Congress

Today in Congress: November 4, 2009

Reuters

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THE SENATE

The Senate convenes at 9:30 a.m. ET and will resume consideration of H.R.3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009.

Committees

Senate Energy and Natural Resources (2:30 p.m.): Subcommittee on National Parks: Hearings to examine S.1369, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in the State of Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, S.1405, to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic Site, Massachusetts, as the "Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site", S.1413, to amend the Adams National Historical Park Act of 1998 to include the Quincy Homestead within the boundary of the Adams National Historical Park, S.1767 and H.R.1121, bills to authorize a land exchange to acquire land for the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, S.Res.275, honoring the Minute Man National Historical Park on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, H.R.2802, to provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams and his legacy, H.R.3113, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Elk River in the State of West Virginia for study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and H.R.1287, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a partnership with the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission regarding the use of the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center as a visitor center for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Senate Judiciary (2 p.m.): Hearings to examine the nominations of 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, and Victoria Angelica Espinel, of the District of Columbia, to be Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President.

Senate Finance (10 a.m.): Hearings to examine the nominations of Michael W. Punke, of Montana, to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State, Islam A. Siddiqui, of Virginia, to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, and Michael F. Mundaca, of New York, to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (10 a.m.): Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard. Hearings to examine the future of ocean governance, focusing on building national ocean policy.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (10 a.m.): Business meeting to resume consideration of S.1649, to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to prepare for attacks using weapons of mass destruction, S.1862, to provide that certain Secret Service employees may elect to transition to coverage under the District of Columbia Police and Fire Fighter Retirement and Disability System, H.R.553, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a strategy to prevent the over-classification of homeland security and other information and to promote the sharing of unclassified homeland security and other information, S.1755, to direct the Department of Homeland Security to undertake a study on emergency communications, H.R.730, to strengthen efforts in the Department of Homeland Security to develop nuclear forensics capabilities to permit attribution of the source of nuclear material, S.1825, to extend the authority for relocation expenses test programs for Federal employees, S.1860, to permit each current member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to serve for 3 terms, H.R.955, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10355 Northeast Valley Road in Rollingbay, Washington, as the "John 'Bud' Hawk Post Office", H.R.1516, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 37926 Church Street in Dade City, Florida, as the "Sergeant Marcus Mathes Post Office", H.R.1713, to name the South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture in Lane, Oklahoma, and the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 310 North Perry Street in Bennington, Oklahoma, in honor of former Congressman Wesley "Wes" Watkins, H.R.2004, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4282 Beach Street in Akron, Michigan, as the "Akron Veterans Memorial Post Office", H.R.2760, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1615 North Wilcox Avenue in Los Angeles, California, as the "Johnny Grant Hollywood Post Office Building", H.R.2972, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 115 West Edward Street in Erath, Louisiana, as the "Conrad DeRouen, Jr. Post Office", H.R.3119, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 867 Stockton Street in San Francisco, California, as the "Lim Poon Lee Post Office", H.R.3386, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1165 2nd Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa, as the "Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial Post Office", H.R.3547, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 936 South 250 East in Provo, Utah, as the "Rex E. Lee Post Office Building", and H.R.2215, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 140 Merriman Road in Garden City, Michigan, as the "John J. Shivnen Post Office Building".

Senate Indian Affairs (2:15 p.m.): An oversight hearing to examine the Federal acknowledgment process.

Senate Foreign Relations (2:30 p.m.): Hearings to examine the nominations of Jide J. Zeitlin, of New York, to be Alternate Representative to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform, and to be Representative to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform, with the rank of Ambassador, Frederick D. Barton, of Maine, to be Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and Carmen Lomellin, of Virginia, to be Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador, all of the Department of State, Gustavo Arnavat, of New York, to be United States Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, and Daniel W. Yohannes, of Colorado, to be Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corportation.

THE HOUSE

The House meets at 10:00 for legislative business. The House will address H.R. 3639, the Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009.

Committees

House Transportation and Infrastructure (10 a.m.): Water Resources and Environment Subc. On the Recovery Act progress on water resources infrastructure investment.

House Small Business (1 p.m.): Full Committee. On analyzing current issues surrounding the estate tax and their impact on family farms and small businesses. Public witnesses.

House Science and Technology (10:30 a.m.): Technology and Innovation Subc. Markup of H.R. ____ - Cybersecurity Coordination and Awareness Act.

House Natural Resources (2 p.m.): Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife Subc. On H.R. 3583 – American Samoa Protection of Industry, Resources, and Employment Act. Dept. and public witnesses.

House Natural Resources (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On H.R. 3742 – To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes, and H.R. 3697 – To amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes. MC’s and public witnesses.

House Judiciary (12:30 p.m.): Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 3845 – USA PATRIOT Act, H.R. 984 – State Secret Protection Act, and 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.

House Administration (11 a.m.): Full Committee. Markup of pending legislation.

House Foreign Affairs (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On climate change issues. Dept. and public witnesses.

House Financial Services (10 a.m.): Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 3817 – Investor Protection Act, and other pending legislation.

House Energy and Commerce (9:30 a.m.): Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subc. and Communications, Technology, and the Internet Subc. Joint hrng. on technological devices and vehicle safety. Ray LaHood, Secretary, Department of Transportation; Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission.