Coming Up This Week in Congress: Iraq, Energy, and Labor

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The House and Senate are in session this week, with both chambers expected to debate and consider several important bills and resolutions. Highlights include:

• The Senate is expected to consider a variety of Iraq-related amendments to the 2008 Defense funding bill, including:
1. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), which would mandate that U.S. troops begin leaving Iraq within 120 days and have only a "limited presence" in the country by Apr. 1, 2008.
2. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and John Warner (R-Va.), which would direct the Bush administration to file a report to Congress detailing an exit strategy from Iraq by Oct. 16, 2007.
• The Senate is expected to consider a bill, sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), which would call for the implementation of the Iraq Study Group's 79 recommendations.
• The House will consider a $31.6 billion Energy and Water spending measure, which includes $1.1 billion in earmarks.
• The House will consider a $153.7 billion Labor-HHS measure. The bill exceeds the Bush administration's spending request by about $10.6 billion, and faces a veto threat.

After the jump is a full listing of this week's House and Senate hearings, courtesy of GovTrack and Thomas:

July 17, 2007

House

• House Committee on Foreign Affairs
  Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, hearing on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migrating Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Oceans, and Other International Fisheries Agreements of U.S. Interest in Asia and the Pacific -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Committee on Homeland Security
  Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment, to mark up H.R. 1955, Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2 p.m.
  H.R. 1955: To prevent homegrown terrorism, and for other purposes
• House Committee on Science and Technology
  Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, hearing on Amendments to the Patent and Trade Act of 1980--the Next 25 Years -- Jul 17, 2007 at 1 p.m.
• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  Subcommittee on Aviation, hearing on FAA's Oversight of Falsified Airman Medical Certificate Applications -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  To hold hearings to examine improving air services to small and rural communities. [SR-253] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Robert Boldrey, of Michigan, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation, Kristine L. Svinicki, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and R. Lyle Laverty, of Colorado, to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife. [SD-406] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations -- African Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the efficacy of democratic developments in Sub-Saharan Africa. [SD-419] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine protocol Amending the Convention Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Finland for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital, signed at Helsinki May 31, 2006 (the “Protocol”) Convention Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income signed at Copenhagen May 2, 2006 (the “Protocol”) (Treaty Doc.109-19), protocol Amending the Convention Between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital and to Certain Other Taxes, Signed on August 29, 1989, signed at Berlin June 1, 2006 Declaration (Treaty Doc.109-20), patent Law Treaty and Regulations Under the Patent Law Treaty (the “Treaty”), done at Geneva on June 1, 2000, between the Governments of 53 countries including the United States of America (Treaty Doc.109-12), and the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (the and signed by the United States on July 6, 1999 the Law of Trademarks (Treaty Doc. 110-2). [SD-419] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions -- Retirement and Aging
  To hold hearings to examine the federal response to the Alzheimer's epidemic. [SD-628] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  Monitor this committee.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine federal acquisition, focusing on ways to strengthen competition and accountability. [SD-342] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security
  To continue hearings to examine the readiness of the Census Bureau for the 2010 census. [SD-342] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  To hold hearings to examine the prosecution of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. [SD-226] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense collaboration and cooperation and the education needs for the returning service members. [SD-562] -- Jul 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.

July 18, 2007

House

• House Committee on Armed Services
  Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, hearing on U.S. nuclear weapons policy -- Jul 18, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Committee on Armed Services
  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to continue hearings on A Third Way: Alternatives for Iraq's Future, Part 2 -- Jul 18, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs
  Subcommittee on Africa, and Global Health, to mark up H.R. 2003, Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10:15 a.m.
  H.R. 2003: To encourage and facilitate the consolidation of peace and security, respect for human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs
  Followed by a hearing on Food Security in Africa: The Impact of Agricultural Development -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Aging
  To hold hearings to examine abuse of elderly citizens, focusing on prevention methods. [SD-628] --
  Jul 18, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine modernization of Federal Housing Administration programs. [SD-538] -- Jul 18, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the federal response to ensuring the safety of Chinese imports. [SR-253] -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Finance
  Business meeting to consider the nominations of David H. McCormick, of Pennsylvania, to be an Under Secretary, and Peter B. McCarthy, of Wisconsin, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of the Treasury, Kerry N. Weems, of New Mexico, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Tevi David Troy, of New York, to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Charles E. F. Millard, of New York, to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. [SD-215] -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  Business meeting to consider S.625, to protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products, S.1183, to enhance and further research into paralysis and to improve rehabilitation and the quality of life for persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities, S.1551, to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to making progress toward the goal of eliminating tuberculosis, and S.579, to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer, and other pending calendar business. [SD-106] -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  S. 625: A bill to protect the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products
  S. 1183: A bill to enhance and further research into paralysis and to improve rehabilitation and the quality of life for persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities, and for other purposes
  S. 1551: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to making progress toward the goal of eliminating tuberculosis, and for other purposes
  S. 579: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  Business meeting to consider S.1145, to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform, S.Res.248, honoring the life and achievements of Dame Lois Browne Evans, Bermuda's first female barrister and Attorney General, and the first female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth, S.Res.236, supporting the goals and ideals of the National Anthem Project, which has worked to restore America's voice by re-teaching Americans to sing the national anthem, S.1060, to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, S.Res.261, expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as “Mr. Wizard”, a bill entitled, “School Safety and Law Enforcement Improvements Act”, and the nominations of Roslynn Renee Mauskopf, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, William Lindsay Osteen, Jr., of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, Martin Karl Reidinger, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, Timothy D. DeGiusti, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, Janis Lynn Sammartino, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Joe W. Stecher, of Nebraska, to be United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska. [SD-226] -- Jul 18, 2007 at 10 a.m.

S. 1145: A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform
S. Res. 248: A resolution honoring the life and achievements of Dame Lois Browne Evans, Bermuda's first female barrister and Attorney General, and the first female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth
S. Res. 236: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of the National Anthem Project, which has worked to restore America's voice by re-teaching Americans to sing the national anthem
S. 1060: A bill to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, and for other purposes
S. Res. 261: A resolution expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as "Mr. Wizard."

July 19, 2007

House

• House Committee on Armed Services
  Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces and the Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, joint hearing on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Committee on Financial Services
  Full Committee, hearing on H.R. 2895, National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  H.R. 2895: To establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States to provide for the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs
  Full Committee, hearing on Beyond Iraq: Envisioning a New U.S. Policy in the Middle East -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Judiciary Committee
  Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, joint oversight hearing on Law Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Judiciary Committee
  Antitrust Task Force, hearing on Credit Card Interchange Fees -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2 p.m.
• House Committee on Natural Resources
  Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 783, Mesa Verdi National Park Boundary Expansion Act of 2007; H.R. 1266, Butterfield Overland Trail Study Act; and H.R. 1674, Battle of Camden Study Act -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  H.R. 783: To modify the boundary of Mesa Verde National Park, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1266: To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a resource study along the "Ox-Bow Route" of the Butterfield Overland Trail in the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1674: To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the site of the Battle of Camden in South Carolina, as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  Full Committee, hearing on FEMA Trailers; followed by a markup of pending business -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Committee on Science and Technology
  Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, joint hearing on Tracking the Storm at the National Hurricane Center -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  Subcommittee on Health, hearing on Vet Centers -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2 p.m.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the semiannual monetary policy report to the Congress. [SD-538] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  Business meeting to consider S.1769, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to facilitate number portability in order to increase consumer choice of voice service provider, S.1780, to require the FCC, in enforcing its regulations concerning the broadcast of indecent programming, to maintain a policy that a single word or image may be considered indecent, S.1582, to reauthorize and amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, S.1771, to increase the safety of swimming pools and spas by requiring the use of proper anti-entrapment drain covers and pool and spa drainage systems, to educate the public about pool and spa safety, S.1778, to authorize certain activities of the Maritime Administration, S.1492, to improve the quality of federal and state data regarding the availability and quality of broadband services and to promote the deployment of affordable broadband services to all parts of the Nation, and the nominations of Jonathan W. Bailey, and Philip M. Kenul, both to be Rear Admiral, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [SR-253] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  S. 1769: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to facilitate number portability in order to increase consumer choice of voice service provider
  S. 1780: A bill to require the FCC, in enforcing its regulations concerning the broadcast of indecent programming, to maintain a policy that a single word or image may be considered indecent
  S. 1582: A bill to reauthorize and amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, and for other purposes
  S. 1771: A bill to increase the safety of swimming pools and spas by requiring the use of proper anti-entrapment drain covers and pool and spa drainage systems, to educate the public about pool and spa safety, and for other purposes
  S. 1778: A bill to authorize certain activities of the Maritime Administration, and for other purposes
  S. 1492: A bill to improve the quality of federal and state data regarding the availability and quality of broadband services and to promote the deployment of affordable broadband services to all parts of the Nation
• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  To hold hearings to examine S.1634, to implement further the Act approving the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America. [SD-366] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  S. 1634: A bill to implement further the Act approving the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, and for other purposes
• Senate Committee on Finance
  To hold hearings to examine aviation financing, focusing on industry perspectives. [SD-215] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2:15 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine the war in Iraq, focusing on an update from the field. [SD-419] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the military's role in disaster response, focusing on progress since Hurricane Katrina. [SD-342] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
  To hold hearings to examine the mayoral proposal to reform the District of Columbia's public school system, focusing on assessments, assurances, and accountability. [SD-342] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
  Business meeting to consider pending calendar business, to be immediately followed by a hearing to examine draft legislation to amend and reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. [SR-485] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  Business meeting to continue consideration of S.1145, to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform, S.Res.248, honoring the life and achievements of Dame Lois Browne Evans, Bermuda's first female barrister and Attorney General, and the first female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth, S.Res.236, supporting the goals and ideals of the National Anthem Project, which has worked to restore America's voice by re-teaching Americans to sing the national anthem, S.1060, to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, S.Res.261, expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as “Mr. Wizard”, a bill entitled, “School Safety and Law Enforcement Improvements Act”, and the nominations of Roslynn Renee Mauskopf, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, William Lindsay Osteen, Jr., of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, Martin Karl Reidinger, of North Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina, Timothy D. DeGiusti, of Oklahoma, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, Janis Lynn Sammartino, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Joe W. Stecher, of Nebraska, to be United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska. [SD-226] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  S. 1145: A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform
  S. Res. 248: A resolution honoring the life and achievements of Dame Lois Browne Evans, Bermuda's first female barrister and Attorney General, and the first female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth
  S. Res. 236: A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of the National Anthem Project, which has worked to restore America's voice by re-teaching Americans to sing the national anthem
  S. 1060: A bill to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, and for other purposes
  S. Res. 261: A resolution expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as "Mr. Wizard"
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Sharion Aycock, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi, Jennifer Walker Elrod, of Texas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, and Richard A. Jones, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington. [SD-226] -- Jul 19, 2007 at 2:45 p.m.