Wednesday, November 18, 2009
[[Page D1348]]
Daily Digest
Senate
Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S11441-S11513
Measures Introduced: Eight bills and one resolution were introduced, as
follows: S. 2791-2798, and S. Res. 354.
Pages S11492-93
Measures Reported:
H. Con. Res. 36, calling on the President and the allies of the
United States to raise in all appropriate bilateral and multilateral
fora the case of Robert Levinson at every opportunity, urging Iran to
fulfill their promises of assistance to the family of Robert Levinson,
and calling on Iran to share the results of its investigation into the
disappearance of Robert Levinson with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
S. Res. 341, supporting peace, security, and innocent civilians
affected by conflict in Yemen.
S. Res. 345, deploring the rape and assault of women in Guinea and
the killing of political protesters.
Page S11492
Measures Passed:
Commending Senator Robert C. Byrd: Senate agreed to S. Res. 354,
commending Robert C. Byrd, Senator from West Virginia.
Pages S11475-82
American Education Week: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 353,
supporting the goals and ideals of ``American Education Week'', and the
resolution was then agreed to.
Page S11508
Appointments:
National Council of the Arts: The Chair, on behalf of the Majority
Leader, pursuant to Public Law 105-83, announced the appointment of the
following individual to serve as a member of the National Council of
the Arts: Senator McCaskill.
Pages S11508-09
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act--Agreement: A
unanimous-consent-time agreement was reached providing that at
approximately 10:30 a.m., on Thursday, November 19, 2009, Senate begin
consideration of S. 1963, to amend title 38, United States Code, to
provide assistance to caregivers of veterans, to improve the provision
of health care to veterans, and that the bill be considered under the
provisions of the order of November 17, 2009; provided further, that
upon disposition of the nomination of David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to
be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, and the Senate
resume legislative session, there be 2 minutes of debate prior to a
vote on or in relation to Coburn Amendment No. 2785; that upon the use
or yielding back of time, Senate vote on or in relation to the
amendment; that upon disposition of the amendment, Senate vote on
passage of the bill, as provided for under the order of November 17,
2009.
Page S11509
Hamilton Nomination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent-time agreement was
reached providing that at 2 p.m., on Thursday, November 19, 2009,
Senate resume consideration of the nomination of David F. Hamilton, of
Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, all
post-cloture time be yielded back, except for 30 minutes, and that the
time be equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and
Sessions, or their designees; that at 2:30 p.m., Senate vote on
confirmation of the nomination.
Page S11484
Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations:
Nicole Yvette Lamb-Hale, of Michigan, to be an Assistant Secretary of
Commerce.
Arthur Allen Elkins, Jr., of Maryland, to be Inspector General,
Environmental Protection Agency.
Robert A. Petzel, of Minnesota, to be Under Secretary for Health of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Page S11513
Messages from the House:
Page S11489
Measures Referred:
Page S11489
Measures Placed on the Calendar:
Page S11489
Executive Communications:
Pages S11489-92
Executive Reports of Committees:
Page S11492
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages S11493-94
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
Pages S11494-99
[[Page D1349]]
Additional Statements:
Pages S11487-89
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
Page S11499
Authorities for Committees to Meet:
Pages S11499-S11500
Text of H.R. 3082 as Previously Passed:
Pages S11500-08
Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m. and adjourned at 7:51 p.m.,
until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2009. (For Senate's program,
see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page
S11509.)
Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
FINANCIAL MARKET REGULATION
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded
a hearing to examine reforming the United States financial market
regulation, after receiving testimony from Gary Gensler, Chairman,
Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Glenn English, National Rural
Electric Cooperatives Association, Arlington, Virginia; Neil M.
Schloss, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan; Mark K. Boling,
Southwestern Energy Company, Houston, Texas; Jeff Billings, Municipal
Gas Authority of Georgia, Kennesaw, on behalf of the American Public
Gas Association; and Robert A. Johnson, Roosevelt Institute, New York,
New York, on behalf of the Americans for Financial Reform.
NOMINATION
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded
a hearing to examine the nomination of Jill Long Thompson, of Indiana,
to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit
Administration, after the nominee, who was introduced by Senator Lugar,
testified and answered questions in her own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded
a hearing to examine the nominations of Mark R. Rosekind, of
California, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board,
Scott Boyer Quehl, of Pennsylvania, to be Assistant Secretary, and to
be Chief Financial Officer, and Suresh Kumar, of New Jersey, to be
Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and
Foreign Commercial Service, who was introduced by Senator Lautenberg,
both of the Department of Commerce, Philip E. Coyle, III, of
California, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, and Anthony R. Coscia, of New Jersey, who was
introduced by Senators Lautenberg and Menendez, and Albert DiClemente,
of Delaware, who was introduced by Senator Kaufman, both to be a
Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors, after the nominees testified
and answered questions in their own behalf.
MANAGING FEDERAL FORESTS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands
and Forests concluded a hearing to examine managing Federal forests in
response to climate change, focusing on natural resource adaptation and
carbon sequestration, after receiving testimony from Kit Batten,
Science Advisor, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of the
Interior; Tom Tidwell, Chief, Forest Service, Department of
Agriculture; Beverly Law, Oregon State University, Corvallis; Elaine
Oneil, University of Washington School of Forestry, Seattle; and
Christopher A. Wood, Trout Unlimited, Arlington, Virginia.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee ordered favorably
reported S. 2778, to amend the Public Works and Economic Development
Act of 1965 to reauthorize that Act, with an amendment.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to
examine the nominations of Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, of California,
to be Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, who was introduced by
Senators Boxer, Snowe, and Feinstein and Representative Pelosi, Mary
Burce Warlick, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia,
and James B. Warlick, Jr., of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the
Republic of Bulgaria, all of the Department of State, after the
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL DOMINIC ``ROCKY'' BARAGONA JUSTICE FOR AMERICAN
HEROES HARMED BY CONTRACTORS ACT
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Ad Hoc
Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight concluded a hearing to examine S.
526, to provide in personam jurisdiction in civil actions against
contractors of the United States Government performing contracts abroad
with respect to serious bodily injuries of members of the Armed Forces,
civilian employees of the United States Government, and United States
citizen employees of companies performing work for the United States
Government in connection with contractor activities, after receiving
testimony from Tony West, Assistant Attorney
[[Page D1350]]
General, Department of Justice; Richard Ginman, Deputy Director for
Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and
Uldric I. Fiore, Jr., Director, Soldier and Family Legal Services,
Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army, both of the Department
of Defense; Scott Horton, Columbia Law School, New York, New York;
Ralph G. Steinhardt, The George Washington University Law School,
Washington, D.C.; and Dominic Baragona, The Villages, Florida.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered
favorably reported the following business items:
S. 510, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with
respect to the safety of the food supply, with an amendment in the
nature of a substitute;
The nominations of David Morris Michaels, of Maryland, to be
Assistant Secretary of Labor, and Pamela S. Hyde, of New Mexico, to be
Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
Also, committee announced the following subcommittee assignments:
Subcommittee on Children and Families: Senators Dodd (Chair),
Bingaman, Murray, Reed, Sanders, Brown, Casey, Hagan, Merkley,
Alexander, Gregg, McCain, Hatch, Murkowski, Coburn, and Roberts.
Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety: Senators Murray
(Chair), Dodd, Mikulski, Brown, Hagan, Merkley, Franken, Bennet,
Isakson, Gregg, Burr, McCain, Hatch, and Murkowski.
Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging: Senators Mikulski (Chair),
Bingaman, Reed, Sanders, Casey, Franken, Bennet, Burr, Gregg,
Alexander, Isakson, and Coburn.
Senators Harkin and Enzi are ex-officio members of each of the
Subcommittees.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded an oversight hearing to
examine the Department of Justice, after receiving testimony from Eric
H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General, Department of Justice.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine
the nominations of Denny Chin, of New York, to be United States Circuit
Judge for the Second Circuit, who was introduced by Senator Schumer,
Rosanna Malouf Peterson, to be United States District Judge for the
Eastern District of Washington, who was introduced by Senators Murray
and Cantwell, William M. Conley, to be United States District Judge for
the Western District of Wisconsin, who was introduced by Senators Kohl
and Feingold, and Susan B. Carbon, of New Hampshire, to be Director of
the Violence Against Women Office, who was introduced by Senator
Shaheen, and John H. Laub, of the District of Columbia, to be Director
of the National Institute of Justice, who was introduced by Senator
Schumer, both of the Department of Justice, after the nominees
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to
examine easing the burdens for veterans and transitioning Service
Members through employment, after receiving testimony from Raymond
Jefferson, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and
Training; Lutz Ziob, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington;
Captain Peter Wikul, USN, (Ret.), America Works of New York, Inc., and
Helen Tymes, National Organization on Disability, both of New York, New
York; Joshua Lawton-Belous, Oracle Corporation, Vienna Virginia; and
Dexter Daniel, Baltimore, Maryland.
House of Representatives
Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 14 public bills, H.R. 4099-
4112; and 10 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 214; and H. Res. 911-919 were
introduced.
Pages H13265-66
Additional Cosponsors:
Pages H13266-67
Report Filed: A report was filed today as follows:
H. Res. 871, directing the Attorney General to transmit to the House
of Representatives certain documents, records, memos, correspondence,
and other communications regarding medical malpractice reform (H. Rept.
111-341).
Page H13265
[[Page D1351]]
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Reverend
Matthew Southall Brown, Sr., St. John Baptist Church, Savannah,
Georgia.
Page H13071
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the
following measures:
Amending the Small Business Act to improve SCORE: H.R. 1839, amended,
to amend the Small Business Act to improve SCORE;
Pages H13075-77
Expanding Entrepreneurship Act of 2009: H.R. 1842, amended, to amend
the Small Business Act to improve the Small Business Administration's
entrepreneurial development programs;
Pages H13079-81
Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act of 2009: H.R. 3738,
amended, to amend the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to
establish a program for the Small Business Administration to provide
financing to support early-stage small businesses in targeted
industries;
Pages H13081-84
Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act: H.R.
3014, amended, to amend the Small Business Act to provide loan
guarantees for the acquisition of health information technology by
eligible professionals in solo and small group practices; and
Pages H13084-86
Welcoming the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency
Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States: H. Res. 890, to welcome the
Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan
Singh, to the United States.
Pages H13107-09
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House debated the following
measures under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were
postponed:
Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009: H.R.
1834, amended, to amend the Small Business Act to expand and improve
the assistance provided to Indian tribe members, Alaska Natives, and
Native Hawaiians and
Pages H13077-79
Expressing the sense of Congress on the occasion of the 20th
anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe: H. Con.
Res. 212, amended, to express the sense of Congress on the occasion of
the 20th anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe,
particularly the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, and to reaffirm
the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and
the Slovak and Czech Republics.
Pages H13109-13
Discharge Petition: Representative Hoekstra moved to discharge the
Committee on Armed Services from the consideration of H.R. 2294, to
require the approval of the relevant State governor and legislature and
the President's notification and certification before the transfer or
release of an individual currently detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to
a location in the United States, and for other purposes (Discharge
Petition No. 7).
Adjournment Resolution: The House agreed to H. Con. Res. 214, providing
for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a
conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate, by a yea-and-nay vote
of 243 yeas to 166 nays, Roll No. 896.
Pages H13090-91
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009: The House passed H.R. 3791, to
amend sections 33 and 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act
of 1974, by a yea-and-nay vote of 395 yeas to 31 nays, Roll No. 901.
Pages H13086-90, H13091-92, H13093-H13107, H13113-15
Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute
recommended by the Committee on Science and Technology now printed in
the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part A of H. Rept. 111-
340, shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of
amendment under the 5-minute rule.
Pages H13100-03
Agreed to:
Titus amendment (No. 1 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-340) that
expands the scope of the Assistance to Firefighter Grants program to
allow the purchase of equipment that reduces the use of water in
fighting fires and training firefighters;
Pages H13103-04
Holden amendment (No. 4 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-340) that
makes river rescue organizations eligible for funding under the
definition of a rescue organization;
Page H13106
Cardoza amendment (No. 5 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-340) that
requires the Director to consider unemployment rates when awarding
grants;
Pages H13106-07
Perlmutter amendment (No. 2 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-340)
that authorizes a nationwide survey to assess compliance of fire
departments with certain best practices on firefighter safety. The
amendment establishes a task force of fire service industry to make
recommendations to Congress on ways to increase compliance with those
firefighter safety standards (by a recorded vote of 358 ayes to 75
noes, Roll No. 899); and
Pages H13104-05, H13113
Flake amendment (No. 3 printed in part B of H. Rept. 111-340) that
prohibits earmarking of funds appropriated under the Act (by a recorded
vote of 371 ayes to 63 noes, Roll No. 900).
Pages H13105-06, H13113-14
[[Page D1352]]
H. Res. 909, the rule providing for consideration of the bill, was
agreed to by a yea-and-nay vote of 245 yeas to 173 nays, Roll No. 898,
after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 242
yeas to 174 nays, Roll No. 897.
Pages H13091-92
Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on page
H13084.
Quorum Calls--Votes: Four yea-and-nay votes and two recorded votes
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H13091,
H13091-92, H13092, H13113, H13114, H13114-15. There were no quorum
calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Committee Meetings
LONG-TERM DEFENSE BUDGET TRENDS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Resourcing the National
Defense Strategy: Implications of Long Term Budget Trends. Testimony
was heard from Matthew Goldberg, Acting Assistant Director, National
Security Studies, CBO; Stephen Daggett, Specialist in Defense Policy
and Budgets, CRS, Library of Congress; and public witnesses.
H1N1 VACCINE PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and the
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing on
H1N1 Preparedness: An Overview of Vaccine Production and Distribution.
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of
Health and Human Services: Anne Schuchat, M.D., Director, National
Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Diseases
Control and Prevention; Nicole Lurie, M.D., Assistant Secretary,
Preparedness and Response; and Jesse Goodman, M.D. Acting Chief
Scientist, Deputy Commissioner for Scientific and Medical Programs,
FDA; David Lakey, M.D., Commissioner, Department of State Health
Services, State of Texas; and public witnesses.
COMMITTEE PRINT--FINANCIAL STABILITY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2009
Committee on Financial Services: Continued consideration of the
Committee Print of the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009.
Will continue tomorrow.
FOREIGN AID'S ROLE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Terrorism,
Nonproliferation and Trade held a hearing on Flag on the Bag?: Foreign
Assistance and the Struggle Against Terrorism. Testimony was heard from
public witnesses.
FEDERAL PROTECTION SERVICE TRANSITION
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Federal
Protective Service: Will Continuing Challenges Weaken Transition and
Impede Progress?'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of
the Department of Homeland Security: Rand Beers, Under Secretary,
National Protection Programs Directorate; and Gary W. Schenkel,
Director, Federal Protective Service, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement; Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure
Issues, GAO; Robert A. Peck, Commissioner, Public Buildings Service,
GSA; and public witnesses.
AIRLINE SECURITY--FOREIGN REPAIR STATIONS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security
and Infrastructure Protection held a hearing entitled `` Is the Flying
Public Protected? An Assessment of Security at Foreign Repair
Stations.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the
Department of Transportation: Calvin L. Scovel, III, Inspector General;
and Doug Dalby, Deputy Director, Flight Standards for Field Operations,
FAA; Cindy Farkus, Assistant Administrator, Office of Global
Strategies, Transportation Security Administration, Department of
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
JUDGE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Judicial Impeachment
continued consideration of possible impeachment of U.S. District Judge
G. Thomas Porteous, Jr. Testimony was heard from Attorney Joseph Mole.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported the following bills:
H.R. 1672, as amended, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative
Reauthorization Act of 2009; H.R. 2062, as amended, Migratory Bird
Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act of 2009; H.R. 3644, as amended,
Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Regional Program and
National Environmental Literacy Grant Program Act; H.R. 3940, as
amended, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants
and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education
program for the people of Guam; H.R. 3603, as amended, To rename the
Ocmulgee National Monument; H.R. 3759, as amended, BLM Contract
Extension Act; H.R. 3804, National Park Service Authorities and
Corrections Act of 2009; and H.R.
[[Page D1353]]
3388, as amended, Petersburg National Battlefield Boundary Modification
Act..
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the
following bills: The Committee began consideration of H.R. 2517, as
amended, Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009;
H.R. 3892, To designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina,
as the ``E.C. Wilkins Post Office;'' H.R. 3951, To designate the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2000 Louisiana
Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the ``Roy Rondeno, Sr., Post
Office Building;'' and H.R. 4017, To designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 43 Maple Avenue in Shrewsbury,
Massachusetts, as the ``Ann Marie Blute Post Office.''
INCREASED AUTONOMY FOR D.C.
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia held a hearing
entitled ``Greater Autonomy for the Nation's Capital,'' with discussion
of the following bills: H.R. 960, District of Columbia Legislative
Autonomy Act of 2009; and H.R. 1045, District of Columbia Budget
Autonomy Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from the following officials
of the District of Columbia: Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor; Vincent Gray,
Chairman, City Council; and Natwar Gandhi, Chief Financial Officer;
Alice M. Rivlin, former Chairman, CBO; and a public witness.
CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2009
Committee on Science and Technology: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R.
4061, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009.
PROPOSALS--WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2010
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Proposals for a Water
Resources Development Act of 2010. Testimony was heard from
Representatives Whitfield, Boustany, Melancon, Klein of Florida,
Loebsack, Scalise and Kosmas.
VETERANS APPEALS IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2009
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance
and Memorial Affairs approved for full Committee action the Veterans
Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2009.
BRIEFING--GUANTANAMO UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to
receive a briefing on Guantanamo Update. The Committee was briefed by
departmental witnesses.
Joint Meetings
No joint committee meetings were held.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 19, 2009
(Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
Senate
Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine the
nominations of Clifford L. Stanley, of Pennsylvania, to be Under
Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, and Erin C. Conaton, of the
District of Columbia, to be Under Secretary of the Air Force, both
of the Department of Defense, and Lawrence G. Romo, of Texas, to be
Director of the Selective Service, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: business meeting
to consider an original bill entitled ``Restoring American Financial
Stability Act of 2009'', 10 a.m., SR-325.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: business
meeting to consider S. 592, to implement the recommendations of the
Federal Communications Commission report to the Congress regarding
low-power FM service, S. 850, to amend the High Seas Driftnet
Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act to improve the conservation of
sharks, S. 1224, to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, S. 2764, to
reauthorize the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reuathorization
Act of 2004, and S. 2768, to amend title 49, United States Code, to
authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety
Board for fiscal years 2010 through 2014, 10 a.m., SR-253.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold hearings to
examine environmental stewardship policies related to offshore
energy production, 10:30 a.m., SD-366.
Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the
nominations of Leslie V. Rowe, of Washington, to be Ambassador to
the Republic of Mozambique, Alberto M. Fernandez, of Virginia, to be
Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Mary Jo Wills, of
the District of Columbia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of
Mauritius, and to serve concurrently and without additional
compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles, and Philip
S. Goldberg, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary
for Intelligence and Research, all of the Department of State, 3:30
p.m., SD-419.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: to hold
hearings to examine nominations for Commissioner
[[Page D1354]]
and for General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, 10 a.m., SD-430.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: business
meeting to consider the nomination of Daniel I. Gordon, of the
District of Columbia, to be Administrator for Federal Procurement
Policy, Time to be announced, S-216, Capitol.
Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the Fort Hood Attack,
focusing on a preliminary assessment, 10 a.m., SD-342.
Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the nomination of Alan
C. Kessler, of Pennsylvania, to be a Governor of the United States
Postal Service, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.
Committee on Indian Affairs: to hold an oversight hearing to
examine drug smuggling and gang activity in Indian country, 2:15
p.m., SD-628.
Committee on the Judiciary: business meeting to consider S. 448,
to maintain the free flow of information to the public by providing
conditions for the federally compelled disclosure of information by
certain persons connected with the news media, S. 714, to establish
the National Criminal Justice Commission, S. 1624, to amend title 11
of the United States Code, to provide protection for medical debt
homeowners, to restore bankruptcy protections for individuals
experiencing economic distress as caregivers to ill, injured, or
disabled family members, and to exempt from means testing debtors
whose financial problems were caused by serious medical problems, S.
1147, to prevent tobacco smuggling, to ensure the collection of all
tobacco taxes, S. 1765, to amend the Hate Crime Statistics Act to
include crimes against the homeless, S. 1353, to amend title 1 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1986 to include
nonprofit and volunteer ground and air ambulance crew members and
first responders for certain benefits, S. 678, to reauthorize and
improve the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974,
and the nominations of Jane Branstetter Stranch, of Tennessee, to be
United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, Thomas I.
Vanaskie, of Pennsylvania, to be United States Circuit Judge for the
Third Circuit, Christina Reiss, to be United States District Judge
for the District of Vermont, Louis B. Butler, Jr., to be United
States District Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, Abdul
K. Kallon, to be United States District Judge for the Northern
District of Alabama, Victoria Angelica Espinel, of the District of
Columbia, to be Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, and
Benjamin B. Tucker, of New York, to be Deputy Director for State,
Local, and Tribal Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy,
10 a.m., SD-226.
Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold closed hearings to
consider certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., S-407, Capitol.
House
Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Rural Development,
Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture, to review
rural broadband programs funded by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, 11 a.m., 1300 Longworth.
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security,
hearing on Confronting the Cartels: Addressing U.S.-Mexican Border
Security, 1 p.m., 2359 Rayburn.
Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Early Childhood,
Elementary and Secondary Education, hearing on Improving the
Literacy Skills of Children and Young Adults, 10 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
Committee on Energy and Commerce, to mark up the following bills:
H.R. 515, as amended, Radioactive Import Deterrence Act; and
H.R.1084, as amended, Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation
Act, 9:30 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and the
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, joint
hearing on Exploring the Offline and Online Collection and Use of
Consumer Information, 12 p.m., 2123 Rayburn.
Committee on Financial Services, to continue consideration of the
Committee Print of the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009,
9 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
Committee on Foreign Affairs, hearing on Is it Time to Lift the
Ban on Travel to Cuba? 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, hearing on the
State of Political and Religious Freedom in the Middle East, 2 p.m.,
2172 Rayburn.
Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Intelligence,
Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment hearing entitled
``Reassessing the Evolving al-Qa'ida Threat to the Homeland,'' 10
a.m., 311 Cannon.
Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Commercial and
Administrative Law, hearing on Transparency and Integrity in
Corporate Monitoring, 11 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, hearing entitled
``Tracking the Money: How Recovery Act Recipients Account for the
Use of Stimulus Dollars,'' 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, hearing
entitled ``Afghan Elections: What Happened and Where Do We Go From
Here?'' 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Space and
Aeronautics, hearing on the Growth of Global Space Capabilities:
What's Happening and Why It Matters, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, hearing on the Research
and Development Portfolio to Support the Priorities of the
Department of Transportation, 10 a.m., 2325 Rayburn.
Committee on Small Business, hearing entitled ``Oversight of the
Small Business Administration and its Programs,'' 10 a.m., 2360
Rayburn.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to mark up H.R.
4016, Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009, 11 a.m.,
2167 Rayburn.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic
Opportunity, hearing on Adaptive Housing Grants, 2 p.m., 334 Cannon.
Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Oversight, and the
Subcommittee on Income Security and
[[Page D1355]]
Family Support, joint hearing to review the effect of the economic
downturn and increased unemployment on the demand for hunger-relief
assistance at food banks and other charities, 10 a.m., 1100
Longworth.
Subcommittee on Social Security, hearing on Clearing the
Disability Claims Backlogs: The Social Security Administration's
Progress and New Challenges Arising From the Recession, 1:30 p.m.,
B-318 Rayburn.
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on
Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence,
executive, briefing on Afghanistan/Pakistan, 10:30 a.m., 304 HVC.
Joint Meetings
Joint Economic Committee: to hold hearings to examine financial
regulatory reform, focusing on protecting taxpayers and the economy,
10 a.m., 210 Cannon Building.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087ÿ09390).
The Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, D.C.
The public proceedings of each House of Congress, as reported
by the Official Reporters thereof, are printed pursuant to
directions of the Joint Committee on Printing as authorized by
appropriate provisions of Title 44, United States Code,
and published for each day that one or both Houses are in session,
excepting very infrequent instances when two or more unusually
small consecutive issues are printed one time.
Public access to the Congressional Record is available online
through GPO Access, a service of the Government Printing Office,
free of charge to the user. The online database is updated each
day the Congressional Record is published. The database includes
both text and graphics from the beginning of the 103d Congress,
2d session (January 1994) forward. It is available through GPO
Access at www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess. Customers can also access this
information with WAIS client software, via telnet at
swais.access.gpo.gov, or dial-in using communications software
and a modem at 202ÿ09512ÿ091661. Questions or comments regarding this
database or GPO Access can be directed to the GPO Access User
Support Team at: E-Mail: gpoaccess@gpo.gov; Phone 1ÿ09888ÿ09293ÿ096498
(toll-free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091530 (D.C. area); Fax: 202ÿ09512ÿ091262.
The Team's hours of availability are Monday through Friday,
7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time,
except Federal holidays.
The Congressional Record paper and 24x microfiche edition will
be furnished by mail to subscribers, free of postage, at the
following prices: paper edition, $252.00 for six months,
$503.00 per year, or purchased as follows: less than 200 pages,
$10.50; between 200 and 400 pages, $21.00; greater than 400 pages,
$31.50, payable in advance; microfiche edition, $146.00 per year,
or purchased for $3.00 per issue payable in advance.
The semimonthly Congressional Record Index may be purchased for
the same per issue prices. To place an order for any of these
products, visit the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at:
bookstore.gpo.gov. Mail orders to: Superintendent of Documents,
P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250ÿ097954, or phone orders to
866ÿ09512ÿ091800 (toll free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091800 (D.C. area), or fax to
202ÿ09512ÿ092104. Remit check or money order, made payable to the
Superintendent of Documents, or use VISA, MasterCard, Discover,
American Express, or GPO Deposit Account.
Following each session of Congress, the daily Congressional Record
is revised, printed, permanently bound and sold by the
Superintendent of Documents in individual parts or by sets.
With the exception of copyrighted articles, there are no
restrictions on the republication of material from the
Congressional Record.
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to the Superintendent of Documents,
Congressional Record,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402,
Along with the entire mailing label from the last issue received.
[[Page D1356]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Next Meeting of the SENATE
9:30 a.m., Thursday, November 19
Senate Chamber
Program for Thursday: After the transaction of any morning business
(not to extend beyond one hour), Senate will begin consideration of S.
1963, Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. At 2 p.m.,
Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of David F.
Hamilton, of Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh
Circuit, and after a period of debate, vote on confirmation of the
nomination; following which, Senate will resume consideration of S.
1963, and vote on, or in relation, to Coburn Amendment No. 2785 to S.
1963, and passage of the bill at 2:30 p.m.
Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
10 a.m., Thursday, November 19
House Chamber
Program for Thursday: Consideration of H.R. 2781--To amend the Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in Oregon,
as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Subject to
a Rule) and H.R. 3961--Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009
(Subject to a Rule).
_______________________________________________________________________
Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue
HOUSE
Bishop, Timothy H., N.Y., E2801
Cantor, Eric, Va., E2793
Coffman, Mike, Colo., E2799
Cole, Tom, Okla., E2803
Costello, Jerry F., Ill., E2794
Courtney, Joe, Conn., E2795
Eshoo, Anna G., Calif., E2798
Gohmert, Louie, Tex., E2802, E2804
Graves, Sam, Mo., E2793, E2795, E2797, E2798, E2800
Higgins, Brian, N.Y., E2800, E2802
Honda, Michael M., Calif., E2805
Israel, Steve, N.Y., E2802
Jackson-Lee, Sheila, Tex., E2804, E2805, E2806, E2806
Johnson, Eddie Bernice, Tex., E2797
Johnson, Sam, Tex., E2797, E2804
Kilroy, Mary Jo, Ohio, E2793, E2794
Lipinski, Daniel, Ill., E2805
McGovern, James P., Mass., E2799, E2800, E2802, E2804
Meek, Kendrick B., Fla., E2794
Miller, George, Calif., E2795
Mitchell, Harry E., Ariz., E2806
Mollohan, Alan B., W.Va., E2800
Myrick, Sue Wilkins, N.C., E2794
Paul, Ron, Tex., E2799
Poe, Ted, Tex., E2802
Rahall, Nick J., II, W.Va., E2798
Rangel, Charles B., N.Y., E2793, E2803
Ryan, Tim, Ohio, E2793
Sanchez, Linda T., Calif., E2800
Skelton, Ike, Mo., E2794, E2803
Smith, Lamar, Tex., E2799
Spratt, John M., Jr., S.C., E2801
Stearns, Cliff, Fla., E2799
Thompson, Mike, Calif., E2797, E2804
Walden, Greg, Ore., E2801
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, Fla., E2798