a think tank
expert testified about delays in establishing a permanent
nuclear waste storage facility and the associated costs
associated with such delays.
The Committee also conducted oversight of offshore energy
production. On March 21, 2017, the Subcommittee on the
Interior, Energy and Environment held a hearing on deficiencies
at the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
The hearing featured testimony from GAO and the Acting
Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management at the
Department of the Interior. In May 2017, Committee staff also
traveled to Louisiana and met with BSEE and Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management (BOEM) officials about offshore energy
production.
Environment
In the 115th Congress, the Committee continued its
oversight of systematic mismanagement at the Chemical Safety
and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The Committee sent a
letter to the CSB on May 29, 2018, to obtain documents and
information related to employee morale surveys. As a result of
the letter, the Committee learned CSB employees had serious
concerns about mismanagement at the agency. On August 7, 2018,
the Committee wrote to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly
summarizing the Committee's findings and urging the nomination
of a Chairman to lead the agency.
Additionally, the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and
Environment held a field briefing to highlight Clean Air Act
issues in Wisconsin. A Wisconsin state legislator and several
other communities leaders testified about Sheboygan County's
nonattainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
as a result of upwind pollution from out-of-state sources.
The Subcommittee also focused on oversight of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. On March 6, 2018, the Subcommittee held a
hearing titled, ``Examining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.''
The hearing focused on communication issues between USACE and
communities across the country, as well as possible solutions
to these issues. The hearing featured testimony from the
Director of Civil Works at USACE and representatives from the
Port of Corpus Christi, the Upper Mississippi River Basin
Association, and the Lake Carriers' Association.
Public Lands and Public Land Agencies
On July 24, 2018, the Subcommittee held a hearing to
specifically focus on grazing on public lands. Witnesses,
including the President of the Public Lands Council, a sheep
rancher from Montana, and a law professor, testified about
impediments to grazing on federal lands and identified
opportunities to improve the grazing permitting process.
The Committee also investigated the Forest Service's
decommissioning of roads. On June 26, 2018, the Subcommittee on
the Interior, Energy and Environment held a hearing titled,
``Access to Public Lands: The Effects of Forest Service Road
Closures.'' The hearing featured testimony from a Montana state
representative, an Oregon county commissioner, a former Forest
Service official, and a representative from the off-road
vehicle recreation community. The Subcommittee also sent a
letter to the Forest Service on August 15, 2018, requesting
copies of guidance and policies related to the decommissioning
of roads on Forest Service lands. The Committee received
multiple briefings from the Forest Service on this issue.
The Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy and Environment
held a hearing entitled, ``Restoring Balance to Environmental
Litigation'' on September 27, 2018. The hearing featured
testimony from the Justice Department's Energy and Natural
Resources Division, as well as a law professor, the American
Forest Resource Counsel's General Counsel, and a representative
from the American Farm Bureau. The witnesses discussed
potential reforms to the Equal Access to Justice Act and the
Endangered Species Act, which witnesses at previous
Subcommittee hearings had identified as a major driver of
environmental litigation intended to stymie federal land
management agencies.
At the beginning of the 115th Congress, the Committee
continued its oversight of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) law
enforcement by renewing a request for documents related to BLM
contracts with sheriffs in Utah, BLM law enforcement demands
regarding Burning Man, and communications with and about local
law enforcement officers in Utah and Nevada. On January 30,
2018, the Committee requested additional documents relating to
a senior BLM law enforcement agent. Subsequently, Committee
staff received several briefings on the matter from the Bureau
of Land Management.
Additionally, the Committee focused on improving the
visitor experience to National Parks and reducing the
maintenance backlog. On April 5, 2017, the Subcommittee on the
Interior, Energy and Environment held a hearing titled,
``Improving the Visitor Experience at National Parks.'' The
hearing featured testimony from the Forest Service, the Boat
Owners Association of the United States, and other
stakeholders. The Committee also conducted oversight of the
federal government's new website development and management
contract for the updated Recreation.gov website, a portal for
reservations at National Park Service and Forest Service-
managed facilities across the country. The Forest Service
briefed the Committee multiple times on the details of the new
contract and to provide updates on the transition to the new
contractor and website. Committee staff also traveled to
Montana and Wyoming in October 2018 to discuss maintenance
backlogs and improvements to the visitor experience with
National Park Service officials.
Additional Oversight Activities Undertaken and Recommendations Made and
Actions Taken Thereon
Federal Permitting Oversight
The Committee held multiple hearings and conducted
oversight of federal permitting throughout the 115th Congress.
On March 1, 2017, the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and
Environment and the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs
held a joint hearing titled, ``Examining Environmental Barriers
to Infrastructure Development.'' The purpose of the hearing was
to identify regulations and statutes inhibiting infrastructure
growth, including the environmental review process under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
On March 15, 2018, the Subcommittee on the Interior,
Energy, and Environment held a hearing specifically examining
the effects of permitting delays under NEPA and the Clean Water
Act. Testimony from a local official representing the Marquette
County Road Commission and the CFO of a successful housing
development company discussed how those delays discourage
development and harm local communities.
On July 17, 2018, the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy,
and Environment held an additional hearing specifically focused
on the fragmented regulatory process for permitting energy
development projects on tribal lands--an area GAO also had
included in its most recent high-risk list. Representatives
from three different tribes, as well as a researcher affiliated
with The Harvard Project on Indian Economic Development,
discussed how permitting delays and bureaucratic inefficiencies
make energy development projects on tribal lands more expensive
and time consuming to develop than projects on private or non-
tribal public lands. As a result, tribes often find it
difficult to attract developers and investment that would boost
their economies.
Subcommittee Chairman Gianforte sent a letter to GAO on
August 21, 2018, requesting assistance developing a scorecard
to assess agencies' efforts to implement Executive Order (E.O.)
13807, which directs agencies with permitting authority to
streamline environmental review and permitting processes. On
September 6, 2018, the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy,
and Environment held a joint hearing with the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs evaluating the economic cost of
permitting delays and evaluating how the proposals included in
E.O. 13807 might improve the current permitting landscape. The
hearing is discussed in more detail in Intergovernmental
Affairs, infra.
Federal Disaster Response and Recovery Oversight
The Committee held multiple hearings and conducted
oversight of federal disaster response and recovery programs
throughout the 115th Congress. On April 5, 2017, the Committee
held a hearing titled, ``Oversight of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency's Response to the Baton Rouge Flood Disaster:
Part II,'' to focus on the Federal Emergency Management
Agency's (FEMA) response to the August 2016 Baton Rouge flood.
The hearing exposed mismanagement surrounding FEMA's issuance
and delivery of manufactured housing units (MHUs) and
documented that a federal contractor responsible for the
maintenance of MHUs only responded to 10 percent of maintenance
calls. The Committee heard testimony from Governor John Bel
Edwards of Louisiana; Mr. Robert J. Fenton, Jr., Acting
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency; Rear
Admiral David Boone, U.S. Navy, Retired, President, CB&I
Federal Services, LLC; and Mr. Mark Harrell, Emergency
Coordinator, Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
Committee staff traveled to Louisiana in May 2017 to meet
with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and FEMA officials
who helped lead the federal response. In October 2017, the
Committee held three Member briefings with senior federal
officials following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and sent
staff to Texas to meet with federal agencies and local
officials. These meetings highlighted some of the challenges of
recovery, including communication issues and staff turnover.
The same month, the Committee requested documents relating
to the hurricanes from FEMA, USACE, the Department of Defense,
the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department
of Homeland Security. The Committee received thousands of pages
in documents from FEMA, many of which demonstrated the agency's
concern with public relations and positive press stories rather
than helping victims recover.
The Committee held two subcommittee hearings relating to
specific challenges facing affected U.S. territories. On March
12, 2018, the Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and
Environment held a field hearing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The hearing featured testimony from six federal agencies,
including FEMA and USACE. While in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the
Subcommittee Chairman and Committee staff met with local
leaders and toured damaged areas on St. John. The Subcommittee
on National Security held a hearing titled, ``Bureaucratic
Challenges to Hurricane Recovery in Puerto Rico'' on March 22,
2018. Witnesses from the Department of Energy, FEMA, the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Edison Electric
Institute discussed strategies to help speed up electric grid
recovery in the territory.
On October 24, 2018, the Committee published a staff report
titled, ``Recurring Problems Hinder Federal Disaster Response
and Recovery Efforts.'' The report focused on many of the
recurring problems--including communications failures, lack of
adequate personnel training, expensive and inefficient housing
units, and excessive red tape associated with federal
reimbursements--that detracted from response and recovery
efforts during the August 2016 Baton Rouge flood, as well as
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017.
Additionally, the Committee held a hearing on November 29,
2018, to discuss lessons-learned from these natural disasters.
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
and the Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency
Operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers testified at
the hearing.
Oversight of the DHS Office of Inspector General
The Committee investigated a series of Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG)
reports that called the OIG's independence and impartiality
into question. The Committee requested the full case file for
the most recent Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT)
report on July 17, 2017. Subsequently, the Committee conducted
three transcribed interviews of current or former DHS OIG
staff. The Committee's investigation found OIG staff routinely
referred to these reports as ``feel good reports'' and viewed
them as an opportunity to give FEMA ``credit'' for generally
doing a good job. As a result of the Committee's investigation,
the OIG withdrew the entire series of reports, launched
multiple internal investigations, and implemented a number of
reforms to promote independence and objectivity within the OIG.
The Committee's findings were included in the staff report
released on October 24, 2018, titled ``Recurring Problems
Hinder Federal Disaster Response and Recovery Efforts.''
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
In the 115th Congress, the Committee focused on considering
legislative action on programs with lapsed authorizations. The
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) authorizes
appropriations for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to
evaluate the costs of unfunded mandates on State and local
governments. The authorization lapsed in 2001.
On January 3, 2017, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
introduced H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and
Transparency Act of 2017, which would make several reforms to
UMRA based on prior Committee oversight and recommendations in
Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports.
The Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a
hearing on April 26, 2017, titled ``Unfunded Mandates:
Examining Federally-Imposed Burdens on State and Local
Government,'' during which State and local officials testified
about how unfunded mandates affected their communities. Mr.
Wayne Niederhauser, President of the Utah State Senate,
expressed support for H.R. 50 because it ``addresses UMRA's
narrow coverage, exemptions, and loopholes,'' and Mr. Gary
Moore, Judge/Executive of Boone County, Kentucky, highlighted
H.R. 50's transparency provisions.
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform considered
H.R. 50 at a business meeting on March 15, 2018. Representative
Foxx offered an amendment to her bill which would reauthorize
appropriations for CBO to conduct UMRA evaluations. The
amendment was agreed to and the bill was ordered favorably
reported, as amended. H.R. 50 passed the House on July 13,
2018. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs ordered the bill favorably reported on
September 26, 2018.
Federal Regulation and the Regulatory Process
The Committee's oversight activities of the federal
regulatory process in the 115th Congress involved several
hearings, roundtables, and briefings. The Committee has worked
on a number of bills and bipartisan and bicameral efforts to
advance comprehensive regulatory reform this Congress.
On September 6, 2017, the Committees on Oversight and
Government Reform and Judiciary sent a letter to 24 federal
agencies requesting briefings on the progress of implementing
the President's E.O. 13777, the ``Presidential Executive Order
on Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,'' discussed in
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules, supra.
On October 24, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Government Operations held a joint hearing titled, ``Regulatory
Reform Task Forces Check-In.'' The hearing was the first of the
Committee's three-part hearing series on Regulatory Reform Task
Forces. The witnesses for the hearing were Mr. James Owens,
Acting General Counsel, Department of Transportation; Ms. Joo
Chung, Director of the Oversight and Compliance Directorate,
Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer, Department of
Defense; Mr. Giancarlo Brizzi, Principal Deputy Associate
Administrator, Office of Government-Wide Policy, General
Services Administration; Mr. Clyde ``Wayne'' Crews, Vice
President for Policy, Competitive Enterprise Institute; Ms.
Diane Katz, Senior Research Fellow for Regulatory Policy, the
Heritage Foundation; Mr. Jitinder Kohli, Managing Director,
Deloitte Consulting; and Mr. James Goodwin, Senior Policy
Analyst, Center for Progressive Reform.
On November 14, 2017, the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs held a joint hearing titled,
``Regulatory Reform Task Forces Check-In: Part II.'' Testimony
focused on efforts to implement the Administration's recent
Executive Orders. The hearing revealed the Regulatory Reform
Task Forces are achieving substantial progress in regulatory
cleanup efforts. The witnesses for the hearing were Ms.
Rebeckah Adcock, Senior Adviser, Office of the Secretary,
Department of Agriculture; Mr. Robert Eitel, Senior Counselor,
Office of the Secretary, Department of Education; and Mr.
Charles Keckler, Associate Deputy Secretary, Office of the
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
On November 29, 2017, the Committee held a joint hearing
titled, ``Regulatory Reform Task Forces Check-In: Part III.''
The hearing was the final in the three-part hearing series on
the Trump Administration's Regulatory Reform Task Forces. The
witnesses for the hearing were the Honorable David Bernhardt,
Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior; Ms. Brittany
Bolen, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Policy,
Environmental Protection Agency; and Mr. Daniel Simmons,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.
On November 30, 2017 the Committee considered H.R. 2623,
titled ``Lessening Regulatory Costs and Establishing a Federal
Regulatory Budget Act of 2017,'' which would codify the best
practices of the President's Executive Order. H.R. 2623 was
introduced by Rep. Meadows on May 24, 2017. The bill was
ordered favorably reported to the House by a vote of 23 to 17.
On September 27, 2018, the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs and the Subcommittee on Healthcare,
Benefits, and Administrative Rules held a joint hearing titled,
``The Benefits of a Deregulatory Agenda: Examples from
Pioneering Governments.'' The hearing examined benefits
achieved by countries such as Australia and Canada, and the
State of Kentucky. The witnesses included Mr. Scott Brinkman,
Secretary of the Executive Cabinet, Commonwealth of Kentucky;
Ms. Laura Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic
Officer, Canadian Federation of Independent Business; Mr. Matt
Vickers, Product Sales Engineer, New Markets, Xero; and Mr.
Amit Narang, Regulatory Policy Advocate, Public Citizen.
Impacts of NAAQS
On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, at the University of Wisconsin,
Sheboygan, the Subcommittees on the Interior, Energy, and
Environment and Intergovernmental Affairs held a field briefing
titled, ``Examining the Impacts of Proposed NAAQS on the
Sheboygan, Wisconsin Area.'' This briefing examined the
region's continued designation as an ozone non-attainment zone
under the Clean Air Act. Participants in the briefing included:
Steve Steinpreis, Director of Technical Services for Plymouth
Foam, Inc.; Rick Esenberg, President of Wisconsin Institute for
Law & Liberty; Lucas Vebber, General Counsel for Wisconsin
Manufacturers & Commerce; Jane Brill, Marketing & Program
Director for Sheboygan County Chamber; and Tyler Vorpagel,
Wisconsin State Representative.
Electronic Medical Records Regulations
The Committee examined the continued use of a burdensome
and unauthorized regulatory guidance document and a regulation
issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The regulation requires hospitals to pay for the production of
medical records requested by commercial third parties. On
December 20, 2017, the Committee sent a letter to HHS
requesting documents and supporting information pertaining to
the development of the policies. Committee staff followed up
with briefings with HHS staff and staff from the Office of
Management and Budget to develop a better understanding of how
the regulation fit within the Administration's regulatory
policy.
Cybersecurity regulations
On October 13, 2017, the Committee sent a letter to the
Comptroller General of the United States, Gene L. Dodaro,
requesting the Government Accountability Office to examine the
extent and impact of federal information security and privacy
requirements on State programs.
The Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a
hearing on July 18, 2018, titled ``Regulatory Divergence:
Failure of the Administrative State.'' The hearing examined
challenges posed by divergent regulatory schemes and
highlighted opportunities to sync up regulations with enhanced
cooperation between the federal government, States, and private
industry stakeholders. To supplement the hearing, the
Subcommittee requested and received examples from six State
Chief Information Officers. The witnesses included Mr. James
``Bo'' Reese, President, National Association of State Chief
Information Officers, Office of Management and Enterprise
Services, State of Oklahoma; Mr. Christopher Feeney, Executive
Vice President, Bank Policy Institute; Mr. John Riggi, Senior
Advisor, Cybersecurity and Risk, American Hospital Association;
Mr. Oliver Sherouse, Policy Analytics Lead, Program for
Economic Research and Regulation, Mercatus Center; and Mr.
Robert Weissman, President, Public Citizen.
Settlement Agreements
The Committee held two joint hearings on the impact of
certain settlement agreements and consent decrees on State and
local governments. On May 24, 2017, the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs and the Subcommittee on the Interior,
Energy, and Environment held a joint hearing titled,
``Examining `Sue and Settle' Agreements: Part I.'' The hearing
examined the impact of environmental advocacy group lawsuits on
businesses and landowners. The Subcommittees heard testimony
from Mr. William Kovacs, Senior Vice President, Environment,
Technology and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce;
Ms. Darcy Helmick, Simplot Livestock Co. of Grand View, Idaho;
Mr. Kent Holsinger, Holsinger Law, LLC of Denver, Colorado; and
Mr. Justin Pidot, Environmental and Natural Resources Law of
Denver, Colorado.
The Committee held the second joint hearing on July 25,
2017, titled, ``Examining Sue and Settle' Agreements: Part
II.'' The Subcommittees heard testimony from the following
witnesses: Mr. John Engler, Former Governor, State of Michigan;
Mr. Carl E. Geffken, City Administrator, Fort Smith, Arkansas;
Dr. David Sanders, Executive Vice-President of Systems
Improvement, Casey Family Programs; and Mr. Robert Weismann,
President, Public Citizen.
To address some of the concerns identified through the
hearings, Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) introduced H.R.
6777, the Settlement Agreement Information Database Act of
2018, on September 12, 2018. The legislation would create a
database of consent decrees and settlement agreements across
federal agencies, which will create transparency into the
ongoing practice of mandating policies through one-off long
standing agreements. The Committee considered H.R. 6777 at a
business meeting on September 27, 2018, and ordered the bill
favorably reported to the House by unanimous consent. On
November 29, 2018, H.R. 6777 was agreed to under suspension of
the rules of the House.
Permitting and Infrastructure
On March 1, 2017, the Subcommittees on Intergovernmental
Affairs and on the Interior, Energy, and Environment held a
hearing titled, ``Examining Environmental Barriers to
Infrastructure Development.'' The hearing explored examples of
regulations and statutes that have inhibited infrastructure
growth in the United States and examined ways the Congress
could improve the quality of American infrastructure. The
Subcommittees received witness testimony from Mr. Richie Beyer,
County Engineer, Elmore County, Alabama; Mr. Wayne D'Angelo,
Counsel for the Steel Manufacturers Association, Kelley, Drye,
and Warren, LLP; and Mr. Nicholas Loris, Herbert and Joyce
Morgan Research Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy
Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity, The Heritage
Foundation.
On May 17, 2017, the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental
Affairs held a roundtable titled, ``Red-tape Roundtable:
Infrastructure.'' Building on the March hearing, the roundtable
provided a forum for representatives from State and local
governments to share their stories regarding federal regulatory
challenges to infrastructure development. Participants in the
roundtable offered insights into parts of the permitting
process that are failing, recommendations for improving the
federal permitting and review process, and discussed the role
of the State and local governments.
On September 6, 2018, the Subcommittees on
Intergovernmental Affairs and the Interior, Energy, and
Environment held a hearing titled, ``Permitting: Finding a Path
Forward.'' The hearing looked at the economic costs of delays
and inefficiencies in the federal environmental review. The
Subcommittees heard testimony from Mr. Daren Bakst, Senior
Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; Mr. Philip K. Howard,
Founder and Chair, Common Good; Mr. Frank Rusco, Director,
Natural Resources and Environment Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; and Ms. Christy Goldfuss, Senior Vice
President, Energy and Environment Policy, Center for American
Progress.
State and Local Affairs
Unfunded Mandates
The Committee explored the deterioration in relations
between the Federal Government, the States, and local
governments. On December 16, 2016, prior to the close of the
114th Congress, then-Chairman Jason Chaffetz sent letters to
officials in all 50 States and the territories, seeking
information regarding specific unfunded mandates imposed on
their State and the cost estimates or compliance challenges
that these mandates have on the State. The Committee received
responses from 25 State and local governmental entities with
hundreds of examples of burdensome unfunded mandates. The
responses demonstrated the expensive and extensive impact
federal regulations have on State and local governments.
The Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a
hearing on April 26, 2017 titled, ``Unfunded Mandates:
Examining Federally-Imposed Burdens on State and Local
Governments.'' The Subcommittee heard testimony from several
State and local officials about how the unfunded mandates
affected their communities. Witnesses included the following:
Mr. Wayne Niederhauser, President, Utah State Senate; Mr. Jim
Davis, Senator, North Carolina State Senate; Mr. Gary Moore,
Judge/Executive, Boone County, Kentucky; Mr. Jermaine Reed,
Councilman, City of Kansas City, Missouri; and Mr. Jeff McKay,
Supervisor, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Alexandria,
Virginia. The witnesses highlighted specific examples of how
unfunded federal mandates limit budgetary flexibility and
impact their business communities. They provided suggestions as
to how federal objectives can continue to be advanced without
burdening States and local governments.
Federalism
During the 115th Congress, the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs worked to establish effective
relationships with key intergovernmental partners. Throughout
the Congress, the Subcommittee reached out to and coordinated
with the Speaker's Task Force on Intergovernmental Affairs,
chaired by Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT). The Subcommittee
also regularly communicated with and coordinated with major
intergovernmental State and local organizations, commonly
referred to as the Big Seven, in addition to many other
organizations like the Western Governors Association, the
National Association of State Chief Information Officers, and
many others. Regular communication and consultation assisted
the subcommittee in its work across many issue areas, including
cybersecurity of State elections, legislative initiatives,
unfunded mandates oversight, permitting and infrastructure
policies, and regulatory reform.
On February 27, 2018, the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform held a hearing titled, ``Federalism
Implications of Treating States as Stakeholders.'' The hearing
was held in collaboration with the Speaker's Task Force on
Intergovernmental Affairs. Three governors testified at the
hearing: the Honorable Gary Richard Herbert, Governor of Utah;
the Honorable Susanna Martinez, Governor of New Mexico; and the
Honorable Clement Leroy ``Butch'' Otter, Governor of Idaho.
During the hearing, the governors shared concerns about
critical shortfalls where existing federal practices were not
meeting the States' role as partners. The hearing also examined
the critical role of States in the federal decision-making
process and explored how federal agencies engage with states.
Fiscal Pressures
State and local governments face fiscal challenges related
to national disasters, unfunded federal mandates, underfunded
pensions, and increasing health care costs. On November 5,
2018, Chairman Gowdy and Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
Chairman Palmer wrote to GAO requesting an evaluation of fiscal
pressures on State and local governments.
GSAXcess
The General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible
for disposing and distributing excess federal property through
the GSAXcess program, which is designed to reallocate excess
federal resources to State or local agencies. On January 11,
2018, Chairwoman Virginia Foxx of the Committee on Education
and the Workforce and Chairman Trey Gowdy of the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform requested the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) evaluate the program for potential
favoritism to ineligible parties and the impact that
inappropriate allocation has made on State and local agencies.
Federal Financial Management
The Committee is responsible for oversight of agency
compliance with federal improper payment laws. The Subcommittee
on Intergovernmental Affairs focused oversight efforts on
improper payments in State administered programs and programs
with significant impacts on State and local governments.
Hearings on this topic included:
On May 25, 2017, the Subcommittees on
Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs
held a joint hearing to examine the Department of
Education's progress towards estimating improper
payments titled, ``Improper Payments in the Federal
Government: Student Aid,'' discussed supra.
On April 12, 2018, the Subcommittee on
Government Operations and the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled,
``Improper Payments in State-Administered Programs:
Medicaid,'' discussed supra.
On May 9, 2018, the Subcommittee on
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules and the
Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a joint
hearing titled, ``Program Integrity for the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,'' discussed
supra.
On September 26, 2018, the Subcommittee on
Intergovernmental Affairs and the Subcommittee on
Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules held a
joint hearing titled ``Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Fraud,'' discussed supra.
Grant Reform
The Committee continued to examine the efficiency and
transparency of agency grantmaking processes. This work built
upon efforts by the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform in the 114th Congress to identify mismanagement of funds
across grantmaking agencies. On July 25, 2018, the Subcommittee
on Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled, ``Federal
Grant Management.'' The hearing examined opportunities to
modernize the federal grantmaking process. The Subcommittee
heard testimony from Mr. Hudson Hollister, Executive Director,
Data Coalition; Ms. Michelle Sager, Director, Strategic Issues,
Government Accountability Office; Ms. Andrea L. Brandon, Deputy
Assistant Secretary, Office of Grants and Acquisition Policy
and Accountability, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; Mr. Peter Tyler, Senior Policy Advisor, Project on
Government Oversight; and Ms. Natalie Keegan, Analyst, American
Federalism and Emergency Management, Congressional Research
Service.
Cybersecurity--Cybersecurity of U.S. Elections
In the 115th Congress, the Committee examined cybersecurity
vulnerabilities within the American electoral system. On
November 29, 2017, the Subcommittees on Information Technology
and Intergovernmental Affairs held a hearing titled
``Cybersecurity of Voting Machines.'' This hearing is discussed
further in Information Technology, supra. The Committee also
held a hearing on July 24, 2018, titled ``Cyber-Securing the
Vote: Ensuring the Integrity of the U.S. Election System.'' The
hearing is discussed in more detail in Information Technology,
supra.
Homeland Security--Disaster Response
The Committee conducted oversight of mismanagement within
the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster
response processes and procedures. In the 114th Congress, the
Committee held a hearing on recovery efforts following the
August 2016 Baton Rouge flood disaster.
The Committee followed up these efforts with a hearing on
April 5, 2017, titled, ``Oversight of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency's Response to the Baton Rouge Flood Disaster:
Part II,'' discussed in Interior, Energy, and Environment,
supra.
Pay Cap Violation oversight: The Committee learned FEMA
made nearly $1 million in overpayments to personnel in 2017, in
violation of the statutory annual premium pay cap.
Subsequently, the Committee learned FEMA also made unauthorized
overpayments in 2016. DHS confirmed on January 19 other DHS
components also made overpayments. The Committee sent a letter
to the Department on January 29 regarding violations of the
statutory annual premium pay cap at the Department and FEMA.
DHS OIG documents received as part of a separate matter
indicate (1) DHS and FEMA have been shirking its responsibility
to manage personnel in accordance with the pay cap for years,
and (2) the OIG knew about the problem and failed to report on
it.
DHS OIG Audit oversight: In June, the DHS OIG released
report on FEMA's response to the August 2016 Baton Rouge flood
containing unfounded and inaccurate characterizations and
conclusions, which the Committee raised with the OIG. The OIG
subsequently withdrew the report. Documents produced in the
Committee's investigation of the incident indicated the report
was intentionally written as a ``feel good'' report for FEMA,
and there may have been other instances where the OIG placed
the Department's interests over unbiased and factual reporting.
See Interior, Energy, & Environment, supra, for further
information.
Canines
The Committee examined the use of canines as part of the
government's national security infrastructure and the increased
use of canines by agencies. On October 3, 2017, the
Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a joint hearing
with the Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Transportation and Protective Security, titled, ``Innovations
in Security: Examining the Use of Canines.'' The Subcommittees
heard testimony from Ms. Sheila Goffe, Vice President for
Government Relations, American Kennel Club; Lieutenant Scott
Smith, Orlando Police Department, Orlando, Florida; and Dr.
Cynthia M. Otto, Director, Penn Vet Working Dog Center, School
of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. The hearing
explored problems related to a dwindling supply of canines in
the United States with a simultaneous increase in demand,
resulting in increased prices and a shortage of working dogs
for law enforcement and security agencies.
Troubled Asset Relief Program
The Committee continued to conduct oversight of fraud and
waste within the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief
Program (TARP). In August 2017, the Special Inspector General
for TARP, Ms. Christy Goldsmith-Romero, issued a report
detailing that Treasury had not conducted effective oversight
of State management of the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF), leading to
approximately $3 million in improper or wasteful TARP
expenditures. On April 24, 2018, the Chairmen of the
Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations
Subcommittees, Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) and Rep. Mark Meadows
(R-NC), sent a letter to Mr. Lorenzo Rasetti, Chief Financial
Officer, Office of Financial Stability, U.S. Department of the
Treasury, requesting documents and information relating to the
Department's review and determination on administrative costs
questioned by SIGTARP following the issuance of a report on
August 25, 2017. The Committee received the requested documents
on May 8, 2018.
On May 22, 2018, the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental
Affairs and the Subcommittee on Government Operations held a
joint hearing titled, ``Ten Years of TARP: Examining the
Hardest Hit Fund.'' The hearing marked the ten-year anniversary
of TARP and focused on the Hardest Hit Fund's (HHF) foreclosure
mitigation performance record. The Subcommittees received
testimony from Ms. Christy Goldsmith-Romero, Special Inspector
General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, U.S. Department
of the Treasury; Mr. Kipp Kranbuhl, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Small Business, Community Development and Affordable
Housing Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial
Institutions, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Ms. Verise
Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Nevada Affordable Housing
Assistance Corporation; Ms. Cathy James, Business Development
Manager, Alabama Housing Finance Authority; and Mr. Scott
Farmer, Executive Director, North Carolina Housing Finance
Agency.
Housing
The Committee investigated Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) mismanagement within the Alexander County Housing
Authority (ACHA). On June 22, 2017, Chairman Palmer,
Congressman Mike Bost (R-IL), and the House Committee on
Financial Services sent a joint letter to HUD Secretary Ben
Carson requesting copies of audits, inspections, and related
documents regarding the poor condition of public housing units
managed by the Alexander County Housing Authority. The
Committee received thousands of pages of documents ranging from
1998 to 2017, which revealed that HUD properties in Cairo,
Illinois had deteriorated beyond rehabilitation over the course
of several decades. Committee staff continue to coordinate with
the HUD Inspector General, which issued an evaluation of the
program in the summer of 2018.
Summary of Additional Oversight Activities Undertaken, and
Recommendations Made and Actions Taken Thereon
Challenges to Free Speech and the First Amendment
The Committee explored troubling trends on college campus
regarding freedom of speech including two hearings held jointly
by the Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Affairs and the
Subcommittee on Healthcare, Benefits, and Administrative Rules:
a hearing on July 27, 2017, titled, ``Challenges to Freedom of
Speech on College Campuses'' and a hearing on May 22, 2018,
titled, ``Challenges to the Freedom of Speech on College
Campuses: Part II,'' both discussed in Healthcare, Benefits,
and Administrative Rules, supra.
Evidence-Based Policymaking
On September 26, 2017, the Committee held a hearing titled,
``Recommendations of the Commission on Evidence-Based
Policymaking.'' The hearing examined recommendations that
Congress could use to improve access to data, protect privacy
and confidentiality, and facilitate the creation of evidence-
based policies. The witnesses included Dr. Katharine G.
Abraham, Chair of the Commission on Evidence-Based
Policymaking; Dr. Ron Haskins, Co-Chair of the Commission on
Evidence-Based Policymaking; Mr. Robert Shea, Commissioner,
Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking; and Dr. Latanya
Sweeney, Commissioner, Commission on Evidence-Based
Policymaking.
On October 31, 2017, Speaker Paul Ryan introduced H.R.
4174, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of
2017. H.R. 4174 codified several of the recommendations from
the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission. On November 2,
2017, the Committee ordered the bill favorably reported by
voice vote and on November 15, 2017, H.R. 4174 was agreed to
under suspension of the rules in the House.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
IT Acquisition Oversight and Reform
During the 115th Congress, the Committee continued to focus
on Information Technology (IT) acquisition and specifically
implementation of the Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA). The Government Operations and
Information Technology Subcommittees also did extensive
oversight of federal acquisition of IT and related joint
hearings, discussed supra.
Cybersecurity
The Committee prioritized oversight of the cybersecurity of
federal agencies in the 115th Congress.
On April 4, 2017, the IT Subcommittee held a hearing titled
``Reviewing Federal IT Workforce Challenges and Possible
Solutions.'' The hearing examined the development, recruitment,
and retention of the federal government's IT and cybersecurity
workforce. Possible solutions explored included changes in
hiring and compensation policies as well as a rotational
private-government workforce. Members heard testimony from
Steven Cooper, Former Chief Information Officer, U.S.
Department of Commerce; Elizabeth Hyman, Executive Vice
President, Public Advocacy, CompTIA; Lisa Depew, Head of
Industry and Academic Outreach, Intel; Dan Waddell, Managing
Director, (ISC)2; Nick Marinos, Assistant Director, Information
Technology, Government Accountability Office; Debora Plunkett,
Board Member, Strategic Advisory Board, International
Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals.
The IT Subcommittee held a hearing titled ``Cybersecurity
of the Internet of Things'' on October 3, 2017. The hearing
examined the use of devices that comprise the Internet of
Things (IoT) and their current and potential uses in federal
government. The Committee heard testimony from Matthew J.
Eggers, Executive Director of Cybersecurity Policy, U.S Chamber
of Commerce; Josh Corman, Director of Cyber Statecraft
Initiative, Atlantic Council; Tommy Ross, Senior Director of
Policy, Software Alliance; and Ray O'Farrell, CTI, VMWare.
On November 29, 2017, the Subcommittees on Information
Technology and Intergovernmental Affairs held a joint hearing
titled, ``Cybersecurity of Voting Machines.'' The hearing
assessed the current state of cybersecurity regarding vote
tabulation machines and identified actions that the States, the
Trump Administration, and Congress can take to ensure that
voting machines were secure prior to the 2018 midterm
elections. The following individuals testified: Christopher C.
Krebs, Acting Under Secretary, National Protection and Program
Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security; Tom
Schedler, Louisiana Secretary of State; Edgardo Cortes,
Commissioner, Virginia Department of Elections; Dr. Matthew
Blaze, Associate Professor, Computer and Information Science,
University of Pennsylvania; and Susan Klein Hennessey, Fellow
in National Security Law, Governance Studies at the Brookings
Institution. The witnesses testified on the efforts of foreign
states to hack into voting databases and voting machines, the
creation of a federal election security council to enhance
coordination between federal agencies and State and local
election officials, and the future risks posed to the electoral
system.
On December 7, 2017, the Subcommittee on Information
Technology held a hearing titled, ``Oversight of IT and
Cybersecurity at the Department of Veterans Affairs.'' The
Subcommittee heard testimony from Mr. Scott Blackburn, Acting
Chief Information Officer, Department of Veteran Affairs;
Dominic Cussatt, Chief Information Security Officer, Department
of Veteran Affairs; David A. Powner, Director, IT Management
Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office. The hearing
examined the Department of Veterans Affairs information
technology systems, including Federal Information Technology
Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) performance, development of the
Electronic Health Record system, and efforts to modernize its
Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture
(VistA).
On March 14, 2018, the Subcommittees on Information
Technology and Government Operations held a joint hearing
titled, ``State of Play: Federal IT in 2018.'' The hearing
reviewed the state of federal information technology in 2018,
including government-wide plans for information technology (IT)
modernization and cybersecurity. The witnesses were David
Powner, Director of IT Management Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director for
Management, Office of Management and Budget; Bill Zielinski,
Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the IT Category, General
Services Administration; Jeanette Manfra, Assistant Secretary
for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, Department
of Homeland Security.
On March 20, 2018, the Subcommittee on Information
Technology and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection
Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee held a
joint hearing titled, ``CDM: Government Perspectives on
Security and Modernization.'' The hearing examined the status
of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Continuous
Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program rollout at specific
agencies. CIOs from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management,
U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, and Kevin Cox, CDM Program Manager, Department of
Homeland Security, testified before the Subcommittees.
On July 24, 2018, the Committee held a hearing titled
``Cyber-securing the Vote: Ensuring the Integrity of the U.S.
Election System.'' The hearing built on the November 29, 2017,
Subcommittee on Information Technology and Intergovernmental
Affairs joint hearing ``Cybersecurity of Voting Machines,'' and
examined the status of $380 million in grant funds that
Congress appropriated in March 2018 for State election security
expenses. Members heard testimony from Christopher Krebs, Under
Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, U.S.
Department of Homeland Security; Thomas Hicks, Commissioner,
U.S. Election Assistance Commission; Maggie Toulouse Oliver,
Secretary of State, New Mexico; and Ricky Hatch, County
Auditor, Weber County, Utah.
On July 25, 2018, the Subcommittees on Information
Technology and Government Operations held a joint hearing
titled, ``GAO High Risk Focus: Cybersecurity,'' discussed in
Governmental Operations, supra.
Emerging Technologies
The Committee prioritized examining the emerging technology
of artificial intelligence in the 115th Congress. The IT
Subcommittee held a series of hearings to increase
understanding of artificial intelligence. At the conclusion of
the hearings, Information Technology Subcommittee Chairman Will
Hurd and Ranking Member Robin Kelly released a white paper
titled ``Rise of the Machines: Artificial Intelligence and its
Growing Impact on U.S. Policy.'' The paper presents lessons
learned from the Subcommittee's oversight and hearings on AI
and sets forth key recommendations for moving forward. While
the Subcommittee's work examined a number of challenges facing
AI, the paper specifically focuses on four issue areas, and
provides concrete recommendations for addressing each. The
areas are workforce, privacy, biases, and malicious use of AI.
The hearings discussed above were as follows:
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence
Part I,'' on February 14, 2018 with Dr. Amir
Khosrowshahi, Vice President and Chief Technology
Officer, Artificial Intelligence Products Group, Intel;
Dr. Charles Isbell, Senior Associate Dean, College of
Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology; Dr. Oren
Etzioni, Chief Executive Officer, Allen Institute for
Artificial Intelligence; and Dr. Ian Buck, Vice
President and General Manager, Tesla Data Center
Business, NVIDIA. This hearing provided an overview of
the technology and examined development, uses, barriers
to adoption and potential challenges and advantages of
government use of artificial intelligence.
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence
Part II, Artificial Intelligence and the Federal
Government,'' on March 7, 2018 with Mr. John O.
Everett, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Information Innovation
Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, U.S.
Department of Defense; Keith Nakasone, Deputy Assistant
Commissioner, Information Technology Category
Acquisition Management, U.S. General Services
Administration; Mr. James F. Kurose, Ph.D., Assistant
Director, Computer Science and Information Science and
Engineering, National Science Foundation; and Mr.
Douglas Maughan, Ph.D., Division Director,
Cybersecurity Division, Homeland Security Advanced
Research Project Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. This hearing focused on the federal
government's engagement of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
and how government agencies can adopt AI to make
citizen services more effective and efficient.
``Game Changers: Artificial Intelligence
Part III, Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy,''
on April 18, 2018 with Gary Shapiro, President,
Consumer Technology Association; Jack Clark, Director,
OpenAI; Terah Lyons, Executive Director, Partnership on
AI; and Ben Buchanan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cyber
Security Project, Science, Technology, and Public
Policy Program, Belfer Center for Science and
International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. The
hearing examined the merits and costs of the government
role in potential solutions to challenges including
bias, ethics, global competitiveness, privacy and
transparency.
``Countering China: Ensuring America Remains
the World Leader in Advanced Technologies and
Innovation,'' on September 26, 2018. The hearing
focused on Chinese efforts to gain knowledge and skill
through legal and illegal means in emerging
technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum
computing, and 5G. Members of the Subcommittee heard
testimony on the effects Chinese trade practices have
on American companies working to enter Chinese markets
and discussed how to protect American economic and
security interests. The witnesses were John Neuffer,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Semiconductor
Industry Association; Robert Atkinson, Ph.D.,
President, Information Technology and Innovation
Foundation; Dean Cheng, Senior Research Fellow, Asian
Studies Center, The Heritage Foundation; and Sarah
Cook, Senior Research Analyst, Freedom House.
Privacy
The Committee held hearings focused on privacy in the
digital age. On March 22, 2017, the Committee held a hearing
titled ``Law Enforcement's Use of Facial Recognition
Technology.'' The hearing reviewed the current state of facial
recognition technology (FRT), the FBI's use of FRT and the
various uses, benefits, and challenges associated with FRT. The
hearing explored privacy concerns surrounding FRT, including
the FBI's failure to comply with the Privacy Act when
developing and deploying FRT on its photo database. The hearing
also explored the FBI's use of FRT on state driver's license
databases. The witnesses were Kimberly Del Greco, Deputy
Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Information Services
Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Diana Maurer,
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, U.S. Government
Accountability Office; Charles Romine, Ph.D., Director,
Information Technology Lab, National Institute of Standards and
Technology; Alvaro Bedoya, Executive Director, Center on
Privacy and Technology, Georgetown Law; Benji Hutchinson,
Senior Director, NEC Corporation of America On Behalf of The
International Biometrics + Identity Association; and Jennifer
Lynch, Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation.
On May 23, 2017, the IT Subcommittee joined with the House
Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security to hold a joint
hearing titled ``Protecting Americans Identities: Examining
Efforts to Limit the Use of Social Security Numbers.'' The
hearing examined federal agencies' efforts to reduce their use
of Social Security Numbers. The hearing explored the effects
modernization of technology can have on agencies' ability to
reduce their use, storage and transmission of Social Security
Numbers. The hearing also examined the potential to develop
unique federal identifiers that facilitate secure online
transactions. The witnesses were Gregory C. Wilshusen,
Director, Information Security Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Marianna LaCanfora, Acting Deputy
Commissioner, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy,
Social Security Administration; David DeVries, Chief
Information Officer, Office of Personnel Management; Karen
Jackson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services; and John Oswalt, Executive Director for
Privacy, Office of Information and Technology, Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Additional Oversight Activities Undertaken and Recommendations Made and
Actions Taken Thereon
The Subcommittee on Information Technology held a hearing
on October 24, 2017, titled ``Oversight of Federal Political
Advertisement Laws and Regulations.'' The hearing examined the
different regulations and laws that govern political
advertisement disclaimers and disclosures. The hearing also
highlighted the importance of free speech and First Amendment
implications of attempting to regulate political speech.
Members heard testimony and posed questions to the following
witnesses: Allen Dickerson, Legal Director, Center for
Competitive Politics; David Chavern, President and Chief
Executive Officer, News Media Alliance; Jack N. Goodman, Owner,
Law Offices of Jack N. Goodman; Randall Rothenberg, President
and Chief Executive Officer, Interactive Advertising Bureau;
and Ian Vandewalker, Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for
Justice, Democracy Program.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Federal Law Enforcement
Decisions Made and Not Made by the Department of Justice
and Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016 and
2017
On October 24, 2017, the Committees on Judiciary and
Oversight launched a joint investigation into Department of
Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
decision-making in the context of 2016 Presidential election.
The Committees interviewed DOJ and FBI personnel, held
hearings, and reviewed thousands of documents related to
potential irregularities related to the FBI investigations of
former Secretary Hillary Clinton's private email server and
presidential candidate Donald J. Trump's campaign associates.
On December 19, 2017, and April 16, 2018, Chairmen
Goodlatte and Gowdy sent letters to DOJ requesting key
witnesses be made available for interviews. The Committees
interviewed 18 individuals, including: former Attorney General
Loretta Lynch, former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI
Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI chief of staff James
Rybicki, FBI assistant director for Counterintelligence
Division Bill Priestap, former FBI executive assistant of the
National Security Branch John Giacalone, former FBI deputy
assistant director Peter Strzok, former FBI assistant general
counsel Lisa Page, DOJ deputy assistant attorney general George
Toscas, FBI deputy assistant director Jonathan Moffa, former
associate deputy attorney general Bruce Ohr, former FBI
principal deputy general counsel Trisha Anderson, assistant
director in charge of FBI New York field office Bill Sweeney,
former FBI General Counsel James Baker, Fusion GPS chief
executive Glenn Simpson, former Fusion GPS contractor Nellie
Ohr, FBI office of general counsel unit chief Sally Moyer, and
former Donald J. Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos.
The Committees reviewed unclassified and classified
documents as part of their joint investigation, including over
60,000 documents and approximately 40,000 text messages of FBI
personnel. DOJ produced to the Committees 27,155 unclassified
documents and a large quantity of classified documents.
Separate from the Committees' investigation, on June 14,
2018 the Inspector General for the Department of Justice,
Michael Horowitz, published his review of FBI and DOJ actions
in advance of the 2016 Presidential Election. Horowitz appeared
before both Committees in a joint public hearing on June 19,
2018, to testify to his findings. On July 12, 2018, former FBI
agent Peter Strzok testified to both Committees at a joint
public hearing after concerns over his potentially political
biased text messages were discovered despite his involvement
investigating matters related to both presidential candidates.
Operation Fast & Furious
The Committee has been investigating the Department of
Justice's fundamentally flawed gun trafficking investigation
since February 2011. Operation Fast and Furious relied on the
tactic of ``gunwalking,'' where ATF agents abandoned
surveillance on known straw purchasers who were obtaining
weapons on behalf of Mexican drug cartels. Fast and Furious
allowed roughly 2,000 firearms to walk. Only a fraction of
those guns have been recovered. This reckless operation finally
came to an end after the death of U.S. Border Agent Brian
Terry. In 2012, the Committee issued a subpoena to then-
Attorney General Eric Holder. On June 20, 2012, the Committee
voted to refer Attorney General Holder to the full House for a
contempt vote for failing to provide documents to Congress
responsive to the subpoena. On June 28, 2012, the full House in
a bipartisan vote held Attorney General Holder in civil and
criminal contempt. The House filed suit in U.S. District Court
in Washington, D.C. in August 2012, and litigated the matter
through 2016, when the Judge found in favor of the Committee.
The Court's reasoning, however, relied on the proposition that
expanded the Executive's ability to invoke executive privilege
for materials created at a department or agency. The Committee
has appealed this decision to the United States Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. On January 13,
2017, after the election of 2016, which ushered in Republican
control of the Executive Branch, the Committee and the Justice
Department filed a motion with the court to hold the appeal in
abeyance pending settlement. On March 7, 2018, after reaching a
tentative settlement, the parties filed a motion in United
States District Court for an indicative ruling requesting the
relief of vacatur. On October 22, 2018, the Court denied this
motion. The parties remain amenable to a settlement.
United States Secret Service
The Subcommittees on Government Operations and National
Security worked together to continue exercising oversight in
the form of hosting regular briefings, staff visits to USSS
facilities, and drafting and passing legislation to provide
temporary financial relief in the form of overtime pay for the
operational personnel most impacted by the agency's management
challenges.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives
The Committee conducted oversight over the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives specifically how it
manages its confidential informants and income-generating
operations. The Committee requested and received documents and
briefings pursuant to its investigation. ATF has since changed
its policy and no longer approves these income-generating
operations.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
The Committee investigated the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center (FLETC), uncovering problems of mismanagement,
questionable hiring practices, and inappropriate travel among
the senior leadership. As part of its investigation, the
Committee requested and reviewed documents, conducted
transcribed interviews, and visited FLETC's headquarters in
Glynco, Georgia.
National Security and Foreign Operations
Embassy Construction and Security Investigation
The Committee continued its oversight of how the Department
of State (State) constructs and secures diplomatic facilities
abroad. Much of the Committee's work focused on State's switch
from standard embassy design, which stresses security and
functionality, to a program named ``design excellence,'' which
stresses openness and innovation. Under the current
administration, State has shifted away from the so-called
``design excellence'' program. As part of its oversight, the
Committee visited embassies and consulates in Iraq, Kuwait,
Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel. The State
Department provided the Committee periodic briefings on the
status of specific new embassy constructions sites and lessons
learned from the ``design excellence'' program. Also, at the
Committee's request, the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
also conducted studies on State's embassy construction program
and briefed the Committee on its findings.
Iran and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran
Nuclear Agreement)
The Subcommittee on National Security continued its
oversight of U.S. policy toward Iran and the implementation of
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The
Subcommittee held a hearing on April 5, 2017, titled
``Assessing the Iran Deal,'' in which the Subcommittee examined
the JCPOA's fundamental flaws, weaknesses in the prior
administration's enforcement of the agreement's provisions and
implementation of Iran sanctions, and Iran's continued
aggression in the face of the agreement. Following the United
States' withdrawal from the JCPOA, the Subcommittee held a June
6, 2018 titled, ``Protecting America from a Bad Deal: Ending
U.S. Participation in the Nuclear Agreement with Iran.'' This
hearing examined the reasons for U.S. withdrawal and discussed
policy options for countering Iran's threat to the United
States and its interests.
Afghanistan
The Committee continues to work with the Special Inspector
General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) to perform
oversight of U.S. operations in the country. The Subcommittee
on National Security held a hearing on November 1, 2017, titled
``Overview of 16 Years of U.S. Involvement in Afghanistan'' to
explore the successes and challenges associated with rebuilding
Afghanistan after sixteen years of involvement.
Homeland Security
Transportation Security
The Committee continued an investigation from the 114th
Congress of mismanagement, employee misconduct, and retaliation
at the Transportation Security Administration. Whistleblowers
alleged, and the Committee found, senior TSA officials engaged
in recurrent misconduct with minimal consequences. The
Committee found TSA leadership inappropriately used involuntary
directed reassignments to retaliate against disfavored
employees and whistleblowers. Then TSA--under the direction of
DHS' Office of General Counsel--withheld documents and
information from Congress and the Office of Special Counsel.
The Committee conducted transcribed interviews with current and
former TSA officials, a deposition of the Deputy General
Counsel, and fielded whistleblower complaints regarding the
TSA. On September 25, 2018, the Committee released a staff
report summarizing its findings. On September 26, 2018, the
Committee held a hearing titled, ``Examining Misconduct and
Retaliation at TSA.'' The goal of the hearing was to highlight
the Committee's findings from its investigation, examine what
actions TSA is taking to improve the disciplinary process and
prevent retaliation, and seek a commitment from TSA to
cooperate with the Committee's investigations. Administrator
David Pekoske testified about the efforts he has taken since
taking the lead at TSA and assured Congress he would ingest the
findings of the report and assess any issues not already
addressed.
Border Security and Immigration
The Committee continues to exercise oversight of U.S.
immigration policy and border security. On April 27, 2017, the
Committee held a hearing titled ``The Border Wall:
Strengthening our National Security.'' The Committee aimed to
identify the benefits of a border wall which would bolster the
United States' national security, public safety and economic
interests. The hearing also helped Members understand the cost
estimates of a border wall and highlight other successful
physical border security barriers, including walls in Israel
and San Diego as a comparison. The witnesses testifying at the
hearing included immigration and law enforcement experts, as
well as victims and community organizers directly impacted by
cross-border crime and violence.
Additionally, on April 9, 2018, the Committee held a
hearing titled ``A `Caravan' of Illegal Immigrants: A Test of
U.S. Borders.'' The Committee explored the logistical, ethical,
and legal challenges associated with masses of migrants
arriving at the southwest border seeking asylum in the U.S. The
Committee questioned what the Administration was or should have
been doing differently to secure the border and maintain the
integrity of the U.S. immigration system. The hearing
highlighted the impact of surging asylum seekers on law
enforcement and the U.S. immigration system, and examined what
actions were needed to be taken by the Department of Homeland
Security to prepare for large groups of asylum seekers to
present themselves at the U.S. southwest border. The hearing
also explored what U.S. authorities do to partner with Mexican
law enforcement and immigration authorities to improve the
situation going forward. Witnesses included representatives
from the National Border Patrol Council, Texas Department of
Public Safety, and subject matter experts on U.S. immigration
policy.
On May 16, 2018, the Committee held a roundtable titled
``Fraud and Misuse of B-1 visas in lieu of H-1B visas.'' The
Committee assembled members of the administration from all the
stakeholder agencies in the visa process to learn about the
exploitation of B-1 visas by U.S. employers; examine the roles
and responsibilities of U.S. government agencies related to
identifying, investigating, and mitigating B1 and H-1B visa
fraud; explore current gaps in U.S. policy; and hear directly
from stakeholders about potential solutions that may help
strengthen their capabilities. The witnesses included: Morgan
Parker, Acting Managing Director of the Visa Office, Bureau of
Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Keith Sonderling,
Senior Policy Advisor, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department
of Labor Ron Thomas, Chief, Security and Fraud Office, Service
Center Operations Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Lloyd Temple,
Unit Chief, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; and
Luis Mejia, Director, Enforcement Programs Division, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland
Security.
As a part of its continued oversight efforts, Committee
staff also traveled to San Ysidro, California, and McAllen,
Texas, in November 2018 to inspect Border Patrol sites and meet
with Border Patrol agents. The Committee staff also inspected
border wall prototypes and received a tour of the border to
learn about terrain challenges and creative ways the agents are
using technology to assist in their efforts.
International Organizations and Initiatives
The Committee conducted oversight of the United States
Agency for International Development's (USAID) grant funding.
After reports of USAID granting funds to organizations
associated with terrorism, the Committee sent a letter
September 18, 2018, requesting documentation from USAID and the
Department of Treasury regarding those grants.
The Committee continues to work with the United States
Committee on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF),
following progress to protect the right to religious freedom
worldwide. The Subcommittee on National Security held a hearing
October 11, 2017, ``Review of the U.S. Government's Role in
Protecting International Religious Freedom.'' Witnesses from
the State Department, USCIRF, the Religious Freedom Institute,
and Human Rights First testified on religious freedom as a
national security issue and the Department of State's adherence
to The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. On
December 14, 2017, the Committee sent a letter to Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson requesting documents indicating the
Department's efforts to comply with the Frank Wolf Act. The
Committee continues to communicate with the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom and the State Department
regarding efforts to advance religious freedom overseas, and
will monitor the outcomes and next steps associated with the
first International Religious Freedom Ministerial held July 24-
26, 2018.
Terrorism
The National Security Subcommittee continued to exercise
its oversight of U.S. efforts to counter violent extremism. On
July 27, 2017, the Subcommittee on National Security held a
hearing titled, ``Combating Homegrown Extremism.''' At this
hearing, the Committee heard from private sector witnesses with
expertise on community engagement strategies employed to combat
violent extremism, and a government official with knowledge of
the Department of Homeland Security's plan to distribute $10
million in CVE grant funding to community outreach
organizations. The Subcommittee also held a hearing on January
17, 2018 to explore the U.S. military endeavors to counter
radical Islamism in a hearing titled, ``Battlefield Successes
and Challenges--Recent Efforts to Win the War against ISIS.''
The Committee conducted oversight over the U.S.
Government's response to terrorist threats. A July 11, 2018,
National Security Subcommittee hearing titled, ``The Muslim
Brotherhood's Global Threat'' examined the Muslim Brotherhood's
threat to the United States and its interests throughout the
world and potential U.S. responses including terrorist
designations.
The Committee investigated allegations the Obama
Administration undermined law enforcement actions against the
terrorist group Hezbollah. After the Committee began its
investigation, the Department of Justice announced the creation
of the Hezbollah Financing and Narcoterrorism Team to pursue
Hezbollah's transnational criminal operations, including a
reexamination of the cases at issue. The Committee also
investigated USAID's issuance of a $200,000 sub-award to the
Sudan-based Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA), a designated
terrorist entity with a history of providing financial support
to Osama bin Laden and Palestinian terrorist organizations
including Hamas.
Criminal Justice Reform
The Committee conducted oversight of the Bureau of Prisons
(BOP) through hearings and inquiries exploring matters of
mismanagement, misconduct, and ineffective use of resources.
Two Committee hearings addressed criminal justice reform
policies that would provide more support to inmates reentering
society and thus reduce recidivism. A two-panel hearing June
28, 2017, ``Criminal Justice Reform and Efforts to Reduce
Recidivism,'' allowed Members to question Senators, policy
experts, South Carolina's Department of Corrections director,
and a former district judge regarding their experience and
recommendations. This first hearing also addressed the subject
of a May 10, 2017, letter from then-Chairman Chaffetz
requesting documents about a BOP facility's handling of inmate
misconduct. The Committee hearing on December 13, 2017,
entitled ``Oversight of the Bureau of Prisons and Inmate
Reentry,'' provided Committee members the opportunity to
question new BOP Director Mark Inch, Inspector General Michael
Horowitz, the GAO, and policy experts. This second hearing
focused on BOP's policies and procedures for inmate reentry
programs.
The Committee's investigation into employee misconduct
involved conversations with over a dozen whistleblower BOP
employees, three letters to BOP requesting documents and
briefings, four briefings with Department of Justice and BOP
regarding procedure and policy, and a hearing November 28,
2018. The Committee's November hearing provided a venue for
Members to hear from the Department's Inspector General
regarding findings that BOP needed to improve its management of
female inmates while also giving BOP the opportunity to respond
to other questions of mismanagement uncovered during the course
of the Committee's investigation.
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