On Wednesday, July 28, at 10:00 AM ET, the
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a
hearing
to examine the benefits of investing in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
water infrastructure projects.
S. 2297, International Pandemic Preparedness and
COVID-19 Response Act
S. 812, A bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy
to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization,
and for other purposes
S.Res._, Expressing solidarity with Cuban citizens demonstrating
peacefully for fundamental freedoms, condemning the Cuban regime’s
acts of repression, and calling for the immediate release of
arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens
NOMINATIONS:
Gentry O. Smith, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(Diplomatic Security)
Ms. Monica P. Medina, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of
State (Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs)
Rena Bitter, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the
Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be an
Assistant Secretary of State (Consular Affairs)
Mr. Marc Evans Knapper, of California, a Career Member of the Senior
Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Brian Nichols, of Rhode Island, to be an Assistant Secretary of State
(Western Hemisphere Affairs)
FSO LISTS:
Jeanne Frances Bailey, et al., dated April 13, 2021 (PN 359)
Russell Anthony Duncan, et al., dated April 27 2021 (PN 477)
Marc Clayton Gilkey, dated April 27, 2021 (PN 478)
Gabriel J. Allison, et al., dated June 22, 2021 (PN 724)
Danielle R. Andrews, et al., dated June 22, 2021 (PN 727)
Kenneth Lee Salazar, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the United
Mexican States
Jessica Lewis, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary
(Political-Military Affairs)
Donald Lu, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for South Asian
Affairs, all of the Department of State, * Marcela Escobari, of
Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development
On Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. ET, Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, the
Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, will hold a hybrid
hearing
to examine the security of the U.S. electric grid in light of the recent
uptick in cyber incidents targeting government and critical
infrastructure systems.
The U.S. electric grid is a priority target for state and non-state
cyber adversaries, and a successful attack could have devastating
consequences for U.S. national security and economic interests. Although
President Biden has taken decisive action to strengthen our national
cyber defenses and protect U.S. critical infrastructure—including the
electric grid—there are still vulnerabilities that must be addressed.
The hearing will also consider whether additional regulations and policy
initiatives are needed to mitigate growing cybersecurity threats to
distribution systems, utility vendors, and global supply chains that
support the U.S. electric grid.
Witnesses
Eric Goldstein, Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity,
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on behalf of
Department of Homeland Security
Puesh M. Kumar, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of
Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, on behalf of
Department of Energy
Joseph H. McClelland, Director, Office of Energy Infrastructure
Security, on behalf of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an independent agency
within the Department of Energy, led by five commissioners. It regulates
the interstate transmission and sale of electricity and natural gas, as
well as the rates for transportation of oil by pipeline.
FERC also oversees the permitting of
interstate natural gas pipelines and related facilities, reviews
proposals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, and licenses
hydroelectric projects. It is also responsible for the safety and
inspection of dams associated with
FERC-licensed projects. In addition to its
licensing and ratemaking authorities, FERC
oversees the wholesale electricity markets, protects the reliability of
the electric grid, and reviews mergers, acquisitions, and corporate
transactions by electricity companies, among other things. President
Biden named Commissioner Richard Glick as FERC
Chairman on January 21, 2021.
Witnesses
Richard Glick, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Neil Chatterjee, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
James Danly, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Allison Clements, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Mark C. Christie, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The clean energy economy has seen robust growth in recent decades and
now presents the opportunity for widespread wealth creation that
benefits American small businesses, their workers, and consumers. It has
the potential to create millions of good-paying jobs spread across tens
of thousands of businesses while simultaneously lowering energy prices
for consumers.
This
hearing
will focus on workforce development initiatives in the clean energy
economy, discuss Congressional proposals regarding clean energy, and
explore the potential for the growth this industry could unleash.
Leticia Colon De Mejias, Chief Executive Officer of Energy
Efficiencies Solutions and Co-chair for the Building Performance
Association, Energy Efficiencies Solutions
James Hasselbeck , Director of Operations , ReVision Energy, Inc.,
South Portland, ME
Samuel Gilchrist, Western Campaigns Director, Natural Resources
Defense Council, Denver, CO
Republican witness
Tom Greer, Proprietor and Owner, Hub City Brewing Co., Belen, NM,
Testifying on behalf of the Consumer Energy Alliance
House Small Business Committee
Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee
Amounts appropriated by section 791(d) of division B of Public Law
116–94 shall also be made available for necessary expenses related to
losses of crops (including smoke-tainted wine grapes) as a consequence
of wildfires occurring in calendar year 2020 in the same manner as
other crop losses under the heading “Department of
Agriculture—Agricultural Programs—Processing, Research and
Marketing—Office of the Secretary” in title I of the Additional
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (Public Law
116–20).
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation will convene a
hearing
titled “Pipeline Cybersecurity: Protecting Critical Infrastructure“ at
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. The hearing will examine the
current state of pipeline cybersecurity and the role that federal
regulators play in protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure from
malicious actors. This hearing will provide members an opportunity to
examine recent actions taken in response to pipeline cyber incidents and
gaps in our current oversight and regulatory structure.
Witnesses:
David Pekoske, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration
Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary, Department of Transportation
Leslie Gordon, Acting Director, Homeland Security and Justice,
Government Accountability Office
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee