This Week's Senate Committee Schedule

Hearings of Note: Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Peter Pace, will appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday to explain the $100 billion George W. Bush is demanding for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Also on Tuesday, Carl Levin (D-MI) and the Armed Services Committee will take a hard look at "current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States." Despite the presence of Joe Lieberman (I-CT) on that committee, I feel confident that they'll talk about the 80 countries not named Iraq that now host al Qaeda operations.

The Budget Committee will examine the total cost for the war and Bush's Defense budget request for fiscal year 2008 and, in an interesting turn, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and the Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a "field hearing" in New Orleans today -- the subject is "Moving Forward after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

For those of you who have forgotten during the Republican reign, this is what it looks like when Congress works for a living.

Here's the full Senate Committee schedule for the week:

Appropriations

Feb 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.. To hold hearings on the fiscal 2008 USDA and FDA budgets. (Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee)

Feb 27, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. To hold hearings to examine the Supplemental Request for fiscal year 2007.

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. To hold hearings on fiscal 2008 Department of Defense budget. (Defense Subcommittee)

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. To hold hearings to examine AMTRAK 2008. (Transportation Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee)

Feb 28, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. To hold hearings to examine one year after the Sago and Alma coalmining disasters relating to efforts to improve mine safety. (Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee)

Mar 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings on the Department of Commerce budget request and justification. (Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee)

Mar 2, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings on the fiscal year 2008 budget request for the Office of the Architect of The Capitol. Legislative Branch Subcommittee)

Armed Services

Feb 27, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. To receive testimony on current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. Hearings to examine the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program

Budget

Mar 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings on the president's Defense budget request for fiscal year 2008 and war costs

Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Feb 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings to examine S.294, to reauthorize Amtrak. (Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security Subcommittee)

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings to examine vehicle safety for children. (Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety Subcommittee)

Feb 28, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. To hold hearings to examine the President's budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Space, Aeronautics, and Related Agencies Subcommittee)

Mar 1, 2007 at 10 a.m. To hold hearings to examine universal service.

Energy and Natural Resources

Feb 28, 2007 at 9:45 a.m. To hold hearings to examine the President's budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the USDA Forest Service.

Mar 1, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. To hold hearings to examine the Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook.

Mar 1, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. To hold hearings to examine S.380, to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. (Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee)

Environment and Public Works

Feb 26, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. This will be a full committee "field hearing" held at the Louisiana Supreme Court Building in New Orleans. The subject is "Moving Forward after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

Mar 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. “State, Regional, and Local Perspectives on Global Warming”

Finance

Feb 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. "America’s Energy Future: Bold Ideas, Practical Solutions"

Mar 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. "Medicare Payment for Physician Services: Examining New Approaches"

Foreign Relations

Feb 27, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. To examine nominations of Sam Fox to be Ambassador to Belgium and Stanley Davis Phillips to be Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Feb 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings to examine the need for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of tobacco products.

Mar 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. Hearing on "Asbestos: Still Lethal/Still Legal – The Need to Better Protect the Health of American Workers and Their Families." (Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee)

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Mar 1, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. A hearing to broadly examine the improvements made in federal financial management since the enactment of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990.

Intelligence

Mar 1, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. Closed Business Meeting

Judiciary

Feb 27, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. To hold hearings to examine the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007 relating to strengthening the criminal justice system.

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings on hearing on "Comprehensive Immigration Reform."

Mar 1, 2007 at 10 a.m. Business meeting to consider:

S.236, to require reports to Congress on Federal agency use of data mining
S.378, to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect judges, prosecutors, witnesses, victims, and their family members
S.442, to provide for loan repayment for prosecutors and public defenders
S.261, to amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting
S.376, to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers
S.Res.78, designating April 2007 as "National Autism Awareness Month" and supporting efforts to increase funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and support for individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with autism
S.Res.81, recognizing the 45th anniversary of John Hershel Glenn, Jr.'s historic achievement in becoming the first United States astronaut to orbit the Earth

The nominations of Thomas M. Hardiman, of Pennsylvania, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, John Preston Bailey, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia, Otis D. Wright II, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, and George H. Wu, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Feb 28, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. To hold hearings to examine the president's budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the Small Business Administration.

Veterans' Affairs

Feb 27, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative presentation of the Disabled American Veterans.

Mar 1, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Veterans Administration adjudication process.