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 D743-D744 on July 13.
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)
APPROPRIATIONS: DOI
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2023 for the Department of the Interior, after receiving testimony from Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior.
NOMINATION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of David P. Pekoske, of Maryland, to be Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, after the nominee testified and answered questions in his own behalf.
LOWERING ENERGY PRICES
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy concluded a hearing to examine pathways to lower energy prices in the United States, after receiving testimony from Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota Public Service Commission, and Ron Ness, North Dakota Petroleum Council, both of Bismarck; David J. Bissell, Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative, Lihue, Hawaii; and John Larsen, Rhodium Group, Pelham, Massachusetts.
AIR QUALITY MONITORING LEGISLATION
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded a hearing to examine S. 1345, to establish a national mercury monitoring program, S. 2476, to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a pilot program for hyperlocal air quality monitoring projects in environmental justice communities, and an original bill entitled, ``Public Health Air Quality Act'', after receiving testimony from Senator Collins; Representative Blunt Rochester; J. Alfredo Gomez, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office; Kathy Fallon, Clean Air Task Force, Boston, Massachusetts; Jason Isaac, Life:Powered, Austin, Texas; Dana Johnson, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Washington, D.C.; and Bart Eklund, Haley and Aldrich, McLean, Virginia.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Dean R. Thompson, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to Nepal, who was introduced by Senator Van Hollen, Robert F. Godec, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Yohannes Abraham, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador, Richard Lee Buangan, of California, to be Ambassador to Mongolia, and Marie C. Damour, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of Tonga, and Tuvalu, all of the Department of State, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
REPRODUCTIVE CARE
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee concluded a hearing to examine reproductive care in a post-Roe America, focusing on barriers, challenges, and threats to women's health, after receiving testimony from Kristyn Brandi, Physicians for Reproductive Health, New Jersey; Samie Detzer, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, New York; Jamila K. Taylor, The Century Foundation, D.C.; and Brandi Swindell, Stanton Healthcare, Idaho.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the nomination of Roselyn Tso, of Oregon, to be Director of the Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Roopali H. Desai, of Arizona, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, who was introduced by Senator Sinema, Doris L. Pryor, of Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, who was introduced by Senator Young, and Maria del R. Antongiorgi-Jordan, Gina R. Mendez-Miro, and Camille L. Velez-
Rive, all of Puerto Rico, each to be a United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
OFFICE OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE OVERISGHT
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded an oversight hearing to examine the Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance, after receiving testimony from Francisco Sanchez, Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Assistance, Small Business Administration.
LEGISLATIVE HEARING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine S. 3372, to amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthen benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida, S. 3548, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with tinnitus or hearing loss, S. 3606, to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the requirement to specify an effective period of transfer of Post-9/11 educational assistance to a dependent, S. 3994, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to repay the estates of deceased beneficiaries for certain benefits paid by the Secretary and misused by fiduciaries of such beneficiaries, S. 4141, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, S. 4208, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the appraisal requirements for certain loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 4223, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2022, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, S. 4308, to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the definition of spouse and surviving spouse to include all individuals lawfully married, S. 4319, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to regularly promote programs under chapter 31 of such title, S. 4458, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the process by which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines whether an educational institution meets requirements relating to the percentage of students who receive educational assistance furnished by the Secretary, an original bill entitled, ``Native American Direct Loan Improvement Act'', an original bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to address the operation and maintenance of veterans' cemeteries on trust land owned by, or held in trust for, tribal organizations, and an original bill entitled, ``No Bonuses For Bad Exams Act'', after receiving testimony from Beth Murphy, Executive Director, and Jocelyn Moses, Senior Principal Advisor, both of the Compensation Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, and James Ruhlman, Deputy Director for Program Management, Education Service, all of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Kristina Keenan, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and Anne H. Meehan, American Council on Education, both of Washington, D.C.; and Michael McLaughlin, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Blue Earth County, Minnesota.
