Committee Hearings – Week of 10-20-19

This week with both the House and Senate in session the big news is impeachment or spending. There are two House hearings of potential interest; cybersecurity threats and a homeland security markup hearing.

Cybersecurity Threats

On Tuesday the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing, “Preparing for the Future: An Assessment of Emerging Cyber Threats”. The witness list includes:

• Ben Buchanan, Georgetown University;

• Ken Durbin, Symantec Corporation;

• Niloofar Razi Howe, New America; and

• Robert Knake, The Council on Foreign Relations

Homeland Security Markup

On Wednesday the House Homeland Security Committee will hold a markup hearing looking at a dozen bills. Bills of interest include:

• HR 3787, the DHS Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Coordinator Act; and

• HR 4402, the Inland Waters Security Review Act

On the Floor

Last week Sen. McConnel (R,KY) announced that the Senate would try to take up two spending bills this week; HR 3055 and HR 2740. Neither of these minibus spending bills will be considered as passed in the House. No amendments were filed last week, so it is not clear exactly what language will be included in the bill as there was significant Democratic opposition to the bills that came out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. But then again, there is no guarantee that either bill will actually be considered. Politics is getting increasingly iffy.