The Small Business Watchdog

Each week while Congress is in session the Office of Advocacy will post a highlights schedule of congressional hearings and committee markups that we think will be of interest to stakeholders in the small business community. For further information on the hearings in question please contact the relevant congressional committee.

THIS WEEK

The Senate and House are both back in session this week, convening Monday afternoon.  In addition to statements and discussion regarding the death of bin Laden, the debate on the nation’s debt will also be front and center this week.  Majority Leader Reid has indicated he will hold a vote this week in the Senate on Congressman Paul Ryan’s GOP budget plan, forcing Senators to take a position.  On Thursday, the President’s new deficit-reduction working group will hold its first meeting. Meanwhile, both chambers are already working on legislation that would raise the government’s debt ceiling while also including budget cuts.    

HEARING AND MARKUP SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 3

10:00a.m.        Full Committee Hearing  
Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing titled “Is the Distribution of Tax Burdens and Benefits Equitable?”
Location:         215 Dirksen Bldg.
Webcast:         http://finance.senate.gov/

10:00a.m.        Subcommittee Markup
Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee of House Financial Services Committee will mark up pending legislation.
Location:         2128 Rayburn Bldg.
Webcast:         http://financialservices.house.gov

10:00 a.m.       Subcommittee Hearing
Communications and Technology Subcommittee of House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing titled “FCC [Federal Communications Commission] Process Reform.”
Location:         2123 Rayburn Bldg.
Witnesses:       Julius Genachowski, chairman, FCC; Meredith Attwell Baker, Michael Copps, Robert McDowell and Mignon Clyburn, FCC commissioners
Webcast:         http://energycommerce.house.gov/    

10:00 a.m.       Full Committee Joint Hearing 
House Natural Resources Committee and House Agriculture Committee will hold a joint hearing to review costs of federal regulations to jobs, agriculture, health and species.
Location:         1324 Longworth Bldg.
Webcast:         http://naturalresources.house.gov/  or http://agriculture.house.gov

Wednesday, May 4

10:00a.m.        Subcommittee Markup
Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee of House Financial Services Committee will mark up pending legislation related to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Location:         2128 Rayburn Bldg.  
Webcast:         http://financialservices.house.gov

10:00 a.m.       Subcommittee Hearing
Workforce Protections Subcommittee of House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing titled “Modernizing Mine Safety.”
Location:         2175 Rayburn Bldg.  
Webcast:         http://edlabor.house.gov/

10:00 a.m.       Full Committee Markup
House Science, Space and Technology Committee will mark up legislation that would reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business Technology Transfer programs.
Location:         2318 Rayburn Bldg.
Webcast:         http://science.house.gov/

1:30 p.m.         Subcommittee Hearing
Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee  of House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled “Cost-Justifying Regulations: Protecting Jobs and the Economy by Presidential and Judicial Review of Costs and Benefits.”
Location:         2141 Rayburn Bldg.
Webcast:         http://judiciary.house.gov/

Thursday,  May 5

10:00 a.m.       Full Committee Hearing
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing titled “First, Do No Harm: Improving Health Quality and Patient Safety.”
Location:         430 Dirksen Bldg.
Webcast:         http://help.senate.gov/

10:00 a.m.       Subcommittee Hearing
Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet Subcommittee of House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled “Ensuring Competition on the Internet: Net Neutrality and Antitrust.”
Location:         2141 Rayburn Bldg.
Webcast:         http://judiciary.house.gov/

10:00 a.m.       Subcommittee Hearing
Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a series of hearings titled “EPA Mining Policies: Assault on Appalachian Jobs.”
Location:         2167 Rayburn Bldg.
Webcast:         http://transportation.house.gov/

2:30p.m.          Full Committee Hearing
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled “How to Save Taxpayer Dollars: Case Studies of Duplication in the Federal Government.”
Location:         342 Dirksen Bldg.
Webcast:         http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/