WASHINGTON,
March 31, 2014 – The House is keeping up its aggressive schedule this week
through a series of hearings to debate the administration’s fiscal year 2015
budget request for governmental agencies, including USDA and EPA.
On
Wednesday, a House Appropriations Committee subcommittee will hold a budget
hearing on USDA’s agriculture marketing and regulatory programs. Witnesses
include Ed Avalos, under secretary of marketing and regulatory programs; Kevin
Shea, administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Anne
Alonzo, administrator of the Agriculture Marketing Service; and Larry Mitchell, administrator of the Grain
Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration.
Following
that, the subcommittee Thursday will look at the budget request for USDA food
safety programs. Witnesses include Brian Ronholm, acting undersecretary for
food safety; and Alfred V. Almanza, administrator of the Food Safety and
Inspection Service.
Also
on Thursday, a House appropriations subcommittee will examine the budget
request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with Dan Ashe, director of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Further,
the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a joint subcommittee hearing Thursday
on the EPA’s budget request.
The
Senate Finance Committee may release tax extenders legislation as early as
today. The committee will hold a hearing Thursday on the administration’s trade
policy agenda with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.
Another
Thursday event includes Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testifying before the
House Agriculture Committee to review the state of the rural economy.
On
the international front, the Forum for Agriculture will hold discussions Tuesday
in Brussels on several agriculture-related topics, such as sustainable food
production and trade. A main focus will be the Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership (TTIP), which is aimed at creating a free-trade
agreement between the European Union and the United States. Agri-Pulse
Associate Editor Aarian Marshall will provide coverage of the events.
The
TTIP session will include the following panelists: Darci L.
Vetter, deputy under secretary of agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural
Services; John Atkin, chief operating officer of Syngenta; James Elles,
chairman of the Transatlantic Policy Network; and Allen Hershkowitz, senior
scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Another
session will be held on “Environment – Land Use and Natural Resources in EU
Policies.” Panelists will include Jurgen Voegele, directors of agriculture and
environmental services at the World Bank; Michael Salm-Salm, president of the
German Landowners’ Association; Ignace Schops, director of Regionaal Landschap
Kempen en Massland; and Bob Young, chief economist and deputy executive
director of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
In
addition, House Democrats will continue to shop around a discharge petition to
force an up-or-down vote on an immigration reform package (H.R. 15) that would
provide undocumented farm workers with a path to legal status. Democrats need
about 20 Republicans to sign the petition, who are unlikely to go against the
wishes of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
The
week’s tentative events include:
Monday, March 31.
12:00
p.m. USDA Report: Grain Stocks
12:00
p.m. USDA Report: Rice Stocks
12:00
p.m. USDA Report: Prospective Plantings
2:00
p.m. The Senate will convene for a legislative session to consider the
Protecting Access to Medicare Act (H.R. 4302).
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: Egg Products
4:00
p.m. USDA Report: Oil Crops Yearbook
5:00
p.m. The Senate will proceed to an executive session to consider the judicial
nomination of John Owens to serve as U.S. circuit judge for the Ninth Circuit.
5:30
p.m. The Senate will vote on the nomination and then proceed to a legislative
session and vote on the Protecting Access to Medicare Act. After that vote, the
Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to H.R. 3979, which includes an
extension of unemployment insurance benefits.
Tuesday, April 1.
Agriculture
Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden will host a Google+ hangout on access to credit
for new farmers and ranchers.
12:00
p.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
2:00
p.m. The House will meet for legislative business with votes postponed until
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 2.
8:00
a.m. The Land Trust Alliance will hold a breakfast briefing on the “Future of
the Conservation Tax Incentive” in 2168 Rayburn.
10:00
a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
10:00
a.m. The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing
on the fiscal year 2015 budget request for USDA’s agriculture marketing and
regulatory programs in 2362-A Rayburn. Scheduled witnesses include Ed Avalos,
under secretary of marketing and regulatory programs; Kevin Shea, administrator
of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Anne Alonzo, administrator
of the Agriculture Marketing Service; Larry Mitchell, administrator of the
Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration; and USDA budget officer
Michael Young.
10:00
a.m. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power
and Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy will hold a joint hearing on
the FY 2015 budget request for the EPA in 2123 Rayburn.
10:00
a.m. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing
on the FY 2015 budget request and administration priorities for the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers in 2167 Rayburn.
12:00
p.m. The House will meet for legislative business.
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: Broiler Hatchery
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: Announcement of Class and Component Prices
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: National Dairy Products Sales Report
6:00
p.m. The Land Trust Alliance will hold a Land Trust Advocacy Day Reception to
celebrate new farm bill conservation programs in 902 Hart.
Thursday, April 3.
Agriculture
Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden will speak at the Georgia Farm Bureau meeting on
farm bill implementation in Washington.
8:30
a.m. USDA Report: Weekly Export Sales
9:30
a.m. The House Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing to review the state of
the rural economy in 1300 Longworth. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is
scheduled to testify.
10:00
a.m. The House will meet for morning hour debate.
10:00
a.m. The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing
on the FY 2015 budget request for USDA food safety programs in 2362-A Rayburn.
Scheduled witnesses include Brian Ronholm, acting undersecretary for food
safety; Alfred V. Almanza, administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection
Service; and USDA budget officer Michael Young.
12:00
p.m. The House will meet for legislative business.
1:30
p.m. The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies will hold a FY 2015 budget hearing on the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in B-308 Rayburn. Dan Ashe, director of the Fish
and Wildlife Service, is the scheduled witness.
2:00
p.m. The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on President Obama’s 2014
trade policy agenda in 215 Dirksen. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman is
scheduled to testify.
2:00
p.m. The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Fisheries,
Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on three
fishing-related bills in 1334 Longworth. The bills include: H.R. 69 – the
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act, H.R. 2646 – the
REFI Pacific Act, and the Pirate Fishing Elimination Act.
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: Dairy Products
4:00
p.m. USDA Report: Latest U.S. Agricultural Trade Data
Friday, April 4.
9:00
a.m. The House will meet for legislative business with last votes expected no
later than 3:00 p.m.
10:00
a.m. USDA Report: Livestock & Meat International Trade Data
3:00
p.m. USDA Report: Peanut Prices
4:00
p.m. USDA Report: U.S. Agricultural Trade Data Update
#30
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