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 in the Daily Digest section section on pages D1168-D1169 on Oct. 21.
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 Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported 38 nominations in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
HOUSING MARKET
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine how private equity landlords are changing the housing market, after receiving testimony from Sofia Lopez, Action Center on Race and the Economy, Los Angeles, California; Holly Hook, MHAction, Detroit, Michigan; Norbert J. Michel, Cato Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Washington, D.C.; Michael Hendrix, Manhattan Institute, New York, New York; and Desiree Fields, University of California, Berkeley.
NASA OVERSIGHT
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on Space and Science concluded a hearing to examine international collaboration and competition in space, focusing on oversight of NASA's role and programs, after receiving testimony from Patricia Sanders, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel; Jim Bridenstine, former NASA Administrator, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Mary Lynne Dittmar, Axiom Space, Inc., Houston, Texas; and Mike Gold, Redwire Space, Washington, D.C.
NATURAL RESOURCES LEGISLATION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a hearing to examine S. 1734, 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. 1964, to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to provide for the establishment of a Ski Area Fee Retention Account, S. 2404, to improve Federal activities relating to wildfires, S. 2436, to amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to establish emergency fireshed management areas, S. 2561, to amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide that a land resource management plan or land use plan approved, amended, or revised under those Acts shall not be considered to be a continuing Federal agency action or constitute a discretionary Federal involvement or control for a distinct Federal purpose, S. 2564, to establish a pilot program under which the Chief of the Forest Service may use alternative dispute resolution in lieu of judicial review for certain projects, S. 2650, to provide mandatory funding for hazardous fuels reduction projects on certain Federal land, S. 2806, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to select and implement landscape-scale forest restoration projects, to assist communities in increasing their resilience to wildfire, and S. 2836, to improve revegetation and carbon sequestration activities in the United States, after receiving testimony from Senator Bennet; Christopher B. French, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Jeffery Rupert, Director, Office of Wildland Fire, Department of the Interior; Bill Crapser, Wyoming State Forestry Division, Cheyenne, on behalf of the National Association of State Foresters; Paul Johansen, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, South Charleston; and Tyson Bertone-Riggs, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, Portland, Oregon.
INSPECTOR GENERAL INDEPENDENCE AND INTEGRITY
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine safeguarding inspector general independence and integrity, including H.R. 2662, to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978, S. 587, to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to provide that the President or certain agency heads may remove the Inspector General, or place an Inspector General on non-duty status, only if certain conditions are satisfied, S. 1794, to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to provide testimonial subpoena authority, and S. 426, to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 relative to the powers of the Department of Justice Inspector General, after receiving testimony from Allison C. Lerner, Inspector General, National Science Foundation, and Kevin H. Winters, Inspector General, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), both on behalf of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; and Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General, Department of Justice.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items:
S. 2429, to amend chapter 38 of title 31, United States Code, relating to civil remedies; and
The nomination of Beth Robinson, of Vermont, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.
