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[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 128 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D896-D899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CHEMICAL FACILITY ANTI-TERRORISM STANDARDS PROGRAM
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing entitled ``Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) 
Program''. Testimony was heard from Steve Caldwell, Director, Homeland 
Security and Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office; Suzanne 
Spaulding, Deputy Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; David Wulf, Director, 
Office of Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
JOINT IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE DEFEAT ORGANIZATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing 
entitled ``Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization''. 
Testimony was heard from Lieutenant General Michael D. Barbero, United 
States Army, Director, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat 
Organization.

[[Page D897]]

SEQUESTRATION TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2012 REPORT
Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a hearing on 
Department of Defense Plans for Sequestration: The Sequestration 
Transparency Act of 2012 Report and the Way Forward. Testimony was 
heard from Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller; 
General Lloyd J. Austin III, USA, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; 
Admiral Mark Ferguson, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; General 
Larry O. Spencer, USAF, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force; and 
General Joseph F. Dunford, USMC, Assistant Commandant of the Marine 
Corps.
ASSESSING COLLEGE DATA: HELPING TO PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION TO 
STUDENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND TAXPAYERS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Higher 
Education and Workforce Training held a hearing entitled ``Assessing 
College Data: Helping to Provide Valuable Information to Students, 
Institutions and Taxpayers''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee completed a markup of 
H.R. 1206, the ``Access to Professional Health Insurance Advisors Act 
of 2011''; and H.R. 1063, the ``Strengthening Medicare and Repaying 
Taxpayers Act of 2011''. H.R. 1206 and H.R. 1063 were ordered reported, 
without amendment.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held 
a hearing entitled ``The American Energy Initiative: A Focus on H.R. 
6172''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
Committee on Financial Services: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Semi-Annual Report of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau''. 
Testimony was heard from Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau.
SAFEGUARDING ISRAEL'S SECURITY IN A VOLATILE REGION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing entitled ``Safeguarding Israel's Security in a 
Volatile Region''. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT AND A 
ROADMAP FOR ITS FUTURE
Committee on Homeland Security: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``The Department of Homeland Security: An Assessment of the Department 
and a Roadmap for its Future''. Testimony was heard from David C. 
Maurer, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Government 
Accountability Office; and public witnesses.
REGULATION NATION: THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S REGULATORY EXPANSION VS. 
JOBS AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Committee on the Judiciary: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Regulation Nation: The Obama Administration's Regulatory Expansion 
vs. Jobs and Economic Recovery''. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL IP ENFORCEMENT: OPENING MARKETS ABROAD AND PROTECTING 
INNOVATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, 
Competition, and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``International 
IP Enforcement: Opening Markets Abroad and Protecting Innovation''. 
Testimony was heard from Victoria Espinel, Intellectual Property 
Enforcement Coordinator, Office of Management and Budget, Executive 
Office of the President.
CITIZEN'S GUIDE ON USING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND THE PRIVACY 
ACT OF 1974 TO REQUEST GOVERNMENT RECORDS; AND MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee held a 
business meeting to approve ``A Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of 
Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government 
Records''; and a markup of the following: H.R. 4053, the ``Improper 
Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012''; H.R. 5954, 
to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the ``Sergeant 
Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building''; and H.R. 5738 to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15285 
Samohin Drive in Macomb, Michigan, as the ``Lance Cpl. Anthony A. 
DiLisio Clinton-Macomb Carrier Annex''. The report ``A Citizen's Guide 
on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to 
Request Government Records'' was ordered reported, without amendment. 
The following measures were ordered

[[Page D898]]

reported, without amendment: H.R. 5954; and H.R. 5738. The following 
measure was ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 4053.
EXAMINING THE ADMINISTRATION'S FAILURE TO PREVENT AND END MEDICAID 
OVERPAYMENTS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Health 
Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives held a 
hearing entitled ``Examining the Administration's Failure to Prevent 
and End Medicaid Overpayments''. Testimony was heard from John Hagg, 
Director of Medicaid Audits, Office of the Inspector General, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and Penny Thompson, Deputy 
Director, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Center for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services.
SIGAR REPORT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations held a hearing 
entitled ``SIGAR Report: Document Destruction and Millions of Dollars 
Unaccounted for at the Department of Defense, Part II''. Testimony was 
heard from Alan F. Estevez, Assistant Secretary for Logistics and 
Materiel Readiness, Department of Defense; Lieutenant General Brooks L. 
Bash, USAF, Director for Logistics, Joint Staff, Department of Defense; 
John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
Reconstruction; and Donald K. Steinberg, Deputy Administrator, Agency 
for International Development.
SEQUESTRATION: THE THREAT TO SMALL BUSINESSES, JOBS, AND THE INDUSTRIAL 
BASE
Committee on Small Business: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Sequestration: The Threat to Small Businesses, Jobs, and the 
Industrial Base''. Testimony was heard from Mike McCord, Principal 
Deputy, Under Secretary of Defense; and public witnesses.
REVIEW OF AMTRAK OPERATIONS, PART III: EXAMINING 41 YEARS OF TAXPAYER 
SUBSIDIES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Full Committee held a 
hearing entitled ``A Review of Amtrak Operations, Part III: Examining 
41 Years of Taxpayer Subsidies''. Testimony was heard from Joseph 
Boardman, President and CEO, Amtrak; Ted Alves, Inspector General, 
Amtrak; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
markup of H.R. 6430, the ``Public Buildings Reform Act of 2012''. H.R. 
6430 was forwarded, as amended.
REVIEW OF THE CHALLENGES MAINTAINING LEGACY ASSETS POSE TO UNITED 
STATES COAST GUARD MISSION PERFORMANCE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing entitled ``A Review of 
the Challenges Maintaining Legacy Assets Pose to United States Coast 
Guard Mission Performance''. Testimony was heard from Rear Admiral 
Ronald J. Rabago, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics, 
Coast Guard; and Stephen Caldwell, Director, Homeland Security and 
Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office.
FORTY YEARS AFTER THE CLEAN WATER ACT: IS IT TIME FOR THE STATES TO 
IMPLEMENT SECTION 404 PERMITTING
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment, hearing entitled ``Forty Years after the 
Clean Water Act: Is it Time for the States to Implement Section 404 
Permitting?''. Testimony was heard from Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant 
Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; Denise Keehner, Director, Office 
of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Environmental Protection Agency; 
Jeff Littlejohn, Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs, Florida 
Department of Environmental Protection; and public witnesses.
VETERANS AFFAIRS IN THE 112TH CONGRESS: REVIEWING VA'S PERFORMANCE AND 
ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Full Committee held a hearing entitled 
``Veterans Affairs in the 112th Congress: Reviewing VA's Performance 
and Accountability''. Testimony was heard from W. Scott Gould, Deputy 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs.
EXAMINING THE RE-DESIGN OF THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TAP)
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Re-Design of the Transition 
Assistance Program (TAP)''. Testimony was heard from Danny G. I. 
Pummill, Director, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of 
Defense Program Office; John K. Moran, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Operations

[[Page D899]]

and Management, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, Department 
of Labor; Rhett Jeppson, Associate Administrator for Veterans Business 
Development, Small Business Administration; Susan Kelly, Deputy 
Director, Transition to Veterans Program Office, Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Department of 
Defense; BG Robert Hedelund, Director of Marine and Family Programs, 
Marine Corps; BG Jason T. Evans, Adjutant General, USA; Edward Cannon, 
Fleet and Family Readiness Program Director, USN; Eden J. Murrie, BG, 
Director of Services, USAF; and RADM Daniel Neptun, Assistant 
Commandant for Human Resources, USCG.
BENEFITS OF EXPANDING U.S. SERVICES TRADE THROUGH AN INTERNATIONAL 
SERVICES AGREEMENT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing 
entitled ``Benefits of Expanding U.S. Services Trade Through an 
International Services Agreement''. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Punke, Deputy United States Trade Representative and Permanent 
Representative to the World Trade Organization; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
GEORGIA'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine Georgia's parliamentary election, focusing on how 
free and fair has the campaign been, and how the United States 
government should respond, including the election's fairness during the 
run-up to the vote and the vote count, human rights issues connected to 
the election, and United States policy in response, after receiving 
testimony from Thomas O. Melia, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Ariel Cohen, The Heritage 
Foundation, Rockville, Maryland; Mamuka Tsereteli, American University 
School of International Service Center for Black Sea and Caspian 
Studies, Washington, D.C.; and Archil Gegeshidze, Georgian Foundation 
for Strategic and International Studies, Tbilisi, Georgia.
```