Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Issues Report on Activities During 114th Congress (Part 2 of 8)
Preserving Americans' Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness
Every American should have a chance to pursue the American dream, including choosing what school to send their child to, experiencing the dignity of work, and accessing potentially lifesaving treatments. The Committee worked in the 114th
The Committee worked to help ensure that Americans have a fair chance to get a job. The Fair Chance Act, sponsored by Senator
The Committee also worked to help American parents have a choice of where their children go to school. The Committee held two hearings titled The Value of Education Choices for Low- Income Families: Reauthorizing the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program: A Pioneer for School Choice Programs Nationwide to examine strategies for improving opportunities for K-12 students, and particularly those in urban communities where not all children have access to schools that provide a high-quality learning environment. The hearing highlighted
44Letter from
45Letter from
The Committee used its oversight tools to fight to ensure that patients, especially those facing terminal illnesses, have access to potentially life-saving treatments. Patients like Trickett Wendler from
46Fabio Pammolli, Laura Magazzini, and
47Joseph A. Dimasi,
Committee Members demanded answers from the
48Letter from
Months after Chairman Johnson pressed the
49Letter from Senator
After holding a hearing titled Connecting Patients to New and Potential Life Saving Treatments, on ways to shorten the time between life-threatening conditions and promising treatments, Chairman Johnson encouraged the
50Ed Silverman, Senators urge
51U.S.
Chairman Johnson's leadership helped gain 42 bipartisan cosponsors for his legislation to ensure terminally- ill patients have the freedom to access potentially lifesaving treatments where no alternative exists. The Chairman will continue to educate his colleagues about his bill, called the Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act, and work to gain more support to pass it next
The Committee also worked to find solutions to help prevent the over-prescription of pain medication. The
52America's Insatiable Demand for Drugs: Assessing the Federal Response: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on
53S. 2578, PROP ACT of 2016, 114th Cong. (2016).
54Border Security and America's Heroin Epidemic: The Impact of the Trafficking and Abuse of Heroin and Prescription Opioids in
55Federal Register (
The Committee examined the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to determine how ACA tax credits were being awarded to ineligible recipients-individuals who failed to prove they were citizens or lawful residents of
56Majority Staff Report,
57Letter from
58Letter from
59Letter from Senators
Finally, the Committee was proud to support its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations' (PSI) bipartisan investigation into child sex trafficking. The Committee voted unanimously to direct Senate Legal Counsel to seek a court order to enforce a PSI subpoena issued to the Chief Executive Offices of Backpage.com, a company that had been under investigation by the subcommittee for alleged sex trafficking of children on the internet. The vote paved the way for a unanimous vote on the
Protecting America's Secrets
During the 114th
In
60Letter from
61Fed.
In the months that followed, the Committee conducted oversight of the
62Letter from
63Letter from
64Letter from
G. REGULATORY REFORM
Chairman Johnson and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management made improving the regulatory process a focus of the Committee's work in the 114th
During the
6574 Fed. Reg. 1 (
66
67
The Committee pressured the Administration to roll back costly regulations like the
68S.
Several majority staff reports highlighted the burden the regulatory state is placing on Americans. Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Carper, and Senators Lankford and Heitkamp sent letters to private sector stakeholders, including industry representatives, think tanks, and environmental groups, to ask for their input about the regulatory process.69 Chairman Johnson summarized and compiled these responses, and released them as part of a majority staff report.70 The report provided
69Letters from
70Majority Staff Report, Direct From the Source: Understanding Regulation From the Inside Out,
After obtaining relevant documents from the
71Majority Staff Report,
72Majority Staff Report, Regulating the
Additionally, Chairman Johnson conducted oversight of a proposed
73Letter from
74Various communications with Comm. staff (2015).
75Email from company to Comm. staff (
As the
The Committee also works closely with government watchdogs, including inspectors general (IGs) and the
76Government Reform: Ending Duplication and Holding Washington Accountable: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on
77Id.
78Improving The Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Independence of Inspectors General: Hearing Before The S. Comm. on
79J. Majority Staff Report, Empowering Inspectors General: Supporting the IG Community Could Save Billions for American Taxpayers,
Given the value GAO and IGs have for the taxpayer, it is important that IGs are in place and both IGs and GAO have the tools they need to succeed. At the start of the last
80See, e.g., Letter from
From 2013 to 2015, the improper payment total increased from
81Gov't Accountability Office, GAO-14-747T, Improper Payments: Government-Wide Estimates and Reduction Strategies (
The Committee has also approved a number of bills that reduce Federal Government spending, prohibit and end duplicative programs, and ensure that agencies spend money more wisely. Eleven of these bills became law in the 114th
The Chairman and Ranking Member also worked together to pass meaningful reform of the Government's management of its real property portfolio to help dispose of unnecessary and costly properties. The Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act, P.L. 114-287 was a Committee priority for years, and finally made it to the finish line in the 114th
Other bills approved by the Committee in the 114th
The Committee worked to make Federal Government programs more efficient and transparent. Committee members may disagree on how big the Federal Government should be, but we all agree that what Government programs we have need to run efficiently and effectively for the American public. With that common ground in mind, the Committee approved and the President signed into law seven pieces of legislation that help Federal agencies hire employees more efficiently, help
Committee members also understand that by making more documents, data, and information available to the public, Federal agencies are held accountable for the decisions they make and the money they spend. That is why the Committee approved eight bills that, taken together, require agencies to make their programs, data and documents, spending, grant awards, and settlement agreements open to the public.
II. COMMITTEE JURISDICTION
The jurisdiction of the Committee (which was renamed the
RULE XXV
* * * * * * * *
(k)(1)
1. Archives of
2. Budget and accounting measures, other than appropriations, except as provided in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
3. Census and collection of statistics, including economic and social statistics.
4. Congressional organization, except for any part of the matter that amends the rules or orders of the
6. Government information.
7. Intergovernmental relations.
8. Municipal affairs of the
9. Organization and management of
10. Organization and reorganization of the executive branch of the Government.
11.
12. Status of officers and employees of
(2) Such committee shall have the duty of----
(A) receiving and examining reports of the Comptroller General of
(B) studying the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the Government;
(C) evaluating the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the legislative and executive branches of the Government; and
(D) studying the intergovernmental relationships between
SENATE RESOLUTION 73, 114th
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS.
Sec. 12. (a) * * *
* * * * * * * *
(e) INVESTIGATIONS----
(1) IN GENERAL.--The committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee of the committee, is authorized to study or investigate----
(A) the efficiency and economy of operations of all branches of the Government including the possible existence of fraud, misfeasance, malfeasance, collusion, mismanagement, incompetence, corruption, or unethical practices, waste, extravagance, conflicts of interest, and the improper expenditure of Government funds in transactions, contracts, and, activities of the Government or of Government officials and employees and any and all such improper practices between Government personnel and corporations, individuals, companies, or persons affiliated therewith, doing business with the Government; and the compliance or noncompliance of such corporations, companies, or individuals or other entities with the rules, regulations, and laws governing the various governmental agencies and its relationships with the public;
(B) the extent to which criminal or other improper practices or activities are, or have been, engaged in the field of labor-management relations or in groups or organizations of employees or employers, to the detriment of interests of the public, employers, or employees, and to determine whether any changes are required in the laws of
(C) organized criminal activity which may operate in or otherwise utilize the facilities of interstate or international commerce in furtherance of any transactions and the manner and extent to which, and the identity of the persons, firms, or corporations, or other entities by whom such utilization is being made, and further, to study and investigate the manner in which and the extent to which persons engaged in organized criminal activity have infiltrated lawful business enterprise, and to study the adequacy of Federal laws to prevent the operations of organized crime in interstate or international commerce; and to determine whether any changes are required in the laws of
(D) all other aspects of crime and lawlessness within
(E) the efficiency and economy of operations of all branches and functions of the Government with particular reference to----
(i) the effectiveness of present national security methods, staffing, and processes as tested against the requirements imposed by the rapidly mounting complexity of national security problems;
(ii) the capacity of present national security staffing, methods, and processes to make full use of the Nation's resources of knowledge and talents;
(iii) the adequacy of present intergovernmental relations between
(iv) legislative and other proposals to improve these methods, processes, and relationships;
(F) the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the Government involved in the control and management of energy shortages including, but not limited to, their performance with respect to----
(i) the collection and dissemination of accurate statistics on fuel demand and supply;
(ii) the implementation of effective energy conservation measures;
(iii) the pricing of energy in all forms;
(iv) coordination of energy programs with State and local government;
(v) control of exports of scarce fuels;
(vi) the management of tax, import, pricing, and other policies affecting energy supplies;
(vii) maintenance of the independent sector of the petroleum industry as a strong competitive force;
(viii) the allocation of fuels in short supply by public and private entities;
(ix) the management of energy supplies owned or controlled by the Government;
(x) relations with other oil producing and consuming countries;
(xi) the monitoring of compliance by governments, corporations, or individuals with the laws and regulations governing the allocation, conservation, or pricing of energy supplies; and
(xii) research into the discovery and development of alternative energy supplies; and
(G) the efficiency and economy of all branches and functions of Government with particular references to the operations and management of Federal regulatory policies and programs.
(2) EXTENT OF INQUIRIES.--In carrying out the duties provided in paragraph (1), the inquiries of this committee or any subcommittee of the committee shall not be construed to be limited to the records, functions, and operations of any particular branch of the Government and may extend to the records and act ivities of any persons, corporation, or other entity. (3) SPECIAL COMMITTEE AUTHORITY.--For the purposes of this subsection, the committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee of the committee, or its chairman, or any other member of the committee or subcommittee designated by the chairman is authorized, in its, his or her, or their discretion----
(A) to require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses and production of correspondence, books, papers, and documents;
(B) to hold hearings;
(C) to sit and act at any time or place during the sessions, recess, and adjournment periods of the
(D) to administer oaths; and
(E) to take testimony, either orally or by sworn statement, or, in the case of staff members of the Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, by deposition in accordance with the Committee Rules of Procedure.
(4) AUTHORITY OF OTHER COMMITTEES.--Nothing contained in this subsection shall affect or impair the exercise of any other standing committee of the
(5) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.--All subpoenas and related legal processes of the committee and its subcommittee authorized under
III. BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS REFERRED AND CONSIDERED
During the 114th
The Committee reported 122 bills; an additional 26 measures were discharged.
Of the legislation received by the Committee, 82 measures became public laws, including 53 postal naming bills.
IV. HEARINGS
During the 114th
Lists of hearings with copies of statements by Members and witnesses, with archives going back to 1997, are online at the Committee's Web site, http://hsgac.senate.gov/.
Protecting America from Cyber Attacks: The Importance of Information Sharing.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine the cybersecurity threats
Witnesses:
Deferred Action on Immigration: Implications and Unanswered Questions.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine the logistical, financial, and national security implications of the President's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) programs. Witness testimony focused on how the executive actions could impact border security, legal immigration processes, federal tax revenue, social security, and various other sectors.
Witnesses:
Risky Business: Examining GAO's 2015 List of High Risk Government Programs.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine the
Witnesses: Hon.
Improving the Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Independence of Inspectors General.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine how
Witnesses: Hon.
Toward a 21st Century Regulatory System.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to provide an overview of the current state of the federal regulatory process and give lawmakers a framework with which to consider ways to assess rulemaking procedures and ultimately improve outcomes. Witness testimony focused on suggestions for improving the regulatory process.
Witnesses:
Visa Waiver Program: Implications for
The purpose of this two-panel hearing was to examine the Visa Waiver Program and its implications for
Witnesses: Panel I: Hon.
Examining Federal Improper Payments and Errors in the Death
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to discuss the federal improper payments and their root causes. Specifically, the hearing will focus on errors in the
Witnesses:
Securing the Southwest Border: Perspectives from Beyond the Beltway.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine the current state of the security along the Southwest border by hearing from those with first-hand knowledge of the region. Witnesses drew upon their personal experiences living and working along the Southwest border and offered suggestions on how to increase the security of border communities and prevention of illegal border crossing.
Witnesses:
Securing the Border: Assessing the Impact of Transnational Crime.
The purpose of this single-panel hearing was to examine the transnational criminal and national security threats along the borders and their impacts on border communities and the nation at large. Witness testimony focused on current transnational and drug-related crimes at our borders and how these threats affect the entire country.
Witnesses:
Securing the Border: Understanding and Addressing the Root Causes of Central American Migration to
The purpose of this two-panel hearing was to examine what is driving Central American migration to the
Witnesses: Panel I:
Securing the Border: Defining the Current Population Living in the Shadows and Addressing Future Flows.
The purpose of this one-panel hearing was to define the scope of those who are currently residing unlawfully in
Witnesses:
Tomah VAMC: Examining Quality, Access, and a Culture of Overreliance on High-Risk Medications.
Witnesses: Panel I:
The purpose of this one-panel hearing was to examine the
Witnesses: Hon.
Continues with Part 3 of 8
Sens. Cantwell, Murray Deliver Warning to Speaker Ryan, House Republicans
Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Issues Report on Activities During 114th Congress (Part 4 of 8)
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News