Today in Congress: June 24, 2009

Washington Post-THE SENATE:The Senate is in session today.

Committees

Senate (Special) Aging (10:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the best practices for assisting seniors and those with special needs “before, during, and after natural or manmade disasters or public health emergencies.” Richard Besser, director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Tim Manning, deputy administrator for national preparedness at the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Doug Beach, secretary for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs; LuMarie Polivka-West, senior vice president of policy for the Florida Health Care Association; and Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, will testify. 562 Dirksen.

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (2:30 p.m.): Holds a hearing on “Consumer Choices and Transparency in the Health Insurance Industry.” Wendell Potter of Philadelphia, Pa.; Karen Pollitz, research professor at Georgetown University Health Policy Institute; and Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor at Consumer Reports, will testify. 253 Russell.

Senate Environment and Public Works (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the nominations of Colin Fulton to be general counsel and Paul Anastas to be assistant administrator of the Office of Research and Development at the Environmental Protection Agency. The nominees will testify. 406 Dirksen.

Senate Foreign Relations (11 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Iran at a Crossroads?” Karim Sadjadpour, associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Hooman Majd, an Iranian-American author and journalist; Michael Singh, Ira Weiner fellow at The Washington Institute and former senior director for Middle East affairs on the National Security Council (NSC); and Mehdi Khalaji, senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Iranian politics as well as the politics of Shiite groups in the Middle East, participate. 419 Dirksen.

Senate Foreign Relations (2:30 p.m.): Holds a hearing on the nomination of Capricia Marshall to be chief of protocol at the State Department. The nominee will testify. 419 Dirksen.

Senate Judiciary (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the nominations of Thomas McLellan to be deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Alejandro Mayorkas to be director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Homeland Security Department; and Christopher Schroeder to be assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy. The nominees will testify. 226 Dirksen.

THE HOUSE

The House is in session and meets for legislative business at 10 a.m.

Committees

House Veterans’ Affairs (2 p.m.): Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R.2379, the “Veterans’ Group Life Insurance Improvement Act of 2009”; H.R.2713, the “Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Enhancement Act”; H.R.2774, the “Families of Veterans Financial Security Act”; and draft legislation. Witnesses TBA. 334 Cannon.

House Agriculture (10 a.m.): General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee holds a hearing on implementation of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. (Part One) Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation; Ron Litterer, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association, Greene, Iowa; John Hardwick, chairman of the National Cotton Council, Cordova, Tenn.; Erik Younggren, secretary-treasurer of the National Association of Wheat Growers; and Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union, will testify. 1300 Longworth.

House Homeland Security (10 a.m.): Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee holds a hearing on “FY2010 Budget for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security.” Acting Homeland Security Undersecretary Bart Johnson of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, will testify. 311 Cannon.

House Judiciary (10:15 a.m.): Meets to markup H.Res. 537, Requesting that the president and directing that the attorney general transmit to the House of Representatives all information in their possession relating to specific communications regarding detainees and foreign persons suspected of terrorism; H.R. 1478, the “Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009”; H.R.1843, the “John Hope Franklin Tulsa-Greenwood Race Riot Claims Accountability Act of 2009”; and H.R.984, the “State Secret Protection Act of 2009.” 2141 Rayburn.

House Oversight and Government Reform (11 a.m.): Holds a joint hearing with National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on “Afghanistan and Pakistan: Oversight of a New Interagency Strategy.” Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan; and Gen. Wallace “Chip” Gregson, assistant secretary for Asian and Pacific affairs at the Defense Department, will testify. 2154 Rayburn.