Coming Up This Week in Congress: Health, Farming, and Education

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 House is expected to vote on a bill which would reauthorize and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
• The House will consider the Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007, which addresses subsidies for farmers and the preemption, by the federal government, of state authority to enact food safety laws.
• The Senate will consider a higher education measure designed to expand Pell Grants, create a new student loan forgiveness plan for public service employees, and hold colleges more accountable for tuition increases.
• The Senate will consider a $37.6 billion Homeland Security spending measure that is nearly $2.3 billion above President Bush's request. Bush has already threatened to veto a slightly smaller House version that passed in June.

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

July 23, 2007

House

• House Committee on Rules
  To consider H.R. 3093, Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, July 23, 5 p.m., H-313 Capitol.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Finance
  Business meeting to consider S.J.Res.16, approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. [SD-215] -- Jul 23, 2007 at 5 p.m.
  S. J. Res. 16: A joint resolution approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003

Joint

• Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
  To hold hearings to examine energy and democracy, focusing on whether the development of democracy is incompatible with the development of a country's energy resources, July 23, 3 p.m., SD-419.

July 24, 2007

House

• House Committee on Armed Services -- Seapower and Expeditionary Forces
  Hearing on the surface combatant construction update, July 24, 2 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor -- Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions and the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
  Joint hearing on the Misclassification of Workers as Independent Contractors: What Policies and Practices Best Protect Workers? July 24, 10:30 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor -- Healthy Families and Communities
  Hearing on Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children: Perspectives on Helping the Nation's Vulnerable Youth, July 24, 3 p.m., 2175 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Energy and Commerce -- Telecommunications and the Internet
  Hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission--Part 2,'' July 24, 9:30 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Financial Services -- Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises
  To consider H.R. 2761, Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act of 2007, July 24, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs -- Western Hemisphere
  Briefing and hearing on Deportees in Latin America and the Caribbean, July 24, 3 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Homeland Security -- Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology
  Hearing on Federal Efforts to Mitigate Vulnerabilities in the Food Supply Chain, July 24, 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Committee on Homeland Security -- Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
  Hearing entitled ``Chemical Security--Rising Concern for America: Examination of the Department's Chemical Security Regulation and Its Effect on the Public and Private Sector,'' July 24, 1 p.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence -- Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence
  To continue hearings on Weapons of Mass Destruction, July 24, 10 a.m., H-405 Capitol.
• House Committee on the Judiciary -- Commercial and Administrative Law
  Oversight hearing on Privacy in the Hands of the Government: the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and the Privacy Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, July 24, 1 p.m., 2237 Rayburn.
• House Committee on the Judiciary -- Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
  Hearing on H.R. 2908, Deaths in Custody Reporting Act of 2007, July 24, 1 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Natural Resources -- Insular Affairs
  Oversight hearing on the Implementation of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, July 24, 2 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House Committee on Natural Resources -- Water and Power
  Hearing on H.R. 1970, Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act; and H.R. 2515, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Act, July 24, 10 a.m., 1334 Longworth.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  Hearing on Inadvertent File Sharing Over Peer-to-Peer Networks, July 24, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Science and Technology -- Space and Aeronautics
  Hearing on NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs: Status and Issues, July 24, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure -- Aviation
  Hearing on FAA's Aging ATC Facilities: Investigating the Need to Improve Facilities and Worker Conditions, July 24, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- Oversight and Investigations
  Hearing on IT Inventory Management, July 24, 2 p.m., 334 Cannon.
• House Committee on Ways and Means -- Oversight
  Oversight hearing on Tax-Exempt Organizations, focusing on Charities and Foundations, July 24, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  To hold hearings to examine the protection of children on the internet. [SR-253] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works -- Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection
  To hold hearings to examine economic and international issues, focusing on global warming policy. [SD-406] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Finance
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the government tax policy in farm country. [SD-215] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold a closed briefing regarding Gulf Security dialogue. -- Jul 24, 2007 at 4 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Michael W. Michalak, of Michigan, to be Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Eric G. John, of Indiana, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. [SD-419] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Henrietta Holsman Fore, of Nevada, to be Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. [SD-419] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 2:15 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  To hold hearings to examine the BioShield and Preparedness programs, focusing on improvements needed for epidemics. [SD-628] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Jim Nussle, of Iowa, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget. [SD-342] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  To continue oversight hearings to examine the Department of Justice. [SH-216] -- Jul 24, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  Business meeting to markup the nomination of Charles L. Hopkins, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Enforcement). -- Jul 24, 2007 at 2 p.m.

July 25, 2007

House

• House Committee on Appropriations
  To consider Defense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2008, July 25, 9 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Armed Services and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  Joint hearing on hearing on Implications of the National Intelligence Estimate regarding Al-Qaeda, July 25, 1 p.m., 2118 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Armed Services -- Oversight and Investigations
  To continue hearings on A Third Way: Alternatives for Iraq's Future, Part 3, July 25, 10 a.m., 2212 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Budget
  Hearing on Perspectives on Renewing Statutory PAYGO, July 25, 10 a.m., 210 Cannon.
• House Committee on Financial Services
  Hearing on Improving Federal Consumer Protection in Financial Services-Consumer and Industry Perspectives, July 25, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Financial Services -- Oversight and Investigations
  Hearing on Rooting Out Discrimination in Mortgage Lending: Using HMDA as a Tool for Fair Lending Enforcement, July 25, 2 p.m., 2128 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs
  Hearing on Central and Eastern Europe: Assessing the Democratic Transition, July 25, 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs -- Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment
  Hearing on an Overview of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands: Are Changes Needed? July 25, 2 p.m., 2255 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Homeland Security
  Hearing entitled ``An Overview of Department of Homeland Security Federal Advisory Committees,'' July 25, 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  Executive Briefing on Hot Spots, July 25, 8:45 a.m., H-405 Capitol.
• House Committee on Natural Resources
  Oversight hearing on the Surfacing Reclamation Act of 1977: A 30th Anniversary Review, July 25, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform -- Domestic Policy
  Hearing on ExxonMobil and Shell Answer Questions about Hot Fuels Double Standards, July 25, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Small Business
  Hearing on Competitive Bidding for Clinical Lab Services: Where's it Heading and What Small Businesses Can Expect, July 25, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  Hearing on PTSD and Personality Disorders: Challenges for the VA, July 25, 10 a.m., 334 Cannon.

Senate

• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism
  To hold hearings to examine United States trade relations with China. [SR-253] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works -- Superfund and Environmental Health
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice programs. [SD-406] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 2 p.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 25, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  To hold hearings to examine S.732, to empower Peace Corps volunteers. [SD-419] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.
  S. 732: A bill to empower Peace Corps volunteers, and for other purposes
• 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.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, S.898, to amend the Public Health Service Act to fund breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease research while providing more help to caregivers and increasing public education about prevention, an original bill entitled, “Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007”, and the nominations of Diane Auer Jones, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, David C. Geary, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences, and Miguel Campaneria, of Puerto Rico, to be a Member of the National Council on the Arts. [SD-106] -- Jul 25, 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. 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
  S. 898: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to fund breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease research while providing more help to caregivers and increasing public education about prevention
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  To hold hearings to examine the nomination of Dennis R. Schrader, of Maryland, to be Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security. [SD-342] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs -- Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security
  To hold hearings to examine the implementation of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. [SD-342] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 3 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine Gulf Coast disaster loans, focusing on the future of the disaster assistance program. [SR-428A] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  To hold an oversight hearing to examine Department of Veterans Affairs health care funding. [SD-562] -- Jul 25, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

Joint

• Joint Economic Committee
  To hold hearings to examine the national foreclosure crisis, focusing on subprime mortgage fallout, July 25, 10 a.m., SH-216.

July 26, 2007

House

• House Committee on Armed Services
  Hearing on Upholding the Principle of Habeas Corpus for Detainees, 9 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor -- Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness
  Hearing on the Workforce Investment Act: Ideas to Improve the Workforce Development System, July 26, 10 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Education and Labor -- Workforce Protections
  Hearing on the S-Miner Act (H.R. 2768) and the Miner Health Improvement Enhancement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2769), July 26, 2 p.m., 2175 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs -- Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment
  Hearing on Is the Millennium Challenge Corporation Overstating Its Impact: The Case of Vanuatu, July 26, 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Foreign Affairs -- Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
  Hearing on Export Controls: Are We Protecting Security and Facilitating Exports? July 26, 2 p.m., B-3l8 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Homeland Security -- Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
  Hearing on Frequent Traveler Programs: Balancing Security and Commerce at our Land Borders, July 26, 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
• House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  Briefing on National Drug Intelligence Center, July 26, 1:15 p.m., H-405 Capitol.
• House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence -- Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence
  Briefing on Russia Counterintelligence, July 26, 10 a.m., H-405 Capitol.
• House Committee on the Judiciary -- Commercial and Administrative Law
  Hearing on the Internet Tax Freedom Act, July 26, 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
• House Committee on the Judiciary
  Oversight hearing on the Federal Bureau of Investigations, July 26, 1:30 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Natural Resources -- Energy and Mineral Resources
  Hearing on H.R. 2262, Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, July 26, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
• House Committee on Natural Resources -- National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
  Hearing on H.R. 3058, Public Land Communities Transition Assistance Act of 2007, Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, July 26, 2 p.m., 1334 Longworth.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  Hearing on Iraq Embassy, July 26, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform -- Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia
  Oversight hearing on the Postal Service: Planning for the 21st Century, July 26, 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform -- Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
  Hearing on 2010 Census Workforce, July 26, 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Small Business -- Investigations and Oversight
  Hearing to examine the impact that the flooding has had on small businesses in Beaver County, PA and to review SBA's response in meeting the needs of those affected by the floods, July 26, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Science and Technology
  To continue hearings on Globalization of R&D and Innovation, Part II: the University Response, July 26, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure -- Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  Hearing on Amtrak Labor Negotiations, July 26, 2 p.m., 2167 Rayburn.
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- Economic Opportunity
  Hearing on Contract Bundling Oversight, July 26, 2 p.m., 334 Cannon.
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- Health
  Hearing on Gulf War Exposures, July 26, 10 a.m., 334 Cannon.

Senate

• Senate Committee on the Budget
  Business meeting to consider the nomination of Jim Nussle, of Iowa, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget. [SD-608] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  To hold hearings to examine preparation taken for digital television transition. [SR-253] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation -- Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security
  To continue hearings to examine the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act. [SR-253] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources -- Water and Power
  To hold hearings to examine S.300, to authorize appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program in the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada, S.1258, to amend the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to authorize improvements for the security of dams and other facilities, S.1477, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Jackson Gulch rehabilitation project in the State of Colorado, S.1522, to amend the Bonneville Power Administration portions of the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act of 2000 to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2008 through 2014, and H.R.1025, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a studyto determine the feasibility of implementing a water supply and conservation project to improve water supply reliability, increase the capacity of water storage, and improve water management efficiency in the Republican River Basin between Harlan County Lake in Nebraska and Milford Lake in Kansas. [SD-366] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
  S. 300: A bill to authorize appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation to carry out the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program in the States of Arizona, California, and Nevada, and for other purposes
  S. 1258: A bill to amend the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 to authorize improvements for the security of dams and other facilities
  S. 1477: A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Jackson Gulch rehabilitation project in the State of Colorado
  S. 1522: A bill to amend the Bonneville Power Administration portions of the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act of 2000 to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2008 through 2014, and for other purposes
  H.R. 1025: Lower Republican River Basin Study Act
• Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
  To hold hearings to examine the case for the California waiver, including an update from the Environmental Protection Agency. [SD-406] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. [SH-219] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.
• Senate Judiciary Committee
  Business meeting to consider 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.453, to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections, S.1692, to grant a Federal charter to Korean War Veterans Association, Incorporated, an original bill entitled, “School Safety and Law Enforcement Act”, and the nomination of Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. [SD-226] -- Jul 26, 2007 at 10 a.m.
  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. 453: A bill to prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections
  S. 1692: A bill to grant a Federal charter to Korean War Veterans Association, Incorporated

July 27, 2007

House

• House Committee on Financial Services -- Oversight and Investigations
  Hearing on Credit-Based Insurance Scores: Are They Fair? July 27, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.