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.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

10:00 am  Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
            Agenda/Bill Text: 
H.R. ___, Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 2609, Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009
H.R. 3904, Overdraft Protection Act of 2009
H.R. 3996, A bill to improve financial stability, and for other purposes
            Where:           2128 Rayburn (Webcast)

11:00 am  Hearing
House Agriculture Committee hearing on the discussion draft of the Financial Stability Improvement Act
            Where:             1300 Longworth (Webcast)   

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

10:00 am  Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
            Agenda/Bill Text: 
H.R. ___, Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 2609, Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009
H.R. 3904, Overdraft Protection Act of 2009
HR 3996, A bill to improve financial stability, and for other purposes
            Where:             2128 Rayburn (Webcast)     

9:30 am    Markup
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee mark up of draft legislation, S. ___,  Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2009
            Where:             406 Dirksen (Webcast)      

10:00 am         Markup
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee mark up of pending legislation, S. 510, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act 
            Where:             430 Dirksen (Webcast)

10:00 am  Hearing
House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on “Is It Time to Lift the Ban on Travel to Cuba?”
            Where:             2172 Rayburn (Webcast)        

2:00 pm    Markup
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee mark up of pending legislation, H.R. 2517, Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009       
            Where:             2154 Rayburn (Webcast)

2:00 pm    Hearing
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing on proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2010
            Where:             2167 Rayburn (Webcast)       

2:00 pm    Hearing
House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection hearing titled “Is the Flying Public Protected? An Assessment of Security at Foreign Repair Stations.”  The hearing will focus on security vulnerabilties at foreign repair stations and the Transportation Security Administration’s proposed security programs and rulemaking for foreign repair stations performing maintenance on commercial aircraft
            Where:             311 Cannon (Webcast)     

2:30 pm    Hearing
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests hearing on managing federal forests in response to climate change, including natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration
            Purpose:  The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on managing Federal forests in response to climate change, including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration
            Where:                366 Dirksen (Webcast)                 

Thursday, November 19, 2009

10:00 am  Hearing
House Small Business Committee oversight hearing on waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the programs of the Small Business Administration
            Where:             2360 Rayburn (Webcast)       

10:00 am  Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
            Agenda/Bill Text: 
H.R. ___, Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 2609, Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009
H.R. 3904, Overdraft Protection Act of 2009
HR 3996, A bill to improve financial stability, and for other purposes
            Where:             2128 Rayburn (Webcast)       

10:00 am         Markup
Senate Judiciary Committee markup of pending legislation
            Agenda includes:        
S. 1490, Personal Data Privacy and Security Act of 2009  
S. 139, Data Breach Notification Act 
S. 1624, Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009  
S. 1147, Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009              Where:             226 Dirksen (Webcast)   

10:00 am         Markup
Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee mark up draft legislation, S. ___, Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2009
            Where:             325 Russell (Webcast) 

10:30 am         Hearing
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on environmental stewardship policies related to offshore energy production
            Where:             366 Dirksen (Webcast)      

11:00 am  Hearing
House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture hearing on rural broadband programs funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Public Law 111-5)
            Where:             1300 Longworth (Webcast)      

11:00 am  Markup
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee mark up of pending legislation, H.R. 4016, Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009
            Where:             2167 Rayburn (Webcast)

Friday, November 20, 2009

10:00 am         Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
            Agenda/Bill Text: 
H.R. ___, Amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 2609, Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009
H.R. 3904, Overdraft Protection Act of 2009
HR 3996, A bill to improve financial stability, and for other purposes
            Where:             2128 Rayburn (Webcast)

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.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
9:30 am          Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change and pending legislation, S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
Bill Text: S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,
Witnesses: Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy; Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation; Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Where: 406 Dirksen
Website: http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

10:00 am        Hearing
House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife oversight hearing on the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 2006 (Pub.L. 109-479), which President Bush signed into law on January 12, 2007 (NY Times Article)
Where: 1334 Longworth
Webcast: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/

10:00 am        Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
Agenda/Bill Text:
H.R. 3818, Private Fund Investment Advisers Registration Act of 2009
H.R. 3817, Investor Protection Act of 2009
H.R. 2609, Insurance Information Act of 2009
H.R. ___, Accountability and Transparency in Rating Agencies Act
Where: 2128 Rayburn
Webcast: http://financialservices.house.gov/

2:00 pm          Hearing
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management hearing on “Tracking Hearing #3: Follow the Dollars to the Jobs”
Where: 2167 Rayburn
Webcast: http://transportation.house.gov/

2:30 pm          Hearing
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation oversight hearing on the broadband stimulus programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Where: Russell 253
Webcast: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/

2:30 pm          Hearing
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee joint hearing on the fall of dairy prices, focusing on exploring avenues for federal action to help dairy producers
Where: 328-A Russell
Webcast: http://ag.senate.gov/site/

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
9:30 am          Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change and pending legislation, S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
Bill Text: S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,
Where: 406 Dirksen
Website: http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

10:00 am        Markup
House Financial Services Committee mark up of pending legislation
Agenda/Bill Text:
H.R. 3818, Private Fund Investment Advisers Registration Act of 2009
H.R. 3817, Investor Protection Act of 2009
H.R. 2609, Insurance Information Act of 2009
H.R. ___, Accountability and Transparency in Rating Agencies Act
Where: 2128 Rayburn
Webcast: http://financialservices.house.gov/

10:00 am        Hearing
House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture hearing on the Horticulture and Organic Agriculture title of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (110-246)
CRS Rpt: Organic Agriculture in the United States: Program and Policy Issues, Nov. 25, 2008
Where: 1300 Longworth
Webcast: http://agriculture.house.gov/index.shtml

10:00 am        Hearing
House Small Business Committee hearing on “The Recovery Act and Broadband: Evaluation of Broadband Investments on Small Businesses and Job Creation”
Witnesses: Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, National Telecommunications and Information Administration; Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture
Where: 2360 Rayburn
Webcast: http://www.house.gov/smbiz/

10:00 am        Hearing
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “Effective Strategies for Preventing Health Care Fraud”
Where: 226 Dirksen
Webcast: http://judiciary.senate.gov/

10:00 am        Hearing
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the role of natural gas in mitigating climate change
Where: 366 Dirksen
Webcast: http://energy.senate.gov/public/

2:00 pm          Hearing
House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight hearing on “Harnessing Science to Improve FDA’s [Food and Drug Administration] Food Safety Mission”
Where: 2318 Rayburn
Webcast: http://science.house.gov/

2:30 pm          Hearing
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight hearing on new guidance from the Office of Management and Budget on how to combat waste and inefficiency in federal government contracting
Witness: Jeffrey D. Zients, Deputy Director for Management and Chief Performance Officer, Office of Management and Budget
Where: 342 Dirksen
Webcast: http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/

Thursday, October 29, 2009
TBA     Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change and pending legislation, S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
Bill Text: S.1733, Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act
Where:
Website: http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

10:00 am        Hearing
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee “Pensions in Peril: Helping Workers Preserve Retirement Security Through a Recession”
Where: 30 Dirksen
Webcast: http://help.senate.gov/

10:00 am        Hearing
House Education and Labor Committee hearing on “Nevada’s Workplace Health and Safety Enforcement Program: OSHA’s Findings and Recommendations”
Chairman’s Statement on OSHA’s Findings
Where: 2175 Rayburn
Webcast: http://edlabor.house.gov/
Where: 538 Dirksen
Webcast: http://banking.senate.gov/public/

Thursday, October 29, 2009
TBA     Hearing
Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing on the reauthorization of the finance programs of the Small Business Administration and on the impact of the small business provision in the Economic Recovery Act
Where: 485 Russell
Webcast: http://sbc.senate.gov/public/

9:00 am          Hearing
House Financial Services Committee hearing on financial regulatory overhaul: “Federal Reserve Perspectives on the Financial Regulatory Overhaul”
Witness: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
Where: 2128 Rayburn
Webcast: http://financialservices.house.gov/

10:00 am        Hearing  
House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the funding levels of defined benefit pension plans and the rules that apply to investment advice that is provided to participants in defined contribution plans.
Hearing background
Where: 1100 Longworth
Webcast: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/

Advocacy just filed public comments on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) pre-rulemaking notice on Safety Management System (SMS).  This is a really interesting issue because FAA and several other federal agencies are exploring whether they should require businesses to adopt SMS as a regulatory requirement.  In fact, there are various international agreements that may compel them to do so.

Under the SMS concept, a business essentially organizes itself around safety.  That is, safety becomes the essential organizing principle for every aspect of the organization— just as production or finance might now be.  The goal is to continually assess and mitigate risk as part of the corporate culture.  However, small businesses are raising some fair questions about the implications of SMS in the real world.  First and foremost is whether SMS is intended to be an additional layer of regulation or a transition to an entirely new way of regulating—one in which each business must define and meet its own safety parameter.  The government then assesses the firm’s compliance with its SMS program.  There has been a big debate within the Canadian aviation sector on this very issue.

Small businesses that attended Advocacy’s recent aviation roundtable expressed concerns about the open-ended and subjective nature of the SMS concept.  They want FAA and other agencies to identify and mitigate specific hazards, not hypothetical risks, and are concerned that an inspector could cite a business for not adequately addressing a “potential” or “perceived” risk.  They want to know when they are in compliance, and worry that SMS would establish a standard that (by definition) could never be met.

Advocacy is aware that SMS represents the latest thinking in safety and that many businesses and safety professionals support the concept.  However, because it could be especially costly and burdensome for small businesses, Advocacy wants to be sure that the implications are fully thought out.  For example, are there other approaches that would be more objective and flexible (such as scaling the program to the size, scope, and complexity of the operation)?

In addition to our letter, there is also an explanatory fact sheet on our website. If you would like to discuss this issue or have thoughts or comments, please feel free to contact me by email or phone, (202) 205-6144.

—Bruce Lundegren, bruce.lundegren@sba.gov
Assistant Chief Counsel

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.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

9:30 am           Hearing
Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the state of the nation’s housing market.
Where:             538 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://banking.senate.gov/public/

10:00 am         Hearing
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on “Keeping America’s Families Safe: Reforming the Food Safety System”
Where:             430 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://help.senate.gov/

10:00 am         Hearing
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts hearing on “Medical Debt: Can Bankruptcy Reform Facilitate a Fresh Start?”
Where:             226 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://judiciary.senate.gov/

10:00 am         Hearing
Senate Finance Committee hearing on pending legislation, S. 1631, Customs Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Reauthorization Act of 2009
Text of Bill:      http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1631is.txt.pdf
Webcast:          http://finance.senate.gov/

10:30 am         Hearing
Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing titled “Reform Done Right: Sensible Health Care Solutions for America’s Small Businesses”
Where:             253 Russell
Webcast:          http://sbc.senate.gov/public/

1:00 pm           Hearing
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on “The High Cost of Small Business Health Insurance: Limited Options, Limited Coverage”
Where:             2123 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://energycommerce.house.gov/

2:00 pm           Markup
House Financial Services Committee markup of pending legislation, H.R. 3126, Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009
Bill Text:          H.R. 3126, http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3126ih.txt.pdf
Where:             2128 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://financialservices.house.gov/

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

TBA                Markup
House Financial Services Committee markup of pending legislation, H.R. 3126, Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 and H.R. ____, “Over-the-Counter Derivatives Markets Act of 2009”  
Bill Text:          H.R. 3126, http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3126ih.txt.pdf

H.R.____, (discussion draft of the “Over-the-Counter Derivatives Markets Act of 2009”  http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/financialsvcs_dem/otc_discussion_draft.pdf
Where:             2128 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://financialservices.house.gov/

9:30 am           Hearing
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on “H1N1 Flu: Monitoring the Nation’s Response”
Where:             342 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/

9:45 am           Hearing
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the costs and benefits for energy consumers and energy prices associated with the allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances
Where:             366 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://energy.senate.gov/public/ 

10:00 am         Hearing
House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture hearing on rural business programs, conditions for rural entrepreneurship, and business development
Where:             1300 Longworth
Webcast:          http://agriculture.house.gov/

10:00 am         Hearing
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “Effective Strategies for Preventing Health Care Fraud”
Where:             226 Dirksen
Webcast:          http://judiciary.senate.gov/

Thursday, October 22, 2009

 TBA                Markup
House Financial Services Committee markup of H.R. ____, “Over-the-Counter Derivatives Markets Act of 2009”  
Bill Text:          H.R.____, (discussion draft of the “Over-the-Counter Derivatives Markets Act of 2009”  http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/financialsvcs_dem/otc_discussion_draft.pdf
Where:             2128 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://financialservices.house.gov/

9:30 am           Hearing
House Select Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee hearing on “Building U.S. Resilience to Global Warming Impacts”
Where:             TBA
Webcast:         

10:00 am         Hearing
House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global  Counterterrorism hearing on “Cargo Security at Land Ports of Entry: Are We Meeting the Challenge?”  The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to identify, interdict and investigate cargo security threats at land border ports of entry.
Where:             311 Cannon
Webcast:          http://homeland.house.gov/

10:00 am         Hearing
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet hearing on “Video Competition in the Digital Age”
Where:             2123 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://energycommerce.house.gov/

10:00 am         Hearing
House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight hearing on administration of the first-time homebuyer tax credit
Where:             1100 Longworth
Webcast:          http://waysandmeans.house.gov/

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

TBA                Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change.
Witnesses:        Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy; Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);  Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation; Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Where:             406 Dirksen
Website: http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

2:00 pm           Hearing
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management hearing on “Tracking Hearing #3: Follow the Dollars to the Jobs”
Where:             2167 Rayburn
Webcast:          http://transportation.house.gov/

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

TBA                Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change.
Where:             406 Dirksen
Website: http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

2:30 pm           Hearing
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on “Combating Distracted Driving: Managing Behavioral and Technological Risks”
Witnesses:        Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation; Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
Where:             253 Russell
Webcast:          http://commerce.senate.gov/public/

Thursday, October 29, 2009

TBA                Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on global climate change.
Where:             406 Dirksen
Website:http://epw.senate.gov/public/?CFID=16750270&CFTOKEN=16672232

Advocacy recently submitted comments on EPA’s May 2009 proposed rule concerning the Renewable Fuel Standard Program. The rule under consideration would require specified types and amounts of renewable fuels to be blended into the nation’s gasoline and diesel fuel. It would require ever-increasing amounts of renewable fuels such as ethanol and cellulose-based fuel to be added to U.S. petroleum stocks over the coming years. Refiners would have to either blend the renewable fuels into their products or buy renewable fuel credits from a national credit exchange.

 In a comment letter filed on September 25, Advocacy conveyed the concerns of small business fuel refiners about the program. Small refiners are concerned that (1) the fuel standard is not technically feasible because many of the mandated renewable fuels are not currently commercially available, and (2) the price of fuel credits may be exorbitantly high or the credits themselves may not be available. Advocacy recommended that EPA either delay the implementation schedule for small refiners until these problems can be solved, or implement it in phases to allow time for these problems to be adequately addressed. And fyi, Advocacy’s website contains a fact sheet summarizing the letter’s main points.

 —Keith Holman, Assistant Chief Counsel

            Last week, Massachusetts state regulators responded to complaints from small businesses and stakeholder groups by issuing revised regulations aimed at preventing identity theft by computer hackers.  Small business supporters opposed the original version of the rule, which was released last year.  They included Advocacy’s former Region I Advocate, Steve Adams, who expressed concern that the rules would be too burdensome for smaller businesses to implement. 

            Barbara Anthony, Governor Deval Patrick’s undersecretary of consumer affairs and business regulations, said the latest rules are designed to be more flexible for small firms while still requiring tougher standards for protecting sensitive data from hackers.

             “In listening to the concerns of small business leaders, we understand there were issues regarding the impact these regulations have on those companies,” said Undersecretary Anthony.  “These updated regulations feature a fair balance between consumer protections and business realities.”  

            The new rules are slated to take effect next March.  The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations will hold a public hearing on the changes on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. at the Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston.  

            For more information about identity theft protection in Massachusetts, please visit the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation website, www.mass.gov/consumer.   

– Kate Reichert, Regulatory and Legislative Counsel

            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.

Monday, July 13, 2009

 10:00 am  Hearing

House Financial Services Committee hearing on “Systemic risk of institutions deemed ‘too big to fail’”

Where:        2128 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://www.house.gov/financialservices/

 Tuesday, July 14, 2009

 10:00 am  Hearing

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on pending mining legislation

                 Bills:            S. 796, Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009

                                    S. 140, Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 2009

I               Where:        366 Dirksen

                 Webcast:     http://energy.senate.gov/public/

 10:00 am  Hearing

House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry hearing on the economic conditions facing the dairy industry

Where:        1300 Longworth

Webcast:     http://agriculture.house.gov/index.shtml

            Advocacy’s r3 initiative gained ground with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council “Payments Under Fixed-Price Architecture and Engineering Contracts” (A&E) proposed rule.

            Cureently, FAR 52.232-10 mandates that contracting officers withhold 10 percent of the amounts due on each voucher.  The government retains the withhold amount until the contracting officer determines that the work has been satisfactorily completed.

            The revisions permit contracting officers to use their judgment to determine the amount of payment to withhold to protect the government’s interests rather than automatically withholding 10 percent of each voucher.

            The proposed rule clarifies that the contractor will be paid any unpaid balance due at the successful completion of the design work.

            The retainage rule now must be finalized by the FAR Council.  Advocacy hopes the FAR Council will quickly act to finalize this rule.

            Advocacy has submitted a comment letter to the FAR Council commending them on their response to the small business community’s concerns as expressed through the r3 initiative.  The letter also proposes further reforms of the rule as suggested by small businesses during a meeting with the FAR Council earlier this year.

– Major Clark, Assistant Chief Counsel

            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.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

5:00 pm    Markup

House Rules Committee markup of H.R. 2965, Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009

Where:        H-313 Capitol

Webcast:     http://www.rules.house.gov/

7:00 p.m.  Markup

House Appropriations Committee markup of draft FY 2010 Appropriations for Financial Services (includes funding for the SBA)

Where:        2359 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://appropriations.house.gov/

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

10:00 am  Hearing

House Small Business Committee hearing on “The Looming Challenge for Small Medical Providers: The Projected Physician Shortage and How Health Care Reforms Can Address the Problem”

Witnesses:   Robert E. Harbaugh, Penn State University, representing American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons; George F. Sheldon, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, representing American College of Surgeons; Carlo J. DiMarco, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, and President, American Osteopathic Association; Lori Heim, Physician, Laurinburg, NC, president-elect, American Academy of Family Physicians; Bruce A. Kauk, P – physician, Northland Internal Medicine, Gladstone, Mo.

Where:        2360 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://www.house.gov/smbiz/

10:00 am  Markup

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee markup of draft legislation, S. ____, Affordable Health Choices Act.

Bill Text:     S. ___,  http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf

Where:        106 Dirksen

Webcast:     http://help.senate.gov/

10:00 am  Hearing

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection hearing on “The Proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency:  Implications for Consumers and the Federal Trade Commission”

Where:        2123 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://energycommerce.house.gov/

10:00 am  Hearing

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on Regulation of Bottled Water

Witnesses:   John Stephenson, Director, Natural Resources and the Environment Issues, Government Accountability Office; Representative of the Food and Drug Administration (TBA); Joseph K. Doss, President, International Bottled Water Association; Jane Houlihan, Senior Vice President for Research, Environmental Working Group

Where:        2322 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://energycommerce.house.gov/

1:30 pm    Markup

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government markup of draft Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations for Financial Services (includes funding for the SBA)

Where:        192 Dirksen

Webcast:     http://appropriations.senate.gov/

2:00 pm    Hearing

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Financial Institutions hearing on the effects of the economic crisis on community banks and credit unions in rural communities

Witnesses:   Jack Hopkins, President and CEO, CorTrust Bank National Association, Sioux Falls, SD, representing the Independent Community Bankers of America; Frank Michael, President and CEO, Allied Credit Union, Stockton, Calif., representing the Credit Union National Association; Arthur Johnson, Chairman and CEO, United Bank of Michigan, representing the American Bankers Association; Peter Skillern, Executive Director, Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina

Where:        538 Dirksen

Webcast:     http://banking.senate.gov/public/

Thursday, July 9, 2009

10:00 am  Hearing

House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture hearing on rural broadband programs

Where:        1300 Longworth

Webcast:     http://agriculture.house.gov/index.shtml

10:00 am  Roundtable

Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee roundtable discussion on “Healthcare Reform:  The Concerns and Priorities from the Perspective of Small Businesses”

Where:        428A Russell

Webcast:     http://sbc.senate.gov/

10:00 am  Hearing

House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology hearing on “Helping Small Business Innovators through the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit”

                 Where:        2360 Rayburn

                 Webcast:     http://www.house.gov/smbiz/

10:00 am  Hearing

House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy hearing on “Trends Affecting Minority Broadcast Ownership”

Legislation: H.R. 848, Performance Rights Act

Where:        2141 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://judiciary.house.gov/

10:00 am  Hearing

House Financial Services Committee hearing on pending legislation, H.R. 3068, Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) for Main Street Act of 2009

Where:        2128 Rayburn

Webcast:     http://www.house.gov/financialservices/

2:00 pm    Hearing

House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives hearing on “Census Data and its Use in Federal Formula Funding”

                 Where:        2154 Rayburn

                 Webcast:     http://oversight.house.gov/