Ambassadorial Nominees for Cabo Verde, Micronesia, Laos, APEC, North Korea

A hearing to examine the following ambassadorial nominees.

Nominees:

  • Jennifer M. Adams, of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cabo Verde
  • Heather Roach Variava, of Iowa, 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 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
  • Julie Turner, of Maryland, to be Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, with the rank of Ambassador
  • Matthew D. Murray, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as United States Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
  • Jennifer L. Johnson, of New York, 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 Federated States of Micronesia

The government of Cape Verde is seeking developers to build four solar plants across four islands in the archipelagic nation.

Cape Verde’s €140 million of debt to Portugal will be redirected into an environmental fund.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
419 Dirksen

05/17/2023 at 02:45PM

Examining EPA’s Tailpipe Emissions Rules and a Rapid Electric Vehicle Transition

Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Pat Fallon (R-Texas) will hold a hearing titled “Driving Bad Policy: Examining EPA’s Tailpipe Emissions Rules and the Realities of a Rapid Electric Vehicle Transition.” The subcommittee hearing will examine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new proposed vehicle emissions standards rules.

Witnesses:

  • Steve Bradbury, Heritage Foundation
  • Doug Kantor, General Counsel, National Association of Convenience Stores

“The Biden Administration’s pursuit of radical Green New Deal policies has continued in the form of the EPA’s new vehicle emissions standards rules. The impact this would have on American consumers cannot be overstated. This is the largest attempt at green regulation of U.S. cars, trucks, and locomotives that we’ve ever seen and could require that 67 percent of all new cars sold are EVs by 2032. The EPA has even declined to appear before the subcommittee to defend the Biden Administration’s policies on this issue. A shift of this magnitude towards the progressive utopia of exclusively electric vehicles could have untold national security implications as well as trigger nationwide blackouts if fossil fuel power plants are taken offline before the grid is stabilized. As long as the Biden Administration continues pursuing radical green regulations that will drive up costs on American consumers and create turmoil in the U.S. energy sector, Committee Republicans will swiftly push back and exercise forceful oversight,” said Subcommittee Chairman Fallon.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
   Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee
2154 Rayburn

05/17/2023 at 02:00PM

Federal Actions to Improve Project Reviews for a Cleaner and Stronger Economy

Full committee hearing to examine Federal actions to improve project reviews for a cleaner and stronger economy.

Witnesses:

  • Brenda Mallory, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality
  • Christine Harada, Executive Director, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council
  • Jason Miller, Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
406 Dirksen

05/17/2023 at 10:15AM

The Impacts of FEMA’s Strategic Plan on Disaster Preparedness and Response

This is a hearing on FEMA’s strategic plan, of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, chaired by Scott Perry (R-Pa.), ranking member Dina Titus (D-Nev.).

Witness list:

  • Erik Hooks, Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
   Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee
2167 Rayburn

05/17/2023 at 10:00AM

Animal Agriculture Stakeholder Priorities

A hearing of the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry re: “A Review of Animal Agriculture Stakeholder Priorities”

Chair Tracey Mann (R-Ks.)

House Agriculture Committee
   Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee
1300 Longworth

05/17/2023 at 10:00AM

Markup of GOP Anti-Environmental and Democratic Environmental Legislation

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a mark-up

Markup memorandum

Bills expected to move by regular order:

  • H.Con.Res. 34 (Rep. Stauber), Expressing disapproval of the withdrawal by the Secretary of the Interior of approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, Minnesota, from disposition under the United States mineral and geothermal leasing laws;
  • H.R. 200 (Rep. Rosendale), “Forest Information Reform Act” or the “FIR Act” (Amendments to H.R. 200 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute, which will be circulated on Monday, May 15), to reverse the Cottonwood decision requiring the U.S. Forest Service to reinitiate Endangered Species Act consultation on completed forest plans when a new species is listed, when critical habitat is designated, or when new information is brought forward.
  • H.R. 1586 (Rep. LaMalfa), “Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023” (Amendments to H.R. 1586 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute);
  • H.R. 2989 (Rep. McCarthy), “Save Our Sequoias Act” (Amendments to H.R. 2989 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute); and
  • H.R. 3195 (Rep. Stauber), “Superior National Forest Restoration Act” (Amendments to H.R. 3195 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute).

Testimony from Forest Watch on the Save Our Sequoias [sic] Act: “Prescribed fire can be used successfully in giant sequoia groves without the need for mechanical tree removal beforehand, rendering the Save Our Sequoias Act misguided and unnecessary.”

Bills expected to move by unanimous consent:

  • H.R. 359 (Rep. Gonzalez-Colon), “Fort San Gerónimo Preservation Act”;
  • H.R. 663 (Rep. Gallego), “Native American Child Protection Act”;
  • H.R. 886 (Rep. Bonamici), “Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act”
House Natural Resources Committee
1324 Longworth

05/17/2023 at 10:00AM

Perspectives on New and Existing US Army Corps of Engineers Authorities to Respond to Water Management Issues Including Drought and Water Conservation

Subcommittee hearing to examine perspectives on new and existing US Army Corps of Engineers authorities to respond to water management issues including drought and water conservation.

Witnesses:

  • Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor, Gila River Indian Community
  • Leslie A Meyers P.E., Chief Water Executive & Associate General Manager of Water Resources, Salt River Project
  • Christy Plumer, Chief Conservation Officer, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
  • Andrea Travnicek, Director, North Dakota Department of Water Resources
  • Jennifer Verleger. Chair, Western States Water Council
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
   Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee
406 Dirksen

05/16/2023 at 02:30PM

Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyberattacks: Examining Expertise of Sector Specific Agencies

A subcommittee hearing to discuss each agencies’ expertise in protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Witnesses:

  • Puesh Kumar, Director, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, Department of Energy
  • David Travers, Director, Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division, Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency
  • Brian Mazanec, PhD, Deputy Director, Office of Preparedness, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services

Hearing memo

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) released the following statement:

“Cyberattacks pose a growing threat to the health, safety, and energy security of the American people. As we work to secure critical infrastructure, like pipelines, the grid, telecommunications, and hospital systems, it’s crucial to understand how each agency leverages its unique expertise for cyber preparedness in specific sectors. We look forward to having this discussion with experts from several agencies on how to prevent bad actors and adversaries from undermining our national security, our economy, and our way of life.”

House Energy and Commerce Committee
   Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
2123 Rayburn

05/16/2023 at 02:00PM

Examining the Challenges Facing Forest Management, Wildfire Suppression, and Wildland Firefighters Ahead of the 2023 Wildfire Year

On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold an oversight hearing titled “Examining the Challenges Facing Forest Management, Wildfire Suppression, and Wildland Firefighters Ahead of the 2023 Wildfire Year.”

Hearing memo

Witnesses:

Panel I:

  • Jaelith Hall-Rivera, Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Jeff Rupert, Director, Office of Wildland Fire, U.S. Department of the Interior

Panel II:

  • Ranatta McNair, Board Member, National Association of Forest Service Retirees, Bend, OR
  • Matt Dias, President, California Forestry Association, Sacramento, CA
  • Greg Bolin, Mayor, Paradise, CA
  • Courtney Schultz, Associate Professor of Forest and Natural Resource Policy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
House Natural Resources Committee
   Federal Lands Subcommittee
1324 Longworth

05/16/2023 at 02:00PM

Ambassadorial Nominees for Oman, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda

A hearing to examine the nominations of the following ambassadorial nominees.

Nominees:

  • Ana A. Escrogima, of New York, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Sultanate of Oman
  • Lisa A. Johnson, of Virginia, 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 Lebanese Republic
  • Ervin Jose Massinga, of Washington, 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 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
  • Bryan David Hunt, of Virginia, 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 Republic of Sierra Leone
  • William W. Popp, of Missouri, 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 Republic of Uganda
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
419 Dirksen

05/16/2023 at 02:00PM