The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Senate Committee Meetings” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D999-D1001 on Nov. 18, 2020.
The Department oversees more than 500 million acres of land. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the department has contributed to a growing water crisis and holds many lands which could be better managed.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items:
S. 1031, to implement recommendations related to the safety of amphibious passenger vessels, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 1166, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to make grants for the establishment or expansion of internet exchange facilities, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 3730, to amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize and modernize the registered traveler program of the Transportation Security Administration, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 3824, to require the Federal Trade Commission to submit a report to Congress on scams targeting seniors;
S. 3969, to amend title 49, United States Code, to reform the Federal Aviation Administration's aircraft certification process, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 4472, to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Network Reimbursement Program to include eligible telecommunications carriers and providers of educational broadband service, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 4719, to provide, temporarily, authority for the Secretary of Commerce to waive cost sharing requirements for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, with an amendment;
S. 4803, to make the 3450-3550 MHz spectrum band available for non-
Federal use;
S. 4827, to authorize the Assistant Secretary of Space Commerce to provide space situational awareness data, information, and services to non-United States Government entities, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 4847, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel and tourism industry in the United States;
S. 4884, to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to study the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on injuries and deaths associated with consumer products, with amendments; and
Routine lists in the Coast Guard.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Allison Clements, of Ohio, and Mark C. Christie, of Virginia, both to be a Member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
PUBLIC LANDS, FORESTS, AND MINING LEGISLATION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining concluded a hearing to examine H.R. 823 and S. 241, bills to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, S. 1695, to amend the Wilderness Act to allow local Federal officials to determine the manner in which nonmotorized uses may be permitted in wilderness areas, S. 2804, to promote conservation, improve public land management, and provide for sensible development in Pershing County, Nevada, S. 2875, to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, S. 3492, to transfer administrative jurisdiction over certain Bureau of Land Management land from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for use as a national cemetery, S. 4215, to designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, S. 4569, to modify the boundary of the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in the State of Arizona, S. 4599, to withdraw certain Federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of the State of New Mexico from mineral entry, S. 4603, to promote the use of forest restoration residue harvested on National Forest System land for renewable energy, S. 4616, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer certain National Forest System land to the State of South Dakota, S. 4625, to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage and expand the use of prescribed fire on land managed by the Department of the Interior or the Forest Service, with an emphasis on units of the National Forest System in the western United States, S. 4696, to provide for the continuation of higher education through the conveyance to the University of Alaska of certain public land in the State of Alaska, and S. 4889, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to increase the dividend exclusion, to exclude certain payments to Alaska Native elders for determining eligibility for certain programs, to provide that Village Corporations shall not be required to convey land in trust to the State of Alaska for the establishment of Municipal Corporations, and to provide for the recognition of certain Alaska Native communities and the settlement of certain claims under that Act, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain interests in land in the State of Alaska, after receiving testimony from Chris French, Deputy Chief, Forest System, National Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Michael Nedd, Deputy Director, Operations, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior; Art Babbott, Coconino County, Flagstaff, Arizona; and Susan Jane M. Brown, Western Environmental Law Center, Eugene, Oregon.
MODERNIZING FEDERAL TELEWORK
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management concluded a hearing to examine modernizing Federal telework, focusing on moving forward using the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, after receiving testimony from Michelle B. Rosenberg, Acting Director, Strategic Issues, Government Accountability Office; Keith Washington, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Administration; Sydney T. Rose, Chief Human Capital Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Administration and Management; and Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Systems, and Deputy Chief Information Officer for IT Operations, Social Security Administration.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items:
S. 790, to clarify certain provisions of Public Law 103-116, the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 3264, to expedite and streamline the deployment of affordable broadband service on Tribal land, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
S. 4079, to authorize the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease or transfer certain land, and
S. 4556, to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Indian Health Service, to acquire private land to facilitate access to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center in Hemet, California.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Thomas L. Kirsch II, of Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, who was introduced by Senators Young and Braun, Charles Edward Atchley, Jr., and Katherine A. Crytzer, both to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, both introduced by Senator Alexander, Joseph Dawson III, to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina, who was introduced by Senator Scott (SC), and Zachary N. Somers, of the District of Columbia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Shana M. Broussard, of Louisiana, Sean J. Cooksey, of Missouri, who was introduced by Senator Cruz, and Allen Dickerson, of the District of Columbia, each to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of the intelligence community.
