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 U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D478-D479 on May 2, 2017.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies concluded open and closed hearings to examine United States European Command, focusing on theater assessment and European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) progress, after receiving testimony from General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, USA, Commander, United States European Command, Department of Defense.
U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine United States Transportation Command, after receiving testimony from General Darren W. McDew, USAF, Commander, United States Transportation Command, Department of Defense.
U.S.-EU COVERED AGREEMENT
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the United States-European Union covered agreement, after receiving testimony from Michael T. McRaith, former Director, Federal Insurance Office, Department of Treasury, Chicago, Illinois; Julie Mix McPeak, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner, Nashville, on behalf of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Michael C. Sapnar, Transatlantic Reinsurance Company, New York, New York; Stuart Henderson, Western National Mutual Insurance Company, Excelsior, Minnesota, on behalf of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies; and David Zaring, The Wharton School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF DETERMINATION ACT AND THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a hearing to examine federal payments to local governments provided through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program and the need to provide greater fiscal certainty for resource-dependent communities with tax-
exempt federal lands, after receiving testimony from Olivia Barton Ferriter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Budget, Finance, Performance and Acquisition; Glenn Casamassa, Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Mayor David Landis, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska; Gordon Cruickshank, Valley County, McCall, Idaho, and Mark Whitney, Beaver County, Milford, Utah, both on behalf of the National Association of Counties; Mike Manus, Pend Oreille County, Newport, Washington; and Mark Haggerty, Headwaters Economics, Bozeman, Montana.
NOMINATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Terry Branstad, of Iowa, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Department of State, after the nominee, who was introduced by Senators Grassley and Ernst, testified and answered questions in his own behalf.
RELIGIOUS HATE CRIMES
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine responses to the increase in religious hate crimes, including S. 662, to provide incentives for hate crime reporting, grants for State-run hate crime hotlines, a Federal private right of action for victims of hate crimes, and additional penalties for individuals convicted under the Matthew Shephard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, after receiving testimony from Eric Treene, Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice; Jonathan A. Greenblatt, Anti-Defamation League, and Prabhjot Singh, Mount Sinai Health System, both of New York, New York; Vanita Gupta, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Washington, D.C.; and Will D. Johnson, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Arlington, Texas.
