[House Report 118-36]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                  Union Calendar No. 23

118th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Report 118-36


                                     

                                     
 
                   AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLANS

                                FOR ALL

                            HOUSE COMMITTEES

                               __________







                                 BY THE

                         COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT

                           AND ACCOUNTABILITY

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                  (Required by House Rule X, Clause 2)




 April 17, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed
              
              
              
                      ______

             U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 39-006          WASHINGTON : 2023
              
              
              
              
              
               COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

                    JAMES COMER, Kentucky, Chairman
JIM JORDAN, Ohio                     JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland, Ranking 
MIKE TURNER, Ohio                        Minority Member
PAUL GOSAR, Arizona                  ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of 
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina            Columbia
GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin            STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts
GARY PALMER, Alabama                 GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana              RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI, Illinois
PETE SESSIONS, Texas                 RO KHANNA, California
ANDY BIGGS, Arizona                  KWEISI MFUME, Maryland
NANCY MACE, South Carolina           ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, New York
JAKE LaTURNER, Kansas                KATIE PORTER, California
PAT FALLON, Texas                    CORI BUSH, Missouri
BYRON DONALDS, Florida               JIMMY GOMEZ, California
KELLY ARMSTRONG, North Dakota        SHONTEL BROWN, Ohio
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania            MELANIE STANSBURY, New Mexico
WILLIAM TIMMONS, South Carolina      ROBERT GARCIA, California
TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee              MAXWELL FROST, Florida
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, Georgia      BECCA BALINT, Vermont
LISA McCLAIN, Michigan               SUMMER LEE, Pennsylvania
LAUREN BOEBERT, Colorado             GREG CASAR, Texas
RUSSELL FRY, South Carolina          JASMINE CROCKETT, Texas
ANNA PAULINA LUNA, Florida           DAN GOLDMAN, New York
CHUCK EDWARDS, North Carolina        JARED MOSKOWITZ, Florida
NICK LANGWORTHY, New York
ERIC BURLISON, Missouri
                       Mark Marin, Staff Director
                 Jessica Donlon, Deputy Staff Director
                 Ashlee Vinyard, Director of Operations
  James Mandolfo, General Counsel and Chief Counsel for Investigations
     Mallory Cogar, Deputy Director of Operations and Chief Clerk,
                      Contact Number: 202-225-5074
   Julie Tagen, Minority Staff Director, Contact Number: 202-225-5051
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Administration...................................................     3
Agriculture......................................................    29
Armed Services...................................................    41
Budget...........................................................    47
Education and Workforce..........................................    53
Energy and Commerce..............................................    63
Financial Services...............................................    79
Foreign Affairs..................................................    89
Homeland Security................................................   103
Judiciary........................................................   121
Natural Resources................................................   137
Oversight and Accountability.....................................   155
Science, Space, and Technology...................................   161
Small Business...................................................   173
Transportation and Infrastructure................................   181
Veterans' Affairs................................................   205
Ways and Means...................................................   225
                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                  House of Representatives,
                                    Washington, DC, April 17, 2023.
Hon. Kevin McCarthy,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with rule X (2) of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit 
the authorization and oversight plan of each specified standing 
committee. Each authorization and oversight plan was adopted by 
its respective committee and it is recommended that the work 
outlined is pursued accordingly.
            Sincerely,
                                               James Comer,
               Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability.


                                                  Union Calendar No. 23
                                                  
118th Congress }                                                {  Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                                {  118-36

======================================================================




      OVERSIGHT PLANS FOR ALL HOUSE COMMITTEES WITH ACCOMPANYING 
                             RECOMMENDAIONS

                                _______
                                

 April 17, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

     Mr. Comer, from the Committee on Ovesight and Accountability, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T




                   COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

                 OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 118TH CONGRESS

                House Officers and Operations, Generally

Rebuilding a House that is:
     Accountable:
           Partner with House Officers to implement 
        more cost effective and efficient operations within the 
        House.
           Hold accountable the Architect of the 
        Capitol, United States Capitol Police, House Sergeant 
        at Arms, the Capitol Police Board, and other 
        Legislative Branch entities.
           Implement plans that enhance the 
        security of the Capitol campus for the House community, 
        Members, and visitors of the Capitol.
           Coordinate the reauthorization of House 
        entities with the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch 
        Appropriations to ensure transparency and 
        accountability in House operations.
           Coordinate more effective and wholistic 
        oversight of the Legislative Branch through better 
        partnership with the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch 
        Appropriations.
           Conduct thorough oversight of the 
        resources dedicated to post-January 6th security 
        improvements across the Capitol campus to ensure 
        accountability and increase transparency regarding the 
        use of taxpayer dollars.
           Partner with House Officers and entities 
        across the Legislative Branch to identify and implement 
        actions that increase effectiveness and reduce costs.
     Open, Accessible, and Transparent:
           Partner with House Officers and 
        officials to fully return the House to pre-COVID-19 
        pandemic operations, including ensuring that the House 
        buildings are open and accessible to the American 
        people.
           Coordinate with the Speaker and Officers 
        of the House to facilitate more opportunities for 
        Americans to engage with Congress.
           Oversee the implementation of the House 
        Officers' strategic plans to increase Legislative 
        Branch entities' efforts to recruit and retain a 
        professional, skilled workforce.
     Professional:
           Examine proposals to increase the 
        recruitment and retention of Americans from across the 
        United States to work in Congress.
           Partner with entities across the 
        Legislative Branch to continue the development of 
        training programs to ensure the highest level of 
        service to American people.
           Coordinate the development and 
        implementation of the House Officers' and officials' 
        strategic plans for the financial and administrative 
        wellbeing of the House.
           Empower and support entities across the 
        legislative branch in implementing recommendations made 
        by their relevant Inspector General.
     Modern:
           Support the continued coordination among 
        Legislative Branch entities to offer modern, effective 
        support services to build a comprehensive district 
        office support program, including IT, security, and 
        administrative services.
           Coordinate support for implementing best 
        practices regarding the adoption, review, testing, and 
        improvement of IT security policies and services across 
        all Legislative Branch entities.
           Oversee the coordination of services 
        across the House entities to ensure Committees may host 
        field hearings across the country and U.S. territories 
        safely and effectively.
     Resilient:
           Partner with House Officers and 
        Officials to establish courses of action to address all 
        outstanding Inspector General recommendations, 
        management advisories, and initiatives.
           Strengthen the cybersecurity of the 
        House through close coordination with the House 
        Officers' and other Legislative Branch entities through 
        continued development of defensive measures, including 
        adoption of programs, IT security policies, training 
        initiatives, and best practices.
           Continue coordination with House 
        Officers to develop predictable, realistic financial 
        and administrative goals with clear paths for 
        implementation both in the short-and long-term.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
     Continue support of the CAO's ``One CAO'' vision 
to increase the coordination of support offices across the 
entity to best serve the House and American people.
     Continue coordination with the CAO to ensure that 
products offered meet the needs of the House's modern 
workforce, and that communication of available resources 
reaches all levels of the House community, including in D.C. 
and district offices.
     Partner with CAO to prioritize the implementation 
of recommendations from the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress.
     Continue to support the development of the House 
Digital Service.
     Oversee the development and implementation of a 
committee calendar system to help committees plan and 
deconflict hearings and business meetings.
     Encourage CAO to explore options to enter into 
enterprise-wide agreements that save money and increase 
efficiencies across the House.
     The Congressional Staff Academy, CAO Coach 
Program, and Congressional Excellence Program have demonstrated 
that the CAO is listening to the House workforce to meet 
professional development needs. House Administration will 
continue to be engaged with the CAO to ensure that course and 
service offerings further adapt to the modern House.
     Continue oversight of modernization initiatives 
that streamline data and identify access management, including 
the continued rollout of My Expenses and further technology 
upgrades to the House financial management system.
     Further partner with CAO to expand admissions, 
reduce the waitlist, and improve the quality of the offerings 
of the House Childcare Center so that the full expansion of the 
Center can be utilized by the House community in the immediate 
future.
     Further ensure that CAO is proactive in combating 
cybersecurity threats, providing training, and implementing 
failsafe procedures to guarantee continuity of operations.
     Continue coordination on the review of the House 
Disaster Recovery Program to identify further advancements the 
House can undertake to remain secure.
Clerk of the House
     Continue coordination with the Clerk to oversee, 
support, and implement policy and modernization needs to ensure 
continuity of Congress, increase efficiencies, boost cyber 
security, and improve workforce health.
     Help craft and implement solutions to increase the 
bandwidth of Legislative Counsel through recruitment and 
retention policy reforms.
     Modernize technologies utilized in the legislative 
drafting process.
     Continue support of the House's adoption of the e-
Hopper and the Comparative Print Tool, two key initiatives that 
greatly aid Members and staff in undertaking legislative 
activities.
     Partner with the Clerk to identify functions and 
administrative operations under the Clerk's jurisdiction that 
would be better coordinated under another House entity to 
increase the Clerk's operational bandwidth and effectiveness.
     Standardize format and data-sharing practices, 
increase public access to the House Legislative Resource 
Center's resources, and support the continued efforts of the 
Congressional Data Task Force and the Bicameral Legislative 
Systems Forum.
House Inspector General
     Continue the Committee's coordination with the 
Office of the Inspector General to increase accountability 
across the House.
     Identify improvements to the functions and 
administrative operations of the Office of the Inspector 
General.
     Establish priorities for the Inspector General, 
including, but not limited to, the focus and scope of 
management advisories.
     Ensure that management advisories, audits, and 
investigations are prioritized in alignment with the assessment 
of risk to the operations of the House.
House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds
     Continue close coordination with the Office of the 
Whistleblower Ombuds to ensure resources, guidance, and 
policies are authorized in alignment with the office's core 
function of promulgating best practices for whistleblower 
intake for offices of the House.
Sergeant at Arms (HSAA)
     Continue to identify and implement cultural 
changes to increase honor, accountability, retention, and 
professionalism within the organization.
     Closely coordinate with the Sergeant at Arms 
regarding his role on the Capitol Police Board to ensure there 
is accountability and transparency of the Board and its 
actions.
     Shift the Sergeant at Arms toward a more 
traditional oversight entity with thorough oversight of the 
security operations across the House campus and in district 
offices.
     Encourage more member services initiatives and 
bipartisanship in the HSAA office. This includes efforts to 
further partner with the HSAA to independently empower security 
experts, not politicians, to make security related decisions.
     Explore a modernized campus badging system to 
streamline the visitor experience and increase awareness of 
building densities in case of an evacuation-based emergency.
     Review the functions and administrative operations 
assigned to the HSAA to identify solutions and streamline 
operations as they relate to the other campus security 
entities.
     Oversee the implementation of recommendations made 
by various reviews of the Capitol following the January 6, 
2021, attack on the US Capitol.
     Oversee dedicated efforts by the HSAA to increase 
customer service and availability for Members and staff.
     Ensure HSAA continues to implement a comprehensive 
district office and home security program to further ensure the 
safety of Members, their families, and staff. This includes the 
HSAA's implementation of the law enforcement coordinator 
program, enterprise-wide security system contract, and 
processes for mail sent to the district offices. Ensure that 
this program is managed according to its intent and that the 
HSAA is held accountable for the quality of services provided 
to Members and District offices across the country.
     Further partner with HSAA to develop and implement 
emergency preparedness and training of all Members, staff, and 
employees, including when home in their districts.
     Review annual reporting requirements to ensure 
adequate accountability and transparency.
     Continue to increase customer service and 
experience with the House Parking Office.

                 Legislative Branch and Other Entities


Architect of the Capitol (AOC)

     Support the Acting Architect of the Capitol in re-
establishing a culture built on accountability and excellence 
in the work of the AOC.
     Continue oversight of the Cannon House Office 
Building renovation.
     Ensure that future Capitol construction projects 
are undertaken with a firm commitment to adopt lessons learned 
from prior construction projects.
     Align AOC with best practices regarding 
contracting, building code compliance, ADA accessibility, 
historic preservation standards, and strategic planning to 
address deferred maintenance.
     Coordinate with the Senate Rules Committee to 
increase the bicameral and bipartisan oversight of the AOC's 
full scope of activities across its jurisdictions.
     Coordinate with the Subcommittee on Legislative 
Branch Appropriations to explore alternative funding models to 
better match AOC construction resource management. This 
includes researching opportunities in which long-term projects 
can be better insulated against market price fluctuations, 
inflation, and supply shortages.
     Ensure the prioritization and implementation of 
recommendations made by the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress, including but not limited to, 
improvement of wayfinding technology, evaluating the future of 
work, developing a portal for using and reserving available 
``shared'' office space, and use of space considerations. This 
includes the continued build out of former Health and Human 
Service space in the O'Neill Building.
     Develop and enforce a clear House Office Building 
Hallway Policy.
     Continue oversight of the AOC's day-to-day 
maintenance of House Buildings and the House side of the 
Capitol.
     Continue thorough oversight of the Hearing Room 
Renovation Plan and increase accountability for the AOC to 
deliver those rooms on time and on budget. Ensure the AOC and 
other House support entities provide continued business 
operation in the House by providing adequate, alternative 
hearing room locations for committees and subcommittees to 
gather.
     Increase communication and expedited service as it 
relates to the National Statuary Hall Collection in 
coordination with the Joint Committee on the Library.
     Review the internal operational effectiveness of 
the Capitol Visitor Center to ensure that the services provided 
are of a level appropriate for visitors who are touring the 
Capitol of the United States of America. Ensure that CVC 
continues to modernize the visitor experience in a way that 
welcomes all Americans.

Government Publishing Office (GPO)

     Continue oversight of GPO's efforts to digitize 
the Federal Deposit Library Program.
     Further support the GPO in establishment of its 
tradesmen apprenticeship program to increase workforce 
recruitment, development, and retention.
     Further collaborate with GPO to explore 
modernization initiatives that can streamline the legislative 
posting process, recognizing that the process has many 
stakeholders and collaborators.
     Support the GPO in efforts to appoint a permanent 
Inspector General and re-establish a productive relationship 
with that office.
     Continue to oversee operations of the GPO 
including the Superintendent of Documents.
     Continue collaboration on GPO's production of next 
generation passports for the US Department of State.

Library of Congress

     Oversee Library activities to ensure that the LOC 
remains focused on its founding mission of being Congress' 
Library.
     Continue to support the Library in its efforts to 
shift toward a library of the modern information age, where 
Americans can access documents and information regardless of 
location.
     Continue to support the Library in efforts to 
digitize and further build its collection.
     Further emphasize the need for the LOC to 
implement recommendations of its Inspector General, 
particularly regarding information technology modernization, 
enterprise-wide strategic planning and coordination, and better 
controls on internal processes and project management.
     Conduct rigorous oversight of the Congressional 
Research Service to better meet the needs of a modern Congress, 
including shorter reports, more variety of products, thorough 
internal tracking of activities and product delivery rates, and 
greater efficiency in work product.
     Ensure greater stakeholder participation in 
decision-making for prestigious appointments.
     Continue oversight of Copyright modernization 
efforts, the Visitor Experience Initiative, post-COVID-19 
Pandemic posture, storage facility efforts, moving NLS 
headquarters to a closer location to LOC, and Law Library 
shelving renovation, among others.
     Continue support of LOC's efforts to ensure 
greater access to the Main Reading Room by visitors and 
researchers.
     Oversee the strategic plans and operations or the 
LOC, with particular focus on Copyright Office, Law Library, 
OIG, CRS, NLS, and overseas initiatives.

Office of the Attending Physician

     Review the Office of the Attending Physician's 
actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the issuing of 
inconsistent guidance between the House and the Senate.
     Implement necessary changes to ensure future 
public health guidance is issued in a non-political manner.
     Make strides to modernize the OAP fee payment 
structure to streamline accounting and improve customer 
experience.

Office of Congressional Accessibility Services (OCAS)

     Oversee the management and operations of Office of 
Congressional Accessibility Services in conjunction with Senate 
Committee on Rules and Administration. Continue coordination 
regarding the needs of the office to accomplish long-term 
strategic plans that increase Americans' accessibility of the 
Capitol Campus and events.
     Continue to build connections between the OCAS and 
AOC to ensure that construction activities and future building 
upgrades are undertaken in an accessibility conscious way.

Smithsonian Institution

     Continue to address storage capacity concerns and 
deferred maintenance with the Smithsonian Institution.
     Reduce the Smithsonian's reliance on timed-
ticketing efforts to improve access and increase accountability 
for when such efforts are taken advantage of by ticket scalpers 
or bots.
     Increase accountability for the process of site 
selection for the future National Women's History Museum and 
the National Museum of the American Latino. Engage with 
Smithsonian and other stakeholders to ensure that appropriate, 
realistic recommendations are made regarding site locations.
     Re-establish the expectation that the Smithsonian 
is accountable and responsive to congressional oversight 
entities.
     Set expectations with the Smithsonian on future 
development on the National Mall.
     Ensure adequate inventory management across all 
collections.
     Ensure that the Smithsonian is meeting the 
expectations of the American people to preserve and communicate 
the American story and educate Americans on the uniqueness of 
our history.
     Work with Smithsonian to ensure a full return to 
pre-COVID-19 Pandemic policies.
     Review appointments to the Board of Regents as 
necessary.

United States Capitol Police

     Work with the Department to improve its culture by 
improving leadership, accountability, transparency, and 
initiative throughout its operations.
     Support the Department's efforts to expand their 
regional offices throughout the country, ramp up recruitment of 
new officers, address threats to members of Congress, 
prioritize training and dignitary protection, and continue to 
rebuild after the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
     Conduct a comprehensive review of USCP to 
determine the viability of transitioning USCP away from a 
traditional police force toward a protective force.
     Identify opportunities for reforming the Capitol 
Police Board structure.
     Work with the Department to ensure all outstanding 
recommendations made to the Department are fulfilled.
     Review the politicization of the Department in 
recent years and push the Department to have greater bipartisan 
responsiveness to members.
     Advocate for greater independence for the USCP 
Inspector General from the Capitol Police Board.
     Encourage the Department to prioritize long-term, 
strategic planning.
     Partner with Capitol security stakeholders to 
establish clear guidance for the deployment of global fencing.
     Encourage the Department to prioritize training 
initiatives throughout the Department and rework accountability 
structures to ensure training is not only mandated but 
executed.
     Require the Department to provide semi-annual 
reports on operations and structure to Congress and regularly 
report arrest data publicly in a detailed, structured data-
format.
     Develop policies and processes to further 
discourage unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or ``drones''' from 
violating Capitol air space.
     Oversee the Departments operations through regular 
engagement with Department leadership.

                  Advice and Guidance, Member Services


Members' Representational Allowance

     Oversee Members' Representational Allowance (MRA), 
including amounts, structure, regulations and calculations to 
ensure that all Members have sufficient resources to 
effectively represent their constituents.
     Oversee the timely processing of vouchers and 
direct payments, including those for payroll. Continue to 
monitor the implementation of My Expenses and other advancement 
that streamline operations while increasing accountability.
     Ensure that the Members' Congressional Handbook 
sets clear, effective guidance for the appropriate use of the 
Members' Representational Allowance.

Official Communications

     Coordinate with the Clerk of the House and CAO to 
identify and implement new applications, resources, and 
procedures for the House to be more transparent, accountable, 
and accessible, and to meet Member and Committee office's 
obligations related to official communications.
     Implement approved procedures to increase 
transparency and improve the accounting of franked mail costs.

Mew Member Orientation

     Proactively plan, implement, and oversee the New 
Member Orientation program for newly elected Members of 
Congress. Ensure that programming emphasizes bipartisanship and 
communicates relevant information that adequately prepares new 
members to hit the ground running.
     Review the management and planning of the 
Congressional Research Service's New Member Issues Seminar.

Intern Program

     Oversee the establishment of the Intern Resource 
Office.
     Continue and expand the Gregg and Livingston 
Harper congressional internship program for individuals with 
intellectual disabilities.
     Continue oversight of the House Paid Internship 
program, including oversight of paid interns in district 
offices.
     In coordination with the Senate Committee on Rules 
and Administration, organize, administer, and oversee the 
intern lecture series.

                Congressional Accountability Act of 1995

     Conduct general oversight of the office of Office 
of Congressional Workplace Rights, Office of House Employment 
Counsel, and Office of Employee Assistance.
     Explore advantages of transferring the development 
and administration of the annual mandatory Workplace Rights and 
Responsibilities training in-house.
     Evaluate resources available to OCWR and House 
employing offices to facilitate implementation of the 
Congressional Accountability Act.
     Monitor the development and deployment of the 
biannual climate survey.
     Oversee the Office of Employee Advocacy.

                  Federal Election Law and Procedures

     Examine all aspects of election security practices 
and consider proposals to strengthen election integrity.
     Examine the impact of amendments made by HAVA and 
the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act) to 
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
(UOCAVA).
     Consider proposals to improve voting methods for 
those serving and living abroad.
     Examine the role and impact of political 
organizations and non-profit organizations on federal 
elections.
     Recommend disposition of House election contests 
pending before the committee; monitor any disputed election 
counts.
     Review all aspects of registration and voting 
practices in federal elections. Monitor allegations of fraud 
and misconduct during all phases of federal elections and 
evaluate measures to improve the integrity of the electoral 
process.
     Review federal campaign-finance laws and 
regulations, including presidential and congressional public 
financing, and consider potential reforms.
     Review operations of the Election Assistance 
Commission (EAC) and evaluate possible changes to improve 
efficiency and improve implementation of the Help America Vote 
Act (HAVA).
     Review operations of the Federal Election 
Commission (FEC) and evaluate possible changes to improve 
efficiency, improve enforcement of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act, and improve procedures for the disclosure of 
contributions and expenditures. Consider authorization issues 
and make recommendations on the FEC's budget.
     Protect federalism and constitutional principles 
that instruct that States play the primary role in determining 
the ``the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for 
Senators and Representatives'', as provided for in Article I, 
Section 4, of the Constitution.
     Investigate and monitor HAVA waste, fraud, and 
abuse (including, but not limited to, allegations of official 
funds going toward partisan ``get-out-the-vote'' efforts, lack 
of transparency in the contract bidding process, and ex parte 
communications between vendors and state contracting 
officials).
     Investigate how states and localities that allow 
non-citizens to vote ensure that federal funds are not used to 
facilitate non-citizen voting.
     Review and strengthen methods to improve the 
enforcement of existing federal law that requires States to 
maintain their voter registration lists to improve the accuracy 
and integrity of the elections process.
     Review and examine the 2022 election with a focus 
on ensuring all lawful ballots in congressional races were 
counted fairly, accurately, and according to law.
     Strengthen the Congressional Election Observer 
Program that helps the House and Senate gather evidence to 
fulfill their constitutional responsibility to ``be the judge 
of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own 
Members'' as provided for by Article I, Section 5 of the 
Constitution.
     Strengthen and develop our Faith in Elections 
Program that consists of four primary principles: (1) States 
have the primary role in establishing election law and 
administering elections, (2) All eligible voters must be able 
to vote, and all lawful votes must be counted according to the 
law, (3) Political speech is protected speech, and (4) 
Redistricting should be used as a tool to strengthen democracy.
     Restore voter confidence in our elections by 
highlighting states and localities that are administering 
elections in an open, fair, and transparent way.

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                      Legislative Branch Oversight

                              INTRODUCTION

    The oversight and authorization activities of the Committee 
on House Administration are key to the operations of the 
Legislative Branch. During the 116th and 117th Congresses, 
Committee Democrats guided the House through several 
generational challenges, ensuring continuity of operations 
during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the 
January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Even in the face of 
these historic obstacles, the Committee made unprecedented 
improvements to House operations, particularly with respect to 
human capital and institutional capacity.
    According to Demand Progress, a nonpartisan, non-
governmental organization focused on strengthening democracy, 
the House ``improve[d] the working conditions for its staff in 
the 117th Congress than Congress has over the last three 
decades combined.''\1\ These reforms improved the ability for 
the House to recruit and retain top talent and provided Members 
and staff with tools to perform their jobs more effectively, 
strengthening the institution. Advances included, among others: 
creating the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion and House 
Office of Whistleblower Ombuds; imposing a $45,000.00 pay floor 
for full-time House staff; decoupling of Member and staff pay; 
raising the staff pay cap; increasing the lifetime maximum for 
the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and exempting SLRP 
payments from the pay cap; adoption of regulations recommended 
by the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Workplace Rights 
(OCWR) providing for unionization and collective bargaining for 
House staff who choose to exercise such rights; adoption of 
regulations recommended by OCWR relating to application of 
rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor 
Standards Act for House staff; extending the House Paid 
Internship Program to committees; raising the maximum allowable 
compensation for interns; growing committee capacity by 
increasing committee funding; expanding the Congressional Staff 
Academy; launching the CAO Coach Program; creating the House 
Human Resources Hub; and enlarging the House Child Care Center; 
and increasing the capacity of the Office of Employee 
Assistance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Demand Progress, Statement on House Unionization Vote + 
Establishment of Minimum Wage (May 7, 2022), https://
demandprogress.org/statement-on-house-unionization-vote-
establishment-of-minimum-wage/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The accomplishments of Committee Democrats in the 116th and 
117th Congresses led Axios to declare that the Committee, 
``once seen as a bureaucratic backwater is now at the center of 
some of the biggest policy fights in Congress.''\2\ In addition 
to the reforms discussed above, Committee Democrats took a 
leading role on issues related to election administration and 
the assault on voting rights; disinformation surrounding U.S. 
elections; both physical and cyber security; and the removal of 
white supremacist and Confederate statuary and art from places 
of honor in the Capitol. The Committee also drove the 
authorization of two new Smithsonian museums: the National 
Museum of the American Latino and American Women's History 
Museum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\Lachlan Markay, Capitol Hill's Smallest Committee Takes Center 
Stage, Axios (May 26, 2022), https://www.axios.com/2022/05/26/house-
administrative-committee-capitol-security.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Committee Minority looks forward to working with the 
new Committee Majority to further strengthen the institution. 
In particular, the Committee Minority appreciates the Committee 
Majority's establishment of the Subcommittee on the 
Modernization of Congress, and the fact that the Majority 
agreed to an even split among Democratic and Republican 
Members. The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, 
established by House Rules packages in both the 116th and 117th 
Congress made many recommendations to improve the institution, 
and while the Committee implemented or partially implemented 
more than 130 such recommendations in the previous Congresses, 
additional implementation work remains.
    The Committee Minority is committed to working in a 
bipartisan fashion in its oversight of the Legislative Branch. 
However, there will inevitably be matters in which the 
Committee Minority will disagree with the Committee Majority. 
For example, the Committee Minority is deeply troubled by 
public reporting that the Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy 
made a deal with Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, who has 
referred to the January 6, 2021, attack as a ``false flag 
operation''\3\ to provide him--and him alone--with ``unfettered 
access''\4\ to tens of thousands of hours of security footage 
of the Capitol related to the January 6, 2021, attack.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\Meryl Kornfield and Jacqueline Alemany, McCarthy gives Tucker 
Carlson exclusive access to Jan. 6 riot video, The Washington Post 
(Feb. 21, 2023), http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/21/
tucker-carlson-kevin-mccarthy-jan-6-insurrection/.
    \4\Id.
    \5\Mike Allen, Exclusive: McCarthy gives Tucker Carlson access to 
trove of Jan. 6 riot tape, Axios (February 20, 2023), https://
www.axios.com/2023/02/20/kevin-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-jan-6-riot-
footage.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    United States Capitol Police (USCP or Department) 
leadership has repeatedly stressed the danger of publicly 
releasing this footage, explaining that it puts the Capitol at 
significant risk. For example, in July 2022, the USCP Acting 
Assistant Chief of Police for Uniformed Operations said, in an 
affidavit made as part of a federal prosecution, ``USCP 
continues to consider any interior footage of the U.S. Capitol 
to be highly sensitive information, and any access to it should 
be strictly limited.''\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\Declaration of Sean P. Gallagher, U.S. v. Egtvedt, No. 1:21-cr-
00177 (D.D.C.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    As has been well publicized, in the runup to the January 6, 
2021, attack, rioters attempted to gather information about the 
interior of the Capitol, including tunnels and non-publicly 
available floor plans. Providing access to hours of footage 
will result in security vulnerabilities of the Capitol being 
collected, exposed, and passed on to those who might wish to 
attack the Capitol again. That the Capitol is open to the 
public and that video footage of the January 6 attack is widely 
available does not diminish the need to prevent large swaths of 
unvetted security footage from being made public. According to 
a federal judge who issued a protective order related to the 
footage, ``Even if some information about the U.S. Capitol's 
layout is available online, USCP's footage provides far more 
detailed information, which could raise security concerns if 
copied and publicized.''\7\ In addition, sophisticated foreign 
and nonstate actors may be able to use the security camera 
footage to identify weaknesses in Capitol security, such as 
potential blind spots and Member evacuation routes. Moreover, 
release of the footage would cause issues in the prosecutions 
of January 6 defendants, whose attorneys only have access to 
security camera footage under a protective order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \7\U.S. v. Cudd, 534 F.Supp. 3d 48, 54 (D.D.C. 2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The danger associated with these actions is even more 
significant when considering the individual being provided the 
footage. Mr. Carlson has a lengthy record of lying and 
spreading disinformation about the January 6, 2021, attack on 
his television show in an apparent attempt to rewrite history. 
According to the Washington Post,

        ``Carlson promoted false and debunked claims about 
        government agents stoking the riot, from the wife of an 
        accused rioter (whom he later interviewed on his show 
        without comment) to elevating evidence-free and 
        obviously flimsy claims about a man named Ray Epps to a 
        national audience. He produced a widely debunked three-
        part series aimed at reframing the Capitol riot in a 
        way that attributed responsibility to government 
        actors--and slotted the response to the riot in his 
        exhaustingly simplistic us-vs.-them narrative. When the 
        House select committee investigating the riot first 
        aired a hearing in prime time, Carlson's show was an 
        ad-free hour of handing the microphone to riot 
        sympathizers and conspiracy theorists.''\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\Kornfield, supra note 3.

    Historically, Mr. Carlson's conspiracy theories and false 
claims are so outrageous that attorneys for Fox News have 
forced to concede in federal court that he should not be 
considered an objective source of information.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \9\McDougal v. Fox News Network, LLC, 489 F.Supp. 174 (2020); see 
also David Folkenflik, You Literally Can't Believe The Facts Tucker 
Carlson Tells You. So Say Fox's Lawyers, NPR (September 29, 2020), 
https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917747123/you-literally-cant-believe-
the-facts-tucker-carlson-tells-you-so-say-fox-s-lawye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Any attempts by defenders of these actions to create a 
false equivalence with the work of the Select Committee to 
Investigate the January 6, 2021, Attack on the Capitol (Select 
Committee) should be dismissed. During the course of its 
investigation, the Select Committee worked directly with the 
Department to ensure the security camera footage that was 
ultimately released to the public did not pose a security 
threat. The Select Committee was required to clear all footage 
it released publicly with the Department. In some cases, the 
Department did voice such objections, and the Select Committee 
worked with the Department to address its concerns. In 
addition, any individual that reviewed security footage signed 
a user agreement, and their individual actions were tracked so 
there was a record of who accessed what and when. No such 
safeguards appear to be in place in the present case, and, 
according to the New York Times, Mr. Carlson has explicitly 
stated that ``he and a large team of staff members [are] 
looking at the footage.''\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \10\Luke Broadwater and Jonathan Swan, In Sharing Video With Fox 
Host, McCarthy Hits Rewind on Jan. 6, N.Y. Times (Feb. 22, 2023), 
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/22/us/politics/
tucker-carlson-jan-6-mccarthy.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Committee Minority intends to conduct robust oversight 
on this issue and hopes that the Committee Majority will 
rethink this decision, which, according to security 
professionals, presents a significant security risk. Among the 
unknowns the Minority intends to uncover are:
     What footage has Tucker Carlson's representatives 
already viewed?
     What conditions did the Speaker's Office put on 
the review of that footage?
     Does the Speaker intend to physically transfer 
video files to Tucker Carlson or anybody else?
     What does Tucker Carlson intend to do with the 
footage?
    As part of this Authorization and Oversight Plan, the 
Majority says that it will ``empower security experts, not 
politicians, to make security related decisions.'' Yet, the 
Department has made clear that it views release of security 
footage as a prodigious security threat.

                HOUSE OFFICERS AND OPERATIONS, GENERALLY

    The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority 
that the House should be accountable, open, accessible, 
transparent, professional, modern and resilient. In particular, 
the Minority shares the Majority's interest in ``facilitat[ing] 
more opportunities for Americans to engage with Congress.'' The 
Minority is therefore disappointed that the new House Majority 
eliminated the option for hearing witnesses to provide 
testimony remotely. Remote testimony allows individuals without 
the financial means to travel to Washington, DC to engage 
directly with Congress. It also makes it easier for individuals 
with disabilities, rural Americans, and those with job 
restrictions to engage with their elected representatives. When 
Congress limits hearing witnesses to those with enough time, 
money, child care and job flexibility to travel to Washington 
for several days, it takes away the voice of millions of 
Americans who deserve to heard.
    The Committee Majority also expresses a desire to ``oversee 
the coordination of services across the House entities to 
ensure Committees may host field hearings across the country 
and U.S. territories safely and effectively.'' With the 
assistance of the House Recording Studio the Committee Minority 
convened nine field hearings, two field roundtables and one 
field listening session during the 116th and 117th Congresses. 
The Minority looks forward to continuing to provide oversight 
of the House Recording Studio's field hearing capabilities by 
participating in additional proceedings outside Washington, DC.

                      CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

    The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's 
oversight goals for the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). In 
addition, the Committee Minority intends to:
     Provide vigorous oversight of services provided to 
district offices, including the concept of enterprise-wide 
district office WiFi.
     Examine the House's relationship with the General 
Services Administration (GSA) to ensure Members can effectively 
serve their constituents through district offices in GSA-owned 
buildings.
     Review efforts to diversify the CAO workforce, 
including oversight of CAO diversity working groups and 
mentoring programs.
     Continue efforts to improve customer service and 
communications across all CAO functions and business units.
     Continue oversight of House technology upgrades, 
including MyExpenses.
     Review proposed reforms to the Office of Finance 
and Payroll and Benefits, including potential implementation of 
the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress 
recommendation to shift to bimonthly pay periods.
     Continue oversight of the Student Loan Repayment 
Program.
     Review and oversee information technology services 
provided, maintained or hosted by House Information Resources 
(HIR).
     Continue oversight of failsafe procedures to 
guarantee continuity of operations.
     Continue oversight of House cybersecurity 
practices, including network security and threat prevention.
     Provide oversight of the House Disaster Recovery 
Program.
     Oversee web services activities, including new 
Member website development, with a focus on accessibility.
     Oversee the Technology Partner Program.
     Oversee continued efforts to move toward cloud 
computing.

                         HOUSE SERGEANT AT ARMS

    The Committee Minority also agrees with the Committee 
Majority's stated goal of independently empowering security 
experts, not politicians, to make security related decisions. 
Unfortunately, this stands in stark contrast with the decision 
to provide a Fox News personality access to Capitol security 
camera footage, in direct contravention of the wishes of 
security experts within USCP.
    In addition to many of the priorities noted by the 
Majority, the Minority intends to:
     Oversee continued implementation of the 
Residential Security Program initiated during the 117th 
Congress.
     Continue to review the effectiveness of the 
district office security center and law enforcement coordinator 
program.
     Review the HSAA role on the Capitol Police Board 
and study potential reforms thereto.
     Monitor implementation of security recommendations 
made by various security experts in the aftermath of the 
January 6, 2021, attack, including those made by Lt. General 
Russel Honore's task force, the USCP Office of Inspector 
General and Architect of the Capitol Office of Inspector 
General.
     Oversee efforts to improving emergency 
preparedness training for Members and staff, both in 
Washington, DC and in their respective districts.
     Monitor efforts to appoint a permanent Sergeant at 
Arms, including progress of any national search.

                           CLERK OF THE HOUSE

    The Committee Minority commends the Office of the Clerk for 
its work during the protracted election for Speaker of the 
House. The Minority intends to focus its Office of the Clerk-
related oversight on the following:
     Review the Clerk's current IT configuration and 
redundancy posture.
     Oversee the House document repository.
     Oversee lobbying disclosure process, including 
ways to make data more easily accessible for the general 
public.
     Review standards for the electronic exchange of 
legislative information among the chambers of congress and 
Legislative Branch agencies.
     Coordinate on matters under the jurisdiction of 
the House Fine Arts Board and the Capitol Preservation Board.
     Continue review of functions and administrative 
operations assigned to the Clerk.
     Review of semi-annual financial and operational 
status reports; recommend changes in operations to improve 
services and increase efficiencies.
     Review the printing needs of the Clerk to evaluate 
the potential for eliminating duplication.
     Review the application programming interface 
incorporated in the Clerk's website.
     Oversee preparation of congressionally authorized 
publications.
     Oversee participation in the Congressional Data 
Task Force.
     Continued oversight of official reporter 
participation in field hearings.

                   HOUSE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

    The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's 
oversight priorities for the House Office of Inspector General 
and looks forward to providing direction on audits management 
advisories on a bipartisan basis.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

    The Committee Minority agrees with many of the Committee 
Majority's oversight priorities for the Architect of the 
Capitol (AOC). In addition to the priorities noted by the 
Majority, the Minority intends to:
     Review and improve, where it is within the 
Committee's jurisdiction to do so, the process by which the 
Architect of the Capitol and the Deputy Architect are 
appointed.
     Oversee AOC hiring practices, with an emphasis on 
improving diversity across the AOC, including the C-Suite.
     Oversee continued restoration, repairs and 
security improvements necessitated by the January 6, 2021, 
attack at the Capitol.
     Review AOC efforts to improve discipline program 
and accountability systems, including those applicable to 
exempt personnel.
     Review mechanisms put in place by the AOC to 
ensure unallowable costs related to the Cannon House Office 
Building renovation are not reimbursed and that no costs are 
reimbursed without sufficient documentation.
     Review plans and proposals for future projects in 
the House Office Buildings and on the House side of the 
Capitol.
     Continue oversight of life safety measures, 
accessibility measures, and improved evacuation mechanisms in 
House buildings
     Review the AOC office of sustainability's efforts 
to reduce energy and waste consumption in the Capitol Complex 
by, for example, use of waterless and low-flow plumbing 
fixtures in restroom facilities.
     Review workplace safety and health efforts.
     Oversee the pest management practices of the AOC, 
including in the Capitol, House Office Buildings and House 
Child Care Center.
     Ensure the existence of a professional workplace 
culture.
     Oversee the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), 
including labor agreements, security concerns set forth by 
Guides, the renovated Exhibition Hall, and the filling of 
vacancies in its leadership.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

    The Committee Minority notes and appreciates the enormous 
effort put forth by the Library's Congressional Research 
Service (CRS) staff to plan what would have been an exceptional 
New Member Seminar (NMS), which was scheduled to take place in 
Philadelphia, PA in January 2023. Unfortunately, the new House 
Majority's inability to elect a Speaker of the House within a 
reasonable timeframe resulted in the cancellation of what would 
have been an inspiring and productive NMS program. The 
Minority, though disappointed in the cancellation of such an 
important program, commends the effort by CRS staff to refresh 
NMS, particularly its efforts in the more than seven months 
between the selection of the location and intended commencement 
of the program.
    The Committee Minority intends to focus its Library of 
Congress-related oversight on the following:
     Continue detailed oversight of CRS operations and 
consider any need to modify management and organizational 
structure of the service. Areas of focus to include:
           Diversity and inclusion;
           Staff morale and attrition rates;
           Work environment;
           Resource allocation; and
           Administrative support for subject 
        matter experts.
     Continue detailed oversight of the Copyright 
Office:
           Review the use of technology generally 
        in Copyright Office operations, and specifically the 
        office's modernization efforts. This includes continued 
        oversight of the development and implementation of the 
        Enterprise Copyright System, including the recordation 
        and registration systems, updated application process 
        and updated user experience platform.
           Review the Copyright Office's efforts to 
        communicate its modernization efforts to stakeholders.
           Review security measures and processes 
        for e-deposits submitted to both the Copyright Office 
        and Library of Congress.
           Review the Copyright Office's spending 
        authority and its ability to budget for multi-year 
        capital projects.
     Continue oversight of Library IT modernization 
consistent with the guidance from the Government Accountability 
Office, including efforts to overhaul records storage, utilize 
the cloud, stabilize the core IT structure, improve IT 
governance and develop a more centralized and professional IT 
workforce.
     Oversee Library storage facilities, including the 
shelving replacement project in the Law Library.
     Continue oversight of the Library's technology 
hosting environment transition.
     Oversee the operation of the Library's various 
websites, including Congress.gov and Copyright.gov.
     Review and propose changes to the rules and 
regulations promulgated by the Joint Committee on the Library.
     Ensure the continued compilation of educational 
websites and materials tailored for students going to school 
remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
     Conduct a review of the progress that the Library 
has made in providing public access to government information, 
especially in electronic form.
     Continue oversight of the Library's Visitor 
Experience Initiative, including the Thomas Jefferson Building 
renovations.
     Continue oversight of Library of Congress 
operations, including inventory cataloguing systems, 
preservation efforts and plans to grow collections.
     Continue oversight of Law Library operations.
     Review the use of technology generally in Library 
of Congress operations, and specifically the ongoing work to 
centralize technology operations.
     Review reports by Library of Congress Inspector 
General and implementation of audit recommendations. Examine 
options to improve operation and structure of the Library of 
Congress Inspector General's office.
     Oversight of supervisor and employee conduct, 
workplace environment and culture, discipline and other human 
resources matters.
     Continue oversight of the National Library 
Service's efforts to provide the most effective service to 
their library partners, explore ways to increase the number of 
users under 65, review the format and content for those users 
and move to a new physical headquarters.
     Continue oversight of collection development 
programs and digital collection plans.
     Continue oversight of the Contracts and Grants 
Directorate, including acquisition workforce training and 
acquisition planning.
     Continue oversight of Library capital projects.
     Oversight of gift shop financial management and 
accounting.

                      UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE

    The Committee Minority shares many of the Committee 
Majority's goals with respect to oversight of the Department. 
In particular, the Minority intends to prioritize improving 
Department culture as a means of professionalizing the force, 
improving officer morale and enhancing Department capabilities. 
The Minority also remains deeply interested in the potential to 
transition the Department from a traditional law enforcement 
agency to a force protection organization akin to the Pentagon 
Force Protection Agency.
    The Minority remains deeply frustrated with the 
Department's responses to requests for information pertaining 
to the October 28, 2022, assassination attempt on then-Speaker 
of the House Nancy Pelosi and the assault of her husband, Paul 
Pelosi. The Minority will continue to examine this matter and 
expects to receive sufficiently detailed answers to its 
requests for information.
    In addition, the Minority intends to:
     Oversee efforts to improve security for Members of 
Congress outside Washington, DC, including in their districts 
and in transit.
     Review proposals to reorganize the Department and 
oversee implementation of any potential reorganization.
     Oversee the overhaul of the Department Training 
Services Bureau, including opportunities for in-service 
training and leadership training, as well as procedures in 
place for quality control.
     Monitor continued implementations of 
recommendations made by the Department Office of Inspector 
General in its series of flash reports issued after the January 
6, 2021, attack.
     Oversee the Contract Security Officer program.
     Oversee efforts to improve recruitment and 
retention of sworn officers.

                      GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

    The Committee Minority intends to focus its Government 
Publishing Office-related oversight on the following:
     Monitor progress of the GPO committee print 
project.
     Review and adopt legislative proposals to reform 
government printing by eliminating redundancies and unnecessary 
printing, increasing efficiency, and enhancing public access to 
government publications.
     Continue efforts to reform title 44, United States 
Code, particularly provisions related to the Federal Depository 
Library Program (FDLP).
     Oversee the digitization of the FDLP.
     Review the printing needs of the House of 
Representatives to identify the potential for eliminating 
duplication.
     Examine current GPO printing and binding 
regulations to determine advisability of change.
     Oversee GPO labor practices and compliance with 
labor agreements.
     Review use of GPO facilities and other assets to 
identify possible alternatives enhancing value to the Congress 
and the public.

                        SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

    The Committee Minority agrees with several of the Committee 
Majority's stated goals with respect to the Smithsonian 
Institution. In particular, the Minority will monitor storage 
capacity concerns and deferred maintenance, and examine whether 
any authorizations are needed to complete the Pod 6 storage 
project in Suitland, Maryland. In addition, the Minority will 
focus on the following priorities:
     Closely examine working conditions at Smithsonian 
museums, with an emphasis on allegations of sexual harassment 
and assault at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 
(STRI).
     Collaborate with the Senate Committee on Rules and 
Administration and other relevant stakeholders to authorize the 
construction of the National Museum of the American Latino and 
American Women's History Museum on the National Mall, as 
recommended by the Smithsonian Board of Regents.
     Oversee efforts to protect Smithsonian facilities 
and collections from the impacts of climate change and 
associated flooding, including the Smithsonian's 2021 Climate 
Change Action Plan.
     Oversee the continued renovations to the National 
Air and Space Museum.
     Review efforts to improve diversity and inclusion 
within the Smithsonian, including, diversity in exhibits/
collections and diversity in the workforce, with an emphasis on 
senior levels of the Smithsonian.
     Monitor efforts to strengthen Smithsonian 
cybersecurity practices.
     Oversee efforts to increase access to the 
Smithsonian, including through traveling exhibits and digital 
resources.
     Oversee the Smithsonian Institution Affiliates 
Program.

             OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

    The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's 
intention to oversee management and operations of the Office of 
Congressional Accessibility Services in conjunction with the 
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. The Minority 
looks forward to collaborating with the Majority to continue to 
improve accessibility at the Capitol Campus. The Committee 
Minority also intends to closely monitor the process of naming 
a permanent director for the office.

                   OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

    The Committee Minority continues to prioritize and support 
the important work of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion 
(ODI). The Committee Minority intends to focus its ODI-related 
oversight on the following:
     Oversee and support efforts to direct and guide 
House employing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop, 
advance, promote and retain a diverse workforce, especially in 
district offices.
     Oversee and support ODI's efforts to perform 
studies regarding compensation and diversity among House 
employees and the existing barriers to diversity in the House.
     Oversee and support ODI's efforts to expand the 
pipeline of diverse potential House interns and employees.
     Oversee and support ODI's efforts to provide 
requested trainings to Member and Committee offices regarding 
diversity and unconscious bias in the workplace.
     Oversee and support ODI's efforts to build its 
brand within the House and develop a national footprint.

                     OFFICE OF WHISTLEBLOWER OMBUDS

    The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's 
prioritization of the House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds and 
looks forward to overseeing this important office established 
during the previous Democratic Majority.

                  Federal Election Law and Procedures

    Under the authority of clause 1(k)(12) of rule X, the 
Committee is responsible for oversight of federal elections, 
including the ``[e]lection of the President, Vice President, 
Members, Senators, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner; 
corrupt practices; contested elections; credentials and 
qualifications; and Federal elections generally.'' Id.
    Congress, and by extension the Committee, pursuant to rule 
X, has broad authority to regulate the time, place, and manner 
of congressional elections under the Elections Clause of the 
Constitution, article I, section 4, clause 1.\11\ The Supreme 
Court has affirmed that the ``substantive scope'' of the 
Elections Clause is ``broad''; that ``Times, Places, and 
Manner'' are ``comprehensive words which embrace authority to 
provide for a complete code for congressional elections''; and 
``[t]he power of Congress over the Times, Places and Manner of 
congressional elections is paramount, and may be exercised at 
any time, and to any extent which it deems expedient; and so 
far as it is exercised, and no farther, the regulations 
effected supersede those of the State which are inconsistent 
therewith.'' Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, 570 
U.S. 1, 8-9 (2013) (internal quotation marks and citations 
omitted); see also ``The Elections Clause: Constitutional 
Interpretation and Congressional Exercise,'' Hearing Before 
Comm. on House Administration, 117th Cong. (2021), written 
testimony of Vice Dean Franita Tolson.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \11\The Elections Clause, in its entirety, provides: ``The Times, 
Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and 
Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature 
thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such 
Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing [sic] Senators.'' U.S. 
Const. art. I, Sec. 4, cl. 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Indeed, ``Congress has plenary and paramount jurisdiction 
over the whole subject'' of congressional elections, Ex parte 
Siebold, 100 U.S. (10 Otto) 371, 388 (1879), and this power 
``may be exercised as and when Congress sees fit'', and ``so 
far as it extends and conflicts with the regulations of the 
State, necessarily supersedes them''. Id. at 384. Among other 
things, the Elections Clause was intended to ``vindicate the 
people's right to equality of representation in the House.'' 
Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1, 16 (1964).
    Congress also has broad authority pursuant to section 5 of 
the Fourteenth Amendment to legislate to enforce the provisions 
of the Fourteenth Amendment, including its protections of the 
right to vote and the democratic process. Section 1 of the 
Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right to vote, 
which is ``of the most fundamental significance under our 
constitutional structure.'' Ill. Bd. of Election v. Socialist 
Workers Party, 440 U.S. 173, 184 (1979); see United States v. 
Classic, 313 U.S. 299 (1941) (``Obviously included within the 
right to choose, secured by the Constitution, is the right of 
qualified voters within a state to cast their ballots and have 
them counted . . .''). As the Supreme Court has repeatedly 
affirmed, the right to vote is ``preservative of all rights,'' 
Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370 (1886). Section 2 of the 
Fourteenth Amendment also protects the right to vote, granting 
Congress additional authority to reduce a State's 
representation in Congress when the right to vote is abridged 
or denied. Congress also has authority to legislate to 
eliminate racial discrimination in voting and the democratic 
process pursuant to both section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment, 
which grants equal protection of the laws, and section 2 of the 
Fifteenth Amendment, which explicitly bars denial or abridgment 
of the right to vote on account of race, color, or previous 
condition of servitude.
    Furthermore, Congress has the power to protect the right to 
vote from denial or abridgment on account of sex, age, or 
ability to pay a poll tax or other tax pursuant to the 
Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments.
    Finally, Congress has both the authority and 
responsibility, as the legislative body for the United States, 
to fulfill the promise of article IV, section 4, of the 
Constitution, which states: ``The United States shall guarantee 
to every State in this Union a Republican Form of 
Government[.]''. U.S. Const. art. IV, Sec. 4. Congress's 
authority and responsibility to enforce the Guarantee Clause is 
clear given that Federal courts have not enforced this clause 
because they understood that its enforcement is committed to 
Congress by the Constitution.

                          OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES

    The Committee Minority intends to further these 
constitutional prerogatives through federal election-related 
oversight. Oversight activities will include various forms of 
Committee activity, including, but not limited to, regular 
oversight meetings with Committee staff, Member-level meetings, 
briefings, events, correspondence, studies, reports, and 
cooperation with relevant inspectors general, as well as 
federal, state, and local election officials.

                      GENERAL ELECTIONS OVERSIGHT

    The Committee's Minority plans to build upon the extensive 
oversight of the federal elections process conducted during the 
116th and 117th Congresses. Over the past four years, examining 
all facets of the voting experience, the Committee and 
Subcommittee on Elections held numerous hearings and sent 
oversight letters gathering critical information on the U.S. 
election process.
    During the 118th Congress, the Minority plans to engage in 
the following oversight activities:
     Use authority under Article 1, Section 4 of the 
United States Constitution to provide free, fair, equitable, 
and secure opportunities for all voters to participate in 
federal elections.
     Build the congressional record in support of a 
reauthorized federal Voting Rights Act.
     Examine all aspects of election security practices 
and consider proposals to improve and strengthen election 
integrity, and bolster security, both cyber and physical, to 
protect election workers, poll workers, and elected officials.
     Continue examining the proliferation of election-
related mis-, dis-, and malinformation to ensure voters have 
access to accurate information.
     Examine the impact of amendments made by the Help 
America Vote Act (HAVA) and the Military and Overseas Voter 
Empowerment Act (MOVE Act) to the Uniformed and Overseas 
Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and consider proposals to 
improve voting methods for those serving and living abroad.
     Review state and federal activities under the 
National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to identify potential 
improvements to voter registration and education programs and 
reducing costs of compliance for state and local governments.
     Work with Executive Branch agencies and partners 
to ensure the full implementation of the President's March 2021 
Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting (EO 14019).

                     ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

    The Committee Minority will continue conducting oversight 
of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) by, for example, 
reviewing operations of the EAC and evaluating possible changes 
to improve efficiency and improve implementation of the Help 
America Vote Act and related election grant programs.

                      FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

    The Committee Minority will continue conducting oversight 
of the Federal Election Commission (``FEC'') by, for example, 
reviewing the operations of the FEC and evaluating possible 
changes to improve efficiency, improve enforcement of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act, and improve procedures for the 
disclosure of contributions and expenditures. The Committee 
Minority will also consider authorization issues and make 
recommendations on the FEC's budget. And the Committee Minority 
will examine the role and impact of political organizations and 
non-profit organizations on federal elections, reviewing 
federal campaign-finance laws and regulations, including 
presidential and congressional public financing, and 
considering potential reforms.

Section 4 of the Twentieth Amendment

    Section 4 of the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution 
states in full that:

          ``The Congress may by law provide for the case of the 
        death of any of the persons from whom the House of 
        Representatives may choose a President whenever the 
        right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for 
        the case of the death of any of the persons from whom 
        the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the 
        right of choice shall have devolved upon them.''

    Congress has never exercised this authority, which would 
create dangerous uncertainty if, for example, a presidential 
candidate was to pass away prior to a contingent House election 
for president. If that were to occur, there would be a strong 
argument that in the absence of legislation, the deceased 
candidate's party would simply be eliminated from the 
contingent election, which would be an unacceptable 
disenfranchisement of untold millions of voters from either 
major party (or of independent voters in the case of an 
independent candidate). The Majority has already expressed a 
desire to examine this issue,\12\ and the Minority agrees that 
the topic bears examination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \12\See H.R. 8528 (117th Congress). Sec. 172 (establishing panel of 
constitutional experts to examine this issue).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    ELECTION-RELATED AUTHORIZATIONS

    The Committee on House Administration oversees agency 
budgets for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and 
the Federal Election Commission (FEC), totaling $109.6 million. 
During the 118th Congress, the Committee Minority remains 
committed to reviewing the authorizations of agencies within 
its jurisdiction to ensure the EAC and FEC receive the budgets 
necessary to fully carry out their missions.
    The Committee also oversees the expenditure of Help America 
Vote Act (HAVA) grant funding. Since 2018, Congress has 
appropriated more than $900 million in funding to support 
federal election administration and improvements. Congress also 
appropriated $400 million in elections funding through the 
CARES Act for conducting elections during the COVID-19 
pandemic. The funding appropriated in 2018 was the first time 
since 2010 that Congress had made resources available through 
HAVA to support federal elections. More funding is needed.
    Election infrastructure was designated as part of the 
nation's critical infrastructure in January 2017, and it should 
receive a level of funding commiserate with this designation. 
President Biden's fiscal year 2022 budget called for an 
investment of $10 billion over the next 10 years in our 
nation's elections. Additionally, state, and local election 
officials have consistently called on Congress to provide a 
consistent, sustainable stream of funding for elections to 
assist in administration and allow for more predictable, long-
term planning.
    The Committee Minority will continue the work of the 
Committee in the 116th and 117th Congresses to engage with 
election officials at the Federal, state, and local level to 
examine the need for continued funding for federal election 
administration, election security--both cyber and physical, 
voting equipment and election technology upgrades and 
maintenance, and the safety and security of election officials 
and voters.
    Furthermore, the Committee Minority will examine new 
funding needs, examine ways appropriations language may be 
revised to allow states and local jurisdictions more 
flexibility in spending HAVA funds. The Committee Minority will 
also explore options for enacting and authorizing new and 
innovative programs to better assist election officials and 
voters, including funding for election administration policies 
and procedures that allow voters free, fair, equitable, and 
secure access to the ballot--such as, but not limited to, 
automatic voter registration systems, same day voter 
registration, implementation of online voter registration 
systems, development and implementation of ballot tracking 
systems, improved voter accessibility, and post-election 
audits.
    In recent years, election officials and election workers 
have faced an unprecedented number of threats, significant 
harassment, and a barrage of election-related mis- and 
disinformation, all of which require additional resources and 
add new and complex layers to the jobs of election officials. 
The Committee Minority remains committed to ensuring election 
officials receive the support and resources they need to ensure 
the safety of themselves, their staffs, the voters, and 
election infrastructure, including working with partner 
committees to ensure robust funding of partner programs at the 
Department of Justice and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 
Security Agency.
    Finally, the Committee Minority is supportive of efforts to 
use election-related authorizations for certain other democracy 
promotion activities. For example, the Committee Minority 
supports authorizations modeled on Title VIII of the Freedom to 
Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which passed the House in January 
2022, which would have established a democracy advancement and 
innovation program to provide states funding to carry out the 
following activities:
    (1) Activities to promote innovation to improve efficiency 
and smooth functioning in the administration of elections for 
Federal office and to secure the infrastructure used in the 
administration of such elections, including making upgrades to 
voting equipment and voter registration systems, securing 
voting locations, expanding polling places and the availability 
of early and mail voting, recruiting and training nonpartisan 
election officials, and promoting cybersecurity.
    (2) Activities to ensure equitable access to democracy, 
including enabling candidates to receive payments through a 
small-donor matching system or for a state to operate a 
democracy credit program.
    (3) Other activities to ensure equitable access to 
democracy, including administering a ranked-choice voting 
system and carrying out Congressional redistricting through 
independent commissions, and
    (4) Activities to increase access to voting in elections 
for Federal office by underserved communities, individuals with 
disabilities, racial and language minority groups, individuals 
entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and 
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and voters residing in 
Indian lands.
    Funding such activities would empower states to promote 
free, fair, equitable, and secure elections.




                        COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

TO: The Honorable James Comer, Chairman, House Committee on Oversight 
        and Accountability, The Honorable Bryan Steil, Chairman, 
        Committee on House Administration
FROM: The Honorable Glenn ``GT'' Thompson, Chairman, House Committee on 
        Agriculture
DATE:
SUBJECT: Authorization and Oversight Plan for the House Committee on 
        Agriculture for the 118th Congress

    This authorization and oversight plan is filed pursuant to 
rule X, clause 2(d)(1) of the Rules of the U.S. House of 
Representatives for the 118th Congress. This plan was prepared 
in consultation with the Ranking Member and was presented to 
the full Committee for its consideration.
    The Committee and its Subcommittees expect to exercise 
appropriate oversight activity with regard to the issues listed 
below. In general, the Committee intends to identify programs 
that are inefficient, duplicative, outdated or more 
appropriately administered by State or local governments for 
possible consolidation or elimination. In addition to the list 
below, the Committee will conduct any other general oversight 
as appropriate and necessary. The Committee will consult, as 
appropriate, with other Committees of the House that may share 
subject matter interest.

                             118TH CONGRESS

                    AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN

    The Committee expects to exercise appropriate oversight 
activity with regard to the following issues:

           2018 Farm Bill and Current Agricultural Conditions

     Review the current state of the U.S. farm economy;
     Review the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
implementation of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018;
     Review programs for waste, fraud, abuse and 
mismanagement;
     Review the state of credit conditions and 
availability in rural America;
     Review the effect of weather conditions on crop 
production;
     Review of the market situation, including effect 
of crop reports and projections;
     Review USDA's implementation of the U.S. Grain 
Standards and U.S. Warehouse Acts;
     Review how Administrative Pay-Go is affecting 
Department actions;
     Review discretionary actions by USDA that are not 
directly authorized by legislation, including the Secretary's 
use of the Commodity Credit Corporation; and
     Review the National Appeals Division (NAD) at 
USDA.

                    Conservation and the Environment

     Review the regulatory activities of the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and how such activities 
effect agricultural productivity, including EPA's regulations 
under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Clean Air Act (CAA);
     Review EPA grant program activities that impact 
agriculture;
     Review the effect of regulatory activities carried 
out pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), or any 
proposed legislative changes to such Act, on agricultural 
producers;
     Review the effect of the Administration's 
regulatory activity regarding crop protection tools on 
production of agriculture in the U.S.;
     Review regulatory activities by the Securities and 
Exchange Commission, specifically the Rules to Enhance and 
Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors and how 
such activities effect agriculture producers;
     Review budget and program activities of the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS);
     Review implementation of all of USDA's 
conservation programs;
     Review USDA's implementation of the conservation 
compliance provisions in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 
2018;
     Review ongoing discussions and potential 
consequences for American agriculture under the United Nations 
Climate Change Conference;
     Review EPA's implementation of the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the 
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA V), and 
the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA);
     Review EPA's regulation of Animal Feeding 
Operations; and
     Review Total Maximum Daily Load strategies and 
effects on production agriculture.

               Federal Crop Insurance, Commodity Policy, 
                          and Risk Management

     Review USDA's implementation of crop insurance 
provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018;
     Review implementation and effectiveness of 
Commodity Title programs, including the Agriculture Risk 
Coverage program, the Price Loss Coverage program, and 
marketing assistance loans;
     Review the role and effectiveness of Federal crop 
insurance;
     Review the Risk Management Agency's (RMA) 
administration and oversight of Federal crop insurance;
     Review the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) 
and the terms and conditions for private sector delivery, 
including reimbursement rates for Administrative and Operating 
(A&O) expenses and agent commissions;
     Review the availability of crop insurance as a 
risk management tool;
     Review the adequacy and availability of risk 
management tools for the livestock, dairy, and specialty crop 
industries;
     Review USDA's activities established to identify 
and reduce crop insurance waste, fraud, and abuse;
     Review USDA's crop insurance rating methodology;
     Review RMA's yield and revenue protection crop 
insurance products;
     Review RMA's progress in approving crop insurance 
products for underserved commodities, underserved producers, 
and underserved regions;
     Review implementation and effectiveness of 
standing disaster programs including the Livestock Indemnity 
Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Program (LFP), Emergency 
Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish 
Program (ELAP), and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) as well 
as ad hoc disaster assistance programs including the Wildfire 
and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), the Emergency 
Relief Program (ERP), and the Emergency Livestock Relief 
Program (ELRP); and
     Review data sharing between FSA and RMA.

   The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Derivatives 
                                Markets

     Review the general operations of the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to provide a reauthorization 
of the Commission;
     Review enforcement and oversight policies and 
their implementation by the CFTC;
     Review rulemakings, guidance, and other actions 
taken by the Commission and its staff for consistency and 
compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act and Congressional 
intent;
     Review the impact of emerging commodity markets 
and financial technologies and examine the authority of the 
Commission to deter fraud and manipulation, promote market 
integrity, and protect investors in digital commodity 
derivatives and at organized digital commodity trading 
platforms;
     Examine existing and novel derivatives market 
structures to promote market integrity, support the needs of 
end-users, and expand access to risk management tools;
     Review the impact of COVID-19 and increasing 
commodity market volatility on derivatives markets;
     Review international treatment of the U.S. 
derivatives industry, including market participants and 
infrastructure; and
     Review the risk-mitigation, resilience, and 
recovery planning of the Commission, registered entities, and 
registrants.

              Agriculture Trade and International Food Aid

     Review tariff and non-tariff trade barriers 
currently applied by agricultural product producing countries 
around the world;
     Review ongoing multilateral, regional, and 
bilateral trade negotiations and dialogues (including World 
Trade Organization (WTO) accession agreements) to assess their 
potential effect on U.S. agriculture;
     Review implementation of existing trade agreements 
and commitments as well as proposed frameworks, trade 
agreements and commitments to determine:
          (1) whether they are consistent with current U.S. 
        law;
          (2) whether they will promote economic development in 
        rural areas of the U.S.;
          (3) their effect or potential effect on current 
        production of import sensitive agricultural 
        commodities, and on exports of U.S. agricultural 
        products;
          (4) their effect or potential effect on the overall 
        competitiveness of the U.S. agricultural sector, 
        including the production, processing and distribution 
        of agricultural products; and
          (5) whether the agreements provide adequate, 
        enforceable provisions to minimize non-tariff barriers 
        to U.S. exports;
     Monitor existing trade agreements to ensure 
trading partners are meeting obligations and enforcing trade 
commitments;
     Review agricultural export programs to determine 
how well they are promoting the interests of U.S. agriculture 
and examine proposals to improve, modify or expand such 
programs;
     Review U.S. food aid programs to determine their 
effect or potential effect on the reduction of world hunger--
particularly the potential effect of trade negotiations on the 
effectiveness of U.S. food aid programs;
     Review USDA and USAID's implementation of the 
Global Food Security Act (GFSA);
     Review the market assessments USDA and USAID use 
to evaluate the potential impact of U.S. food aid on recipient 
countries;
     Review USAID's increasing use of cash-based food 
aid, including financial controls and impact on resiliency;
     Review monitoring and evaluation activities 
carried out by USDA and USAID; and
     Review sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) barriers 
and other technical barriers to U.S. agricultural exports and 
examine efforts to eliminate such barriers.

                  Agricultural Research and Promotion

     Review USDA's implementation of research, 
education and extension programs authorized in the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018;
     Review the administration of the Agricultural 
Research Service research stations and worksites;
     Review USDA's foreign animal disease research, 
training and diagnostic programs at the National Bio and Agro-
Defense Facility;
     Review USDA's regulation of organic standards and 
the collection of organic production and market data;
     Review administration of the National Institute of 
Food and Agriculture (NIFA);
     Review the administration of the Agricultural Food 
Research Initiative and other competitive grant programs;
     Review efforts to leverage Federal research 
investment with state, local, and private sources of funding;
     Review coordination between ARS, the Economic 
Research Service (ERS), NIFA and other USDA agencies to prevent 
duplicative research across the department;
     Evaluate the current mix of research funding 
mechanisms to ensure maximum benefits from these investments to 
producers, processors and consumers;
     Review administration of USDA's marketing and 
promotion programs;
     Review coordination between USDA and the 
Department of Energy on carbon sequestration and energy 
research programs;
     Review the sufficiency of research funding under 
ARS, ERS, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 
and NIFA;
     Review ARS, ERS, NASS and NIFA national program 
priorities;
     Review activities funded by the Biomass Research 
and Development Act (BRDA) and input from the external BRDA 
Advisory Board; and
     Conduct oversight of the research grant process to 
coordinate and prevent overlapping research.

                             Biotechnology

     Review current regulations and research regarding 
animal and plant biotechnology;
     Review the Administration's efforts to modernize 
the regulatory framework for genetically engineered animals;
     Assess USDA's efforts to develop and promote the 
benefits of biotechnology for increasing agricultural 
productivity and combating hunger globally; and
     Review USDA's implementation of biotechnology 
labeling standards.

                   U.S. Forest Service Administration

     Review the U.S. Forest Service's (USFS) strategy 
for dealing with wildfire, including the effect of hazardous 
fuels management, forest health efforts and fire preparedness;
     Continue to monitor the effectiveness and 
efficiency of the USFS fire management program;
     Review the effect of fire expenses on other USFS 
program delivery;
     Assess the USFS strategy for timber harvesting on 
federal lands;
     Review effects of environmental regulations on 
National Forest land management;
     Review economic effects of National Forest land 
management on rural communities;
     Review USFS efforts to utilize public-private 
partnerships that promote active forest management and forest 
health;
     Review the impact of invasive species and disease 
on forests and landscapes;
     Review USFS efforts to promote utilization of 
National Forest biomass for renewable energy purposes; and
     Review USFS's management tools contained in the 
Farm Bill and other recent legislation.

                                 Dairy

     Review USDA's implementation of the dairy risk 
management provisions in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 
2018;
     Review options to improve the efficiency and 
effectiveness of dairy programs; and
     Review the effectiveness of the federal milk 
marketing order system.

                       Outreach and Civil Rights

     Review the operations of the Office of 
Partnerships and Public Engagement;
     Review of the operations of the office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights;
     Review USDA's process for evaluating and settling 
discrimination claims; and
     Review the current status of the Agricultural 
Census and efforts to reach undercounted farmers and ranchers.

                      USDA General Administration

     Review confidentiality of information provided to 
USDA by agricultural producers;
     Review USDA's implementation of field office 
consolidation for the purpose of effectively and efficiently 
delivering commodity, conservation, energy and rural 
development programs;
     Review USDA's current staffing plan and related 
infrastructure;
     Review USDA's efforts to modernize its Information 
Technology (IT) systems; and
     Review the administrative structure of USDA for 
effectiveness and efficiency.

         Farm Credit, Rural Development, and the Rural Economy

     Review the Farm Credit Administration's (FCA) 
regulatory program and activities regarding the Farm Credit 
System (FCS) to assure its safety and soundness;
     Review the activities and programs of the Federal 
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (also referred to as Farmer 
Mac);
     Review FSA's direct and guaranteed loan programs 
and graduation efforts;
     Review the Rural Electrification Act (REA);
     Review the farm economy and access to credit;
     Review access to essential utility services in 
rural America;
     Review implementation of rural development 
policies and authorities contained in the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018 and the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act;
     Conduct oversight of the USDA's rural broadband 
programs;
     Review technology, processes, and controls at 
Rural Development to increase program access, improve 
application evaluation, and speed application decisions;
     Conduct oversight of the implementation of USDA's 
telecommunications programs;
     Assess the state of rural water systems and 
effectiveness of federal funding to build and upgrade those 
systems;
     Assess the effectiveness of USDA programs targeted 
toward rural infrastructure, business needs, and job creation;
     Review agricultural lending practices;
     Review public-private partnerships in lending 
through guaranteed loans;
     Review the definition of ``rural'' under rural 
development programs;
     Review USDA's programs to support rural access to 
health care and health services;
     Review USDA Rural Development's use of the funding 
provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 
Security Act, the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act;
     Review rural development loan programs and default 
rates; and
     Review the success of rural development programs 
in persistent poverty areas.

                                 Energy

     Assess energy programs authorized by the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018;
     Review availability of agriculture and forestry 
feedstocks for renewable energy production;
     Review current status of research on energy crops 
and feedstocks;
     Review current provisions in existing law that 
support agriculture-based energy production and use;
     Review USDA's biofuel initiatives;
     Review implementation of the Renewable Fuels 
Standard (RFS); and
     Review renewable fuel programs and their effect on 
agriculture.

                    USDA Food and Nutrition Programs

     Review food and nutrition programs including the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), fruit, 
vegetable, and dairy initiatives, the Emergency Food Assistance 
Program (TEFAP), the Food Distribution on Indian Reservations 
(FDPIR) program, and other commodity distribution programs;
     Review household eligibility criteria for SNAP;
     Review the interaction between SNAP and other low-
income assistance programs;
     Review the efficiency and accountability of the 
SNAP Employment & Training program;
     Review educational initiatives such as SNAP-Ed and 
the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP);
     Review efforts by USDA and the states to promote 
program integrity and combat error, fraud, and abuse within 
nutrition programs;
     Review efforts by USDA to promote technology 
improvements and encourage innovation in the electronic 
benefits transfer system;
     Review efforts by state SNAP administrators to 
modernize and streamline their programs; and
     Review the implementation and impact of the 
National Accuracy Clearinghouse.

                          Food Loss and Waste

     Review current activities and future opportunities 
within USDA programs to reduce food loss and waste.

                            Specialty Crops

     Review implementation of the Specialty Crop 
Competitiveness Act;
     Review the Specialty Crop Block Grant program to 
ensure the grants awarded are enhancing the specialty crop 
industry;
     Review the Local Agriculture Market Program and 
other farmers market programs;
     Review the administration of the IR-4 Project to 
ensure specialty crop growers have access to the latest 
innovations in crop protection; and
     Review the Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

                              Food Safety

     Review USDA's administration of meat, poultry, and 
egg product inspection laws to ensure the maintenance of 
scientifically sound systems for food safety assurance;
     Review USDA's efforts to educate consumers 
regarding safe food handling practices and streamline the 
assessment and approval of food safety technologies;
     Review development and implementation of new 
protocols for meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood safety inspection 
that promote scientific and technological innovation;
     Review USDA's response to litigation regarding the 
implementation of food safety inspection programs;
     Review rulemaking concerning the Food Safety 
Modernization Act and the impact those rules have on production 
agriculture in the U.S.; and
     Review the mechanisms to establish scientifically 
based international food safety standards.

                        Plant and Animal Health

     Review USDA's implementation and enforcement of 
the Plant Protection Act, Animal Health Protection Act, and 
Animal Welfare Act;
     Review U.S. animal health threats and related 
prevention and response capabilities including animal health 
programs established in the 2018 Farm Bill;
     Assess federal efforts to reduce threats to plant 
health due to invasive species;
     Review implementation and effectiveness of 
cooperative plant health programs, including Plant Pest and 
Disease Management and Disaster Prevention and the Clean Plant 
Network;
     Review efforts to reduce and resolve livestock 
predation, conflicts between wildlife and people, and wildlife 
damage; and
     Review USDA's efforts to modernize animal disease 
traceability.

                          Livestock Marketing

     Review USDA's implementation of the Packers and 
Stockyards Act including the promulgation of new rules under 
such act;
     Review the implementation of USDA efforts to 
enhance market transparency including the cattle contracts 
library pilot program;
     Review USDA efforts to diversify and increase 
processing capacity; and
     Review and reauthorize USDA's livestock mandatory 
reporting program.

                   Homeland and Agricultural Security

     Examine USDA's preparedness against terrorist 
threats to production agriculture;
     Review cooperative efforts between the Department 
of Homeland Security and USDA to protect against foreign animal 
disease;
     Review agricultural inspection activities under 
the Department of Homeland Security; and
     Review implementation of the Agricultural Foreign 
Investment Disclosure Act and related oversight of foreign 
investments in U.S. agricultural land.

                             Miscellaneous

     Review the effects of sequestration on USDA 
operations and programs;
     Review the cost and impact of appropriations and 
programming related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as funding 
and programming found in the Inflation Reduction Act; and
     Review the effect of transportation infrastructure 
issues on agriculture and forestry.

        Consultation With Other Committees To Reduce Duplication

     With Natural Resources on forestry issues, ESA 
issues and other public land issues;
     With Science, Space, and Technology on research;
     With Ways and Means and Education and the 
Workforce on nutrition programs;
     With Ways and Means on tax and trade issues;
     With Homeland Security on biodefense, 
cybersecurity, and border inspection and security measures 
related to agriculture;
     With Armed Services on global and military food 
security;
     With Judiciary on immigrant agricultural labor;
     With Energy and Commerce on food safety, biomass 
energy, and broadband programs, both existing and new;
     With Transportation and Infrastructure on certain 
Clean Water Act compliance issues, livestock hauling, and food 
aid delivery;
     With Financial Services on Dodd-Frank Act and 
emerging financial technology issues;
     With Foreign Affairs on food aid and trade issues;
     With Small Business on addressing economic 
opportunities for rural America; and
     Any other committee as appropriate.

    AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE 
                        COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE


                             118TH CONGRESS

    Most of the programs and authorities under the purview of 
the House Committee on Agriculture are reauthorized every five 
years through the Farm Bill. The current Farm Bill expires on 
September 30, 2023. During the 118th Congress, the Committee 
intends to conduct a thorough review of all Farm Bill programs 
culminating in the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Farm Bill 
preparation will begin with hearings, both in Washington and in 
the field, to hear from producers and USDA about how the 
programs are working. Although dependent on timing in the 
Senate, it is the Committee's goal to reauthorize the Farm Bill 
before it expires.
    Though historically not part of the Farm Bill negotiations, 
the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program is also set to 
expire on September 30, 2023. This authority has been subject 
to several short-term extensions during the 117th Congress and 
the Committee remains committed to the reauthorization of this 
program to give much needed certainty to the livestock 
industry.
    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission was last 
reauthorized in 2008, and that authorization lapsed in 2013. 
Since then, the House Committee on Agriculture has produced and 
reported four separate reauthorization bills, three of which 
have passed the House. During the 118th Congress, the Committee 
again intends to conduct a thorough review of the Commission's 
operations and authorities, culminating in a legislative 
package reauthorizing the Commission. With the engagement and 
cooperation of the Senate, the Committee's goal is to 
reauthorize the Commission before the end of the 118th 
Congress.

    AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE 
                        COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE


                             119TH CONGRESS

    The U.S. Grain Standards Act is slated to expire on 
September 30, 2025. The Committee fully intends to reauthorize 
the program in a timely manner.




                      COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES

                   118TH CONGRESS AUTHORIZATION AND 
                             OVERSIGHT PLAN

                              Introduction

    Providing for the common defense of the United States is 
one of the fundamental duties of Congress. Members of the 
Committee on Armed Services acutely understand this 
responsibility. The committee's legislative and oversight 
responsibilities are critical to the security of our country 
and that of its partners and allies around the world. That is 
why the committee will continue to work in a bipartisan manner 
to conduct oversight of the national defense.
    Oversight of the national defense enterprise is complex. 
Each day, critical decisions are made by military and civilian 
personnel leading hundreds of agencies, departments, and 
commands located at thousands of facilities throughout the 
world. It is the committee's Constitutional duty to conduct the 
oversight of these decisions to ensure they are consistent with 
federal law and Congressional intent. The complexity of the 
current threat environment, with an on-going conflict in 
Europe, strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party, 
and shifting policy priorities at the Department of Defense 
makes the committee's oversight even more essential.
    Comprehensive oversight is instrumental in the committee's 
development of the annual national defense authorization bill 
(NDAA), which covers the breadth of the operations of the 
Department of Defense (DoD), as well as the defense activities 
of the Department of Energy and related agencies. The committee 
believes that regular oversight and reauthorization of these 
programs and activities through enactment of an annual NDAA 
best supports Congress' Article I prerogatives. For over 60 
years, the committee has led Congressional efforts to enact an 
NDAA. The annual enactment of the NDAA provides robust 
opportunities for congressional review and ensures national 
security programs and activities are carried out as Congress 
intends.

                              Jurisdiction

    The committee has jurisdiction over laws, programs, and 
agencies under permanent authority in numerous titles of the 
United States Code, including title 10 (Armed Forces), title 32 
(National Guard), title 37 (Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed 
Services), title 41 (Public Contracts), title 42 (Atomic 
Energy), title 46 (Shipping), and title 50 (War and National 
Defense).
    Pursuant to clause l(c) of rule X of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, the jurisdiction of the committee is as 
follows:
    1. Ammunition depots; forts; arsenals; Army, Navy, and Air 
Force, and Space Force reservations and establishments.
    2. Common defense generally.
    3. Conservation, development, and use of naval petroleum 
and oil shale reserves.
    4. The Department of Defense generally, including the 
Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force generally.
    5. Interoceanic canals generally, including measures 
relating to the maintenance, operation, and administration of 
interoceanic canals.
    6. Merchant Marine Academy and State Merchant Marine 
Academies.
    7. Military applications of nuclear energy.
    8. Tactical intelligence and intelligence-related 
activities of the Department of Defense.
    9. National security aspects of merchant marine, including 
financial assistance for the construction and operation of 
vessels, the maintenance of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship 
repair industrial base, cabotage, cargo preference, and 
merchant marine officers and seamen as these matters relate to 
national security.
    10. Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and 
privileges of members of the armed services.
    11. Scientific research and development in support of the 
armed services.
    12. Selective service.
    13. Size and composition of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, 
and Air Force, and Space Force.
    14. Soldiers' and sailors' homes.
    15. Strategic and critical materials necessary for the 
common defense.
    16. Cemeteries administered by the Department of Defense.
    In addition to its legislative jurisdiction, the committee 
has special oversight functions with respect to international 
arms control and disarmament and the education of military 
dependents in schools, pursuant to clause 3(b) of rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives.

                 Administration of Oversight Activities

    The committee carries out its oversight of the DoD and its 
subordinate departments and agencies, as well as portions of 
the Department of Energy (DoE), through public hearings, 
classified briefings, roundtables, and other activities 
involving the full committee and its standing subcommittees. 
Pursuant to House rule X, clause 2(b)(2), each subcommittee 
with assigned topical or programmatic responsibilities conducts 
oversight of the programs within its jurisdiction as specified 
in the committee's rules. Certain issues and activities 
requiring more extensive, lengthy, and in-depth review may be 
assigned to a task force or panel pursuant to committee rules 
to allow for focused or cross-cutting examination. 
Subcommittees will be assisted by staff from the full committee 
at the Chair or Ranking Member's discretion to ensure that 
appropriate resources are available to carry out oversight 
activities.

                         Lapsed Authorizations

    The annual NDAA authorizes the DoD activities that require 
recurrent authorization. The current NDAA for fiscal year (FY) 
2023 was enacted on December 23, 2022 (P.L. 117-263). It 
authorizes the programs and activities of the DoD through 
FY2023. As a result, there are currently no lapsed 
authorizations within the committee's jurisdiction receiving 
appropriated funding in FY2023.

           Programs To Be Authorized in the Current Congress

    The committee anticipates authorizing a wide range of DoD 
and DoE programs and activities in the 118th Congress. Annual 
funding authorizations in the FY2023 NDAA totaled over 2,800 
line items, each reflective of the national security priorities 
of Congress. These items include procurement programs and 
accounts, operations and maintenance programs and accounts, 
military construction projects, research, development, testing, 
and evaluation (RDT&E) programs and accounts, nuclear weapons 
and associated activities, military personnel programs and 
accounts, military health programs and accounts, military 
justice programs and accounts, intelligence programs and 
accounts, Joint Staff and Combatant Commander accounts, and 
various other matters relating to the national defense. Each of 
these authorizations expire at the end of FY2023. The committee 
anticipates reviewing each these authorizations to determine 
whether to reauthorize them as part of the FY2024 NDAA.

                  Oversight To Support Authorizations

    In support of the enactment of annual NDAA's during the 
118th Congress, the committee will conduct numerous oversight 
hearings, classified briefings, roundtables, and other 
activities. The Committee anticipates holding public hearings 
and classified briefings with the Secretary of Defense, the 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, individual service 
secretaries and chiefs of staff, combatant commanders, other 
officials of the DoD and the military departments, officials 
from the Intelligence Community, and the Secretary of Energy, 
the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, and other officials 
of the DoE. In addition, the committee will seek views and 
perspectives from outside experts in industry, associations, 
advocacy organizations, and those in private life with 
expertise on matters of national security. The committee will 
work closely with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
and Inspector Generals (IG) from DoD agencies to eliminate 
waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement at the DoD. Finally, the 
committee expects that it will continue to receive credible 
reports from whistleblowers that it intends to investigate and 
take appropriate action when warranted.

                  Discretionary and Mandatory Spending

    As part of its annual oversight and authorization process, 
the committee carefully reviews and determines whether changes 
need to be made to the manner in which discretionary and 
mandatory national security programs are carried out. If the 
committee determines that certain mandatory programs would be 
better administered through discretionary appropriations, the 
NDAA would carry out that change consistent with Congressional 
Budget Act rules and regulations. The committee will continue 
to conduct rigorous oversight of the mandatory programs under 
its jurisdiction and will implement reforms when necessary to 
protect beneficiaries, eliminate waste, and improve 
administration.

                    Redundant Programs and Agencies

    One of the focuses of the oversight process the committee 
undertakes annually to produce the NDAA is identifying 
redundant programs or agencies in the defense enterprise. The 
committee has a record of enacting laws to realign, streamline, 
or eliminate these programs and agencies when necessary. The 
committee will continue to work with GAO and the DoD IG on 
efforts to uncover redundant and wasteful programs and to 
pursue legislative remedies in the NDAA.

                       Other Oversight Activities

    The national security enterprise spans beyond the 
jurisdiction of the committee and includes matters in the 
jurisdiction of several other committees of the House of 
Representatives. As the committee has in past Congresses, it 
will continue to work closely with these committees to conduct 
important oversight on national security matters of shared 
jurisdictional interest.




                        COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET

 AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET 118TH 
                   CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                  COMMITTEE JURISDICTION AND OVERSIGHT

    Under clause 2(d) of House rule X, the Chair of each 
Committee is required to adopt and submit to the Committees on 
Oversight and Accountability and House Administration an 
authorization and oversight plan by March 1 of the first 
session of each Congress. The Budget Committee's oversight 
responsibilities are determined by both the breadth of the 
federal budget and the Committee's legislative jurisdiction.
    Under clause 1(d)(1) of House rule X, the primary 
responsibility of the Budget Committee is to develop a 
concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year. This 
concurrent resolution sets aggregate levels on spending and 
revenue and across budget functions (a set of programs that 
serve a shared purpose or activity, such as agriculture, 
health, or national defense).
    Although the subject matter of the budget is inherently 
broad, in addition to oversight of the budget and the economy, 
the Committee's formal oversight responsibility focuses on laws 
governing the budget process and the agencies responsible for 
administering elements of those laws. Under clauses 1(d)(1)-(3) 
of House rule X, the major laws falling within its oversight 
include the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the 
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, the 
Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act 
of 2010, the Budget Control Act of 2011, and the Bipartisan 
Budget Act of 2019. The two agencies with primary 
responsibility for administering elements of these laws and 
hence which fall under the Committee's jurisdiction are the 
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB).
    In addition to these general oversight responsibilities, 
the Budget Committee has special oversight responsibilities 
under clauses 3(c) and 4(b) of House rule X such as to study 
the effect on budget outlays of existing and proposed 
legislation and to request and evaluate continuing studies of 
tax expenditures.

                 OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 118TH CONGRESS

                           Budget Priorities

    In the process of developing the annual concurrent budget 
resolution, the Committee will hold hearings and receive 
testimony from Members of Congress, Cabinet-level and other 
federal officials, and expert witnesses to review the budget 
and economic outlook, the President's budget submissions, other 
budget priorities, and evaluate evidence on the state of the 
economy and the nation's long-term economic outlook.
    The Committee will also review the congressional budget 
process, including topics such as strengthening constitutional 
authority, including Congress' power of the purse by ensuring 
spending and revenue decisions are transparent and effectively 
carried out by the Executive Branch; controlling automatic 
spending; increasing transparency; and ensuring fiscal 
sustainability.
    The Committee will also continually assess the performance 
of federal agencies in both administration and service delivery 
by reviewing performance data in the President's budget 
submissions and the relevant reports and audits of the 
Government Accountability Office and the Offices of the 
Inspectors General. The Committee will also assess OMB's legal 
authorities to manage federal spending, including the 
Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and review budget rules and 
processes.
    The Committee will study the budgetary effects of existing 
law and proposed legislation, as well as government regulation 
on government spending, and explore ways to reduce waste, 
fraud, and abuse in government agencies.
    The Committee will draw on the authorizing committees' 
Views and Estimates, which are submitted to it pursuant to 
section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, to 
coordinate development of the annual concurrent budget 
resolution.

                           Budget Enforcement

    The Committee will provide ongoing oversight of OMB's 
implementation of budget submission, control, execution, and 
enforcement procedures under the Budget and Accounting Act of 
1921, the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Budget 
Enforcement Act of 1990, the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 
2010, the Budget Control Act of 2011, and other applicable 
laws.
    The Committee will also ensure compliance with the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 in addition to the budget-
related provisions of H. Res. 5. As part of these 
responsibilities, the Chair may provide authoritative guidance 
concerning the impact of a legislative proposition on the 
levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new 
entitlement authority and revenues.
    The Committee will also work with the Appropriations and 
authorizing committees to ensure that spending and tax 
legislation does not breach the levels set in the budget 
resolution, as required under sections 302(f) and 311(a) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the budget-related 
provisions of H. Res. 5. The Committee will also monitor 
compliance with the House Cut-As-You-Go (CUTGO) rule requiring 
direct spending increases be offset with direct spending 
reductions.

                 Federal Spending and Tax Expenditures

    The Committee will evaluate continuing studies of tax 
expenditures and spending by the federal government and 
consider whether changes are warranted.

                            Economic Policy

    The Committee will study how economic policies affect the 
Federal budget. The Committee will also study monetary policy 
and its effects on the Federal budget. The Committee plans to 
take testimony from the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome 
H. Powell, to review economic conditions, fiscal conditions, 
and monetary policy.

              Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office

    CBO was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
in order to provide Congress with economic and budgetary 
analysis and cost estimates for proposed legislation. The 
Committee will provide oversight of CBO's work, including 
scoring of legislation considered by Congress, production of 
baseline estimates, and other projects on important budgetary 
issues.
    CBO has not been comprehensively reauthorized since the 
enactment of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. It operates 
under a permanent indefinite authorization. The Committee plans 
to exercise its oversight responsibility over CBO through 
hearings and other activities.

            Oversight of the Office of Management and Budget

    OMB's responsibilities include administering elements of 
several laws within the Committee's jurisdiction. The Committee 
will provide oversight of OMB, including its legal authorities 
to manage federal spending, as well as implementation of the 
President's budget submission, control, budget execution, and 
enforcement procedures under current law.

                           OVERSIGHT SCHEDULE

    The following are the Committee's initial plans for 
hearings and other oversight activities:

First Session (2023)

Winter 2023--Hearing on CBO's Economic and Budget Outlook: 
Director of CBO.

Spring 2023--Hearings on the President's Fiscal Year 2024 
Budget: Director of OMB; Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary 
of the Department of Health and Human Services; Secretary of 
the Department of Defense.

Spring 2023--Hearing on Budget Priorities for the Fiscal Year 
2024 Budget: Members of Congress.

Spring 2023--Receive Views and Estimates from other Committees 
to coordinate development of the annual concurrent budget 
resolution.

    Additional hearings on topics to be announced.

Second Session (2024)

Winter 2024--Hearing on CBO's Economic and Budget Outlook: 
Director of CBO.

Winter 2024--Hearings on the President's Fiscal Year 2025 
Budget: Director of OMB; Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary 
of the Department of Health and Human Services; Secretary of 
the Department of Defense.

Winter 2024--Hearing on Budget Priorities for the Fiscal Year 
2025 Budget: Members of Congress.

Winter 2024--Receive Views and Estimates from other Committees 
to coordinate development of the annual concurrent budget 
resolution.

Spring 2024--Hearing on the economy, Chairman of the Federal 
Reserve Board.

    Additional hearings on topics to be announced.

    
    

                COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE

                             118TH CONGRESS

  SUBMISSION OF OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE 
                               WORKFORCE

    Mrs. Foxx, from the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce, submitted to the Committee on Oversight and 
Accountability and the Committee on House Administration the 
following.

              Preparation and Submission of Oversight Plan

    Each standing committee of the U.S. House of 
Representatives (other than the Committee on Appropriations, 
the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on Rules) is 
required to prepare and submit an oversight plan at the 
beginning of each Congress. Specifically, clause 2(d)(1) of 
rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives states:

    (d)(1) Not later than March 1 of the first session of a 
Congress, each standing committee (other than the Committee on 
Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on 
Rules) shall, in a meeting that is open to the public, adopt 
its authorization and oversight plan for that Congress. Such 
plan shall be submitted simultaneously to the Committee on 
Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on House 
Administration--

              Jurisdiction of the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

    Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives vests 
in the Committee on Education and the Workforce (Committee) 
jurisdiction over issues dealing with students, education, 
workers, and labor policy. Specifically, clause 1(e) of rule X 
vests the Committee with jurisdiction over the following 
subject matter:
          (1) Child labor.
          (2) Gallaudet University and Howard University and 
        Hospital.
          (3) Convict labor and the entry of goods made by 
        convicts into interstate commerce.
          (4) Food programs for children in schools.
          (5) Labor standards and statistics.
          (6) Education or labor generally.
          (7) Mediation and arbitration of labor disputes.
          (8) Regulation or prevention of importation of 
        foreign laborers under contract.
          (9) Workers' compensation.
          (10) Vocational rehabilitation.
          (11) Wages and hours of labor.
          (12) Welfare of miners.
          (13) Work incentive programs.
          (14) Organization, administration, and general 
        management of the Department of Education.
          (15) Organization, administration, and general 
        management of the Department of Labor.

                   General Oversight Responsibilities

    Clause 2 of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives provides in part:

    (a) The various standing committees shall have general 
oversight responsibilities as provided in paragraph (b) in 
order to assist the House in--
          (1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of--
                  (A) the application, administration, 
                execution, and effectiveness of Federal laws; 
                and
                  (B) conditions and circumstances that may 
                indicate the necessity or desirability of 
                enacting new or additional legislation; and
          (2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of 
        changes in Federal laws, and of such additional 
        legislation as may be necessary or appropriate.
    (b)(1) In order to determine whether laws and programs 
addressing subjects within the jurisdiction of a committee are 
being implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent 
of Congress and whether they should be continued, curtailed, or 
eliminated, each standing committee (other than the Committee 
on Appropriations) shall review and study on a continuing 
basis--
          (A) the application, administration, execution, and 
        effectiveness of laws and programs addressing subjects 
        within its jurisdiction;
          (B) the organization and operation of Federal 
        agencies and entities having responsibilities for the 
        administration and execution of laws and programs 
        addressing subjects within its jurisdiction;
          (C) any conditions or circumstances that may indicate 
        the necessity or desirability of enacting new or 
        additional legislation addressing subjects within its 
        jurisdiction (whether or not a bill or resolution has 
        been introduced with respect thereto); and
          (D) future research and forecasting on subjects 
        within its jurisdiction.
    (2) Each committee to which subparagraph (1) applies having 
more than 20 members shall establish an oversight subcommittee, 
or require its subcommittees to conduct oversight in their 
respective jurisdictions, to assist in carrying out its 
responsibilities under this clause. The establishment of an 
oversight subcommittee does not limit the responsibility of a 
subcommittee with legislative jurisdiction in carrying out its 
oversight responsibilities.

                 Exercise of Oversight Responsibilities

    The Constitution of the United States vests in Congress the 
authority and responsibility to make laws and ensure that those 
laws are properly enforced and enacted. Oversight is a 
constitutional prerogative, an important responsibility of the 
Congress, and a core objective of the Committee. Accordingly, 
the Committee will thoroughly oversee and investigate the 
various departments, agencies, and programs within its 
jurisdiction. In so doing, the Committee will actively consult 
with House committees that have concurrent or related 
jurisdiction.
    In its oversight proceedings, the Committee will make full 
use of hearings in Washington, D.C., and of regional field 
hearings to ensure all relevant voices are heard and included 
as part of the official record. Among other investigative 
techniques, the Committee will visit relevant sites, correspond 
with affected parties, request briefings by federal agencies 
and departments, review assessments and analyses by the 
Congressional Research Service (CRS), and review audits and 
investigations by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
and the Offices of the Inspectors General of the U.S. 
Departments of Education (ED), Labor (DOL), Health and Human 
Services (HHS), Agriculture (USDA), and Justice (DOJ); and 
independent agencies under the Committee's jurisdiction 
including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Pension Benefit 
Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the National Council on 
Disability, and the Corporation for National and Community 
Service (CNCS).
    The Committee will lead aggressive oversight in its areas 
of jurisdiction, which include programs and statutes 
administered and enforced by ED, DOL, HHS, USDA, DOJ, and 
various independent agencies as well as the organization, 
administration, and general management of ED and DOL. The 
Committee will work to ensure that these programs and statutes 
are administered consistent with constitutional requirements of 
faithful execution of laws passed by Congress and long-
established principles of federalism. Additionally, the 
Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that programs are 
operated and executed in an effective, efficient, and 
transparent manner, as well as follow congressional intent in 
their scope, activities, and operations.
    The Committee has identified priority areas for oversight 
and investigation in the 118th Congress. These areas include, 
but are not limited to, the following:
           Student Loans: The Committee will conduct 
        oversight on the Biden Administration's actions related 
        to the federal student loan program. Since March 2020, 
        all payments and collections on federally-held student 
        loans have been suspended. Since then, the Biden 
        Administration has made substantial changes to the 
        program, including waivers for loan forgiveness and 
        repayment programs; issuing new regulations that 
        include, among others, borrower defense to repayment, 
        public service loan forgiveness, and closed school 
        discharges; creating ``Operation Fresh Start'' for 
        defaulted borrowers; and, by executive action, broad-
        based cancellation of up to $20,000 for over 40 million 
        borrowers. Coupled with their proposal for a new 
        income-driven repayment plan, these actions will 
        fundamentally alter the nature of the Direct Loan 
        program and the Committee will investigate whether 
        these actions go beyond the authority provided in 
        statute. Further, the Committee will investigate and 
        monitor FSA's implementation of its Unified Servicing 
        and Data Solution, as well as the Department's plans to 
        smoothly transition borrowers back into repayment 
        through timely guidance and communications to both 
        borrowers and servicers.
           Student Aid: The Committee will conduct 
        oversight on the policies and priorities of the Office 
        of Federal Student Aid at the Department of Education, 
        especially as they relate to timely implementation of 
        the FUTURE Act and the FAFSA Simplification Act, 
        monitoring institutional accountability, preventing 
        executive overreach on policies that Congress has not 
        addressed, and monitoring institutional compliance with 
        reporting foreign gifts and contracts.
           Preserving the First Amendment on Campus: 
        The First Amendment is under attack at American 
        institutions of higher education. Yet, institutions 
        receive billions of dollars in federal funding only to 
        promote or turn a blind eye to policies that undermine 
        constitutional freedoms. The Biden Administration has 
        not made it a priority to encourage campuses to foster 
        the free exchange of ideas. The Committee will conduct 
        oversight on the status of the Religious Liberty and 
        Free Inquiry Rule and how institutions may be falling 
        short of providing a learning environment with the 
        complete protections of the First Amendment.
           Monitoring Use of COVID Relief Funds: Data, 
        including declining scores on the ACT and the National 
        Assessment of Educational Progress, have shown 
        significant learning loss among students affected by 
        school closures during the COVID pandemic. We will 
        conduct oversight over how states and school districts 
        are using the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars 
        that were meant for reopening schools and addressing 
        students' lost learning.
           Faithful Implementation of Title IX: The 
        Committee will conduct oversight of the Department of 
        Education's expected release of final rules under Title 
        IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These 
        regulations are expected to redefine the term ``sex,'' 
        roll back policies that ensure fair and impartial 
        campus judicial proceedings and create less safe and 
        equal educational environments for women.
           Department of Labor's Workforce Development 
        Programs: The Committee will conduct oversight on DOL's 
        workforce development programs. This includes reviewing 
        the policies and expenditures of apprenticeship 
        programs operated by DOL and evaluating the various 
        programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act, including Job Corps, the Adult and Dislocated 
        Worker program, and the Re-entry Employment 
        Opportunities program.
           Anti-Poverty Programs: The Committee will 
        conduct oversight to eliminate fraud and ensure 
        programs are fiscally responsible, and narrowly 
        targeted toward lifting low-income Americans out of 
        poverty and on a path to self-sustainability.
           Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment: The 
        Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that HHS is 
        not encouraging states to violate parental rights.
           Child Nutrition: The Committee will monitor 
        and conduct oversight on the Department of 
        Agriculture's administration of child nutrition 
        programs within the Committee's jurisdiction and any 
        proposed policies and regulations that impact these 
        nutrition programs, including any new regulations 
        published.
           National Labor Relations Board: The 
        Committee will conduct oversight and investigations to 
        ensure that the NLRB is properly implementing and 
        enforcing the National Labor Relations Act. Following 
        two years of the Biden administration, the NLRB and its 
        Office of General Counsel are particularly in need of 
        scrutiny. This needed oversight includes the 
        Committee's review of the NLRB's regulatory proposals 
        on joint employers; changes to representative election 
        procedures; its efforts to normalize mail, telephone, 
        and online elections; and Board decisions which could 
        illegally implement provisions of the Protecting the 
        Right to Organize Act (PRO Act). The Committee will 
        also review the General Counsel's use of field 
        memoranda and injunctions to tilt NLRB policy decidedly 
        in favor of organized labor. Finally, the Committee 
        will investigate instances of NLRB corruption, 
        including Board Members' conflicts of interest.
           Administration Bias Promoting Big Labor: The 
        Biden administration has taken an all-of-government 
        approach to increase union membership and assist union 
        organizing campaigns at the expense of employee free 
        choice. Whether it be Secretary of Labor Walsh's 
        inappropriate appearance on the picket line at the 
        Kellogg's plant in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the NLRB 
        General Counsel's aggressive actions, or the empaneling 
        of a so-called ``worker organizing and empowerment'' 
        task force, the Biden administration has shown its 
        clear one-sided bias in favor of Big Labor. The 
        Committee will conduct oversight to consider the extent 
        to which the administration has weaponized federal 
        polices in favor of unions and to ensure it moves back 
        to its appropriate role of administrating the law in an 
        impartial manner.
           Union Accountability and Transparency: 
        Approximately 7.2 million private sector workers are 
        represented by unions, and they are entitled to 
        accountability and transparency. DOL's Office of Labor-
        Management Standards is the chief federal agency 
        responsible for protecting the rights of union members 
        against anti-democratic procedures within labor 
        organizations and safeguarding labor union funds and 
        assets. The Committee will monitor OLMS's 
        implementation of the Labor-Management Reporting and 
        Disclosure Act to ensure the law is being appropriately 
        applied and enforced. The Committee will also conduct 
        oversight on unions, as needed, to ensure they are 
        properly managing their members' dues, education funds, 
        and pension programs.
           Wage and Hour: The Committee will engage 
        with workers, employers, and other stakeholders to 
        consider how best to modernize federal wage and hour 
        laws. The Committee will also conduct oversight on the 
        DOL Wage and Hour Division's regulatory and enforcement 
        activity, including its proposals to revise the 
        independent contractor and overtime pay rules under the 
        Fair Labor Standards Act and prevailing wage 
        requirements under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts.
           Retirement Security and Pensions: The 
        Committee will engage with workers, employers, 
        retirees, and other stakeholders to consider how best 
        to strengthen laws governing retirement security. 
        Committee oversight will review DOL's regulatory 
        actions on the definition of the term ``fiduciary'' and 
        on environmental, social, and governance investing. The 
        Committee will also closely examine PBGC as it 
        implements the American Rescue Plan Act and conduct 
        vigorous oversight of multiemployer pension plans that 
        receive taxpayer dollars.
           Health Care: The Committee will conduct 
        oversight to ensure that employers have the flexibility 
        and tools to offer workers and their families 
        affordable, employer-sponsored health care coverage 
        that fits their individual needs. It will ensure that 
        plans governed by the Employee Retirement and Income 
        Security Act are not improperly regulated by HHS and 
        closely monitor any new coverage mandates imposed by 
        unelected bureaucrats. The Committee will also closely 
        oversee the Biden administration's implementation of 
        laws governing mental health and substance abuse 
        treatment coverage and banning surprise medical 
        billing. The Committee will further conduct oversight 
        to ensure the administration properly winds down the 
        COVID-19 public health emergency declaration and 
        ensures previously appropriated COVID relief funding 
        has been properly used. Additionally, the Committee 
        will closely monitor any attempt by the administration 
        to coerce employers to provide abortion or transgender 
        benefits.
           Equal Employment Opportunity: The Committee 
        will monitor EEOC and DOL's Office of Federal Contract 
        Compliance Programs to ensure they are properly 
        implementing and enforcing employment non-
        discrimination laws. Specifically, the Committee will 
        monitor EEOC's attempts to expand the ``Employment 
        Information Report'' (EEO-1) form to include employee 
        pay data. The Committee will also oversee OFCCP's 
        policies concerning religious organizations seeking to 
        participate in federal contracting.
           Workplace Safety and Health: The Committee 
        will conduct oversight on the Occupational Safety and 
        Health Administration (OSHA) to confirm it is ensuring 
        safe and healthy workplaces by properly setting 
        standards and providing education, outreach, and 
        assistance to workers and employers without excessive 
        red tape. Committee oversight will review OSHA's 
        regulatory actions on heat illness prevention, 
        recordkeeping, workplace violence prevention, and 
        process safety management. The Committee will also 
        review any further attempts by OSHA to promulgate a 
        COVID-19 standard for the health care industry.
           Mine Safety and Health: The Committee will 
        review the Mine Safety and Health Administration's 
        (MSHA) implementation of federal mine safety laws to 
        ensure it is properly promoting safe and healthy 
        workplaces and working to eliminate mining fatalities. 
        The Committee will also examine MSHA's regulatory and 
        enforcement activity, including its promulgation of a 
        rule on silica.
           The Committee will monitor DOL's Office of 
        Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), which include 
        the Federal Employees' Compensation Program, the Energy 
        Workers Program, the Black Lung Program, and the 
        Longshore Program. Specifically, the Committee will 
        look for opportunities to improve the Federal 
        Employees' Compensation Program management, simplify 
        administration, and strengthen the program's integrity 
        so that it can better serve the needs of injured 
        federal workers. In addition, the Committee will 
        oversee OWCP's implementation of the Federal 
        Firefighters Fairness Act, which creates a new 
        presumption of eligibility under the Federal Employees' 
        Compensation Act for federal firefighters with certain 
        occupational illnesses.
    The Committee reserves the right to review and investigate 
general legislative, administrative, and regulatory issues 
affecting its jurisdiction.

                         Expired Authorizations

    The following is a list of the major laws that have 
authorizations of appropriations that have expired but continue 
to receive funding under the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce. Along with the oversight 
objectives previously outlined, the Committee will work to 
conduct oversight of these laws and determine the appropriate 
next steps.
     Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
     Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966
     Community Services Block Grant Act
     Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973
     Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
     Family Violence Prevention Services Act
     Head Start Act
     Higher Education Act of 1965
     Individuals with Disabilities Act
     Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981
     Museum and Library Services Act
     National and Community Service Act of 1990
     National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities 
Act of 1965
     Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act
     Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
     Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004
     Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
    The following is a list of major laws that have 
authorization of appropriations that will expire during the 
118th Congress:
     Carl D Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 
of 1998
     Juvenile Justine and Delinquency Prevention Act of 
1974
     Missing Children's Assistance Act
     Morris K Udall Scholarship and Excellent in 
National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act




                    COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE

    AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND 
                                COMMERCE

             U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 118TH CONGRESS

                       (Adopted February 9, 2023)

    Rule X, clause 2(d) of the Rules of the House requires each 
standing Committee to develop an oversight plan for the two-
year period of the Congress and to submit the plan to the 
Committee on Oversight and Reform and to the Committee on House 
Administration not later than March 1 of the first session of 
the Congress.
    This is the oversight plan of the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce for the 118th Congress. It includes areas where the 
Committee expects to conduct oversight during the 118th 
Congress, subject to staff and resource limitations, but does 
not preclude oversight or investigation of additional matters. 
The Committee will continue to consult with other committees 
that have jurisdiction over the same or related laws, programs, 
or agencies with the objective of ensuring maximum coordination 
and cooperation. Specifically, the Committee will continue to 
work with other committees to facilitate expiring programs, 
coordinate with the Congressional Budget Office regarding 
lapsed authorizations and upcoming expirations, and hold member 
and staff-level meetings with relevant committees and House and 
Senate conferences.
    During the 118th Congress, the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce will hold hearings and conduct rigorous oversight over 
matters within its jurisdiction. The Committee will conduct 
thorough oversight, reach conclusions based on an objective 
review of the facts, and treat witnesses fairly. The Committee 
will request information in a responsible manner that is 
calculated to be helpful to the Committee in its oversight 
responsibilities. The Committee's oversight functions will 
focus on (1) cutting government spending through the 
elimination of waste, fraud, and abuse; and (2) ensuring laws 
are adequate to protect the public interest or are being 
implemented in a manner that protects the public interest, 
without stifling economic growth. The Committee will use the 
information it collects through its oversight to inform the 
reauthorization of certain lapsed programs within its 
jurisdiction.

                     HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES

                Covid-19 Pandemic Origins and Response 
                        and Pandemic Prevention

    The Committee will examine the roles and actions taken by 
Federal agencies involved in insuring and protecting the public 
health during the Covid-19 pandemic.
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal 
agencies have invested heavily over the last decade-plus in a 
pandemic preparedness strategy based on, among other things, 
the notion that pandemics could be predicted through intensive 
virus hunting in the field. However, even though these efforts 
were focused on coronaviruses in bats located in China and 
southeast Asia, virus hunting failed to predict the Covid-19 
pandemic. The Committee will conduct oversight of the federal 
government's policies and procedures relating to pandemic 
prediction and prevention.
    The Committee will investigate the government's role in 
Gain-of-Function research and the adequacy of the HHS Potential 
Pandemic Pathogen Care and Oversight (P3CO) framework used to 
oversee research projects involving experiments that could make 
dangerous viruses more transmissible or more lethal.
    The Committee will conduct oversight of the NIH grantmaking 
policies and procedures as it relates to approving and 
monitoring its grants and subgrantees, including the use of 
indirect costs, to ensure the safe, appropriate, and efficient 
use of Federal tax dollars.
    The Committee will also examine issues related to the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which put out 
opaque, politically influenced guidance and data that was then 
used by other Federal agencies, states, and localities as 
rationale for mandates and lockdowns that has led to increased 
mental health issues, especially in children. CDC has never 
been authorized, and many of its authorities and programs are 
broad or out of date.
    In addition, many of the authorities used by the Federal 
government to prepare and respond to chemical, biological, 
radiological, or nuclear threats expire at the end of fiscal 
year (FY) 2023. The Committee intends to examine those 
authorities and reauthorize those necessary with appropriate 
changes to reflect the abuse of power and lack of transparency 
in scientific recommendations witnessed during the Covid-19 
pandemic. The Committee also plans to examine the overarching 
pandemic and biodefense leadership structure, and how it could 
be strengthened to ensure we are best prepared for future 
bioterrorism threats.

                      The Illicit Fentanyl Crisis

    U.S. drug overdose deaths are at record highs, and 
approximately two thirds of those deaths can be attributed to 
fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Oversight of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Office of National 
Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is necessary to gain insight into 
the fentanyl trafficking problem, including both precursor 
production in Mexico that has migrated from China, and 
trafficking in the U.S. Additionally, the Committee will 
conduct oversight of the role of social medias in facilitating 
fentanyl distribution throughout the U.S., particularly in 
transactions involving minors.
    It has been 5 years since the SUPPORT Act passed, and 
provisions around how Medicaid can pay for treatment for those 
with substance use disorders expire at the end of FY2023. The 
committee will conduct oversight of the SUPPORT Act and 
reauthorize those expiring authorities with any changes 
necessary if such authorities should be reauthorized.

                           Health Care Costs

    The Committee will continue to examine issues related to 
the affordability of health care, including areas where federal 
government intervention has contributed to increased costs for 
patients and families. The Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) regulates significant portions of the commercial 
health insurance market, promulgates Medicare payment rules 
that encourage health care provider consolidation, issues 
Medicaid regulations that make it more difficult for states to 
design Medicaid programs to function as a true safety net, and 
implements provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 
(CAA) related to ending surprise medical billing and improving 
health cost transparency, including with respect to pharmacy 
benefit managers. It is critical that the Committee identify 
provisions within the troves of HHS regulations contributing to 
dynamics--such as provider consolidation--that are increasing 
health care costs. Similarly, the committee will be closely 
scrutinizing areas where the current administration is actively 
seeking to limit competition and choice for families, including 
through the first ever federal ban on private health insurance 
options. Furthermore, the Committee will keenly oversee 
implementation of the CAA provisions related to surprise 
medical billing and health care price transparency. Ensuring 
that these protections are implemented in line with 
congressional intent will result in lower costs for families, 
employers, and taxpayers alike.

                          ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS

    The Committee will review Medicare and Medicaid, two of the 
most significant drivers of the federal budget deficit and 
resulting debt. The total number of beneficiaries and the 
average spending per beneficiary in each program have grown 
significantly over the past decade, with major increases 
occurring in the past three years, and making sure taxpayer 
dollars are spent wisely is imperative to ensuring the long-
term sustainability of each program. The Committee will examine 
and review Medicare and Medicaid management and activity as it 
relates to ongoing Committee efforts to prevent bias, waste, 
fraud, and abuse in Federal health care programs. Ensuring 
responsible stewardship of each program can also help protect 
beneficiaries from unscrupulous actors seeking to defraud the 
program rather than improve the health of their enrollees.
    In addition, with the granting of sweeping authority for 
CMS to forcibly set the prices for drugs for seniors, the 
Committee will continue to inform the public of the 
consequences of this authority on critical medical innovation, 
Part D plan design and patient choice, access to lower cost 
generic and biosimilar alternatives, and if patients will be 
able to have a meaningful voice in the process CMS uses to set 
drug prices. The Committee will also continue to monitor CMS's 
process and decisions with respect to Medicare coverage policy, 
including National Coverage Determinations, and take action, if 
necessary, to ensure seniors and people with disabilities can 
access drugs that their doctors determine are best for them.

                      Food and Drug Administration

    The Committee will review whether the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) is fulfilling its mission after recent 
failures to quickly identify and respond to infant formula 
production issues and no clear plan to restart necessary 
inspections overseas delayed or stopped during the COVID-19 
pandemic. The Committee will also awork to ensure that FDA is 
fulfilling its mission to ensure that regulated drugs and 
medical devices are safe, effective, and available to American 
patients in an expeditious fashion. The Committee will examine 
whether FDA's reorganization efforts are improving the 
effectiveness of FDA regulation, or worsening delays and 
inefficiency in decision-making.
    The animal drug and generic drug user fee programs expire 
at the end of FY2023 and must be reauthorized for FY2024-2028. 
The Committee will consider the proposed agreements for the 
Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and the Animal Generic Drug 
User Fee Act (AGDUFA) for timely reauthorization of these 
authorities and examine how these programs are working to 
ensure that pet owners and farmers may continue to rely on safe 
and effective medications for companion animals and food-
producing animals alike.

                          Mental Health Crisis

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the implementation 
of and work done by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health 
and Substance Use, an agency responsible for mental health and 
substance use disorder programs and policies at HHS, following 
passage of the mental health reauthorization in the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. The Committee will also 
examine regulations drafted to implement the 21st Century Cures 
Act, CARES Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and 
Consolidated Appropriations of 2023 to ensure they comport with 
the intent of Congress, and will monitor funding provided by 
the legislation to ensure that it is appropriately spent.

                     ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ISSUES

                         National Energy Policy

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine 
issues relating to national energy policy, including U.S. 
policies that relate to the exploration, production, 
distribution, and consumption of electricity, oil and natural 
gas, coal, hydroelectric power, nuclear power, and renewable 
energy. The Committee will examine the impact of government 
policies and programs on the efficient exploration, production, 
storage, supply, marketing, pricing, and regulation of domestic 
energy resources, including issues relating to the nation's 
energy infrastructure. The Committee will continue to examine 
safety and security issues relating to energy exploration, 
production, distribution, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. 
The Committee will conduct oversight over the impact the 
administration's energy policies are having on supply chains, 
increasing dependence on China and the Chinese Communist Party 
(CCP), and domestic production of energy.

            Electricity System and Electric Utility Markets

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will undertake a 
review of the nation's electricity system. This effort will 
include a review of the federal electricity policies of the 
Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) relating to competitive wholesale power 
markets, transmission, generation infrastructure upgrades, and 
compliance with relevant statutes. It will also examine the 
activities of the DOE and FERC relating to electric industry 
restructuring, protection of consumers, and the development of 
wholesale markets for electricity. It will also continue to 
examine the activities of the DOE and FERC with respect to 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations affecting the 
electricity sector, including regulatory requirements that may 
impact consumer prices and reliability of the electricity grid.

                           Energy Efficiency

    The Committee will continue to assess federal programs 
setting energy efficiency standards for motor vehicles, crafted 
by EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
(NHTSA), and home appliances and other products, crafted by 
DOE, to ensure that the programs are implemented in a manner 
that maximizes the benefit to consumers. In the case of motor 
vehicle standards, the Committee will also assess the merit of 
having two federal agencies operating parallel efficiency 
programs. The Committee will continue to promote energy 
efficiency initiatives in order to create jobs, save businesses 
and consumers money, and improve our nation's energy security. 
This may include federal programs setting energy efficiency 
standards for motor vehicles and appliances, to ensure that the 
programs are implemented in a manner that rewards innovation, 
ensures benefits for consumers and businesses, enhances U.S. 
energy security, and protects the environment. In addition, the 
Committee will continue its oversight of waivers under the 
Clean Air Act in connection with motor vehicle emissions 
standards, to ensure that a national marketplace of affordable 
vehicles is available to consumers.

            Management of the Department of Energy and Its 
                         National Laboratories

    The Committee will oversee the governance, management, and 
operations at DOE, including oversight, management, and 
operations of the National Nuclear Security Administration 
(NNSA) and the national laboratories. The Committee's oversight 
work will include the continuing review of security and safety 
reforms at NNSA and DOE facilities, ongoing safety and security 
matters, and the Office of Environmental Management's cleanup 
program. This work will also include the Committee's special 
oversight functions over programs and activities relating to 
nonmilitary energy research and development, and including 
programs across DOE to safeguard technology and intellectual 
property from transfer to foreign adversaries.

                             Yucca Mountain

    The Committee will continue to examine the actions of DOE 
and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in connection with 
obligations of these agencies under the Nuclear Waste Policy 
Act, including licensing activities for the Yucca Mountain 
repository.

                   DOE Energy Grant and Loan Programs

    The Committee will continue to review management and 
implementation of clean energy and advanced technology grant 
and loan programs authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 
2005, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the 
Inflation Reduction Act, and other statutes; the development of 
new technologies, products, and businesses including clean 
energy, advanced coal, nuclear, and other technologies; and the 
impact of DOE grant, cost-sharing, and loan spending on the 
domestic supply, manufacture, and commercial deployment of 
clean and advanced energy products and other technologies. The 
Committee will also conduct oversight over DOE's grant and loan 
programs that fund production in foreign jurisdiction, 
particularly in facilities controlled by China and the CCP.

                   The Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    The Committee will continue to review the activities of the 
NRC. The Committee will examine NRC's budget requests and 
conduct oversight of the manner in which the Commission 
discharges its various responsibilities, including its 
statutory responsibilities, licensing activity, the safety and 
security of nuclear power facilities and nuclear materials 
licensees, and the Commission's regulatory actions.

                             Clean Air Act

    The Committee will continue to review significant 
rulemakings under the Clean Air Act and the potential economic 
and job impacts of those rulemakings on the energy, 
manufacturing, industrial, and construction industries, and 
other critical sectors of the U.S. economy, as well as any 
public health and environmental benefits of the regulations. 
The Committee's review will include oversight of the EPA's 
decisions, strategies, and actions to meet Clean Air Act 
standards, and the current role of cost, employment and 
feasibility considerations in Clean Air Act rulemakings. The 
Committee will also continue to review EPA's implementation of 
the Renewable Fuel Standard.

                             Climate Change

    The Committee will continue to monitor international 
negotiations on efforts to control greenhouse gas emissions in 
connection with concerns about global climate change. In 
addition, the Committee will examine the EPA's efforts to 
regulate domestic greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air 
Act based on its endangerment findings. The Committee will 
consider whether such agreements and regulatory efforts are 
scientifically and statutorily well grounded. The Committee 
will also review the activities undertaken in this area by DOE, 
HHS, and other agencies within the Committee's jurisdiction, 
including efforts to prepare for and respond to weather events 
and natural disasters in the future.

                     EPA Management and Operations

    The Committee will conduct general oversight of the EPA, 
including review of the agency's funding decisions, resource 
allocation, grants, research activities, enforcement actions, 
relations with State and local governments, public 
transparency, implementation of new statutory authorities 
including under the IIJA and Inflation Reduction Act, and 
respect for economic, procedural, public health, and 
environmental standards in regulatory actions. In addition, the 
Committee will review the government's activities in hydraulic 
fracturing research and regulation.

            Assessment and Management of Chemical Substances

    The Committee will monitor EPA implementation of reforms 
made to title I of the Toxic Substances Control Act. These 
efforts will include program management and the use of chemical 
risk analysis in environmental assessment programs. The 
Committee will also review deadline management and consistency 
of implementation, ensuring that confidential business 
information is protected from unwarranted disclosure, and make 
certain that EPA provides the appropriate consideration of 
risks and the societal impacts of trade-offs during the 
evaluation and regulatory process.

              Drinking Water Infrastructure and Regulation

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the operation of 
the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund program authorized 
under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Included 
will be an examination of EPA involvement in State functions 
and State funding uses, efficiencies that could be realized in 
managing this funding that maximize its effectiveness, and the 
use of this funding for leveraging other investments. In 
addition, the Committee will conduct oversight of EPA 
regulatory actions under section 1412 of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act and the protocol it uses to issue health advisories 
under the same section of law.

                  Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

    The Committee will review EPA implementation of various 
regulatory programs established under the most recent 
administration, including regulations regarding the definition 
of solid waste and coal ash.

                   CERCLA (Superfund) and Brownfields

    The Committee will monitor EPA implementation of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation & and 
Liability Act (CERCLA). These efforts will include an 
examination of State cleanup programs and a comprehensive 
analysis regarding whether cleanup under State programs would 
result in greater efficiency in the process. The Committee will 
also conduct oversight of EPA regulatory actions under CERCLA, 
including any designations made by EPA under CERCLA. The 
Committee will also examine the EPA brownfields program, 
including statutory implementation, the challenges of program 
operation, and whether changes to the program would result in 
more effective and efficient cleanup and redevelopment of 
abandoned and blighted properties.

                  COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY ISSUES


               A Modern Communications Framework for the 
                             Innovation Age

    The Committee will continue to exercise its jurisdiction 
over wired and wireless communications to ensure our nation's 
policies governing voice, video, audio, and data services are 
promoting investment, innovation, and job creation. The 
country's current regulatory regime takes a siloed approach in 
which different technological platforms--such as wireline, 
wireless, broadcast, cable, and satellite--are regulated 
differently based on regulations that may be decades old. As we 
move deeper into the Internet era, however, providers are 
increasingly using these platforms to offer the same or similar 
services. The Committee will examine whether these regulations 
should be updated to better meet the communications needs of 
the country and to ensure its citizens enjoy cutting edge 
services and the economic benefits they bring.

                   Federal Communications Commission

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will conduct 
oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 
including the efforts to reverse the reclassification of 
Broadband Internet Access Service as a telecommunications 
service subject to Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 
and efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the 
Commission's processes. The Committee will also continue to 
conduct oversight of the FCC's decisions and their impact on 
innovation and the U.S. economy. Among other things, the 
Committee will evaluate the impact generally of FCC actions on 
voice, video, audio, and data services, public safety, 
broadband mapping, and security of our networks. The Committee 
will also focus its oversight efforts on the Commission's 
administration of funding for the Affordable Connectivity 
Program (ACP) and the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), and 
investigate and cases of waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee 
will pay particular attention to whether the FCC conducts cost-
benefit and market analyses before imposing regulations.

       National Telecommunications and Information Administration

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will conduct 
oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration (NTIA), including its administration of 
broadband grant programs created in the IIJA and efforts to 
bring transparency and accountability to NTIA's processes. The 
Committee will also look into NTIA's authorities and determine 
whether NTIA needs additional authorities to keep pace with the 
advancement of modern technology and the advancement of the 
communications marketplace.

                          Spectrum Management

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the Federal 
Communications Commission's and the NTIA management and 
allocation of the nation's spectrum for commercial and 
government use. Spectrum is increasingly being used to provide 
voice, video, audio, and data services to consumers and to 
serve the needs of our nation's government agencies. The 
Committee will evaluate spectrum-management policies to ensure 
efficient use of the public airwaves for innovative 
communications services. The Committee will also examine 
whether plans for allocating spectrum maximizes broadband 
deployment and encourages investment. The Committee will pay 
particular attention to FCC and NTIA implementation of the 
IIJA, which included provisions intended to make more spectrum 
available for commercial wireless services.

                       Availability of Broadband

    The Committee will investigate whether regulatory policies 
are helping or hindering broadband deployment. In particular, 
the Committee will examine the need for reforms to State and 
Federal permitting processes to speed the deployment of fiber 
optic systems and 5G wireless services. Additionally, the 
Committee will conduct oversight of funding mechanisms for 
broadband deployment and adoption, including the $9 billion per 
year Universal Service Fund, the $42 billion Broadband Equity, 
Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program created in the 
IIJA, and other federal grant programs that could be awarded 
for broadband deployment. Specifically, the Committee will 
examine what procedures are in place to control waste, fraud, 
and abuse, whether the funds are appropriately targeted, and 
the impact of the funding on jobs and the economy.

                                Internet

    The Committee will exercise its jurisdiction over wired and 
wireless communications to ensure continued growth and 
investment in the Internet. In particular, the Committee will 
monitor efforts to employ the multi-stakeholder model of 
Internet governance--in which governmental and non-governmental 
entities develop best practices for the management of Internet 
networks and content. The Committee will also monitor 
international efforts to replace multistakeholder governance 
with domestic regulation and international multilateral 
institutions, and will continue to support U.S. leadership in 
these international standards setting bodies.

                      Public Safety Communications

    The Committee will examine whether the communications needs 
of first responders are being met. The Committee will examine 
the progress being made to ensure that first responders have 
interoperable communications capabilities with local, State, 
and Federal public safety officials. The Committee will also 
examine the progress being made by the First Responder Network 
Authority (FirstNet) in carrying out the mandates of the Middle 
Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. In addition, the 
Committee will conduct oversight regarding the implementation 
of legacy 911 and Next Generation 911 (NG911) services. The 
Committee will review efforts to promote deployment of these 
advanced systems and challenges to realizing ubiquitous NG911.

                     INNOVATION, DATA, AND COMMERCE


                   Consumer Privacy and Data Security

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine issues 
relating to the privacy and data security of information 
collected by businesses and service providers about Americans 
and the potential for improving protection and security of such 
data, without undercutting innovative uses that benefit 
Americans and the economy, such as artificial intelligence and 
machine learning. Further, the Committee will continue to 
review the manner in which fraud and other criminal activities 
affect e-commerce. The Committee will also explore privacy and 
cybersecurity policies surrounding the Internet of Things and 
blockchain technologies.
    The Committee will investigate the impact of social media 
on mental health, including the algorithms used by social media 
companies to cause ever increasing use and dependence of these 
platforms, particularly by children. Additionally, the 
Committee will conduct oversight of social media and technology 
companies' policies and procedures regulating publication, 
appeals processes regarding censorship and deplatforming, 
censorship, handling of-claimed misinformation, and the 
government's role in these policies and procedures.
    The Committee will investigate and conduct oversight of the 
collection and use of data by social media, technology 
companies, and data brokers. This will include TikTok and the 
relationship to its parent company ByteDance, and other 
similarly positioned companies with close ties to the Chinese 
Communist Party.

                          Autonomous Vehicles

    The Committee will examine the policy framework being 
developed for autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles hold the 
promise to reduce traffic fatalities greatly, while at the same 
time expanding mobility options for senior citizens and 
Americans living with disabilities, as tight labor markets 
continue to
    fail them for such services. The U.S. must lead in setting 
the standards for this technology, its deployment, and ensure 
that the potential of revolutionary change to the sector is not 
damaged by frivolous litigation and unnecessary regulation with 
no benefit to Americans.

                             Manufacturing

    The Committee will explore the state of manufacturing in 
the U.S. to identify factors that are hampering or furthering 
U.S. competitiveness. The Committee will review the issues 
presented by the globalization of production and manufacturing 
networks, the availability and resiliency of supply chains, the 
integrity of products and components assembled overseas, and 
the impact on national security.

                                 Trade

    The Committee will examine trade negotiations to ensure 
that foreign governments are not imposing non-tariff trade 
barriers, such as regulations or requirements, that harm U.S. 
businesses, their competitiveness, and their ability to support 
jobs in the U.S., especially as it relates to the flow of data 
across borders and a successor agreement to EU-U.S. Privacy 
Shield.

            Department of Commerce Management and Operations

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the Department of 
Commerce and complementary or conflicting Federal efforts to 
promote U.S. manufacturing, including but not limited to 
semiconductors and microelectronics, emerging technologies, 
such as artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies. 
This also includes export and trade-related efforts to lower or 
eliminate non-tariff barriers and harmonize regulation of 
products sold internationally, such as cross border data flows, 
where other countries share our health, safety, and consumer 
protection goals. The Committee will also be reviewing reports 
required to be delivered to Congress under, section XV, the 
American COMPETE Act, of Public Law 116-260.

             Consumer Product Safety Commission Management 
                             and Operations

    The Committee will continue oversight of the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission and its implementation and 
enforcement of laws and regulations, the effectiveness of the 
agency's structure, research activities, investigations, import 
surveillance, and enforcement actions relating to the safety of 
consumer products. The Committee will examine the agency's 
execution of its current authorities and process obligations, 
so as not to divert from its mission to also promote consensus 
industry standards while efficiently and effectively protecting 
Americans.

                    NHTSA Management and Operations

    The Committee will continue oversight of NHTSA, including 
the effectiveness of the agency's structure, regulations, 
research activities, investigations, and enforcement actions 
pertaining to motor vehicle safety. The committee will examine 
how NHTSA is working on requirements established in the IIJA, 
as well as their Standing Government Orders, and will be 
particularly concerned with the way the Administration 
processes information and its ability to oversee ever advancing 
safety technologies effectively.

           Federal Trade Commission Management and Operations

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the Federal Trade 
Commission's (FTC) management and operations, including the 
impact of its decisions and actions on the general public and 
the business community, with a particular focus on how the FTC 
conducts its business while not creating undue burdens for 
legitimate businesses, its determination of priorities, and the 
need, if any, for refinement of its authorities. The Committee 
will explore the FTC's role relative to emerging technologies 
and sectors of the economy. Additionally, the Committee will 
examine how the agency is utilizing specific bureaus, or lack 
thereof, including the Bureau of Economics, while pursuing 
enforcement and regulatory action. The Committee will also be 
reviewing reports required to be delivered to Congress under, 
section XV, the American COMPETE Act, of Public Law 116-260.

                             MISCELLANEOUS


                             Cybersecurity

    The Committee will exercise its jurisdiction over 
cybersecurity to ensure the country is well protected while at 
the same time avoiding one-size-fits all approaches that hinder 
the flexibility of commercial and governmental actors to combat 
the rapidly evolving threats. The Committee will also review 
the efforts of agencies within its jurisdiction to secure their 
networks. In doing so, the Committee will explore current 
cybersecurity threats and strategies to address those threats. 
The Committee will also examine government initiatives to 
improve cybersecurity both in the public and private sectors, 
and review efforts at agencies within the Committee's 
jurisdiction to regulate cybersecurity. The Committee will also 
examine the security of the Internet of Things, discovery and 
disclosure of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity 
Framework.

                 Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response

    The Committee will continue its examination of the roles of 
HHS agencies in assisting the nation's detection, warning 
capability, and response to potential biological attacks. In 
addition, the Committee will evaluate the potential impact and 
preparedness of the nation's public health system. The 
Committee will continue to review the implementation of the 
Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and 
Response Act of 2002 by HHS, and the extent of the coordination 
between HHS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 
especially as it relates to Project BioShield.

         Federal Oversight of High Containment Bio Laboratories

    The Committee will examine issues related to high-
containment bio laboratories, which handle some of the world's 
most exotic and dangerous diseases, including anthrax, 
smallpox, foot and mouth disease, and Ebola virus. Among the 
issues under review are the adequacy of the security and 
practices of high-containment bio laboratories, Federal efforts 
to oversee the laboratories, and whether some of these efforts 
are duplicative and overlapping. The Committee will continue 
its oversight into issues raised by the improper storage and 
handling of Federal select agents at CDC, NIH, and FDA labs.

            Anti-Terrorism Security for Chemical Facilities

    The Committee will continue its oversight of DHS's 
implementation of the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism 
Program, originally authorized in Section 550 of Public Law 
109-295, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007--now 
in Title XXI of the Homeland Security Act. The Committee will 
continue to examine whether taxpayer funds are spent prudently 
and the extent to which DHS is advancing the purpose of 
securing chemical facilities against terrorist threats.

           Government Scientific and Risk Assessment Programs

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine 
issues relating to the numerous Federal science programs 
assessing public health risks, including the Integrated Risk 
Information System at the EPA, the Report on Carcinogens 
produced by the National Toxicology Program at HHS, and 
assessments proposed or ongoing in other Federal departments 
and agencies. The Committee will review programs to assess the 
objectives, transparency, objectivity, validity, and integrity 
of scientific assessments that inform regulatory and public 
health policies.

                          Controlling Spending

    The Committee will examine Departments and agencies under 
its jurisdiction to assure adequate and prompt implementation 
of recommendations from the Administration, the Offices of 
Inspectors General, the Government Accountability Office, and 
other sources to achieve cost savings or eliminate wasteful 
spending.

                        Critical Infrastructure

    In June 2006, the Bush Administration issued a National 
Infrastructure Protection Plan. This plan created a process by 
which DHS is to identify critical assets and assess their 
vulnerabilities and risks due to loss or natural disaster. 
During the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the 
Department's activities with respect to identifying high-
priority assets and implementing plans to protect these assets 
in areas within the Committee's jurisdiction. The Committee 
will also examine the statutory and other activities of DOE, 
FERC, EPA, and other Federal agencies related to the physical 
and cybersecurity of the nation's critical infrastructure 
within the jurisdiction of the Committee. Further, the 
Committee will examine the roles and responsibilities of the 
private sector, which owns and operates the bulk of the 
nation's critical infrastructure assets.

                           Nuclear Smuggling

    The Committee will continue to monitor Federal government 
and private sector efforts at border crossings, seaports, and 
mail facilities. The Committee's review will analyze and assess 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of 
Energy's efforts, including international efforts, aimed at 
detecting and preventing the smuggling of dangerous commerce, 
particularly nuclear and radiological weapons of mass 
destruction.

 AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
                          ENERGY AND COMMERCE

    During the 118th Congress, as part of both its oversight 
and legislative agenda, the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
will review the authorizations of agencies and programs within 
its jurisdiction and, specifically with regard to lapsed 
authorizations, determine whether the program should be 
reauthorized or terminated. Each subcommittee will conduct 
oversight of these programs and offices, including hearings, 
outreach to the Executive Branch, and requests for information 
in order to gather the necessary information to support these 
determinations.
    The Committee's authorization work will include, but not be 
limited to, the following departments, agencies, and statutes:

     Animal Drug User Fee and Generic Drug User Fee 
Agreements
     Brownfields Program
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
     Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards
     Childhood Cancer STAR Act
     Children's Health Graduate Medical Education 
Program
     Consumer Protection Safety Commission
     Department of Energy
     Department of Energy
     Environmental Protection Agency
     Federal Communications Commission
     Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
     Federal Trade Commission
     National Highway and Traffic Safety
     National Institutes of Health
     National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration
     Nuclear Regulatory Commission
     Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act
     Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration
     SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act February 
27, 2023




                    COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES

    Pursuant to clause 2(d) of rule X of the House of 
Representatives, the following agenda constitutes the 
authorization and oversight plan of the Committee on Financial 
Services for the 118th Congress. It includes areas in which the 
Committee and its subcommittees expect to conduct oversight 
during this Congress; it does not preclude oversight or 
investigation of additional matters or programs as they arise. 
The Committee will consult, as appropriate, with other 
committees of the House that may share jurisdiction on any of 
the subjects listed below.

                             OVERSIGHT PLAN

           Government Administration of Covid Pandemic Relief

    Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA). The Committee 
will examine federal agencies' administration and 
implementation of its ERA programs and federal grantees' use 
ERA funds.
    Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act 
and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The Committee will examine 
federal agencies' administration and implementation of the 
CARES Act and ARPA and federal grantees' use of those funds.

               Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit

    Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB). The 
Committee will oversee the regulatory, supervisory, 
enforcement, and other activities of the CFPB, the effect of 
those activities on regulated entities and consumers, and the 
CFPB's collaboration with other financial regulators. The 
Committee will also examine the governance structure and 
funding mechanism of the CFPB.
    Financial Supervision. The Committee will examine financial 
regulators' safety and soundness supervision of the banking, 
thrift, and credit union industries, to ensure that systemic 
risks or other structural weaknesses in the financial sector 
are defined, identified, and addressed promptly.
    Capital Standards and Basel III. The Committee will explore 
generally the twin subjects of bank capital and liquidity, and, 
in so doing, examine closely the guidelines developed by the 
international Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and how 
domestic financial regulators have implemented those guidelines 
in the U.S.
    Mortgage Credit. The Committee will closely review actions 
by the CFPB and other agencies on a variety of mortgage-related 
issues. The Committee will monitor the coordination and 
implementation of CFPB rules and the impact they are having on 
the cost and availability of mortgage credit.
    Deposit Insurance. The Committee will monitor the 
operations of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the 
National Credit Union Administration and the solvency of their 
respective deposit insurance funds.
    Community Financial Institutions. The Committee will review 
issues related to the health, growth, safety, and soundness of 
community financial institutions, including the effect of 
regulations promulgated pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, 
individually and cumulatively, on community financial 
institutions' role in lending to small businesses, fostering 
employment, and promoting economic growth.
    Regulatory Burden Reduction. The Committee will continue to 
review the current regulatory burden on financial institutions, 
particularly community financial institutions, with the goal of 
reducing unnecessary, duplicative, or overly burdensome 
regulations, consistent with consumer protection and safety and 
soundness.
    Credit Scores and Credit Reports. The Committee will 
monitor issues related to credit scores and credit reporting.
    Access to Financial Services. The Committee will generally 
examine ways to expand access to mainstream financial services 
among traditionally underserved segments of the U.S. 
population.
    Discrimination in Lending. The Committee will examine the 
effectiveness of regulators' fair lending oversight and 
enforcement efforts to ensure that the Federal government does 
not tolerate discrimination.
    Diversity in Financial Services. The Committee will 
continue to monitor Federal regulators' efforts to implement 
the diversity requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act.
    Improper Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information. 
The Committee will evaluate best practices for protecting the 
security and confidentiality of personally identifiable 
financial information from loss, unauthorized access, or 
misuse. The Committee will also examine how data breaches are 
disclosed to consumers.
    Payment System Innovations/Mobile Payments. The Committee 
will review government and private sector efforts to achieve 
greater innovations and efficiencies in the payments system.
    Payment Cards. The Committee will monitor payment card 
industry practices.
    Money Services Businesses. The Committee will examine the 
operations of Money Services Businesses.
    Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI 
Fund). The Committee will monitor the operations of the 
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
    Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The Committee will 
monitor developments and issues related to the Community 
Reinvestment Act of 1977.
    Financial Literacy. The Committee will review efforts to 
promote greater financial literacy among investors, consumers, 
and the general public.

                            Capital Markets

    Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Committee 
will monitor all aspects of the Securities and Exchange 
Commission's operations, activities, and initiatives to ensure 
that it fulfills its Congressional mandate to protect 
investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and 
facilitate capital formation, within its statutory authority.
    The JOBS Act. The Committee will conduct oversight of the 
SEC's administration of the ``Jumpstart Our Business 
Startups''' or ``JOBS'' Act (P.L. 112-106) and the effect of 
that law on capital formation and investor protection.
    Derivatives. The Committee will continue to review the 
impact of Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act on the operations, 
growth, transparency, and structure of the over-the-counter 
(OTC) derivatives market.
    Credit Rating Agencies. The Committee will examine the role 
that credit rating agencies, also known as Nationally 
Recognized Statistical Ratings Organizations (NRSROs), play in 
the U.S. capital markets, and review the effectiveness of the 
SEC's regulation and oversight of NRSROs.
    Regulation and Oversight of Broker-Dealers and Investment 
Advisers. The Committee will review the SEC's regulation and 
oversight of broker-dealers and investment advisers.
    Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs). The Committee will 
examine the activities, operations, and initiatives of self-
regulatory organizations (SROs), including the Financial 
Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the SEC's oversight 
of these SROs.
    Equity/Option Market Structure. The Committee will review 
recent developments in the U.S. equity and option markets and 
the SEC's response to those developments.
    Fixed-Income Market Structure. The Committee will review 
developments in the U.S. corporate and municipal bond markets 
and the SEC's response to those developments.
    Corporate Governance. The Committee will review 
developments and issues concerning corporate governance at 
public companies and the SEC's proposals that seek to modernize 
corporate governance practices.
    Employee Compensation. The Committee will monitor the 
implementation of provisions in Title IX of the Dodd-Frank Act 
governing the compensation practices at public companies and 
financial institutions.
    Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The 
Committee will review the operations, initiatives, and 
activities of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, 
as well as the application of the Securities Investor 
Protection Act (SIPA).
    Asset Managers. The Committee will continue to examine the 
SEC's regulation and oversight of asset managers and investment 
companies, including their impact on capital formation and 
investor protection.
    Advisers to Private Funds. The Committee will examine the 
functions served by advisers to private funds in the U.S. 
financial marketplace and their interaction with investors, 
financial intermediaries, and public companies.
    Securitization and Risk Retention. The Committee will 
monitor the implementation of joint agency risk retention 
rulemaking mandated by Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
    Covered Bonds. The Committee will examine the potential for 
covered bonds to increase mortgage and broader asset class 
financing, improve underwriting standards, and strengthen U.S. 
financial institutions.
    Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). The Committee 
will review the operations, initiatives, and activities of the 
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
    Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). The 
Committee will review the operations, initiatives, and 
activities of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
    Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The Committee 
will review the operations, initiatives, and activities of the 
Financial Accounting Standards Board.
    Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The Committee 
will review the operations, initiatives, and activities of the 
Government Accounting Standards Board.
    Convergence of International Accounting Standards. The 
Committee will review efforts by the SEC, the FASB, and the 
International Accounting Standards Board to achieve robust, 
uniform international accounting standards.
    Securities Litigation. The Committee will examine the 
effectiveness of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 
of 1995 in protecting securities issuers from frivolous 
lawsuits while preserving the ability of investors to pursue 
legitimate actions.
    Securities Arbitration. The Committee will examine 
developments in securities arbitration, including the impact of 
the arbitration-related provisions contained in Section 921 of 
the Dodd-Frank Act.

                                Housing

    Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Committee will examine 
proposals affecting the operations of Fannie Mae and Freddie 
Mac, including their ongoing conservatorships, their overall 
size and housing finance system footprint, and ways to develop 
a vibrant, innovative, and competitive private mortgage market.
     Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System. The Committee will 
monitor the capital requirements and financial stability of the 
Federal Home Loan Bank System, as well as the FHLB System's 
ability to fulfill its housing and community economic 
development mission and provide liquidity to member banks in a 
safe and sound manner.
    Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The Committee will 
monitor the activities and initiatives of the Federal Housing 
Finance Agency.
    Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). The 
Committee will examine Ginnie Mae to ensure that the agency has 
the proper resources, procedures, and oversight necessary to 
manage the multi-trillion portfolio of outstanding mortgage-
backed securities it currently guarantees.
    Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The Committee will 
examine the operations of the Federal Housing Administration in 
our housing finance system, including FHA's appropriate role, 
market share, and ability to manage its mortgage portfolio and 
mitigate taxpayer risk.
    Private Mortgage Insurance. The Committee will continue to 
examine the role private mortgage insurance plays in increasing 
consumer choice and protection and furthering the goal of 
robust private sector participation in our housing finance 
system.
    Housing and Urban Development and Rural Housing. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of the mission, operations, 
and budgets of the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
(HUD) and the Rural Housing Service (RHS). The Committee will 
review current HUD and RHS programs with the goal of 
modernizing inefficient and duplicative programs.
    Public Housing. The Committee will conduct oversight of 
HUD's public housing programs and the subsidies they provide 
for the operations, management, and capital development for 
public housing agencies, and of units administered by public 
housing agencies to ensure they are maintained in decent, safe, 
and sanitary condition.
     Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and Affordable 
Housing. The Committee will monitor and review HUD's rental 
assistance programs and the effect that local regulations and 
barriers to development have on the affordability of housing.
    Fair Housing. The Committee will conduct oversight to 
ensure the enforcement of fair housing practices. The Committee 
will seek to ensure that the principles of the Fair Housing Act 
of 1968 are upheld so that no person is subject to illegal 
discrimination in housing practices.
    Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination 
Act (NAHASDA). The Committee will conduct oversight of grants 
and other programs under the NAHASDA block grant program, the 
authorization for which expired in September of 2013.
    Settlement Procedures. The Committee will conduct oversight 
of the regulation of real estate settlement procedures, 
including appraisals and disclosures involving closing costs 
and the settlement process.

                               Insurance

    National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Committee will 
conduct oversight of the National Flood Insurance Program, the 
authorization for which is set to expire on September 30, 2023, 
including proposals to increase the participation of the 
private sector in the flood insurance market.
    Federal Insurance Office (FIO). The Committee will examine 
the Treasury Department's Federal Insurance Office and the 
conduct of its statutory functions under the Dodd-Frank Act 
regarding domestic and international insurance policy issues.

                            Monetary Policy

    The Federal Reserve System. The Committee will exercise 
oversight of the operations and activities of the Federal 
Reserve System, including its conduct of monetary policy, its 
regulation and supervision of the financial services sector, 
its role in the payment system, and its susceptibility to 
cybersecurity threats and other security risks.
    Extractive Industries and Conflict Minerals. The Committee 
will monitor the implementation of provisions in Title XV of 
the Dodd-Frank Act imposing disclosure requirements relating to 
so-called extractive industries and conflict minerals.

     National Security, Illicit Finance, & International Financial 
                              Institutions

    International Economic Coordination. The Committee will 
conduct oversight of efforts by the Department of the 
Treasury's Office of International Affairs (IA) to improve the 
global economic environment for U.S. economic growth, prevent 
and mitigate global financial instability, and manage key 
global challenges through economic tools including 
international monetary policy, coordination within the G-7 and 
G-20, and technical assistance.
    Global Economic Conditions. The Committee will monitor 
foreign and international economic developments--particularly 
in countries, regions, or sectors experiencing severe economic 
stress or dislocation--and assess the effect of those 
developments on the U.S. economy.
    Exchange Rates. The Committee will review and assess the 
semi-annual report to Congress from the Secretary of the 
Treasury on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies 
pursuant to the Omnibus Trade Act of 1988 and the Trade 
Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.
    International Financial Services and Banking. The Committee 
will conduct oversight of efforts by the Department of the 
Treasury with respect to international financial services 
issues, trade and investment policy, and international banking 
and securities policies.
    International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Committee will 
consider the policies of the IMF to ensure effective use of 
resources and appropriate alignment with U.S. interests to 
promote economic growth and stability, including through 
technical assistance that strengthens the capacity of Fund 
members to prevent money laundering and the financing of 
terrorism. The Committee will review the statutorily required 
annual report to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury on 
the state of the international financial system and the IMF.
    U.S. Oversight over the Multilateral Development Banks 
(MDBs) and Possible U.S. Contributions. The Committee will 
consider any Administration request that the U.S. contribute to 
the replenishment of the concessional lending windows at the 
World Bank and other multilateral development banks, which 
provide grants and below market-rate financing to the world's 
poorest nations. It will assess progress made on commitments 
made during the 2018 recapitalization to reduce and eventually 
stop lending to the People's Republic of China, which itself 
offers substantial financial assistance to the other countries, 
and to treat American nationals and companies equitably in 
hiring and contracting.
    International Trade. The Committee will oversee existing 
and proposed trade programs and consider policies within the 
Committee's jurisdiction to promote U.S. international trade so 
that U.S. companies retain access to foreign markets and remain 
globally competitive.
    Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States 
(CFIUS). The Committee will continue to monitor the 
implementation of the Foreign Investment Risk Review 
Modernization Act of 2018 and actions taken by CFIUS to 
identify and address foreign investments that pose threats to 
national security, and the effectiveness of measures taken to 
mitigate those threats.
    Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. The Committee will 
conduct oversight of TFI's development and implementation of 
U.S. government strategies to combat terrorist financing, 
including on matters relating to the National Money Laundering 
Strategy.
    Terrorist and Illicit Financing. The Committee will monitor 
the extent to which individuals or groups may fund terrorist or 
other criminal acts by transmitting funds through the financial 
system, including methods to detect and inhibit such illicit 
uses of the financial system and threats posed by the 
application of new technologies.
    Economic Sanctions. The Committee will monitor the 
implementation of financial sanctions as well as any proposals 
to expand or remove such sanctions or impose new ones, and to 
assess their effectiveness at achieving national security 
objectives. As part of this oversight, the Committee will 
monitor the efforts of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets 
Control (OFAC).
    Financial Crimes Enforcement. The Committee will examine 
the operations of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 
(FinCEN) and its ongoing efforts to implement its regulatory 
mandates, including ensuring its policies are effective at 
stopping illicit activity while respecting the data privacy of 
law-abiding Americans.
    Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering Terrorist 
Financing (CFT). The Committee will review the application and 
enforcement of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist 
financing laws and regulations, and whether such laws and 
regulations are sufficient to counter threats posed by 
terrorist organizations, international criminal syndicates, and 
others.
    De-Risking. The Committee will examine the global impacts 
of financial institutions terminating or restricting business 
relationships with clients or categories of clients to avoid, 
rather than manage, risk (``de-risking''), including the impact 
of Operation Chokepoint on U.S. businesses.
    Asset Forfeiture. The Committee will conduct oversight of 
the disposition of assets and application of resulting funds by 
the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture (TEOAF).
    Information Sharing. The Committee will examine the extent 
to which government agencies and financial institutions have 
adequate capacity under United States law to share information 
concerning terrorist financing threats or other international 
criminal financing threats.
    Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). The 
Committee will examine the operations of the Ex-Im Bank, and 
the new procedures implemented since the most recent 
reauthorization in September 2019.
    Defense Production Act (DPA). The Committee will continue 
to monitor the effectiveness of the DPA, which was reauthorized 
in 2018, and its individual authorities in promoting national 
security and recovery from natural disasters, including areas 
that should be examined in light of new and emerging threats 
such as from the People's Republic of China.
    Coins and Currency. The Committee will conduct oversight of 
the printing and minting of U.S. currency and coins, and of the 
operation of programs administered by the U.S. Mint for 
producing congressionally authorized commemorative coins, 
bullion coins for investors, and Congressional gold medals. The 
Committee will continue its review of efforts to detect and 
combat the counterfeiting of U.S. coins and currency in the 
United States and abroad. The Committee will also examine 
commemorative coins and medals, including potential reforms 
related to the process for funding the production of such 
items.

 AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
                           FINANCIAL SERVICES

    With respect to capital markets matters, several lapsed 
programs received appropriations in Fiscal Year 2023. The 
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) received $2.149 
billion in appropriations in FY 2023, though its authorization 
lapsed in fiscal year 2015. Additionally, the SEC Office of the 
Inspector General's authorization lapsed after FY 2011; it 
received over $18.7 million in FY 2023 as part of the SEC's 
appropriation. The Committee will perform oversight as 
necessary to support activities related to the reauthorization 
of the SEC and the Office of Inspector General.
    With respect to financial institution matters, the 
Committee will take appropriate action on matters relating to 
oversight and authorization of programs within the Committee's 
jurisdiction, including programs that are: authorized, but not 
appropriated; appropriated, but not authorized; and authorized 
and appropriated. Non-exhaustive lists of such programs may be 
found, for example, in House Report 117-393 and the 
Congressional Budget Office's January 13, 2023, report titled 
``Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations for 
Fiscal Year 2023--Information for Legislation Enacted Through 
September 30, 2022.''
    With respect to housing matters, virtually all Department 
of Housing and Urban Development programs within the 
Committee's jurisdiction have lapsed authorizations but 
received FY 2023 appropriations. These programs include the 
largest portion of HUD's annual budget authority, the Housing 
Choice Voucher and Public Housing programs authorized by the 
U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (P.L. 75-412), as well as several 
programs created through the Cranston-Gonzales National 
Affordable Housing Act, the Housing and Community Development 
Act of 1974, and the Native American Housing Assistance and 
Self-Determination Act of 1992. Additionally, HUD's Community 
Development Block Grant--Disaster Recovery (CDBG DR) program 
has never been authorized but frequently receives funding 
through supplemental appropriations measures enacted by 
Congress for disaster relief. The Committee will review the 
efficacy of codification of CDBG DR standard procedures to 
prevent waste, fraud, and abuse by federal agencies, grantees, 
and sub-grantees within the program.
    With respect to consumer protection matters, the U.S. Court 
of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently found the CFPB's 
current funding structure unconstitutional. The Committee will 
consider potential remedies for conformity to the court's 
decision.
    With respect to insurance matters, the Committee with 
examine the current authorization of the National Flood 
Insurance Program (NFIP), set to expire September 30, 2023. The 
Committee will consider the operation and administration of the 
program since its last enacted full five-year reauthorization 
which expired in September of 2017.




                      COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                    Authorization and Oversight Plan

                             118th Congress

                        Adopted February 8, 2023

1. INTRODUCTION
    Pursuant to the requirements of clause 2(d) of House rule 
X, the Committee on Foreign Affairs (``the Committee'') has 
adopted this authorization and oversight plan for the 118th 
Congress, which will be shared with the Committee on Oversight 
and Accountability and the Committee on House Administration. 
This plan summarizes the Committee's authorization and 
oversight priorities for the next two years, subject to the 
understanding that new developments will undoubtedly affect 
priorities and work assignments in the months ahead.
    Authorization and agency oversight remain key 
responsibilities of the legislative branch and of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee. This Congress, the Committee is adding a 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability to undertake more 
complex oversight and investigative activities, in addition to 
the policy and programmatic oversight to be conducted by the 
full Committee and its regional and functional subcommittees. 
Committee rule 15 requires each Subcommittee to hold regular 
oversight hearings that, according to usual practice, include 
an annual hearing on the portions of the Administration's 
budget request within that Subcommittee's jurisdiction. 
Oversight activities will thus be coordinated between the 
Committee and the Subcommittees in order to carry out 
comprehensive and strategic review of the programs and agencies 
within the Committee's jurisdiction.
    Committee activities will include hearings, briefings 
(including classified briefings), investigations, continuous 
monitoring of Congressional Notifications and executive branch 
reporting requirements, Member and staff-level meetings, 
correspondence, fact-finding travel, reports, and public 
statements. They also will include effective use and review of 
reports by the Government Accountability Office and by 
statutory Inspectors General. The Committee also will consult, 
as appropriate, with other committees of the House that may 
share jurisdiction over relevant issues and activities.
    The Committee's authorization and oversight activities will 
emphasize:
           effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy;
           effective implementation of U.S. law;
           the review of agencies and programs 
        operating under permanent statutory authority;
           the elimination of programs and expenditures 
        that are inefficient, duplicative, or outdated; and
           institutional reform, efficiency, and fiscal 
        discipline.
2. GENERAL REVIEW OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
    The Committee intends to exercise its oversight 
jurisdiction concerning the relations of the United States with 
foreign nations to the fullest extent allowed by House rule 
X(1)(i). This means taking cognizance of events and 
circumstances in every region of the world outside of U.S. 
national borders, as well as U.S. foreign policy responses, as 
developments warrant. According to Committee Rules, those 
responsibilities are divided among the Full Committee, its two 
functional subcommittees, and its five regional subcommittees, 
as follows:
    Full Committee. The full Committee is responsible for 
oversight and legislation relating to: the management, 
operations, and programs of the Department of State, the U.S. 
Agency for International Development, the U.S. International 
Development Finance Corporation, the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the U.S. Trade 
and Development Agency, the Peace Corps, and other U.S. 
government entities within the Committee's jurisdiction; 
foreign assistance (including development assistance, the 
Millennium Challenge Account, HIV/AIDS in foreign countries, 
security assistance, and Public Law 480 programs abroad); 
national security developments affecting foreign policy; 
strategic planning and agreements; war powers, treaties, 
executive agreements, and the deployment and use of United 
States Armed Forces; peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and 
enforcement of United Nations or other international sanctions; 
nonproliferation, arms control and disarmament issues; 
activities and policies of the State, Commerce, and Defense 
Departments and other agencies related to the Arms Export 
Control Act, the Export Administration Act, and the Foreign 
Assistance Act, including export and licensing policy for 
munitions items and technology and dual-use equipment and 
technology; international law; global energy, environmental, 
cyberspace, and technology policy issues; promotion of 
democracy; international law enforcement issues, including 
narcotics control programs and activities; embassy security; 
international broadcasting; public diplomacy, including 
international communication and information policy, and 
international education and exchange programs; international 
economic policy and U.S. export promotion; and all other 
matters not specifically assigned to a subcommittee.
    The full Committee has jurisdiction over legislation 
regarding the United Nations, its affiliated agencies, and 
other international organizations, including assessed and 
voluntary contributions to such organizations.
    The full Committee may conduct oversight and investigations 
with respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the 
Committee, including the special oversight functions listed in 
House rule X(3)(f) relating to customs administration, 
intelligence activities relating to foreign policy, 
international financial and monetary organizations, and 
international fishing agreements.
    Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and 
International Organizations. Oversight of: international health 
issues, including transboundary infectious diseases, maternal 
health and child survival, and programs related to the global 
ability to address health issues; population issues; the United 
Nations and its affiliated agencies (excluding peacekeeping and 
enforcement of United Nations or other international 
sanctions); the American Red Cross; and the Peace Corps. In 
addition, legislation and oversight pertaining to: 
Implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 
other matters relating to internationally-recognized human 
rights, including legislation aimed at the promotion of human 
rights and democracy generally; the Hague Convention on the 
Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and related 
issues; and such other matters as the Chairman of the full 
Committee may determine.
    Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability. This new 
subcommittee will conduct oversight and investigation of 
matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee as directed or 
agreed to by the Chairman of the full Committee.
    Regional Subcommittees. The five subcommittees with 
regional jurisdiction are:
           The Subcommittee on Africa
           The Subcommittee on Europe
           The Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific
           The Subcommittee on the Middle East, North 
        Africa, and Central Asia
           The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
    Each of the regional subcommittees has jurisdiction over 
the following within their respective regions:
          (1) Matters affecting the political relations between 
        the United States and other countries and regions, 
        including resolutions or other legislative measures 
        directed to such relations.
          (2) Legislation with respect to disaster assistance 
        outside the Foreign Assistance Act, boundary issues, 
        and international claims.
          (3) Legislation with respect to region-or country-
        specific loans or other financial relations outside the 
        Foreign Assistance Act.
          (4) Legislation and oversight regarding human rights 
        practices in particular countries.
          (5) Oversight of regional lending institutions.
          (6) Oversight of matters related to the regional 
        activities of the United Nations, of its affiliated 
        agencies, and of other multilateral institutions.
          (7) Identification and development of options for 
        meeting future problems and issues relating to U.S. 
        interests in the region.
          (8) Oversight of base rights and other facilities 
        access agreements and regional security pacts.
          (9) Concurrent oversight jurisdiction with respect to 
        matters assigned to the functional subcommittees 
        insofar as they may affect the region.
          (10) Oversight of foreign assistance activities 
        affecting the region, with the concurrence of the 
        Chairman of the full Committee.
          (11) Such other matters as the Chairman of the full 
        Committee may determine.
3. PRIORITY OVERSIGHT MATTERS
    a. Afghanistan Withdrawal: The Committee will 
comprehensively review policy, decision-making, planning, and 
execution related to the August 2021 withdrawal from 
Afghanistan. Particular attention will be paid to the decision 
to withdraw, the State Department's planning and coordination 
with other departments, countries and organizations leading up 
to the withdrawal, the chaotic and deadly evacuation, the U.S. 
government's reaction and actions during the unprecedented 
evacuation, and the aftermath of the withdrawal.
    b. Afghanistan Policy: In addition to oversight of the 2021 
withdrawal, the Committee will examine U.S. policy toward 
Afghanistan, including the continuing efforts to evacuate 
American citizens and legal permanent residents from 
Afghanistan, as well as ongoing Afghan SIV/P1/P2 and refugee 
resettlement efforts. In addition, the Committee will 
scrutinize the movement of U.S.-supported humanitarian 
assistance funds flowing into Afghanistan, including those 
provided through international organizations, to examine the 
sufficiency of safeguards against U.S. tax dollars providing 
benefit to the Taliban and terror affiliates in Afghanistan. 
The Committee will work to support the rights of Afghan women 
and girls in in the face of inhumane Taliban treatment and, 
absent a manifest and fundamental change in Taliban behavior, 
will oppose any efforts for official recognition of the Taliban 
as the legal government of Afghanistan.
    c. Russia and its war against Ukraine: The Committee will 
address the impact of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression 
against Ukraine and the U.S. response, in light of the 
longstanding U.S. refusal to recognize changes in international 
borders effected by force alone. This will include active 
oversight of the full spectrum of U.S. assistance to Ukraine, 
working with Ukraine to strengthen anti-corruption institutions 
and good governance, and engaging with allies and partners to 
advocate for burden sharing. The Committee also will review the 
imposition and enforcement of U.S. sanctions, and efforts to 
ensure accountability for Russian war crimes and atrocities. 
Beyond Ukraine, the Committee will address the impact of 
Russia's foreign policy on U.S. security, political, and 
economic interests, given its aggression and malign influence 
in Georgia, Moldova, and across Europe. It will examine Kremlin 
tools of malign influence and how to shore up vulnerabilities 
across Europe. The Committee will examine the range of options 
available to the U.S. to respond to these actions, including 
legislation to impose additional sanctions, improvement of U.S. 
export controls, and the authorization of targeted assistance. 
The Committee also will review the deteriorating domestic 
situation in Russia regarding democracy, civil society, the 
rule of law, and human rights. It also will examine ways to 
continue to restrict Russia's ability to use energy exports to 
fund its war against Ukraine. The Committee will also examine 
the Wagner Group and their malign activities around the globe 
and will consult widely on the appropriate response by the U.S. 
government and other partners.
    d. China: The Committee will comprehensively examine U.S. 
policy towards the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the 
Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This will include attention to 
the CCP's global malign influence, the Belt and Road 
Initiative, and global intelligence activities, including the 
theft of intellectual property. The Committee will review the 
multitude of international agreements and treaties the People's 
Republic of China has signed, and its violations of such 
treaties or the inconsistent behavior of the Chinese government 
to the obligations in said treaties. This will encompass the 
various human rights agreements the PRC has signed onto and 
violated through its genocide of the Uyghurs and persistent 
abuse of human rights, the violations of its obligations to 
Hong Kong under the Basic Law, actions inconsistent with its 
WTO and other trade and investment obligations, non-
proliferation regimes, cyber agreements, and other bilateral 
and international agreements.
    e. Taiwan: The Committee will regularly review all U.S. 
relations with Taiwan to ensure the United States is fulfilling 
all obligations it has made under the Taiwan Relations Act and 
Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act, including ensuring State 
Department contact guidelines regarding Taiwan are 
appropriately updated, U.S. official engagement with the Taiwan 
government is sustained and appropriate, and any movement on 
economic, investment, and tax ties with Taiwan reinforces our 
joint economic strength. The Committee will conduct rigorous 
oversight over the U.S.-Taiwan defense relationship, focusing 
on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, barriers or delays to delivery, 
interim solutions, and the robustness of any defense training 
with the Republic of China (Taiwan) security forces.
    f. Indo-Pacific Region: The Committee will review the 
U.S.'s significant political, economic, and security interests 
in the Indo-Pacific, including East and Southeast Asia, South 
Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The Committee will conduct 
oversight of U.S. relations with the Indo-Pacific nations, 
including foreign policy, foreign assistance, security 
cooperation, territorial disputes, and trade relations. The 
Committee will examine the State Department's participation in 
multilateral forums such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework 
and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and closely monitor any 
discussion of future trade agreements, as well as U.S. 
International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) activity, 
in the Indo-Pacific region. The Committee will also conduct 
regular review and oversight over State Department resourcing 
in the Indo-Pacific, including personnel and budget requests.
    g. Europe: The Committee will review transatlantic 
relations, as well as important regional organizations like the 
NATO alliance and the European Union. The Committee will focus 
on Chinese and Russian malign influence across Europe and the 
Arctic. Other key issues will include the continued support for 
our NATO allies, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, 
and aspirant countries; the diversification of energy sources 
to reduce reliance on Russian energy; continued support for the 
democratic aspirations and human rights of the Belarusian 
people; and rule of law, democratic institutions, and European 
integration issues in the Western Balkans. The Committee will 
also examine Turkey's evolving foreign policy orientation and 
domestic political trends.
    h. Africa: The Committee will review political, economic 
and security developments on the African continent, including 
the intensified geopolitical competition with China and Russia. 
Key issues will include efforts to expand U.S. access to 
critical mineral supply chains, eliminate safe havens for 
violent extremism, safeguard human rights, and stimulate 
investment and economic growth--including through oversight of 
Prosper Africa, the Development Finance Corporation and 
implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and 
the Electrify Africa Act. Additionally, the Committee will 
focus on the effective use of aid and human rights and 
democracy promotion. Particular attention is to be paid to the 
developments in the Sahel, South Africa, Mozambique, Coastal 
West Africa, the Great Lakes Region, and the Horn of Africa.
    i. Export Controls: The Committee will oversee the ongoing 
and incomplete implementation of the Export Control Reform Act 
of 2018, including the identification of emerging and 
foundational technologies. In particular, the Committee will 
ensure the Bureau of Industry and Security adheres to 
statutorily mandated transparency requirements, including 
Congressional requests for licensing information, and 
vigorously enforces the law against export control violations. 
The Committee will also oversee diplomatic efforts to align 
exports controls and licensing policies with partners and 
allies around critical technologies.
    j. Countering International Terrorism and Violent 
Extremism: The Committee will examine the current status of al-
Qaeda and its affiliates, with a specific focus on recruitment 
efforts, evolving save havens, and efforts to obtain WMDs. The 
Committee will also scrutinize the Administration's efforts to 
defeat ISIS in the Middle East and around the world, including 
authorizations for such efforts, leveraging other countries' 
commitments, evaluating U.S. leadership in the Coalition to 
Defeat ISIS, and determining the success of U.S. policies that 
seek to address the socio-economic challenges that led to the 
initial establishment and growth of ISIS. The Committee will 
conduct oversight of the State Department's various 
counterterrorism programs, including those designed to counter 
violent extremism (CVE), as well as agreements with foreign 
governments relating to the transfer of detainees from 
Guantanamo Bay.
    k. War Powers and Authorizations for the Use of Military 
Force: The Committee will actively monitor the use of 
constitutional war powers, statutory authorizations for the use 
of military force (AUMFs), and compliance with the War Powers 
Resolution. These activities will include a review and 
assessment of the continued use of the 2001 post-9/11 AUMF 
(P.L. 107-40), and possible legislative repeal and replacement 
of that law.
    l. India: The Committee will review U.S. policy towards 
India and the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation. 
Particular attention will be paid to the U.S.-India defense 
relationship, including security and technology cooperation, 
opportunities for expanded roles, missions, and capabilities, 
and counterterrorism efforts. The Committee will also focus on 
efforts to enhance U.S.-India economic relations, including 
discussions surrounding bilateral efforts in the technology, 
telecommunications, and pharmaceutical industries. The 
committee will also focus on efforts to bolster India's 
participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue efforts 
and review the implications of India's rapidly growing energy 
demands.
    m. Southern Border: The Committee will comprehensively 
review U.S. policy towards our shared border with Mexico. 
Particular attention will be paid to the continuing threats 
from transnational criminal organizations. Special emphasis 
will be placed on the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the 
U.S., the flow of synthetic opioid precursors from the PRC and 
other nations to the cartels, and the Mexican government's 
cooperation on these issues. In addition, the Committee will 
examine the steps that have been taken to address the root 
causes of migration, as well as opportunities to cooperate with 
the private sector to promote economic growth and opportunity 
in the region.
    n. Western Hemisphere: The Committee will comprehensively 
review U.S. policy toward the Western Hemisphere. Particular 
attention will be paid toward U.S.-Mexico relations, U.S policy 
toward Cuba and Venezuela, and the advancement of U.S. 
interests throughout the region. The Committee will review 
foreign assistance sent to the region by State Department 
Bureaus of Population, Refugees, and Migration; Democracy, 
Human Rights, and Labor; and International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement. The Committee will also focus on wrongfully 
detained Americans in countries like Venezuela.
    o. Coronavirus origins: The Committee will examine the role 
of the CCP in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and CCP efforts to 
conceal and withhold the truth. Particular attention will be 
paid to the stifling of life saving information, the silencing 
of doctors and medical professionals, expulsion of journalists, 
and the state-sanctioned spread of disinformation about the 
origins of Covid-19. In addition, the Committee will examine 
the CCP's blatant disregard for the International Health 
Regulations (IHR) and the serious deficiencies in the World 
Health Organization's (WHO) handling of Covid-19, including its 
relationship with the CCP.
    p. Middle East and North Africa: The Committee will 
carefully review U.S. policy toward the Middle East and North 
Africa, to include: ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS; 
expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords and regional 
security cooperation; reaffirming relationships with U.S. 
partners and allies; enforcing sanctions against the Assad 
regime and holding the Assad regime, and its Russian and 
Iranian backers, accountable for their war crimes; bolstering 
stability in Yemen; curbing Iranian malign influence in the 
region; competing with our near peer adversaries; addressing 
human rights, democratic backsliding and challenges to the rule 
of law including corruption and lack of financial transparency; 
and United States policies, programs, authorities and funding 
to address these challenges.
    q. Iran: The Committee will continue to closely review U.S. 
policy to counter and defend against Iran's malign activities, 
including Iran's provocative nuclear program, ballistic missile 
arsenal, UAV capabilities, global terrorism, hostage-taking, 
assassination plots, and human rights abuses. The Committee 
will also examine Iran's relationships with Russia, the 
People's Republic of China (PRC), and North Korea, and how 
these four entities mutually enable each other's dangerous 
activities.
    r. Energy Policy: The Committee will closely review all 
aspects of U.S. energy policy and its impact on international 
development goals and national security, including: assessing 
the role and effectiveness of the Office of the Special 
Presidential Envoy for Climate and how it relates to ongoing 
efforts by other executive branch entities; impediments to U.S. 
energy cooperation with allies and partners, the potential 
inroads for adversarial nations to fill growing global energy 
demands, and areas of vulnerability in our energy supply 
chains, particularly in respect to strategic competition with 
the People's Republic of China.
    s. Cyberspace and Emerging Technologies: The Committee will 
oversee the newly created Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital 
Policy as well as the Office of the Special Envoy for Critical 
and Emerging Technology. In particular, the committee will 
focus on the recruiting and retention of cybersecurity 
personnel at the State Department, efforts to set norms for 
cyberspace and emerging technologies, and other efforts related 
to cybersecurity and emerging technologies and the inputs 
necessary for those technologies such as critical minerals. The 
Committee will examine the CCP's malign use of technologies and 
the sufficiency of U.S. policy responses.
    t. Security Assistance and Arms Transfer Policy: The 
Committee will assess the effectiveness of security assistance 
programs authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act and the 
Arms Export Control Act in advancing U.S. national interests. 
In addition, the Committee will review those security 
cooperation programs funded by the Department of Defense, but 
which require concurrence of the Secretary of State, or 
otherwise give rise to the Committee's jurisdiction. The 
Committee will also review law, policies, and regulations 
guiding U.S. arms transfers and related end-use monitoring, as 
well as various counterterrorism tools that impact foreign 
policy. The Committee will also continue to carefully review 
proposed arms sales to ensure they comport with U.S. foreign 
and national security policies, promote economic security and 
transparency to U.S. businesses, and benefit the legitimate 
defense needs of the recipient countries, to include oversight 
of the process by which the Administration consults with the 
Committee and the Congress.
    u. Modernizing Arms Export Controls: The Committee will 
assess current arms export laws and regulations, including the 
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, to streamline review 
procedures for transfers of weapons and defense systems to 
allies and partners. Additionally, the Committee will seek to 
promote research cooperation and transfers of innovative 
solutions and technologies among key allies, the United Kingdom 
and Australia, while also ensuring protection against diversion 
or misuse of U.S. defense articles and services.
    v. Foreign Assistance: The Committee will review the 
underlying authorities for U.S. foreign assistance and examine 
ways in which to increase transparency and accountability, and 
eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee will conduct 
oversight and review issues related to the implementation of 
U.S. foreign assistance programs and projects, including 
through international organizations and the role of U.S. 
missions and embassies in overseeing grants, contracts, and 
cooperative agreements. The Committee will review issues 
related to coordination between the U.S. Agency for 
International Development (USAID), U.S. Department of State, 
other U.S. Government agencies and departments involved in 
carrying out U.S. foreign assistance, and the private sector. 
Among a broad range of issues, the Committee will review U.S. 
foreign assistance initiatives aimed at catalyzing economic 
growth, reducing aid dependence, and addressing food security 
and global health challenges, including food aid reform, 
maternal and child health, family planning, and infectious 
disease surveillance and control. For PEPFAR's twentieth 
anniversary, the Committee will closely review program 
implementation pursuant to the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight 
Act of 2013 and PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, as well as pursue 
reauthorization. The Committee will also closely scrutinize 
investments made by the International Development Finance 
Corporation (DFC) and assistance provided by the Millennium 
Challenge Corporation (MCC).
    w. Human Rights, Democracy, and Governance: The Committee 
will examine U.S. funding and efforts to promote democracy, 
rule of law, and human rights around the world, including to 
protect religious freedom, fair elections, prevent genocide and 
other atrocities, and combat human trafficking. The Committee 
will assess U.S. involvement with multilateral human rights 
organizations to ensure that U.S. diplomacy serves to promote 
fundamental human rights and freedoms.
    x. United Nations and International Organizations: The 
Committee will closely review all aspects of U.S. funding of, 
and participation in, international organizations. Close 
attention will be paid to the extent to which such funding and 
participation advances U.S. interests and values, protects the 
integrity of U.S. taxpayer dollars, counters unwarranted bias 
against Israel, and leads to increased transparency, 
accountability, and reform of those organizations. The 
Committee will closely monitor the work of international 
organizations including the World Health Organization, United 
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the 
Near East, United Nations Human Rights Council, United Nations 
Office for Project Services, United Nations International 
Children's Emergency Fund, United Nations Population Fund, 
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations and 
Department of Field Support, and particularly efforts to 
improve performance, enhance accountability, and combat waste, 
fraud and abuse in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions, and in 
general.
    y. Inspector General Access and Independence: The Committee 
will closely monitor compliance of entities in its jurisdiction 
with relevant statutory Inspectors General and ensure full 
compliance with the law.
    z. State Department Oversight, Authorization, and Reform: 
The Committee will seek to advance far-reaching reforms, 
building on the 2021 and 2022 enactment of State Department 
authorization bills. In particular, the Committee will focus on 
reforming how the Department uses foreign and security sector 
assistance, ensuring that projects and programs are 
strategically planned and coordinated. Emphasis also will be 
placed on reforming the Department's personnel systems, 
modernizing recruitment and retention processes, reducing 
passport and visa processing backlogs, and returning to normal 
operations after the recent waning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
The Committee will continue to monitor and examine the 
operational, budgetary, programmatic, human resources, physical 
infrastructure, and diplomatic security policies of the 
Department of State, with an eye toward potential legislation 
for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024. In addition to hearings with 
the Secretary of State and other Administration officials 
regarding their budget proposals for the upcoming year, such 
efforts may include: revisions to the Foreign Service Act; pay 
and promotion issues, as well as lateral entry programs; 
consideration of reforms to Executive Branch reporting 
requirements; monitoring and evaluation of the State 
Department's growing use of special envoys and new diversity, 
equity, and inclusion officers; and assessment and 
identification of offices with duplicative mandates and 
overlapping responsibilities. In the wake of increasing threats 
to U.S. personnel serving overseas, the Committee will also 
continue to evaluate the security of our embassies and 
consulates, along with proposed reforms to the State 
Department's diplomatic security service.
    aa. U.S. Agency for Global Media: The Committee will 
continue to actively monitor and review the operations and 
organization of U.S. government-supported, civilian 
international broadcasting to respond more effectively to the 
challenges presented by state and non-state actors using modern 
communication platforms. The Committee will closely correspond 
with and monitor the USAGM Board of Advisers, which was 
mandated during the 116th Congress, and seek further 
improvements in USAGM personnel policies, including those 
governing the issuance of security clearances, the receipt and 
spending of U.S. taxpayer funds for employee travel, 
contracting and procurement, and verification of employee 
credentials.
    bb. Sanctions Policy: The Committee will carefully review 
U.S. and international bodies' application, licensing, and 
enforcement of sanctions and how those sanctions are applied 
and leveraged to advance U.S. national security and foreign 
policy objectives. Further, the Committee will provide 
oversight and accountability to ensure the administration is 
fully implementing Congressionally mandated sanctions.
    cc. U.S. Nonproliferation Policy: The Committee will 
examine the effectiveness of U.S. nonproliferation policy and 
the international nonproliferation regime in preventing the 
spread of weapons of mass destruction. The Committee will 
address opportunities to strengthen existing nonproliferation 
organizations, increase cooperation with other countries, and 
enhance international nonproliferation agreements and 
mechanisms. Prominent issues for oversight will include the 
continued modernization of Russia and China's nuclear arsenal, 
how new technology affects global non-proliferation efforts, 
and credible ways to address nations violating nonproliferation 
agreements. The Committee will closely examine proposed and 
existing bilateral and multilateral nuclear cooperation 
agreements with other countries, including their potential to 
promote U.S. nonproliferation objectives and commercial 
interests.

4. AUTHORIZATION MATTERS

    The Committee will work to continue and expand the 
Committee's recent successes in enacting substantial bipartisan 
authorization and reform legislation, such as the Department of 
State Authorization Act of 2022 (Division I of P.L. 117-263) 
and the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021 (Division 
E of P.L. 117-81).
    The agencies and programs within the jurisdiction of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee are funded by discretionary 
appropriations, subject to the annual appropriations 
process.\1\ The key agencies within the Committee's 
jurisdiction (including the Department of State and USAID) have 
permanent, non-expiring statutory authority and are the subject 
of extensive and ongoing review by the Committee. However, 
comprehensive top-line funding levels for those agencies have 
not been enacted outside of the appropriations process for 
decades: The last enacted Foreign Relations Authorization Act 
with comprehensive State Department funding numbers (P.L. 107-
228) was enacted in 2002.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\A relatively minor amount of mandatory spending is involved with 
the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This longstanding dynamic is not due to a lack of action by 
the Committee or the House of Representatives. In no fewer than 
five subsequent Congresses, under both Republican and 
Democratic control, the Committee produced and the House passed 
Foreign Relations Authorization bills that included top-line 
funding authorization numbers, typically with overwhelming 
bipartisan support.\2\ Unfortunately, the Senate did not act on 
any of those bills. Senate authorizing committees possess 
leverage with agencies even without enacting funding 
authorizations, because of their required advice and consent 
for key nominees, a constitutional prerogative not shared by 
the House.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\Un-enacted, House-passed foreign relations funding authorization 
bills include: H.R. 1950 in the 108th Congress; H.R. 2601 in the 109th 
Congress; H.R. 2410 in the 111th Congress; H.R. 6018 in the 112th 
Congress; and H.R. 2848 in the 113th Congress.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nearly all of the agencies and entities within the 
Committee's legislative jurisdiction are operating pursuant to 
annual appropriations, but without current annual funding 
authorizations, including:
       The Department of State
       United States Agency for International 
Development
       Millennium Challenge Corporation
       United States Agency for Global Media
       International Border, Water, and Fisheries 
Commissions
       National Endowment for Democracy
       United States Trade and Development Agency
       Peace Corps
       Inter-American Foundation
       United States African Development Foundation
       U.S. International Development Finance 
Corporation
       United States Institute of Peace
       East-West Center
       The Asia Foundation
       International Center for Middle Eastern-Western 
Dialogue
    In this context, the Committee will continue its regular 
coordination with the Committee on Appropriations to ensure 
that the Committee's robust oversight informs annual funding 
decisions. We also will continue our extensive legislative 
efforts to update, refine, and reform agency authorities. While 
the Committee lacks the ability to unilaterally force a return 
to a bifurcated ``authorization before appropriation'' annual 
funding process (as described above), we will work toward 
including funding authorization numbers in future agency 
authorizing legislation wherever possible.
    In addition to top-line agency funding issues, the 
Committee will work to continue its longstanding track record 
of reviewing, reforming, and responsibly reauthorizing prior 
Congressional foreign policy initiatives (such as the 
Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, the 
Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the U.S. Commission on 
International Religious Freedom, the North Korean Human Rights 
Act, among many others) as well as authorizing necessary 
activities identified by the Committee's oversight described in 
sections 2 and 3, above.

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

                             118TH CONGRESS

 AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

    Clause 2(d)(1), rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives for the 118th Congress requires each standing 
Committee to adopt an authorization and oversight plan for the 
two-year period of the Congress and to submit the plan to the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on 
House Administration not later than March 1 of the first 
session of the Congress.
Legislative Jurisdiction
    Clause 1(j) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives for the 118th Congress defines the Committee on 
Homeland Security's legislative jurisdiction as follows:

Committee on Homeland Security.
          (1) Overall homeland security policy.
          (2) Organization, administration, and management of 
        the Department of Homeland Security.
          (3)Functionsof the Department of Homeland Security 
        relating to the following:
                  (A) Border and Port Security (except 
                immigration policy and non-border enforcement)
                  (B) Customs (except customs revenue)
                  (C) Integration, analysis, and dissemination 
                of homeland security information
                  (D) Domestic preparedness for the collective 
                response to terrorism
                  (E) Research and development
                  (F) Transportation Security
                  (G) Cybersecurity
Oversight Jurisdiction
    Clause 3(g) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives for the 118th Congress defines the Committee on 
Homeland Security's special oversight functions as follows:

          (1) The Committee on Homeland Security shall review 
        all Government activities relating to homeland 
        security, including interaction of all departments and 
        agencies with the Department of Homeland Security.
          (2) In addition, the committee shall review and study 
        on a primary and continuing basis all Government 
        activities, programs, and organizations related to 
        homeland security that fall within its primary 
        legislative jurisdiction.

    This is the authorization and oversight plan for the 
Committee on Homeland Security for the 118th Congress. It 
includes the areas in which the Committee expects to conduct 
oversight but does not preclude oversight or investigation of 
additional matters as needs arise. The Committee will examine 
the following key priorities, among other issues.

                        SECURE AMERICA'S BORDERS

    The crisis at America's borders has become a national 
security and humanitarian disaster that must be addressed 
immediately. During the 118th Congress, the Committee will 
conduct rigorous oversight on the Department of Homeland 
Security's (DHS) land and maritime border security operations. 
In the last two plus years, there have been over 4.7 million 
migrant encounters at the Southwest border, in addition to over 
1.2 million known gotaways who evaded Border Patrol agents, as 
has been publicly reported. In just the first four months of 
fiscal year 2023, 53 individuals whose names appeared on the 
terrorist watchlist were stopped trying to cross the U.S.-
Mexico border between ports of entry. This total is more than 
the encounters of FY17, FY18, FY19, FY20, and FY21 combined and 
is on track to exceed the disturbing 98 encounters of FY22. 
Additionally, in FY23 alone, CBP has seized over 8,600 pounds 
of fentanyl coming across the Southwest border--enough to kill 
over 1.9 billion people. In this same period, CBP has arrested 
9,445 individuals with criminal convictions including 209 known 
gang members, with 68 of those being MS 13 members.
    The Committee will examine the Department's implementation 
of their multi-layered enforcement strategy on preventing the 
entry of illegal aliens, terrorists, illicit narcotics, and 
other illicit contraband into the country. The Committee will 
also examine the Department's front-line law enforcement 
staffing challenges, technologies used to secure the borders 
and acquisition efforts of border security technologies, and 
the Department's six-pillar border security plan. The Committee 
will examine the appropriate use, maintenance, and readiness of 
technologies and monitor the Inspector General's (IG) 
investigation of dismantling or accidental shut offs of 
technology systems. Finally, the Committee will examine the 
Department's efforts to identify, detain, prioritize, and 
remove criminal aliens from the United States, including those 
apprehended at or near U.S. borders and ports of entry who are 
subject to removal, particularly those from special interest 
countries.

                      PROTECT AGAINST CYBERATTACKS

    Americans are increasingly bombarded with cyber threats 
that no region of the country and no business sector can 
ignore. The homeland facescyber threats from criminal actors 
and nation-state adversaries targeting government and private 
entities alike--including hospitals, schools, and financial 
systems. Strengthening the cybersecurity of our nation's 
critical infrastructure is vital to securing national 
security,the economy, and Americans' way of life. The Committee 
will focus on oversight of landmark cyber laws enacted during 
the 117th Congress and oversight of the Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its role protecting 
federal and private sector networks.
    Equipped with broader and more concrete jurisdiction over 
cybersecurity under the new Rules of the 118th Congress, the 
Committee intends to rapidly mature and optimize the country's 
lead federal civilian cybersecurity agency, CISA, to protect 
the nation's federal networks and the critical infrastructure 
sectors that underpin the American way of life. The Committee 
will examine CISA's ability to execute its new authorities and 
funding and quantitatively exhibit its value-add in improving 
federal and critical infrastructure cybersecurity.

                               REFORM DHS

    The Committee intends to conduct oversight on the structure 
of the Department and examine reforms that will make DHS more 
efficient and able to accomplish its mission. This will include 
an examination of DHS's reporting structures to Congress. While 
some elements of the Department have flourished since its 
establishment in 2003, many have failed to realize their full 
potential. Other elements have simply floundered, unable to 
find and execute their mission. The Committee looks forward to 
receiving the Department's Quadrennial Homeland Security Review 
(QHSR) which should lay the groundwork for a future vision of 
DHS.
    Management challenges continue to plague the Department 
despite years of Departmental, Government Accountability Office 
(GAO), IG and Congressional efforts to remedy them--all at 
great expense to the American taxpayer. While the Committee 
sees itself as a champion for the hard-working men and women of 
DHS, especially those serving on the frontlines, inefficient 
management practices erode the viability of implementing the 
DHS mission(s). As the Department evolves and adds new offices, 
the Committee must continue to hold missions and offices 
accountable and be vigilant about new initiatives that DHS 
pursues.
    As part of this oversight, the Committee will look to form 
a task force to lead an overall review of the DHS enterprise, 
with the eventual goal of reauthorizing the Department.

            SUBCOMMITTEE ON BORDER SECURITY AND ENFORCEMENT


          Border Security Barriers, Technology, and Personnel

    The Committee will examine the integration and 
effectiveness of transportation and border security screening 
systems at ports of entry for detecting high-risk passengers, 
cargo, and illicit narcotics transported across U.S. borders, 
including the Department's efforts to better facilitate 
legitimate trade and travel such as the Department's trusted 
traveler programs and the expansion of CBP Preclearance 
locations. This oversight will include on-site hearings of the 
subcommittee.
    The Committee will continue its rigorous oversight of the 
implementation of the Department's biometric entry and exit 
system in the air, sea and land environments. Additionally, the 
Committee will examine the technology and infrastructure needs 
at ports of entry to better facilitate legitimate trade and 
travel, while also examining technology needs between ports of 
entry to detect illegal crossings. It will also examine the 
implementation of non-intrusive inspection technology to better 
detect illicit narcotics, weapons, other illicit contrabands, 
and materials that pose potential nuclear and radiological 
threats.
    The Committee will examine the Department's policies and 
plans to address the requirements for border barrier projects, 
including the termination of contracts for border barrier 
construction along the southern border, as well as the 
Department's front-line law enforcement staffing and morale 
challenges. Additionally, the Committee will examine the DHS 
Joint Task Force Authorization which will expire on September 
30, 2024.

              Visa Security and Border Screening Programs

    The Committee intends to review efforts to assist border 
and consular officials to ensure the deployment and 
implementation of effective training and infrastructure 
enhancements to identify, intercept, and disrupt known or 
suspected terrorists attempting to enter the United States, 
including known or suspected members of transnational criminal 
organizations. The Committee will examine the continued 
integration, security, and reliability of various law 
enforcement and intelligence-based databases used to screen 
immigrants seeking to enter the country, as well as address any 
security-related deficiencies or gaps in the immigration 
process that known or suspected terrorists could use to gain 
entry or remain in the country for illegitimate purposes.

                             Port Security

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine the 
security of port facilities, including the screening of vessels 
and passengers for potential terrorists, weapons, and other 
illicit contraband. The Committee also plans to review how the 
Department manages emerging risks from maritime threats, while 
addressing gaps and vulnerabilities in the maritime border 
environment. The Committee will continue its oversight of an 
increasing rate of maritime smugglings of humans and illicit 
narcotics along the coastlines of the U.S.
    The Committee plans to review the efficiency and 
effectiveness of the Department's supply chain security 
programs, such as the Customs Trade Partnership Against 
Terrorism (CTPAT), as well as monitor the implementation of the 
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to prevent imports made with 
forced labor from entering U.S. markets. The Committee will 
examine the need to utilize a risk-based methodology and the 
future of the Radiation Portal Monitor program to ensure a 
proper balance between the facilitation of lawful trade and the 
security of the homeland.
    The Committee will examine the operations and procedures of 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations 
(AMO), specifically looking at AMO's interagency working 
relationships with law enforcement and Department partners and 
its capabilities and authorities. The Committee will review 
AMO's operational platforms and future acquisition programs to 
ensure both aviation and maritime assets are capable of meeting 
future mission needs and service requirements to keep America 
secure. The issue of port security will also be shared with the 
Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee.

  SUBCOMMITTEE ON COUNTERTERRORISM, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND INTELLIGENCE

    United States homeland security is inextricably tied to the 
international threat landscape. Vulnerabilities in one country 
can quickly become security threats in another, including the 
U.S. homeland. During the 118th Congress, the Committee will 
examine the capabilities and efforts of the Department of 
Homeland Security to identify, prevent, deter, and respond to 
threats to the homeland. The Committee's oversight will 
specifically examine the capabilities and efforts of the Office 
of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), the Department of Homeland 
Security Intelligence Enterprise, and the Department's 
coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement. 
The Committee will also explore the growing effort to further 
integrate cyber-threat intelligence reporting with alternative 
intelligence streams to create a more holistic intelligence 
picture.

                     Emerging Threats and Homeland 
                      Counterterrorism Activities

    The Committee will examine worldwide threats to the U.S. 
homeland from terrorist groups, including the Islamic State of 
Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al Qaeda core, al Qaeda in the Arabian 
Peninsula (AQAP), al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al 
Shabaab, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and 
other emerging groups that seek to establish safe havens or 
plot attacks against U.S. citizens and the homeland. The 
Committee will examine the threat from Foreign Terrorist 
Organizations following the 2021 U.S. troop withdrawal from 
Afghanistan.
    The Committee will also examine the threat from homegrown 
violent extremists and terrorist networks in the United States. 
The Committee will monitor issues related to foreign fighter 
travel and trends, economic threats, and terrorist financing. 
The Committee will continue its oversight of the DHS 
Disinformation Governance Board (or similar projects) to ensure 
that the Constitutional rights of Americans to free speech are 
not being violated.
    The Committee will conduct oversight hearings to assess the 
degree to which narcotics and human traffickers exhibit 
behaviors and actions consistent with terrorist organizations 
so that the Committee can act through legislation to better 
challenge these threats to the American people.

                           Violent Extremism

    The Committee will continue to examine threats to U.S. 
citizens and the homeland from violent extremists, to include 
plots to attack public gatherings, religious institutions, 
government facilities, law enforcement, elected officials, 
military bases and recruitment centers, and U.S. critical 
infrastructure. The Committee will also examine the rise in 
violent antisemitic incidents across the United States and 
explore the adoption of foreign terrorist organizations' 
tactics, techniques, and procedures by violent extremist 
movements. This effort will include oversight to ensure the 
protection of Americans' First Amendment rights, including from 
infringement or violation by politicized federal agencies.

              International Counterterrorism Partnerships

    The Committee will review U.S. counterterrorism cooperation 
with major foreign partners, with the goal of improving the 
efficiency and effectiveness of international information 
sharing, training and best practices, and coordination. The 
Committee will examine international counterterrorism 
agreements and gather data from departments and agencies, as 
well as foreign partners.

             Homeland Security and Intelligence Enterprise

    The Committee will conduct oversight of DHS's Intelligence 
Enterprise (DHS IE), including intelligence activities 
throughout the Department and component agencies. This will 
include a focus on the coordination and collaboration across 
intelligence offices and personnel within the headquarters' 
elements and component agencies. Additionally, the Committee 
will review efforts to build the intelligence, analytical, and 
assessment capabilities of the Department and efforts to ensure 
its full participation in the Intelligence Community as part of 
its homeland security mission. This will include an examination 
of the hiring authorities, practices, training policies, and 
career-development of intelligence analysts and professionals 
within Headquarters elements and component agencies.
    The Committee will examine the Department's role in 
managing, distributing, and using terrorist threat information 
in furtherance of its homeland security mission. The Committee 
will monitor the extent to which DHS effectively coordinates 
and collaborates with other federal, state, and local agencies 
to mitigate threats to the homeland. Specifically, the 
Committee will assess the degree to which the Office of 
Intelligence and Analysis effectively supports state, local, 
tribal, and territorial law enforcement partners and other 
stakeholders. The Committee will also review how DHS agencies 
collect and share information, including through vital security 
vetting programs and federal terrorist or criminal watchlists.
    The Committee will continue to assess the development of 
DHS counterintelligence programs, with a particular focus on 
securing any existing departmental supply chain 
vulnerabilities. The efforts are intended to prevent 
adversaries from penetrating the Department to exploit 
sensitive information, operations, programs, personnel, and 
resources.

                          Information Sharing

    The Committee will examine the Department's efforts to 
improve homeland security and terrorism information sharing 
among federal, state, and local governments; law enforcement 
entities; first responders and emergency management personnel; 
and the private sector. The Committee will examine the 
Department's initiatives to coordinate information sharing to 
and from state and local fusion centers throughout the country 
and will continue to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of 
the National Network of Fusion Centers, along with their 
working relationship with the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis, to determine their impact on securing the homeland. 
The Committee will also review coordination and information 
sharing procedures between state and local fusion centers and 
Joint Terrorism Task Forces.
    The Committee will examine the Department's role in 
managing, distributing, and otherwise using terrorist threat 
information in furtherance of its homeland security mission. 
The Committee will also examine how the Department's component 
agencies conduct outreach to state and local law enforcement 
agencies, as well as other emergency response agencies, to 
identify best practices and address ongoing deficiencies.

                      United States Secret Service

    The Committee will examine the operations of the United 
States Secret Service, including its protection 
responsibilities and efforts to investigate financial and 
cybercrimes. The Committee will also review the United States 
Secret Service, staffing model to determine whether it has 
adequate resources to meet its current and projected needs. The 
Committee will examine the Secret Service's lead role in 
planning and executing security operations for National Special 
Security Events and conduct oversight into the Secret Service's 
policies to mitigate malign influences, especially those 
stemming from foreign malign actors that seek to leverage 
federal law enforcement entities to their benefit, a 
possibility illuminated by the 2022 investigation of 
individuals fraudulently acting as federal agents in D.C.'s 
Navy Yard neighborhood.
    The Committee will also review cultural leadership issues 
that were responsible for high profile, embarrassing, judgement 
failures.

               Radicalization, Propaganda, and Influence

    The Committee will examine the security implications of 
foreign influence and propaganda directed at the homeland, 
state-sponsored influence and espionage campaigns, occurring 
both in the physical world and cyber realm, stemming from the 
People's Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The 
Committee will also examine the recruiting and radicalization 
efforts by terrorist networks and propaganda developed and 
distributed by foreign adversaries. The Committee will assess 
homegrown terror threats, and federal, state and local efforts 
to address those threats.

      SUBCOMMITTEE ON CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION


                             Cybersecurity

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will conduct 
oversight of all the cybersecurity activities of the Department 
of Homeland Security and, in particular, activities within 
CISA. Areas of examination will include Executive Order 14028, 
Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity, the Department's 
Cybersecurity Talent Management System, and operations of 
CISA's EINSTEIN and Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) 
programs for securing federal networks.
    Pursuant to the Rules for the 118th Congress, the Committee 
will utilize the addition of ``cybersecurity'' to its 
legislative jurisdiction to take charge on reviewing CISA's 
role in strengthening the cyber resilience of the federal 
civilian executive branch, as well as the cybersecurity 
functions of other DHS components. As such, the Committee will 
consider the organization of CISA to ensure that the component 
is properly structured to carry out the Federal Information 
Systems Modernization Act of 2014, the Cybersecurity and 
Information Sharing Act of 2015, and the Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018, as efficiently as 
possible. The Committee will also examine ways to further build 
CISA's cybersecurity capability and capacity, in order to 
implement newly assigned statutory authorities and requirements 
while addressing areas of overlap with other federal agencies.
    The Committee will lead quarterly meetings of relevant 
House Committees to conduct oversight, coordinate, and 
recommend changes to facilitate a whole of government approach 
to cybersecurity.
    The Committee will examine the implementation of 
cybersecurity legislation enacted during the 117th Congress 
including: the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical 
Infrastructure Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103) (requiring 
reporting and other actions to address cybersecurity incidents, 
including ransomware attacks); the State and Local 
Cybersecurity Improvement Act (Pub. L. 117-58) (establishing a 
grant program to address cybersecurity risks); the K-12 
Cybersecurity Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-47) (requiring CISA to 
study the cyber risk facing elementary and secondary schools 
and develop recommendations); the National Cybersecurity 
Preparedness Consortium Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-122) 
(developing cybersecurity training to state, tribal, and local 
first responders and officials); the State and Local Government 
Cybersecurity Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-150) (providing for 
collaboration between DHS and state, local, tribal, and 
territorial governments as well as the general public on 
cybersecurity); the U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Act 
(Pub. L. 117-81) (contributing to the cybersecurity research 
and development of both the U.S. and Israel); the DHS 
Industrial Control Systems Capabilities Enhancement Act (Pub. 
L. 117-81) (providing CISA authority to address threats to 
industrial control systems); the DHS Roles and Responsibilities 
in Cyber Space Act, the Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act, 
the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act, and the ICS 
Cybersecurity Training Act (Pub. L. 117-263) (providing 
additional authorities for CISA in the FY23 National Defense 
Authorization Act).
    Finally, the Committee will conduct oversight on the 
government's preparations for the impact that Quantum 
Computingand Artificial Intelligence will have on 
cybersecurity.

                 Protection of Critical Infrastructure

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine CISA's 
programs to protect critical infrastructure, with focus on 
internal coordination mechanisms to ensure that expertise from 
both the cyber and physical `sides of the house' can be 
leveraged efficiently and effectively. The Committee will also 
review how DHS, through CISA, works with the various critical 
infrastructure sectors and their respective sector risk 
management agencies pursuant to Presidential Policy Directive-
21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (PPD-21).
    During the 118th Congress the Committee will continue to 
oversee the Department's implementation of the Chemical 
Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS) program, which 
requires high risk chemical facility owners and operators to 
report chemical holdings, perform vulnerability assessments, 
and adopt risk-based security measures to protect against the 
threat of a terrorist attack. An act to extend the Chemical 
Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program of the Department of 
Homeland Security, and for other purposes, (Pub. L. 116-150), 
conveys CFATS statutory authority until July 27, 2023, at which 
point the Committee will rely on these oversight activities and 
findings to consider improvements or modifications to the CFATS 
program which can be achieved through reauthorization.
    Additionally, the Committee will continue to oversee CISA's 
implementation of the National Cybersecurity Protection System 
(NCPS), or EINSTEIN. EINSTEIN is one of CISA's key technologies 
within NCPS that assists in federal network defense. Originally 
authorized in 2015 for a seven-year period, NCPS was extended 
through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (Pub. L. 
117-328) until September 30, 2023, at which point the Committee 
will rely on these oversight activities and findings to 
consider improvements or modifications to the NCPS program.

                 SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 
                             AND TECHNOLOGY


                       Preparedness and Response

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) response and 
recovery efforts for declared disasters to ensure capabilities 
are enhanced by lessons learned and federal resources are used 
appropriately. The Committee will specifically conduct 
oversight of FEMA's response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. 
The Committee will investigate issues, if any, of waste, fraud, 
and abuse associated with FEMA's disaster response efforts (for 
example the response to Hurricanes Ida, Fiona and the 2022 
Western Wildfires), including efforts related to the COVID-19 
Pandemic. Further, the Committee will review FEMA's efforts to 
improve preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation 
regarding safeguarding our Nation's critical infrastructure.

               Assistance to State and Local Governments 
                          and First Responders

    The Committee will examine FEMA's allocation and 
administration of grants to enhance the ability of state and 
local governments and emergency response providers to prevent, 
prepare for, respond to, mitigate, and recover from a terrorist 
attack. The Committee will review the coordination of grant 
programs within the Department of Homeland Security in 
developing guidance and administering grants; the ability of 
state and local governments to access, obligate, and expend 
funds; the strength of regional partnerships developed through 
grants; and the risk-based distribution and expenditure of such 
grants at the state and local levels.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Planning, Preparedness, 
                              and Response

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine the 
significant challenges posed by chemical, biological, 
radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents to the homeland and 
conduct oversight over the Department's Countering Weapons of 
Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) to assess efforts in combatting 
CBRN threats. The Congressional authorization for the CWMD 
Office will expire in December of 2023--an issue that the 
Committee will work on in the 118th Congress. The Committee 
will oversee the Department's efforts to predict and respond to 
the evolving CBRN threat landscape, and ensure that CBRN 
expenditures are risk-based, coordinated, and are wise uses of 
taxpayer dollars. Further, the Committee will assess the recent 
consolidating and streamlining of health security activities 
within DHS.

                        Emergency Communications

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine the 
coordination of various communications programs and offices 
within the Department of Homeland Security, including the 
achievement and maintenance of interoperable communications 
capabilities among the Department's components, as required by 
the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable 
Communications Act (Pub. Law 114-29). The Committee will 
monitor activities of the First Responder Network Authority 
(FirstNet) and the development of the public safety 
interoperable wireless broadband network. In addition, the 
Committee will review the Department's Integrated Public Alert 
and Warning System to ensure timely and effective alerts and 
warnings are provided to the public in the event of an 
emergency.

                         Training and Exercises

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the 
Department's training and exercise programs, including 
awareness and availability of these resources to first 
responders and state and local governments. The Committee will 
review existing training centers and determine whether the 
Department is optimally utilizing these facilities to enhance 
first responder terrorism preparedness. The Committee will also 
examine the Department's efforts to streamline and improve the 
National Exercise Program to ensure the program enhances the 
preparedness of the Nation. The Committee will monitor the 
extent to which FEMA is incorporating lessons learned from 
national exercises into future training, planning, and 
response, recovery, and mitigation activities.

                        Research and Development

    The Committee will conduct oversight of the Science and 
Technology Directorate (S&T) and its ability to provide DHS 
components with the technology advancements needed to 
effectively carry out their respective missions. The Committee 
will examine S&T's collaboration with the Federally Funded 
Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) and the transparency 
with which S&T reports this work to Congress. During the 118th 
Congress, the Committee will also examine the effectiveness of 
the S&T Centers of Excellence to provide the DHS components 
with advanced technologies that help them carry out their 
respective missions.

               SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT, INVESTIGATIONS 
                           AND ACCOUNTABILITY


            Departmental Efficiency and Waste, Fraud, Abuse 
                            and Duplication

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine the 
Department of Homeland Security's day-to-day operations to 
ensure that it is operating in the most efficient and effective 
manner possible. The Committee will work to identify potential 
opportunities to eliminate duplicative or unnecessary programs, 
find efficiencies that will contribute to the Department's 
ability to meet its vital missions, and identify areas for cost 
savings. The Committee will also conduct rigorous oversight to 
ensure the Department conducts effective outreach to the 
private sector and utilizes commercial best practices, as 
appropriate. The Committee will look into developing a 
scorecard that will report on the Department's performance 
across a broad range of activities and missions within the 
Department. The Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that 
the Department of Homeland Security is not discriminating 
against its employees based on political or religious beliefs.
    Additionally, this subcommittee will take the lead on 
numerous investigations and oversight projects surrounding 
border security, cyber security, and other issues that cross 
over multiple subcommittees.

     DHS Management Functions (Procurement, Financial Management, 
      Information Technology, Human Capital Management & Security)

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the 
efforts of the Department to improve its management functions. 
Management challenges continue to plague the Department despite 
years of Departmental, Government Accountability Office (GAO), 
Inspector General (IG), and Congressional efforts to remedy 
them. The Committee will continue its oversight of the 
Department of Homeland Security's progress to properly manage 
financial systems and data to minimize inefficient and wasteful 
spending, make more informed decisions to manage its programs, 
and implement Department policies with an eye for establishing 
punitive legislation should failure to fix these issues 
continue. Additionally, the Committee will review the 
Department's efforts to address information technology (IT) 
challenges, including the management and integration of the 
Department's IT systems. The Committee will review the 
authorities and activities of the Chief Information Officer 
(CIO) and component CIOs to ensure the effective management, 
oversight, and coordination of these key functions. The 
Committee will monitor the Department's progress in IT 
architectural planning, investment management, cloud computing, 
policy development, operations, and related personnel 
management. Additionally, the Committee will conduct oversight 
on the acquisitions process from beginning to end.
    The Committee will also continue its oversight of the 
Department's efforts to establish a centralized and modernized 
human resources IT program. The Committee will monitor the 
Department's implementation of the DHS Contract Reporting Act 
which was signed into law in the 117th Congress (Pub. L. 117-
263).

                   China's Influence on the Homeland

    The Committee will closely monitor the Peoples Republic of 
China's (PRC) attempts to influence the homeland. As the United 
States continues its great power struggle with the PRC, the 
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to pursue a national 
strategy to assert themselves as the head of the global order 
while degrading America's power militarily, diplomatically, and 
economically. The CCP's aggressive ``Military-Civil Fusion'' 
strategy drives their goal of positioning the People's 
Liberation Army (PLA) as the most technologically advanced 
military in the world by 2049.
    The CCP is implementing its strategy through theft of the 
world's cutting-edge technologies. As the premier pioneer of 
both civilian and military research and development, the United 
States is a key target of the CCP's espionage efforts. In order 
to shine a light on these, the Committee (both at full 
Committee and subcommittee) will hold a series of hearings 
related to the activities of China in the homeland on the areas 
of military intellectual property, academic research and 
development, economic security, and political influence.

                           Economic Security

    In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine three 
areas of economic security: implementation of the Uyghur Forced 
Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), critical homeland security 
domains, and the Arctic. These issues will involve several 
subcommittees.
    The economy is the backbone of our country, and it is 
imperative that we ensure that markets can function without 
being manipulated by our adversaries--this was never more 
apparent than in the COVID pandemic when China manipulated the 
PPE market to the detriment of the rest of the world. The 
Committee will conduct oversight on how China's economic 
expansion, and manipulation of markets and supply chains 
threaten the economic security of the homeland. The Committee 
will hold hearings on how China's economic expansion and 
tactics threaten our homeland security.
    The Committee will closely monitor the report required by 
the Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act that is due to 
Congress, as well as the implementation of the DHS Trade and 
Economic Security Act, both signed into law in the 117th 
Congress (Pub. L. 117-81 and Pub. L. 117-263, respectively).

                  SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND 
                           MARITIME SECURITY

    During the 118th Congress, the Committee plans to examine 
the Department's efforts to develop and implement strategies to 
address terrorist threats in varied transportation 
environments, including both air and surface transportation. 
The Committee will review the effectiveness of the 
Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) passenger, 
baggage, and cargo screening programs and operations. The 
Committee will also encourage TSA to find new ways to leverage 
private sector expertise, innovation, and technologies in its 
mission to secure the Nation's critical transportation systems. 
Finally, the Committee with work with the other Committees of 
jurisdiction on the reauthorization of the expiring Counter 
Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) authorities.

                           Aviation Security

    The Committee will examine how TSA is ensuring that 
passengers that are designated high-risk are receiving enhanced 
screening at the checkpoint. The Committee will assess whether 
there are additional ways for TSA to enhance security and 
implement risk-based strategies at screening checkpoints. 
Specifically, the Committee will conduct oversight on TSA's 
efforts to procure advanced screening technology, including but 
not limited to: Computed Tomography (CT), Credential 
Authentication Technology (CAT), and ``detection at range''. 
The Committee will also engage with TSA, the aviation industry, 
and international partners on the implementation of the One-
Stop Pilot Program Act which was signed into law in the 117th 
Congress (Pub. L. 117-263).
    The Committee will continue to examine TSA's long-term 
goals for TSA PreTM and assess the 
effectiveness of TSA's passenger, baggage and cargo screening 
operations. The Committee will evaluate TSA's successes and 
challenges in expanding enrollment in TSA 
PreTM, including through contracts with 
private sector entities. The Committee will monitor TSA's 
efforts to protect the civil rights and liberties of 
passengers.
    Finally, the Committee will conduct oversight on the No-Fly 
List, including the recent hack by a Switzerland-based cyber 
actor. The Committee will also conduct oversight to ensure that 
the No-Fly list is maintained without political or other bias.

                       Private Sector Engagement

    The Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that TSA is 
effectively engaging the private sector to improve the 
effectiveness and efficiency of its operations. The Committee 
will work to ensure that stakeholders are properly consulted on 
major security policy decisions and airport staffing 
allocations, through the Aviation Security Advisory Committee 
or other means. The Committee will conduct oversight of TSA's 
Screening Partnership Program, while exploring ways to enhance 
opportunities for the agency to work with the private sector.

                    Surface Transportation Security

    The Committee will review TSA's efforts to secure surface 
transportation systems, including the highest-risk mass transit 
and rail systems. The Committee's oversight will include a 
review of the Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response 
Program (VIPR), the Surface Transportation Security Inspection 
Program, and TSA's surface transportation security regulations. 
Additionally, the Committee will conduct increased oversight on 
TSA's cybersecurity directives for pipelines, freight rail, and 
passenger rail, as TSA transitions from security directives to 
rulemaking.
    The Committee will also review the extent to which TSA 
effectively coordinates with its federal, state, local, and 
private sector partners to secure the Nation's transportation 
systems and to help prevent conflicting or unnecessarily 
redundant regulations. Finally, the Committee will assess the 
effectiveness of TSA's efforts to secure the Nation's pipeline 
systems through TSA's oversight and inspection activities.

                   Targeting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

    The Committee will conduct oversight to identify and 
prevent waste, fraud, or abuse within TSA. As part of this 
overall effort, the Committee will examine TSA's existing 
acquisition processes, engagement with small businesses in the 
private sector, and strategic planning. The Committee will also 
conduct oversight on how American tax dollars are spent to 
avoid wasteful spending on technologies that do not perform as 
intended.
    The Committee will continue to examine hiring practices at 
TSA and the persistent challenges that TSA faces with employee 
morale. Finally, the Committee will also look at TSA's process 
of designating information as Sensitive Security Information to 
determine if the designation is being abused.

                           Maritime Security

    The Committee will examine various aspects of maritime 
security, including the security of port facilities and the 
screening of vessels, passengers, cargo, and crew, for 
potential terrorists, terrorist weapons, and contraband. The 
Committee will also examine the maritime cyber security 
policies that govern all Maritime Transportation Security Act 
(MTSA) regulated facilities.
    The Committee will examine the Coast Guard's role in the 
Arctic by reviewing the Coast Guard's Arctic Strategy and 
timeline on securing the Arctic maritime landscape. The 
Committee will also review the resource and asset needs within 
the Coast Guard to determine whether the service is 
operationally ready to address the increased demand of Coast 
Guard services and the varied threats to America's ports and 
waterways while pursuing a long-term sustainable path of fleet 
recapitalization. This oversight will include on site hearings 
of the subcommittee. Additionally, the Committee will conduct a 
detailed review of the Coast Guard's implementation of the 
Department's financial and acquisition processes.
    The Committee will also review the Coast Guard's missions, 
personnel, and capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, which play a 
significant role in the Department's ability to counter China. 
Specifically, the Committee will examine the Coast Guard's 
counter terrorism capabilities, including the Maritime Safety 
and Security Teams (MSST), Port Security Units, Tactical Law 
Enforcement Teams, and the Maritime Security Response Team.

                             MINORITY VIEWS

    In a disappointing departure from prior Homeland Security 
Committee authorization and oversight plans--where there was 
high-level bipartisan agreement on a range of areas for 
review--this plan reads like a roadmap for the extreme, MAGA 
House Republican majority. It fails to give needed attention to 
a wide range of longstanding areas for oversight within the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the third-largest 
Federal Department. The most glaring omission is its failure to 
give specific attention to domestic terrorism, a threat that 
our top national security officials have unequivocally 
recognized as persistent and pervasive.
    Officials from administrations representing both parties 
have recognized the growing threat of domestic terrorism. In 
the 116th and 117th Congresses, the Committee held 13 hearings 
on the increasing and dynamic domestic terrorist threat. In 
addition to those hearings, the Committee held annual hearings 
on worldwide threats where DHS and Intelligence Community 
officials--in both the Trump and Biden administrations--warned 
of the heightened threat posed by domestic violent extremists.
    The Trump administration's October 2020 Homeland Threat 
Assessment stated: ``The primary terrorist threat inside the 
United States will stem from lone offenders and small cells of 
individuals, including Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) and 
foreign terrorist-inspired Homegrown Violent Extremists 
(HVEs).''\1\ The same threat assessment also foreshadowed the 
January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Congress 
stating, ``political tensions in 2020 . . . will drive an 
elevated threat environment at least through early 2021.''\2\ 
And the 2021 threat assessment produced by the Director of 
National Intelligence appointed by President Biden stated: 
``US-based lone actors and small cells with a broad range of 
ideological motivations pose a greater immediate domestic 
threat'' than ISIS or al Qaeda.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\``Homeland Threat Assessment,'' Department of Homeland Security, 
(Oct. 2020), available at https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/
publications/2020_10_06_homeland-threat-assessment.pdf, p. 17 (internal 
citations omitted).
    \2\Ibid.
    \3\``Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community,'' 
Office of the Director of National Intelligence, (April 9, 2021), 
available at https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/
assessments/ATA 2021-Unclassified-Report.pdf, p. 23.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Domestic terrorism should not be a partisan issue. Since 
2010, domestic violent extremists have conducted at least 47 
lethal attacks that have killed 152 people in the United 
States.\4\ Antisemitism drove many of these attacks, like the 
murder of 11 Jewish people at the Tree of Life synagogue in 
Pittsburgh in 2018. The Committee has received testimony that 
antisemitism is often a throughline between domestic and 
international terrorist threats. As such, it deserves specific 
mention in the Committee's oversight plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\``Strategic Intelligence Assessment and Data on Domestic 
Terrorism,'' Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland 
Security, (Oct. 2022), available at https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/
files/2022-10/22_1025_strategic-intelligence-assessment-data-domestic-
terrorism.pdf, p. 38.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Democrats gave Republicans an opportunity to correct this 
fatal flaw in the plan during the Committee's February 28th 
business meeting. A two-sentence Democratic amendment would 
have ensured the Committee continued to examine domestic 
terrorism on a bipartisan basis, like it did in the last two 
Congresses. Instead, Committee Republicans bowed to the will of 
their most extreme elements and adopted another amendment that 
struck the word ``domestic'' each time it appeared in the 
Democratic amendment and appended conclusory language about 
Federal agencies being politicized and abusive. Committee 
Democrats are profoundly disappointed that extreme, MAGA 
Republican talking points now appear to inspire the Committee's 
oversight and legislative work. The 260,000 hardworking women 
and men at DHS and other Federal law enforcement agencies 
deserve better.
    This authorization and oversight plan is also rife with 
nods to anti-immigrant elements in the Republican Party. For 
example, the plan refers to undocumented noncitizens as 
``illegal aliens'' or ``criminal aliens.'' Committee Democrats 
cannot support such charged language that seeks to divide and 
stigmatize fellow human beings. Similarly, the plan seems to 
walk back the Committee's previous extensive oversight of how 
migrants and others are treated in DHS custody.
    There are other serious concerns with this plan:
     Republicans are so preoccupied with the Southwest 
border that their plan's border security section omits any 
mention of the Northern border and only passing mention of air 
and sea borders, despite the fact that foreign terrorists have 
repeatedly arrived by air.
     The plan lacks any mention of equity in disaster 
relief--a persistent challenge for many communities in both 
urban and rural America.
     It makes scant mention of the human capital and 
morale issues at DHS, which have been a major concern for the 
Committee over successive Congresses.
     There is no mention of diversity in the 
Department's leadership and developing a workforce that 
reflects the country through stronger recruiting and hiring 
practices.
    Finally, Committee Democrats are concerned that Republican 
attempts to examine waste, fraud, and abuse at DHS could be a 
thinly veiled attempt to target Federal workers. Recent media 
reports have suggested that other House committees could be 
pressuring low- to mid-level career civil servants,\5\ and we 
hope this Committee does not go down the same road given the 
DHS workforce's morale problems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\Lisa Rein and Jacqueline Alemany, ``Emboldened by its majority, 
House GOP turns up heat on federal workers,'' Washington Post, (Feb. 
27, 2023), available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/
02/27/house-gop-federal-workers-jim-jordan/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Committee on Homeland Security has broad oversight 
jurisdiction under House rule X. And notwithstanding this 
exercise in partisan politics, Democrats welcome support for 
bipartisan collaboration on homeland security issues important 
to the communities we serve. We regret such collaboration is 
not evident in this authorization and oversight plan.
                                   Bennie G. Thompson.
                                   Sheila Jackson Lee.
                                   Donald M. Payne, Jr.
                                   Eric Swalwell.
                                   J. Luis Correa.
                                   Troy A. Carter.
                                   Shri Thanedar.
                                   Seth Magaziner.
                                   Glenn Ivey.
                                   Daniel S. Goldman.
                                   Robert Garcia.
                                   Delia C. Ramirez.
                                   Robert Menendez.
                                   Yvette D. Clarke.
                                   Dina Titus.

                                  




                       COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

        AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 118TH CONGRESS

                           February 28, 2023

    In accordance with House rule X, the Committee on the 
Judiciary is responsible for determining whether the laws and 
programs within its jurisdiction are implemented and carried 
out in accordance with the intent of Congress and whether they 
should be continued, altered, or eliminated. Accordingly, in 
the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the laws and 
programs within its jurisdiction to assess their application, 
administration, execution, and effectiveness. The Committee 
will also review the organization and operation of federal 
agencies and entities within its jurisdiction for the 
administration and execution of laws and programs.
    The Committee will review the mission and operations of the 
agencies and programs within its jurisdiction, including 
assessing the potential reauthorization or reorganization of 
components of the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland 
Security, and other agencies. In doing so, the Committee will 
identify wasteful, inefficient, or duplicative programs that 
should be streamlined or eliminated, as well as those that 
could be enhanced. The Committee also seeks to eliminate fraud, 
abuse, and mismanagement. The Committee hopes to streamline and 
eliminate wasteful spending on agencies and programs within its 
jurisdiction.
    This document outlines the current plans of the Committee 
on the Judiciary for authorization and oversight activities in 
the 118th Congress. As required by House Rules, Part I includes 
a description of programs and agencies the Committee will 
consider reauthorizing during the 118th Congress and notes 
which programs and agencies received funding in fiscal year 
2022 despite having lapsed authorizations. Part II includes 
oversight the Committee intends to conduct to help determine 
whether to authorize certain programs and agencies or to inform 
potential legislative reforms for these entities.

                                 PART I

    The following programs and agencies are potentially subject 
to reauthorization in the 118th Congress. Programs or agencies 
designated with an asterisk received funding during fiscal year 
2022 despite having no current authorization for appropriation.

                         DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

                        GENERAL ADMINISTRATION*

    General Administration (GA) supports the Attorney General 
and the Department of Justice's senior policy level officials 
in managing Department resources and developing policies for 
legal, law enforcement, and criminal justice activities.

                Justice Information Sharing Technology*

    Justice Information Sharing Technology programs fund the 
Department's enterprise investments in information technology.

                    Office of the Inspector General*

    The Office of the Inspector General is an independent 
office within the Department of Justice that is charged with 
investigating allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and 
misconduct by Department employees, contractors, and grantees 
and promoting economy and efficiency in Department operations.

                   Administrative Review and Appeals*

    The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) includes 
Immigration Judges, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the 
Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer. EOIR 
presides over administrative immigration hearings such as 
benefits adjudications, removal, bond, and employer sanctions 
proceedings.

                         U.S. PAROLE COMMISSION

    The Parole Commission is responsible for granting or 
denying parole to, and supervising the parole releases of, 
incarcerated individuals who fall under its jurisdiction.

                            LEGAL ACTIVITIES

                    Office of the Solicitor General*

    The office of the Solicitor General supervises and 
processes all appellate matters and represents the U.S. and 
federal agencies before the Supreme Court.

                             Tax Division*

    The Tax Division represents the U.S. in litigation arising 
under the internal revenue laws.

                           Criminal Division*

    The Criminal Division is responsible for supervising the 
application of all federal criminal laws except those 
specifically assigned to other divisions. The Criminal Division 
prosecutes the most significant financial crimes, including 
mortgage fraud, corporate fraud, and sophisticated investment 
fraud; coordinates multi-district financial crime cases; and 
assists U.S. Attorneys' Offices in financial crime cases with 
significant money laundering and asset forfeiture components.

                            Civil Division*

    The Civil Division represents the United States, its 
departments and agencies, and other federal employees in 
litigation in federal and state courts. The Division also 
brings suits on behalf of the United States in litigation, 
primarily to recoup money lost through fraud, loan defaults, 
and the abuse of federal funds.

             Environmental and Natural Resources Division*

    The Environmental and Natural Resources Division enforces 
the nation's civil and criminal environmental laws; defends 
environmental challenges to federal law and actions; and 
performs a variety of other legal activities related to the 
environment and our Nation's natural resources.

                         Civil Rights Division*

    The Civil Rights Division is responsible for enforcing 
federal statutes that protect the civil rights of all Americans 
and prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, disability, 
religion, and national origin.

                          INTERPOL Washington*

    INTERPOL Washington facilitates cooperation and 
information-sharing among police agencies in different 
countries. It coordinates with more than 18,000 federal, state, 
and local law enforcement authorities and the 193 other member 
countries for INTERPOL-related matters.

                  EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR U.S. ATTORNEYS*

    There are 94 U.S. Attorneys located throughout the United 
States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The U.S. 
Attorneys who lead each office are the chief law enforcement 
representatives of the Attorney General. Each U.S. Attorney 
enforces federal criminal law; handles most of the civil 
litigation in which the United States is involved; and 
initiates proceedings for the collection of fines, penalties, 
and forfeitures owed to the United States.

                        ASSETS FORFEITURE FUND*

    The Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF), administered by the U.S. 
Marshals Service, manages and disposes of properties seized by 
and forfeited to federal law enforcement agencies and U.S. 
Attorneys nationwide. The Attorney General is authorized to use 
the AFF to pay necessary expenses associated with forfeitures. 
The Fund may also be used to finance certain general 
investigative expenses, such as those enumerated in 28 U.S.C. 
Sec.  524(c).
    The AFF is also used to compensate victims of specific 
crimes for which the proceeds were subject to forfeiture. After 
those costs, the Department uses the funds to pay for the 
management costs associated with disposing and forfeiting 
property. The AFF is also used to help fund law enforcement at 
the state and local level who assist with federal law 
enforcement priorities.

                         U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE*

    The U.S. Marshals Service administers the Asset Forfeiture 
Program of the Justice Department; conducts investigations 
involving escaped federal prisoners, unregistered sex 
offenders, and other fugitives; ensures safety at federal 
judicial proceedings; assumes custody of individuals arrested 
by all federal agencies; houses and transports prisoners; and 
manages the Witness Security Program.

                      NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION*

    Congress created the National Security Division in the USA 
PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005. The NSD 
consists of the elements of Department of Justice, other than 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, engaged primarily in 
support of the intelligence and intelligence-related activities 
of the federal government, including: (1) the Assistant 
Attorney General for National Security, (2) the Office of 
Intelligence Policy and Review, (3) the counterterrorism 
section, (4) the counterespionage section, and (5) any other 
offices designated by the Attorney General.

                          ANTITRUST DIVISION*

    The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote 
economic competition through enforcing the nation's antitrust 
laws and providing guidance on antitrust laws and principles.

     ORGANIZED CRIME DRUG ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCES (OCDETF) PROGRAM*

    The OCDETF program is part of the Department's intra-and 
inter-agency drug enforcement strategy. It coordinates with 
elements of federal law enforcement--including components of 
the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the 
Treasury--to disrupt national and transnational criminal 
organizations engaged in drug trafficking and money laundering, 
and those organizations primarily responsible for the nation's 
illegal drug supply.

                    FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION*

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is charged with 
investigating terrorism, cybercrimes, public corruption, white-
collar crime, organized crime, civil rights violations, and 
other federal offenses.

                    DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION*

    The Drug Enforcement Administration is the federal agency 
tasked with reducing the illicit supply and abuse of narcotics 
and drugs through drug interdiction and seizing of illicit 
revenues and assets from drug trafficking organizations.

          BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES*

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is 
tasked with investigating violent crime, terrorism, and the 
illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products.

                         FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM*

    The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is responsible for the 
custody and care of federal offenders in prisons and community-
based facilities. BOP is currently responsible for housing more 
than 145,000 federal offenders, which includes sentenced 
inmates as well as persons awaiting trial and/or sentencing.

                        FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION


                         BUREAU OF COMPETITION*

    The Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition shares 
jurisdiction with the Justice Department's Antitrust Division 
for the enforcement of the nation's antitrust laws.

                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


               U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) oversees 
the adjudication of applications and petitions for immigration 
benefits. USCIS is funded primarily by immigration and 
naturalization benefit fees charged to applicants and 
petitioners. However, Congress did provide some fiscal year 
2022 and 2023 funding for certain USCIS activities, and it 
appropriates funding annually for the E-Verify Program.

                            E-Verify Program

    Section 401 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 
Responsibility Act of 1996 authorizes the Department of 
Homeland Security to ``conduct 3 pilot programs of employment 
eligibility confirmation'' including the E-Verify program, 
which allows employers to electronically check the employment 
eligibility of potential employees. Section 401(b) of that Act, 
as amended, currently provides that ``[u]nless the Congress 
otherwise provides, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
terminate a pilot program on September 30, 2023.''

                        Conrad 30 Waiver Program

    Section 220 of the Immigration and Nationality Technical 
Corrections Act of 1994 established the Conrad 30 Waiver 
Program for J-1 visa holders, which describes individuals that 
have come to the United States to receive graduate medical 
education or training. Under this program, a limited number of 
J-1 visitors may receive a waiver of the two-year residency 
requirement that would normally apply before such individuals 
could seek an immigrant visa, permanent residence, or a non-
immigrant work visa. Section 220(c), as amended, provides that 
an individual must have received a J-1 visa before September 
30, 2023, in order to be eligible for such waiver.

        Non-minister Special Immigrant Religious Worker Program

    Section 101(a)(27)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (INA) is sometimes referred to as the non-minister special 
immigrant religious worker program. The INA defines a ``special 
immigrant'' to include certain immigrants, and such immigrants' 
spouses and children, who are affiliated with a religious 
denomination. For such individuals who are not entering the 
United States to carry on the vocation of a minister, the 
individual must seek entry before September 30, 2023.

                U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the largest 
investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Its 
components include Enforcement and Removal Operations, the 
Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Homeland Security 
Investigations.

                   U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for 
the security of U.S. borders. Its components include the U.S. 
Border Patrol and the Office of Field Operations. Aspects of 
CBP under the jurisdiction of the Committee include CBP's non-
border immigration enforcement functions, intellectual property 
enforcement functions, the Visa Waiver Program, and the 
Electronic System for Travel Authorization.

                FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER

    The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) 
provides training to law enforcement professionals to help them 
fulfill their responsibilities safely and proficiently. FLETC's 
mission is to train all those who protect the homeland, and 
therefore, its training audience also includes state, local, 
and tribal departments throughout the U.S. Additionally, 
FLETC's impact extends outside our nation's borders through 
international training and capacity-building activities.

                          U.S. SECRET SERVICE

    The Secret Service is tasked with dual law enforcement 
missions: protection of national and visiting foreign leaders 
and conducting criminal investigations. Criminal investigation 
activities encompass financial crimes, bank fraud, mortgage 
fraud, identity theft, counterfeiting, and computer fraud. 
Secret Service protection extends to the President, Vice 
President, and their families, among others.

                 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES


                 OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (HHS)*

    The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the 
Department of Health and Human Services provides assistance and 
services to refugees, asylees, unaccompanied alien minors, 
victims of human trafficking, among others. ORR assists these 
populations by providing a range of services, including cash 
and medical assistance, housing assistance, and economic and 
social integration services.

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE


                       BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS

    The Bureau of Consular Affairs adjudicates applications for 
nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, issues immigrant visas, 
issues U.S. passports, and aids international adoption.

             BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES, AND MIGRATION

    The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration oversees 
the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, under which refugees from 
countries all over the world are resettled within the United 
States.

                     OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET


             OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS*

    The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs implements 
executive regulatory oversight activities under Executive Order 
12866, among other authorities; reviews collections of 
information from the public; provides guidance concerning 
federal information resources; and coordinates federal 
statistical activities.

                             OTHER ENTITIES


                   ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE 
                             UNITED STATES*

    The Administrative Conference of the United States is an 
independent agency that was created to analyze the federal 
administrative law process and to provide related 
recommendations and guidance.

                                PART II

    The Committee on the Judiciary intends to conduct 
comprehensive oversight of the agencies and programs within its 
jurisdiction. The Committee's oversight activities will include 
hearings, briefings, correspondence, reports, public 
statements, and site visits.

                             FULL COMMITTEE

    U.S. Department of Justice. In conjunction with and also 
through its Subcommittees, the Committee intends to conduct 
oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice, including all 
Department components. Among other things, the Committee will 
examine political bias within the FBI's senior leadership; the 
misuse of counterterrorism resources to target parents 
resisting far-left educational curriculum; the apparent double 
standard in the enforcement of federal law, such as its 
selective enforcement of the Free Access to Clinic Entrances 
Act; politicized enforcement of voting laws; the politicization 
of criminal investigations and prosecutorial decisions; the use 
of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and U.S. 
PATRIOT Act authorities by Executive Branch agencies, and the 
potential reauthorization of section 702 of FISA; the Justice 
Department's use of unprecedented and aggressive law-
enforcement tactics against political opponents of the Biden 
Administration; the FBI's purge of conservative agents from 
within its ranks and whistleblower retaliation; collusion 
between the Department, Departmental components, and Big Tech 
to censor political speech; the FBI's manipulation of domestic 
violent extremism statistics for political purposes; and the 
FBI's use of confidential human sources and informants.

                 SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION AND 
                           LIMITED GOVERNMENT

    Protection of Constitutional and Civil Rights. The 
Subcommittee will examine the adequacy of current protections 
for U.S. Citizens' constitutional and civil rights.
    Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice. The 
Subcommittee will examine the enforcement record and priorities 
of the Civil Rights Division.
    Fiscal Responsibility. The Subcommittee will examine 
constitutional reforms to address government spending.
    Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence. The 
Subcommittee will examine the need for reforms to enhance the 
separation of powers and to protect the independence of federal 
courts.
    Federalism. The Subcommittee will examine the proper 
balance between the finite powers allocated to the federal 
government by the Constitution and the powers reserved to the 
states.
    Religious Liberty. The Subcommittee will examine the 
adequacy of federal protections for Americans' rights under the 
Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the Constitution.
    Freedom of Speech. The Subcommittee will examine restraints 
on free speech, including efforts by some colleges and 
universities to limit protests, speeches, distribution of 
literature, petitions, and other expressive activities.
    Protecting the Sanctity of Life. The Subcommittee will 
examine the constitutionality and enforcement of federal and 
state statutes relating to anti-life measures.
    The Justice Department's Judgement Fund. The Subcommittee 
will examine payments made from the Judgment Fund, its 
management, and how it is administered.
    Civil Justice. The Subcommittee will review the policies 
and practices of the civil justice system and consider whether 
reform is needed.

  SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE COURTS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND THE INTERNET

    Federal Judiciary. The Subcommittee will conduct oversight 
of the federal judiciary, including the operations of the 
federal court system, the unauthorized disclosure of 
confidential information and deliberations of the judicial 
branch, and judicial ethics. The Subcommittee also intends to 
examine the resources available to Article III courts, 
including whether there is a need for new judgeships and 
examining judicial salaries and judicial security.
    Public Access to Court Electronic Records. The Subcommittee 
will examine the Public Access to Court Electronic Records 
(PACER) system.
    Information Technology in the Federal Court System. The 
Subcommittee will examine the adequacy of current cybersecurity 
and information technology capabilities of the federal 
judiciary.
    Legal Services Corporation. The Subcommittee will review 
the mission and operations of the Legal Services Corporation.
    U.S. Copyright Office. The Subcommittee intends to conduct 
oversight of the Copyright Office, including a review of its 
recordation system, public access to registration records, the 
modernization and digitization of its systems and records, the 
selection process for the Register of Copyrights, the Copyright 
Claims Board and implementation of the Copyright Alternatives 
in Small Claims Enforcement Act, implementation of the Music 
Modernization Act, and recent and ongoing rulemaking 
proceedings.
    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Subcommittee will 
conduct oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 
(USPTO), including its policy processes and compliance with the 
Congressional Review Act and Administrative Procedure Act, the 
status and processes of patent and trademark prosecution and 
examination, initiatives to improve patent quality, efforts to 
address patent and trademark abuse, the Patent Trial and Appeal 
Board, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, implementation of 
recent legislation and its general operations.
    USPTO Global Intellectual Property Rights Attache Program. 
The Subcommittee will examine the Global Intellectual Property 
Rights Attach Program, coordination between the program and the 
Department of State, and efforts to promote high standards of 
intellectual property protection and enforcement 
internationally for the benefit of U.S. stakeholders.
    Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement 
Coordinator (IPEC). The Subcommittee will examine how the IPEC 
is functioning, whether it has the necessary authority and 
resources, and whether the IPEC and the Administration are 
effectively using that authority and resources to protect 
American intellectual property.
    Intellectual Property Enforcement. The Subcommittee will 
review the intellectual property enforcement efforts of the 
Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and 
other agencies involved in the enforcement and protection of 
American intellectual property.
    Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 
(ICANN). The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of ICANN, 
including how its operations affect intellectual property and 
data privacy, as well as the transparency of its operations and 
procedures.
    U.S. Intellectual Property Laws and Policies. The 
Subcommittee will examine the provisions of the Copyright Act, 
Patent Act, Trademark Act, Defend Trade Secrets Act, and other 
intellectual property laws and policies to ensure they address 
the challenges faced by intellectual property owners and users, 
consumers, creators/inventors, businesses and manufacturers, 
and other participants, as well as the public at large.
    International and Foreign Laws Relating to Intellectual 
Property. The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the effect 
of international and foreign laws, regulations, proceedings, 
organizations, and policies relating to intellectual property 
and their consequences for American interests. In addition, the 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight of international trade 
agreements and negotiations as well as U.S. trade policy as 
they relate to intellectual property.
    Technology Issues. The Subcommittee will examine 
developments in technology and the Internet affecting public 
policy, including issues surrounding intellectual property, 
censorship and freedom of speech and expression, coordination 
with government authorities and law enforcement, and Internet 
governance.

   SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE, REGULATORY REFORM, AND 
                               ANTITRUST

    Administrative State and Regulatory Reform. The 
Subcommittee will examine factors that have led to the 
explosion of the administrative state, including the 
Administrative Procedure Act, the Congressional Review Act, the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act, regulatory litigation and 
enforcement, judicial doctrines of deference to agency 
determinations, the overall costs and benefits of federal 
regulation, the role of regulation in establishing new barriers 
to entry that may harm competition, the extent to which 
agencies compete for policymaking primacy with the Legislative 
Branch, internal agency adjudication, and the role that the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs plays in the 
federal rulemaking process.
    Bankruptcy. The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the 
Bankruptcy Code and bankruptcy system.
    State Taxation Affecting Interstate Commerce. The 
Subcommittee will examine issues related to state taxation that 
affect interstate commerce.
    Arbitration. The Subcommittee will examine issues arising 
under the Federal Arbitration Act.
    Interstate Compacts. The Subcommittee will conduct 
oversight related to interstate compacts.
    Antitrust Laws. The Subcommittee will examine issues 
arising under U.S. antitrust laws, including the Federal Trade 
Commission's and the Justice Department's approaches to 
enforcement and policy, and whether disparities or dysfunction 
warrant restructuring U.S. antitrust enforcement authorities. 
Working with the full Committee and the Select Subcommittee on 
the Weaponization of the Federal Government, the Subcommittee 
will continue to examine how Big Tech platforms use their 
market power to silence free speech online.
    Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. The 
Subcommittee will examine the Federal Trade Commission's use of 
its authority under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission 
Act.
    Settlements Requiring Payments to Nongovernmental Entities. 
The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of any Justice 
Department settlements requiring payments to non-victim third 
parties.

    SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION INTEGRITY, SECURITY, AND ENFORCEMENT

    Biden Border Crisis. The Subcommittee will examine how the 
Biden Administration's immigration and border security-related 
policies have incentivized illegal immigration, drug and human 
trafficking, and crime. Specifically, the Subcommittee will 
examine the adequacy of the Biden Administration's enforcement 
of immigration laws. The Subcommittee also will examine the 
Biden Administration's open borders policies, their effect on 
American communities, and how they incentivize illegal 
immigration. The Subcommittee will examine the impact of crimes 
committed by foreign nationals, trends in criminal alien gang 
violence among immigrant communities, and the sufficiency of 
efforts to remove violent criminal aliens from the United 
States.
    Executive Actions on Immigration. The Subcommittee will 
examine immigration and border security-related Executive 
Orders signed by President Biden.
    Immigration Functions of the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS). The Subcommittee will examine the immigration 
and border security-related policies of DHS and its components 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services (USCIS).
    Immigration Functions of the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS). The Subcommittee will examine the immigration-
related functions of HHS and its component, the Office of 
Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
    Legal Immigration. The Subcommittee will examine current 
legal immigration laws and programs, including whether relevant 
federal agencies are administering and enforcing these laws 
with an eye toward integrity and security.
    U.S. Refugee Admission Program. The Subcommittee will 
examine the refugee program, including refugee processing, to 
determine whether it is being implemented with an eye toward 
integrity and security, and refugee resettlement to determine 
whether it is a strain on state and local community resources.
    Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Subcommittee 
will conduct oversight of the Department of Justice's 
adjudication of immigration cases and the politicization of the 
hiring and firing of immigration judges.
    Office of Principal Legal Advisor. The Subcommittee will 
examine how Biden Administration policies restrict the ability 
of ICE trial attorneys to prosecute cases in immigration court.

       SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE

    Justice Department's Criminal and National Security 
Functions. The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the 
Justice Department's Criminal Division and National Security 
Division, as well as the Executive Office of United States 
Attorneys and the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The 
Subcommittee will review the mission and operations of the 
Office of Justice Program, the Community Oriented Policing 
Services Office, their component organizations, and the 
administration of federal grants. The Subcommittee will review 
the mission and operations of Office on Violence Against Women 
and the administration of Violence Against Women Act grants.
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Subcommittee 
will conduct oversight of the FBI, including its criminal 
investigatory, counterterrorism, and counter-intelligence 
authorities.
    Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Subcommittee 
will review the operations of the DEA, including domestic and 
international drug enforcement, money laundering, and narco-
terrorism investigations. The Subcommittee will also conduct 
oversight of DEA efforts to combat the U.S. drug crisis, 
including illicit fentanyl-related substances.
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). 
The Subcommittee will review the mission and operations of the 
ATF, including enforcement of federal firearms laws, explosives 
investigations, and tobacco and alcohol trafficking operations. 
The Subcommittee will also conduct oversight of ATF 
regulations.
    U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Office of the Federal 
Detention Trustee (OFDT). The Subcommittee will review the 
mission and operations of the USMS, including fugitive 
apprehensions, court and witness security, and its 
responsibilities under the Sex Offender Registration and 
Notification Act. The Subcommittee will also conduct oversight 
of the operations of the OFDT.
    The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The Subcommittee will 
review the mission and operation of the federal prison system, 
including prisoner rehabilitation, reentry programs, and 
management of a growing offender population. The Subcommittee 
will conduct oversight of the operations of BOP. The 
Subcommittee will also examine Federal Prison Industries (FPI), 
a government corporation that employs offenders incarcerated in 
federal prisons and provides job training opportunities to 
prisoners by producing goods and services for federal agencies.
    Law-Enforcement Functions of the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS). The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of DHS 
law-enforcement components, including the U.S. Secret Service, 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, and the Federal Air Marshals Service.
    U.S. Sentencing Commission. The Subcommittee will review 
the mission and operations of the U.S. Sentencing Commission 
and will examine the extent to which federal courts are 
imposing sentences that diverge from those recommended by the 
sentencing guidelines.
    Federal Surveillance Activities. The Subcommittee will 
review the use and abuse of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance 
Act (FISA) and USA PATRIOT Act authorities by Executive Branch 
agencies, and the potential reauthorization of section 702 of 
FISA. The Subcommittee will review the use of these authorities 
in the context of the present threat to our national security 
from terrorist activity.
    Rising Crime in Urban and Rural Areas. The Subcommittee 
will examine the causes of rising crime in urban and rural 
areas, including potential federal policies to support crime 
prevention strategies at the State, local, and tribal levels. 
The Subcommittee will examine strategies used by state and 
local governments to ensure that law enforcement entities 
effectively and impartially serve their communities and that 
local prosecutors effectively and impartially enforce the law.
    Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. The 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the Asset Forfeiture and 
Money Laundering section of the Justice Department's Criminal 
Division.
    International and Domestic Human Trafficking. The 
Subcommittee will review law enforcement and other activities 
that address international and domestic trafficking in human 
beings. The Subcommittee will review resources and tools 
designed to combat child exploitation and the proliferation of 
child sexual abuse material on the Internet.
    Criminal Law Enforcement. The Subcommittee will examine 
issues related to the federal criminal code, including 
improving and streamlining Title 18 and whether all criminal 
statutes in the U.S. Code should be consolidated and/or listed 
in Title 18. The Subcommittee will examine federal criminal 
statutes to ensure they have appropriate criminal intent, or 
mens rea, requirements. The Subcommittee will continue to 
examine ways to address the problem of over-criminalization and 
over-federalization, as well as the adequacy of forensic 
technology and resources available to federal prosecutors and 
law enforcement.

     SUBCOMMITTEE ON RESPONSIVENESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OVERSIGHT

    Adequacy of the Legislative Affairs Function. The 
Subcommittee will examine the operations and responsiveness of 
the congressional liaisons and offices of legislative affairs 
at the agencies, departments, and entities within the 
Committee's jurisdiction.

   SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

    H. Res. 12 established the Select Subcommittee on the 
Weaponization of the Federal Government. The resolution sets 
forth the contours of the Select Subcommittee's oversight 
jurisdiction.
    Executive Branch Information Collection Efforts. The Select 
Subcommittee will examine the expansive role of Article II 
authority to collect information on or otherwise investigate 
citizens of the United States, including ongoing criminal 
investigations. The Select Subcommittee will also examine how 
executive branch agencies work with, obtain information from, 
and provide information to the private sector, non-profit 
entities, and other government agencies to facilitate action 
against American citizens, including the extent, if any, to 
which illegal improper, unconstitutional, or unethical 
activities were engaged in by the executive branch or private 
sector against citizens of the United States.
    Civil Liberty Abuses. The Select Subcommittee will examine 
issues related to the protection of civil liberties of citizens 
of the United States, including whether the civil liberties of 
citizens of the United States have been violated by executive 
branch agencies.




                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

                    AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN

                             118TH CONGRESS

                        Chairman Bruce Westerman

                              INTRODUCTION

    Pursuant to clause 2(d)(1) of rule X of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Natural Resources (Committee) 
adopted the following Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 
118th Congress. The Committee will conduct rigorous oversight 
of the Executive Branch to strengthen America's environment and 
economy, promote access to public lands and natural resources, 
and enhance conservation through innovation. The Committee will 
review all laws and programs within its jurisdiction to assess 
their application, administration, execution, and effectiveness 
while providing transparency and accountability. Through such 
examination, the Committee seeks to eliminate waste, fraud, 
abuse, and mismanagement.
    Congress has a responsibility to keep the Executive Branch 
accountable to the American people and ensure decisions by 
agencies are open and transparent. The adopted Authorization 
and Oversight Plan identifies agencies and programs with lapsed 
authorizations that received appropriations in the previous 
fiscal year and agencies or programs with permanent 
authorizations that have not been subject to a comprehensive 
review in the prior three Congresses. The Authorization and 
Oversight Plan also outlines the initial and primary focuses of 
the Committee and additional oversight activities are expected 
to arise throughout the first and second sessions of the 118th 
Congress.
    The Committee will consult, as appropriate, with other 
committees of the House that may share jurisdiction on any of 
the oversight activities the Committee may consider.

Regulatory Review

    Committee oversight activities will assist in the 
collection of relevant information to support the Committee's 
legislative agenda, monitor the implementation of public 
policy, and ensure the government's performance in subject 
matters within the Committee's jurisdiction. Accordingly, the 
Committee will examine the effectiveness of natural resources 
laws. Oversight focus will also be provided on how laws, such 
as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered 
Species Act, the Wilderness Act, the Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the 
National Historic Preservation Act, and others may exceed their 
regulatory purposes resulting in costly litigation and other 
adverse consequences to American taxpayers.

Ethics and Transparency

    The Committee will conduct thorough oversight of ethics 
compliance at the federal departments and agencies under its 
jurisdiction. The Committee will review the operations of 
departmental ethics offices, ethics training, guidance, and 
conflicts of interest compliance, among other considerations to 
ensure that administration officials and employees who violate 
ethics rules and the law are held accountable.

Scientific Integrity and Grant Accountability

    The need to ensure scientific integrity at the agencies and 
bureaus within the Committee's jurisdiction will include the 
oversight of various government funding recipients. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of federal grants awarded by 
the agencies and bureaus within its jurisdiction to ensure a 
grantmaking process that is efficient, fair, and transparent.

Energy and Mineral Resources

    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will review the 
Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for federal land management 
programs and agencies under its jurisdiction, including the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management (BOEM), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental 
Enforcement (BSEE), the Office of Surface Mining and 
Reclamation Enforcement (OSMRE) and the U.S. Geological Survey 
(USGS). The Committee will review agency spending to ensure the 
proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars. In particular, the 
Committee will examine whether the Biden administration is 
allocating sufficient resources to permit oil, gas and coal 
development, as well as spending at the USGS and under the 
Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act (IIJA).
    Expanding Domestic Energy Production--Americans are facing 
the most expensive heating bills in 25 years, food prices are 
up 10.9% from the previous year, gas prices in November 2022 
were the highest ever, and nearly 34% of American households 
reduced or skipped basic expenses to pay energy bills. The 
Committee will focus on the importance of increasing American-
made energy to meet the growing energy demand, create more 
high-paying jobs here at home, increase our economic 
competitiveness, reduce energy costs for American families, 
reduce carbon emissions and improve U.S. national security and 
energy security for our allies--all while displacing foreign 
sources and reducing global emissions.
    Onshore Oil and Natural Gas Programs--The Biden 
administration has leased fewer acres for oil and gas 
production offshore and on federal land than any presidential 
administration in its early stages since the end of World War 
II. In the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine the lack 
of oil and natural gas leasing on federal lands in the western 
United States, including focusing on administrative actions 
that have created permitting delays and disincentivized 
production on federal lands. The Committee will work on 
streamlining onshore energy permitting and ensuring compliance 
with the quarterly lease sale requirements of the Mineral 
Leasing Act. The Committee will also conduct oversight 
regarding implementation of the over $4 billion allocated under 
the IIJA for cleanup of orphaned and abandoned wells to ensure 
efficient use of such funds.
    Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Natural Gas--The 
Committee has jurisdiction over the administration of the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and will work to ensure 
safe and responsible production of America's offshore oil and 
natural gas resources. The Biden administration has canceled 
planned lease sales and has failed to publish a new five-year 
plan for offshore leasing, even though the previous plan 
expired in June 2022. The Committee will work to ensure 
certainty in the offshore five-year planning process, direct 
specific offshore lease sales, and promote new safety and 
environmental efforts through innovation while ensuring 
multiple use on the OCS.
    Renewable and Alternative Energy--In the 118th Congress, 
the Committee will conduct oversight over current solar, 
geothermal, and wind programs operated by the Bureau of Ocean 
and Energy Management, the Bureau of Land Management, and the 
U.S. Forest Service. The Committee will continue to examine 
ways to streamline the leasing and permitting of renewable 
energy as well as the required infrastructure for those energy 
sources. The Committee will also continue to conduct oversight 
of the Biden administration's actions that would significantly 
hinder renewable energy and infrastructure development.
    Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR)--The Committee 
will conduct oversight of the ONRR to ensure accountability of 
accurate and appropriate collection of energy and mineral 
revenues. The ONRR collects an average of over $10 billion in 
annual revenue, making this office responsible for collecting 
one of the federal government's largest sources of non-tax 
revenue.
    Mineral Security--The Committee will conduct aggressive 
oversight of domestic hardrock mineral resources, including 
critical minerals, especially in regard to the nation's current 
and planned production on federal lands. The Committee will 
also review ways to responsibly increase production through 
legislation. To further these goals, the Committee will examine 
the steeply rising global demand for hardrock minerals, our 
nation's insufficient rate of domestic production to meet this 
demand, and the resultant risks to our mineral supply chain 
brought by overreliance on foreign sources. As a necessary part 
of ensuring mineral security, the Committee will conduct 
oversight of the Biden administration's actions to withdraw, 
delay, and otherwise stymie hardrock mineral development on 
federal lands. Additionally, the Committee will closely monitor 
the actions of the Department of the Interior's Interagency 
Working Group on mining reform, as well as the implementation 
of the hardrock abandoned mine lands program established by the 
IIJA.
    Coal Mining Regulations and Leasing--The Biden 
administration and the Department of the Interior continue to 
wage a war on coal. The Committee will conduct extensive 
oversight of the Biden administration's actions regarding the 
federal coal program, such as the reinstatement of the leasing 
moratorium and protracted delays in permit issuance, that have 
stifled coal mining, production, and use. The Committee will 
also track the implementation of the $11.3 billion in 
additional funding for the Abandoned Mine Lands Program 
allocated under the IIJA, including an examination of 
departmental guidance regarding the use of such funds.
    United States Geological Survey (USGS)--The Committee 
supports programs at the USGS for the accurate siting of 
hardrock minerals and other resources, such as the Earth MRI 
program, as well as mapping programs to support hazard risk 
assessment and land use planning. The Committee will examine 
growing concerns about the unauthorized creation and expansion 
of certain USGS programs, including significant mission creep 
and lack of transparency. Particularly of concern are the 
growing non-resource or hazard programs at USGS and other 
Department programs, including vast expansions of unauthorized 
funding for climate related programs and the potential 
duplication of geospatial data and other mapping efforts. The 
Committee intends to closely examine the current operations of 
USGS and may consider action to consolidate and streamline the 
focus of the agency to reduce waste and duplication.

Federal Lands

    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will review the 
Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for federal land management 
programs and agencies under its jurisdiction, including the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service 
(NPS), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The Committee will 
identify areas to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and 
mismanagement and ensure the proper stewardship of taxpayer 
dollars. In particular, the Committee will examine spending 
under the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure IIJA.
    Forest Health and Wildfires--Across the nation, more than 
one billion acres are identified as at risk for wildfire and 
millions of acres continue to burn in catastrophic wildfires 
every year, particularly in the West. The Committee will 
conduct oversight on forest health, wildfire prevention and 
suppression, and the need for more active management of our 
national forests. The Committee will continue to monitor USFS's 
progress towards meeting its goal of treating an additional 20 
million acres of federal land over the next 10 years through 
the ``Confronting the Wildfire Crisis'' strategy. Additionally, 
the Committee will investigate how failure to manage federal 
forests results in unnecessary pollution and emissions, 
economic damages, loss of life and property, destruction of 
wildlife habitat, and degraded air and water quality.
    Deferred Maintenance at our National Parks and Public 
Lands--Despite historic investments in deferred maintenance 
through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), maintenance 
backlogs at the federal land management agencies continue to 
increase exponentially. Nowhere is this issue more acute than 
at NPS, which saw its backlog increase from roughly $11.9 
billion in 2018 to over $21 billion in 2022. This nearly $10 
billion increase in the backlog over the past four years is 
indicative of greater underlying problems in how we manage our 
parks and deserves renewed attention and oversight.
    Federal Land Acquisition--The Committee will conduct 
oversight of the federal land acquisition process, the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and the growing size of the 
federal estate. Proposals for expanding the federal estate will 
be examined with due regard for the merits of the proposal, 
spending constraints, input of local stakeholders, our national 
need for access to vital resources, and the protection of 
private property rights. The Committee will work with local and 
state stakeholders to identify lands in the federal estate that 
the federal government no longer wants or needs, particularly 
in states and counties predominately comprised of federal 
lands.
    30x30--The Committee will conduct oversight of the Biden 
administration's 30x30 Initiative (also referred to as the 
``America the Beautiful'' initiative) which seeks to preserve 
30 percent of the nation's lands and waters by 2030. This will 
include continued oversight of spending from the $1 billion 
America the Beautiful Challenge Fund.
    Access and Recreation--The Committee will conduct oversight 
on ways to expand access to our national parks, national 
forests, and public lands for recreational and sportsmen's 
activities. The Committee will evaluate proposals to ensure 
greater access to, and enjoyment of, the abundant outdoor 
recreation opportunities offered by our public lands.
    Conservation versus Preservation--The Committee will 
conduct oversight on promoting conservation with a purpose that 
ensures our public lands provide secure domestic sources of 
energy, food, fiber, minerals, jobs, and recreation under 
appropriate conservation standards. The Committee will conduct 
oversight of preservation and unilateral land designations, 
such as national monument designations under the Antiquities 
Act of 1906 and mineral withdrawals, that usurp the authority 
and will of Congress, State, and local stakeholders. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of the BLM and USFS to ensure 
the agencies follow their multiple use and sustained yield 
mandate.
    Grazing--When managed properly, grazing of federal lands 
can enhance rangeland health and reduce the build up hazardous 
fuels. As one of the most effective wildfire reduction tools, 
grazing can also help conserve habitat for wildlife species 
like the Greater Sage Grouse. The Committee will examine ways 
in which grazing can benefit the economy and the health of 
federal range lands, and ways to better protect the practice 
against frivolous litigation and unnecessary regulation.
    Sustainable Funding Sources for Conservation Programs--The 
Committee will conduct oversight on the longevity of revenue 
streams for conservation funds, including LWCF, the Historic 
Preservation Fund, and the National Parks and Public Lands 
Legacy Restoration Fund, especially due to recent efforts to 
ban new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters. These 5 
proposed bans unquestionably undercut the GAOA and threaten the 
long-term solvency of important conservation programs.
    Natural Climate Solutions--From planting trees to 
incentivizing innovative grazing practices, public and private 
lands must play a large role in future discussions on 
responsible, commonsense solutions to climate change. The 
Committee will continue to review new innovative practices that 
benefit the environment without sacrificing rural jobs and our 
nation's overall economic health. This includes engaging with 
stakeholders to identify new frontiers in research and 
development that should be explored and further opportunities 
to support American innovation.
    Park Partnerships--To truly enter the 21st Century, the NPS 
should adopt more market-based solutions and engage in public-
private partnerships to maximize agency resources and enhance 
visitor services. The Committee will continue to seek out 
examples of successful partnerships to learn from their 
successes and encourage the NPS to actively promote new 
partnership opportunities.
    Checks and Balances--The Committee will examine 
administratively imposed activities and designations to ensure 
that these actions fully respect the interests and culture of 
the affected local people and do not infringe on authorities 
that more properly belong to elected officials in Congress and 
local government.

Water and Power

    Increasing Water Supplies--Visionary leaders developed much 
of the western water supply infrastructure that urban and rural 
communities have depended upon for generations. These existing 
water storage and delivery projects continue to serve millions 
of ratepayers and food consumers nationwide, but many of their 
water supply and delivery and hydropower generation operations 
are impacted by drought, regulations, litigation and other 
factors. The Committee will examine ways to improve water 
supplies through an all-of-the-above approach, including the 
protection and promotion of new water storage, to help achieve 
a policy of water abundance. The recent storm events in 
California are illustrative of the need to capture more water 
that could ultimately be conveyed to farms, cities and the 
environment.
    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will examine the 
Bureau of Reclamation's current spending and proposed annual 
budget requests. The Committee will examine spending under the 
Inflation Reduction Act and the IIJA. In particular, the 
Committee will examine whether the agencies are being 
accountable to American taxpayers, water and power ratepayers, 
and other beneficiaries to ascertain whether they are 
fulfilling their core missions.
    Colorado River Basin--The Committee is aware of the 
ongoing, serious drought impacting communities throughout the 
seven-state Colorado River region. The Committee plans to work 
with the Executive Branch, tribes, the seven Colorado River 
Basin states and their congressional delegations and 
stakeholders to focus on the need to help mitigate and resolve 
this situation.
    Power Marketing Administration Budgets--The Committee will 
conduct oversight of the four Power Marketing Administrations, 
which include the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western 
Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power 
Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration. 
These agencies sell and deliver hydropower generated at federal 
dams when water is available at these facilities. Many 
municipal, rural electric cooperatives and tribes depend on 
this hydropower and the thousands of miles of electricity 
transmission needed to deliver it. The Committee will examine 
the agencies' proposed budgets and the opportunities and 
challenges they are facing in fulfilling their core missions.
    Protecting and Promoting Hydropower as a Clean, Renewable 
Energy Source--The Committee will examine ways to protect and 
promote large-scale and small-scale hydropower generation at 
existing and potential facilities within its jurisdiction. 
Hydropower is an emissions-free renewable energy that provides 
baseload and peaking power for millions of electricity 
consumers nationwide. Hydropower also serves as a backup 
electricity resource for intermittent renewable power. Federal 
hydropower resources have provided the above benefits for 
generations. Drought, federal regulations, and litigation have 
curtailed some of these hydropower producing dams. In addition, 
federal agencies under this Committee's jurisdiction have 
imposed mandatory operating conditions when it comes to 
licensing and re-licensing non-federal hydropower facilities. 
Such conditions can decrease hydropower generation and impose 
higher costs that are borne by ratepayers. Meanwhile, the 
Department of Energy reported in 2012 that over 12 gigawatts of 
hydropower could be generated at existing non-powered dams in 
the United States. Additionally, the Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory found that over 1.41 gigawatts of new hydropower 
could be generated at existing canals and water pipelines.
    Indian Water Rights Settlements--The Committee has 
longstanding jurisdiction over Indian Water Rights Settlements, 
which can be beneficial to Indian and non-Indian settling 
parties and can provide some water supply certainty for these 
parties. Since American taxpayer dollars are authorized in many 
of these settlements, the Committee will continue to examine 
how each settlement meets the Department of the Interior's 
longstanding criteria and procedures relating to these matters.

Fisheries and Wildlife

    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will conduct 
oversight of the current spending and proposed annual budget 
requests of the National Marine Fisheries Service, certain 
programs of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Committee's 
jurisdiction, and the Department of the Interior's U.S Fish and 
Wildlife Service. The Committee will examine how the agencies 
utilized regular appropriations and additional funding provided 
through the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act.
    Endangered Species Act (ESA)--The Committee will examine 
the efficacy and modern-use of the ESA. The ESA is frequently 
weaponized in litigation to prevent active management and 
critical multiple use on federal lands. In addition, the ESA is 
used to prevent access to critical water resources for the 
West, harming human health, agriculture, and the environment. 
The Committee will conduct oversight hearings to consider 
proposals to update and modernize the ESA. The Committee will 
also continue to monitor the Convention on International Trade 
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora which governs 
international activities related to the ESA.
    Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act--
The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) is the primary statute 
regulating commercial and recreational fishing in federal 
waters. The MSA was last reauthorized in the 109th Congress. 
While the Committee passed a partisan MSA reauthorization bill 
in the 117th Congress, no oversight hearings were held. Any 
reauthorization must first provide for robust consideration by 
the committee with an examination of policy issues related to 
reauthorization and opportunities for stakeholders and the 
regional fishery management councils to provide input.
    30x30--Ocean conservation is not mutually exclusive to 
ensuring that our federal offshore waters simultaneously remain 
a vital, sustainable, working, and recreational resource for 
communities and fishermen. The Committee will continue to 
exercise oversight of expansions of Marine Protected Areas and 
Marine National Monuments in order to meet the Biden 
administration's arbitrary 30x30 goals.
    Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper--NOAA recently published its 
final rule to implement catch limits and recreational data 
calibration framework actions for Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper. 
NOAA's flawed rule is intended to prevent overfishing by 
modifying each state's annual catch limits (ACLs) for red 
snapper. This new formula will require calibrating states' 
high-quality data to the low-quality Federal Marine 
Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data. The new 
calibration required by the rule could significantly impact 
some of the states' red snapper quota this year. The Committee 
will conduct oversight of NOAA as the agency moves forward with 
calibrating this data.
    Protecting Salmon from Sea Lions--In 2018, Congress amended 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow for states and tribes 
to remove California and Steller sea lions from a management 
zone on the Columbia River and its tributaries where they prey 
on at-risk salmon and other species. The Committee will examine 
and pursue ways to enhance the removal of these predators to 
protect tribal and other fishery stocks in the Columbia and 
other basins.
    Offshore Wind Impacts to Fisheries and Protected Species--
The Committee will examine the potential effects and mitigation 
of offshore wind energy development on fisheries and protected 
species.
    Aquaculture--The Committee will examine ways to develop 
aquaculture opportunities in the United States.
    Public Access and Management within the National Wildlife 
Refuge System--The Committee will conduct oversight of access 
to, and management of, the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge 
System. This will include proposals, such as a proposed lead 
ammunition and fishing equipment ban, that could restrict such 
access and be cost prohibitive for some in the hunting and 
fishing communities.
    Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)--NOAA has proposed 
unprecedented regulatory burdens in the name of protecting 
whales on the Atlantic Coast. These actions impose a huge risk 
to industry and private citizens alike. The Committee will 
examine whether these regulations are based in sound science 
and reasoning.

Indian Affairs

    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will examine the 
budget request and staffing levels for the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA), the Indian Health Service (IHS), Bureau of Trust 
Funds Administration (BFTA), and other agencies, offices and 
functions relating to Indian and Alaska Native affairs. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of agency programs with 
expired authorizations, to determine whether such programs 
warrant reauthorization, updating, or termination.
    Federal Barriers to Economic and Energy Development on 
Indian Lands--The Committee will examine how best to remove 
federal restrictions on Indian lands so that tribes may have 
greater control over their own affairs. Certain federal laws 
and policies governing public lands are applied to lands held 
in trust or restricted status for tribes and individual 
Indians. Many activities occurring on tribal land are often 
subject to approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Indian 
tribes have and continue to demonstrate that they are best 
suited to manage their land and resources contained therein.
    Tribal Forestry--In 2018, Congress passed certain 
provisions of the Resilient Federal Forest Act which provided 
tribes the authority to participate in federal Good Neighbor 
Authority projects. Tribes are good stewards of the environment 
and have the knowledge to better manage their forests. 
Unfortunately, severe fires throughout the United States have 
impacted many tribal nations. The Committee will conduct 
oversight to analyze and determine what additional tools for 
tribes will benefit forest management activities and reduce the 
risk of catastrophic wildfire on tribal and non-tribal lands. 
The anticipated release of the Indian Forest Management 
Assessment Team's 2023 report will provide opportunities for 
Congress to work with Indian tribes on solutions to improve the 
health of Indian forests.
    Natural Resources Management--The Department of the 
Interior holds approximately 56 million acres of land in trust 
or restricted status for tribes and individual Indians. In 
2018, Congress passed the Indian Tribal Energy Development and 
Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017. The Committee will 
review the implementation of the Act, its furtherance of the 
goal of increasing tribal self-governance and economic 
development opportunities, and ensure tribes are able to 
develop their resources on their lands should they choose to do 
so.
    Land Buyback--In 2010, the Claims Resolution Act provided a 
one-time direct appropriation of $1.9 billion to the Department 
of the Interior for the consolidation of highly fractionated 
Indian land, pursuant to the Indian Land Consolidation Act. By 
2017, nearly all of the $1.9 billion was spent yielding little 
progress on reducing land fractionization. Beginning in 2021, 
the Biden administration began requesting new funding for 
Indian land consolidation. The Committee will conduct oversight 
of the operation of the land consolidation program to ensure 
federal expenditures of funds for this program are efficient 
and effective.
    Fee-to-Trust Issues--The Committee will conduct oversight 
of the Department of the Interior's fee-to-trust policy. The 
Supreme Court's 2009 Carcieri v. Salazar decision significantly 
impacted judicial actions concerning Indian lands and tribal 
recognition since 1934. The Department failed to provide 
information related to which tribes and lands are affected by 
Carcieri. The Department's failure obstructed potential 
bipartisan legislative action to reform and improve the process 
of acquiring lands for Indians in a balanced manner that 
reflects contemporary land use and ownership among tribal and 
non-Indian communities in 21st century America.
    Alaska Natives--The Committee will review the 
implementation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and 
other laws pertaining to Alaska Natives (including the Alaska 
National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980) and the Biden 
administration's related actions to place land into trust in 
Alaska.
    Law Enforcement in Indian Country--The Committee will 
conduct oversight of the implementation and impact of current 
law, policy, and agency action concerning the safety of 
indigenous people, including laws meant to address issues 
regarding missing and murdered indigenous people. The Committee 
will also examine law enforcement in Indian Country and tribal 
jurisdiction provisions, such as those included in the Violence 
Against Women Act reauthorization. In addition, the Committee 
will review federal policies and programs related to law 
enforcement in Indian Country and determine whether such 
programs should be reauthorized, updated, or terminated.
    Indian Health Care Improvement Act Implementation/Indian 
Health Service--The Committee will review the Indian Health 
Care Improvement Act, with a focus on the delivery of medical 
services to Indian people, particularly those in remote 
reservations where access to health care is difficult and 
costly. Congress has increased Indian health funding nearly 
each year since fiscal year 2010. Despite these funding 
increases, reports from the U.S. Government Accountability 
Office continue to reveal that standards for the quality of 
care in federally operated Indian health care facilities are 
absent. Additionally, there continues to be a shortage of 
health care professionals throughout the twelve IHS areas. To 
ensure efficient program operation and modernize Indian health 
policy, the Committee will conduct oversight of Indian health 
programs.
    Indian Gaming--According to the National Indian Gaming 
Commission, in fiscal year 2021 the Indian gaming industry 
generated $39 billion in revenues from 510 gaming operations 
owned by 243 federally recognized tribes pursuant to the Indian 
Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Indian gaming is inextricably 
linked with fee-to-trust and tribal recognition. It must be 
addressed in the context of the Committee's continued review of 
fee-to-trust issues, including issues related to the Carcieri 
decision. The Committee may conduct hearings specifically on 
gaming to ensure that appropriate enforcement and oversight by 
the National Indian Gaming Commission, Department of the 
Interior, and Department of Justice is being conducted.

Insular Affairs

    Budget and Spending Review--The Committee will conduct 
oversight of the budget of the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) 
within the Department of the Interior. The OIA serves a 
critical mission as territories rely heavily on the funding 
they receive from federal grants and OIA for their economic 
stability. Each U.S. territory should exercise its own self-
determination, rather than Congress imposing a ``federal 
government knows best'' approach on the Insular areas.
    Energy Resources in the Insular Areas--Federal efforts 
should ensure affordable and reliable energy systems are in 
place that meet the individual needs of each Insular area, 
rather than forcing a federally mandated transition to 
renewable energy sources without regard for each territory's 
particular circumstances and needs.
    Oversight of the Insular Areas--The Committee will review 
the fundamental issues facing each of the territories and 
freely associated states such as, support and development of 
self-government and self-determination, economic development 
and self-sufficiency through the private sector, accountability 
of federal funds, implementation and enforcement of federal 
laws, implementation and funding for the Compacts of Free 
Association, and management of limited land and water 
resources. The Committee will also continue to conduct 
oversight over the implementation of the Puerto Rico Oversight, 
Management, and Economic Stability Act.
    Freely Associated States--The Committee will conduct 
oversight of the implementation of the Compacts of Free 
Association and assistance provided by the Department of the 
Interior's OIA. The Compacts of Free Association entered into 
by the United States with three Pacific island nations, the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and the 
Federated States of Micronesia, will expire in 2023 and 2024. 
These compacts continue a long-standing relationship between 
the United States and these nations, and enables mutually 
beneficial defense and economic connections between nations.
    Health and Economic Well Being of the Territories--The 
Committee will conduct oversight of the programs that support 
the U.S. Insular Territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Marianas, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. 
Virgin Islands. Such programs are intended to increase the 
health, wellbeing, and economic activity of the territories. 
The Committee will examine the programs' efficacy and 
efficiency for residents and citizens of the territories and 
for U.S. taxpayers.

National Security

    Foreign Influence--During the 115th Congress, the Committee 
initiated an investigation into the effect of environmental and 
natural resources lawsuits filed by special interest groups on 
U.S. national security interests. The investigation revealed 
excessive litigation's adverse impact on military training, 
testing activities, and accessibility. The Committee will 
continue to investigate the potential foreign influence on 
U.S.-based environmental organizations that utilize laws within 
the Committee's jurisdiction to hamper U.S. national security 
interests.
    Border Security and the Environment--The Committee will 
continue oversight of the challenges faced by U.S. Border 
Patrol agents on federal borderlands and the environmental 
impact of illegal border crossings and drug smuggling. Large 
portions of federally owned borderland offer remote locations 
popular for drug and human smugglers. Stakeholders reported 
that bureaucratic regulations and policies related to federal 
natural resources laws slow or impede Border Patrol's 
operations on federally owned land. Moreover, the increased 
illegal activities on the border deprive the public of access 
to federally owned lands and cause significant damage to local 
environments. The Committee will continue to examine the 
significant environmental, economic, and social consequences on 
federal borderlands caused by illegal immigration and promote 
appropriate solutions.

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

    On February 7, 2023, the House Natural Resources Committee 
considered its Authorization and Oversight (A&O) Plan for the 
118th Congress, pursuant to clause 2(d)(1) of rule X of the 
House of Representatives. This plan, which was crafted by the 
Committee's Republican majority, and which passed on a party-
line vote, ignores crucial components of the Committee's 
jurisdiction--including the climate crisis and environmental 
justice--while uplifting a litany of industry priorities. 
Throughout debate on the plan itself and on amendments offered 
by Committee Democrats, all of which Republicans voted down 
along party lines, Committee Republicans demonstrated an 
interest in advancing an industry wish-list agenda over 
protecting the interests of the American people.
    As Members of the House Natural Resources Committee, we are 
charged with the monumental tasks of protecting our planet from 
climate change and improving the quality of life of our 
communities for generations to come. This Authorization and 
Oversight Plan proves that Committee Republicans are not yet 
ready to meet that charge.
    Ironically, Committee Republicans' A&O Plan focuses on 
attacking, rather than building on, the successes of the 
Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the 
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Both bills were historic climate 
and environment wins--the IRA is the largest climate bill in 
history--which included funding for supposed Republican 
priorities like forest management, drought resilience, 
environmental permitting, and renewable deployment. Yet, 
Committee Republicans vehemently opposed both bills, and their 
oversight plan continues their misguided attacks on these 
essential investments in the future of the United States.
    Committee Republicans' A&O Plan mentions climate change 
only twice: once in a section railing against investments in 
science-based climate programs at the United States Geological 
Survey (USGS) and again in a section citing scientifically 
dubious, wholly insufficient efforts like restorative grazing 
as climate solutions. Not including climate change as a major 
component of this plan is a blatant disservice to the American 
people, especially those who live in communities that are being 
hit hardest by climate change.
    The A&O Plan put forth by Committee Republicans would see 
the Committee work to drastically expand fossil fuel extraction 
on public lands, all while lowering environmental and community 
protection standards, despite the fact that fossil fuels 
extracted from public lands and waters are already responsible 
for 25 percent of United States carbon pollution. The plan does 
not include pathways for oversight of the fossil fuel 
industry's record profits year after year--earned while prices 
soared for consumers--nor does the plan consider the public 
health impact of fossil fuel extraction, which we know is 
disproportionality borne by communities of color, low-income 
communities, and Indigenous communities. When Energy and 
Mineral Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Ocasio-Cortez 
offered an amendment to consider the health impacts of 
extraction, Republicans uniformly opposed this addition. The 
Ocasio-Cortez amendment would have added the following to the 
A&O Plan:

          Community Impacts of Extraction--Federal fossil fuel 
        extraction is a significant driver of carbon pollution, 
        air and water quality, and public health impacts. These 
        burdens are disproportionately concentrated in 
        communities of color, low-income communities, and 
        Indigenous communities. The Committee will perform 
        oversight to understand how federal fossil fuel 
        programs impact community health and safety.

    Notably, the amendment would not have removed any of the 
Republican A&O Plan as proposed. It only would have required 
the Committee to perform its duty to conduct oversight into the 
disproportionate burdens created by fossil fuel development on 
public lands and waters. It is disappointing, to say the least, 
that Republicans unanimously voted against including this item 
in the Committee's agenda.
    Reducing emissions and prioritizing clean, renewable energy 
on public lands could be a huge step toward our country's 
climate goals, yet Committee Republicans apparently have no 
serious plans to address these priorities. Our Committee has 
the ability to deliver real climate solutions to the 
communities that have been overburdened by climate change, 
including poor communities, communities of color, Indigenous 
communities, and the U.S. Insular Areas, but those solutions 
are only coming from Committee Democrats.
    Rather than opening public lands and waters to oil and gas 
extraction or attacking science-based and community protections 
like the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Committee Democrats want to 
focus on real issues that will benefit communities across the 
country.
    Committee Democrats want to build on the historic successes 
of the past several years under the Biden administration. We 
must ensure that the unprecedented investments in American 
infrastructure and climate resilience achieved under IIJA and 
IRA are benefitting the communities that need it most. We must 
ensure the build-out of renewable energy generation, 
incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge into 
federal planning and decision-making, and advance self-
determination and decolonization in the Insular areas.
    To meet these priorities, I offered a comprehensive 
amendment to the Republican majority's A&O Plan. This amendment 
would not have reduced or altered any of the priorities 
highlighted by Committee Republicans. It simply would have 
added the following categories as Committee oversight 
priorities:
         Reducing Carbon Pollution
         Helping Communities Impacted by Climate Change
         Elevating Indigenous Traditional Ecological 
        Knowledge in Climate Solutions
         Pursuing Ocean-Based and Other Nature-Based 
        Climate Solutions
         Ensuring Use of the Best Available Climate 
        Science
    Unfortunately, Committee Republicans clearly indicated that 
they do not see these areas as priorities, given that they 
uniformly voted against the amendment.
    While Committee Republicans continue to offer policies that 
would benefit the fossil fuel industry, Committee Democrats 
will continue to uplift climate and communities and to champion 
an agenda for the American people. Committee Democrats will 
prioritize:
Putting people and communities first
     Ensure communities on the frontline of 
environmental harm have a seat at the table in federal 
decision-making.
     Support under-resourced communities in securing 
their own livelihoods, health, and safety to combat the climate 
crisis and other environmental harms.
     Acknowledge and work to correct the historically 
racist policies within our jurisdiction.
Protecting our planet and people
     Prioritize policies that improve Americans' 
quality of life and put the health and well-being of 
communities above polluter profits.
     Conserve our natural resources by promoting ocean 
health, protecting wildlife, safeguarding irreplaceable 
landscapes, preserving our public lands, and ensuring cleaner 
water and air.
     Reduce pollution, prevent catastrophic climate 
impacts, and help communities and ecosystems adapt to climate 
change.
Working with Indigenous Peoples
     Respect tribal sovereignty by ensuring that 
Indigenous voices are heard and incorporated into federal 
decision-making.
     Protect tribal land and water rights by supporting 
tribal economic, infrastructure, and clean energy development.
     Ensure Indigenous communities have access to the 
federal resources to which they are legally entitled.
     Promote tribal consultation with federal agencies 
to ensure the incorporation of Indigenous points of view prior 
to policy and regulation implementation.
Supporting Insular Areas
     Foster political self-determination and economic 
development of U.S. Territories.
     Ensure residents of U.S. Territories have the 
resources they need to recover from and prepare for natural 
disasters.
     Provide needed oversight of the Puerto Rico 
Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) and 
the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico.
     Continue efforts to advance the economic self-
sufficiency of the Freely Associated States.
Building an economy for the future that works for everyone
     Support innovative, sustainable clean energy 
sources that meet our country's needs and support our climate 
goals.
     Grow the outdoor recreation economy by protecting 
and responsibly enhancing access to public lands.
     Encourage responsible energy development that 
safeguards our environment and community health.
Working with the Biden administration to hold the federal government to 
        the highest standard
     Ensure timely and responsible implementation of 
the historic investments in the IIJA and IRA for priorities 
like forest management, drought resilience, environmental 
permitting, and renewable deployment.
     Hold polluting industries and federal officials 
accountable to the public through transparency and oversight.
     Restore scientific integrity in the executive 
branch.
     Identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse at 
the agencies under our jurisdiction.
     Support leadership that promotes justice, equity, 
diversity, and inclusion in the recruitment, promotion, and 
retention of the federal workforce.
    Our Committee is also charged with the solemn duty of 
jurisdiction over the Insular Areas of the United States, 
including Puerto Rico. To that end, Representative Nydia 
Velazquez offered an amendment that would have added the 
following to the A&O Plan in the paragraph regarding Puerto 
Rico:

          The Committee will continue to monitor the recovery 
        efforts on the island, including the reconstruction of 
        the electric grid. The Committee will also provide 
        oversight to ensure environmental and natural resources 
        are being protected under federal law.

    As with the Grijalva and Ocasio-Cortez amendments, this 
amendment would not have reduced or altered any of the 
priorities highlighted by Committee Republicans. It simply 
would have added vital priorities to the Committee's agenda.
    It is disappointing and frankly baffling that Republicans 
unanimously voted against including these priorities in the 
Committee's agenda.
    As this Congress gets underway, I hope the majority will 
reconsider and join Democrats in pursuing oversight of recovery 
efforts in Puerto Rico and in ensuring that the island's 
environmental and natural resources are being protected under 
federal law.
    For the reasons discussed in these views, I oppose the 
Committee's Authorization and Oversight Plan as approved by 
Republicans.
                                  Raul M. Grijalva,
                            Ranking Member, House Committee
                                              on Natural Resources.

               COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

                    AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN

               Committee on Oversight and Accountability

                     U.S. House of Representatives

                             118th Congress

    Under clause 2(d) of House Rule X, the Chair of each 
Committee is required to adopt and submit to the Committees on 
Oversight and Accountability and House Administration an 
authorization and oversight plan not later than March 1 of the 
first session of Congress.
    This following is the authorization and oversight plan of 
the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The Committee 
will conduct oversight and investigations pursuant to its 
legislative and oversight jurisdiction under Rule X.
    The Committee's mission is to ensure the economy, 
efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the federal 
government and all its agencies. The following list is not 
exhaustive. The Committee will retain the flexibility to 
investigate instances of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement 
as they emerge, and to conduct oversight of other issues as 
appropriate.

                         LAPSED AUTHORIZATIONS

    The Committee will consider lapsed authorizations in its 
jurisdiction in the 118th Congress, and work to enact necessary 
authorizations and reforms. These include the Merit Systems 
Protection Board; the National Archives Historical Publications 
and Records Commission; the Office of Government Ethics; and 
the DC Tuition Assistance Grant Program.

                 EXPIRING AUTHORIZATIONS THIS CONGRESS

    The Committee will consider expiring authorizations in its 
jurisdiction in the 118th Congress, and work to enact necessary 
authorization and reforms. These include: the Scholarships for 
Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act--which provides scholarships 
to students in Washington, DC--expires September 30, 2023; the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), whose 
authorization expires September 30, 2023; and the Office of 
Special Counsel (OSC), whose authorization expires September 
30, 2023.

                 WASTE, FRAUD, ABUSE, AND MISMANAGEMENT

    The Committee will continue to examine instances of waste, 
fraud, abuse, and mismanagement of the activities of the 
federal government, with an emphasis on spending. The 
Committee's oversight will cover all federal government 
departments, agencies, and programs with an eye toward 
solutions for eliminating wasteful spending and abuse of 
authority. Furthermore, the Committee will continue to examine 
the scope of and reasons for unprecedented levels of fraud and 
improper payments in COVID-relief programs. It will offer 
targeted legislative proposals that proactively address 
identified waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.

                         THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE

    As the authorizer of civil service rules under Title 5 of 
the United States Code, the Committee will conduct oversight to 
ensure the federal workforce is operating efficiently and 
effectively and serves the needs of this nation. The Committee 
will ensure expanded telework and remote work policies do not 
adversely affect agency performance and achievement of mission. 
The federal hiring process must be competitive, merit-based, 
technology-based, and conducted in a cost-effective manner.

             FEDERAL REGULATION AND THE REGULATORY PROCESS

    While some federal regulations are necessary to effectively 
implement the laws that Congress passes, federal regulations 
can also impose significant burdens on industry, affecting the 
Nation's economic growth. The Committee will place special 
emphasis on oversight of the federal regulatory process to 
ensure that federal regulators work to minimize unnecessary 
burdens on small businesses, job creation, economic growth, and 
competitiveness in the global marketplace while maintaining 
protections for the American people.

                  THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

    As the authorizer of the Government Accountability Office 
(GAO), the Committee will continue to support its mission. In 
addition, and as required by House rule X, clause 4(c)(1)(A), 
the Committee will continue to receive and examine GAO reports 
and submit to the House such recommendations as it considers 
necessary or desirable in connection with the subject matter of 
the reports.
    In April 2023, the GAO will issue its biennial ``High Risk 
List'' report, which identifies government programs that are 
particularly vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, or 
mismanagement, or are in need of transformation. The Committee 
will provide ongoing oversight of agencies and programs 
included on the High Risk List by holding hearings, meeting 
with agency officials responsible for included programs, and 
monitoring agencies' corrective plans and actions.

                           INSPECTORS GENERAL

    The Committee will continue to work closely with the 
inspectors general to ensure they have the tools needed to 
effectively perform their important oversight and investigative 
work. The Committee intends to help inspectors general ensure 
accountability from their respective agencies. The Committee 
will also consider the Pandemic Response Accountability 
Committee (PRAC), which is set to terminate on September 30, 
2025. The Committee will review the potential need to extend 
the PRAC beyond that date, including the existing centralized 
data analytics unit within the PRAC--the Pandemic Analytics 
Center of Excellence--to ensure continued efforts to prevent, 
identify, and combat fraud in federal programs.

                       GSA REAL PROPERTY DISPOSAL

    The management of Federal real property has been on GAO's 
High-Risk list since 2003 because it can take years to sell or 
otherwise dispose of unneeded government properties, which can 
require millions of dollars of taxpayer funds to maintain. The 
Committee will examine the results to date of the pilot 
programs authorized by the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act 
of 2016, which was intended to achieve cost savings by 
expediting property sales through new mechanisms, including a 
temporary Public Buildings Reform Board. With the 
Administration emphasizing permanent, expanded telework and 
remote policies, the Committee will ensure the federal real 
property footprint aligns with evolving workforce needs and 
agency mission demands.

                        WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

    The Committee will maintain its efforts related to the 
protection of whistleblowers in the federal government. The 
Committee will continue to work directly with whistleblowers, 
including those who make disclosures of waste, fraud, abuse, 
and mismanagement to the Committee. The Committee will continue 
to advance policies that protect federal employees' rights, and 
those of federal contractors and other recipients of financial 
assistance, to communicate directly with Congress and to ensure 
such employees are aware of these rights, encouraging other 
whistleblowers to come forward. The Committee will examine 
directives restricting federal employees from communicating 
freely with Congress, as well as allegations of retaliation or 
reprisal for communicating with Congress.

                      FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

    The Committee will examine federal financial management. 
The Committee will focus on agency efforts to reduce improper 
payments, ensure payment integrity and proper accounting 
practices, and achieve an unqualified audit opinion for the 
federal government. The CFO Act as amended requires federal 
agencies to prepare agency-wide financial statements that 
undergo outside audit. To date, GAO has been unable to issue an 
audit opinion on the consolidated, government-wide financial 
statements, in part due to serious financial management 
problems at the Department of Defense. In particular, the 
Committee will focus on overseeing the Department of Defense's 
financial management processes and its progress towards 
becoming auditable.
    The Committee will also continue to investigate improper 
payments distributed by federal agencies. Under the 2002 
Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA), federal agencies are 
required to annually review all programs and activities to 
identify those entities susceptible to significant improper 
payments.

                         GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING

    Controlling federal government contract spending is 
critically important. The federal government buys a wide 
variety of goods and services, from pens to sophisticated 
weapons systems to cybersecurity tools and services. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of agency contracting to 
ensure there is appropriate management of taxpayer funds and 
agencies are effectively using acquisition strategies to 
achieve policy goals and ensure programmatic and mission 
success. Further, the Committee will conduct oversight that 
includes a focus on contract management and identify areas 
where the government has not effectively optimized commercial 
best practices or is not instituting mechanisms to ensure 
sufficient competition. The Committee will also promote the 
establishment of transparency requirements at the point of 
award to achieve the necessary levels of oversight throughout 
the life cycle of federal contracts to prevent waste, fraud, 
abuse, and mismanagement.

                              GRANT REFORM

    The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of federal 
grants, including grant programs and activities. The Committee 
will examine the efficiency, fairness, and transparency of the 
grant-making process, and evaluate opportunities to reform and 
streamline the grant-making process across the federal 
government. The Committee will also focus on ensuring greater 
efficiency for the post-award reporting requirements of 
recipients of federal financial assistance and better 
visibility into the use of federal financial assistance in 
order to combat fraud and abuse.

                     CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PRIVACY

    The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the 
increasing number of cyberattacks impacting federal agencies 
and the private sector. The Committee intends to examine ways 
to ensure that agencies and corporate entities take appropriate 
steps to protect private-and public sector networks and 
information systems that are critical to the nation's 
infrastructure and security, and the personal information of 
all Americans. The Committee also will continue its oversight 
of government-wide cybersecurity standards, policies, systems, 
and tools established or implemented by the Executive Branch to 
protect federal information systems.

                 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

    The Committee will review the federal government's IT 
acquisition and management policies to ensure that taxpayers 
are getting the maximum return for their money. The Committee 
will closely monitor the executive branch's efforts to address 
IT systems and projects that are not achieving their intended 
purpose, streamline those that are wasteful, rework those that 
are failing to deliver value on time and under budget, and work 
to ensure that costly, failing legacy systems are 
decommissioned. The Committee will explore legislative reforms 
to ensure that federally maintained information technology can 
be readily tied to agency funding accounts and relevant 
contract awards, as well as agency programs and strategic 
mission goals which are supported by these IT investments.

                    OPEN GOVERNMENT AND TRANSPARENCY

    The Committee will continue to advocate for data-driven 
solutions for increasing transparency and accountability 
throughout the federal government. The Committee will evaluate 
possible legislation to set policy goals that better harmonize 
reporting obligations and achieve data-driven transparency 
around federal agency programmatic organization and 
performance, regulatory procedures and information collections, 
spending and financial management, and evidence-informed 
policymaking.

                      UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

    The Committee will monitor implementation of the recently 
enacted Postal Service Reform Act (PSRA), which was intended to 
facilitate the ability of the U.S. Postal Service to achieve 
longterm operational independence and financial sustainability 
in the wake of declining mail volume. The Committee will 
continue to track the financial performance of the Postal 
Service, to see if the law is working as intended. It will also 
oversee OPM's administration of the new Postal Service Health 
Benefit program created by the PSRA, which is to be created 
within the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. In 
addition, the Committee will continue to monitor the Postal 
Service's ability to deliver the mail expeditiously.

                 GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

    The Committee will review the District of Columbia's use of 
federal dollars to fund its activities. In addition, the 
Committee will review District expenditures on local programs 
to ensure that the expenditures are in line with Congressional 
mandates and federal law. The Committee will also continue its 
oversight of the District consistent with its plenary authority 
granted by the Constitution.

                 NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND FEDERAL RECORDS

    The Committee will continue its oversight of the National 
Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) management of 
government records and ongoing records processing backlogs. 
This oversight includes how NARA preserves records, including 
classified records, at the end of a presidential 
administration.

                      OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS

    The Committee will continue its oversight and support of 
the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). The agency's mandate is 
to lead and oversee executive branch ethics programs by making 
and interpreting ethics laws and regulations, advising on and 
interpreting ethics laws, supporting ethics training, and 
monitoring compliance. The Committee will continue to ensure 
OGE operates in a manner consistent with its mission of 
providing clear and impartial ethics guidance to federal 
agencies. The Committee will also consider reauthorization of 
OGE, whose statutory authorization lapsed in 2007.

            SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

    H. Res. 5 sets forth the oversight jurisdiction of the 
Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Topics for 
oversight include, but are not limited to, the origins of the 
coronavirus pandemic and how the federal government responded 
to the coronavirus pandemic so that the United States can 
prevent and prepare for future pandemics.




                     COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, 
                             AND TECHNOLOGY

                    Authorization and Oversight Plan

                     U.S. House of Representatives

                    One Hundred Eighteenth Congress

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology was first 
established as the Committee on Science and Astronautics on 
July 21, 1958, in a direct response to the Soviet Union's 1957 
launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first satellite. The Committee 
was created to help the United States foster innovation and 
stay globally competitive in science and technology. The United 
States faces a new inflection point, as global competitors seek 
to surpass the U.S. in research and development (R&D) and 
emulate the success of our nation's system of innovation. The 
Science Committee's legislative and oversight efforts in the 
118th Congress will all be focused on ensuring the U.S. remains 
the leader in R&D for our economic prosperity and national 
security and for the benefit of the next generation of all 
Americans.
    House Rule X sets forth the legislative jurisdiction of the 
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee while also 
assigning broad general oversight responsibilities (Appendix 
A). Rule X also assigns the Committee special oversight 
responsibility for ``reviewing and studying, on a 19 continuing 
basis, all laws, programs, and Government activities dealing 
with or involving non-military research and development.'' This 
provides the Committee with wide-ranging oversight authority 
over science and technology issues throughout the government.
    The Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee coordinates 
and directs oversight activities across the Committee. However, 
oversight is conducted by every Subcommittee. All components of 
the Committee take the oversight mandate seriously and work 
cooperatively to meet the Committee's oversight 
responsibilities.
    The following agenda constitutes the authorization and 
oversight plan of the Committee for the 118th Congress. It 
includes areas which the full committee and subcommittees 
expect to address new and lapsed authorizations, as well as 
conduct reviews, oversight, and investigations. The Committee 
will address additional issues, events, and plans as they 
arise. The Committee will consult with other committees of the 
House as necessary.

                             AUTHORIZATIONS

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology oversees 
agency budgets totaling over $68 billion in fiscal year 2023, 
most of which is focused on research and development (R&D). 
During the 118th Congress, the Committee will review the 
authorizations of agencies and programs within its 
jurisdiction, and specifically with regard to lapsed 
authorizations, determine whether programs should be 
reauthorized, reformed, or terminated. Each subcommittee will 
conduct oversight of the programs and offices within their 
jurisdiction, including holding hearings and requesting 
information from the Executive Brand and stakeholders in order 
to gather the necessary information to support these 
determinations.
    The Committee expects to reauthorize key federal science 
agencies and programs, including the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fire Administration 
(USFA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) space and 
research, engineering and development programs, the National 
Quantum Initiative (NQI), the National Windstorm Impact 
Reduction Program (NWIRP), and offices within the Department of 
Energy (DOE).
    These authorization activities will continue the work of 
the Committee in the 116th and 117th Congresses to update and 
reform all of the science agencies and programs in the 
Committee's jurisdiction. This includes the Energy Act of 2020, 
which reauthorized many of the applied program offices within 
DOE, and the Chips and Science Act, which reauthorized the 
National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (NIST), DOE Office of Science, and 
NASA.
    In reauthorizing the agencies within its jurisdiction, the 
Committee seeks to improve accountability and transparency, 
secure research from foreign influence and theft, improve 
research coordination, reform programs to increase the impact 
of taxpayer-funded research, and ensure constancy and clarity 
of mission and purpose. Additionally, the Committee will make 
certain that research across the federal agencies is not 
unnecessarily duplicative and that taxpayer resources are used 
in an efficient and effective manner. In all legislation, the 
Committee will continue to support the government, academic, 
and industry innovation ecosystem that has made the U.S. 
research enterprise the most successful in the world.

                                 ENERGY

    The Committee will continue to prioritize basic and 
fundamental energy research as well as public-private 
partnerships that move research from lab to market to make our 
nation's energy sources cleaner, more affordable, and more 
secure. The Committee also seeks to advance U.S. 
competitiveness in science and technology by enabling 
researchers across the country to have access to world-class 
DOE user facilities, including supercomputers and high 
intensity light sources.
    The Committee will review and reauthorize programs or 
offices within the Department of Energy with lapsed 
authorizations, as appropriate. The Committee will undertake 
efforts to conduct a review of and update various expired 
authorizations of appropriations in the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 within the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management 
and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The 
Committee will also undertake efforts to conduct a review of 
and update various expired authorizations of appropriations in 
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 for various 
DOE activities, including energy storage. The Committee will 
also review and update expired authorizations in the America 
COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, such as various programs 
for institutions of higher education.
    The Committee will undertake efforts to reauthorize and 
refocus DOE program offices to ensure that programs are managed 
efficiently, duplication is limited, and funding is allocated 
appropriately and effectively. These include: the Office of 
Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, the 
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, the Bioenergy 
Technologies Office, and cross-cutting initiatives related to 
pipeline R&D, drone R&D, and quantum information sciences 
activities.
    The Committee will also seek to authorize interagency 
partnerships between DOE and other federal agencies including 
NASA, NOAA, NSF and the Department of Agriculture, to leverage 
the assets of DOE to help address national challenges.

                              ENVIRONMENT

    The Committee will prioritize legislation that promotes 
innovation to adapt to a changing climate without burdensome 
regulations, mitigate the effects of severe climate and weather 
events, improve weather forecasting, and ensure scientific 
integrity and transparency in the conduct and use of science 
that underpins government decision-making for environmental 
protection.
    The Committee will pursue passage of a NOAA Organic Act to 
enshrine the agency in law and establish it as an independent 
agency. NOAA was created by executive order in 1970 and has 
never been established in law. An organic act will give NOAA 
formal statutory authority and authorize its critical mission 
of protecting life and property. The legislation will also 
improve accountability and transparency of NOAA's programs and 
activities.
    The Committee will review and reauthorize expiring programs 
that address weather hazards. This includes programs authorized 
in the Weather Research and Forecasting and Innovation Act of 
2017, such as the Tornado Warning Improvement & Extension 
Program, Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program, the Tsunami 
Warning, Education, and Research Program, and the Commercial 
Data Program. The Committee will also review and reauthorize 
programs that are set to expire from the National Integrated 
Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018. 
Additionally, the Committee intends to reauthorize the National 
Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, an interagency research 
program to improve the understanding of windstorms and their 
impact on buildings, structures, and lifelines.
    Finally, the Committee will consider legislation to address 
the cross-agency challenge of forecasting, preparing for and 
mitigating wildfires. The Committee will work with other 
committees of jurisdiction to improve data collection, 
dissemination, and coordination of resources to help state and 
local communities prepare for and fight wildfires.

                        RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

    The Committee will continue to prioritize legislation that 
ensures U.S. competitiveness in emerging research and 
technology, supports a U.S. STEM workforce at all levels of 
education including a skilled-technical workforce, ensures the 
transfer of technology from lab to marketplace, protects U.S. 
research from foreign influence and theft, and improves 
coordination of research across the government.
    In an effort to improve coordination of key technology 
areas across the government, the Committee will consider 
legislation to establish a coordinated national initiative to 
improve the development and deployment of unmanned aerial 
systems and advanced air mobility. The legislation will improve 
coordination and avoid duplication of efforts across the 
federal government and help support a domestic drone industry 
to end reliance upon Chinese drones.
    The Committee will also review, update, and reauthorize as 
appropriate other key federal technology R&D programs that have 
lapsed or are due to expire. These programs include the 
National Quantum Initiative, the National Nanotechnology 
Initiative, and the Networking and Information Technology 
Research Program. In updating these programs, the Committee 
will consider appropriate guardrails to protect this research 
from foreign influence and theft.
    The Committee will also review and reauthorize R&D programs 
to address natural hazards. In addition to the National 
Windstorm Impact Reduction Program and wildfire legislation, 
this includes reauthorizing the Staffing for Adequate Fire and 
Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, the Assistance to 
Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, and the United States Fire 
Administration (USFA).
    The Committee will continue its work to improve 
coordination of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, 
and cyber (STEM) education activities across the Federal 
government. The Committee will consider legislation to address 
the national need for a skilled-technical workforce prepared to 
support emerging U.S. industries like quantum, advanced 
semiconductors, and cybersecurity.
    The Committee will review and consider legislative 
recommendations to update the Stevenson-Wydler Act, to improve 
the transfer of technology from government laboratories to the 
private sector for commercialization.

                         SPACE AND AERONAUTICS

    The Committee will consider legislation that supports a 
strong American aerospace industry, continued leadership in 
human spaceflight, exploration of new frontiers in planetary 
science, astronomy and astrophysics, the development of novel 
earth science capabilities, and policies that preserve U.S. 
leadership in space and aeronautics.
    The Committee will prioritize a NASA reauthorization bill. 
The last comprehensive NASA authorization was signed into law 
in 2017. During the 117th Congress, the CHIPS and Science Act 
included a narrower section authorizing certain NASA 
activities, however the language did not include any 
authorizations of appropriations for any programs. During the 
118th Congress, the Committee will engage in a comprehensive 
review of each directorate at NASA and will develop a 
comprehensive NASA authorization, including recommended funding 
levels.
    The Committee will also consider legislation to support the 
commercial space sector, including bills that streamline 
regulations, support commercial remote sensing, improve space 
situational awareness, and address space launch and reentry 
activities at the FAA.
    The Committee maintains jurisdiction over the FAA research, 
engineering, and development (RE&D) programs. As part of the 
FAA Reauthorization process, the Committee will work with other 
committees of jurisdiction to consider a FAA RE&D Title that 
provides congressional direction to FAA's RE&D priorities and 
advances innovation and safety in the aerospace sector.

                               OVERSIGHT

                                 ENERGY

    The Committee will review and conduct vigorous oversight of 
all civilian research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application activities conducted by DOE.
    The Committee will continue to conduct comprehensive 
oversight of DOE's implementation of the Energy Act of 2020, 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the 
CHIPS and Science Act. The Committee will prioritize oversight 
of the additional $45 billion in appropriations DOE received 
for program funding, infrastructure investments, and loan 
guarantees, as well as DOE's expanded loan authority. The 
Committee will examine DOE's contract management practices, 
including but not limited to potential areas of waste, fraud, 
and abuse in these practices.
    The Committee will also conduct oversight of all DOE Office 
of Science activities with special attention to management of 
DOE resources to reprioritize federal support for programs 
within the Office of Science. The Committee will conduct 
oversight of all federally owned or operated non-military 
national laboratories, including but not limited to laboratory 
management, research facilities, research infrastructure, and 
research priorities. The Committee will also examine the Office 
of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management laboratory which 
requires additional oversight due to its unique government 
owned, government operated management structure.
    The Committee will continue to conduct oversight into DOE's 
research security and cybersecurity practices, to ensure the 
protection of DOE-funded research and the safety of DOE's 
national laboratories and user-facilities.

                              ENVIRONMENT

    The Committee will review, and conduct oversight of the 
broad array of government and private sector programs engaged 
in environmental research, development, and demonstration. 
Broadly, the Committee will ensure that existing programs 
addressing climate change across the Federal government are 
necessary, appropriately focused, effectively coordinated, and 
properly organized to prevent duplication of efforts and waste 
taxpayer resources.
NOAA Activities
    The Committee will conduct oversight into NOAA and its 
programs. A major priority for the Committee will be oversight 
of Next Generation Satellite Systems. The Committee will 
continue to review the federal government's development, 
management, and operation of earth observations satellites at 
both NOAA and NASA. Previous modernization efforts have 
resulted in systems plagued with cost overruns, delays, and 
mismanagement that endanger American lives and property with 
degraded weather data.
    The Committee will continue its oversight over management 
and workforce issues at the National Weather Service (NWS), 
including issues with recruitment and retention. NWS serves a 
critical mission of protecting lives and properties, and sound 
management of its workforce, services, and technology is a 
critical priority.
    Severe storms, floods, fires, and hurricanes result in 
multi-billion-dollar events. The Committee will examine various 
issues surrounding these extreme weather events, including 
oversight of the science behind these hazards and how 
commercial data and solutions are being utilized or coordinated 
with federal efforts.
EPA Activities
    The Committee will review and conduct oversight of EPA's 
management of science and its use of science in the 
promulgation of rules and regulations, including lab 
management, regulatory science, transparency, and risk 
assessment. In particular, the Committee will examine how to 
better integrate science into the regulatory decision-making 
process. This includes how EPA uses and manages scientific data 
to reach its regulatory conclusions and incidents where 
principles of scientific and analytical integrity were not met.
    The Committee will continue its long-standing oversight of 
the EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). IRIS 
develops toxicological assessments that underpin regulations of 
toxic chemicals. A 2011 National Academies of Sciences (NAS) 
report found multiple process issues at IRIS, some of which 
have yet to be addressed.
    The Committee will work to ensure that EPA is using the 
best available science in its chemical policy decisions, and 
that other federal agencies like USDA and DOD are equal and 
valued participants in an open, transparent process.
    The EPA has proposed additional methane monitoring, 
quantification, and mitigation rules for the oil and gas 
industry. The Committee will review the effectiveness of 
current leak detection technologies and the need for additional 
data, research, and development.

                        RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

    The Committee will continue oversight of all of the 
Research & Technology agencies and programs in its 
jurisdiction, including NSF, NIST, the White House Office of 
Science and Technology, and the CHIPS program. The Committee 
will also continue its broader oversight over technology issues 
like artificial intelligence and quantum information sciences 
and matters that impact the entire civilian R&D sector, 
including research security, safety and security of the STEM 
workforce, and public access to scientific publications.
National Science Foundation Activities
    The Committee will conduct oversight over the 
implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, which reauthorized 
NSF and created the new directorate for Technology, Innovation, 
and Partnerships. The Committee will also conduct oversight 
over NSF's expansion of its research and security programs, 
including risk-assessment tools and new training requirements.
National Institute of Standards and Technology Activities
    The Committee will conduct oversight over the 
implementation of the reauthorization of NIST, which was 
included in the CHIPS and Science Act. This will include 
oversight into how NIST balances its new directives for 
research activities with its facility needs.
    The Director of NIST serves as the President's principal 
advisor on standards and chairs the Interagency Committee on 
Standards Policy, which advises Federal agencies on standards 
policy and plays a key role in fostering cooperation between 
the Federal government, industry, and private sector 
organizations. The Committee will conduct oversight on how NIST 
drives federal support of and engagement in industry-led 
standards development to bolster U.S. standards leadership.
    The Committee will conduct oversight over NIST's 
Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP) program, its fifty-
one centers, and the implementation of programs authorized in 
the CHIPS and Science Act, including the establishment of a 
pilot program of expansion awards for MEP centers and the 
creation of a national supply chain database.
    NIST coordinates the national network of Manufacturing USA 
institutes and funds the National Institute for Innovation in 
Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). The Committee will 
conduct oversight on the coordination across Manufacturing USA 
Institutes and the operation of the Institutes that fall within 
its jurisdiction.
    As directed in the National AI Initiative Act, NIST is 
releasing an AI Risk Management Framework in 2023. The 
Committee will conduct oversight over the Framework, and its 
use by the federal government and the private sector.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Activities
    The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy 
(OSTP) coordinates federal R&D policy across the federal 
government. The Committee will conduct oversight over 
directives to OSTP in the CHIPS and Science Act, including 
implementation of the National Science and Technology Strategy 
and Quadrennial Review required in the law. The Committee will 
also conduct oversight over OSTP's coordination of activities 
in artificial intelligence, quantum information science, high-
performance computing, and climate research.
    In 2022, OSTP released new guidance on public access to 
federally funded research, and directed federal research 
agencies to development implementation plans to respond to that 
guidance. The Committee will conduct oversight over the 
implementation of this guidance to ensure that the process is 
transparent and encourages all stakeholders to offer input. The 
Committee will also conduct oversight to ensure that the 
guidance does not place any undue or unfeasible burden on 
federal research agencies or awardees.
Research Security Activities
    In the 116th and 117th Congress, the Committee passed 
several new requirements related to research security, 
including new disclosure requirements, training requirements, 
and a prohibition on participation in malign foreign talent 
programs by federally funded researchers. The Committee will 
conduct oversight over the implementation of these laws by all 
federal research agencies, examine any gaps in the current 
laws, and review any unintended consequences from the new 
requirements.
CHIPS Act Activities
    The CHIPS and Science Act authorized and provided $50 
billion in funding to support the reshoring of semiconductor 
manufacturing and packaging in the United States and research 
and development activities. NIST, under the Department of 
Commerce, will be implementing these provisions. Oversight over 
the management of the programs and the awarding of funds will 
be a high priority for the Committee.

                                 SPACE

    The Committee will review, and conduct oversight of all 
activities contemplated and authorized by the National 
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended, as well as all 
other laws pertaining to the Committee's jurisdiction over 
space under Title 51 U.S. Code, and House Rule X.
NASA Activities
    The Committee will continue its oversight of all NASA 
activities. The Committee will monitor and review all programs, 
projects, and activities for cost, schedule, and performance 
issues as well as for waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.
    The Committee will prioritize oversight of the Artemis 
program to return humans to the Moon and then land on Mars. The 
Committee will continue to conduct vigorous oversight to ensure 
NASA stays on track to fulfil its mission to build the systems 
necessary to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon and land the 
first humans on Mars.
    The Committee will also continue to review U.S. cooperation 
with other government agencies and international partners 
related to outer space.
Commercial Space
    The Committee will continue to review commercial space 
activities, both public and private. This includes not only 
NASA's use of commercial space partnerships, but also the 
executive branch's use of existing regulatory authority granted 
by statute. Furthermore, as agencies seek additional regulatory 
authority for space activities, the Committee will maintain 
rigorous oversight of its jurisdiction over ``[a]stronautical 
research and development, including resources, personnel, 
equipment, and facilities,'' and ``outer space, including 
exploration and control thereof'' as granted by House rule X.
FAA Activities
    The Committee will review and conduct oversight of all 
activities within the FAA's Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation (AST), which licenses commercial launch and 
reentry activities, as well as spaceport operations. The 
Committee will also review and monitor the emergence of several 
fledgling commercial suborbital space flight ventures.
    Additionally, the Committee will oversee and review all of 
the FAA's RE&D activities to ensure that they lead to 
improvements in the U.S. aerospace sector, focusing with 
particular interest on the FAA's management of its Next 
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program.
National Space Council
    The Committee will also conduct oversight into the 
activities of the National Space Council, including execution 
of all congressionally mandated activities and reports.

                           GENERAL OVERSIGHT

    The Committee will conduct an in-depth oversight audit of 
the programs in its jurisdiction to ensure that its robust and 
exhaustive oversight efforts continue to be effective. 
Specifically, the Committee will conduct oversight of 
inspectors general to ensure that they are actively working to 
combat waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement; while at the 
same time ensuring that they are properly equipped, funded, and 
have the authorities necessary to complete their important 
investigations and audits.
    The Committee stands ready to work with whistleblowers 
across the government in its oversight efforts. It will review 
whistleblower protections applicable to its jurisdiction and 
consider where expansions of such authorizations may be 
warranted to better protect those that come forward in an 
effort to make government better. The Committee will combat 
whistleblower retaliation and will keep the anonymity of 
whistleblowers that provide information to Congress.

                               Appendix A


                              HOUSE RULE X


                       ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES

Committees and their legislative jurisdictions

    1. There shall be in the House the following standing 
committees, each of which shall have the jurisdiction and 
related functions assigned by this clause and clauses 2, 3, and 
4. All bills, resolutions, and other matters relating to 
subjects within the jurisdiction of the standing committees 
listed in this clause shall be referred to those committees, in 
accordance with clause 2 of rule XII, as follows:
    (p) Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
    (1) All energy research, development, and demonstration, 
and projects therefor, and all federally owned or operated 
nonmilitary energy laboratories.
    (2) Astronautical research and development, including 
resources, personnel, equipment, and facilities.
    (3) Civil aviation research and development.
    (4) Environmental research and development.
    (5) Marine research.
    (6) Commercial application of energy technology.
    (7) National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
standardization of weights and measures, and the metric system.
    (8) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
    (9) National Space Council.
    (10) National Science Foundation.
    (11) National Weather Service.
    (12) Outer space, including exploration and control 
thereof.
    (13) Science scholarships.
    (14) Scientific research, development, and demonstration, 
and projects therefor.

Special oversight functions

    3(k) The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology shall 
review and study on a continuing basis laws, programs, and 
Government activities relating to nonmilitary research and 
development.




                      COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS

                    AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN

                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             118TH CONGRESS

    Rule X, clause 2(d) of the Rules of the House requires each 
standing committee of the House to adopt and submit an 
authorization and oversight plan for this Congress to the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on 
House Administration by March 1 of the first session of 
Congress.
    The following is the authorization and oversight plan for 
the Committee on Small Business and its subcommittees for the 
118th Congress. The Committee will conduct oversight and 
investigations pursuant to its legislative and oversight 
jurisdiction under rule X, which permits the Committee to 
investigate any matter affecting small business.
    Rule X, clause 2(d)(2) requires that committee oversight 
plans include a list of programs or agencies within each 
committee's jurisdiction with lapsed authorizations that 
received funding in the prior fiscal year, or a program or 
agency with a permanent authorization, which has not been 
subject to a comprehensive review by the committee in the prior 
three Congresses. The Committee has found no Small Business 
Administration Programs (SBA) that fit these parameters.
    Rule X, clause 2(d)(2) also requires a description of the 
programs or agencies to be authorized in the current Congress 
or the next Congress, and any oversight to support the 
authorization of each such program or agency in the current 
Congress, and recommendations for changes to existing law for 
moving such programs or agencies from mandatory funding to 
discretionary appropriations, where appropriate. The Committee 
may consider reforms and improvements to various SBA programs 
as noted throughout this Authorization and Oversight Plan.

              OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAMS

    The Committee will conduct hearings and investigations of 
SBA and other federal agencies that provide capital to 
American's entrepreneurs that may include any or all of the 
following, as well as matters brought to the attention of the 
Committee subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     Effectiveness of the capital access programs to 
generate jobs in the fastest growing small businesses.
     Whether lenders are meeting their goals to lend to 
small businesses and create jobs.
     Risk to the taxpayers of the capital access 
programs.
     Adequacy of SBA oversight of its lending partners 
to ensure that federal taxpayers are properly protected.
     Capabilities of the SBA information technology to 
manage the loan portfolio.
     Whether SBA rules, regulations, and guidance 
result in transparent and reasoned decision making with respect 
to capital access programs.
     Assessment of credit-scoring algorithms as a 
replacement for individual credit assessment by SBA and its 
lending partners.
     The exercise of discretion by SBA to create pilot 
programs and the risk they pose to the taxpayer and whether 
such authority should be curtailed or eliminated.
     Whether SBA disaster loan program and its 
oversight ensures that small businesses are able to revive and 
rebuild communities without unduly placing the federal taxpayer 
at risk.
     Review of the Paycheck Protection Program, the 
Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and other COVID-19 
related relief programs related to small business.
     Efficacy and duplication of federal capital access 
programs offered by the Department of Agriculture to small 
business in rural areas.
     Utilization by small businesses of export capital 
programs at the Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation.
     Continued examination of the Small Business 
Lending Fund and State Small Business Credit Initiative 
established by Pub. L. No. 111-240, the Small Business Jobs Act 
of 2010, in creating jobs and providing capital to small 
businesses.
     Impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and 
Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203, on small business 
access to capital.
     Implementation of crowdfunding and other 
provisions of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, Pub. L. 
No. 112-106.
     Review of proposed changes to capital access 
programs, to include lifting the moratorium on licensing new 
Small Business Lending Companies.
     Implementation of program clarifications made to 
encourage more cooperative and employee stock ownership plan 
lending through SBA programs established by the Main Street 
Employee Ownership Act of 2018, passed into law by the John S. 
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, 
Pub. L. No. 115-232.
    In performing oversight, the Committee will focus on risky 
aspects of financial assistance programs including, but not 
limited to, commercial real estate financing, premier certified 
lenders, participating security small business investment 
companies, small business lending companies, express lenders, 
and loan programs utilizing simplified lending applications.

OVERSIGHT OF SBA AND OTHER FEDERAL ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

    The committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
the SBA programs that providing training and advice to small 
businesses that may include any or all of the following, as 
well as matters brought to the attention of the Committee 
subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     Examining effectiveness of SBA entrepreneurial 
development programs, including programs for veterans, in 
creating jobs at startups and traditional firms.
     Determining whether certain programs should be 
eliminated as a result of their ineffectiveness or duplications 
of programs provided by other agencies or by the private 
sector.
     Suggesting methods for enhancing coordination 
among federal agencies in providing assistance to 
entrepreneurs, including, but not limited to, businesses 
located in rural areas and those seeking to provide goods and 
services in the federal procurement marketplace.
     Recommending improvements in assistance to small 
businesses in rural areas and low-income areas
     Review SBA's transition from EDMIS to Nexus, the 
new data collection system for Entrepreneurial Development 
programs.

          OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING MATTERS

    The Committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
the federal procurement system that may include any or all of 
the following, as well as matters brought to the attention of 
the Committee subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     Whether fraud or other problems exist in the 
federal government contracting programs overseen by the SBA.
     Effectiveness of SBA contracting programs to 
increase participation by small business in federal 
procurement.
     Review SBA certification systems to ensure timely 
and accurate processing of applications and continue to monitor 
the migration of the veteran certification program from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to the Small Business 
Administration.
     Effectiveness of federal agency protection against 
contract bundling and consolidation. The accuracy and utility 
of SBA size standards and federal procurement databases.
     Operation and effectiveness of federal agency 
assistance provided to small businesses interested in federal 
procurement, including that provided by the SBA, Offices of 
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and Procurement 
Technical Assistance Centers.
     Development of federal acquisition policies and 
whether small businesses have sufficiently effective voice in 
development of such policies.
     Cost-effectiveness of outsourcing government work 
to private enterprise rather than expanding the government to 
provide the good or service internally.
     Implementation and efficacy of changes made in 
small business federal procurement programs arising from the 
enactment of the National Defense Authorization Acts.
     Examination of the Small Business Innovation 
Research Program as modified by the National Defense 
Authorization Act for FY2012, Pub. L. No. 112-81, including but 
not limited to, increased efforts at commercializing federally 
funded technology.
     Review the implementation of Small Business 
Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology 
Transfer programs as extended by Pub. L. No. 117-183.
    In performing oversight, the Committee will focus its 
efforts on uncovering abuse and misuse of the small business 
designation to obtain federal government contracts.

                      OVERSIGHT OF SBA MANAGEMENT

    The committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
the management of the SBA that may include any or all of the 
following, as well as matters brought to the attention of the 
Committee subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     The fulfillment of the mission of the SBA.
     Whether agency employees in the field are 
empowered to assist small business.
     Whether field offices are appropriately staffed.
     Duplication of offices and missions at SBA 
headquarters.
     Effectiveness of personnel management.
     Capabilities of SBA employees to provide proper 
assistance to small business owners.
     Agency personnel capabilities to properly manage 
loan defaults to maximize recovery of collateral.
     Whether SBA improperly utilizes statutory 
authority to create untested initiatives and the procedures by 
which the agency develops such programs.
     Policies and procedures to ensure fair and 
competitive contracting opportunities for small business.
     Monitor the agency's spending and efforts as it 
relates to the pandemic response and fully account for Covid-
19-provided appropriations.
     Review the SBA's technology and data systems in an 
effort to modernize, strengthen, and improve interoperability 
between platforms.
     Assess the agency's efforts to secure their 
networks and data systems.
    In carrying out this oversight the Committee will focus 
particularly on streamlining and reorganizing of the agency's 
operations to provide maximum assistance to small business 
owners. Offices that primarily provide assistance or advice to 
headquarters staff that do not promote the interests of small 
businesses or protect the federal government as a guarantor of 
loans will be recommended for cuts or elimination.

         OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL REGULATORY AND PAPERWORK BURDENS

    The Committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
unnecessary, burdensome, and duplicative federal rules, 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements affecting small 
businesses that may include any or all of the following, as 
well as matters brought to the attention of the Committee 
subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
     Consumer Product Safety Commission Department of 
Agriculture.
     Department of Commerce.
     Department of Energy, particularly the Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
     Department of Health and Human Services, 
particularly the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and 
the Food and Drug Administration.
     Department of the Interior.
     Department of Homeland Security, particularly the 
Transportation Security Administration.
     Department of Labor, particularly the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration and the Wage and Hour 
Division.
     Department of Transportation, particularly the 
Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration.
     Department of the Treasury, particularly the 
Internal Revenue Service.
     Environmental Protection Agency, particularly the 
office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.
     Federal Communications Commission.
     Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council 
and its constituent agencies.
     Office of Management and Budget, particularly the 
Office of Federal Procurement Policy.
     Securities and Exchange Commission.
    The Committee will identify specific rules and regulations 
already issued or at the proposed rule stage to assess the 
impact on small business. In addition, the Committee will 
examine agency compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, and the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. The Committee will pay close attention 
to the effect that regulations have on startups. Oversight of 
the regulatory process also will, to the extent relevant, 
examine the work of the Office of Informational and Regulatory 
Affairs and the Office of Management and Budget. Special 
attention will be paid to the work performed by the Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration to 
ensure that office is fulfilling its mission to advocate 
vigorously on behalf of America's small business owners in 
regulatory matters at federal agencies. Finally, this oversight 
will entail an examination of compliance by federal agencies 
with amendments to Executive Order 12866 and memoranda on 
regulatory flexibility and regulatory compliance issued on 
January 18, 2011, as well as Executive Order 13272.

                    OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL TAX POLICY

    The Committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
the federal tax code, its impact on small business, and 
Internal Revenue Services' (IRS) collection of taxes that may 
include any or all of the following, as well as matters brought 
to the attention of the Committee subsequent to the filing of 
this Report:
     Identification of tax code provisions and proposed 
rules that hinder the ability of small businesses to create 
jobs and recommendations for modifying those provisions to 
boost small business job growth.
     Examination of the structure of the tax code in 
order to simplify compliance for small businesses.
     Assessment of the recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements associated with tax compliance and suggestions for 
reducing such burdens on small businesses.
     Evaluation of the estate tax provisions to 
determine whether they inhibit the ability of successive 
generations to maintain successful job creating enterprises.
     Efficiencies at the IRS that improve the 
interaction between the government and small business owners.
     Inefficiencies at the IRS that force small 
businesses to divert capital from job growth to tax compliance.

          OVERSIGHT OF TRADE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY POLICY

    The Committee will conduct hearings and investigations into 
international trade and intellectual property policies of 
America and its trading partners that may include any or all of 
the following, as well as maters brought to the attention of 
the Committee subsequent to the filing of this Report:
     Impact of free trade agreements to increase 
exports by American small businesses.
     Oversight of SBA's Office of International Trade 
and the agency's efforts to promote small business exports.
     Examination of the impact of illicit actions by 
foreign entities on small businesses and whether the federal 
government is doing enough to protect their interests.
     Whether the federal government is doing enough to 
protect the intellectual property rights of small businesses by 
foreign competitors.
     The impact of federal intellectual property 
polices, particularly patents and copyrights, to protect the 
innovation of American entrepreneurs.
     Efforts to increase exports by small businesses.
     Whether the United States Trade Representative 
takes position at the World Trade Organization that sufficient 
promote the interests of American small business.
    The focus of oversight will emphasize the best mechanisms 
to promote and protect advanced technology innovations of small 
business.

                  REDUCTIONS IN PROGRAMS AND SPENDING

    In addition to the programs and policies already cited, the 
committee will examine any and all offices and programs that 
fall within the Committee's legislative jurisdiction to find 
areas that could lead to reduction in the federal deficit. Some 
programs and offices may include:
     Express Loan Program overseen by SBA.
     Emerging Leaders initiative started by SBA.
     Clusters Program initiated by SBA.
     Innovation and Impact Fund Pilot Programs operated 
by the SBA.
     SBA Office of Policy.
     SBA Regional Administrators.
     Office of Advocacy Regional Advocates.
     SBA Deputy District Directors.
     SBA Office of International Trade.
     SBA's Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot 
Program
    In particular, the Committee will assess whether a 
reorganization of offices to more critical functions at the SBA 
will provide a more effective agency at helping small 
businesses to generate growth.

                        PROGRAMMATIC DUPLICATION

    The Committee notes that Sec. 18 of the Small Business Act 
prohibits duplication of any effort by the Small Business 
Administration if a program is already offered by another 
federal agency unless the Small Business Administration 
expressly authorizes the duplication. The Committee will 
continue to monitor the Small Business Administration for 
programs that duplicate the efforts of other federal agencies.




             COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION 
                   AND INFRASTRUCTURE--118TH CONGRESS

    In accordance with rule X clause 2(d) of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure (Committee) is responsible for determining 
whether laws and programs within its jurisdiction are being 
effectively implemented according to Congressional intent and 
whether they should be continued, changed, or eliminated. In 
the 118th Congress, the Committee will examine options to 
improve the overall performance and operation of the agencies 
and entities it oversees, promote cost savings, and eliminate 
wasteful spending, mismanagement, and abuse.
    The Committee will also evaluate the Administration's 
annual budget requests with respect to programs and activities 
within the Committee's jurisdiction. To ensure the responsible 
stewardship of taxpayer resources, the Committee will 
rigorously examine how agencies and entities allocate funding 
and assess existing programs to prevent duplicative efforts.
    In addition to Committee-led efforts, the work of the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO) and various Inspectors 
General (IG) will contribute to the Committee's oversight 
activities. For example, the GAO provides Congress with a 
biennial update on high-risk programs, highlighting Federal 
programs GAO considers needing broad reform or at risk for 
waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement. These reports will 
inform the Committee of areas ripe for oversight. Additionally, 
the Committee will hold hearings on waste, fraud, or 
mismanagement in government programs the Committee authorizes, 
focusing on egregious examples highlighted by the IG or GAO.
    Following its investigations, the Committee will determine 
appropriate remedies to bring accountability to agency actions. 
The Committee will utilize all available tools, including 
introducing resolutions to reverse Administration policies, 
implementing legislation, and requesting additional 
investigations, to ensure that identified issues and 
Administration failures are properly addressed.
American Rescue Plan Act and COVID-19 Pandemic
    On March 13, 2020, President Trump formally tapped Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to join the Federal response 
to COVID-19, invoking the Stafford Act.\1\ The Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) (P.L. 116-136) and 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (P.L. 116-260) 
provided tens of billions of dollars in financial and 
regulatory relief for several agencies, industries, and 
stakeholders within the Committee's jurisdiction. In 2021, the 
American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2) provided further influxes 
of funding. During the 116th and 117th Congresses, the 
Committee organized multiple hearings and briefings on the 
Federal Government's efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. 
In the 118th Congress, the Committee will continue oversight of 
laws and response efforts intended to respond to the COVID-19 
pandemic. The Committee will closely oversee the 
implementation, awards, and effects of these relief programs. 
For example, under FEMA the Committee will examine COVID-19 
response efforts and whether the disaster relief fund (DRF) and 
broad authority were utilized correctly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Letter from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, to 
the Hon. Chad Wolf, Acting Sec'y, Dep't of Homeland Security, the Hon. 
Steven Mnuchin, Sec'y, Dep't of Treasury, the Hon. Alex Azar II, Sec'y, 
Dep't of Health and Human Services, & the Hon. Pete Gaynor, 
Administrator, FEMA (March 13, 2020) available at https://
trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/letter-president-
donald-j-trump-emergency-determination-stafford-act/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique 
challenges to the United States' aviation industry. In the 
months following the initial spread of the novel coronavirus 
within the United States in 2020, commercial air travel 
plummeted by as much as 90 percent from the same periods in 
2019, and many companies were forced to initially furlough tens 
of thousands of aviation employees due to the harsh economic 
effects.\2\ The passage of the CARES Act and subsequent 
pandemic relief bills helped airlines, airports and other 
aviation stakeholders retain thousands of jobs that would have 
otherwise been lost due to the effects of the pandemic.\3\ The 
Committee will closely review the aviation industry's use of 
financial relief awarded under the Acts; and awardees' 
compliance with any conditions contained therein.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\See Transp. Sec. Admin., TSA Checkpoint Travel Numbers (Current 
Year(s) Versus Prior Year/Same Weekday), https://www.tsa.gov/
coronavirus/passenger-throughput.
    \3\See, Niraj Chokshi, Relief Bill Gives Airline and Airport 
Workers a Reprieve, for Now, N.Y. Times (Mar. 11, 2001), available at: 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/business/stimulus-bill-airline-
jobs.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
    The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 
117-58) represented the largest Federal investment in decades 
in the United States' infrastructure. This legislation provided 
$1.2 trillion for infrastructure programs over five years, from 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 to FY 2026, of which $661 billion will be 
administered by the Department of Transportation (DOT). IIJA 
included provisions to address the Nation's infrastructure, 
including roads, bridges, transit, railroads, water-related 
infrastructure, and airports, as well as energy and broadband.
    While IIJA provided historic levels of funding to address 
America's infrastructure needs, stakeholders have raised 
concerns that persistently high inflation is undermining those 
funding increases. The Committee will conduct extensive 
oversight to monitor the disbursement of IIJA funds to ensure 
DOT complies with Congressional intent, as well as the 
effective and efficient use of the taxpayers' dollars.
    IIJA devotes record amounts of funding to competitive 
grants that are to be awarded by the Administration though the 
Notice of Funding Opportunity process. Overall, total funding 
for DOT increased 61 percent in FY 2022, compared to FY 2021. 
As part of that funding, in FY 2022, the first year of IIJA, 
funding for competitive grants was five times higher than in FY 
2021.\4\ The Committee's oversight activities will include 
monitoring DOT's awarding of these grant funds to ensure 
compliance with the statutory requirements. The Committee will 
also examine the impact of increased construction costs due to 
record inflation levels and supply chain challenges, and on the 
ability of Federal agencies to complete cost-effective 
projects. Further, the Committee will utilize its oversight 
activities to bring accountability and transparency to the 
implementation of IIJA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Jeff Davis, Status Check: The First Year of IIJA Competitive 
Grant Funding, Eno Center for Transportation, (Sept. 6, 2022), 
available at https://www.enotrans.org/article/status-check-the-first-
year-of-iija-competitive-grant-funding/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inflation Reduction Act Implementation
    The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) (P.L. 117-169) provided 
significant funding following the passage of IIJA. Given the 
new programs for alternatives in energy and low-carbon 
materials, the Committee will conduct oversight on the ability 
of Federal agencies to complete cost-effective projects. 
Further, the Committee will utilize its oversight activities to 
bring accountability and transparency to the implementation of 
IRA.

                        SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION

    The Subcommittee on Aviation has broad jurisdiction over 
all aspects of civil aviation, including safety, 
infrastructure, labor, economic regulation, and international 
issues. Within this scope of responsibilities, the Subcommittee 
has jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA), a modal administration within DOT. This jurisdiction 
covers all programs within the FAA, as well as aviation 
programs of the DOT with respect to economic regulation of air 
carriers and passenger airline service. In addition, the 
Subcommittee has jurisdiction over commercial space 
transportation, the National Mediation Board (NMB), and the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The oversight 
activities of the Subcommittee will work to ensure the 
effective and efficient operation of the civil aviation 
industry, by ensuring the implementation of common-sense 
policies that put safety and American taxpayers first.
Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Budget Requests
    The Subcommittee will review and evaluate the FY 2024 and 
FY 2025 budget proposals for the agencies within the 
Subcommittee's jurisdiction including the FAA, NMB, and NTSB.
Safety Programs
    During the last several Congresses, the Subcommittee held 
numerous safety hearings and will continue this oversight in 
the 118th Congress. Maintaining a safe and efficient aviation 
system is critical to the aviation industry, passengers, the 
United States economy, job creation, and our Nation's 
competitiveness in the global marketplace. Issues the 
Subcommittee may address include general aviation safety, key 
safety agreements, the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM), pilot and air 
traffic controller training, losses of separation between 
aircraft, the FAA's enforcement and certification activities, 
commercial airline safety, and the FAA's voluntary reporting 
and data-sharing and assessment programs.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
    The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) 
authorized NTSB programs through FY 2022. The bill included 
provisions to improve transparency of the NTSB's investigations 
and enhance the public's understanding of the Board's safety 
recommendations.
    The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of NTSB's 
implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 and 
evaluate whether the intended objectives are achieved.
Oversight of the Commercial Space Industry
    The mission of the FAA's Office of Commercial Space 
Transportation is to ensure protection of the public, property, 
and the National security and foreign policy interests of the 
United States during commercial launch or reentry activities; 
and to encourage, facilitate, and promote the United States' 
commercial space transportation. The Subcommittee will continue 
to monitor the status and future of the United States' 
commercial transportation industry and the FAA's role in 
providing safety oversight of the industry.
Evaluation of FAA's Next Gen Air Traffic Control Modernization
    Since the early 1980s, the FAA has worked to modernize the 
air traffic control system, and its most current effort is the 
Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). NextGen is 
intended to increase airspace system efficiency; reduce noise 
exposure, pollution, and fuel burn; improve safety; increase 
accuracy and reliability in the equipment and software used for 
navigation and air traffic control; and maintain the capacity 
for future technology enhancements. Over the years, the FAA's 
NextGen efforts have been behind schedule and over budget. The 
Subcommittee will continue to examine the FAA's efforts to 
establish performance metrics, meet deadlines, stay within 
budget, ensure appropriate level of aircraft equipage with 
NexGen avionics, and pursue solutions to identified challenges.
Cybersecurity of the National Airspace System
    As the FAA modernizes air traffic control technology, and 
the aviation industry modernizes the aircraft fleet, concerns 
about the robustness and resiliency of these systems have 
arisen. Ensuring the cybersecurity of these systems is 
critical. The FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016  
(P.L. 114-190) directed the FAA to implement a strategic 
framework for cybersecurity. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 
2018 (P.L. 115-254) required the FAA to review and assess, and 
update as appropriate, this strategic framework. The 
Subcommittee will continue its oversight of the cybersecurity 
activities of the FAA and relevant stakeholders to ensure 
appropriate steps are being taken by the FAA to address 
cyberthreats. Additionally, the Subcommittee will monitor 
whether the FAA's strategic framework for cybersecurity is 
being effectively employed.
Implementation of FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016
    The FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (P.L. 
114-190) authorized funding for the FAA through FY 2017 and 
contained several safety-critical and time-sensitive reforms. 
The Subcommittee will continue to oversee the FAA's efforts to 
implement the provisions of this Act.
Implementation of FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018
    The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) 
authorized Federal aviation programs and policies through FY 
2023. The Act included numerous provisions aimed at maintaining 
and advancing the Nation's global leadership in aviation by 
putting American jobs, American innovation, aviation safety, 
and the traveling public first. The Subcommittee will continue 
oversight of the implementation of this Act, including the safe 
and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) 
into the National Air-space System (NAS) and the growth of the 
United States' commercial space transportation industry.

Implementation of Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability 
        Act

    The Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act 
(P.L. 116-260; Division V) was signed into law on December 27, 
2020. This Act provided significant reforms to the FAA's 
aircraft certification process; increased transparency, 
accountability, and integrity in FAA regulation of United 
States aircraft manufacturers; addresses issues identified 
related to human factors, automation in the cockpit, and 
international pilot training; and authorizes nearly $275 
million over five years in robust FAA oversight, staffing 
increases, and aviation safety-improving programs and 
initiatives, among other things. The Subcommittee will closely 
oversee the efforts of the FAA to implement the provisions in 
the Act, as well as the effects this Act has on safety and the 
United States aerospace industry.

Oversight of Implementation and Deployment of Counter-UAS Authority

    The ubiquity and capability of UAS pose unique safety and 
security challenges that are different for traditional 
aviation. Therefore, in the National Defense Authorization Act 
(NDAA) for FY 2017 (P.L. 114-328) and the NDAA for FY 2018 
(P.L. 115-91), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the 
Department of Energy (DOE) were granted counter-UAS authorities 
to protect certain military and nuclear facilities and assets 
in the United States. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 
115-254) provided similar authority to the Department of 
Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to 
counter credible threats from UAS to protect critical assets 
and facilities within the agencies' purview. Under the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P. L. 117 328), the 
counter-UAS authority for DOJ and DHS will expire on September 
30, 2023. The Subcommittee will closely oversee the agencies' 
implementation of their respective counter-UAS authorities to 
ensure close and continued coordination with the FAA to reduce 
impacts on United States airspace and to ensure the safety of 
civil aviation.

Investment in Aviation Infrastructure

    America's airports are part of a global aviation system, 
and as such they must remain safe and efficient in order to 
compete with global hubs of air commerce. Airports rely on 
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, supplemented with 
revenue from the statutorily authorized passenger facility 
charge, which is capped at $4.50 per segment and $18 per round 
trip. The Subcommittee will conduct oversight, as appropriate, 
regarding airport financing and the FAA's administration of the 
AIP.

Airline Financial Position Customer Service.

    The Office of the Secretary (OST) within DOT is responsible 
for economic oversight of the airline industry, including 
ensuring that air carriers do not engage in unfair and 
deceptive practices that could harm consumers and that business 
agreements among air carriers do not result in harmful effects. 
DOT's action in this regard may have a dramatic impact on the 
industry, competition, job creation, and airlines' obligations 
to their passengers. The Subcommittee will continue to examine 
opportunities to improve the airline industry's 
competitiveness, review recently established regulations to 
ensure the aviation system remains safe and accessible to the 
traveling public, and provide oversight of standards for 
passenger service.

5G C-Band Deployment and Aviation Safety

    The Subcommittee will continue its oversight of the 5G C-
band deployment, examining safety concerns related to how the 
C-band spectrum was reallocated for 5G wireless services. Many 
aviation stakeholders have expressed concerns about the 
potentially harmful radio frequency interference with certain 
aviation safety equipment. Given the safety and economic 
ramifications of this conflict for both the aviation and 
telecommunications industries, the Subcommittee continues to 
advocate for a long-term resolution to this apparent conflict 
in spectrum use and ensure that 5G wireless services, and 
future spectrum reallocations, can safely coexist with aircraft 
operations in the NAS.

                  SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE COAST GUARD AND 
                        MARITIME TRANSPORTATION

    The Subcommittee has broad authority over the programs and 
activities of the United States Coast Guard codified under 
titles 14 and 46, United States Code, and other statutes. The 
Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-263; 
Division K) authorized discretionary Coast Guard funding levels 
of $14.22 billion in FY 2023.
    The Subcommittee also has jurisdiction over the Federal 
Maritime Commission (FMC) and the non-defense programs of the 
Maritime Administration (MARAD). FMC is responsible for the 
economic regulation of United States waterborne foreign 
commerce and unfair shipping practices. MARAD oversees several 
programs related to defense readiness, as well as programs 
designed to promote and develop the domestic merchant marine 
and shipbuilding industries. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 
2022 (P.L. 117-146) authorized funding for the FMC of $38.26 
million in FY 2023 and $43.72 million in FY 2024, and $49.2 
million for FY 2025. Division C of title XXXV of the James M. 
Inhofe NDAA for FY 2023 (P.L. 117-263) authorized $1.63 billion 
for FY 2023 to support MARAD's activities, including $750 
million for the Port Infrastructure and Development Program, 
$30 million for the Small Shipyard Grant Program, $15 million 
for the Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance 
Program, and $15 million for the Marine Highway program.

Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Coast Guard and Maritime Budget Requests

    The Subcommittee will hold hearings on the President's 
budget requests for FY 2024 and FY 2025 and consider 
legislation to authorize the Coast Guard and MARAD. The 
Subcommittee will explore ways to improve Coast Guard 
operations, and laws governing maritime transportation. 
Additionally, the Subcommittee will explore ways to promote job 
growth in the domestic fleet while reducing costs at both FMC 
and MARAD.

Coast Guard Acquisition

    The Coast Guard is currently undergoing a major 
recapitalization of its oceangoing and shoreside assets, 
including the initiation of a new Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) 
Program and construction of Polar Security Cutters to replace 
its aged assets. The recapitalization will replace or modernize 
more than 90 ships and approximately 200 aircraft used to carry 
out the Service's missions beyond near coastal waters. The 
recapitalization program will also upgrade shoreside facilities 
and replace antiquated information technology systems, as well 
as command, control, and communications systems. The program 
continues to face serious challenges related to schedule and 
budget. The longer the acquisition program drags out, the more 
resources are siphoned off to maintain existing assets. In many 
cases, those assets, especially the Medium Endurance Cutter 
fleet and the Heavy Icebreaker fleet, are at or beyond 
projected service life and are more difficult and expensive to 
maintain. The Subcommittee is concerned that delays in new 
asset acquisition and the cost to maintain increasingly less 
reliable legacy assets threatens the ability of the Service to 
complete this recapitalization and avoid gaps in operational 
capability.
    The Subcommittee will continue to closely review the 
programs of record, as well as any changes to those programs 
which may be advisable or necessary to ensure the men and women 
of the Coast Guard who risk their lives for our Nation have the 
best equipment possible to carry out their mission at the best 
price for the taxpayer. Among its oversight efforts, the 
Subcommittee will examine the status of the OPC and Polar 
Security Cutter acquisition. Also, the Subcommittee expects to 
review improvements to shoreside facilities, the acquisition of 
Coast Guard IT systems, and Coast Guard rotary aircraft needs 
and its plan to transition to a primary MH 60 fleet while 
reducing the number of rotary aircraft assets to ensure to the 
Coast Guard can meet its operational needs.

Mission Balance

    The Subcommittee continues to have concerns regarding the 
Coast Guard's ability to balance funding among its many 
distinct and competing missions. Since September 11, 2001, 
significant additional resources have been directed to the 
Service's homeland activities. Security-related missions such 
as ports, waterways, and coastal security and migrant 
interdiction have seen dramatic increases from pre-September 
11, 2001, funding levels. Growing geopolitical tension in South 
Asia and the China Sea, and numerous calls for the Coast Guard 
to play a more active role in the region, might further stretch 
Coast Guard resources.
    The Subcommittee will continue its oversight of Coast Guard 
mission balance to ensure the Service qualitatively and 
quantitively reviews its many missions, makes and justifies 
decisions about which missions it cannot afford to meet 
performance measures, identifies and responds to exigencies 
that divert resources between missions, and plans how it 
allocates resources appropriately among its many missions.

Maritime Domain Awareness

    Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is the effort to know what 
is happening at all times on the ocean, coastal, and interior 
waters of the United States, and aboard the vessels that 
transit in or through waters under United States' jurisdiction. 
The successful implementation of MDA is critical to maritime 
safety, homeland security, and the efficiency and reliability 
of the United States maritime supply chain.
    As the Coast Guard relies on several new and developing 
technologies to acquire, manage, and disseminate interoperable 
MDA information, the Subcommittee will continue its oversight 
of the Service's ongoing efforts to assess, develop, and 
implement new MDA technologies to ensure that Coast Guard 
operations are informed by the best MDA information possible 
that is gathered in a timely, reliable manner, and provides 
high value for the taxpayer. The Subcommittee will also examine 
the costs imposed on maritime stakeholders as part of the MDA 
program and examine methods to reduce those costs without 
negative impacts to quality and quantity of MDA information.

Coast Guard Prevention and Response Activities

    The Coast Guard plays major roles in response to oil spills 
and natural disasters. The Service serves as the Federal On-
Scene Coordinator and National Incident Commander for oil 
spills on water. The Service is also a first responder for 
natural disaster in coastal areas, and accidents at sea. The 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the Coast Guard's crisis 
prevention and response capabilities. Oil spills, natural 
disasters, and mass migration events can each over-extend the 
Coast Guard's prevention and response systems and capabilities. 
The Subcommittee will examine the Coast Guard's prevention and 
response programs, including its existing regulations 
authorizing the use of Alternative Planning Criteria.

United States Marine Highways

    United States Marine Highways support the waterborne 
movement of commercial freight between two ports in the United 
States or between ports in the United States and Canada. At the 
present time, the most highly developed water freight 
transportation system in the United States operate on the 
Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence 
Seaway. Revitalization of our marine highways has the potential 
to reduce congestion on our highways, improve air quality, and 
create new maritime industry jobs for Americans. The 
Subcommittee will examine potential options for increasing the 
cost-competitiveness and expanded use of this important 
transportation system. This will include oversight of MARAD's 
Marine Highway Program and the program's impact on increasing 
vessel traffic along these important routes.

National Maritime Strategy

    Section 3542 of the James M. Inhofe NDAA for FY 2023 (P.L. 
117-263) directed the Secretary of Transportation and the 
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in which the 
Coast Guard is operating, to enter into an agreement with a 
Federally funded research and development center to complete a 
study within one year of the date of enactment, that identifies 
the key elements needed for a National maritime strategy that 
is designed to among other things, ensure a capable, 
commercially viable, and military useful United States flag 
fleet, a robust United States mariner workforce and a strong 
domestic shipbuilding infrastructure.
    As MARAD and the Coast Guard enter into the study to 
further develop a comprehensive strategy to promote and expand 
economic opportunities for United States-flag carriers and 
related marine industries, the Subcommittee will conduct 
oversight of their efforts.

Status of the United States Merchant Marine and Coast Guard Recruiting 
        Challenges

    The Subcommittee remains concerned with the downward trend 
in the number of licensed and unlicensed United States mariners 
and a potential spike in attrition when many seafarers approach 
retirement age. The recruitment, training, and retention of 
credentialed United States mariners is necessary to not only 
maintain a United States flag presence on the high seas and in 
the United States domestic coastwise trade, but also to 
maintain sufficient seafarers to operate vessels deployed for 
military sealift during times of National emergency. At the 
same time, the Coast Guard, like other services, faces 
recruiting challenges that could harm the Service's readiness.
    The Subcommittee will continue its oversight of the issues 
involved in the current deficit of licensed merchant mariners 
and Coast Guard recruiting issues and explore potential options 
to expand the United States maritime workforce and strengthen 
the Coast Guard's ability to attract qualified service members. 
The Subcommittee will also look at credentialing requirements 
for United States seafarers, including recent Coast Guard 
enforcement of mariner credential requirements for non-
maritime, industrial, and technical workers on vessels. 
Furthermore, the Subcommittee will examine ways to facilitate 
viable pathways for separating servicemembers to enter the 
commercial maritime workforce, either at sea, on the docks, or 
in the shipyards through the existing Military to Mariner 
initiative.
    Additionally, the Subcommittee will continue its oversight 
of the Coast Guard's efforts to eliminate sexual harassment and 
sexual assault amongst its ranks.

Supply Chain, Port Infrastructure, and Implementation of the Ocean 
        Shipping Reform Act

    As FMC continues its work to implement the Ocean Shipping 
Reform Act (P.L. 117-146), the Subcommittee will review FMC's 
efforts to support trade opportunities for American exporters 
and improve the practices of international ocean shipping at 
our ports that contribute to a well-functioning supply chain. 
At the same time, the Subcommittee will review port 
infrastructure programs, including MARAD's Port Infrastructure 
Development Grant (PIDG) Program, to ensure the programs are 
operating effectively and contributing to the enhancement and 
efficiency of port operations.

 SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND EMERGENCY 
                               MANAGEMENT

    The Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, 
and Emergency Management is responsible for the authorization 
and oversight of Federal real estate programs, including 
construction, repair, alteration, maintenance, and acquisition 
of such real property; the authorization and oversight of 
programs promoting economic development in communities 
suffering economic distress; the authorization and oversight of 
programs addressing the full cycle of Federal management of 
emergencies and disasters--preparing for, protecting against, 
responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against future 
emergencies and disasters; and a variety of measures affecting 
homeland security, including building security provided by the 
Federal Protective Service (FPS). The Subcommittee will utilize 
its oversight activities to ensure that the Federal Government 
is responsibly stewarding taxpayer resources as it manages 
properties and responds to disasters.

Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Budget Requests

    The Subcommittee will review and evaluate the FY 2024 and 
FY 2025 budget proposals for the agencies within the 
Subcommittee's jurisdiction including the Economic Development 
Administration (EDA), FEMA, FPS, the General Services 
Administration's (GSA's) Public Buildings Service, and the 
regional commissions.

Emergency Management

    The Subcommittee will continue to examine and evaluate the 
Nation's ability to prevent, prepare for, mitigate against, 
respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies of all 
types, including terrorism. Continued oversight will be needed 
as states continue to be impacted by and recover from prior 
disasters. In addition, the Subcommittee will continue its 
oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 
implementation of reforms and authorities to the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-
288 as amended) (Stafford Act), the Disaster Recovery Reform 
Act (Division D of P.L. 115-254) (DRRA), the Sandy Recovery 
Improvement Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-2), and the Post-Katrina 
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-295).
    Further, the Subcommittee will continue its comprehensive 
review and assessment of how Federal disaster assistance has 
evolved over the past several decades and its continued 
effectiveness. The purpose is to examine how and why disaster 
costs and losses have continued to increase, which agencies 
provide assistance and how that money is spent, what guidance 
or controls are in place for the effective use of assistance, 
the appropriate role of the Federal Government, and measures 
that can improve resilience. Moreover, the Subcommittee will 
examine the appropriate role of FEMA and use of its resources 
and authorities by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Border Security

    Border Security remains a critical issue in our Nation. 
Given the crisis at the Southern border, the Subcommittee will 
examine the use of resources within its jurisdiction and the 
Executive Branch's allocation of resources and funds in 
accordance with the law. The Subcommittee will also continue 
its oversight of Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) construction 
projects, the implementation of the Public-Private Partnerships 
program, and examine additional ways in which private dollars 
could be leveraged.

Leasing

    The GSA owns or leases more than 8,800 assets, maintains an 
inventory of nearly 370 million square feet of workspace, and 
preserves approximately 500 historic properties. The GSA owns 
more than 1,500 Federal buildings with a total of 190 million 
square feet of space, and leases 187 million square feet of 
space in more than 8,100 leased properties.\5\ The Subcommittee 
will continue its oversight of GSA leasing and how it manages 
the replacement of expiring leases with quantifiable value for 
the taxpayer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\See GSA, Public Buildings Service, available at https://
www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/public-buildings-service (last 
visited Jan. 17, 2023); see also GSA, GSA Properties, available at 
https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/gsa-properties (last visited Jan. 17, 
2023).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Real Property Management

    The management of Federal Real Property has been on the 
GAO's ``High Risk'' list since 2003 due to a number of 
mismanagement issues including the overreliance on leasing to 
meet long-term space needs and underused or vacant space. In 
addition, with nearly half of GSA's assets over 50 years old, 
GSA has faced challenges maintaining a balanced inventory, 
draining Federal resources, and costing more to maintain old 
buildings that are often inefficient. This level of 
deterioration could have significant consequences for tenant 
agency missions and taxpayer costs. The Subcommittee will 
continue to examine how GSA manages its maintenance portfolio 
and whether GSA is sufficiently prioritizing maintenance 
requests.
    The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way Federal workers 
utilize real property. The Subcommittee will examine how the 
pandemic affected the amount and type of space GSA tenants need 
and what that means for future project funding. However, even 
prior to COVID-19, excess space existed across government 
adding to the cost to the taxpayer. The Subcommittee will 
examine current space utilization and work to reduce real 
estate costs. Additionally, the Subcommittee will continue 
oversight of the Public Buildings Reform Board created by the 
Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-287), 
which is charged with developing recommendations for the sale 
or redevelopment of high value real estate assets.
    The Subcommittee will also examine alternative solutions 
for leveraging private investment in capital projects, such as 
public private partnerships, to reduce the costs to the 
taxpayer, ensure buildings are properly maintained, and address 
problems with deferred maintenance.

Capital Investment and Leasing Program (CILP)

    As part of the Committee's annual work to review and 
authorize GSA's requests for authority to repair, alter, 
construct, and lease property for use by Federal agencies, the 
Subcommittee will review each prospectus presented to the 
Committee and recommend approval only after the Subcommittee is 
satisfied that the requests are cost-effective and in the best 
interest of the Federal Government and taxpayer.

Federal Courthouses

    The Subcommittee will closely oversee the progress made on 
authorized courthouses to ensure they are constructed within 
the limitations placed upon them by the Committee and the 
United States Courts Design Guide, including courtroom sharing 
by judges and staying below or within budget. The Subcommittee 
will also examine when and whether new courthouses are needed 
and whether newly constructed courthouses are overbuilt.

Federal Protective Service (FPS)

    The Subcommittee will continue to monitor and review the 
policies, procedures, and requirements of security at public 
buildings, as well as requirements of security at public 
buildings. The Subcommittee's oversight activities will also 
track the use of the FPS's law enforcement authority to ensure 
resources are appropriately focused on securing Federal 
buildings.

Architect of the Capitol (AOC)

    The Subcommittee will engage in ongoing oversight of 
projects being undertaken by the AOC pursuant to the Master 
Plan for the Capitol Complex. Consistent oversight will ensure 
proper prioritization and cost savings.

Smithsonian Institution Facilities

    The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of projects 
undertaken by the Smithsonian Institution including the 
acquisition, construction, and use of local and remote museums, 
research and storage facilities of the Institution, as well as 
future needs for new museums authorized by Congress. The 
Subcommittee will continue to ensure cost-effective solutions 
to the Smithsonian's space needs, such as leveraging private 
dollars and disposal or effective reuse of underused assets.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

    As a part of its ongoing oversight of the Kennedy Center's 
programs, the Subcommittee will regularly review the 
construction, alteration, and modernization activities of the 
Kennedy Center that are conducted using Federal funds to ensure 
appropriate management and cost savings, including Federal 
funds received due to the pandemic.

Economic Development

    The Subcommittee will work to ensure economic development 
programs leverage private dollars through infrastructure 
improvements to attract new jobs to distressed communities. The 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight to determine if these 
programs are targeted, effective, and adhering to their core 
missions. Additionally, the Subcommittee will continue its 
oversight of disaster relief funds appropriated to the EDA 
programs to assist communities impacted by natural disasters 
and the COVID-19 pandemic.

                  SUBCOMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT

    The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit has jurisdiction 
over Federal surface transportation policies, as well as 
transportation infrastructure and safety. The Subcommittee will 
broadly conduct oversight activities to ensure that our 
Nation's highways are safe, and American tax dollars are 
stewarded responsibly in the support of infrastructure 
improvement projects. The Subcommittee will closely monitor the 
regulations and guidance issued by DOT to ensure the agency is 
acting in accordance with Congressional intent.

Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Budget Requests

    The Subcommittee will review and evaluate the FY 2024 and 
FY 2025 budget proposals for agencies within its jurisdiction, 
including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the 
Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (FMCSA), and OST.

Supply Chain Crisis

    The rapid spread of COVID-19 exposed fragilities in 
transportation networks, with a disruption in one part of the 
supply chain having a ripple effect across all parts of the 
supply chain, from manufacturers to suppliers and distributors. 
Weaknesses in the global supply chain were exacerbated by 
supply and demand imbalances, restrictions and regulations, and 
workforce and infrastructure challenges. The Subcommittee will 
perform oversight of the supply chain and explore solutions to 
ensure resilience.

Infrastructure Surface and Transit Programs and Grants

    IIJA reauthorized Federal surface and transit 
transportation programs through FY 2026. While IIJA provided 
significant funding increases to address America's 
infrastructure needs, stakeholders have raised concerns that 
persistently high inflation is undermining those funding 
increases. The majority of funding in IIJA (under FHWA, FTA, 
and OST) allows recipients up to four years to obligate 
funding. If high inflation levels continue, IIJA's funding 
increases in the outyears also could be threatened. The 
Subcommittee will examine the impacts of inflation on 
infrastructure program and grant funding. Further, the 
Subcommittee will continue to assess the implementation of 
IIJA's mandates and grant programs through its oversight 
activities, particularly focused on ensuring that funding and 
grants criteria fall in line with IIJA.

Sustainability of Surface Transportation Programs

    The Federal highway, highway safety, and public 
transportation programs are user-fee financed through Federal 
excise taxes levied on motor fuels and on various highway-
related products such as tires and heavy trucks. Revenues from 
these user fees are deposited into the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) 
and may be used only for eligible transportation projects and 
activities. The Subcommittee will continue to monitor the 
status and solvency of the HTF.

     SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

    The Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous 
Materials has jurisdiction over all Federal laws and programs 
regulating railroad transportation, as well all Federal laws 
and programs regulating the safety of gas and liquid pipelines 
and safety of transporting material and freight that has been 
classified as hazardous. The Subcommittee will conduct 
oversight to ensure these activities occur in a safe and 
efficient manner. Additionally, the Subcommittee will work to 
hold Federal agencies accountable for their use of taxpayer 
resources, bringing greater transparency to agency decisions.

Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Budget Requests

    The Subcommittee will review and evaluate the FY 2024 and 
FY 2025 budget proposals for agencies within its jurisdiction, 
including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Amtrak, 
the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the Railroad Retirement 
Board, the National Mediation Board, and the Pipelines and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

Rail Infrastructure and Safety Programs

    Congress has authorized and appropriated legislation 
addressing rail infrastructure and safety improvements. For 
example, the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing 
program (RRIF) was established by the Transportation Equity Act 
for the 21st Century (P.L. 105-178) (TEA-21) and amended by the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity 
Act: a Legacy for Users (P.L. 109-59) (SAFETEA-LU), the Rail 
Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation Act (FAST Act) of 2015, and IIJA. Under this 
program, DOT is authorized to provide direct loans and loan 
guarantees up to $35 billion. Up to seven billion dollars is 
reserved for projects benefiting short line (Class II and III) 
freight railroads. Further, the Consolidated Railroad 
Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program 
was authorized in Section 11301 of the FAST Act. Under this 
program, DOT is authorized to provide grants up to $1 billion 
annually for both passenger and freight rail capital projects, 
workforce development and research, among others. Additionally, 
the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program was authorized in 
Sections 22104 and 22305 of IIJA at up to $500 million per 
year. This program provides funding for grade separation or 
closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, 
tunnel, or combination thereof; track relocation; and the 
planning of these projects. The Subcommittee's oversight 
activities will include monitoring the use of these funds.
    The FRA is the component of DOT responsible for 
administering Federal railroad safety laws and rail grant 
programs. The broad safety authority of the FRA encompasses 
railroad safety practices, equipment, and reporting. The FRA is 
also responsible for inspecting railroad operations for 
compliance with Federal safety requirements. Federal rail 
safety statutes are found in subtitle V of title 49, U.S.C. The 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight of FRA's safety programs.

Amtrak

    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, known as 
``Amtrak,'' was created by the Rail Passenger Service Act of 
1970, and its operations were additionally restructured by 
subsequent authorizations including the Passenger Rail 
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-432) (PRIIA 
2008). Amtrak operates three types of routes: the Northeast 
Corridor, operated on mostly Amtrak-owned track with costs 
allocated between Amtrak and commuter rail partners in 
accordance with Section 212 of PRIIA 2008; long-distance routes 
operated directly by Amtrak codified by PRIIA 2008; and state 
supported routes less than 750 miles, funded by states with 
costs allocated in accordance with Section 209 of PRIIA 2008.
    The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA 
2015) was included as Title XI of the FAST Act, and 
reauthorized Amtrak funding through FY 2020. PRRIA 2015 further 
changed the Federal funding of Amtrak by authorizing grants by 
service--the NEC and the National Network--rather than 
providing separate grants for operating and capital/debt 
service activities. Funds may be transferred between accounts 
upon notification to the Amtrak Board of Directors. This Act 
also reformed Amtrak's operations, budgeting, and planning 
processes to reflect the lines-of-business approach, including 
the allocation of costs and revenues to each account, and 
provided new procedures for Amtrak to follow when preparing and 
submitting a request for Federal grants.
    PRRIA 2015 also required Amtrak's accounting to be more 
transparent. Amtrak must provide detailed information to states 
on the costs of the routes for which the state provides 
financial support. Further, Amtrak is required to complete 
detailed five-year capital and financial plans, with annual 
explanations of the prior year's performance relative to the 
plan. PRRIA 2015 also established a State-Supported Route 
Advisory Committee, named the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger 
Rail Committee, to promote mutual cooperation and planning 
pertaining to the rail operations of Amtrak and related 
activities of trains operated by Amtrak on state-supported 
routes, which account for nearly half of Amtrak's total 
ridership.
    IIJA provided intercity passenger and freight rail 
generally, and Amtrak specifically, with historic levels of 
funding, including $66 billion in advance appropriations over 
five years. IIJA also redesignated the FAST Act's Federal-State 
Partnership for State of Good Repair grant program to the 
Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant 
program, and included advance appropriations of $36 billion for 
the program, of which no more than $24 billion can be awarded 
to projects on the Northeast Corridor, as identified in the 
FRA--created Northeast Corridor Inventory. IIJA also authorized 
$7.5 billion for potential future appropriations for the 
restructured program. The law further directed the Secretary of 
Transportation to take steps to develop intercity passenger 
rail corridors. IIJA also made other Amtrak changes, including 
changing one of its missions from achieving profit, to be in 
line with other Federally funded surface transportation 
programs to operate as a public service.
    Due to Amtrak's reliance on Federal funding, the 
Subcommittee exercises extensive oversight of the railroad to 
ensure that it is serving passengers reliably in accordance 
with statutory mandates and is responsibly spending its 
taxpayer funds. Specific areas of concern include prioritizing 
issues with Amtrak's existing network over plans for expansion, 
working with the private sector and states, ADA compliance, 
Southern border issues, profitability, policing, and generally 
following Congressional mandates.

Surface Transportation Board

    The Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 
2015 (P.L. 114-110) reauthorized the STB for the first time 
since the agency was created in 1995, which was a reconstituted 
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in place since the 
Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The STB, as was the ICC, is 
the economic regulator of the freight railroads and as such is 
responsible for monitoring freight railroad service. The 2015 
Act established the STB as a wholly independent Federal agency; 
expanded the STB's membership from three to five members; gave 
the STB authority to investigate issues of National or regional 
significance on its own initiative; and reauthorized the 
agency's funding through FY 2020. The Act also directed the STB 
to modify its voluntary arbitration process and made other 
changes to improve the STB's efficiency and responsiveness. The 
Subcommittee will continue to monitor freight railroad service, 
the STB's regulatory agenda and transparency into its 
operation, and potential need for grant funding. Finally, the 
Committee will continue to review STB and assess its 
authorization and funding structure.

Pipeline Safety Programs

    Congress reauthorized the PHMSA's pipeline safety program 
in the 116th Congress by enacting the Protecting Our 
Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 
2020 (P.L. 116-260) (PIPES Act of 2020). The PIPES Act of 2020 
reauthorized the PHMSA's pipeline safety program for FY 2021 
through FY 2023 and supports PHMSA in its mission to ensure the 
millions of miles of pipelines in the United States are safe, 
reliable, and environmentally sound.
    The PIPES Act of 2020 addressed pipeline methane emissions 
by directing pipeline operators to conduct leak detection and 
repair programs in an effort to protect the environment and 
pipeline safety, while enabling advanced leak detection 
technologies. The bill also required PHMSA study and implement 
best available technologies or practices to prevent or mitigate 
the release of natural gas when making planned repairs or 
maintenance, and when intentionally venting or releasing 
natural gas during blowdowns or other activities.
    The PIPES Act of 2020 supported PHMSA's oversight and 
rulemaking activities, by increasing the minimum number of 
full-time inspection and enforcement personnel, as well as 
subject matter experts who support agency rulemaking efforts. 
The legislation also required frequent reporting to Congress on 
progress made toward completing outstanding mandates. The 
Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the Office of Pipeline 
Safety at PHMSA. Additionally, the Subcommittee will monitor 
the implementation of the PIPES Act of 2020, including tracking 
updates on the completion of outstanding mandates. The 
Subcommittee will monitor PHMSA's overall work on pipeline 
safety, as well as any outstanding mandates from the 2016 
pipeline safety bill. Finally, the Committee will continue to 
review PHMSA and assess its authorization and funding 
structure.

Hazardous Materials Safety

    The Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Improvement 
Act of 2015, enacted as Title VII of the FAST Act, reauthorized 
the hazardous materials safety program through FY 2020. The Act 
included a number of provisions to enhance safety, with a 
significant focus on the transportation of flammable liquids, 
including crude oil, by rail. In 2021, IIJA reauthorized the 
hazardous materials safety program through FY 2026 and included 
an increase in authorization level for hazardous materials 
grant programs. IIJA also included authorization for the 
assistance for local emergency response training or ``ALERT'' 
grant program. The ALERT grant program allows PHMSA to promote 
hazmat response training for volunteer or remote emergency 
responders for activities that include the transportation of 
crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids by rail. The 
legislation also requires Class I railroads that transport 
hazardous materials to share train consist information, 
including the quantity of hazardous materials and the origin 
and destination of the train, so that railroads provide this 
information electronically to appropriate State and local first 
responders, rather than through a third party. The Subcommittee 
will continue oversight of PHMSA's hazardous materials safety 
program.

            SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

    The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has 
jurisdiction over matters relating to water resources 
development, conservation and management, water pollution 
control and water infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup. 
The Subcommittee's oversight activities will examine Federal 
actions impacting its jurisdiction, and work to ensure the 
programs under its jurisdiction benefit everyday Americans, 
businesses, farmers, and property owners, and protect the 
nation's water related environment from Federal overreach and 
burdensome regulations.

Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 Budget Requests

    The Subcommittee will review and evaluate the FY 2024 and 
FY 2025 budget proposals for the agencies within its 
jurisdiction, including programs administered by the DOT, the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps), the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), and the Tennessee Valley Authority 
(TVA).

Clean Water Act and Water Infrastructure Programs

    Continued improvement of water quality will likely require 
a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory approaches, as 
well as continued investment in the implementation of water 
quality-related and water infrastructure programs. The 
Subcommittee's oversight will focus on issues related to these 
approaches and investments.
    The Subcommittee will conduct oversight of the 
implementation of various regulatory and non-regulatory 
programs under the Clean Water Act (CWA), including how the EPA 
and the Corps implement these programs in conjunction with the 
states, and the trend on the effectiveness of the CWA on water 
quality. This includes oversight of issues involving the 
establishment and implementation of water quality standards, 
total maximum daily loads, effluent limitations and 
pretreatment requirements, dealing with discharges of oil or 
hazardous substances, permitting of point source discharges of 
pollutants under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System (NPDES) permit program, permitting of discharge of 
dredged or fill materials under CWA section 404 permit program, 
and how the EPA and Corps assert Federal jurisdiction and make 
jurisdictional decisions under the CWA. Oversight will also 
include an examination of Federal and state policies and 
efforts to address the presence of nutrients and other 
contaminants in waters under the CWA and other Federal 
statutes, science and data quality issues, the impact of CWA-
associated releases on waters that may be used as a source of 
drinking water, and continued efforts to improve the management 
of combined and sanitary sewer overflows, stormwater, and 
nonpoint sources of pollution.
    IIJA included the first reauthorization of the Clean Water 
State Revolving Fund (SRF), the primary source of Federal 
wastewater infrastructure funding, since its enactment in 1987, 
and appropriated $11.7 billion for the Clean Water SRF program 
from FY 2022 through FY 2026. IIJA also required that 49 
percent of appropriated Clean Water SRF funds be allocated by 
States to eligible recipients as 100 percent principal 
forgiveness or grants (or a combination of these). Continued 
investments in our Nation's water-related infrastructure should 
prioritize the creation of American jobs, should support a 
healthy economy and a healthy water-related environment, and 
should be affordable to communities facing financial 
challenges. In furtherance of this point, the Subcommittee will 
conduct oversight of wastewater treatment and water pollution 
control funding issues, including levels and sources of funding 
and management of grant and loan programs; opportunities for 
utilities to increase their overall efficiency and resiliency; 
wastewater security; and infrastructure needs.
    Further, the Subcommittee's oversight will include a review 
of the EPA's implementation of integrated approaches to 
municipal stormwater and wastewater management through EPA's 
integrated planning approach framework. The Subcommittee may 
investigate whether non-regulatory approaches, such as water 
quality trading and other market-based approaches, and other 
innovative approaches undertaken by state and local government, 
could result in improvements to the environment. Section 50204 
of IIJA amended the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse 
Municipal Grant Program, notably requiring EPA to work with the 
states to use at least 25 percent of grant awards on projects 
in rural communities with a population of less than 10,000 
people and/or financially distressed communities as defined by 
each state. The Subcommittee will monitor the implementation of 
this grant program.
    Moreover, the Subcommittee may review the implications of 
addressing, through traditional CWA permitting requirements, 
certain pollutant discharges, including discharges of 
pesticides, ballast water and incidental discharges from 
vessels, stormwater, and water transfers.

The Corps Water Resources Program

    The Subcommittee will review efforts to improve the 
efficiency and effectiveness of the organization, management, 
and missions of the civil works program of the Corps, including 
the selection, planning, and implementation of water resources 
projects; financing and maintenance of harbor and inland 
waterways infrastructure, and utilization of large, medium, and 
small harbors; the backlog of uninitiated Corps construction 
projects or deferred Corps maintenance projects, including 
prioritization of projects; asset management of projects in its 
operation and maintenance account, including existing and 
future levels of service; and efforts to improve the 
efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and consistent 
implementation of the Agency's regulatory programs, including 
those pertaining to wetlands (including the jurisdictional 
scope and procedural and substantive requirements of the 
permitting programs) and dredging activities. The Subcommittee 
will review the Corps' implementation of provisions of the 
Water Resources Development Act of 2022, including those that 
were intended to improve the efficiency of the project planning 
and project delivery process.
    The Subcommittee will focus on facilitating projects for 
the Nation to be built more efficiently and cost effectively, 
thereby more quickly delivering project benefits to the public, 
while ensuring compliance with existing planning and 
environmental laws. In addition, the Subcommittee will review 
Corps' activities to ensure that the Corps review of proposed 
non-Federal sponsor modifications to Federal projects are 
carried out in an effective manner.

EPA--Superfund/Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and 
        Liability Act and Brownfields

    The Superfund program under the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (P.L. 96-51) (CERCLA) 
is aimed at cleaning up land in the United States that has been 
contaminated by hazardous waste and poses a risk to human 
health and/or the environment. The Brownfields program was 
authorized under the Brownfields Revitalization and 
Environmental Restoration Act (which amended CERCLA). The 
Brownfields program is aimed at enhancing state, local, and 
private-sector cleanups of properties, the redevelopment or use 
of which may be complicated by the presence or potential 
presence of a contaminant. Unaddressed Brownfields and 
Superfund sites pose potential human health concerns, drive 
down property values and tax revenues, and can deter 
reinvestment in cities and towns. The Brownfields program 
protects from Superfund liability many parties engaged in 
voluntary Brownfields cleanups and supports state and local 
Brownfields assessment and cleanup activities, and state 
voluntary cleanup programs. The Subcommittee's oversight will 
focus on issues related to implementation of the Superfund and 
Brownfields programs, as well as assess authorization of the 
Brownfields program, which expires at the end of FY 2023.
    The Subcommittee will review efforts to improve the 
efficiency and effectiveness of the contaminated site cleanup 
process, the process of assessing natural resources damages, 
and the efforts to hold responsible parties accountable, 
consistent with Federal law. In addition, the Subcommittee will 
review the liability, financing, and settlement mechanisms and 
procedures under the current Superfund program, including the 
relation of funding sources and levels for the Superfund and 
Brownfields programs to current demands and needs. The 
Subcommittee will continue to review implementation of the 
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization 
Act (P.L. 107-118). This includes evaluating whether there is a 
need to amend the liability provisions associated with 
Brownfields sites, including those providing protections for 
innocent parties.
    The Subcommittee will also review the role of the states in 
conducting financing cleanups, and review the relationships 
among the states, EPA, and other Federal entities in 
implementing the Superfund and Brownfields programs. Further, 
the Subcommittee's oversight will include a review of ongoing 
Federal, state, and local efforts to revitalize brownfields, 
including through the implementation of the Small Business 
Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Finally, 
the Subcommittee will work to promote state, local, and private 
efforts to clean up and redevelop Superfund and Brownfields 
sites.

Tennessee Valley Authority

    The Subcommittee will review the management of TVA and its 
programs, including its energy program, operations in the 
current marketplace, its long-term management of TVA assets, 
properties and byproducts of energy generation, labor 
relations, and the impact of TVA debt on its long-term goals.

International Boundary Water Commission

    The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) was 
established in 1889 with the responsibility for applying the 
boundary and water treaties between the United States and 
Mexico and settling any disputes over their application. The 
body is comprised of both the United States and Mexican 
sections, headed by an Engineer-Commissioner who is appointed 
by the President. The United States Section is headquartered in 
El Paso, TX, and operates under the guidance of the State 
Department. The IBWC carries out, in accordance with their 
governing treaties, the distribution, regulation, and 
conservation of water in the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers for 
use by both countries; joint construction, operations, and 
maintenance of international storage dams and reservoirs and 
hydroelectric plants, flood protection, and sanitation projects 
for border water quality problems, as well as demarcating the 
boundary between the United States and Mexico.
    In the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation 
Act (P.L. 116-113), Congress appropriated $300 million to EPA 
for the planning, design, and construction of high priority 
wastewater facilities in the area of the United States-Mexico 
Border. The Subcommittee will continue to conduct oversight 
over the implementation of this funding and the coordination 
between EPA and IBWC to carry out this work. The Subcommittee 
will also continue its oversight of IBWC's efforts to upgrade 
the International Outfall Interceptor in Nogales, Arizona.

``Waters of the United States'' (WOTUS) Rulemakings

    Congress enacted the 1972 amendments to the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water 
Act (CWA), with the goal of restoring and maintaining the 
integrity of the Nation's waters. The CWA protects ``navigable 
waters,'' which is defined in the CWA as the ``waters of the 
United States, including the territorial seas.''
    The CWA does not further define the term ``waters of the 
United States'' (WOTUS), leaving it up to EPA and the Corps to 
define which waters are subject to Federal regulation under the 
CWA. Since the CWA grants authority to EPA and the Corps to 
implement the Act, EPA and the Corps have promulgated several 
sets of rules interpreting the agencies' jurisdiction over 
WOTUS and the corresponding scope of CWA authority.
    A clear and consistent WOTUS definition, which is 
consistent with the statutory intent of CWA and operates with 
certainty and efficiency to protect the environment and sustain 
and grow new jobs is crucial to achieving the goals of the CWA. 
The Subcommittee will examine any proposed or final rules 
issued by the Administration relating to WOTUS, and their 
implementation. Additionally, the Subcommittee will assess the 
regulatory burden of any rule, highlighting the impact of these 
changes on regulatory certainty.

  EXPIRING AUTHORIZATIONS OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE 
                               COMMITTEE

    During the 118th Congress, as part of both its oversight 
and legislative agenda, the Committee will review the 
authorizations of agencies and programs within its 
jurisdiction. In addition to the efforts outlined above, the 
reauthorization activities of the Committee will include 
legislation regarding the FAA, the Coast Guard, water resources 
development projects, and pipeline safety.
    The following pieces of legislation contain programs within 
the Committee's jurisdiction that have expiring authorizations 
in FY 2023. First, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 
115-254) contains several expiring authorizations including 
those for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), FAA 
operations, Essential Air Service, air navigation facilities 
and equipment, Federal aviation research, engineering, and 
development, supplemental discretionary grants for airport 
improvement, the Know Before You Fly education campaign, and 
small community air service.\6\ Second, America's Water 
Infrastructure Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-270), includes expiring 
authorizations for levee safety programs, dam safety research 
and training, and the Long Island Sound Stewardship 
Initiative.\7\ Third, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-282) contains an expiring 
authorization for the activities of the Great Lakes and Lake 
Champlain Invasive Species Program.\8\ Fourth, the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334) contains expiring 
authorizations for the Northern Border Regional Commission, the 
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Southwest 
Border Regional Commission.\9\ Fifth, the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) Divisions V and R 
includes provisions related to the FAA's oversight of 
organization designation authorization unit members, the FAA 
providing certification personnel continuing education, 
international authorities at the FAA, as well as pipeline 
safety and associated grants.\10\ Sixth, the STORM Act (P.L. 
116-284) contains a provision authorizing FEMA to provide 
grants to states for disaster relief. Seventh, IIJA (P.L. 117-
58) has an expiring authorization for Amtrak to conduct a daily 
long-distance service study.\11\ Eighth, the James M. Inhofe 
NDAA for FY 2023 (P.L. 117-263) Division K includes expiring 
authorizations related to the Maritime Administration, the 
Coast Guard, and the Alteration of Bridges Program.\12\ 
Finally, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-
328), contains expiring authorizations related to levee 
stability projects for the Calfed Bay-Delta and a pilot program 
providing grants to develop comprehensive plans for advanced 
air mobility infrastructure.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\See Pub. L. 115-254, Sec. Sec. 158, 356, 455.
    \7\See Pub. L. 115-270, Sec. Sec. 1144, 1163, 4104 (c).
    \8\See Pub. L. 115-282, Sec. 903(g)(7).
    \9\See Pub. L. 115-334, Sec. 6304(e).
    \10\See Pub. L. 116-260, Div. V Sec. Sec. 104(a), 107(a), 112(a), 
119(f), 119(g), Div. R Sec. 101(a),(b).
    \11\See Pub. L. 116-284.
    \12\See Pub. L. 117-263, Div. K, Sec. Sec. 1101(1), (2)(C), (3)(A), 
(3)(B), (5)(B).
    \13\See Pub. L. 117-328, Div. D Sec. 204(a), Div. Q Sec. 101(c)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Authorizations within the Committee's jurisdiction also 
expired in FY 2022. Those provisions were included in the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) and are related to 
the NTSB, grants to administer the Emergency Management 
Assistance Compact, and Emergency Management Performance 
Grants.\14\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \14\See Pub. L. 115-254, Sec. Sec. 1217(b), (c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Further, within the Committee's jurisdiction are several 
programs contained within the Railroad Retirement Act, the 
Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act, and the 
Railway Labor Act that are permanently authorized. The 
Committee will work to conduct the necessary reviews of these 
programs over this and next Congress. Such oversight may 
include hearings, roundtables, site visits, GAO investigations, 
IG Audits, briefings and meetings with the relevant agency, and 
oversight letters to the relevant agency, as appropriate. Upon 
completion of such review and oversight, the Committee will 
determine the appropriate next steps regarding these permanent 
authorizations.




                     COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

 AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

             U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 118TH CONGRESS

                     (Adopted February 28th, 2023)

    Pursuant to clause 2(d)(1) of rule X of the House of 
Representatives requires each standing Committee to develop an 
oversight plan for the two-year period of the Congress and to 
submit the plan to the Committee on Oversight and Reform and to 
the Committee on House Administration not later than March 1st 
of the first session of the Congress.
    The Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Committee) adopted the 
following Authorization and Oversight Plan for the 118th 
Congress. The Committee will conduct rigorous oversight of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the agency adequately 
delivers its promise to our nation's veterans through its 
comprehensive care and benefits.
    The Committee will review all laws and programs within its 
jurisdiction to assess their application, administration, 
execution, and effectiveness while providing transparency and 
accountability. The Committee seeks to eliminate waste, fraud, 
abuse, and mismanagement through such examination.
    Congress is responsible for keeping the Executive Branch 
accountable to the American people and ensuring agency 
decisions are open and transparent. The adopted Authorization 
and Oversight Plan identifies programs whose authorization soon 
expires throughout the five subcommittees: the Subcommittee on 
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the Subcommittee on 
Economic Opportunity, the Subcommittee on Health, the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and the 
Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. The Authorization and 
Oversight Plan also outlines the initial and primary focuses of 
the Committee, and additional oversight activities are expected 
to arise throughout the first and second sessions of the 118th 
Congress.
    In accordance with clause 2(d)(2)(E) of rule X, the 
Committee will work to limit unintended consequences of the 
Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (Fund), section 805 of P.L. 
117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. According to the 
Congressional Budget Office, the Toxic Exposures Fund now 
encompasses programs or activities funded by the following 
accounts: Medical Community Care, Medical Support and 
Compliance, Medical Services, Medical and Prosthetic Research, 
Veterans Electronic Health Care Record, General Operating 
Expenses (VBA), General Administration, Information Technology, 
and Board of Veterans Appeals. Therefore, portions of these 
accounts that had been entirely discretionary may now become 
partially mandatory. Any legislation creating or modifying 
programs or activities funded by these accounts will receive a 
mandatory score. The Committee will continue to oversee the 
VA's use of the Fund to ensure that it supports PACT Act 
implementation and the care of veterans exposed to toxic 
substances. The Committee will also continue to engage with the 
Budget and Appropriations Committees to assess the long-term 
impacts of the Fund and resolve any impediments to the 
Committee's ability to carry out its legislative 
responsibilities.
    The Committee will consult, as appropriate, with other 
committees of the House that may share jurisdiction on any of 
the oversight activities the Committee may consider.

                     U.S. House of Representatives

                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

            118th Congress--Authorization and Oversight Plan

    In accordance with clause 2 of rule X, the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs submits its Authorization and Oversight Plan 
for the 118th Congress. The Committee conducts its oversight 
with the help of five Subcommittees: the Subcommittee on 
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the Subcommittee on 
Economic Opportunity, the Subcommittee on Health, the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and the 
Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. It is expected that 
oversight of the issues outlined below will be a shared 
responsibility of the full Committee and the appropriate 
subcommittees.
    While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) carries out 
many of its functions and programs under the authority of 
broad, organic statutes pertaining to health care, benefits, or 
the organization of the Department, some programs operate under 
specific authorizations. These are indicated in the applicable 
subcommittee sections. Programs whose authorizations soon 
expire are emphasized. The Committee plans to devote particular 
attention to major VA information technology (IT) programs and 
projects, all of which have yet to be authorized. This 
Congress, the Committee will individually consider whether to 
authorize each such program or project.

       Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

     Authorizations of Disability Assistance and 
Memorial Affairs Programs--Each Congress, the Committee 
authorizes or reauthorizes VA programs in the jurisdiction of 
the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. 
The Committee will continue to authorize on a case-by-case 
basis for new legislation and will review and determine 
reauthorizations for existing programs. During the 117th 
Congress, Titles II, III, and IV of P.L. 117-168, the Sergeant 
First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address 
Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act) authorized 
disability compensation and dependency indemnity compensation 
benefits for toxic-exposed veterans and their survivors and 
established a program to determine if additional veterans are 
suffering from conditions that may be linked to military toxic 
exposures. This legislation also requires VA to report on the 
implementation of those provisions. The Committee will work 
with VA to ensure authorized programs are implemented as 
Congress intended and review older programs to ensure they are 
funded appropriately.
     Toxic Exposures--The Veterans Benefits 
Administration (VBA) is implementing provisions related to 
delivering compensation benefits for toxic-exposed veterans 
within the PACT Act. VBA began processing PACT Act-related 
claims on January 1st, 2023, including claims for 24 
presumptive conditions. VBA did not have implementation 
regulations in place before it went live on January 1st. 
Instead, VBA published a training policy letter, which was 
provided to claims processors, on Regulations.gov on December 
22nd, 2022. The Committee will conduct rigorous oversight of 
VBA's implementation of the PACT Act to ensure success. This 
will include evaluating the effectiveness of training and 
guidance, information technology updates, hiring procedures, 
outreach materials and methods, quality review, and overall 
veteran satisfaction.
     VBA Quality Review--VBA employs a variety of 
mechanisms to review the quality of initial claims decisions. 
The Compensation Service and the Office of Field Operations 
(OFO) are responsible for administering quality assurance of 
compensation claims. In 2020 and 2021, the Office of Inspector 
General (OIG) released four reports which found deficiencies in 
VBA's four quality review programs. OIG reviewed VBA's Site 
Visit program, Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) 
program, Quality Review Team program, and Consistency Study 
program. OIG also assessed the effectiveness of coordination 
between the Compensation Service and OFO and identified areas 
of improvement. The Committee will investigate the efficacy of 
VBA's quality assurance procedures and VBA's progress in 
addressing the gaps in the above programs. Additionally, the 
Committee will continue to explore how VBA has designed its 
quality review measures, and to what extent that design yields 
accurate results.
     VBA Training--A June 2021 Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) report found that VBA could improve 
its design, implementation, and evaluation of its training 
programs. VBA employees have also reported that VBA's Virtual 
and In-Person Progression (VIP) training program is of poor 
quality and does not adequately prepare examiners to process 
claims. Furthermore, the VBA manual is frequently updated, and 
employees are not always required to undergo new training that 
explains the changes. The Committee will conduct oversight into 
how VBA implements training and seek methods to improve 
training to ensure veterans receive the benefits to which they 
are entitled.
     Reducing and Preventing Compensation and Pension 
Backlog by Modernizing VA Claims--Veterans are experiencing 
longer wait times for a decision on their claim due to 
processing delays resulting from the pandemic. Further, the 
VA's inventory of pending claims has risen due to the extension 
of presumptive benefits to toxic-exposed veterans. As of 
February 4th, 2023, VA's compensation and pension inventory 
totaled 742,149 claims, including a backlog of 197,353 claims. 
The Committee will conduct oversight into how VBA reduces its 
claims backlog to its target of reaching a functional zero of 
100,000 claims, prioritizes the oldest and most emergent claims 
(such as those for homeless or critically ill veterans), and 
provides timely and accurate decisions. Additionally, the 
Committee will explore how VA can further utilize technology to 
assist with claims processing and reduce the pending claims 
inventory. For example, VA is piloting the use of automation in 
the claims process. The Committee will assess the accuracy and 
timeliness of claims developed using automation.
     Fiduciary Reform--The Committee will review the 
performance of the VBA Fiduciary Program. The program is 
designed to provide financial security to veterans and other 
beneficiaries who have been determined unable to manage their 
VA benefit payments. In FY 2022, VA fiduciaries managed over 
108,000 VA beneficiaries' benefits. Fiduciaries are designated 
by VA and can be a family member, close friends, or 
professional fiduciary. The review will include oversight of 
how fiduciaries are appointed; the Department's compliance with 
provisions in the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (P.L. 
103-159), which can potentially prevent beneficiaries in the 
fiduciary program from purchasing firearms; and fraud 
associated with the program. Moreover, in July 2021, OIG 
continued to identify deficiencies in the Fiduciary Program, 
such as significant wait times for misuse and negligence 
determinations and the reimbursement of misused funds. The 
Committee will review how VBA can better protect and serve 
beneficiaries needing a fiduciary.
     National Cemeteries--The Committee will continue 
oversight of the National Cemetery Administration (NCA), 
Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), and the American Battle 
Monuments Commission (ABMC), to include each organization's 
mission, operations, and inquiries into matters of unclaimed 
remains, access, and the methodology for determining veteran 
satisfaction. Each of the above organizations provides a 
sacred, hallowed resting place for veterans. VA alone operates 
over 150 National Cemeteries to provide an honorable resting 
place for veterans and certain dependents. The Committee will 
examine several issues, including cemetery maintenance, access, 
construction, and overall management issues.
     Medical Disability Exam Office (MDEO)--Some 
veterans require a VA medical examination to adjudicate a claim 
for disability benefits. Unfortunately, there need to be more 
VA examiners to perform these evaluations on time, and some 
veterans experience lengthy delays before VA can schedule such 
examinations. It may be challenging for VA to timely schedule 
these examinations if the veteran needs to see a specialist, 
such as a cardiologist or orthopedic surgeon. Moreover, 
veterans living in rural areas may have to travel many miles to 
a VA facility to see a VA examiner for a disability 
examination. To provide veterans with more timely examinations, 
VA has the authority to contract with independent physicians to 
conduct disability examinations. The MDEO office within VBA 
oversees quality, timeliness, and veteran satisfaction with the 
program. The Committee will evaluate how MDEO plans to address 
underperforming contractors and ensure that contractors 
maintain or improve quality services for veterans.
     Life Insurance--On January 5th, 2021, President 
Trump signed P.L. 116-315, which required VA to establish a 
modernized Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance program by 
January 1st, 2023. VA refers to this program as VA Life 
Insurance (VALife). The Committee will conduct continuous 
oversight of the VA's implementation of VALife to ensure that 
veterans are timely enrolled into the new program and well 
served. Additionally, the Committee will continue to review 
whether all of the VA's active life insurance programs meet the 
needs of servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
     VBA's Physical Infrastructure--VBA is comprised of 
a system of 56 Regional Offices (ROs). These ROs have an 
unnecessarily large infrastructure footprint due to the amount 
of unused space in the current telework-heavy environment, 
which increases costs. Additionally, the pandemic accelerated 
the expansion of telework and remote work within VBA. The 
Committee will explore VBA's plans to reduce unnecessary space 
and associated costs due to its physical infrastructure.
     Manila Regional Office--The authorization for the 
Manila RO, the only overseas RO, expires on September 30th, 
2024. Initially, the Manila RO was established to better 
provide VA services to World War II veterans who resided in the 
Philippines. Since then, the Manila RO's role in benefits 
delivery has changed as VBA has modernized the claims process. 
In 2016, VA deployed the National Work Queue (NWQ), which 
assigned claims to whichever RO has the capacity to handle it 
first, rather than the more traditional model of having the 
Regional Office nearest the veteran handle the claim. As a 
result, the Manila RO began processing claims for veterans who 
resided outside of the Philippines. The Committee will examine 
whether the Manila RO's caseload, output, and quality justify 
the need for an overseas RO.

                  Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

     Authorizations of Economic Opportunity Programs--
Each Congress, the Committee authorizes or reauthorizes VA 
programs in the jurisdiction of Economic Opportunity. The 
Committee will continue to authorize on a case-by-case basis 
for new legislation and will review and determine 
reauthorizations for previous programs. During the 117th 
Congress, Sec. 302 and Sec. 303 in the Joseph Maxwell Cleland 
and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health 
Care Improvement Act of 2022 authorized homeless veteran 
programs. Under the G.I. Bill, the Digital G.I. Bill Program 
will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2024. The Committee 
will work with VA to ensure authorized programs are implemented 
as Congress intended and review older programs to ensure they 
are funded appropriately.
     Effectiveness of the Transition Assistance Program 
(TAP)--The Committee continues to be concerned about the 
effectiveness of the TAP program, which is intended to prepare 
servicemembers for their return to civilian life following 
active duty. The Departments of Defense (DoD), Veterans 
Affairs, and Labor (DoL) jointly manage and provide content to 
the five-day course that focuses on skills needed to obtain 
gainful employment and provides an understanding of the 
benefits that are available to them from the VA and DoL. The 
Committee will conduct stakeholder roundtables and oversight 
hearings to discuss how TAP can be enhanced for transitioning 
servicemembers and their families. Further, the Committee plans 
to have personnel attend TAP classes to review the curriculum 
that TAP counselors are teaching at the local levels and ensure 
changes made to TAP in the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense 
Authorization Act and the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. 
Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act are being 
implemented appropriately. Finally, the Committee will work 
with the Committees on Armed Services and Education and the 
Workforce to address cross-jurisdictional issues as we improve 
the TAP program.
     Effectiveness and Outcomes of Education and 
Training Programs for Returning Veterans--The Post-9/11 G.I. 
Bill has been veterans' most generous education program since 
the original WWII G.I. Bill. Based on the length of service, 
the program funds up to full tuition and fees at public 
institutions of higher learning and about $26,381 per year at 
private institutions, as well as provides a monthly living 
stipend. This stipend is based on the housing allowance paid to 
servicemembers at the rank of E 5 (with dependents) and the ZIP 
Code of the institution where the student attends the majority 
of their classes. The Committee will continue oversight of the 
implementation of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational 
Assistance Act of 2017, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, 
M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, and the 
Ensuring the Best Schools for Veterans Act of 2022.
    Further, as avenues for learning and training continue to 
evolve and modernize, the Committee will examine these new 
programs and how they may fit into the construct and 
requirements of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill program in a post-
COVID-19 world. The Committee will also conduct oversight on 
Veteran Success on Campus programs, and on the national 
education call center to ensure G.I. students are receiving the 
best possible service. In addition, the Committee will examine 
outcome measures for users of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, 
including graduation rates and job placement data, to ensure 
the effectiveness of taxpayers' investment in our veterans' 
education benefits. Finally, the Committee will work with the 
State Approving Agencies to put in place policies that protect 
student veterans against predatory or deceitful recruiting 
practices of post-secondary institutions, such as providing 
misinformation about student outcomes or encouraging veterans 
to take out unnecessary private student loans.
     Modernization of G.I. Bill Claims Processing--
Modernizing the processing of original and supplemental G.I. 
Bill claims is long overdue. For decades, VA has relied on a 
myriad of ancient legacy systems to process these claims 
because previous modernization efforts have failed. The 
Committee will continue to conduct oversight over the current 
modernization effort called the Digital G.I. Bill system. An 
outside contractor is tasked with creating and implementing of 
this system as a managed service, and VA plans to roll out the 
bulk of the system by late 2023. This system will automate the 
process and reduce the caseworker's workload. The Committee 
will closely watch the rollout of the contractor's new software 
and work to protect veterans' ability to have a G.I. Bill claim 
processed accurately and in a timely fashion. The Committee 
will also hold the contractor and VA accountable if the program 
experiences difficulties.
     Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program--
VA's VR&E program provides education and training benefits for 
service-connected disabled veterans who face barriers to 
employment. The program funds all costs related to long and 
short-term education and training and immediate job placement 
services. VR&E also manages the Independent Living (IL) 
program, designed to enable the most severely injured veterans 
to live as independently as possible, in addition to the 
Veteran Success on Campus program, which currently stations 
VR&E staff at institutions of higher learning to assist 
students with benefits. The Committee continues to be concerned 
with counselor caseloads, rising job vacancies, and outcomes of 
VR&E programs, as well as the administration of the self-
employment track of the VR&E program, which can often result in 
high costs. The Committee will also conduct oversight over 
management and overall effectiveness of the VR&E program, the 
``eVA'' IT system, and VA's failure to provide a case 
management system that has been delayed after two failed 
attempts that have effectively wasted $26 million.
     Loan Guaranty Service--VA's Loan Guaranty Service 
provides a loan guaranty benefit to eligible veterans and 
servicemembers, which enables them to purchase a home at a 
competitive interest rate, without private mortgage insurance, 
often without requiring a down payment. This benefit is highly 
beneficial to veterans, servicemembers, and their families. The 
Committee plans to conduct oversight of the home loan program 
with a focus on their appraisal process as well as a new focus, 
ensuring that the IT systems in place to process these loans 
are modernized. Finally, the Committee intends to evaluate the 
impact of high-interest rates and inflation on the veteran 
homeowner and prospective home buyers and will examine ways to 
make the product competitive. The Loan Guaranty Service also 
administers grants under the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) 
and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) programs. These grants, 
provided to eligible veterans with permanent and total service-
connected disabilities, enable the veteran to adapt their 
current home or construct a new home that allows them to live 
in a home that is not obstructive to them due to their 
disabilities. The Committee will continue to conduct oversight 
of this program and enhancements that were made to this program 
by the Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing 
Improvement Act.
     Adaptive Sports Program--This is a program 
administered by VA, which provides grants to qualifying 
organizations that provide adaptive sports activities and 
opportunities at the local, regional, and national levels, 
including Paralympic activities, to disabled veterans and 
servicemembers. This program awarded $16 million in 2022. The 
authorization for the Adaptive Sports Program expires on 
December 31st, 2024. The Committee will continue to examine how 
VA awards grants under this program and the organizations 
receiving funding, as well as how VA works with local 
communities and the Paralympic community to promote and enhance 
adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and 
servicemembers.
     Licensing and Credentialing Issues--DoD spends 
billions of tax dollars to provide servicemembers with the 
skills needed to complete DoD's mission. Many of those skills 
translate well to civilian jobs. Unfortunately, not all states 
recognize and give credit for military training to qualify for 
state-licensed positions. Therefore, the training provided by 
DoD is essentially wasted. The Committee will review efforts by 
states and other entities to provide appropriate licenses and 
credentials to qualified veterans whose military training 
renders them eligible for such credentials or licenses, as well 
as the progress that states are making to make certain licenses 
and credentials transferrable across state lines.
     Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP)--
HVRP is a program administered by DoL's Veteran Employment and 
Training Service (VETS), which provides grants to state and 
local workforce investment boards, local public agencies and 
nonprofit organizations, and tribal governments, including 
faith-based and community organizations. The organizations that 
compete and receive these grants provide homeless veterans with 
occupational, classroom, and on-the-job training, as well as 
job search and placement assistance. The authorization for HVRP 
expires on September 30th, 2024. The Committee will conduct an 
oversight hearing to examine the organizations that are 
receiving these grants, how VETS is awarding these grants, and 
how the program can be enhanced at the federal and state levels 
to place more homeless veterans in careers. The Committee's 
oversight is crucial as the Committee continues to work with VA 
and ensure the number of homeless veterans continues to 
decrease.
     Performance of the Jobs for Veterans State Grant 
Program--The Jobs for Veterans State Grant program is 
administered by VETS and funds the employment of state 
employees called Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists 
(DVOP) and Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVER). 
This program is dedicated to placing veterans in good-paying 
jobs. Significant issues surround this program's inconsistent 
performance across the states, and the outcome measures used to 
determine performance continue to be inadequate. The Committee 
will continue to review this program and the performance 
outcomes of DVOPs and LVERs and conduct oversight of the 
National Veterans' Training Institute (NVTI), which trains 
DVOPs and LVERs on job placement and training skills for 
veterans.
     Homeless Veterans--The Committee will continue 
oversight of how COVID-19 has impacted the services and 
programs that VA grantees provide to homeless veterans and 
those veterans who are at risk for homelessness. The Committee 
will also review VA efforts to permanently house homeless 
veterans and ensure that those veterans are receiving the wrap-
around services they need. The Committee will also ensure that 
if a veteran leaves permanent housing, VA will work with the 
veteran to address their needs and rehouse them as quickly as 
possible. In addition, the Committee will ensure that VA is 
accurately counting those veterans who have been housed and 
don't leave housing. The Committee will examine the Supportive 
Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), Housing and Urban 
Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) 
programs, and VA's progress toward reducing veteran 
homelessness. The Committee will also address the myriad of 
factors underlying veteran homelessness. The Committee will 
continue to oversee VA's integration efforts to support 
vulnerable veterans by facilitating access to benefits, care, 
and services. Finally, the Committee will continue to evaluate 
the effectiveness of temporary measures passed in response to 
the pandemic to support employment and homelessness programs at 
the VA that are serving more individuals due to COVID-19.

                         Subcommittee on Health

     Authorizations of Medical Programs--The Secretary 
vests in the Undersecretary for Health the authority and 
responsibility for medical services, community care, medical 
support and compliance, and facility maintenance and 
construction programs under the authority of 38 U.S. Code, 
chapters 17, 73, 74, 75, 76, 81 and 82. Except for major 
medical construction projects and certain leases, annual 
authorization by the Committee is not required. P.L. 117-168, 
the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to 
Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, Title VII, modified 
the congressional process by which major medical facility 
leases are authorized, granted VA authority to enter into 
agreements with academic affiliates and other entities to 
acquire space for the purpose of providing healthcare resources 
to veterans, modified the requirements for VA's enhanced-use 
lease authority, and provided permanent authority for joint 
leasing actions between DoD and VA. Additionally, Title 38 
includes certain multiple-year authorizations for specific 
purposes. The Committee routinely examines the programs that 
have expiring authorities or sunset dates. As part of P.L. 117-
180, the Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 2023, numerous health programs were 
reauthorized through FY 2024. In this same legislation, VA and 
DoD were authorized to continue the joint incentives program 
related to healthcare resources through FY 2026.
     Community Care--The Committee remains concerned 
about inconsistent VA referral practices and veterans' ability 
to utilize community care when in their best interest. 
Eligibility for care in the community is determined in part by 
designated access standards, as mandated by the VA Maintaining 
Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks 
(MISSION) Act of 2018. The Committee will closely monitor any 
adjustments made to access standard definitions. The Committee 
will conduct oversight of the VA's reorganized Integrated 
Veteran Care (IVC) office established to supposedly create a 
seamless system for coordinating VA's direct and community care 
delivery systems. Even as the Community Care Networks have 
stabilized and matured, concerns still remain about network 
adequacy and continuity of care. The Committee will continue to 
monitor veterans' access to care and VA's processes for 
monitoring the performance of the third-party administrators to 
build networks of community providers and process payments to 
these providers. VA's administratively burdensome appointment 
scheduling process needs reform, and the Committee will 
continue to conduct oversight to ensure VA improves its 
administrative efficiency and network adequacy in the U.S. 
territories, with particular emphasis on the highly remote 
islands within the Pacific region. In addition, the Committee 
will monitor VA's efforts to provide veterans greater insight 
into both VA and community care appointment wait times and 
availability, so veterans can make informed decisions about 
where best to seek care. Finally, the Committee will continue 
to monitor the baseline funding to the Medical Community Care 
account to ensure funds are being used most appropriately.
     Market Assessments and Infrastructure 
Modernization--The Committee will continue aggressive oversight 
of VA's major medical facility construction and leasing program 
and consider needed actions to address VA's vast and aging 
capital asset portfolio. The Committee is especially concerned 
about the continued maintenance requirements of underutilized 
facilities and the growing need for an expanded footprint in 
areas of the country experiencing significant veteran 
population growth. The MISSION Act required VA to conduct 
market assessments, first to inform recommendations for an 
Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission and subsequently on 
a continuing basis as a strategic review. As VA seeks to begin 
the process of updating market assessments for the strategic 
review, the Committee will conduct oversight of these 
assessments to ensure concerns about the underlying methodology 
are addressed and appropriate stakeholder involvement occurs. 
The Committee will explore mechanisms to best incorporate these 
assessments into and reform the VA Strategic Capital Investment 
Planning (SCIP) process to include better systemic metrics that 
would require realignment or modernization of certain 
facilities. Furthermore, given the changes made to leasing 
under the PACT Act, the Committee is eager for VA to leverage 
those modifications and see the impact they will have on 
veterans' access to care closer to home.
     Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicide 
Prevention--The Committee will continue to closely monitor VA's 
mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts, 
particularly its new programs and the effectiveness of existing 
programs. In 2020, two large veterans' mental health and 
suicide prevention legislative packages became law (the 
Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care 
Improvement Act and the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, 
Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act), necessitating 
continued implementation oversight. This oversight effort will 
also include the expanded eligibility for and operational 
capacity of the Readjustment Counseling Service. The Committee 
will closely monitor and provide recommendations on VA's use of 
community providers and organizations to deliver mental health, 
substance use, and suicide prevention services to veterans, 
when VA cannot provide these services directly and when at-risk 
veterans are outside VA's reach. Given ongoing issues with 
timely veteran suicide data collection, analysis, and reporting 
from VA, the Committee also will work with VA and stakeholders 
to evaluate VA's use and dissemination of best practices in 
real-time veteran suicide surveillance. The Committee also will 
examine VA's substance use and addiction treatment capacity and 
programming, with a focus on access and complications of 
overlapping mental health issues.
     Staffing, Recruitment, and Retention--The 
Committee will closely examine VA's staffing, recruitment, and 
retention programs and take action to correct deficiencies 
within VA's overly bureaucratic and lengthy hiring processes 
that hinder VA's ability to efficiently and effectively recruit 
and retain high-quality employees to treat veteran patients. 
VHA continues to suffer from limited human resources capacity 
and weak internal control practices, both of which have 
undermined VA's ability to improve the delivery of care to 
veteran patients. Recent HR modernization efforts that 
centralized hiring authority away from the facilities and into 
the Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs) and Central 
Office has exacerbated an already burdensome process. The 
Committee will assess how VA identifies staffing needs at the 
local level, prioritizes recruitment and retention in high-need 
areas, and addresses existing staffing shortages. In addition, 
the Committee will examine if and how the significant increase 
in the total number of VA employees over the last several years 
has led to improvements in care and benefits for the veterans 
VA serves. Finally, as part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 
2022, Congress provided significant authorities and resources 
to enhance human resources management. The Committee will 
closely monitor the implementation as well as the outcomes and 
impacts of these initiatives.
     Pain and Medication Management, Complementary and 
Integrative Health--The Committee will examine the extent to 
which VA is appropriately using prescription medications to 
treat veterans experiencing acute and chronic pain, and the 
extent to which veterans are offered and able to access 
complimentary and integrative therapies for pain management. 
The effective management of pain is a critical issue for the 
veteran population as data suggests that veterans are a 
particularly high-risk population for prescription misuse, 
substance use disorder, accidental overdose, accidents, and/or 
self-inflicted injury. The Committee will scrutinize VA's 
opioid safety initiative, substance use treatment programs, and 
access to alternative chronic and acute pain treatments. The 
Committee will also review VA's policies concerning veteran 
access to substance use inpatient treatment programs as well as 
assess the use and efficacy of complementary and integrative 
health treatments and techniques for veterans with pain or 
other conditions.
     Long-Term Services and Supports--The Committee 
will continue to assess VA's broad array of Long-Term Services 
and Supports (LTSS) to determine whether veterans have access 
to the methods of care delivery that best suit their needs. VA 
has historically relied primarily upon a network of 
institution-based services consisting of VA Community Living 
Centers (CLCs), State Veterans Homes (SVHs), and contracted 
community nursing homes; however, VA must do more to develop a 
robust network of home and community-based services (HCBS) to 
meet the growing demand, and preference, for non-institutional 
care among its aging veteran population. The Committee will 
monitor VA's progress in this area and continue supporting 
authorities in allowing greater access to HCBS. Given the 
growing numbers of women veterans utilizing VA services, the 
Committee will review the availability and adequacy of LTSS 
specific to this population. The Committee will also examine 
VA's role in monitoring the quality of care and patient safety 
at SVHs, and VA's role in supporting the cost of care for 
veteran residents, along with SVH construction, renovation, and 
maintenance.
     Caregivers--Following the expansion of the Program 
of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) in 
October 2022 to all era veterans and their caregivers, the 
Committee will closely monitor VA's implementation of the 
numerous changes made to the program through regulation, as VA 
attempts to standardize the program. The Committee is concerned 
about the management of ``legacy'' program participants and 
will continue to monitor the evolution of benefits provided to 
this cohort. The Committee is also concerned about the focus on 
this program and the lack of coordination in providing access 
to other, possibly more appropriate, long-term-care options. 
The Committee has been encouraged by reports of success with 
the Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Services and will 
continue to examine the availability of geriatric home health 
programs that rely on and support critical aspects of family 
caregiver support.
     Telehealth--The Committee will continue to assess 
the effectiveness of VA's telehealth programs. Telehealth is an 
increasingly important tool for improving access to care for 
veteran patients. The Committee is concerned about a potential 
overreliance on telehealth and potential impact on access 
metrics and veteran preference. The Committee will assess VA's 
efforts to provide timely and accessible care to veterans in 
rural and hard-to-reach areas through tools like telehealth, 
community partnerships, and other means.
     Quality Care--OIG, GAO, and media reports continue 
to document patient harm incidents within VHA medical 
facilities. These have called into question whether VHA 
leadership is carrying out all their credentialing, 
privileging, and quality management responsibilities. 
Specifically, the Committee is concerned about whether VHA and 
its VISNs are doing enough to ensure that their medical 
facilities are appropriately screening clinicians prior to 
hire, monitoring providers' clinical competence while they are 
employed, conducting timely investigations when concerns arise, 
and reporting serious concerns about provider performance to 
the National Practitioner Data Bank and state licensing boards, 
as required by VHA's own policy. The Committee is encouraged by 
the embrace of High Reliability Organization principles by many 
VA Medical Centers and are heartened by employee engagement in 
identifying ``near misses'' and potential quality of care/
patient safety concerns.
     Eligibility for Care in the VA Healthcare System--
In 1996, Congress created the current VA enrollment priority 
group system. Veteran eligibility for VA care has been 
minimally changed since then, despite the fact that military 
service, the veteran population, the delivery of care, and the 
VA healthcare system have changed significantly. Many of the 
most pressing issues facing veterans today concern eligibility. 
The Committee will examine the appropriateness of the current 
eligibility system for today's veteran population, particularly 
those with character of discharge concerns, to ensure that all 
veterans can receive the care that they need.
     Continued Support for Women Veterans--The over 
two-million women who have served in the U.S. military comprise 
the fastest-growing veteran subpopulation within VA. Over 
600,000 women veterans are currently enrolled for VA 
healthcare, and utilization of services continues to expand. In 
2020, Congress passed the Deborah Sampson Act, a compilation of 
comprehensive legislation focusing on women veterans. The 
Committee must continue its close implementation oversight of 
this Act as well as new or enhanced services recently made 
available to women veterans. The Committee's examination of 
issues impacting women veterans will include, but is not 
limited to: ensuring a welcoming and inclusive VA, free from 
sexual harassment and assault; providing equitable access to VA 
healthcare, with well-resourced access to gender-specific care, 
such as mammography, gynecology, and obstetrics; research into 
the impacts of military service on women veterans' physical and 
mental health; and a greater focus on the special needs of 
aging women veterans, to include unique health conditions, 
long-term care, and caregiving.
     VA Research--The Committee will aggressively 
oversee the totality of VA's medical and prosthetic research 
program to identify and eliminate redundancies and ensure the 
dissemination of best practices and a veteran-centric research 
focus. VA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) conducts 
an extensive research program that is tasked with conducting 
research to advance the healthcare provided by VA and to the 
nation. VA's Health Services Research and Development Service 
also operates 19 Centers of Innovation (COIN), built off the 
work of prior Centers of Excellence, that conduct research on 
specific issues concerning veteran patients. The Committee will 
continue to oversee opportunities for innovation, cutting-edge 
technology, veteran participation in clinical trials, and 
greater use and support of the Million Veteran Program data for 
public health research. Use of this data will also require 
continued oversight to ensure that utilization of veterans' 
data is protected and secure.
     Emergency Care--In 1999, the Veterans Millennium 
Health Care and Benefits Act (commonly known as the ``Mill 
Bill'') established criteria to govern VA's reimbursement of 
costs related to emergency care provided to veterans in non-VA 
facilities for nonservice-connected conditions. Those criteria 
are outdated and increasingly complicated for veterans, VA 
staff, and emergency care providers outside of the VA 
healthcare system to understand and administer, which has led 
to a backlog of emergency care claims and resulted in costly 
judicial proceedings. The Committee will work to simplify and 
modernize these criteria to ensure the appropriate provision of 
care to veterans in crisis and timely and appropriate 
reimbursements to emergency care providers in the community.
     VA's Fourth Mission and Participation in the 
National Disaster Medical System--VA's Fourth Mission, to 
assist federal and civilian partners in the event of an 
emergency, received relatively little attention before the 
pandemic. This role has proven critical as the American 
healthcare system endured the catastrophic impact of COVID-19, 
while at the same time, rural hospitals and clinics continued 
to close at an alarming rate. The current process for VA to 
pursue a ``Fourth Mission'' is overly bureaucratic, requiring 
the approval of multiple federal agencies. Congress must 
reconsider the current structure of the disaster response 
framework to reflect the sheer scale of VHA's potential. VA has 
shown to be a locally based leader in medical support response 
in the event of natural disasters. The Committee is committed 
to ensuring this capability remains a VA core competency. 
Additionally, the Committee will review potential partnerships 
with the Indian Health Service and Public Health Service, as 
well as support the recruitment of deployable nursing personnel 
to staff the mobile medical units VHA already possesses.

              Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

     Budget and Waste--VA funding has doubled over the 
last decade, and staffing has increased by over 40 percent. The 
Committee will conduct oversight of waste, particularly in 
contracts, redundancies, and offices that produce no value, as 
part of a broader assessment of whether the VA's rate of growth 
has exceeded veteran demand, whether new initiatives merit 
investment, and how to implement a framework for reducing 
inefficiencies in underperforming areas.
     VA Supply Chain--During the early days of the 
COVID-19 pandemic, supply chains around the globe failed. 
Today, VA's medical supply chain is operational, but VA's 
efforts to create a more resilient supply chain have been 
unsuccessful. The Committee will conduct oversight of the 
Executive Branch's effort to bring medical supply inventory for 
crisis response under the Department of Health and Human 
Services and VA's role in that effort. The Committee will also 
ensure VA is following existing statutory requirements for 
medical supplies made in America.
     Accountable Workforce--Holding more than 400,000 
staff accountable has proven difficult for VA. VA's Office of 
Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) has failed 
to deliver robust discipline of senior executives and managers, 
and rulings by the courts and the Merit Systems Protection 
Board have limited the Secretary's authority to hold employees 
accountable for poor performance or misconduct under 38 U.S. 
Code Sec. 714. The Committee will conduct oversight of OAWP, to 
make sure VA whistleblowers are protected from retaliation 
while holding their superiors accountable. The Committee will 
also determine where laws can be reinforced to manifest a 
responsible workforce dedicated to VA's mission.
     Oversight of Contractors--VA's annual contract 
spending has reached more than $38 billion, and there are 
nearly as many VA support contractors as federal employees in 
many offices. Additionally, VA received billions in COVID-19 
emergency appropriations. The Committee believes that a culture 
of overreliance on contractors, revolving door influence, and 
failed projects with big paydays has taken hold. The Committee, 
in concert with budget analysis and bureaucratic reforms, will 
aggressively investigate the reasons for the proliferation of 
contractors, the effectiveness of the massive contractor 
workforce, and whether the value gained matches the dollars 
spent.
     Addressing Violent Crime--From fiscal year 2018 to 
fiscal year 2021, violent crime rates on VA campuses increased 
significantly. The Committee will continue oversight of the VA 
Police Force and violent crime rate, to drive process 
improvements and protect the health and safety of veterans and 
VA employees.
     Department of Defense-VA Agreements--DoD 
(principally the Defense Logistics Agency) and VA have executed 
numerous agreements, partnerships, and funding arrangements. VA 
typically pays DoD to utilize its systems, services, or 
contracts. Our oversight will evaluate the effectiveness and 
return on investment of these arrangements.
     Human Resources--VA has centralized its human 
resources functions at the Central Office and VISNs. In an 
effort to create uniformity, VA has hamstrung local VA 
directors trying to fill vacancies, has slowed down the 
onboarding process significantly, and increased staff 
frustration with human resources. The Committee will examine 
this decision and analyze the impacts to local VA facilities 
and veterans.

                Subcommittee on Technology Modernization

     Enterprise Technology Modernization Programs--The 
Committee will continue overseeing the effectiveness of VA's 
major programs and projects to modernize technology and 
business operations.
           Electronic Health Record Modernization--
        The Oracle Cerner electronic health record system is 
        now live at five sites, significantly impairing their 
        operations. The 2021 strategic review substantiated the 
        technical flaws but failed to address most of them 
        directly, and VA has again paused additional 
        implementations through June 2023. An independent cost 
        estimate forecasts implementation costs at nearly $39 
        billion over 13 years, up from $16 billion over 10 
        years. We oppose further implementations until the 
        system is significantly improved and the five sites 
        currently using it have normalized, and we have begun 
        engaging with VA and Oracle Cerner on the status of 
        individual technical improvements.
           Digital G.I. Bill--The Digital G.I. 
        Bill's initial results are encouraging, and we are 
        closely monitoring how much automation can ultimately 
        be accomplished and how key legacy systems will be 
        phased out.
           VBA Systems and Disability Compensation 
        Automation--VBA has initiated automation pilots at a 
        handful of Regional Offices, targeting a handful of 
        categories of claims. Most are limited to assistive 
        tools or job aids. Our oversight will focus on 
        advancing automation to eliminate repetitive tasks and 
        enhance employees' effectiveness, while always 
        preserving human decision-making. Relatedly, the 
        Veterans Benefits Management System and other key VBA 
        systems must be modernized in a way that completely 
        eliminates siloed, legacy systems and is compatible 
        with the automation strategy.
           Financial Management Business 
        Transformation--VA has been implementing its new 
        financial system for more than four years and has 
        completed NCA and several components of VBA. The 
        system's cost estimate is rising and its viability 
        remains unproven until VHA medical centers adopt it. 
        Several hurdles and long overdue decisions threaten the 
        program's success, particularly which inventory 
        management system to interface with and how to create 
        that interface. The Committee believes the Financial 
        Management Business Transformation program is 
        worthwhile and can succeed, though this is not assured, 
        and our oversight focuses on clearing these roadblocks.
           Human Capital Modernization--VA is 
        preparing to replace its human resources management 
        software, which its publisher will no longer support, 
        and add new capabilities. This project's scope is 
        uncertain, and it's cost and schedule are unknown. The 
        Committee's oversight aims to clarify these key 
        questions before the VA proceeds and determine whether 
        and how this system's design will align with the human 
        resources organizational centralization.
           Supply Chain Management Modernization--
        VA will soon purchase a new supply chain management 
        system after abandoning an effort to implement the 
        Department of Defense's Defense Medical Logistics 
        Standards Support (DMLSS) system. This project's scope 
        appears to be excessively large and ambitious, 
        increasing risk. The Committee's oversight focuses on 
        determining whether VA adequately understands its own 
        requirements and has clearly expressed and prioritized 
        them. This project's cost and schedule also remain 
        unknown.
     Authorizations of Enterprise Technology 
Modernization Programs--Within memory, Congress has not 
authorized any of VA's enterprise technology modernization 
programs, or any other specific IT programs. The Secretary 
vests in the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology 
(Chief Information Officer) with the responsibility for 
``information management functions'' under the authority of 38 
U.S. Code 308(b)(5). Additionally, the Chief Information 
Officer is designated under 38 U.S. Code 310. Both sections 
reference 44 U.S. Code 3506, which lays out the general Chief 
Information Officer responsibilities that are common across 
agencies. VA presumably carries out its IT programs under these 
organic authorities. The Committee will individually consider 
authorizing each new or proposed enterprise technology 
modernization program. During the 117th Congress, Committee 
members introduced H.R. 2420, the Overseeing the GI Bill Act of 
2021 to authorize the Digital G.I. Bill program and H.R. 9091, 
the VA Supply Chain Management System Authorization Act to 
authorize the forthcoming Supply Chain Management Modernization 
program. Neither bill was enacted. However, last Congress, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Information Technology Reform 
Act of 2022 (Section 403 of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and 
Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2022) was enacted. This legislation requires 
VA to report the estimated costs, schedules, and performance 
objectives of each major IT project (defined as having life 
cycle costs exceeding $1 billion) before commencing them. The 
Committee intends to use this mechanism to vet each such new 
project for authorization. Specifically, the Committee will 
either authorize or reject the Supply Chain Modernization and 
Human Capital Modernization projects.
     Appointment Scheduling Technology--The Committee 
will be closely monitoring VA's progress in modernizing systems 
used by appointment schedulers and will ensure VA is providing 
veterans greater ability to directly self-schedule 
appointments, as well as view expected wait times for in-house 
vs. community care appointments.
     Information Technology and Office of Information & 
Technology--Sixteen years after VA IT activities were 
centralized in the Office of Information & Technology (OIT), 
the office still struggles to meet the Department's rapidly 
growing IT needs. After conducting a deep dive into OIT's 
budget last Congress, the Committee concluded that it is not 
structured in a way that accurately represents OIT's activities 
or needs. Successive reorganizations have not resolved unclear 
or overlapping lines of responsibility, persistent customer 
complaints, and inconsistent management practices. Nonetheless, 
OIT has made some progress introducing reusable technology 
platforms, migrating applications to the cloud, and making 
available low-code/no-code development tools to its customers. 
The Committee's oversight of OIT will focus on aligning its 
structure, budget, and processes to support VA's needs better.
     Cybersecurity--VA struggles to clear multiple 
repeat findings in the annual Federal Information Security 
Modernization Act audit, the annual financial statement audit, 
and OIG inspections. OIT's cybersecurity approach appears to 
focus on continuous monitoring and detection, but 
vulnerabilities abound due to inconsistent management and 
policy implementation. The Committee's oversight focuses on 
making cybersecurity practices more consistent across VA, 
identifying new vulnerabilities caused by digitizing formerly 
manually processes, integration with other agencies, and 
keeping unapproved IT and medical devices off VA networks. The 
Committee will also continue to probe VA's inability to 
identify what is on their networks at facilities and push to 
ensure that shadow IT is identified, and if possible, mitigated 
with enterprise solutions.
     Data Management and Privacy--Veterans' data must 
be protected from loss, theft, and monetization. The 
Committee's oversight will examine the agreements and 
safeguards VA has in place with its technology vendors and 
partners, those vendors and partners' practices, and VA's track 
record of monitoring their activities and enforcing the 
safeguards. The Committee will also oversee errors by VA 
employees that expose veterans' protected data to loss, theft, 
or monetization.

                           Mandatory Spending

     In accordance with clause 2(d)(2)(E) of Rule X, 
the Committee will work to limit unintended consequences of the 
Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, section 805 of P.L. 117-168, 
the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. According to the 
Congressional Budget Office, the Toxic Exposures Fund now 
encompasses programs or activities funded by the following 
accounts: Medical Community Care, Medical Support and 
Compliance, Medical Services, Medical and Prosthetic Research, 
Veterans Electronic Health Care Record, General Operating 
Expenses (VBA), General Administration, Information Technology, 
and Board of Veterans Appeals. Therefore, portions of these 
accounts which had been entirely discretionary may now become 
partially mandatory, and any legislation creating or modifying 
programs or activities funded by these accounts will receive a 
mandatory score. The Committee will continue to oversee the use 
of the Fund by VA to ensure that it supports PACT Act 
implementation and the care of veterans exposed to toxic 
substances. The Committee will also continue to engage with the 
Budget and Appropriations Committees to assess the long-term 
impacts of the Fund and resolve any impediments to the 
Committee's ability to carry out its legislative 
responsibilities.




                      COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

                    OVERSIGHT AND AUTHORIZATION PLAN

                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                  House of Representatives,
                                 Washington, DC, February 28, 2023.
Hon. James Comer,
Chaiiman, Committee on Oversight & Government Reform,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Bryan Steil,
Chairman, Committee on House Administration,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Chairman Comer and Chairman Steil: In accordance with 
the requirements of clause 2 of rule X of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is a list of oversight 
hearings and oversight-related activities that the Committee on 
Ways and Means and its Subcommittees plan to conduct during the 
118th Congress.
Matters under the Committee's Federal Budget Jurisdiction
     Economic and Budget Outlook. Oversight hearings 
and other activities with various Administration officials to 
discuss the President's budget proposals, current economic and 
budget conditions, including the long-term outlook, the state 
of the economy for workers, families, farmers, and small 
businesses, prospects for short and long-term growth, our 
economic competitiveness, small business job creation, and 
limits on the public debt.
Matters under the Committee's Tax Policy Jurisdiction
     Tax Relief. Hearings and other activities related 
to discussing and considering appropriate tax relief for 
families, individuals, farmers, and small businesses. 
Additionally, hearings to discuss and consider restricting the 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with a service-first focus to 
better align the tax administrator with a simpler, pro- growth 
tax code.
     Priorities of the Department of the Treasury. 
Hearings and other activities with the Treasury Secretary and 
other Administration officials to receive information regarding 
the Administration's tax-related priorities for the 118th 
Congress. Specifically, hearings to discuss and consider 
legislative and administrative proposals contained in the 
President's fiscal year 2024 and 2025 budgets to ensure that 
the department is prioritizing taxpayers over politics.
     Tax Provisions in. Public Laws Enacted During the 
116th and 117th Congresses. Hearings and other activities 
regarding implementation of and provisions in the following 
public laws: Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Public 
Law 116-127; Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act, Public Law 11611 136; Paycheck Protection Program 
and Health Care Enhancement Act, Public Law 116-139; 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260; 
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2; and 
Inflation Reduction Act, Public Law 117-169.
     IRS Operations/Administration of Tax Laws. 
Oversight of the major IRS programs, including enforcement, 
collection, taxpayer services, returns processing, and 
information systems. Continue oversight over major operating 
areas of the agency to ensure the nation's tax laws are being 
administered in a fair and impartial manner, particularly given 
the recent infusion of $80 billion in additional mandatory 
funding on top of the agency's annual budget. Consider analyses 
and reports provided to the Congress by the IRS National 
Taxpayer Advocate, Treasury Inspector General for Tax 
Administration, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office 
(GAO). Oversight of IRS funding and staffing levels needed to 
provide taxpayer assistance and enforce the tax law effectively 
and efficiently and modernize IRS information technology 
systems. Evaluate tax return filing seasons, including 
electronic filing, and improper payments levels and fraud 
prevention efforts. Examine proposed funding and staffing 
levels for the IRS, and legislative proposals and 
administrative proposals contained in the President's fiscal 
year 2024 and 2025 budgets. Examine the IRS plan to develop a 
new IRS-administered free tax return e-filing system, including 
their selection of a third party or parties to prepare a report 
on such plan.
     IRS Audit Selection Procedures. Oversight of the 
processes the IRS uses to select individuals, businesses, and 
other organizations for audit. Continue coordination with GAO 
regarding ongoing audit work assessing IRS audit selection 
procedures and safeguards across all IRS business units. 
Evaluate the impact of IRS audit selection procedures on 
taxpayers making $400,000 or less, particularly in connection 
with the recent infusion of $80 billion in additional mandatory 
funding for the agency.
     Tax-Exempt Organizations. Oversight of federal tax 
laws, regulations, and filing requirements that affect tax-
exempt organizations, particularly charities, foundations, and 
political groups operating as social welfare organizations. 
Evaluate overall IRS efforts to monitor tax-exempt 
organizations, identify areas of non-compliance, prevent abuse, 
and ensure timely disclosure to the public about tax-exempt 
organization activities and finances. Review IRS tax-exempt 
application process and agency oversight of new exempt 
organizations.
     Tax Code and Tax Form Simplification. Oversight of 
tax code and tax form complexity, particularly for individuals, 
families, farmers, and small businesses, with the goal of 
simplification. Review areas where taxpayers and professional 
return preparers have difficulty, including areas where they 
make the most errors, and consider solutions. This includes 
evaluation of the $600 threshold for 1099-K reporting imposed 
in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, 
Evaluate simplification of information returns to assist 
taxpayers in determining taxable income.
     Tax Scams and Improper Payments. Oversight of the 
latest tax scams, tax shelters, and tax fraud activities with a 
goal of protecting taxpayers and preventing identity theft. 
Examine IRS initiatives and efforts to identify, curb, and 
remedy tax fraud and the abuse of tax credits, specifically 
improper payments in the administration of tax credits. Review 
IRS processes designed to identify and remedy identity theft.
     Federal Excise Taxes and Related Trust Funds. 
Oversight review of federal excise taxes, credits, and refunds, 
including the trust funds financed by these taxes.
     Pensions and Retirement Security. Oversight review 
of the financial condition, operations, and governance of the 
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), including 
financial exposure of the PBGC.
     International Tax Negotiations. Oversight of the 
Administration's multilateral tax negotiations, including the 
Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development/G20 
Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.
     Security of Taxpayer Information. Oversight of the 
IRS and other federal agencies and their contractors that have 
access to confidential taxpayer information protected under 
Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code. Examine leaks of 
confidential taxpayer information in recent years to determine 
how these egregious leaks occurred and evaluate whether 
congressional action is needed to make sure such leaks do not 
happen again.
Matters under the Committee's Health Jurisdiction
     Health Provisions Contained in the COVID-19 
Response. Hearings and other activities related to the 
implementation of the national response to the COVID-19 
pandemic. Oversight of federal agencies' response to the COVID-
19 public health emergency, including but not limited to the 
implementation of policies in the CARES Act, Public Law 116-
136; American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2; and 
administrative actioils taken using pandemic waivers.
     Priorities of the Department of Health and Human 
Services. Oversight hearing with the Health and Human Services 
Secretary to discuss priorities for the 118th Congress and 
concerns related to the delivery of health services and 
reimbursement under Medicare. Specifically, discuss and 
consider legislative and administrative proposals contained in 
the President's fiscal year 2024 and 2025 budgets to ensure 
that the department is prioritizing patients over politics.
     Medicare Part A and Part B (Fee-for-Service 
Providers). Oversight of the major Medicare programs to ensure 
efficient use of resources, quality of care, and access to 
providers for Medicare beneficiaries. Specific topics include 
adequacy and appropriateness of provider reimbursements, 
including incentive payments and physician payment systems; 
program benefits; patient out-of-pocket costs; workforce 
supply; maintaining the doctor-patient relationship; quality 
improvement efforts; and program integrity to address waste, 
fraud, and abuse.
     Medicare Advantage. Oversight of the Medicare 
Advantage program including enrollment; quality; health plan 
participants; reimbursements; benefit packages; beneficiary 
choice; plan payment accuracy; and statutory and regulatory 
changes affecting Medicare health plans and their enrollees.
     Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans). 
Oversight of the Medicare prescription drug program, including 
drug pricing; benefits; beneficiary premiums and cost-sharing; 
beneficiary choice; impacts of recently enacted legislation and 
regulations on the Part D WASTam; and access to retiree 
prescription drug coverage. Medicare Entitlement. Oversight of 
program changes on the Medicare Trust Funds; premium and copay 
levels; provider payments; benefit design; and improving the 
program's long-term sustainability.
     CMS Administration. Oversight of the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), including issuance of 
regulations and their impact on Medicare beneficiaries and 
providers; the beneficiary impact of Medicare coverage policies 
for drugs and devices; the adequacy and use of CMS' budget and 
staff; contracting activities; communications with 
beneficiaries; adherence to the Administrative Procedures Act 
(APA); and general agency accountability.
     Private Health Insurance Coverage. Oversight and 
review of private health coverage, including: affordability; 
robust access for individuals and employers; use of federal 
subsidies to purchase insurance; innovative benefit design and 
coverage options; the Consolidated Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act (COBRA); the Health Coverage Tax Credit 
(HCTC); health savings accounts, flexible spending 
arrangements, and health reimbursement arrangements; options to 
reduce the cost of health insurance coverage and address the 
increasing rate of health care costs; the impact of federal 
legislation and regulation on those with private insurance, the 
uninsured, employers, the economy, and state budgets; and 
adherence to the APA.
     Surprise Medical Billing. Oversight of the 
surprise medical billing ban that was included in the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260. 
Specifically, to ensure patients are protected from paying more 
than their insurer's network rates for specific charges, 
patients have access to the full suite of health care 
transparency protections guaranteed in the law, and to ensure 
that the arbitration process is implemented in line with the 
law and Congressional intent.
     Prescription Drugs. Oversight of the 
implementation of prescription drug provisions in the Inflation 
Reduction Act, Public Law 117-169, including the impact on 
patient access to--and affordability of--new cures. Oversight 
of the federal policies or regulatory barriers that can be 
either strengthened or removed to promote innovation in payment 
and benefit design for curative therapies.
     Skilled Nursing Facilities. Oversight of the 
quality of care delivered to nursing home patients; infection 
control; patient safety; interaction of state and federal 
policies; and cost transparency.
     Rural Health. Oversight of the Department of 
Health and Human Services payment systems targeted at improving 
rural health outcomes and access disparities.
     Health Care Workforce. (Oversight of the graduate 
medical education (GME) policies put in place in the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 and 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Public Law 117-164, 
including oversight of the GME slot formula and impact on rural 
communities.
     Health Care Price Transparency. Oversight of 
existing and proposed health care price transparency 
requirements from the Department of Health and Human Services, 
including its implementation and the department's enforcement 
of compliance with the rule.
     Opioids/Substance Use Disorder. Oversight of the 
implementation of any changes to Medicare payment policy in the 
SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, Public Law 115-271, 
and continued support for patients affected by substance use 
disorder.

Matters under the Committee's Work and Welfare Jurisdiction

     Welfare Reform. Review proposals designed to 
better assist low-income families in increasing their work and 
earnings so they can escape poverty, including by developing 
innovative efforts to improve accountability and performance of 
the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, 
child care, social services, and multiple other benefit 
programs to help individuals enter the workforce, retain 
employment, and move up the economic ladder. As part of this 
process, ensure that programs are rigorously evaluated and held 
accountable for achieving measurable performance goals, 
including improving work and earnings outcomes for adult 
recipients. Also review opportunities to prevent duplication, 
overlap, and fragmentation, to improve the overall 
effectiveness of efforts to serve low-income individuals. 
Examine associated barriers to increasing self-sufficiency 
among low-income families with children, and how changes may 
better address the needs of adult beneficiaries who face 
barriers to employment.
     Unemployment Compensation. Provide oversight of 
the nation's unemployment compensation benefits, including 
temporary programs enacted during the pandemic, to improve 
program integrity, identify and recover misspent funds, and 
prevent fraud in the future. Examine ways to modernize state 
unemployment insurance systems to enhance capacity for 
verification of identity, employment and earnings history of 
individuals applying for benefits, strengthen cybersecurity, 
prevent inappropriate benefit payments, improve overpayment 
recovery, and accelerate returns to work.
     Child Welfare. Provide oversight of the nation's 
child welfare programs, including foster care, adoption 
assistance, and child and family service programs under Titles 
IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act. Review State efforts 
to promote adoption, strengthen family connections, support 
grandparents, relatives, and other kinship providers, provide 
prevention services, decrease the inappropriate use of 
congregate care settings, and successfully address the health 
and educational needs of foster children. Examine opportunities 
to improve economic opportunity for youth transitioning out of 
foster care into adulthood, including through mentorship and 
strengthening connections to work through multiple career 
pathways.

Matters under the Committee's Social Security Jurisdiction

     Securing the Future of Social Security. Examine 
the role of Social Security benefits for retired and disabled 
workers and their dependents. Explore the financing challenges 
facing Social Security, options to strengthen Social Security, 
and the cost of delay for today's and tomorrow's workers and 
beneficiaries.
     Ability of the Social Security Administration 
(SSA) to Serve the Public and Effectively Administer Benefits. 
Examine the SSA's ability to serve the public, including the 
ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SSA services and 
the impact of backlogs and service delays on the public.
     Strengthening the Disability Insurance (DI) 
Program. Examine the effectiveness of the DI program in meeting 
the needs of individuals with disabilities and the process for 
claims adjudication and appeal, along with options to 
strengthen the program and improve work incentives. 
Additionally, examine the interactions between the DI program 
and the Supplemental Security Income and Medicare programs.
     Stewardship of Social Security programs. Provide 
oversight of the SSA's management performance, and long-range 
strategic planning related to the Social Security programs.
     Deployment of Resources. Oversight of the SSA's 
deployment of resources to serve the public and taxpayers, 
including evolving service delivery approaches, policy 
administration and program implementation impacts, and the 
SSA's role in supporting other federal programs through 
interagency and data sharing agreements. Identify and reduce 
instances of waste, fraud, and abuse.
     Implementation of Recent Legislation. Oversee the 
SSA's implementation of recent legislation, including reforms 
in the collection and distribution of death data and reforms in 
the representative payee program.
     Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Identity 
Theft, and Telephone Scams. Oversee the SSA's investments in 
information technology, including modernization efforts, 
cybersecurity at the SSA, and the prevention of identity theft 
involving and misuse of Social Security numbers. Monitor 
robocalls and imposter scams involving the SSA.

Matters under the Committee's Trade Jurisdiction

     Trade Negotiations. Fully exercise Congress' 
constitutional role and oversight responsibilities regarding 
existing and new trade negotiations. Ensure the 
Administration's compliance with statutory Congressional 
notification, consultation, and transparency requirements for 
all trade negotiations, with particular focus on: addressing 
long-standing structural and competitively consequential 
challenges with China; the European Union; Asia-Pacific; and 
other relevant or topical issues. Oversight of the 
Administration's trade initiatives, including the Inda-Pacific 
Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), the Americas 
Partnership for Economic Prosperity, the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative 
on 21st Century Trade, and the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and 
Investment Partnership. Oversight of executive overreach in 
trade negotiations and possible consideration of legislation to 
reiterate the need for specific Congressional authorization or 
approval for the United States to enter into binding trade 
agreements. Possible consideration of other legislation to 
reassert Congressional prerogatives on trade policy.
     Enforcement. Oversight of enforcement of trade 
agreements, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement 
(USMCA), other bilateral and regional free trade agreements, 
and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements, to hold U.S. 
trading partners accountable and render commitments secured 
from trading partners meaningful. Particular oversight of 
enforcement of USMCA commitments on agriculture, energy, and 
digital trade. Oversight of the implementation of the Trade 
Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 to ensure that 
the enforcement tools in the bill are being fully utilized, 
particularly with respect to evasion of trade remedies, forced 
labor, intellectual property rights violations, currency 
policy, and violations of trade agreements. Particular 
oversight of enforcement activities related to China's WTO 
commitments, as well as continuing barriers imposed by other 
countries and economies, including digital services taxes. 
Oversight of the administration of U.S. trade remedy laws, as 
well as enforcement related to U.S. intellectual property 
rights, import safety, and illegal transshipment.
     China. Oversight of systemic problems in U.S.-
China trade, including issues related to China's consistent 
lack of protection and enforcement of U.S. intellectual 
property rights; excess production capacity for steel, 
aluminum, and many other commodities; indigenous innovation 
requirements; use of industrial subsidies; export restraints on 
key products; high level of government intervention including 
through state-owned enterprises; and currency policies. 
Oversight of enforcement issues including ensuring that U.S. 
trade remedy laws appropriately account for China's state 
intervention in its economy. Oversight of administrative and 
legislative efforts to address China's use of forced labor. 
Oversight of the implementation of the Synthetics Trafficking 
and Overdose Prevention Act of 2018 to ensure that enforcement 
tools for stopping the flow of illegal opioids/fentanyl from 
entering the U.S. through the international mail are being 
fully executed. Oversight of China's compliance with the 
January 2020 Phase One trade agreement and the Administration's 
enforcement of that agreement. Oversight of U.S. tariff 
treatment of imports from China, including Section 301 tariffs 
and Permanent Normal Trade Relations. Oversight of China's 
track record with respect to its 2001 agreement to accede to 
the WTO.
     Tariff policy. Given the constitutional authority 
of Congress over tariffs, oversight over the use of tariffs, 
particularly those imposed under Section 232 of the Trade 
Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. 
Analysis of the goals and effectiveness of such tariffs, 
including the impact of tariffs and retaliation by other 
countries on U.S. manufacturers and consumers as well as U.S. 
allies engaged in fair trade. Oversight over product exclusion 
and country exemption processes.
     Implemented Trade Agreements. Oversight of 
implemented agreements with Colombia; Panama; Peru; Costa Rica, 
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and 
Nicaragua (i.e., CAFTA-DR); Oman; Bahrain; Singapore; Chile; 
Australia; Morocco; Jordan; Canada and Mexico (USMCA); and 
Israel. Continued analysis of the impact of these trade 
agreements for American workers, manufacturers, small 
businesses, farmers, and ranchers. Identify provisions of such 
trade agreements that should be updated to increase and improve 
the benefits, including by drawing on work from previous trade 
negotiations.
     Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. Oversight and possible 
consideration of policies to adjust the procedures set forth in 
the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 to 
reduce or suspend tariffs for U.S. manufacturers on certain 
products not made in the U.S.
     Trade Remedies. Oversight and promotion of the 
enforcement of the trade remedy laws, in compliance with the 
legal and evidentiary requirements established by Congress. 
Oversight of implementation of the Enforce and Protect Act of 
2015 by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to address trade 
remedy evasion and ensure CBP's compliance with the law as 
written.
     Preference Programs. Oversight reform and updating 
of major U.S. trade preference programs, including the 
Generalized System of Preferences, the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act, the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, and 
the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership 
Encouragement Act.
     Agriculture. Oversight and promotion of 
Administration efforts to increase enforcement and remove 
tariff and non-tariff barriers to markets for U.S. agriculture, 
including non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
and barriers to agriculture biotechnology. Continued analysis 
and assessment of the broad and crucial benefits of agriculture 
exports to U.S. farmers, ranchers, small businesses, workers, 
and rural communities, and the need to increase U.S. 
agriculture exports.
     Manufacturing. Oversight and promotion of 
Administration efforts to increase enforcement and remove 
tariff and non-tariff barriers to markets for U.S. 
manufacturing. Continued analysis and assessment of the broad 
and crucial benefits of manufacturing exports to U.S. 
manufacturers and their employees.
     Services. Oversight and promotion of 
Administration efforts to increase enforcement to remove 
barriers to the U.S. services sector. Analysis and assessment 
of the broad and crucial benefits of services to all sectors of 
the U.S. economy.
     Digital Trade and E-commerce. Oversight regarding 
trade barriers faced by U.S. manufacturers, service providers, 
and the agriculture sector in digital trade and e-commerce, 
particularly with respect to data issues (localization measures 
and data flows). Oversight regarding how to address these 
issues through enforcement and trade negotiations.
     WTO Oversight. Oversight of U.S. goals in the WTO, 
including reform proposals, negotiations, the functioning and 
reform of the dispute settlement system, and WTO accessions 
(including consideration of legislation granting Permanent 
Normal Trade Relations status and graduation from the Jackson-
Vanik amendment's requirements). Analysis and assessment of 
efficacy of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property 
Rights (TRIPS) Waiver for COVID-19 vaccines and oversight of 
the Administration's efforts to negotiate a TRIPS waiver for 
COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics. Analysis of the impact 
of WTO membership for the U.S., including the U.S. experience 
and record in WTO dispute settlement, the role of a rules-based 
system for U.S. producers, workers, farmers, small businesses, 
and consumers, and the cost of non-compliance or lack of 
compliance by other WTO members with WTO rules.
     Trade Sanctions. Oversight concerning import 
sanctions with, among others, China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, 
North Korea, Syria, and Cuba. Possible consideration of 
additional trade sanctions legislation.
     Trade Adjustment Assistance. Continued oversight 
concerning the Trade Adjustment Assistance program for workers 
to monitor the effectiveness of the program in providing 
training and new jobs for displaced workers in a simple and 
cost-effective manner.
     Priorities of the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR). Oversight over USTR to evaluate 
priorities for the 118th Congress and the trade agenda, and to 
assure its statutory role with respect to trade policy. 
Oversight over trade advisory committees.
     Priorities of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP). Oversight over CBP and implementation of Customs revenue 
functions. Oversight of the implementation of the Trade 
Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2015 to ensure that the 
enforcement tools provided in the bill are being fully utilized 
by CBP, including provisions relating to evasion of trade 
remedy laws and forced labor. Oversight of the implementation 
of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Possible 
consideration of legislation to update CBP's authorization.
     Priorities of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 
Oversight of the Department of Commerce concerning priorities 
and operations related to international trade, including trade 
enforcement (particularly antidumping, countervailing duty, and 
Section 232 tools) and trade negotiations (particularly IPEF).
     Priorities of the United States International 
Trade Commission. Oversight over the Commission concerning 
overall priorities and operations.

Authorization of Programs Within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on 
        Ways and Means

    The Committee's review of authorizations within its 
jurisdiction will include, but not be limited to, the following 
programs:
     Work incentives planning and assistance program, 
$23 million.
     State grants for work incentives assistance, $10 
million.
     Trade adjustment assistance for workers, $540 
million.
     Title IV-B of SSA, Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child 
Welfare Services (discretionary): authorized at $325 million.
     Title IV-B of SSA, Promoting Safe and Stable 
Families (discretionary): authorized at $200 million.
     Title IV-B of SSA, Promoting Safe and Stable 
Families (mandatory): authorized at $345 million.
     Title IV-A of SSA, Temporary Assistance for Needy 
Families (mandatory): authorized at $16.4 billion.
     Title IV-E of SSA, Adoption Incentive and Legal 
Guardianship Payment to States (discretionary): authorized at 
$43 million.
    This list is not intended to be exclusive. The Committee 
anticipates that additional oversight hearings and activities 
will be scheduled as issues arise and as time permits. Also, 
the Committee's oversight priorities and particular concerns 
may change as the 118th Congress progresses over the coming two 
years.
            Sincerely,
                                               Jason Smith,
                             Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means.