Today in Congress: June 4, 2009

Washington Post-THE SENATE

The Senate convenes at 9:30 a.m. ETand will resume consideration of H.R.1256, the Family smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Roll call votes are expected throughout the day.

Committees

Senate Appropriations (9:30 a.m.): Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee holds a hearing on “The FY2010 budget justification for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).” FBI Director Robert Mueller III, testifies. 192 Dirksen.

Senate Armed Services (9:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Department of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2010 and the Future Years Defense Program.” Secretary of the Navy Raymond Mabus Jr.; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead; and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Conway, testify. 216 Hart.

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs (9:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the nomination of Herbert Allison Jr., to be assistant secretary for financial stability and administrator of the Troubled Asset Relief Program at the Treasury Department. The nominee testifies. 538 Dirksen.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (2:30 p.m.): Disaster Recovery Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Are We Ready?: A Status Report on Emergency Preparedness for the 2009 Hurricane Season.” 342 Dirksen.

Senate Judiciary (10 a.m.): Meets to markup: S.417, the “States Secret Protection Act”; S.257, the “Consumer Credit Fairness Act”; H.R.985 and S.448, the “Free Flow of Information Act of 2009”; and vote on the nominations of David Hamilton to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Andre Davis to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; and Thomas Perez, to be assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. 226 Dirksen.

Senate Appropriations (2:30 p.m.): Legislative Branch Subcommittee holds a hearing on “The FY2010 Budget Requests for the Library of Congress and the Open World Leadership Center.” Librarian of Congress James Billington; and John O’Keefe, executive director of the Library of Congress’ Open World Leadership Center, testify. 138 Dirksen.

Senate Appropriations (1 p.m.): Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Subcommittee holds a hearing on “The FY2010 Appropriations for the Department of Agriculture.” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; Agriculture Budget Officer Scott Steele; Agriculture Chief Economist Joseph Glauber, testify. 138 Dirksen.

THE HOUSE

The House meets at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. Floor debate today includes that of H.R. 2200, the Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act of 2009, and H.R. 626, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009.

Committees

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the Transportation Department. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testifies. 2359 Rayburn.

House Armed Services (1 p.m.): Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee holds a hearing on “FY2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for the U.S. Special Operations Command.” Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, testifies. 2212 Rayburn.

House (Select) Intelligence (10 a.m.): Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee holds a closed hearing on “Interrogations.” HVC-304, U.S. Capitol.

House Judiciary (2 p.m.): Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R.984, the “State Secret Protection Act of 2009,” to provide safe, fair, and responsible procedures and standards for resolving claims of state secret privilege. 2141 Rayburn.

House Oversight and Government Reform (10 a.m.): Meets to markup H.R.1345, the “District of Columbia Hatch Act Reform Act of 2009; H.R.2392, the “Government Information Transparency Act”; and the “Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2009.” 2154 Rayburn.

House Ways and Means (10 a.m.): Oversight Subcommittee holds a hearing on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations, FY2010 budget proposals, and the 2009 tax return filing season. IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman testifies. 1100 Longworth.