Floor Activity: The House will consider four bills under a suspension of the rules, to include HR 810, the FY15 NASA authorization bill. Yesterday the Senate voted 92-0 to confirm Michael Botticelli as the next Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. There are no Senate votes scheduled for today.
Homeland Security Appropriations. Senate Majority Leader McConnell will likely seek a fourth cloture vote this week on HR 240, the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. It is expected to fail again. Some suggest McConnell's strategy is not to wear down the Democrats but to show the House Republicans that their version will never succeed. This may give Speaker Boehner some leverage in negotiating with House conservatives to fashion a compromise bill in the House; however, most observers expect another CR for DHS. A worse case scenario is a series of short term CRs for the rest of the fiscal year. (CQ)
Carter Confirmation. The SASC is expected today to favorably report Ash Carter for the SECDEF position. Chairman McCain wants the full Senate to confirm him this week before it departs on a week long recess. (CQ, Politico)
Israeli PM Address. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has accepted an invitation to address a joint session of Congress on 3 March. The focus of his remarks will be on Iran and its nuclear program. (CQ)
Hearings: The Senate Armed Services Committees will hold a hearing on "Global Challenges and U.S. National Security Strategy". Details are below
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HEARINGS
Tuesday, 10 February
Senate Armed Services Committee "Global Challenges and U.S. National Security Strategy" @ 9:30 a.m. SH-216 Witnesses: Eric S. Edelman, Panelist, Natl Defense Panel and former Undersec of Defense for Policy; Michele A. Flournoy, Panelist, Natl Defense Panel and former Undersec of Defense for Policy
Wednesday, 11 February
Senate Armed Services Committee "Situation in Afghanistan" @ 9:30 a.m. SR-216 Witnesses: James B. Cunningham, former U.S. Amb to Afghanistan; Ryan C. Crocker, Dean and Exec Prof, George Bush School of Govt and Public Service, Texas A&M University, and former US Amb to Afghanistan
House Homeland Security Committee "Countering Violent Islamist Extremism: The Urgent Threat of Foreign Fighters and Homegrown Terror" @ 10:00 a.m. 311 CHOB Witnesses: Francis X. Taylor, Undersec for Intelligence and Analysis, DHS; Nicholas J. Rasmussen, Dir, Natl Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence; Michael B. Steinbach, Asst Dir, Counterterrorism Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, DoJ
House Armed Services Committee "The FY16 Budget Request: A View from Outside Experts: 'Alternative Budgets and Strategic Choices'" @ 10:00 a.m. 2118 RHOB Witnesses: Nora Bensahel, Scholar in Residence, School of Intl Service, American University; Ryan Crotty, Fellow and Dep Dir, Defense Budget Analysis, CSIS, Intl Security Program; Thomas Donnelly, Resident Fellow and Co-director, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, AEI; Todd Harrison, Sr Fellow, Defense Budget Studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; Jim Thomas, VP and Dir of Studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
House Veterans' Affairs Committee "Fiscal 2016 Budget Request: Department of Veterans Affairs" @ 10:30 a.m. 334 CHOB Witnesses: Robert McDonald, Sec, Dept of Veterans Affairs; Carolyn Clancy, interim Undersec for Health, Dept of Veterans Affairs; Allison A. Hickey, Undersec for Benefits, Dept of Veterans Affairs; Ronald E. Walters, interim Undersec for Memorial Affairs, Dept of Veterans Affairs; Helen Tierney, Exec in Charge, Office of Mgmt and CFO, Dept of Veteran Affairs; Stephen Warren, Exec in Charge and CIO, Office of Information and Technology, Dept of Veterans Affairs; Carl Blake, Assoc Exec Dir, Govt Relations, Paralyzed Veterans of America; Joseph A. Violante, Natl Legislative Dir, Disabled American Veterans; Ray Kelley, Dir, Natl Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Diane M. Zumatto, Natl Legislative Dir, AMVETS; Ian de Planque, Legislative Dir, American Legion
House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Military Personnel "Final Recommendations from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission" @ 1:00 p.m. 2212 RHOB Witnesses: Alphonso Maldon Jr., Chairman, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC); Stephen E. Buyer, Commissioner, MCRMC; Michael R. Higgins, Commissioner, MCRMC; Gen Peter W. Chiarelli (USA, Ret), Commissioner, MCRMC; Adm Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. (USN, Ret), Commissioner, MCRMC
Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces "Briefing – Worldwide Nuclear Capabilities" @ 2:45 p.m. SVC-217 Capitol Witness: John D. Williams, Natl Intelligence Manager/ Natl Intelligence Officer for Military Issues, Office of the Director of Natl Intelligence [Please note this is a CLOSED briefing]
Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Personnel "Retirement and Compensation Proposals of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission" @ 3:00 p.m. SD-G50 Witnesses: Alphonso Maldon Jr., Chairman, Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC); Dov S. Zakheim,
Commissioner, MCRMC; Michael R. Higgins, Commissioner, MCRMC; Gen Peter W. Chiarelli (USA, Ret), Commissioner, MCRMC; Adm Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. (USN, Ret), Commissioner, MCRMC; Robert L. Frank, CEO AF Sergeants Assn; Deirdre Parke Holleman, Exec Dir, The Retired Enlisted Assn; Richard A. Jones, Legislative Dir, Natl Assn for Uniformed Services; Alexander Nicholson, Legislative Dir, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Thursday, 12 February
Senate Armed Services Committee "Situation in Afghanistan" @ 9:30 a.m. SD-G50 Witness: Gen John F. Campbell (USA), Cmdr, Intl Security Assistance Force, Cmdr, US Forces—Afghanistan [Please note there will be a CLOSED session in SVC-217 Capitol immediately following the OPEN session]
House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies "Emerging Threats and Technologies to Protect the Homeland" @ 2:00 p.m. 311 CHOB Witnesses: Andy Ozment, Asst Sec, Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, Natl Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS; Dr. Huban Gowadia, Dir, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, DHS; Joseph Martin, Acting Dir, Homeland Security Enterprise and First Responders Group, Science and Technology Directorate, DHS; William Noonan, Dep Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, US Secret Service
Friday, 13 February
House Armed Services Committee "What Is The State of Islamic Extremism: Key Trends, Challenges and Implications for U.S. Policy?" @ 9:00 a.m. 2118 RHOB Witnesses: William Braniff, Exec Dir, Natl Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism; Lt Gen Michael Flynn (USA, Ret), former Dir, Defense Intelligence Agency; Marc Lynch, Prof, George Washington University
