House and Senate Face Busy Week of Committee Hearings

Both the House and Senate are in session this week, with each expected to consider numerous bills and resolutions. The House is planning to vote on a measure authorizing fiscal year (FY) 2008 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security, while the Senate will likely consider a bill allowing the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other countries. In addition to legislation, both the House and Senate are again planning to hold a number of important committee hearings. These include one by the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works on emerging technologies and practices designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on the Department of Veterans Affairs' long-term care programs. Here, courtesy of GovTrack, is a quick rundown of all of this week’s House and Senate hearings:

May 7, 2007

Senate

• Senate Appropriations -- Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
  To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the National Institutes of Health: Frontiers of Science. [SD-116] -- May 7, 2007 at 1:30 p.m.

  May 8, 2007

  House

• House Rules
  To consider H.R. 1684, Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 -- May 8, 2007 at 3 p.m.
  H.R. 1684: Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
• House Transportation and Infrastructure
  Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, hearing on Rail Safety Legislation -- May 8, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Veterans' Affairs
  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing on Sharing of Electronic Medical Records between Department of Defense and Department of Veterans' Affairs -- May 8, 2007 at 10 a.m.

  Senate

• Senate Appropriations -- Energy and Water Development
  To hold hearings to examine the policies and funding necessary for reducing U.S. oil dependence relating to the results of an analysis conducted to assess the economic impact of implementing the Energy Security Leadership Council's recommendations to the Nation. [SD-192] -- May 8, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  Business meeting to consider pending calendar business. [SR-253] -- May 8, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Finance
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Medicare prescription drug benefit. [SD-215] -- May 8, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To hold hearings to examine community integration and recovery, focusing on transforming mental health and substance abuse systems of care. [SD-628] -- May 8, 2007 at 10 a.m.

• Senate Intelligence (Select)
  Closed business meeting to consider certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- May 8, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary

To hold hearings to examine privacy and civil liberties concerns, focusing on the REAL ID Act [SD-226] -- May 8, 2007 at 10 a.m.

May 9, 2007

House

• House Agriculture
  Full Committee, hearing to review the impact of imported contaminated food and feed ingredients and of recent food safety emergencies on food safety and animal health systems -- May 9, 2007 at 11 a.m.
• House Appropriations
  Subcommittee on Defense, on Guantanamo, Panel I, executive, and Panel II, open -- May 9, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Armed Services
  Full Committee, to mark up H.R. 1585, National Defense Authorization for Fiscal Year 2008 -- May 9, 2007 at 9 a.m.
  H.R. 1585: To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2008, and for other purposes
• House Foreign Affairs
  Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, hearing on the Economic and Military Support for the U.S. Efforts in Iraq: The Coalition of the Willing, Then and Now -- May 9, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Oversight and Government Reform
  Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, to consider pending business -- May 9, 2007 at 1 p.m.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure
  Subcommittee on Aviation, hearing on the Future of Air Traffic Control Modernization -- May 9, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Veterans' Affairs
  Subcommittee on Health, hearing to examine VA's Long-Term Care Programs -- May 9, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Veterans' Affairs
  Full Committee, hearing on the Results of the Administration's Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes -- May 9, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Ways and Means -- Subcommittee on Trade and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology of the Committee on Financial Services, joint hearing on Currency Manipulation -- May 9, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

  Senate

• Senate Aging
  To hold hearings to examine the future of Medicare, focusing on recognizing the need for chronic care coordination. [SD-106] -- May 9, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  To hold hearings to examine farm bill policy proposals relating to farm and energy issues and rural development. [SR-328A] -- May 9, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Appropriations -- Defense
  To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Defense. [SD-192] -- May 9, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
• Senate Appropriations -- Financial Services and General Government
  To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the Internal Revenue Service. [SD-192] -- May 9, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety
  To hold hearings to examine All-Terrain Vehicle [SR-253] -- May 9, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Environment and Public Works -- Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection
  To hold hearings to examine emerging technologies and practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [SD-406] -- May 9, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine climate change relating to national security threats. [SD-419] -- May 9, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Dell L. Dailey, of South Dakota, to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism, with the rank and status of Ambassador at Large, and Mark P. Lagon, of Virginia, to be Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, with the rank of Ambassador at Large. [SD-419] -- May 9, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary
  Business meeting to consider S.376, to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and S.221, to amend title 9, United States Code, to provide for greater fairness in the arbitration process relating to livestock and poultry contracts. [SD-226] -- May 9, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  S. 376: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes
  S. 221: A bill to amend title 9, United States Code, to provide for greater fairness in the arbitration process relating to livestock and poultry contracts
• Senate Veterans' Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine on benefits legislation. [SD-562] -- May 9, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

  May 10, 2007

  House

• House Agriculture
  Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research, hearing to review agricultural research programs -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Agriculture
  Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture, hearing to review food aid and agriculture trade programs operated by the USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development -- May 10, 2007 at 1 p.m.
• House Appropriations
  Subcommittee on Defense, on Contracting Out -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Appropriations
  Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, on Marketing and Regulatory Programs -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Education and Labor
  Full Committee, hearing on Accountability for the Department of Education's Oversight of Student Loans and the Reading First Program -- May 10, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
• House Education and Labor
  Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, hearing on Using School Wellness Plans to Help Fight Childhood Obesity -- May 10, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Foreign Affairs
  Full Committee, hearing on Every State a Superpower? Stopping the Spread of Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Judiciary
  Full Committee, oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice -- May 10, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• House Natural Resources -- Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 523, Douglas County, Washington, PUD Conveyance Act; and H.R. 1011, Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007 -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  H.R. 523: To require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain public land located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Wells Hydroelectric Project of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, Washington, to the utility district
  H.R. 1011: To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of Virginia as wilderness or a wilderness study area, to designate the Kimberling Creek Potential Wilderness Area for eventual incorporation in the Kimberling Creek Wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes
• House Science and Technology
  Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, hearing on Green Transportation Infrastructure: Challenges to Access and Implementation -- May 10, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure -- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, hearing on General Services Administration's Fiscal Year 2008 Capital Investment and Leasing Program -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Ways and Means
  Subcommittee on Health, hearing on Options To Improve Quality and Efficiency Among Medicare Physicians -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.

  Senate

• Senate Appropriations -- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
  To hold hearings to examine the Federal Aviation Administration's budget performance and treatment. [SD-138] -- May 10, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Appropriations -- State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the Department of State and foreign operations. [SD-192] -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of David George Nason, of Rhode Island, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank, Nguyen Van Hanh, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank, David George Nason, of Rhode Island, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Mario Mancuso, of New York, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Michael W. Tankersley, of Texas, to be Inspector General, Export-Import Bank, Bijan Rafiekian, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Scott A. Keller, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Robert M. Couch, of Alabama, to be General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Janis Herschkowitz, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank. [SD-538] -- May 10, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
  To hold hearings to examine the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on living marine resoucres. [SR-253] -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Joseph Timothy Kelliher, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and R. Lyle Laverty, of Colorado, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife. [SD-366] -- May 10, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Finance
  To hold hearings to examine economic issues for America's working families and middle class. [SD-215] -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
  To hold hearings to examine a status report on reform efforts by the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management. [SD-342] -- May 10, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine violent Islamist extremism, focusing on government efforts to defeat it. [SD-342] -- May 10, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Intelligence (Select)
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- May 10, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Indian Affairs
  Business meeting to consider pending legislative business. [SR-485] -- May 10, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Judiciary
  To hold hearings to examine judicial nominations. [SD-226] -- May 10, 2007 at 10 a.m.

  May 11, 2007

  House

• House Education and Labor
  Full Committee, hearing on ESEA Reauthorization: Boosting Quality in the Teaching Profession -- May 11, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• House Judiciary
  Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border security, and International Law, hearing on Impact of Immigration on States and Localities -- May 11, 2007 at 9 a.m.