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AP WASHINGTON DAYBOOK, Thursday, March 27
CONGRESS-SENATE
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10:30 a.m. 'FAIR SHOT FOR EVERYONE' — Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) will hold a press conference to "highlight the benefits of raising the national minimum wage for small businesses" as part of the Senate Democrats' 2014 legislative agenda to ensure a "Fair Shot for Everyone." Senators will also be joined by small business owners who will discuss how the Senate legislation, which is expected to be voted on next week, is good for their businesses.
Location: S-120.
Contacts: John Rizzo (Sen. Casey), 202-228-6367
Josh Zembik (Sen. Blumenthal), 202-224-2823
Monique Waters (Sen. Booker), 202-224-8150
3 p.m. THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT — The Progressive Democrats of America hold a hill briefing on SJ Res 15. A panel with speakers from National organizations working to ratify the ERA will present various aspects of the Equal Rights Amendments. Opening Remarks by Senator Ben Cardin (MD). Additional speakers: Bettina Hager, Moderator, Co-Chair, NCWO ERA Task Force Programs Director, National Womens Political Caucus ; Thomas H. Neale, Specialist in American National Government, Congressional Research Service; Kenneth R. Thomas, Legislative Attorney, Congressional Research Service "A Legal Analysis of the Equal Rights Amendment; Chitra Panjabi, Vice President of Membership, National Organization for Women "What Women Gain with an ERA; Dr. Elise Gould, Director of Health Policy Research, Economic Policy Institute "Documenting Economic Inequality by Gender ; Andrea Miller, Progressive Democrats of America "Grassroots Actions Toward State Ratifications ; Eleanor Smeal, President, Feminist Majority Foundation National Leader in the ERA Ratification Effort. alsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1987/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY1277327
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FLOOR SCHEDULE
UPDATED
9:30 a.m. — The Senate convenes and begins a period of morning business. Thereafter, senators begin consideration of H.R.4152, the Ukraine Aid bill. After that vote, the Senate will vote on confirmation of Maria Conreras-Sweet to be SBA Administrator.
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COMMITTEE MEETINGS
9:30 a.m. ARMED SERVICES — Hearings to examine the posture of the Department of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2015 and the Future Years Defense Program. Witnesses: Raymond E. Mabus, Jr., Secretary of the Navy; Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; General James F. Amos, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/posture-of-the-department-of-the-navy\_03/27/2014
Location: G50 Dirksen
9:45 a.m. ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES — Business meeting to consider the nominations of Rhea Sun Suh, of Colorado, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife, Janice Marion Schneider, of New York, to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, both of the Department of the Interior, and subcommittee assignments.
Location: 366 Dirksen.
9:45 a.m. ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS — Full Committee, "MAP-21 Reauthorization: State and Local Perspectives on Transportation Priorities and Funding." Witnesses: Michael Lewis, Director, Rhode Island Department of Transportation; Sue Minter, Deputy Secretary, Vermont Agency of Transportation; Greg Ballard, Mayor, City of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mick Cornett, Mayor, Oklahoma City; Bill Fontenot, President, St. Landry's Parish, Louisiana; Jim Willox, Chairman, Converse County Commission, Wyoming; Dave Gula, Principal Planner, Wilmington Area Planning Council, Delaware. http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing\_ID=f08eb4e6-c34a-d7a4-88e2-2aa6f17aa076
Location: 406 Dirksen.
10 a.m. APPROPRIATIONS — Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, and Related Agencies will meet in OPEN SESSION at 10:00 AM to review of the Fiscal Year 2015 budget request for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Witness: James B. Comey, Jr. Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation. http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/
Location: 192 Dirksen.
Notes: There will be a closed session at 11:15 in SVC-217 Capitol Visitors Center.
10 a.m. APPROPRIATIONS — Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government review of the Presidents Fiscal Year 2015 funding request and budget justification for the Federal Communications Commission. Witnesses: Tom Wheeler, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission; Ajit Pai, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission. http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/
Location: 138 Dirksen.
10 a.m. HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS — "Strengthening the Federal Student Loan Program for Borrowers." Witnesses. Panel one: James W. Runcie, Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid, United States Department of Education. Panel two: Panel II: Dr. Michelle A. Cooper , President, Institute for Higher Education Policy, Washington, DC; Deanne Loonin , National Consumer Law Center, Boston, MA; Roberta L. Johnson , Director of Student Financial Aid, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; Marian Dill , Director of Student Financial Aid, Lee University, Cleveland, TN. http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=be24605b-5056-a032-5264-da1396baca15
Location: 430 Dirksen.
10 a.m. JUDICARY — Executive Business Meeting. I. Nominations - Gregg Jeffrey Costa, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit; Tanya S. Chutkan, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia; M. Hannah Lauck, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Leo T. Sorokin, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts; John Charles Cruden, to be an Assistant Attorney General. II. Bill - S.1720, Patent Transparency and Improvements Act of 2013 (Leahy, Lee, Klobuchar, Whitehouse). http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=f00b2bec76ceca7ac77335d8aa36b7c7
Location: 226 Dirksen.
10:30 a.m. FOREIGN RELATIONS — Subcommittee on African Affairs hearing, "Powering Africa's Future: Examining the Power Africa Initiative." Panel One: Earl Gast, Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development; Rick Angiuoni, Africa Director, Export Import Bank of the United States; Mimi Alemayehou, Executive Vice President, Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Panel Two: Paul Hinks, Chief Executive Officer, Symbion Power; Del Renigar, Senior Counsel for Global Government Affairs and Policy, General Electric; Tom Hart, U.S. Executive Director, The ONE Campaign; Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria. http://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/powering-africas-future\_examining-the-power-africa-initiative
Location: 419 Dirksen.
11:15 a.m. APPROPRIATIONS — Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, and Related Agencies will meet in CLOSED session. Witness: James B. Comey, Jr., Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Location: SVC-217 Capitol Visitors Center.
Notes: Please note that only staff with a Top Secret security clearance will be allowed in the closed session.
2:30 p.m. HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS — Meets on Nominations of Sherry M. Trafford and Steven M. Wellner to be Associate Judges, Superior Court of the District of Columbia. http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/nominations-of-sherry-m-trafford-and-steven-m-wellner-to-be-associate-judges-superior-court-of-the-district-of-columbia
Location: 342 Dirksen.
2:30 p.m. INTELLIGENCE — Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?hearingId=f00b2bec76ceca7ac77335d8aa4055cb
Location: 219 Hart.
3 p.m. JUDICIARY — Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights, and Agency Action, "Access to Justice for Those Who Serve." Witnesses: Panel I: Col. Paul Kantwill , Director, Office of Legal Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness), Department of Defense, Arlington , VA; Dwain Alexander, II, Esq, Capt., United States Navy (ret.), Navy Legal Assistance Attorney, United States Navy, Region Legal Service Office, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk , VA. Panel II: John S. Odom, Jr., Colonel, USAF JAGC (Ret.), Jones & Odom, LLP, Shreveport, LA; Maj. Gen. Andrew Davis, Executive Director, Reserve Officers Association; Lt. Kenneth "Gene Savage, United States Naval Reserve, Memphis, TN. http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=f00b2bec76ceca7ac77335d8aa427877
Location: 226 Dirksen.
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