Hill Heat

During the Executive Session, Committee members will markup the following legislation, nominations, and other bills that may become available:

• S. 1078, the AmericaView Geospatial Imagery Mapping Program Act
• S. 30, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
• S. 251, the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009
• S. 952, Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009
• S. 1538, Black Carbon and Other Aerosols Research Act of 2009
• S. 1539, Greenhouse Gas Observation and Analysis System Act of 2009

• Nomination of Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation (PN 727)
• Nomination of Ms. Patricia D. Cahill, to be a Member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PN 692)
• Nomination of Mr. Daniel R. Elliott, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board (PN 790)
• Nomination of Mr. Christopher A. Hart, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (PN 671)
• Nomination of Ms. Susan L. Kurland, to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation (PN 705)

The purpose of the business meeting is to consider the nominations of James J. Markowsky, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), Warren F. Miller, Jr., to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Nuclear Energy) and Director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste, Anthony M. Babauta, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (Insular Areas), and Jonathan B. Jarvis, to be the Director of the National Park Service. The Committee will also consider H.R. 1275, which orders the exchange of 46,300 acres owned by Utah for 35,700 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Utah’s Grand, San Juan and Uintah counties, and H.R. 2938, which authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend for up to three consecutive two-year periods the time during which the licensee must commence construction of hydroelectric projects. This business meeting is open to the press and the public but will not be webcast or audiocast.

Witnesses

• John Stephenson, Director, Environmental Protection Issues, Natural Resources and Environment Team, Government Accountability Office
• Dallas Burtraw, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Resources for the Future
• Alan D. Viard, Ph.D., Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Witness

• Gary Guzy, Nominated to be Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Quality

Guzy was general counsel at U.S. EPA during the Clinton administration and also a top legal aide to then-Administrator Carol Browner. While at EPA, he argued that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles could be subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Witnesses

Panel I

• Roger Johnson, President, National Farmers Union
• Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation
• Jo Pierce, family tree farmer, Forest Climate Working Group
• Jason Grumet, Founder & President, Bipartisan Policy Center

Panel II

• Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S.D.A
• Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
• John Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science & Technology

RSVP

Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association.

Keynote Speakers:

• Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, (D-Md.)
• Sen. Thomas Carper, (D-Del.)

Panel:

• Kevin Desmond, King County Metro Transit Division,Dept. of Transportation, Seattle
• Deron Lovaas, Natural Resources Defense Council
• Caitlin Rayman, Maryland Department of Transportation
• Daniel J. Weiss, Center for American Progress

Climate change is one of the most significant issues facing transportation today. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources account for one-third of the emissions in the United States, and transportation accounts for 70 percent of U.S. oil consumption. With Congress debating the legislation this year, this event will take a 360-degree look at climate change proposals in the House and Senate and examine the impact they may have on our transportation system.

The Columbus Club at Union Station

50 Massachusetts Avenue

Washington, DC 20002

8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – Breakfast and Conversation

8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Program

Witnesses

• John Warner, Former U.S. Senator
• Vice Admiral Lee F. Gunn, USN (Ret.), President, American Security Project
• Sharon Burke, Vice President, Center for a New American Security
• Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, USN (Ret.), Member, Center for Naval Analysis, Advisory Board

Witnesses

Panel 1

• Bill Ritter, Governor, State of Colorado
• Chris Gregoire, Governor, State of Washington
• Jon Corzine, Governor, State of New Jersey
• John Hoeven, Governor, State of North Dakota

Panel 2

• Robert Kiss, Mayor, City of Burlington, Vermont
• William D. Euille, Mayor, City of Alexandria, Virginia
• Douglas Palmer, Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey, President, U.S. Conference of Mayors
• John Lowery, Representative, Arkansas House of Representatives

The purpose of the hearing is to consider the preparedness of Federal land management agencies for the 2009 wildfire season and to receive testimony on S. 561 and H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act.

E&E News

The panel also will hear testimony about S. 561, which was introduced by Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.). The “Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act,” or FLAME Act, would establish a dedicated fund for Forest Service and Interior emergency fire suppression activities separate from regularly budgeted firefighting funding. Catastrophic fires make up a very small percentage of the blazes the Forest Service fights but account for most of its costs.

Companion legislation, H.R. 1404, was introduced by House Natural Resources Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and in March passed the full House by an overwhelming 412-3 vote. Similar legislation also passed in the House easily last year but stalled in the Senate.

Witnesses

• Jay Jensen, deputy undersecretary for natural resources and the environment, Department of Agriculture
• Rhea Suh, assistant secretary for policy, management and budget, Department of the Interior
• Patricia Dalton, managing director for natural resources and environment, GAO
• Max Peterson, former Forest Service chief
• Leah MacSwords, president of the National Association of State Foresters

Witnesses

• John Doerr, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB)
• John Krenicki, Vice Chairman, GE President and CEO, GE Energy, Infrastructure
• Julian L. Wong, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress Action Fund
• Harry C. Alford, President and CEO, National Black Chamber of Commerce