Senate Conducted 19 Committee Hearings on Feb. 9

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The U.S. Senate conducted 19 committee hearings on Feb. 9, 2023:

2023 FARM BILL

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 2023 Farm Bill, focusing on commodity programs, crop insurance, and credit, after receiving testimony from Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, Marcia Bunger, Administrator, Risk Management Agency, and Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator, Farm Service Agency, all of the Department of Agriculture.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Agriculture: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

HIGH ALTITUDE SURVEILLANCE

Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense received a briefing on the People's Republic of China's high altitude surveillance efforts against the United States from Melissa Dalton, Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Jedidiah Royal, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Lieutenant General Douglas Sims II, Director for Operations, Joint Staff J3, and Vice Admiral Sara Joyner, Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessments, Joint Staff J8, all of the Department of Defense.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items:

An original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee; and

The nominations of Radha Iyengar Plumb, of New York, to be a Deputy Under Secretary, and Laura Taylor-Kale, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of Defense.

Also, Committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress, and announced the following subcommittee assignments:

Subcommittee on Airland: Senators Kelly (Chair), Blumenthal, King, Peters, Manchin, Duckworth, Cotton, Fischer, Ernst, Scott (FL), and Mullin.

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity: Senators Manchin (Chair), Gillibrand, Peters, Duckworth, Rosen, Rounds, Ernst, Budd, and Schmitt.

Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities: Senators Gillibrand (Chair), Shaheen, Warren, Peters, Rosen, Kelly, Ernst, Cotton, Mullin, Budd, and Schmitt.

Subcommittee on Personnel: Senators Warren (Chair), Blumenthal, Hirono, Kaine, Duckworth, Scott (FL), Rounds, Sullivan, and Budd.

Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support: Senators Hirono (Chair), Shaheen, Blumenthal, Kaine, Duckworth, Kelly, Sullivan, Fischer, Cramer, Tuberville, and Mullin.

Subcommittee on Seapower: Senators Kaine (Chair), Shaheen, Blumenthal, Hirono, King, Peters, Cramer, Sullivan, Scott (FL), Tuberville, and Schmitt.

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces: Senators King (Chair), Gillibrand, Warren, Manchin, Rosen, Kelly, Fischer, Cotton, Rounds, Cramer, and Tuberville.

Senators Reed and Wicker are ex officio members of each subcommittee.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

Also, Committee announced the following subcommittee assignments:

Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment: Senators Menendez (Chair), Reed, Tester, Warner, Warren, Sinema, Warnock, Rounds, Crapo, Tillis, Kennedy, Hagerty, Vance.

Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance: Senators Warner (Chair), Tester, Van Hollen, Cortez Masto, Sinema, Hagerty, Britt, Cramer, and Daines.

Subcommittee on Economic Policy: Senators Warren (Chair), Reed, Menendez, Van Hollen, Smith, Fetterman, Kennedy, Rounds, Tillis, Lummis, and Daines.

Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development: Senators Smith (Chair), Reed, Menendez, Tester, Cortez Masto, Sinema, Warnock, Fetterman, Lummis, Crapo, Rounds, Kennedy, Hagerty, Vance, and Britt.

Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection: Senators Warnock (Chair), Warner, Warren, Van Hollen, Cortez Masto, Smith, Fetterman, Tillis, Crapo, Lummis, Vance, Britt, and Cramer.

Senators Brown and Scott (SC) are ex officio members of each subcommittee.

HOUSING IN 2023

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the state of housing in 2023, after receiving testimony from Christopher Herbert, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Robert Dietz, National Association of Home Builders, and Lance George, Housing Assistance Council, both of Washington, D.C.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on the Budget: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

AIRLINE OPERATIONS AND CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

Committee on Commerce: Committee concluded a hearing to examine strengthening airline operations and consumer protections, after receiving testimony from Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Co., and Captain Casey Murray, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, both of Dallas, Texas; Paul Hudson, FlyersRights, Sarasota, Florida; and Sharon Pinkerton, Airlines for America, and Clifford Winston, The Brookings Institution, both of Washington, D.C.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

U.S. TERRITORIES

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the state of the United States Territories, after receiving testimony from United States Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Charlotte Amalie; Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Hagatna; American Samoa Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga, Pago Pago; Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor Arnold I. Palacios, Saipan; and Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi, San Juan.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Finance: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee, adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress, and designated members to serve on the Joint Committee on Taxation and members to serve as Congressional Trade Advisors on Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Also, Committee announced the following subcommittee assignments for the 118th Congress:

Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure: Senators Stabenow (Chair), Wyden, Carper, Bennet, Whitehouse, Cortez Masto, Lankford, Cornyn, Scott (SC), Daines, and Barrasso.

Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness: Senators Carper (Chair), Wyden, Stabenow, Menendez, Cardin, Brown, Bennet, Casey, Warner, Cortez Masto, Cornyn, Thune, Scott (SC), Cassidy, Daines, Young, Barrasso, Johnson, and Tillis.

Subcommittee on Health Care: Senators Cardin (Chair), Wyden, Stabenow, Menendez, Carper, Casey, Warner, Whitehouse, Hassan, Cortez Masto, Warren, Daines, Grassley, Thune, Scott (SC), Cassidy, Lankford, Young, Barrasso, Johnson, and Blackburn.

Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy: Senators Brown (Chair), Wyden, Casey, Hassan, Warren, Tillis, Cassidy, Young, and Blackburn.

Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight: Senators Bennet (Chair), Wyden, Menendez, Cardin, Warner, Whitehouse, Warren, Thune, Grassley, Cornyn, Lankford, Johnson, and Blackburn.

Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth: Senators Hassan (Chair), Wyden, and Grassley.

Senators Wyden and Crapo are ex officio members of each subcommittee.

U.S.-CHINA POLICY

Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine U.S.-China policy in the era of strategic competition, after receiving testimony from Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State; and Ely S. Ratner, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

Also, Committee announced the following subcommittee assignments for the 118th Congress:

Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations: Senators Blumenthal (Chair), Carper, Hassan, Padilla, Ossoff, Johnson, Scott (FL), Hawley, and Marshall.

Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight: Senators Hassan (Chair), Sinema, Rosen, Ossoff, Romney, Lankford, and Scott (FL).

Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management: Senators Sinema (Chair), Carper, Padilla, Blumenthal, Lankford, Johnson, and Romney.

Senators Peters and Paul are ex-officio members of each subcommittee.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee elected Senator Schatz to be Chair and Senator Murkowski to be Vice Chair, ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on the Judiciary: Committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress, and ordered favorably reported the following business items:

An original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee for the 118th Congress;

S. 79, to amend title 35, United States Code, to establish an interagency task force between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Food and Drug Administration for purposes of sharing information and providing technical assistance with respect to patents;

S. 113, to require the Federal Trade Commission to study the role of intermediaries in the pharmaceutical supply chain and provide Congress with appropriate policy recommendations, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;

S. 142, to prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable companies to delay the entry of biosimilar biological products and interchangeable biological products, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;

S. 148, to enable to Federal Trade Commission to deter filing of sham citizen petitions to cover an attempt to interfere with approval of a competing generic drug or biosimilar, to foster competition, and facilitate the efficient review of petitions filed in good faith to raise legitimate public health concerns, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;

S. 150, to amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit product hopping; and

The nominations of Nancy G. Abudu, of Georgia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, Rachel Bloomekatz, of Ohio, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, Anthony Devos Johnstone, of Montana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, Julie Rikelman, of Massachusetts, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit, Robert Stewart Ballou, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, Natasha C. Merle, and Ramon Ernesto Reyes, Jr., each to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, Jessica G. L. Clarke, Dale E. Ho, and Arun Subramanian, each to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, Todd E. Edelman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, Kymberly Kathryn Evanson, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington, Gordon P. Gallagher, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado, Jonathan James Canada Grey, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Myong J. Joun, and Julia E. Kobick, both to be a United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts, Kenly Kiya Kato, and Hernan D. Vera, both to be a United States District Judge for the Central District of California, Colleen R. Lawless, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois, Rita F. Lin, and P. Casey Pitts, both to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of California, Andrew G. Schopler, and James Edward Simmons, Jr., both to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, and Jill E. Steinberg, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Department of Justice.

BUSINESS MEETING

Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the committee, and adopted its rules of procedure for the 118th Congress.

BUSINESS MEETING

Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee ordered favorably reported an original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee for the 118th Congress.

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