Authorization and Oversight Plans for All House Committees
Summary
House Report 117–17, Authorization and Oversight Plans for All House Committees, is a report by the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives required by House Rule X, Clause 2, ordered to be printed April 15, 2021. After the title page it lists the Committee on Oversight and Reform members, with Carolyn B. Maloney as Chairwoman and James Comer as Ranking Minority Member. The contents page lists the plans committee by committee in alphabetical order, beginning with Agriculture at page 13, Armed Services at page 21 and Budget at page 51. The text read is only front matter and the contents list.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
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Cite this document
“Authorization and Oversight Plans for All House Committees.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crpt-crpt-117hrpt17-crpt-117hrpt17/
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Union Calendar No. 5
117th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Report 117–17
AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLANS
FOR ALL
HOUSE COMMITTEES
BY THE
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT
AND REFORM
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
(Required by House Rule X, Clause 2)
APRIL 15, 2021.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
44–228 WASHINGTON : 2021
E:\Seals\Congress.#13
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COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York, Chairwoman
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, JAMES COMER, Kentucky,
District of Columbia Ranking Minority Member
STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts JIM JORDAN, Ohio
JIM COOPER, Tennessee PAUL A. GOSAR, Arizona
GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina
RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI, Illinois JODY B. HICE, Georgia
JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin
RO KHANNA, California MICHAEL CLOUD, Texas
KWEISI MFUME, Maryland BOB GIBBS, Ohio
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO CORTEZ, New York CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana
RASHIDA TLAIB, Michigan RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina
KATIE PORTER, California PETE SESSIONS, Texas
CORI BUSH, Missouri FRED KELLER, Pennsylvania
DANNY K. DAVIS, Illinois ANDY BIGGS, Arizona
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Florida ANDREW CLYDE, Georgia
PETER WELCH, Vermont NANCY MACE, South Carolina
HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR., Georgia SCOTT FRANKLIN, Florida
JOHN P. SARBANES, Maryland JAKE LATURNER, Kansas
JACKIE SPEIER, California PAT FALLON, Texas
ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois YVETTE HERRELL, New Mexico
BRENDA L. LAWRENCE, Michigan BYRON DONALDS, Florida
MARK DESAULNIER, California
JIMMY GOMEZ, California
AYANNA PRESSLEY, Massachusetts
MIKE QUIGLEY, Illinois
DAVE RAPALLO, Staff Director
JASON POWELL, General Counsel
LISA LANIER, Chief Clerk and Director of Operations
MARK MARIN, Minority Staff Director
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CONTENTS
Page
Agriculture ............................................................................................................... 13
Armed Services ........................................................................................................ 21
Budget ....................................................................................................................... 51
Education and Labor ............................................................................................... 59
Energy and Commerce ............................................................................................ 71
Financial Services .................................................................................................... 85
Foreign Affairs ......................................................................................................... 109
Homeland Security .................................................................................................. 121
House Administration ............................................................................................. 131
Judiciary ................................................................................................................... 151
Natural Resources ................................................................................................... 163
Oversight and Reform ............................................................................................. 195
Science, Space, and Technology .............................................................................. 215
Small Business ......................................................................................................... 225
Transportation and Infrastructure ......................................................................... 235
Veterans’ Affairs ...................................................................................................... 263
Ways and Means ...................................................................................................... 283
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Washington, DC, April 15, 2021.
Hon. NANCY PELOSI,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: In accordance with to Rule X (2) of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit the
oversight plans of each specified standing committee together with
recommendations to ensure the most effective coordination of such
plans and otherwise achieve the objectives of the House Rules.
CAROLYN B. MALONEY,
Chairwoman.
(V)
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Union Calendar No. 5
117TH CONGRESS REPORT
" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES !
1st Session 117–17
OVERSIGHT PLANS FOR ALL HOUSE COMMITTEES WITH
ACCOMPANYING RECOMMENDATIONS
APRIL 15, 2021.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of
the Union and ordered to be printed
Ms. CAROLYN B. MALONEY, from the Committee on Oversight and
Reform, submitted the following
R E P O R T
OVERSIGHT IN THE 117TH CONGRESS
RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
I. OVERVIEW
Conducting oversight is a core responsibility of Congress under
the Constitution. It is through the oversight function that Congress
performs its role as a check on abuses by the other branches of gov-
ernment. Oversight is also critical to Congress’s legislative func-
tion. It is Congress’s responsibility to utilize the oversight process
to review, monitor, and supervise the implementation of public pol-
icy to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the nation’s
laws, as well as to recommend improvements to those laws.
As the Supreme Court recognized more than 60 years ago in
Watkins v. United States:
The power of the Congress to conduct investigations is inher-
ent in the legislative process. That power is broad. It encom-
passes inquiries concerning the administration of existing laws
as well as proposed or possibly needed statutes. It includes
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surveys of defects in our social, economic or political system for
the purpose of enabling Congress to remedy them.1
The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed the importance of
Congress’s investigatory power in Trump v. Mazars stating, ‘‘With-
out information, Congress would be shooting in the dark, unable to
legislate ‘wisely or effectively.’ ’’ 2 In its decision in Mazars, the Su-
preme Court cited Watkins and affirmed that Congress’s investiga-
tory powers are indeed ‘‘ ‘broad’ and ‘indispensable.’ ’’ 3
It is by conducting oversight that the 117th Congress will iden-
tify ways to lower health care costs for the American people, in-
crease wages for working families, and fix the nation’s crumbling
roads, bridges, and infrastructure.
It is by conducting oversight that Congress will ensure that tax-
payer funds go to the programs and services for which they are in-
tended. In fiscal year 2020, the federal government made $6.6 tril-
lion in outlays to fund operations and programs.4 Congress has a
responsibility to conduct oversight to ensure that those funds are
protected from waste, fraud, and abuse.
Oversight will also enable Congress to root out government cor-
ruption, strengthen democracy by countering threats to voting
rights and election security, and provide transparency to improve
ethics laws and ensure that government officials are working in the
public’s interest.
Congressional oversight makes a tangible impact. For example,
nine investigations conducted by the Committee on Oversight and
Reform in the 116th Congress saved American taxpayers nearly
$5.8 billion. While the Committee on Oversight and Reform is the
principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives, the
various standing House committees each play an important role in
conducting oversight on matters within their respective jurisdic-
tions.
House Rule X, Clause 2, recognizes Congress’s critical oversight
duties by establishing a process whereby each standing committee
is required to adopt an oversight plan at the beginning of a new
Congress. Under this rule, the Committee on Oversight and Reform
is to review the various plans and, in consultation with the Speak-
er, the Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader, report to the
House the oversight plans along with any recommendations that
the House leadership and the Committee may have to ensure effec-
tive coordination. Pursuant to this rule, the Committee on Over-
sight and Reform has reviewed and consulted with House leader-
ship about the oversight plans of the standing House committees
for the 117th Congress. These plans outline a thoughtful and thor-
ough approach for carrying out Congress’s oversight responsibil-
ities. The oversight agendas of the various House committees ad-
dress a broad array of priorities focused on developing policy solu-
tions for working families.
The Oversight Committee makes the following recommendations
regarding coordination of oversight in the House of Representa-
tives.
1 Watkins v. United States, 354 U.S. 178, 187 (1957).
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2 Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP, 140 S. Ct. 2019, 2034 (2020).
3 Id.
4 Government Accountability Office, GAO’s 2021 High-Risk Series: Dedicated Leadership Need-
ed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk Areas (GAO–21–119SP) (Mar. 2, 2021).
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The Committee recommends that all committees draw on the
wide variety of available oversight resources in their ongoing ef-
forts to evaluate oversight needs and priorities. The Government
Accountability Office (GAO), in particular, has vast experience both
in conducting and evaluating the need for oversight. On March 2,
2021, GAO issued its biennial ‘‘High-Risk Report,’’ which identifies
government programs that are particularly vulnerable to waste,
fraud, or abuse.5 Since its first iteration in 1990, the High Risk Re-
port ‘‘has focused attention on government operations with greater
vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or that
are in need of transformation to address economy, efficiency, or ef-
fectiveness challenges.’’ 6 GAO has determined that addressing
high-risk issues highlighted by its work has saved the federal gov-
ernment nearly $575 billion since 2006.7 Approximately $225 bil-
lion in savings were achieved just in the last two years.8
Agency inspectors general are another valuable resource for con-
gressional oversight, and can provide guidance to Congress through
their audit plans, investigations, and individual counsel. According
to the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
(CIGIE):
In FY 2019, approximately thirteen-thousand employees at
seventy-three OIG [Office of Inspector General] conducted au-
dits, inspections, evaluations, and investigations . . .
result[ing] in significant improvements to the economy and ef-
ficiency of programs governmentwide, with potential savings
totaling approximately $40.8 billion. CIGIE further reported:
‘‘The potential savings total includes: $29.2 billion in potential
savings from audit recommendations, and $11.6 billion from in-
vestigative receivables and recoveries.’’ 9
Finally, the task of ensuring accountability and appropriate poli-
cies on complex issues often requires the participation of multiple
committees. Based on their respective jurisdictions and experience,
different committees can lend varying types of expertise to the
evaluation of a given matter. The oversight plans submitted by the
standing committees for the 117th Congress recognize that a num-
ber of key issues demand scrutiny by several different committees.
With respect to these issues, committees and subcommittees should
coordinate to ensure that they share the benefits of their findings
and unique expertise. When appropriate, committees should also
consult the Committee on House Administration and Committee on
Ethics if any questions arise regarding appropriate use of House
resources and the standards of conduct applicable to members and
staff.
Part II below contains examples of important areas identified by
committees for which these recommendations may be instructive.
5 Id.
6 Id.
7 Committee on Oversight and Reform, Hearing on the 2021 GAO High-Risk List: Blueprint
for a Safer, Stronger, More Effective America (Mar. 2, 2021).
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8 Id.
9 Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, Annual Report to the President
and Congress (Fiscal Year 2019) (online at www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/
FY19_Annual_Report_to_the_President_and_Congress.pdf).
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II. EXAMPLES OF KEY OVERSIGHT AREAS
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
The recent outbreak and global spread of the coronavirus neces-
sitated extraordinary measures to respond to the crisis. To date,
tens of millions of Americans have been infected, and more than
half a million have succumbed to the virus. The impact of the pan-
demic has been wide-ranging and devastating. The broad impact of
and response to the crisis require broad oversight to be coordinated
among House committees.
In April 2020, the House established the Select Subcommittee on
the Coronavirus Crisis, a subcommittee within the Committee on
Oversight on Reform, to ‘‘conduct a full and complete investigation’’
of ‘‘the use of taxpayer funds and relief programs to address the
coronavirus crisis,’’ ‘‘preparedness for and response to the
coronavirus crisis,’’ ‘‘the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis,’’
and other issues related to the pandemic.10 The Select Sub-
committee was reauthorized in the 117th Congress to continue its
robust oversight and ensure the nation’s ongoing response to the
pandemic is effective, efficient, and equitable. The Select Sub-
committee will continue to conduct oversight to detect and root out
waste, fraud, and abuse in pandemic-related relief programs, con-
tracts, and loans. The Select Subcommittee will also conduct inves-
tigations on topics such as political interference with the pandemic
response, the development and distribution of coronavirus vaccines,
the acquisition and distribution of critical supplies, the impact of
the pandemic on nursing homes and residents, and the implemen-
tation and efficacy of federal programs aimed at addressing the
economic and financial impacts of the coronavirus crisis.
In consultation with the Select Subcommittee, the full Committee
on Oversight and Reform will examine the effectiveness and equity
of our national response to the coronavirus pandemic and ensure
the appropriate expenditure of taxpayer funds. The full Committee
will also examine whether federal resources are being used to pro-
mote transparency into the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on
marginalized populations—including people with disabilities—and
to prioritize science in policymaking in order to better prepare our
country to confront future pandemics.
The Committee on Agriculture plans to monitor the impacts of
the coronavirus pandemic on rural communities, farmers, ranchers,
food and farmworkers, agriculture and food supply chains, zoonotic
surveillance, and domestic and international hunger. The Com-
mittee will review federal food assistance programs to ensure ef-
forts are equitable across sectors and will examine support for so-
cially disadvantaged producers.
The Committee on Budget will examine budgetary measures re-
lated to rescuing an economy damaged by the coronavirus pan-
demic. In so doing, the Committee will evaluate the effects of the
pandemic and the associated government response across the var-
ious sectors of the U.S. economy.
The Committee on Education and Labor plans to conduct over-
sight of efforts to ensure that students, teachers, workers, and
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their families are adequately protected during the coronavirus pan-
10 H. Res. 935, 116th Cong. (2020); H. Res. 8, sec. 4(f), 117th Cong. (2021).
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demic. As part of this work, the Committee will assess the effec-
tiveness of federal agencies’ coronavirus pandemic policies at high-
risk worksites. Additionally, the Committee will monitor the ad-
ministration of child nutrition programs during the coronavirus
pandemic.
The Committee on Energy and Commerce will review pharma-
ceutical manufacturers’ efforts to develop and produce coronavirus
vaccines, as well as the federal government’s role in supporting
those efforts and ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccines.
The Committee will also continue to examine issues related to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) producing and
disseminating reliable public health data and information, and ef-
forts by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review, au-
thorize, and approve drugs, vaccines, and devices in the fight
against the coronavirus pandemic.
The Committee on Financial Services plans to conduct oversight
of housing protections and relief programs established during the
coronavirus pandemic in order to ensure proper implementation,
compliance with fair housing and fair lending laws, and equitable
treatment of the hardest-hit communities. The Committee will re-
view the effectiveness of eviction and foreclosure moratoria and
mortgage forbearance in keeping people safely housed and will ex-
amine how consumers have been affected by the pandemic.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs plans to examine the ongoing
effects of the coronavirus pandemic on broader global health ef-
forts. The Committee will conduct oversight on global health secu-
rity efforts, including infectious disease surveillance and control
and strengthening of health care systems.
The Committee on Homeland Security will conduct oversight of
the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in
responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The Committee will focus
on monitoring FEMA’s work with the CDC and other federal agen-
cies to coordinate with state, local, tribal, and territorial entities
and the private sector to assist with coronavirus vaccine distribu-
tion.
The Committee on Natural Resources will examine the impact of
the coronavirus pandemic on Indigenous Peoples. The Committee
will conduct oversight of the Indian Health Service’s coronavirus
pandemic response and will review its ability to maintain the
health and well-being of tribal communities during the pandemic.
The Committee will also conduct oversight activities to ensure
tribes and insular areas receive the resources needed to address
the coronavirus pandemic and other emergencies.
The Committee on Science, Space and Technology plans to exam-
ine how scientific integrity failures may have contributed to the
coronavirus pandemic’s severity in the United States and will
evaluate strategies for addressing future outbreaks of infectious
disease. The Committee will also examine how the vast societal
and economic changes forced by the coronavirus pandemic have
temporarily affected global environmental air quality and consider
implications for environmental management strategies going for-
ward.
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The Committee on Small Business plans to monitor the Small
Business Administration’s (SBA) spending and efforts related to
the coronavirus pandemic response and fully account for
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coronavirus pandemic-related appropriations. The Committee will
conduct oversight of programs to provide emergency stimulative
capital to small businesses, including programs designed to provide
small businesses access to federal coronavirus pandemic support
resources.
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure plans to
continue to review the unique impact of the coronavirus pandemic
on the U.S. aviation industry and will conduct oversight of the im-
plementation of relief programs for airlines, airports, and other
aviation stakeholders. The Committee will examine the effect of the
coronavirus pandemic on surface transportation networks, includ-
ing Amtrak. In addition, because the coronavirus pandemic has
changed the way federal workers utilize real property, the Com-
mittee will examine changes the coronavirus pandemic will have on
federal workspace.
The Committee on Veterans Affairs plans to conduct oversight of
efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address the
delays in medical disability exams and the backlog of claims result-
ing from the coronavirus pandemic. The Committee will also exam-
ine the Veterans Health Administration’s response to the pan-
demic, the long-term health of veterans who were diagnosed with
COVID–19 and potential ongoing impacts of delays in care, and
mental strain due to the increased stress and isolation caused by
the coronavirus pandemic.
The Committee on Ways and Means plans to conduct oversight
of the implementation of tax provisions designed to address the im-
pact of the coronavirus pandemic and will review the nation’s un-
employment compensation benefits and financing systems, includ-
ing the temporary programs enacted during the coronavirus pan-
demic. The Committee also plans to conduct oversight on the ef-
fects of the coronavirus pandemic on the Social Security Adminis-
tration’s services.
The Committee on Armed Services will review the Department
of Defense’s (DOD) role in the fight against the coronavirus pan-
demic. The Committee also plans to conduct oversight of DOD’s
science and technology investments in countermeasures to adver-
sary capabilities and emerging threats, such as infectious diseases
and biotechnologies.
The Committee on House Administration will oversee collabora-
tion among House Officers and other Legislative Branch entities
with respect to the House of Representatives’ response to the
coronavirus pandemic. The Committee plans to oversee legislative
process adjustments necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic and
will also review other issues related to the coronavirus pandemic,
such as member, congressional staff, and U.S. Capitol Police De-
partment testing and vaccination.
HEALTH CARE
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the longstanding need
for Americans to have equitable access to affordable health care.
The nation’s health care system continues to be one of the most ex-
pensive in the world. In particular, prescription drug prices con-
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tinue to impose tremendous burdens on patients, taxpayers, and
the entire health care system. While more than 20 million Ameri-
cans gained health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act
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7
(ACA) and Medicaid expansion, millions of Americans still lack cov-
erage.11 The Biden Administration has taken several initial actions
to make health care coverage available for millions of additional
people, lower premiums, and address racial heath inequities. Legis-
lation has been introduced in the House to further address these
issues. House committees will continue to conduct coordinated over-
sight aimed at lowering health care costs, ensuring access to care,
and reducing health disparities.
The Committee on Energy and Commerce plans to examine the
availability, affordability, and quality of health care, including the
implementation of the ACA and the Medicaid program; the roles of
the National Institutes of Health and FDA in the discovery, devel-
opment, and delivery of innovative medications; and initiatives to
address high prescription drug prices and other medical costs. The
Committee will also examine efforts to address the opioid epidemic
and the health impacts caused by gun violence in our communities.
In addition, the Committee will investigate racial disparities in ma-
ternal and infant mortality as well as the appropriate collection of
demographic data related to health and health care.
The Committee on Ways and Means will conduct oversight of the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the administration
of the Medicare program. The Committee will continue to examine
the implementation of the ACA and review issues related to private
health coverage, including surprise billing and prescription drug
prices. The Committee will also conduct oversight of the quality of
care delivered to nursing home patients.
The Committee on Armed Services will conduct reviews of mili-
tary health policies, including TRICARE benefits, wounded warrior
programs, and policies to address opioid use. The Committee will
also conduct oversight of the ongoing reform efforts at military
treatment facilities.
The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will work to improve health
care provided to veterans by conducting oversight of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs’ efforts to develop Community Care Net-
works, improve mental health and suicide-prevention efforts, re-
duce health inequities among veterans, monitor the expansion of
the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers,
and review proposed measures concerning veterans’ access to the
full spectrum of reproductive health care.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs will conduct oversight on glob-
al health security efforts and examine the impacts of the Trump
Administration’s reimposition of the Global Gag Rule and elimi-
nation of funding to the United Nations Population Fund on wom-
en’s health services and access to reproductive health. The Com-
mittee will also examine the progress of global HIV/AIDS-epidemic
initiatives, global malnutrition elimination, support for maternal
and child health, and U.S. engagement with the Global Fund to
Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
The Committee on Education and Labor will investigate inequi-
ties that prevent individuals and communities from accessing need-
ed health care and prescription drugs. The Committee on Agri-
culture plans to review access to health and mental health services
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11 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Chart Book: Accomplishments of Affordable Care Act
(Mar. 19, 2019) (online at www.cbpp.org/research/health/chart-book-accomplishments-of-afford-
able-care-act).
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in rural areas and examine the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program’s and the Emergency Food Assistance Program’s ability to
respond to a public health emergency. The Committee on Financial
Services will examine health hazards in the nation’s public housing
system. The Committee on Natural Resources will examine health
disparities among Indigenous Peoples and the ongoing operation of
the Indian Health Service. The Committee on Small Business will
examine the cost and availability of health insurance to small busi-
nesses and their employees, along with ways to improve the provi-
sion of health care while reducing costs to small businesses that
offer their workers health insurance.
Finally, the Committee on Oversight and Reform will investigate
the actions of drug companies in raising prescription drug prices in
the United States and limiting competition and will conduct over-
sight to ensure the effectiveness of federal actions to lower drug
prices. The Committee will also continue to examine the origins of
the opioid crisis and the need for expanded access to treatment and
support services for those with opioid and other substance-use dis-
orders.12 The Committee will examine systemic discrimination in
health care settings, health inequities, and other barriers that pre-
vent marginalized populations from accessing high-quality, non-
discriminatory medical care in the United States.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the mismanagement
and policies of the Trump Administration, the United States is in
the midst of an economic crisis. More than 18 million Americans
are receiving unemployment benefits, and it is estimated that as
many as 40 million Americans cannot afford to pay rent and fear
eviction.13 Nearly 23 million Americans, including as many as 11
million children, are living in households experiencing food insecu-
rity.14 Over 2.3 million women have been forced to leave the work-
force entirely, including nearly 1 million mothers, and many minor-
ity businesses have teetered on the brink of closure.15
During the 117th Congress, House committees will examine ways
to promote economic recovery, jobs, higher wages, and prosperity;
review investments in infrastructure and innovation industries;
and respond to challenges faced by workers seeking to collectively
negotiate strong protections in the workplace.
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure plans to ex-
amine infrastructure investments to bring the nation’s crumbling
12 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Overdose Deaths Accelerating During Covid–
19 (Dec. 17, 2020) (online at www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid-
19.html); Kaiser Family Foundation, The Implications of Covid-19 for Mental Health and Sub-
stance Use (Feb. 10, 2021) (online at www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implica-
tions-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/).
13 Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims (Apr. 8 2021) (online at
www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf); National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Press Release: 30-40 Million
People in America Could Be Evicted from Their Homes by the End of 2020 (Aug. 7, 2020) (online
at nlihc.org/news/30-40-million-people-america-could-be-evicted-their-homes-end-2020).
14 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, New Data: Millions Struggling to Eat and Pay Rent
(Sept. 23, 2020) (online at www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/new-data-millions-
struggling-to-eat-and-pay-rent).
15 National Women’s Law Center, Another 275,000 Women Left the Labor Force in January
(Feb. 5, 2021) (online at nwlc.org/resources/january-jobs-day-2021/); A Million American Mothers
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Are out of Work, Axios (Feb. 10, 2021) (online at www.axios.com/mothers-out-of-work-pandemic-
692c26d2-009e-4534-9162-0862ae269499.html); Few Minority-Owned Businesses Got Relief Loans
They Asked for, New York Times (May 18, 2020) (online at www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/busi-
ness/minority-businesses-coronavirus-loans.html).
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9
transportation infrastructure to a state of good repair while exam-
ining new technologies and innovative mobility solutions to move
people and goods more safely and efficiently. The Committee will
also monitor the status and solvency of the Highway Trust Fund
and its ability to fund currently authorized programs and meet fu-
ture surface-transportation investment needs. In addition, the
Committee will examine the need for continued investment in U.S.
water-related infrastructure that: (1) prioritizes the creation of
American jobs and the utilization of American-made products, (2)
supports a healthy and sustainable economy and environment, and
(3) protects public health and safety.
The Committee on Financial Services plans to evaluate methods
to expand equitable access to the traditional financial services sys-
tem, including methods to broaden homeownership, increase wages,
promote employment within high-growth industries, and encourage
savings (including retirement savings) and investments. The Com-
mittee will also evaluate consumer financial laws to ensure that
they are meeting the evolving needs of the American people and
that they reduce the disparities in opportunity that persist across
different segments of our society.
The Committee on Education and Labor plans to conduct over-
sight of Department of Labor programs, policies, and enforcement
practices and their impact on our nation’s workers. The Committee
will examine the costs and consequences to workers, retirees, busi-
nesses, and communities, as well as to the Pension Benefit Guar-
anty Corporation, if Congress does not address the multiemployer
pension crisis. Through its oversight, the Committee will ensure
that community-support programs and federal funding targeted to
improving equity for vulnerable populations achieve the stated
goals.
The Committee on Small Business plans to investigate policies to
encourage more participation in the labor market through initia-
tives that can be offered by small businesses, such as paid sick and
parental leave. The Committee will monitor the effectiveness of
capital access programs to generate jobs in small and underserved
businesses, investigate whether lenders are meeting their goals to
lend to small businesses and create jobs, and examine methods to
enhance equity financing to meet the needs of small-business bor-
rowers. The Committee will also review federal actions to assist
employers in workforce training, analyze ways to meet the growing
need for more skilled workers, and study the effectiveness of efforts
to encourage more underserved workers to enter fields where
skilled labor is needed.
The Committee on Ways and Means will examine ways within its
jurisdiction to encourage robust investment in American infrastruc-
ture directed at modernizing how Americans travel and how the
American economy grows, and at creating good jobs and meaning-
ful economic development at the local, state, and federal levels. The
Committee will also conduct oversight of the impact of trade on
U.S. jobs, wages, communities, and economic growth or displace-
ment, with particular attention to whether trade has a disparate
impact on underprivileged groups. The Committee also plans to
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conduct oversight of, and promote, Administration efforts to enforce
provisions relating to tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. manufac-
turing, and will assess the need to increase U.S. manufacturing ex-
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10
ports that also promote jobs and economic opportunities for diverse
and multiracial communities.
The Committee on Energy and Commerce will focus attention on
the transition to a clean energy economy, the impact on traditional
energy employment, and the increased need for a skilled workforce
in the growing areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and
storage. The Committee will continue its ongoing examination of
diversity in the energy workforce and pathways to ensure under-
represented groups and veterans are able to obtain employment
and benefit from the transition to a clean-energy economy.
The Committee on Oversight and Reform plans to focus on rem-
edying the impacts of the Trump Administration’s repeated attacks
on the federal workforce and collective bargaining. The Committee
will examine the effects of the Trump Administration’s efforts to
weaken the federal civil service and will work to revitalize the fed-
eral workforce. The Committee will also examine the impact of fed-
eral agency vacancies at all levels, staffing reductions, and diver-
sity and inclusion in the federal workforce.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The standing committees of the House will conduct oversight on
ways to protect the environment and address the generational cri-
sis posed by climate change. On January 9, 2019, the House made
oversight of these issues a priority when, through House Resolution
6, the House authorized the establishment of a Select Committee
on the Climate Crisis with investigative jurisdiction to ‘‘study,
make findings, and develop recommendations on policies, strate-
gies, and innovations to achieve substantial and permanent reduc-
tions in pollution and other activities that contribute to the climate
crisis.’’ 16 On January 4, 2021, the House reauthorized the Select
Committeefor the 117th Congress through House Resolution 8.17
The standing committees of the House will continue to conduct ro-
bust oversight to augment the work of the Select Committee.
The Committee on Energy and Commerce intends to focus on the
economic, environmental, and health effects of climate change, in-
cluding the disproportionate impacts on low-income communities
and other historically overburdened populations. The Committee
will review actions needed to meet the United States’ obligations
under the Paris Climate Agreement and examine the climate im-
pacts of federal regulatory efforts and programs. The Committee
plans to examine activities and policies to protect and improve the
nation’s air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The
Committee will also assess efforts to ensure states and local com-
munities have the resources needed to prepare for and respond to
severe weather events and natural disasters.
The Committee on Natural Resources will review the ongoing ef-
fects of climate change on tribal communities, incorporate environ-
mental justice strategies, discuss the adaption of strategies em-
ployed in those communities, and address any unmet needs. The
Committee plans to continue to focus on understanding the impacts
of climate change on public lands and ensuring that public lands
serve as a key part of the climate solution. The Committee will ex-
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16 H. Res. 6 116th Cong. (2019).
17 H. Res. 8.
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11
amine strategies to aid local communities that will need to transi-
tion away from economic dependence on fossil fuel extraction.
The Committee on Science, Space and Technology plans to ag-
gressively track emerging issues and scientific studies regarding
global warming and climate science. The Committee will also ex-
amine issues surrounding extreme weather events, including the
science behind these hazards and how climate change has in-
creased the frequency and severity of these events, improvements
to forecasting and warning, and proposed methods to reduce their
impact.
The Committee on Agriculture will review the role of America’s
farmers, ranchers, and foresters in mitigating climate change, in-
cluding small-scale, limited-resource, and socially disadvantaged
producers. The Committee will also review the Department of Agri-
culture’s role in providing cost-share funding, incentives, research,
technical expertise, and other tools related to climate change adap-
tation and mitigation.
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will exam-
ine the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the U.S. transpor-
tation system and review how transitioning to a more sustainable
surface transportation system may bring the opportunity for new
U.S. job bases and a more competitive position in the global econ-
omy. The Committee will examine means of reducing the impacts
of carbon pollution from the transportation sector and building
stronger, more resilient, and adaptive transportation networks. The
Committee will also seek opportunities to address potential inequi-
ties in communities that may be disproportionately affected by the
effects of climate change.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs plans to examine the effective-
ness of U.S. policy on climate change, including the impact of the
Trump Administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord
on our diplomatic relations, our development assistance, and multi-
lateral engagement. The Committee will explore the impacts of cli-
mate change on national security, its contributions to displacement
and social unrest across the globe, and how to advance a path to-
ward climate stabilization. The Committee will consider the evo-
lution of the global energy landscape, emphasize good governance
of existing resources, and work to assure energy security for the
United States and our allies. The Committee on Ways and Means
will conduct oversight of efforts to address the impact of climate
change through the use of trade tools.
The Committee on Oversight and Reform will continue to exam-
ine government and private sector policies and actions related to
the environment, natural resources, and public health. In par-
ticular, the Committee will review how current policies and actions
affect marginalized communities, which often lack public health in-
frastructure and bear the brunt of the consequences of climate
change, including the social and environmental determinants of
health. The Committee will focus on job creation in the transition
to clean energy and a green economy, environmental justice, and
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the harmful effects of disinformation in the fight against climate
change.
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III. CONCLUSION
The oversight plans submitted by the standing House committees
together form a coherent blueprint for Congress’s efforts to address
issues of concern to working families across the country. The Com-
mittee on Oversight and Reform will continue to work with the
other House committees and House leadership throughout the
117th Congress to promote effective congressional oversight. The
oversight plans of all House committees follow.
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COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
TO: The Honorable Carolyn Maloney, Chairwoman, House Com-
mittee on Oversight and Reform, The Honorable Zoe Lofgren,
Chairperson, Committee on House Administration
FROM: The Honorable David Scott, Chairman, House Committee
on Agriculture
DATE: March 1, 2021
SUBJECT: Oversight Plan for the House Committee on Agriculture
for the 117th Congress
This oversight plan is filed pursuant to Rule X, clause 2(d)(1) of
the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 117th Con-
gress. This plan was prepared in consultation with the Ranking
Member and was presented to the Members of the Committee, with
proper notice, for their consideration.
While much of the work in the 117th Congress will focus on con-
tinued recovery from impacts related to the COVID–19 pandemic,
the Committee and its subcommittees expect to exercise appro-
priate oversight activity regarding the issues listed below, as well
as to begin consideration and formulation of the 2023 Farm Bill.
The Committee will also have a general focus on the condition of
rural communities; the farm economy, including ways to support
equity for minority and socially disadvantaged producers; food se-
curity; and food and agriculture supply chain resilience. The Com-
mittee will also conduct any other general oversight as necessary.
The Committee will consult, as appropriate, with other committees
of the House that may share subject matter interest.
117TH CONGRESS
OVERSIGHT PLAN
The Committee expects to exercise appropriate oversight activity
regarding the following issues:
General
• Review rulemakings, guidance, and other actions under the ju-
risdiction of the Committee taken by the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Farm
Credit Administration, the U.S. Agency for International Develop-
ment, and the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other ap-
plicable Federal agency or Department, for consistency and compli-
ance with applicable laws and Congressional intent, generally and
specifically with regard to:
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(13)
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14
Animal Health and Welfare
• Review U.S. animal health threats and prevention and re-
sponse capabilities, including animal traceability;
• Review USDA’s authorities and functions under the Animal
Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act; and
• Monitor strategies and opportunities to reduce and resolve live-
stock predation and conflicts between wildlife and people, including
feral hogs.
Biotechnology
• Review USDA’s efforts to develop and promote the benefits of
biotechnology for combatting climate change, increasing agricul-
tural productivity, and combating hunger globally;
• Review the regulatory process for gene-edited plants and ani-
mals, including the SECURE rule; and
• Review USDA’s implementation of biotechnology labeling
standards.
Climate
• Review the role of America’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters
in mitigating climate change, including small-scale, limited re-
source, and socially disadvantaged producers; and
• Review USDA’s role in providing cost-share funding, incen-
tives, research, technical expertise, and other tools related to cli-
mate change adaptation and mitigation.
Commodity Exchanges
• Review the general operations of the Commodity Futures Trad-
ing Commission (CFTC) to provide a reauthorization of the Com-
mission;
• Review enforcement and oversight policies and their implemen-
tation by the CFTC;
• Review rulemakings, guidance, and other actions taken by the
Commission and its staff for consistency and compliance with the
Commodity Exchange Act and Congressional intent;
• Review the impact of emerging commodity markets and finan-
cial technologies and examine the authority of the Commission to
deter fraud and manipulation, promote market integrity, and pro-
tect investors in digital commodity derivatives and at organized
digital commodity trading platforms;
• Review the impact of COVID–19 on derivatives markets;
• Review international treatment of the U.S. derivatives indus-
try, including market participants and infrastructure;
• Review the impacts of increased coordinated market participa-
tion of retail traders; and
• Review the existing and potential market risk in derivatives
markets posed by climate change.
Conservation and Forestry
• Review the effectiveness of Farm Bill conservation programs in
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addressing wildlife habitat, water quality/quantity, and promoting
soil health;
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15
• Review the interaction between conservation practices and risk
management;
• Review USDA’s realignment that resulted in the Farm Produc-
tion and Conservation mission area, including its impact on pro-
grams, customers, and staff;
• Review actual and planned staffing levels, trends, and plans
for the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, Farm Service
Agency, and U.S. Forest Service (USFS);
• Review USDA policies and programs related to the outdoor
recreation economy;
• Review current USFS management and workforce challenges;
• Review USFS’s strategy related to wildfire, including fire-
fighter pay and retention; use and impact of various hiring authori-
ties to supplement permanent workforce; fire preparedness; and,
use of authorities, agreements, partnerships, and technology;
• Review impact of USFS budget modernization efforts on staff-
ing and program delivery, including actual and planned staffing
and resource needs;
• Review USFS forest management, forest health, work to com-
bat invasive species, and work to support the climate sink oppor-
tunity of USFS managed lands, including grasslands and forests;
and
• Review effectiveness of USDA programs in delivering and
maximizing ecosystem service benefits on National Forest System
lands, and USDA metrics and staff performance reviews in encour-
aging those benefits in the field.
Coronavirus Response
• Monitor the impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic on rural com-
munities, farmers, ranchers, food and farmworkers, agriculture and
food supply chains, zoonotic surveillance, and domestic and inter-
national hunger;
• Review USDA’s COVID–19 response efforts under the Com-
modity Credit Corporation Charter Act, Families First Coronavirus
Response Act, CARES Act, H.R. 133, and any other applicable stat-
ute;
• Review USDA’s COVID–19 response, including the
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 1, CFAP 2, and the
Farmers to Families Food Box Program, to ensure efforts are equi-
table across sectors and support communities in need, small-scale,
and socially disadvantaged producers; and
• Review status of funding spent and remaining available to be
spent under the programs and authorities noted above.
Dairy, Livestock, and Poultry
• Monitor and examine factors related to dairy, livestock, and
poultry market conditions and pricing, including reauthorization of
the Livestock Mandatory Reporting program and factors that influ-
ence on-farm profitability;
• Review risk management and safety net tools available to
dairy, livestock, and poultry producers;
• Evaluate processes for and impacts of USDA purchases of
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dairy, meat, and poultry products; and
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16
• Review the U.S. generic dairy, meat, and poultry research and
promotion programs.
Department Operations
• Examine programmatic and staffing impacts of the previous
administration’s reorganization efforts and use of the business cen-
ter concept in Farm Production and Conservation; Research, Edu-
cation, and Extension; Marketing and Regulatory Programs; and
other mission areas;
• Review the historical inequality within USDA facing Black, In-
digenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC);
• Review the civil rights and programs appeals processes for
both USDA employees and customers; and
• Monitor USDA’s efforts to ensure the safety of the Depart-
ment’s computer networks and systems and efforts to maintain the
security of program and customer data; and
• Monitor USDA’s compliance with laws intended to protect the
privacy of producer data.
Disaster
• Monitor the effectiveness of USDA’s ad hoc disaster programs,
including funding remaining to cover 2019 losses and the estimated
losses for 2020 and potential 2021 losses.
Energy
• Review agriculture’s role in a renewable energy and biobased
economy;
• Review the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard
and its impact on agriculture; and
• Review USDA’s Farm Bill energy programs.
Farm Credit, Rural Development, and the Rural Economy
• Review of implementation of rural development policies and
authorities contained in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018;
• Review the economic state of rural America and the impacts of
COVID–19 on rural economies;
• Review credit conditions and the impact of COVID–19 on cred-
it availability in rural America;
• Review the availability of mental health counseling and medi-
ation services in rural areas;
• Review the technical capacity of rural areas in accessing Fed-
eral programs;
• Review access to and success of rural development programs in
minority communities;
• Review broadband delivery and needs in rural America, includ-
ing barriers to expansion of telehealth services and distance learn-
ing; and
• Review rural development loan and grant programs, including
their role in increasing medical care in rural areas.
Federal Crop Insurance, Commodity Crop Safety Net, and
Risk Management
• Review the role and effectiveness of Federal crop insurance, in-
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cluding policies developed through 508(h) process, and including
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17
applicability for new, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farm-
ers and ranchers;
• Review the development and delivery of new crop insurance
products for livestock, specialty crops, timber, and dairy;
• Review USDA’s realignment that resulted in the Farm Produc-
tion and Conservation mission area, including its impact on pro-
grams, customers, and staff;
• Review implementation of changes to the Price Loss Coverage
program, Agriculture Risk Coverage program, and marketing as-
sistance loans as enacted in the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018;
• Review USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation’s (CCC) au-
thorities;
• Review impacts of COVID–19 on the farm economy, including
examining the resiliency of the agricultural supply chain;
• Review FSA program accessibility for socially disadvantaged
and underserved farmers; and
• Review USDA’s enforcement of the Grain Standards Act and
inspection activities.
Food Loss and Waste
• Review current activities and future opportunities within
USDA programs to reduce food loss and waste; and
• Examine opportunities to encourage and incentivize private
sector improvements to increase consumer awareness of food loss
and waste and to recover food that would otherwise be lost or wast-
ed.
Food Safety
• Review USDA’s inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products;
and
• Examine availability of meat and poultry processed under ben-
efit of Federal inspection or state inspection conducted under coop-
erative agreement with USDA.
Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
• Review USDA’s ongoing implementation of horticulture and or-
ganic related programs authorized in the Agriculture Improvement
Act of 2018;
• Review USDA’s regulation of organic standards and pending
organic rulemaking;
• Review USDA’s implementation of organic certification cost-
share and other efforts to assist producers transitioning to organic
production;
• Review USDA’s purchasing programs for opportunities to ex-
pand access to specialty crops, including fresh fruits and vegeta-
bles;
• Review USDA’s programming as it relates to local food produc-
tion, marketing, urban agriculture, and effort to strengthen local
and regional food systems;
• Review implementation of the Domestic Hemp Production Pro-
gram and its impacts on the hemp sector, as well as interagency
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coordination on hemp issues;
• Review the use of commodity checkoff programs; and
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• Review the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization
Act.
Nutrition
• Review the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s
(SNAP) ability to respond to a public health emergency, including
the use of Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT);
• Review the Emergency Food Assistance Program’s (TEFAP)
ability to respond to a public health emergency and food banks’ ca-
pacity to manage large increases in distribution;
• Review the challenges states encountered administering nutri-
tion programs to efficiently provide assistance during the COVID–
19 crisis;
• Review retailer operations;
• Review the process by which the 2025 2030 Dietary Guidelines
for America (DGA) will be decided, including the charter and DGA
Committee operations;
• Review the challenges related to the SNAP EBT system, SNAP
online purchasing, and other SNAP technologies; and
• Review USDA’s implementation of nutrition programs and au-
thorities in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
Outreach and Civil Rights
• Review USDA’s implementation of outreach and civil rights
policies, programs and authorities authorized in the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018;
• Monitor USDA’s outreach efforts to beginning, small, and un-
derserved (e.g. socially disadvantaged and Veteran) farmers and
ranchers; and
• Monitor USDA’s outreach efforts to military veterans inter-
ested in careers in agriculture.
Regulations
• Review the effect of regulatory activities carried out pursuant
to the Endangered Species Act, or any proposed legislative changes
to such Act, on agricultural producers and rural communities;
• Review the effect of regulatory activities carried out pursuant
to the Clean Air and Clean Water Act on agricultural producers
and rural communities; and
• Review the effect of regulatory activities by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) relative to the Federal Insecticide, Fun-
gicide, and Rodenticide Act on agricultural producers and industry
stakeholders.
Research, Education, and Extension
• Review USDA’s implementation of research, education and ex-
tension programs authorized in the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018;
• Review the operation of the National Institute of Food and Ag-
riculture (NIFA) and the Economic Research Service (ERS);Review
the sufficiency of research funding and staffing under the Agricul-
tural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS),
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National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and the National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
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19
• Review USDA-supported research contributing to climate
change mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency, both within ARS and
through NIFA;
• Review the capabilities of Land-grant institutions, minority
serving institutions, and Cooperative Extension to support farmers
and ranchers, including socially disadvantaged farmers and under-
served communities;
• Review the effectiveness of data gathering at NASS, including
outreach to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers;
• Review access to and release of World Agricultural Supply and
Demand Estimates;
• Review access to and release of World Agricultural Outlook
Board meetings data; and
• Review efforts to leverage Federal research investment with
state, local, and private sources of funding.
Trade Facilitation
• Review pending—and review existing—trade agreements and
disputes and their impact on agriculture;
• Review USDA’s trade promotion and technical trade facilita-
tion activities;
• Review the effectiveness of USDA’s trade mitigation programs;
• Review the activities of the Undersecretary for Trade and For-
eign Agricultural Affairs;
• Review the legacy impact of Trump Administration retaliatory
tariffs and trade war on U.S. agricultural producers and agri-
businesses; and
• Review the impacts of USDA and USAID international food aid
programs on global food security.
Consultation with Other Committees
• With Natural Resources on forestry issues, livestock predation,
and aquaculture;
• With Science, Space and Technology on research;
• With Ways and Means and Education and Labor on nutrition
programs;
• With Ways and Means on tax and trade issues;
• With Judiciary on immigrant agricultural labor and hemp
issues involving the Drug Enforcement Agency;
• With Energy and Commerce on broadband, food safety, food
waste, regulation of cell-cultured meat, gene-edited animals, hemp
products including CBD, and biomass energy;
• With Transportation and Infrastructure on certain Clean
Water Act compliance issues, livestock hauling, and food aid deliv-
ery;
• With Financial Services on Dodd-Frank and emerging issues
such as digital assets;
• With Foreign Affairs on food aid and trade issues;
• With Homeland Security on biodefense and border inspection
and security measures related to agriculture;
• With Small Business on addressing economic opportunities for
rural America and assessing the impact of COVID–19 on rural
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communities and small business; and
• Any other committee as appropriate.
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20
cc: The Honorable James Comer, Ranking Member, House Com-
mittee on Oversight and Government Reform; The Honorable Rod-
ney Davis, Ranking Member, House Committee on Administration
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COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 22
OVERSIGHT AGENDA .......................................................................................... 23
POLICY ISSUES ..................................................................................................... 24
National Defense Strategy, National Military Strategy, and Related Defense
Policy Issues ......................................................................................................... 24
Deterrence ................................................................................................................ 25
Strategic Deterrence ................................................................................................. 26
Irregular Warfare, Emerging Threats, and Countering Violent Extremist Or-
ganizations ............................................................................................................ 26
Defense Industrial Base, Critical Technology, and National Security Informa-
tion ........................................................................................................................ 28
Organization and Management of the Department of Defense ........................... 29
Financial Management ............................................................................................ 29
Homeland Defense ................................................................................................... 30
Acquisition ................................................................................................................ 30
Intelligence ............................................................................................................... 31
Information Operations ........................................................................................... 32
READINESS ............................................................................................................ 32
Maintenance and Training ...................................................................................... 32
Logistics .................................................................................................................... 33
Life-Cycle Sustainment ........................................................................................... 33
Organic Industrial Base .......................................................................................... 34
Civilian Personnel ................................................................................................... 34
Energy and Environment ........................................................................................ 35
Military Construction, Facilities Sustainment, and Real Property Manage-
ment ...................................................................................................................... 36
Housing for Military Families and Unaccompanied Service Members ............... 36
MILITARY PERSONNEL AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES .................................. 37
Military Manpower and Force Structure ............................................................... 37
Military Benefits and Compensation ..................................................................... 37
Military Health System ........................................................................................... 37
Military Personnel Policy ........................................................................................ 38
Uniform Code of Military Justice ........................................................................... 38
Military Family Readiness ...................................................................................... 38
Morale, Welfare and Recreation Programs and Military Resale Programs ........ 39
Prisoner of War and Missing in Action .................................................................. 39
Arlington National Cemetery ................................................................................. 39
MODERNIZATION AND INVESTMENT ISSUES .............................................. 39
Overview ................................................................................................................... 39
Armored Vehicle Modernization ............................................................................. 40
Tactical Wheeled Vehicles ....................................................................................... 40
Rotorcraft Programs ................................................................................................ 41
Communications and Network Programs .............................................................. 41
Fixed-Wing Training and Tactical Aircraft and Related Munitions .................... 41
Individual Soldier and Marine Equipment ............................................................ 42
Long Range Munitions, Ammunition, and Ammunition Industrial Base ........... 43
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Air Force and Army Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Programs 43
Electronic Warfare Equipment and Modernization .............................................. 43
Bomber Force Structure .......................................................................................... 44
Aerial Refueling Aircraft ......................................................................................... 44
Airlift Programs ....................................................................................................... 44
Surface Warfare Programs ...................................................................................... 45
Undersea Warfare Programs .................................................................................. 45
Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Pro-
grams ..................................................................................................................... 46
Strategic Nuclear and Conventional Forces .......................................................... 46
Missile Defense ........................................................................................................ 47
National Security Space .......................................................................................... 48
Military Operations in Cyberspace Activities and Information Technology ....... 49
Science and Technology ........................................................................................... 49
INTRODUCTION
The oversight responsibilities of the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices are conducted throughout the calendar year. They are instru-
mental in the committee’s’ consideration of the annual defense au-
thorization bill, which covers the breadth of the operations of the
Department of Defense as well as the national security functions
of the Department of Energy and other related areas. The annual
national defense budget involves millions of military and civilian
personnel, thousands of facilities, and hundreds of agencies, depart-
ments, and commands located throughout the world. The com-
plexity of the current threat environment will continue to encom-
pass a range of topics requiring committee oversight including stra-
tegic, operational, and budgetary issues.
The committee has jurisdiction over laws, programs, and agen-
cies under permanent authority in numerous titles of the United
States Code, including title 10 (Armed Forces), title 32 (National
Guard), title 37 (Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services),
title 41 (Public Contracts), title 42 (Atomic Energy), title 46 (Ship-
ping), and title 50 (War and National Defense).
The jurisdiction of the committee, pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule
X of the Rules of the House of Representatives is as follows:
1. Ammunition depots; forts; arsenals; Army, Navy, Marine
Corps, Air Force, and Space Force reservations and establishments.
2. Common defense generally.
3. Conservation, development, and use of naval petroleum and
oil shale reserves.
4. The Department of Defense generally, including the Depart-
ments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force generally.
5. Interoceanic canals generally, including measures relating to
the maintenance, operation, and administration of interoceanic ca-
nals.
6. Merchant Marine Academy, and State Merchant Marine Acad-
emies.
7. Military applications of nuclear energy.
8. Tactical intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the
Department of Defense.
9. National security aspects of merchant marine, including fi-
nancial assistance for the construction and operation of vessels, the
maintenance of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industrial
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base, cabotage, cargo preference, and merchant marine officers and
seamen as these matters relate to national security.
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23
10. Pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges
of members of the armed services.
11. Scientific research and development in support of the armed
services.
12 Selective service.
13. Size and composition of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air
Force, and Space Force.
14. Soldiers’ and sailors’ homes.
15. Strategic and critical materials necessary for the common de-
fense.
16. Cemeteries administered by the Department of Defense.
In addition to its legislative jurisdiction and general oversight
function, the committee has special oversight functions with re-
spect to international arms control and disarmament and the edu-
cation of military dependents in schools pursuant to clause 3(b) of
rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
OVERSIGHT AGENDA
The committee will continue its oversight and assessment of
threats to U.S. national security as it considers the fiscal year 2022
and fiscal year 2023 defense budget requests. This effort will in-
volve appropriate oversight hearings with the Secretary of Defense;
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the individual military
service secretaries and chiefs of staff; combatant commanders;
other officials of the Department of Defense and the military de-
partments; officials from the intelligence community; and the Sec-
retary of Energy, the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, and
other officials of the Department of Energy. To conduct such over-
sight and threat assessment, the committee will invite a diverse
range of views and perspectives of outside experts in academia, in-
dustry, associations and advocacy organizations, and those in pri-
vate life with expertise on these matters. Further, the committee
will continue its aggressive outreach program to seek a wide per-
spective of views of service members and their families to include
Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members across the
United States and at deployed locations overseas.
The committee carries out its oversight of the Department of De-
fense and its subordinate departments and agencies as well as por-
tions of the Department of Energy through activities involving the
full committee and its standing subcommittees. The committee will
continue to conduct robust oversight, investigate matters, and ad-
dress inequities within the jurisdiction of the committee. Certain
issues and activities will require more extensive review. Investiga-
tory work that may support the oversight responsibilities of stand-
ing subcommittees will be conducted in a coordinated manner.
Each subcommittee will conduct oversight of the programs within
its jurisdiction in accordance with the committee’s rules and the
Rules of the House of Representatives.
The oversight agenda, unless otherwise noted, is designed to sup-
port the consideration by the committee and, ultimately, the House
of Representatives of the annual defense authorization bill, as well
as the committee’s broader oversight responsibilities. The issues
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identified are expected to be ongoing areas of oversight activity
throughout the 117th Congress. In addition, the committee will
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24
continue to pay attention to the mandates placed on executive de-
partments and agencies. In this context, pursuant to clause 2(d)(1)
of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the com-
mittee will continue to emphasize the examination of relevant
rules, regulations, statutes, and court decisions affecting the De-
partment of Defense and the Department of Energy for their effects
on efficiency and good management practices. To this end, the com-
mittee will provide oversight of issues of inequities, including sys-
temic challenges to diversity and inclusion and equitable access to
resources to achieve national defense goals.
Given the unique nature of national security issues and related
oversight of the Armed Forces, the committee believes that a quali-
fier is once again necessary with regard to the ability to plan com-
prehensively and predict all oversight activities. Much of the com-
mittee’s most demanding oversight will be, by definition, event-
driven and not subject to prior planning. Such events significantly
complicate the ability to prescribe with great accuracy or specificity
the committee’s entire oversight agenda. For instance, the over-
sight of defense activities by the committee has historically in-
volved in-depth assessments of military operations and other major
events that are generally difficult to predict in advance. These re-
views can dominate committee and staff resources, sometimes at
the expense of other planned activities. The committee fully expects
that this type of event-driven oversight will continue to be re-
quired.
The committee has a long tradition of translating oversight ac-
tivities into legislative action. In general, the committee will con-
tinue to maintain a strong linkage between formal oversight efforts
and legislative initiatives.
In addition to the above, the following specific areas and subjects
are identified for special attention during the 117th Congress.
POLICY ISSUES
NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY, NATIONAL MILITARY STRATEGY, AND
RELATED DEFENSE POLICY ISSUES
The committee will monitor how the Department of Defense ad-
dresses complex security demands through the formulation and im-
plementation of the National Defense Strategy, the National Mili-
tary Strategy, and other strategic guidance. The committee will
evaluate how the Department identifies and prioritizes strategic
objectives toward meeting those demands and how it applies re-
sources toward achieving its prioritized objectives. The committee
will conduct oversight regarding vital Department of Defense ca-
pacities and functions, including readiness, doctrinal development,
planning, organization, training and exercises, education, materiel
inventories, production, facilities, leadership, and personnel, are
appropriately aligned to support strategic requirements. In its
oversight, the committee will take a comprehensive approach to
evaluating the strategic risks confronting the United States and to
assessing the factors that compound or amplify strategic risks as
well as the factors that contain or reduce them. The committee will
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examine the assumptions inherent to the Department’s’ strategic
guidance and planning for balancing strategic risk and for match-
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ing resources with strategic objectives. The committee will evaluate
ongoing operational demands within the context of a broad stra-
tegic framework as well as how those operational demands will af-
fect the strategic risks associated with future challenges. The com-
mittee will also endeavor to reinforce the civil-military balance in
the Department’s’ formulation and implementation of strategy and
national defense policy.
DETERRENCE
The committee recognizes that U.S. defense posture must effec-
tively deter actors posing strategic challenges to the United States,
its allies, and partners. In particular, the committee will focus on
efforts to ensure that the United States, in concert with allies and
partners, is properly postured and pursuing appropriate policies to
deter military threats and to counter efforts by such actors to
weaken our shared values, undermine our systems of government,
threaten international norms, and disrupt the cohesion of our alli-
ances and partnerships.
The committee will continue to oversee the Department’s’ global
efforts to bolster military deterrence against Russian aggression
and malign activity. This will include oversight of a range of pos-
ture, force structure, force readiness initiatives, and other efforts
aimed at achieving and maintaining an effective, sustained deter-
rent posture against Russian hostility; measures to enhance cohe-
sion of U.S. alliances and partnerships; and efforts to support the
ability to respond to attempts to undermine U.S. values and demo-
cratic norms. At the same time, the committee will conduct over-
sight to ensure that concerns about strategic stability, miscalcula-
tion, and misunderstanding are properly accounted for as a compo-
nent of deterrence against Russia.
China continues its efforts to modernize its military, leverage its
influence, and undermine the rules-based international order.
China frequently employs its capabilities in a manner that erodes
security norms and increases the risk of conflict, particularly in the
South China Sea, East China Sea, and along the border with India.
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the Depart-
ment’s’ response to China’s’ activities, including its efforts to invest
in its military forces and extend its reach. At the same time, the
committee will continue to conduct oversight of the Department of
Defense’s military posture, force structure, and force readiness ef-
forts, and plans to enhance capabilities, forward presence, posture,
logistics, and training and exercises to deter and counter acts of ag-
gression and protect vital U.S. and ally and partner interests.
North Korea continues to pose a threat to the Korean Peninsula,
the United States, U.S. forces, allies, and partners in East Asia.
North Korea continues to advance its weapons programs, including
its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile capabilities. As such, with
respect to East Asia, the committee will continue to oversee the De-
partment of Defense’s efforts to implement a range of posture, force
structure, and force readiness initiatives; infrastructure and force
realignments, including agreements with regional allies; and bilat-
eral and multilateral training and exercises.
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The Government of Iran continues to conduct destabilizing activi-
ties in the Middle East region that pose challenges to the United
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26
States, its allies, and partners. The committee will conduct over-
sight to determine how the Department plans to deter Iran’s’ ma-
lign activities without escalating toward conflict and pursue a sus-
tainable regional posture and partner engagement in accordance
with the Department’s global priorities.
Alliances and partnerships are essential to advance U.S. national
security objectives, promote global security, preserve regional sta-
bility, deter adversaries, uphold and strengthen shared values, and
address common security challenges. The committee will conduct
oversight of Department of Defense activities related to enduring
alliances, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and
other ongoing partnerships to ensure that they are supported and
utilized in a manner that enhances these goals. The committee will
continue to oversee and, where appropriate, encourage the Depart-
ment of Defense’s efforts to strengthen its partnerships and cooper-
ative efforts to ensure global stability and security.
Strategic Deterrence
With regard to strategic deterrence, the committee will continue
to conduct oversight of nuclear deterrence policy and posture. This
oversight will include examining adversaries nuclear developments;
the role of nuclear weapons and purpose of nuclear deterrence; op-
tions, such as arms control, to reduce the risk of miscalculation
that could lead to nuclear war in a crisis and reduce the risk of a
nuclear arms race or a lowered threshold to nuclear weapons use;
options to maintain credible nuclear extended deterrence; and the
impact of proposed new nuclear weapons capabilities and policies
on regional and strategic stability and on deterring adversaries.
The committee will also conduct oversight of issues both within
the space, conventional prompt strike, and missile defense port-
folios that contribute to strategic deterrence, particularly in re-
gards to alignment of acquisition objectives within the military
services, Missile Defense Agency, and Space Development Agency,
with any potential impacts to strategic deterrent policies and prior-
ities of the Department of Defense.
IRREGULAR WARFARE, EMERGING THREATS, AND COUNTERING
VIOLENT EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS
The committee will conduct oversight as the Department of De-
fense addresses irregular threats in concert with other Government
agencies. Malign actors employ both military and non-military
means to accomplish their strategic national objectives. Hybrid
warfare tactics applied across the spectrum of conflict by threat ac-
tors undermine the national security interests of the United States,
our allies, and our partners.
During the 117th Congress, the committee will conduct oversight
to ensure that the posture and policies of the Department are prop-
erly structured, resourced, and aligned to effectively deter acts of
terror and counter violent extremist organizations that threaten
the United States, its allies, and partners. This includes examining
the planning for and execution of counterterrorism operations, ef-
forts to strengthen the capabilities and practices employed by part-
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ners and allies to counter such violence, and the detention policy
related to counterterrorism activities undertaken by the Depart-
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ment. The committee will also conduct rigorous oversight of unique
operational authorities to enable operations to deter violent ex-
tremist activity and counter irregular efforts by certain adver-
saries.
The committee recognizes that countering violent ideology spread
by al-Qaida, ISIS, and other extremist groups requires a coordi-
nated interagency and international approach. The committee will
examine the role of the Department of Defense in addressing this
challenge alongside other U.S. departments and agencies and for-
eign partners.
U.S. and coalition forces continue to conduct operations against
the ISIS as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. The committee will
continue to assess the sufficiency of authorities, resources, equip-
ment, basing, and personnel to support the Operation Inherent Re-
solve missions and policy objectives. The committee will maintain
congressional oversight of the effectiveness of the Counter-ISIS
Train and Equip programs and any additional follow-on programs.
The committee appreciates the complexity of the security land-
scape in Iraq and the Syria. The committee will examine the pres-
ence and influence exerted by external actors in Syria and U.S. ob-
jectives in the region regarding ISIS, regional security, and sta-
bility.
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the U.S.
military effort in Afghanistan with a focus on the security situa-
tion, the posture of deployed U.S. forces, the Afghanistan National
Defense and Security Forces, and U.S. objectives in Afghanistan as
well as the region. The committee will continue its oversight activi-
ties on the U.S.-led Operation Freedom’s Sentinel counterterrorism
mission and any changes to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Resolute Support Mission train, advise, and assist mission based
on the reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Additionally, the
committee will examine the regional security environment with a
focus on Pakistan and the Central Asian states.
Further, the committee will oversee implementation of provisions
relating to reducing civilian casualties included in the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91)
and the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232) and examine ways to fur-
ther reduce civilian casualties resulting from military operations.
The committee will also continue to examine the legal basis for
the President’s’ military actions against ISIS, other terrorist
groups, and regional actors. The committee will examine the Presi-
dent’s use of aspects of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military
Force (Public Law 107–40) and the Authorization for Use of Mili-
tary Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107–243)
relevant to its jurisdiction.
Additionally, committee oversight will include limited authorities
provided to the Department to support to foreign forces, irregular
forces, groups, or individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating
ongoing irregular warfare operations by U.S. Special Operations
Forces. The committee will examine the prudent and appropriate
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use of this limited authority as well as scrutinize related oper-
ational authorities.
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Further, the committee will conduct rigorous oversight of sen-
sitive military operations outside of the United States to ensure
that sensitive military operations conducted outside of the United
States and outside of Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan are in line with
national security strategy and policy, as well as supported and co-
ordinated as appropriate with interagency partners.
The committee will also evaluate special operations forces cur-
rent and future force posture and deployment cycles, training pro-
grams, and capability modernization efforts to ensure platform effi-
cacy in semi- and non-permissive environments in order to better
understand how special operations forces will compete in future
threat environments.
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of military op-
erations in the information environment, including oversight of
U.S. Special Operations Command, which maintains responsibility
to develop and train military information support operations per-
sonnel and activities, across all mediums, including cyberspace.
Such oversight will include legal, operational, and funding authori-
ties. The committee will also examine ways to strengthen inter-
agency collaboration and cohesion for effective strategic commu-
nications in support of U.S. national security.
In addition to maintaining oversight of the authorities and activi-
ties related to the conduct of irregular warfare by special oper-
ations forces, the committee will also conduct rigorous oversight re-
lated the culture and climate of special operations. Following two
decades of regular application of special operations forces to exe-
cute myriad number of global missions, the committee is aware of
the psychological and physical toll on the operator and impacts on
morale. The committee will conduct oversight over any potential
gaps or deficiencies in the ability of the Command to create a
healthy, sustainable, and professional force.
The committee will continue to monitor the progress made by
U.S. Special Operations Command to ensure a force representative
of the gender, racial, and religious fabric of the United States. The
committee will also focus on the steps taken to ensure the integra-
tion of women into previously closed positions of special operations
forces and assess the sufficiency of these efforts to ensure a healthy
and safe environment for all members of special operations forces.
DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE, CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY, AND NATIONAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
The committee will continue oversight of the health and resil-
iency of the defense industrial base. The committee will pay par-
ticular attention to sectors of the industrial base that involve
emerging and critical technologies. Committee oversight will en-
sure that the Department is responsibly using its authorities to de-
velop, acquire, field, and sustain cutting-edge solutions, including
from nontraditional defense contractors. The committee will utilize
recent industrial base assessments and the experience responding
to COVID–19 to identify and mitigate risks, and to encourage the
Department to build on successful acquisition approaches.
The committee will review the Department’s strategic approach
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to protecting national security information in executing the expan-
sion of the capacity and capability of the defense industrial base.
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The committee will also continue oversight of the Department’s ef-
forts to protect critical technology and national security informa-
tion while maintaining respect for civil liberties and a robust re-
search environment. Further, the committee will oversee efforts to
develop a strong science and technology workforce, including em-
phasis on innovation, science, technology, engineering, and math in
academia.
The committee will examine the Department’s efforts to improve
cybersecurity standards, to ensure compliance with those standards
by all stakeholders in the defense industrial base, and to neutralize
counterintelligence threats. The committee will also oversee cyber-
security and supply chain security initiatives.
In each of these lines of oversight, the committee will emphasize
the importance of collaboration with allies and partners.
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
The committee will review the organization of the Department of
Defense and oversee its management. The committee will: carefully
review organizational changes, work to enhance organizational per-
formance and to promote efficient and cost-effective practices
throughout the Department of Defense enterprise, work to enable
specific Department of Defense mission sets and to ensure that
they are optimally aligned within the Department’s’ organizational
structure, and apply strict managerial accountability standards to
the Department’s’ leadership. In overseeing the Department’s’ orga-
nization and management, the committee will endeavor to preserve
and enhance the Department’s’ civil-military balance.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The committee will continue to oversee military effectiveness and
fiscal responsibility in a dynamic budgeting environment. With the
expiration of the discretionary spending caps found in Budget Con-
trol Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–25), as modified by the Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–23) and the Bipartisan Budget
Act of 2019 (Public Law 116–37), the committee confronts an envi-
ronment of increased fiscal uncertainty, with concomitant chal-
lenges for budgetary and programmatic oversight.
The Comptroller General of the United States has consistently
identified the Department of Defense’s financial management as a
high-risk area since 1995. The Department of Defense has made
some progress in modernizing its financial management capabili-
ties, but arcane and obsolete financial management systems and
processes continue to struggle with the immense task of tracking
and accounting for Department assets. The management of that
challenge, and the financial management systems, organizations,
and processes that are tasked to address it, requires significant
and sustained congressional oversight.
The committee will continue to review efforts to implement the
Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) plan, as man-
dated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2010 (Public Law 111–84). The Inspector General of the Depart-
ment of Defense conducted the first agency-wide financial audit of
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the Department in fiscal year 2018, and has continued to conduct
such audits annually. The Department has shown steady progress
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in identifying and addressing challenges to its goal of an unmodi-
fied audit opinion, but remediation and corrective actions continue
to require a high level of senior leadership attention and oversight,
both from Congress and the Department. The committee will con-
tinue to oversee the Department’s efforts to achieve an unmodified
audit opinion, including corrective actions and process improve-
ments .
The committee will monitor the interdependencies between the
FIAR plan and investments in business and financial systems mod-
ernization programs as the Department works to correct the weak-
nesses in its financial statements. Both the Department and Con-
gress depend on the objective tools provided by proper financial
management processes and statements in order to make informed
decisions.
HOMELAND DEFENSE
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the missions
and capabilities of U.S. Northern Command and the Department of
Defense’s Homeland Defense and Global Security directorate. The
committee will review and conduct oversight with regard to inte-
gration into response planning and exercises and requests for sup-
port from other departments, to include the costs and implications
to the military readiness of those requests. The committee will also
review Defense Support of Civil Authorities and the execution of
the Department’s policies and procedures. The committee will con-
tinue to review the Department’s support to civilian law enforce-
ment, the COVID–19 pandemic fight, and domestic relief oper-
ations.
ACQUISITION
The committee will continue efforts to improve the efficiency,
flexibility, and streamlining of the Department of Defense acquisi-
tion system to support a more responsive and resilient approach to
national security. In undertaking this effort, the committee will so-
licit diverse input from the Department and other outside experts.
Through its oversight function, the committee will monitor the ef-
forts of the Department to implement statutory changes and rec-
ommendations of commissioned reports. The committee will also
continue to ensure equity, integrity, transparency, and account-
ability in the acquisition process.
The committee will oversee efforts to lower barriers to enhance
the Department’s ability to take advantage of innovative tech-
nologies, leverage efficiency through data analytics, meet demands
by scaling to need, and partner with a wide range of businesses,
including small, medium, and small disadvantaged firms. The com-
mittee will oversee efforts to address the need to attract, inspire,
and retain a highly-skilled acquisition workforce, including profes-
sionals with the experience and ability to recognize the benefit of
new technology capabilities. The committee will also examine the
policies related to industrial base incentives, including for infra-
structure improvements and participation in the Department’s sup-
ply chain. Finally, the committee will also oversee the Depart-
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ment’s efforts to leverage its buying power to advance national se-
curity sustainably.
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INTELLIGENCE
The committee recognizes the threats presented by our competi-
tors, primarily China and Russia, but also Iran and North Korea,
through activities in the gray zone. These activities include malign
influence campaigns, active measures, economic espionage, and po-
litical coercion; which occur below the threshold of armed conflict
and yet can realize strategic effects.
The committee will examine how the Defense Intelligence Enter-
prise (DIE) is postured to analyze and address these new and
trending threats, while balancing intelligence support to estab-
lished National Defense Strategy priority challenges and ongoing
counterterrorism operations. The committee is particularly inter-
ested in how the DIE is countering disinformation and false nar-
ratives from our adversaries and competitors. The committee will
assess the extent to which the DIE has adopted policies and proce-
dures to more rapidly assemble and release focused intelligence to
expose malign behaviors, particularly as unclassified data injected
into the public domain.
The committee will scrutinize current and planned moderniza-
tion activities, including developments in machine learning and ar-
tificial intelligence across the Defense Intelligence Enterprise as a
means to create current, informed foundational intelligence to sup-
port military operations and advanced weapons systems, including
an examination of the strategy and plans for Project Maven and
MARS. As the Defense Intelligence Enterprise increasingly relies
on commercially available data, the committee will conduct over-
sight to ensure that any acquisition, storage, or use of U.S. sourced
data does not infringe on Fourth Amendment rights of U.S. per-
sons.
Additionally, the committee will conduct rigorous oversight of the
roles and responsibilities of the security arm of the Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, including
an examination of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security
Agency’s priority missions: counterintelligence; protecting critical
technology; personnel vetting; and insider threat management. The
committee will probe the Defense Counterintelligence and Security
Agency on Trusted Workforce 2.0 and the personnel security clear-
ance vetting process. The committee also looks forward to the re-
sults of the ongoing Government Accountability Office’s review of
Personnel Vetting Reform.
In addition to conducting oversight of intelligence capabilities,
the committee will conduct oversight to ensure the Defense Intel-
ligence Enterprise recruits, retains, and develops the best and
brightest workforce from all segments of our society. Policies that
promote diversity and inclusion are paramount to ensuring that
the Defense Intelligence Enterprise is able to attract the broadest
base of talent to solve the most complex challenges. The committee
looks forward to understanding what the various components of the
Defense Intelligence Enterprise are doing to ensure diversity of
thought at all levels and throughout the enterprise.
Finally, the committee will conduct oversight of title 10, U.S.
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Code, and Department of Defense title 50, U.S. Code, activities in
accordance with the committee’s jurisdiction. The committee will
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continue to coordinate as appropriate with the House Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence on matters related to Department
of Defense intelligence and counterintelligence activities in the
course of oversight and the authorization of appropriations for in-
telligence activities shared by the two committees.
INFORMATION OPERATIONS
In addition to presenting challenges to U.S. national security, the
global information environment provides an opportunity to gain an
advantage in military planning and operations, as well as to
achieve strategic U.S. objectives through a whole-of-government ap-
proach.
Information is crucial to military operations as the global infor-
mation environment continues to evolve and grow. Both state and
non-state actors seek to exploit this domain and spread
disinformation to sow discord in our society and undermine con-
fidence in democratic institutions, including the political process,
the press, and other foundational societal structures, including the
U.S. military.
In the 117th Congress, the committee will focus oversight on leg-
islation established by the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) and the William M. (Mac)
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2021 (Public Law 116–283), which expanded the strategic activities
and established leadership regarding information operations. The
establishment of a Principal Information Operations Advisor to act
as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense on all aspects
of information operations and the requirement that service mem-
bers receive training on the danger of disinformation are critical
areas of evolution as the Department of Defense continues efforts
to develop an updated comprehensive strategy for successful oper-
ations in the information environment.
The committee will continue to examine the Department’s initia-
tives to strengthen interagency collaboration and cohesion for effec-
tive information operations to support the United States’ military
and strategic objectives. Also, the committee intends to pursue
complementary lines of oversight effort outlined in additional sec-
tions.
READINESS
MAINTENANCE TRAINING
The military services are developing new operational concepts
and seeking to invest in modernization, replacing legacy weapon
systems with next generation capabilities. As they do this, the com-
mittee will focus on how legacy platforms are being sustained
through their retirement, how training requirements are changing
to support new capabilities entering the force, and how the
sustainment infrastructure and enterprise will be postured to sup-
port these next generation weapon systems and capabilities.
The committee will conduct oversight of Navy shipyard mainte-
nance availabilities to ensure they are performed on budget and
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schedule; Army force generation and large-scale training exercises;
Marine Corps amphibious training; and aircraft sustainment and
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training across the military services. The committee also recognizes
the importance of training for the broad range of future missions
the military may face, from gray-zone conflict to high-intensity con-
flict. The committee will conduct oversight of how the military
services adapt training concepts, maintenance plans, and analytical
tools to ensure personnel and equipment are adequately prepared
to meet these threats.
Finally, the committee notes the importance of prioritizing long-
term readiness and believes that it can be best achieved by empha-
sizing the training on and maintenance and sustainment of weapon
systems that the Department has already made substantial invest-
ments in developing and procuring. To that end, the committee will
examine the Department’s investments to support training and
sustainment of existing weapon systems and how their actual
availability and mission capability rates compare to service re-
quirements.
LOGISTICS
The Department of Defense continues its efforts to implement
the National Defense Strategy, adjust force structure and posture
concepts, and invest in modernization of the force. The committee
remains concerned with the perceived lack of focus within the De-
partment on the capabilities and capacity of the current logistics
enterprise required to project and sustain a military force in a con-
tested security environment. These concerns will only be exacer-
bated as the Department moves toward a more distributed force
posture concept, especially in regions such as the Indo-Pacific. To
this end, the committee will conduct oversight of the Department’s
efforts toward contested logistics, including: capability, capacity,
and readiness of strategic airlift and surge sealift; capability, ca-
pacity, and readiness of tactical airlift and sealift; contested logistic
aware weapon systems development and procurement; procure-
ment, storage, transportation, and distribution of fuel;
prepositioning of equipment and supplies in forward locations; loca-
tions and infrastructure to support permanent, rotational, and
surge forces; and maintenance and repair capabilities for equip-
ment and weapon systems.
LIFE CYCLE SUSTAINMENT
The committee will focus on the Department’s initiatives to re-
duce the total-ownership costs of weapons systems and equipment
while ensuring the Department is appropriately considering life-
cycle support and sustainment requirements when it develops ac-
quisition strategies for each program. The committee will also hold
the Department accountable for improving its estimates of total
weapon system life-cycle costs to better inform sustainment strate-
gies. Finally, the committee will continue to monitor the military
services’ reset strategies to repair, recapitalize, and replace equip-
ment used in ongoing operations, and will also monitor progress to-
ward reconstitution of prepositioned stocks.
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ORGANIC INDUSTRIAL BASE
Our Nation’s organic industrial base is vital to achieving and
maintaining warfighting readiness across all domains. The military
services’ arsenals, depots, air logistics complexes, and shipyards
provide long-term sustainment through programmed maintenance
and conduct repair and modernization upgrades. These facilities
and their skilled workforces provide a national-level insurance pol-
icy against unforeseen strategic contingencies. The committee is
concerned about the current state and future health of the organic
industrial base as a result of an extended period of fiscal uncer-
tainty, increasing maintenance and sustainment requirements,
workforce attrition and recruiting challenges, and an emphasis on
modernization initiatives at the expense of investments in main-
taining legacy weapon systems.
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the extent to
which the Department’s organic industrial base is viably positioned
for long-term sustainability and possesses the workforce and tech-
nologies needed for efficient operations to meet the Nation’s current
and future requirements. This will include oversight of how the
military services plan to recruit, train, support, and retain the fu-
ture industrial base workforce. In addition, the committee will con-
duct oversight into the use of new technologies such as additive
manufacturing, predictive maintenance, robotics, and artificial in-
telligence as pathways to improve maintenance activities, manage-
ment of spares inventory, and supply chain operations. The com-
mittee will also continue oversight of depot, arsenal, and shipyard
operations and management, the use of performance-based logis-
tics, the role of public-private partnerships, and the military serv-
ices’ logistics enterprise resource planning systems.
The committee will continue its work to oversee funded but un-
finished maintenance work (carryover) in order to improve work-
load planning and incentivize sound depot management. The com-
mittee will also conduct oversight of the Department’s investments
in the organic industrial base to ensure they continue to maintain
a level of capability to meet the needs of the Armed Forces. Finally,
the committee will ensure that the military services are funding
and implementing infrastructure optimization plans to improve op-
erations and modernize aging infrastructure at the depots, arse-
nals, and shipyards.
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
The Federal civilian workforce of the Department of Defense
plays a critical role in advancing national security, contributes
unique skillsets to the Department’s mission, and serves as a force
multiplier for the uniformed military force. The Department em-
ploys more Federal civilians than any other Federal agency and
these personnel perform disparate and essential missions across
the globe. The committee will focus on providing the Department
with the proper tools to invest in and support a strong civilian
workforce that contributes effectively to the success of the Depart-
ment’s mission.
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The majority of Department of Defense civilian personnel policies
are governed by requirements set forth in title 5 of the U.S. Code
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35
and corresponding regulations under the purview of the Office of
Personnel Management. Although the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices does not have jurisdiction over title 5 of the U.S. Code, it has
in recent years provided numerous extraordinary hiring and man-
agement authorities tailored to specific segments of the Depart-
ment of Defense civilian workforce. Many of these authorities are
temporary and will expire in the next few years. The committee
will conduct oversight to evaluate the effectiveness of these au-
thorities and to ensure that they are used appropriately and com-
ply with merit-based competitive personnel policies.
The Department meets its manpower requirements through a
mix of military, civilian, and contractor personnel. It is critical for
the Department to ensure the appropriate mix of different types of
employees to provide flexibility, continuity, and a base of talent
across the force. The committee will ensure that the Department
assesses the impact of any potential reductions to the civilian
workforce on cost, operational effectiveness, borrowed military
manpower, workload, lethality, and readiness. The committee will
also conduct oversight of the Department’s efforts to promote a ci-
vilian workforce that reflects the diverse population of the United
States. Further, the committee will carefully examine the use of
contractors within the Department and ensure that the Depart-
ment improves its data collection on the use of contractors and the
associated costs to the taxpayer.
Finally, the committee will continue its oversight of the timeli-
ness, quality, and cost of processing Federal security clearance ap-
plications and of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security
Agency’s transition to government-wide continuous vetting to en-
sure the trustworthiness of clearance-holders.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Energy is a key readiness enabler for the Department of Defense.
Energy resilient installations and increased efficiency provide cost
savings and guard against mission failure. A robust operational en-
ergy program enhances operational effectiveness of the military
and improves our national security posture through the mitigation
logistics challenges in contested environments. Therefore, the com-
mittee will conduct oversight of the Department and military serv-
ices’ efforts to address resiliency gaps and improve energy effi-
ciency on military installations and for military operations.
In addition, the committee will conduct oversight of the Depart-
ment and military services’ environmental management. The com-
mittee believes more attention is required to monitor the Depart-
ment’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change on training
and installation resilience. The committee will continue to conduct
oversight of the Department’s efforts with respect to emerging con-
taminants including adherence to Federal, state, and local compli-
ance requirements and the phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl
compound-containing fire-fighting agents. The committee will con-
tinue to provide oversight of the military services’ efforts to reme-
diate existing contamination both on and off Federal lands with
particular attention paid to locations where contamination may be
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affecting local populations. Additionally, the committee will oversee
Department efforts to leverage technological innovation and imple-
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36
mentation of best practices to minimize adverse environmental im-
pacts and thereby reduce future cleanup costs. The committee in-
tends to continue to monitor activities of the Department to ensure
that military training is in full compliance with applicable Federal,
state, and local environmental laws.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, AND REAL
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
The committee will review the Department of Defense’s military
construction program to manage the overall capacity of the Depart-
ment’s infrastructure and to ensure prudent long-term military
construction investments that are resilient to natural and man-
made threats. The committee will also oversee the Department’s in-
vestments in facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization,
as well as the Department’s utilization of authorities such as emer-
gency and contingency construction. The committee will continue to
oversee the execution and implementation of requirements from
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub-
lic Law 116–92) and the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283)
that will enhance installation resiliency and increase transparency.
The real property management process requires extensive over-
sight to maintain over $750.0 billion in infrastructure. The com-
mittee is concerned that continued poor requirements development,
and inadequate planning and design result in poorly coordinated
investment decisions and sub-optimal facility construction. The
committee will provide increased oversight of investments made
outside of the United States and its territories. The committee will
seek to apply best practices across the Department of Defense to
efficiently develop and maintain the military services’ ranges, fa-
cilities, and infrastructure.
HOUSING FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AND UNACCOMPANIED SERVICE
MEMBERS
The committee will continue to provide increased oversight of the
Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) program. The
committee will monitor the execution and implementation of re-
quirements from the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) and the William M. (Mac) Thorn-
berry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021
(Public Law 116–283) that reformed the MHPI program. In par-
ticular, the committee will monitor investments related to mainte-
nance and sustainment of housing developments, the financial
health of individual projects, communication with tenants, and en-
sure that best practices are being uniformly adopted to ensure that
housing is free of environmental hazards.
The committee is concerned about chronic under-investment in
unaccompanied service-member housing. Accordingly, the com-
mittee will conduct increased oversight of the investments in
sustainment and restoration of existing unaccompanied housing as
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well as the replacement of facilities that are no longer viable.
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MILITARY PERSONNEL AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES
MILITARY MANPOWER AND FORCE STRUCTURE
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue to assess
the military’s manpower requirements to meet its current and fu-
ture global military commitments. Specifically, the committee will
continue to provide aggressive oversight of military manpower lev-
els, skill sets, and force structure to ensure they support the Na-
tional Defense Strategy. During the 116th Congress, the end
strength increased for each military service to meet demands and
growth in specialized fields such as cyber, intelligence, pilots, and
maintainers. In the 117th Congress, the committee will examine
trends in overall total force structure requirements, end strength,
recruiting, retention, morale, and benefits and compensation. The
committee will continue its oversight of military recruiting, particu-
larly the quality and diversity of the recruits needed to fulfill the
specialized end-strength requirements and ways to address those
potential recruits that may possess violent extremist views.
MILITARY BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION
During the 117th Congress, the committee will scrutinize any
proposals from the Department of Defense or other organizations
calling for any changes to military compensation and other benefit
programs. Specifically, there will be close scrutiny of the 2020
Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC). The
QRMC and any other proposals must ensure they are thoroughly
assessed with respect to their positive or negative impacts to the
All-Volunteer Force. Specifically, the expected Department of De-
fense proposals to reform the Reserve Component call-up duty sta-
tus authorities will overhaul the way a Reserve Component service
member is activated. The committee’s oversight in this area will
concentrate on the proper implementation of the new authorities to
ensure that the pay and benefits for Reserve Component including
the new Space Force Reserve Component members are not ad-
versely affected.
MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue its over-
sight of military health policies of the Department of Defense. The
Department will be charged with both supporting the readiness re-
quirements of the warfighter and delivering a robust military
health benefit, all while creating efficiencies and implementing cost
savings initiatives that may alter the composition of the existing
Military Health System. The committee will examine military med-
ical manning requirements, TRICARE benefit delivery, wounded
warrior programs, resiliency, opioid policy, and ongoing reform ef-
forts that are transitioning Military Treatment Facilities and other
organizational structures from the military service departments to
the Defense Heath Agency. The committee will also continue to
monitor the implementation of the Genesis Electronic Health
Record, as well as other health-related collaborations between the
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Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. The
committee will also take particular interest in implementation of
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Military Healthcare Reform as directed by the National Defense
Authorization Acts for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328) and
the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232). Also, the committee will monitor
the Department of Defense’s implementation of the Stayskal Act as
directed in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2020 (Public Law 116–92). Finally, the committee will seek a better
understanding of environmental health challenges that may be re-
lated to burn pits, mold, lead paint, contaminated water, and other
potential exposure issues.
MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY
During the 117th Congress, the personnel policies of the Depart-
ment of Defense will remain under considerable scrutiny as the
military services compete to recruit, manage, and retain the best
and brightest men and women. The committee will continue to give
close examination to proposals from the Department of Defense and
other organizations calling for any major changes to personnel poli-
cies including recruiting, promotions, career paths, or changes to
military retention and other policy programs in order to assess the
impact of any proposed changes on the viability of the All-Volun-
teer Force. The committee will provide oversight of the implemen-
tation of the Diversity and Inclusion policy requirements from the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283) as well as the imple-
mentation of the President’s Executive Order. Additionally, the
committee will monitor how the Department of Defense’s policies
are structured to prepare service-members and veterans for the
possibility of being targeted by extremist organizations during their
service and after they leave military service.
UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE
The committee will continue to provide oversight of military jus-
tice, specifically the role of the commander in prosecutions. The
committee will also continue its robust oversight of the Department
of Defense’s sexual assault prevention and response programs with
a focus on implementation of best practices for prevention pro-
grams. Additionally, the committee will put renewed focus on the
oversight of the Department of Defense’s policies and procedures
for combatting extremism within the ranks.
MILITARY FAMILY READINESS
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue to focus
on the support provided to families of service members, particularly
during deployments. The committee will assess the methods used
by the military services to identify the needs of military families
and to identify the programs and policies that can be implemented
or modified to improve their quality of life. As end strength grows
across the Armed Forces, the committee will examine the Depart-
ment of Defense and military service family support programs to
ensure the programs are adequately resourced to support an in-
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crease in family members. In addition, the committee will continue
its oversight on the quality and availability of services at Depart-
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ment of Defense child development centers and the implementation
of new requirements to bring uniformity to the Exceptional Family
Member Program across the military services.
MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND MILITARY
RESALE PROGRAMS
The committee believes the cost-efficient sustainment of Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) and military resale programs (com-
missaries and exchanges) is required to protect quality of life in
military communities. The committee will provide oversight efforts
directed toward that end in conjunction with major reforms, yet to
be accomplished that were begun in the 114th Congress, to ensure
the viability of these programs. Additionally, the committee be-
lieves that MWR and military resale programs must remain com-
petitive with private sector entities to ensure that service members
and their families benefit fully from these programs. The com-
mittee will monitor current practices and policies to ensure that
MWR and military resale programs are employing the full range of
strategies available to private sector competitors to inform author-
ized patrons about the benefits associated with these programs and
encourage their participation. Finally, the committee will monitor
and oversee the changes required by the commissary reform plan
with an emphasis on maintaining this valuable benefit without
interruption.
PRISONER OF WAR AND MISSING IN ACTION
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue over-
sight of the Department of Defense’s Prisoner of War/Missing in
Action activities. Specifically, the committee will focus on the oper-
ations of the Defense Personnel Accounting Agency to ensure they
are meeting the requirement that the accounting effort achieve at
least 200 identifications annually.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
The committee will continue its oversight from the 116th Con-
gress of Arlington National Cemetery. The John S. McCain Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law
115–232) directed the Secretary of the Army to establish revised
eligibility criteria for interment at Arlington National Cemetery to
ensure that the cemetery remains an active burial ground well into
the future. The committee will monitor the criteria and changes to
burial policy as they are structured.
MODERNIZATION AND INVESTMENT ISSUES
OVERVIEW
During the 117th Congress, the committee will conduct oversight
of military equipment modernization strategies and programs and
assess the effectiveness of those strategies to mitigate threats in
the near- and long-term from near-peer and peer competitors. The
committees’ efforts will continue to focus on full-spectrum, combat-
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effective lethality and survivability through near-term moderniza-
tion efforts that utilize acquisition reform initiatives to better
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streamline the development and fielding of solutions to the
warfighter in a timely and efficient manner. The committee will de-
vote attention to the military services’ implementation and utiliza-
tion of new, innovative agile acquisition reform authorities to re-
capitalize, upgrade, or enhance the performance of current and fu-
ture combat systems. Concurrently, the committee will conduct
oversight on the military services’ ability to aggressively control de-
velopment and procurement costs, implement reasonable, execut-
able, and accountable sustainment strategies that preserve system
affordability, as well as manage strategic risk in critical areas of
the U.S. defense industrial base.
The committee, through diligent oversight and legislative action,
will implement actions and provide resources to help mitigate cost
growth and schedule delays of modernization programs. The com-
mittee will assess the need for legislative action, if required, by:
late determination of programmatic requirements; unjustified re-
quirements growth and failure to properly mitigate requirements
changes; insufficient analyses of alternatives; concurrency in test
and evaluation master plans; military services proceeding pre-
maturely with development of immature technology; poor cost esti-
mating; inadequate funding profiles; over-estimation of potential
production rates; program instability; and, improper use of new
and agile acquisition reform authorities.
ARMORED VEHICLE MODERNIZATION
The committee will focus on oversight of the Army and Marine
Corps’ evolving plans to improve the capability and extend the op-
erating lives of its current heavy and medium-weight armored com-
bat vehicles, as well as lay the foundation for successful develop-
ment, production, and timely fielding of its next generation of these
systems. The committee will specifically monitor management and
performance of these programs: research and development of the
Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, the M1 Abrams tank, the M2
Bradley Fighting Vehicles, the family of Stryker Combat Vehicles,
the family of Amphibious Combat Vehicles, the Light Armored Ve-
hicle, the M109A7 Paladin Integrated Management, the Armored
Multipurpose Vehicle, the Army’s mobile protected firepower, and
Active Protection Systems for combat vehicles.
TACTICAL WHEELED VEHICLES
The committee will focus on oversight of the Army and Marine
Corps’ sustainment and modernization of their current and future
tactical wheeled vehicle (TWV) fleets, including their families of
light, medium, and heavy TWVs, as well as other engineer and
bridging vehicles. The committee will specifically oversee manage-
ment of these programs: Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles,
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, Joint Light Tactical Ve-
hicle, Infantry Squad Vehicle, Palletized Load System, Heavy
Equipment Transporters, Line Haul Tractor Trailers, and High Mo-
bility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. The committee will give par-
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ticular interest to the Department of Defense’s identification and
management of risk in the TWV industrial base.
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ROTORCRAFT PROGRAMS
The committee will focus oversight efforts on rotorcraft mod-
ernization, force structure, and readiness, with an emphasis on
how the military services are managing plans to accelerate develop-
ment of next generation rotorcraft platforms while satisfying re-
quirements to upgrade current rotorcraft platforms. Committee
oversight will focus on, but not be limited to, the following rotor-
craft programs: UH–60 Black Hawk utility rotorcraft, AH–64
Apache Attack rotorcraft, CH–47 Chinook heavy lift rotorcraft,
UH–1 Huey utility helicopters, AH–1 attack rotorcraft, the CH–
53K heavy lift rotorcraft program, the MH–60 Seahawk rotorcraft
program, the MH–139 utility helicopter, Combat Rescue Helicopter,
the TH–73A trainer helicopter replacement program, and the Fu-
ture Vertical Lift (FVL) development program.
The committee will also focus oversight efforts on the need for
advanced aircraft survivability equipment upgrades to provide
warning and protection against evolving threats, as well as monitor
the Improved Turbine Engine program designed to improve lift ca-
pability on the AH–64, UH–60, and FVL platforms.
COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORK PROGRAMS
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the research,
development, and procurement of tactical battlefield communica-
tions networks. Specifically, the committee will conduct oversight of
the Army’s plans for future battlefield network research and devel-
opment programs, the Army’s Tactical Network Modernization
roadmap, and efforts on the incremental development and fielding
of the Integrated Tactical Network and other tactical radio pro-
grams.
FIXED-WING TRAINING AND TACTICAL AIRCRAFT AND RELATED
MUNITIONS
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue efforts
overseeing the size, composition, capability, and capacity of the De-
partment of Defense’s tactical and training aircraft force structure
and acquisition programs. The committee will continue engaging
the Department to understand its aircraft force-mix strategy and
composition regarding procurement of significantly advanced 4th,
5th and 6th generation tactical aircraft to replace existing tactical
aircraft to ensure that mission areas related to air superiority,
interdiction, and kinetic support to ground forces maintain combat
effectiveness and lethality requirements. The committee will en-
gage with the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps to understand
the strategies to mitigate any potential tactical aircraft inventory
shortfalls that would impact the Department’s ability to meet the
tenets and implementation of the National Defense Strategy. The
committee will monitor the Department’s efforts to improve capa-
bilities and reliability among the existing fleets of aircraft to main-
tain, and where necessary, gain sufficient force-structure capacity
and lethality that complements next-generation aircraft. The com-
mittee will continue to monitor the impact on aviation readiness re-
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lated to procurement of initial spare or repaired parts, depot-
standup activities and supplies and critical information necessary
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42
to meet warfighter requirements. In addition, the committee will
have particular interest in the Air Force’s newly implemented Dig-
ital Century Series acquisition strategy for aircraft and munitions.
The committee will also continue monitoring Air Force and Navy
execution of efforts for mitigating physiological episodes that were
experienced by pilots operating various tactical and training air-
craft.
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue over-
sight of the F–35 program, particularly with regard to affordability
issues and concerns related to program life-cycle cost, production
and fielding schedules, aircraft and support system performance,
and sustainment strategy planning and execution. The committee
will also focus efforts on the F–35s’ performance during the Initial
Operational Test and Evaluation phase, Technical Refresh 3 hard-
ware and Block 4 software development, and the follow-on mod-
ernization program known as Continuous Capability Development
and Delivery. The committee’s area of focus on the F–35 will in-
clude but not be limited to production efficiency, software develop-
ment and testing related to the operational flight program and mis-
sion data files, addressing F135 engine problems and repair capac-
ity, the Autonomic Logistics Information System development and
transition to the Operational Data Integrated Network, fielding
and integration into operational F–35 units, depot stand-up, and
supply chain management required to support concurrent produc-
tion and operational maintenance and sustainment requirements.
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue engag-
ing the Department of Defense to understand testing and war-re-
serve material requirements and subsequent production strategies
to support and maintain sufficient inventories of air-launched pre-
ferred and precision-guided conventional missiles and munitions at
an acceptable operational risk level. The committee will continue
focusing its attention on the Department’s identification, assess-
ment, and strategies for effective management of risk in the associ-
ated defense industrial base and issues related to diminishing man-
ufacturing sources, obsolescence issues, sole-source supply of com-
ponents and major sub-systems, and production capabilities needed
to support both annual production and occasional surge require-
ments for preferred and precision-guided conventional missiles and
munitions.
INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER AND MARINE EQUIPMENT
The committee will continue to conduct oversight of the research,
development, and procurement of soldier and marine individual
equipment, in addition to other complementary personal protective
equipment programs. Focus areas will continue to include, but are
not limited to: advances in weight reduction (‘‘lightening the load’’)
in individual equipment; development and procurement of the En-
hanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular; small arms and small cal-
iber ammunition modernization with particular emphasis on the
Army’s next generation squad weapon system; procurement and
fielding of enhanced performance small caliber rounds; improved
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combat helmets to help mitigate traumatic brain injury; develop-
ment of female-sized personal protective equipment; and the devel-
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opment and fielding of the Integrated Visual Augmentation Sys-
tem.
LONG RANGE MUNITIONS, AMMUNITION, AND AMMUNITION
INDUSTRIAL BASE
The committee will continue to conduct oversight on the Army
and Marine Corps Long Range Precision Fires and munitions mod-
ernization efforts, as well as other ammunition and ammunition in-
dustrial base concerns. Specifically, programs of interest to the
committee include development, production and divestiture of
‘‘smart’’ munitions; ‘‘critical’’ munitions;’’ and ‘‘conventional’’ ammu-
nition programs. The committee will also continue to examine the
management of the ammunition industrial base, specifically issues
involving safety practices and production standards, supply chain
concerns, and development of alternative ammunition production
materials and sources.
AIR FORCE AND ARMY INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND
RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAMS
The committee will focus oversight activities on cost, schedule,
and performance of tactical manned and unmanned aerial (UAS)
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. The
committee will examine the ISR enterprise for sufficient capacity,
satisfaction of military collection requirements, timeliness and re-
dundancy of dissemination architecture, and modernization of anal-
ysis and exploitation capabilities for video and imagery. The com-
mittee will also scrutinize the Department of Defense’s ISR policy
development and implementation.
In particular, the committee will evaluate the Army and Air
Force long-term ISR architecture modernization and next-genera-
tion acquisition strategies, the supporting analyses behind pro-
grammatic decisions, and the management of risk across ISR col-
lection capabilities and capacities, and the corresponding resources
to process, exploit, and disseminate raw data and finished analysis.
The committee will monitor improvements made to ISR trans-
mission and down-link architecture that provide rapid delivery of
collected information supporting timely and effective defense oper-
ations.
The committee’s oversight efforts will focus on, but not be limited
to, the following ISR programs: RQ–4 Global Hawk UAS Block 30
and Block 40, MQ–9 Reaper UAS, MQ–1C Gray Eagle UAS, the
Future Tactical UAS program, legacy E–8 JSTARS, E–3 AWACS,
the family of RC–135 aircraft, U–2 Dragon Lady, and the Advanced
Battle Management System.
ELECTRONIC WARFARE EQUIPMENT AND MODERNIZATION
The committee will focus oversight efforts on the Department of
Defense’s developing Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations
(EMSO) strategy and associated electronic warfare (EW) systems.
The committee will examine how the Department is identifying re-
quirements, developing policies, and establishing the necessary
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governance structures to manage the EMSO enterprise. The com-
mittee will also evaluate the Department’s ability to address
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44
emerging EMSO and EW threats and the military services’
progress in developing and fielding next-generation capabilities to
counter these threats. The committee will assess airborne EW sys-
tems, including the EC–130H Compass Call aircraft, the EC–37B
Compass Call re-host aircraft, the Navy’s Next Generation Jammer
airborne electronic attack capability, and the Army’s Multi-Func-
tion EW Air, as well as ground-based EW capabilities including the
Terrestrial Layer System.
BOMBER FORCE STRUCTURE
During the 117th Congress, the committee anticipates that the
Air Force will continue to propose significant investments for engi-
neering, manufacturing, and development of the B–21A Raider
long-range strike bomber aircraft. While many details regarding
the specific requirements and capabilities of the new bomber re-
main classified, the committee will maintain oversight of the new
bomber acquisition program to ensure that the Air Force develops
an affordable aircraft to timely meet future requirements and par-
tially recapitalize the long-range strike bomber fleet.
As Global Strike Command’s bomber road map continues to so-
lidify, the committee will monitor how the Air Force chooses to in-
vest and modernize its current fleet of bombers to ensure they can
continue to effectively respond to current and future threats.
AERIAL REFUELING AIRCRAFT
During the 117th Congress, the committee will review the Air
Force aerial refueling aircraft modernization, recapitalization and
retirement plans for the KC–10A, KC–46A and KC–135R/T.
Currently, the Air Force requires 479 air refueling tankers to
meet the National Military Strategy but only possesses 393 KC–
135R/T and 50 KC–10A tankers for a total of 443 legacy tankers.
The addition of 42 KC–46A aircraft toward the future buy of 179
KC–46A will start replacing the legacy tanker fleet once the Re-
mote Vision System on the KC–46A is fixed and the aircraft be-
comes operational. The committee is monitoring the KC–46A pro-
gram closely. The committee will also monitor how the Air Force
plans to modernize the KC–135R/T and conduct aerial refueling op-
erations in a future contested airspace.
The committee will also review the MQ–25 program as the Navy
seeks to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle that provides aerial
refueling to the carrier wing. The committee will also monitor the
possibility to add additional capabilities to the MQ–25 should the
Navy chooses to pursue them.
AIRLIFT PROGRAMS
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue to assess
the risk in the Air Force’s current plan to maintain the
intratheater airlift aircraft inventory required by the Mobility Ca-
pability Requirements Study that was required by the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91).
While pleased with Air Force efforts to modernize Air National
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Guard and Reserve C–130H aircraft with Avionics Modernization
Programs, propulsion and propeller upgrades, the committee will
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45
continue to review the C–130H modernization program to ensure
it is capable of meeting airlift requirements. The committee is com-
mitted in supporting technologies that increase capabilities, in-
crease reliability and decrease overall life cycle costs.
The committee will continue oversight of all airlift aircraft inven-
tories and capabilities during the 117th Congress to ensure that a
robust and effective fleet of airlift aircraft is maintained to meet
mobility airlift requirements of the Department of Defense.
SURFACE WARFARE PROGRAMS
The Department of the Navy must grow the fleet of surface com-
batants in order to support the National Security Strategy. The
fleet must be capable of operating in contested areas such as the
South China Sea. The committee will provide oversight of the com-
position, capacity, and capabilities of the surface fleet. The com-
mittee will also assess the large and small surface combatant re-
quirements to ensure oversight of the force structure and the asso-
ciated weapons and sensors employed on the surface force with a
specific emphasis on Frigate capabilities. The committee will con-
tinue to conduct oversight of the Littoral Combat Ship and specifi-
cally look at what they will play in the future fleet. Further over-
sight of the amphibious forces will also be pursued to include am-
phibious assault in a contested environment, integration of ad-
vanced data capabilities and how these ships will be utilized to
support expeditionary advanced basing operations. The committee
will continue its oversight of the DDG–51 Arleigh Burke class De-
stroyer program and it transitions to the Flight III variant that
will incorporate the new air and missile defense radar. The com-
mittee will also monitor the requirements associated with the new
large surface combatant DDG(X). In addition to the manned plat-
forms, the committee will review options for the Navy to augment
the surface force structure with both unmanned and potentially op-
tionally manned platforms. Finally, the committee will review the
combat logistics forces and the Maritime Security Program to en-
sure sufficient capacity is available to support national security ob-
jectives.
As part of this oversight, the committee will continue to place a
significant emphasis on improving affordability in shipbuilding pro-
grams through: ensuring stable requirements; the use of acquisi-
tion best practices; stability within the overall program; increased
reliance on common systems and open architecture; and industrial
base capacity, process, and facility improvements at the shipyards.
UNDERSEA WARFARE PROGRAMS
The ability to operate freely at sea is one of the most important
enablers of joint and interagency operations, and sea control re-
quires capabilities in all aspects of the maritime domain. There are
many challenges to our ability to exercise sea control, perhaps none
as significant as the growing number of nations operating sub-
marines, both advanced diesel-electric and nuclear propelled. Exer-
cising sea control in the undersea domain is essential to maintain-
ing the freedom of navigation in support of U.S. maritime interests.
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The committee will continue to review the undersea domain to en-
sure warfare dominance. Specifically, the committee will review
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46
short- and long-term options to reverse the decline in the attack
submarine force structure as well as options to augment the under-
sea fleet with unmanned underwater vehicles. The committee will
also assess whether sufficient resources and technological maturity
are available for the recapitalization of the ballistic missile sub-
marine force. The committee will continue to closely monitor the
Virginia class acquisition program and will encourage the Navy to
take all necessary measures to ensure we have a stable build rate
of no fewer than two submarines per year. Additionally, the com-
mittee will monitor the development of the requirements associated
with the follow-on attack submarine to the Virginia class. Finally,
the committee will assess the weapons and sensors employed in the
undersea domain to retain maritime dominance, to include the ca-
pacity and capabilities of unmanned undersea vehicles.
As part of this oversight, the committee will place specific em-
phasis on the efficacy of multi-year procurement, rigorous assess-
ment of requirements, and management of an expanding undersea
industrial base capacity.
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND
RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAMS
During the 117th Congress, the committee will continue over-
sight efforts on the size, composition, capability, and capacity of the
Department of Defense’s maritime intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance aircraft force structure. The committee continues to
monitor the recapitalization of the remaining P–3C Orion maritime
patrol aircraft with the P–8 Poseidon aircraft. The committee con-
tinues to assess the risk in the Navy’s current plan to maintain
and procure the MQ–4 Triton.
The committee will monitor the E–2D Advanced Hawkeye Air-
borne Early Warning Command and Control aircraft as it gains
inflight air refueling capability and continues to replace the E–2C
Hawkeye.
During the 117th Congress the committee will also review ad-
vanced unmanned capabilities provided by the MQ–8B/C Firescout
and new MUX/MALE for the Marine Corps.
STRATEGIC NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL FORCES
The committee will provide oversight of the U.S. nuclear policy,
posture, and programs; extended deterrence policy; arms control ac-
tivities; and nuclear force structure requirements. Particular em-
phasis will be placed on oversight of nuclear weapon employment
and declaratory policies, force structure, arms control agreements,
and modernization plans. In addition, the committee will continue
oversight of nuclear command and control and strategic conven-
tional strike programs. The committee will also continue to monitor
the development of foreign nuclear programs and U.S. nonprolifera-
tion programs. Across all activities, the committee will pay par-
ticular attention to conducting oversight of nuclear enterprise per-
sonnel issues, including to ensure a world class, diverse workforce.
The committee oversees the atomic energy defense activities of
the Department of Energy and nuclear policies and programs of the
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Department of Defense to ensure the safety, security, reliability,
and credibility of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. The committee will
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47
ensure that the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reli-
able nuclear arsenal to address current and future threats. The
committee will conduct oversight of the Department of Energy and
the Department of Defense’s nuclear modernization and
sustainment plans.
In particular, the committee will oversee funding levels and re-
quirements for the nuclear deterrence mission and nuclear enter-
prise, including relevant nuclear delivery platforms and their asso-
ciated warheads to ensure resources are provided and allocated ef-
fectively and efficiently across Department of Energy and Depart-
ment of Defense. With regard to the Department of Defense, the
committee will emphasize oversight of major acquisition programs
that will recapitalize U.S. nuclear forces and the supporting com-
plex for decades into the future, including but not limited to the
Ground-based Strategic Deterrent system, the Long-Range Standoff
cruise missile, and missiles associated with the new Columbia-class
submarine. The committee will also place particular emphasis on
investments in nuclear enterprise programs that fall under the
purview of the Department of Energy, including but not limited to
infrastructure investments, warhead life extension programs, stock-
pile stewardship programs, stockpile management programs, cost
savings and efficiency initiatives, safety and security, and progress
on the nuclear clean-up activities.
In addition, the committee will continue oversight of the nuclear
command and control programs that underpin a reliable nuclear
deterrent. The committee will also continue oversight of strategic
conventional systems, such as the Common Hypersonic Glide Body
program.
The committee will continue to monitor the National Nuclear Se-
curity Administrations Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation activities.
The threat of nuclear weapons-grade material, technology, and
know-how remains a threat to the United States, particularly in
light of new technological developments that may complicate the
cost and the ability to detect such activity. The committee will
focus on U.S. capabilities related to detection of proliferation to en-
sure their sustainability, and international cooperation on safe-
guarding and reducing the use of nuclear weapons grade materials.
The spread of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons-usable mate-
rials remain a grave threat to the United States, and as such, the
committee is committed to ensuring oversight over these critical ac-
tivities and leveraging new technologies and opportunities as they
arise.
MISSILE DEFENSE
The committee oversees the Department of Defense’s efforts to
develop, test, and field layered missile defense capabilities to pro-
tect the United States, its deployed forces, and allies and partners
against missile threats.
The committee will continue to place emphasis on cost-effective
and reliable missile defenses that contribute to strategic stability.
The committee will continue to oversee U.S. homeland missile de-
fense development, developmental and operational testing, cyber
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security to protect ballistic missile defense system data, force struc-
ture and inventory requirements, continued integration of ‘‘left-of-
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48
launch’’ capabilities, and science and technology investments (in
areas such as boost-phase intercept, space sensor layer, and contin-
uous improvements to discrimination). The committee will empha-
size oversight of major acquisition programs that will recapitalize
U.S. missile defenses, including but not limited to Ground-based
Midcourse Defense, the Next Generation Interceptor program, and
Layered Homeland Defense. The committee will also monitor
progress of the Department of Defense Conventional Prompt Strike
program as a potential ‘‘left-of-launch’’ capability and related poli-
cies that minimize the risk of ambiguity and miscalculation.
The committee will continue to oversee implementation of the
2019 Missile Defense Review by the Department of Defense and op-
portunities to strengthen international missile defense cooperation
with allies and partners to defend against ballistic and cruise mis-
siles.
The committee will continue to provide oversight of the roles, re-
sponsibilities, and acquisition policies of the Missile Defense Agen-
cy and military services as they relate to integrated air and missile
defense.
The committee also intends to continue overseeing the Army’s
Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System modernization efforts,
including the Patriot weapon system, the Lower Tier Air and Mis-
sile Defense Sensor (as that program transitions to a rapid proto-
typing effort), and efforts to improve interoperability of Army and
Ballistic Missile Defense System capabilities.
NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE
The committee oversees the national security space policies and
programs of the Department of Defense, including combat support
agencies and elements of the Department of Defense that are also
part of the intelligence community. The committee will place atten-
tion on current and projected foreign space threats and develop-
ment of effective deterrence policies for space. The committee will
also assess the Department’s space security and defense programs
to include space situational awareness, space protection, space con-
trol, resilience, operationally responsive space activities including
capabilities for rapid constellation reconstitution and replenish-
ment and use of commercial capabilities and international coopera-
tion. The committee will initiate efforts with the Department of De-
fense in developing a policy framework to address how best to
achieve rules-based order in space with allies, partners and adver-
saries.
The committee will also focus on improving the organization and
management of the Space Force, and related policies that support
maintaining and improving the nation’s space advantage, address
new threats in space, elevate the focus within the Department on
space as a warfighting domain, and create a culture that recognizes
the importance of space for national security.
The committee will continue oversight of national security space
activities in support of warfighter operations and plans; improve-
ment of space acquisition strategies that provide necessary
warfighter capability while reducing cost and technical risk and
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supporting the industrial base; maintaining cost-effective and com-
petitive assured access to space; efforts to address gaps in space ca-
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49
pabilities for key warfighter needs; investments in science and
technology to improve the capabilities of space systems; efforts to
appropriately leverage commercial space capabilities; improve-
ments of the synchronization between satellite, ground, and ter-
minal acquisition programs; and efforts that develop and sustain
an expert space workforce.
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN CYBERSPACE ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
Military operations in cyberspace have become increasingly im-
portant as state and non-state actors seek to exploit the informa-
tion environment to achieve political, military, and economic objec-
tives. Cyber operations by threat actors below the level of conflict,
such as Russian cyber intrusions to undermine democratic institu-
tions or exfiltration of controlled unclassified information from the
defense industrial base by cyber actors affiliated with the People’s
Republic of China, pose a dynamic challenge to U.S. national secu-
rity. The Department of Defense, when appropriate, must be pre-
pared to address cyber threats across the spectrum of operations
and in all types of conflict.
Significant progress in Congress’ oversight over military oper-
ations in cyberspace has been enacted with the last two National
Defense Authorization Acts, and the committee will leverage this
progress in new actions for the 117th Congress. The committee will
ensure that the Department of Defense adheres to both the spirit
and intent of recently enacted legislation to ensure that Congress
can conduct rigorous oversight. The committee will also ensure that
new initiatives driven by legislation are thoroughly examined and
acted upon to guarantee the United States’ persistent advantage in
cyberspace, including the expansion of tier one cyberspace oper-
ations organizations as part of the Cyber Mission Force and Cyber
Operations Forces.
The ability of the United States to maintain a comparative ad-
vantage in cyberspace is dependent on its ability to expand the Na-
tion’s cyber-proficient workforce through support and investment in
primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. While the com-
mittee applauds efforts to date, significant work is required to har-
monize and rationalize how these investments are executed. The
committee will push the Department to inventory its existing pro-
grams and harmonize as appropriate.
The committee remains concerned that cyberspace operations
have long been considered a component divorced from the wider
operational picture. To enable future success, the committee will
continue in its efforts to break down stovepipes and push for great-
er integration between cyberspace operations and operations con-
ducted in other recognized warfighting domains.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The committee will ensure that the Department of Defense fos-
ters a robust and balanced science and technology (S&T) ecosystem
comprised of agencies; offices; laboratories; federally funded re-
search and development centers; university affiliated research cen-
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ters; academic partnerships; test and evaluation entities; and part-
nerships with the private sector, including small businesses; in
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50
order to deliver the best capabilities to the warfighter in the
near-, mid-, and long-term. Specifically, the committee will conduct
oversight of the Department’s S&T activities to ensure planning
and execution of investments are aligned with national strategies
and other interagency efforts to maintain technological superiority.
This includes examination of the Department’s S&T annual invest-
ments and trends over time; the Department’s efforts to advance
technologies aligned with the National Defense Strategy (NDS) and
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s
(USD(R&E)’s) eleven modernization priorities; and how R&E, the
military services, and the many innovation organizations in the De-
partment advance these modernization priorities while protecting
important science and technology investments.
The committee will continue to oversee performance of the De-
fense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Innovation
Unit, and Strategic Capabilities Office, as well as other service-spe-
cific innovation centers and partnerships with private industry to
ensure coordination, synchronization, transition of technology, and
prudent use of fiscal resources. Further, the current global COVID–
19 pandemic only underscores the importance of the subcommit-
tee’s oversight of S&T investments in countermeasures to adver-
sary capabilities and emerging threats, such as infectious diseases,
biotechnologies, and climate change.
The committee will examine the Department’s S&T strategy and
doctrine, concepts of employment, and other organizing concepts
pursued by the military services and the Office of Secretary of De-
fense. This includes examination of how capabilities contribute to
new security strategies; how they are supported by rigorous tech-
nical analysis and relevant concepts of employment; and how the
Department will develop plans to transition matured technologies
to the field. The committee will review how the Department is stra-
tegically developing policies on how the U.S. should use and deploy
future technologies, such as the rapid technological advancements
outlined in the NDS, as well as the R&E modernization priorities,
and how these emerging capabilities will contribute to new security
strategies, as was directed in in the 116th Congress in section 232
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020
(Public Law 116–92).
In the 117th Congress the committee will continue to examine
the Department’s level of use of the dozens of congressionally pro-
vided authorities together intended to improve the Department’s
S&T facilities, infrastructure, and access to small businesses, aca-
demia, and the tech sector. Congress has provided these authorities
over a number of years in order to ensure that the Department and
the country have the innovation base and technical workforce need-
ed to maintain and strengthen the country’s technological advan-
tage. The committee will also continue its focus on science, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics education. Providing and
maintaining infrastructure, both digital and brick and mortar, is
paramount to attracting the best talent, and in the 117th Congress
the committee will oversee the implementation plans for use of au-
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thorities and improvement of S&T infrastructure as was directed
in the 116th Congress.
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COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON
THE BUDGET FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE JURISDICTION AND OVERSIGHT
Under clause 2(d) of House rule X, the Chair of each Committee
is required to prepare, in consultation with the Ranking Member,
and submit to the Committees on Oversight and Reform and House
Administration an oversight plan by March 1 of the first session of
each Congress.18 The Budget Committee’s oversight responsibilities
are determined by both the breadth of the federal budget and the
relatively narrow focus of the Committee’s legislative jurisdiction.
Under clause 1(d)(1) of House rule X, the primary responsibility
of the Budget Committee is to develop a concurrent resolution on
the budget for the fiscal year. This concurrent resolution sets
spending and revenue levels in aggregate and across budget func-
tions (a set of programs that serve a shared purpose or activity,
such as agriculture, health, or national defense).
Although the subject matter of the budget is inherently broad,
the Committee’s formal oversight responsibility focuses on laws
governing the budget process and the agencies responsible for ad-
ministering elements of those laws. Under clauses 1(d)(1)–(3) of
House rule X, the major laws falling within its oversight include
the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
Act of 1985, the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, the Statutory
Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, the Budget Control Act of 2011, and
the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019. The two agencies with primary
responsibility for administering elements of these laws and hence
which fall under the Committee’s jurisdiction are the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Of-
fice (CBO).
In addition to these general oversight responsibilities, the Budget
Committee has the special oversight responsibility under clauses
3(c) and 4(b) of House rule X to study the effect on budget outlays
of existing and proposed legislation and to request and evaluate
continuing studies of tax expenditures.
18 Consistent with House rules, a copy of this plan was provided to each Member of the Com-
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mittee at least seven calendar days before submission.
(51)
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52
OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
Budget Priorities
In the process of developing the annual concurrent budget resolu-
tion, the Committee will hold hearings and receive testimony from
Members of Congress, Cabinet-level and other federal officials, and
expert witnesses to review the President’s budget submissions, re-
view other budget priorities, and evaluate evidence on the state of
the economy and the role of federal investments on employment
and the nation’s long-term economic outlook.
In the 117th Congress, the Committee will be active in its over-
sight duties. The Committee plans to focus on a range of issues, in-
cluding rescuing an economy damaged by COVID, creating opportu-
nities to combat and mitigate climate change, improving health
care, ending poverty and systemic inequities, ensuring that commu-
nities are not left behind regardless of geographic location or den-
sity, and creating a fairer tax code. The Committee will focus on
how these issues, in the broadest terms, impact the federal budget.
In every area of inquiry, the Committee will examine how budg-
etary policies may affect people based on factors such as race, color,
ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, dis-
ability, age, and national origin. The Committee will explore how
additional information could be provided through the budget proc-
ess to better understand these distributional effects.
The Committee will continue its efforts to strengthen Congress’
power of the purse, through recommending specific reforms to en-
sure spending and revenue decisions are transparent and effec-
tively carried out by the Executive Branch. This will include as-
sessing OMB’s legal authorities to manage federal spending, in-
cluding the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The Committee will
also continually assess the performance of federal agencies in both
administration and service delivery by reviewing performance data
in the President’s budget submissions and the relevant reports and
audits of the Government Accountability Office and the Offices of
the Inspectors General. It will also review budget rules and proc-
esses.
The Committee will draw on the authorizing committees’ Views
and Estimates, which are submitted to it pursuant to section
301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, to coordinate devel-
opment of the annual concurrent budget resolution.
Budget Enforcement
The Committee will provide ongoing oversight of OMB’s imple-
mentation of budget submission, control, execution, and enforce-
ment procedures under the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Budget Enforcement Act of
1990, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, the Budget Control
Act of 2011, and other applicable laws. It will also provide over-
sight of CBO’s work, including scoring of legislation moving
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through Congress, production of baseline estimates, and longer-
term projects on important budgetary issues.
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53
The Committee will work with the Appropriations and author-
izing committees to ensure that spending and tax legislation does
not breach the levels set in the budget resolution, as required
under sections 302(f) and 311(a) of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974. The Committee will also monitor compliance with the
House Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rule requiring that direct spending
increases and revenue losses be offset with either direct spending
reductions or revenue increases.
Federal Spending and Tax Incentives
The Committee will evaluate continuing studies of tax incentives
and spending by the federal government and consider whether
changes are warranted.
OVERSIGHT SCHEDULE
The following are the Committee’s initial plans for hearings and
other oversight activities:
First Session (2021)
Spring 2021—Hearing on CBO’s Economic and Budget Outlook: Di-
rector of CBO.
Spring 2021—Hearings on the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget:
Director of OMB; Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary of the De-
partment of Health and Human Services; Secretary of the Depart-
ment of Defense.
Spring 2021—Hearing on Budget Priorities for the 2022 Budget:
Members of Congress.
Spring 2021—Receive Views and Estimates from other committees
to coordinate development of the annual concurrent budget resolu-
tion.
Possible additional hearings on the view of the economy from the
Federal Reserve, the effects of the COVID–19 pandemic and the as-
sociated government response across all sectors of the U.S. econ-
omy, Article I and Congress’s power of the purse, congressional
budget process and enforcement, the shift in thinking on debt, in-
cluding Modern Monetary Theory, opportunities for investments in
climate action, and other topics to be announced.
Second Session (2022)
Winter 2022—Hearing on CBO’s Economic and Budget Outlook: Di-
rector of CBO.
Winter 2022—Hearings on the President’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budg-
et: Director of OMB; Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of the De-
partment of Health and Human Services; Secretary of the Depart-
ment of Defense.
Winter 2022—Hearing on Budget Priorities for the 2023 Budget:
Members of Congress.
Winter 2022—Hearing on the economy, Chairman of the Federal
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Reserve Board.
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54
Winter 2022—Receive Views and Estimates from other committees
to coordinate development of the annual concurrent budget resolu-
tion.
Possible hearings on the causes, effects, and budgetary implica-
tions of rising income inequality, the long-term benefits of federal
investments in building a stronger and fairer economy for all work-
ing families, future-oriented energy policies, solutions to increase
the affordability of raising a family, the implications of demo-
graphic trends for the longer-term budget and economic outlook,
and other topics to be announced.
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MINORITY VIEWS
OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
The Committee’s oversight activities should be focused on ensur-
ing both the Legislative and Executive Branches of the Federal
Government are open, transparent, and forthcoming in providing
information regarding their expenditure of taxpayer resources. The
Committee should make sure relevant budgetary deadlines are ad-
hered to by both branches of government and exert its proper au-
thority when budget laws and precedent are not followed.
Oversight of the Office of Management and Budget
While the Majority’s Committee Oversight Plan discusses over-
sight of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), these efforts
should also include review of OMB’s decision- making process and
legal authorities, including budget execution and enforcement. We
hope to join Committee Democrats in ensuring the President’s
budget submission is timely, complete, and transparent regarding
the Administration’s plans. Simply put, American taxpayers de-
serve to not only know what the White House’s true agenda is, but
also how much it will cost and whether it includes tax increases
on the working-class. American families, taxpayers and small busi-
nesses should know the economic consequences of the Administra-
tion’s policy priorities.
Committee Republicans appreciate the continued interest in ex-
amining Congress’s power of the purse. Given the critical role OMB
plays in executing the Administration’s policy priorities, Committee
Republicans hope these oversight efforts verify the Executive
Branch is transparent in implementing its budgetary decisions.
Moreover, as Democrat leaders seek to use the reconciliation proc-
ess to quickly enact another $1.9 trillion in federal funding, Com-
mittee Republicans believe transparency and accountability at
OMB is crucial, considering that approximately $1 trillion in simi-
lar, previously enacted funding is yet to be spent. Congress’s power
to make funding decisions plays a critical role in the checks and
balances it has on the Executive Branch.
The Budget Committee has a unique oversight responsibility to
study the effects of existing and proposed legislation and policies.
However, notably absent from the Committee’s Oversight Plan are
the budgetary impacts of executive actions by the Administration—
such as terminating the southern border wall, canceling the Key-
stone XL Pipeline contract, and displacing thousands of American
workers. Additionally, the removal of Administrative PAYGO will
increase costs for Executive Branch agencies and taxpayers since
those same agencies will no longer have to propose offsets for the
costs associated with discretionary administrative actions. Since
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the Committee’s Oversight Plan includes evaluating the impact of
policy on protected classes, the Committee should also assess the
impact of policies on the working-class, who will undoubtedly bear
the adverse effects of costly executive actions, as well as how these
policies impact different regions across our country—particularly
rural Americans. Committee Republicans welcome the opportunity
to work in a bipartisan manner to ensure transparency and ac-
countability of the Executive Branch and in monitoring the far-
reaching economic consequences of its actions.
The Budget Committee should also work with our counterparts
in the Senate to provide appropriate and necessary oversight of po-
tential OMB nominees. Given its role in assisting the President in
implementing the Administration’s policies across the Executive
Branch, it is crucial that Congress continue to have a bipartisan
working relationship with OMB in order to best serve the Amer-
ican people.
Additionally, the Budget Committee should be prepared to sup-
port authorizing committees in their oversight of respective federal
agency spending to ensure programs within their jurisdiction are
operating effectively and efficiently and that these programs fulfill
their statutory intent. This Committee should work with author-
izing committees to review government-wide spending and imple-
ment programmatic changes that will maintain the responsible
stewardship of taxpayer dollars and address the looming debt cri-
sis. Committee Republicans also support additional oversight ef-
forts to review the expenditure of taxpayer dollars to verify they
are not enriching corporate America and non-citizens at the ex-
pense of small businesses. To date, the Biden Administration has
already issued 34 executive orders, many of which significantly im-
pact the economy through lost jobs. Democrats’ policies, including
executive orders and additional stimulus spending, will impair the
economy and lead to higher prices for goods and services for all
Americans. The economy is already rapidly recovering, and unem-
ployment continues to decline. This Committee should examine
ways to support such economic growth and not serve as an impedi-
ment to it.
Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office
The primary responsibility of the Congressional Budget Office
(CBO) is serving the House and Senate Committees on the Budget
by providing information on the federal budget, legislation consid-
ered by Congress, federal spending and revenues—including cost
estimates of legislation—and related matters. The Committee ap-
preciates CBO’s transparency and responsiveness.
Although oversight of CBO is addressed in the Committee Over-
sight Plan, the plan fails to specifically address the availability of
cost estimates of legislation in a timely manner. It is imperative for
Congress to have prompt and expedient access to cost estimates of
major legislation, especially before consideration of such legislation.
The Committee should also review the accuracy of previous esti-
mates. This informed decision-making will provide greater trans-
parency and efficiency in the budget process.
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CBO operates on a permanent authorization, stemming from the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and therefore, has never been
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57
fully reauthorized. As the official budgetary agency for the Legisla-
tive Branch, it is important that this Committee conducts a com-
prehensive review and reauthorization of CBO.
Congressional Budget Enforcement and Process
We appreciate Committee Democrats’ commitment to working
with the Appropriations and authorizing committees to ensure leg-
islation complies with the budget resolution’s levels as required
pursuant to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the House
Pay-As-You-Go rule. We are disappointed, however, that the Com-
mittee’s Oversight Plan does not include any required consultation
by the Chairman with the Ranking Member regarding the compli-
ance of legislation with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and
the House Pay-As-You-Go rule particularly the budgetary exemp-
tions adopted in H. Res. 8 for the 117th Congress. A lack of con-
sultation with the Ranking Member demonstrates the absence of
transparency in congressional budget enforcement.
The Committee’s Oversight Plan also fails to examine the mod-
ern-day effectiveness of the congressional budget process, enforce-
ment, and proper uses of reconciliation. Democrats failed to adopt
a budget resolution all of last Congress. A Fiscal Year 2021 budget
resolution was adopted by Congress this year after the deadline
under law and after all funding for the fiscal year was appro-
priated. Democrats’ efforts for a Fiscal Year 2021 budget resolution
were driven by the desire to enact $1.9 trillion in stimulus spend-
ing through reconciliation. Moreover, the use of reconciliation by
Democrats to enact funding for state and local governments based
on both population and unemployment actually punishes states
that have reopened and allowed businesses and Americans to re-
turn to work. It is important for this Committee to abide by both
budget enforcement and the reconciliation process and its proper
uses.
Since its enactment, the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has
been amended numerous times, which has led to Congress aban-
doning the process outlined in the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 for ad hoc procedures. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974
provides several budget enforcement tools. The use of ad hoc proce-
dures for budgeting often results in a failure to enforce the budget.
Consequently, failure to effectively enforce the budget resolution
leads to increased costs to taxpayers because Congress fails to com-
ply with its own budget by enacting legislation without offsets. As
a result, it is imperative for this Committee to review budget en-
forcement to ensure it is effective and work together to adhere to
strict budget enforcement.
The implementation of COVID–19 related funding, review of con-
gressional budget enforcement, and the budgetary impacts on small
businesses and the working-class are examples of national priority
issues that should be addressed from a federal budget context as
well. It is disappointing that these issues were overlooked in the
Committee’s Oversight Plan, and Committee Republicans look for-
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ward to addressing these matters moving forward.
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COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND
LABOR
117TH CONGRESS
SUBMISSION OF OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE
ON EDUCATION AND LABOR
Mr. SCOTT, from the Committee on Education and Labor, sub-
mitted to the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Com-
mittee on House Administration the following.
Preparation and Submission of Oversight Plan
Each standing committee of the U.S. House of Representatives
(other than the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on
Ethics, and the Committee on Rules) is required to prepare and
submit an oversight plan at the beginning of each Congress. Spe-
cifically, clause 2(d)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Rep-
resentatives states:
(d)(1) Not later than March 1 of the first session of a Congress,
the chair of each standing committee (other than the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Ethics, and the Committee on
Rules) shall—
(A) prepare, in consultation with the ranking minority mem-
ber, an oversight plan for that Congress;
(B) provide a copy of that plan to each member of the com-
mittee for at least seven calendar days before its submission;
and
(C) submit that plan (including any supplemental, minority,
additional, or dissenting views submitted by a member of the
committee) simultaneously to the Committee on Oversight and
Reform and the Committee on House Administration.
Jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor
Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives vests in the
Committee on Education and Labor (Committee) jurisdiction over
issues dealing with students, education, workers, and labor policy.
Specifically, clause 1(e) of rule X vests the Committee with jurisdic-
tion over the following subject-matter:
(1) Child labor.
(2) Gallaudet University and Howard University and Hos-
pital.
(3) Convict labor and the entry of goods made by convicts into
interstate commerce.
(4) Food programs for children in schools.
(5) Labor standards and statistics.
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(6) Education or labor generally.
(7) Mediation and arbitration of labor disputes.
(8) Regulation or prevention of importation of foreign laborers
under contract.
(9) Workers’ compensation.
(10) Vocational rehabilitation.
(11) Wages and hours of labor.
(12) Welfare of miners.
(13) Work incentive programs.
(14) Organization, administration, and general management
of the Department of Education.
(15) Organization, administration, and general management
of the Department of Labor.
General Oversight Responsibilities
Clause 2 of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives
provides in part:
(a) The various standing committees shall have general oversight
responsibilities as provided in paragraph (b) in order to assist the
House in—
(1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of—
(A) the application, administration, execution, and effec-
tiveness of Federal laws; and
(B) conditions and circumstances that may indicate the
necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional legis-
lation; and
(2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of changes
in Federal laws, and of such additional legislation as may be
necessary or appropriate.
(b)(1) In order to determine whether laws and programs address-
ing subjects within the jurisdiction of a committee are being imple-
mented and carried out in accordance with the intent of Congress
and whether they should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated,
each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropria-
tions) shall review and study on a continuing basis—
(A) the application, administration, execution, and effective-
ness of laws and programs addressing subjects within its juris-
diction;
(B) the organization and operation of Federal agencies and
entities having responsibilities for the administration and exe-
cution of laws and programs addressing subjects within its ju-
risdiction;
(C) any conditions or circumstances that may indicate the ne-
cessity or desirability of enacting new or additional legislation
addressing subjects within its jurisdiction (whether or not a bill
or resolution has been introduced with respect thereto); and
(D) future research and forecasting on subjects within its ju-
risdiction.
(2) Each committee to which subparagraph (1) applies having
more than 20 members shall establish an oversight subcommittee,
or require its subcommittees to conduct oversight in their respective
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jurisdictions, to assist in carrying out its responsibilities under this
clause. The establishment of an oversight subcommittee does not
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limit the responsibility of a subcommittee with legislative jurisdic-
tion in carrying out its oversight responsibilities.
Addressing Issues of Inequities
Pursuant to H. Res. 8, adopted by the House of Representatives
in the 117th Congress, Clause 2(d)(2)(F) of rule X of the Rules of
the House of Representatives added the following new requirement
to committee oversight plans:
(F) give priority consideration to including in the plan a dis-
cuss of how the committee’s work will address issues of inequi-
ties on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin.
This Committee has and will continue to work toward an Amer-
ica where everyone can succeed, not just the wealthy few, by con-
ducting oversight to ensure that federal laws are applied without
illegal discrimination and federal programs are implemented to im-
prove the lives of all children, students, workers, retirees, and fam-
ilies. The Committee’s commitment to realize equity in and access
to quality education, achieve safe and inclusive workplaces where
workers can earn a livable wage and collectively bargain, and ex-
pand access to quality and affordable health care are fundamental
to its oversight activities.
In the 117th Congress, the Committee will continue to deliver on
its promise to the people across this great nation by shedding light
on longstanding inequities and achievement gaps in education, un-
safe and exclusionary workplaces, and limited or no access to qual-
ity and affordable health care for those who need it most. As it has
always done, the Committee will continue to use its oversight au-
thority to ensure that the federal government and its partners are
delivering for the people, and it is pleased that this provision has
been added to the Rules to ensure that other committees are doing
the same.
Exercise of Oversight Responsibilities
The Constitution of the United States vests in Congress the au-
thority and responsibility to make laws and ensure that those laws
are properly enforced and enacted. Oversight is a constitutional
prerogative, an important responsibility of the Congress, and a core
objective of the Committee. Accordingly, the Committee will thor-
oughly oversee and investigate the various departments, agencies,
and programs within its jurisdiction. In so doing, the Committee
will actively consult with House committees that have concurrent
or related jurisdiction.
In its oversight proceedings, the Committee will make full use of
hearings in Washington, DC and of regional field hearings to en-
sure all relevant voices are heard and included as part of the offi-
cial record. Among other investigative techniques, the Committee
will visit relevant sites, correspond with affected parties, request
briefings by federal agencies and departments, review assessments
and analyses by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), and re-
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view audits and investigations by the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) and the Offices of the Inspectors General of the U.S.
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62
Departments of Education (ED), Labor (DOL), Health and Human
Services (HHS), Agriculture (Ag), and Justice (DOJ).
The Committee will lead aggressive oversight in its areas of ju-
risdiction, which include programs and statutes administered and
enforced by ED, DOL, HHS, Ag, DOJ, and various independent
agencies as well as the organization, administration, and general
management of ED and DOL. The Committee will work to ensure
that these programs and statutes are administered consistent with
constitutional requirements of faithful execution of laws passed by
Congress and long-established principles of federalism. Addition-
ally, the Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that they are
operated and executed in an effective, efficient, and transparent
manner as well as follow congressional intent in their scope, activi-
ties, and operations.
The Committee has identified priority areas for oversight and in-
vestigation in the 117th Congress. These areas include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• COVID–19 Relief: To respond to the COVID–19 pan-
demic, Congress appropriated significant resources in the
116th Congress. The Committee will oversee the implementa-
tion of these laws and future COVID–19 relief legislation to en-
sure that students, teachers, patients, workers, and their fami-
lies are adequately protected. As part of this work, the Com-
mittee will continue to conduct oversight of ED’s COVID–19 re-
lief efforts to ensure it appropriately distributes funds to Puer-
to Rico.
• Civil Rights: The Committee will oversee the implemen-
tation of civil rights laws pertaining to education, labor and
employment, and health to ensure that such protections are
sustained and robustly enforced. Oversight shall include re-
viewing the policies and priorities of ED’s Office for Civil
Rights, DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Pro-
grams, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commis-
sion. In addition, the Committee will investigate the Trump
Administration’s rollback of civil rights policies and ensure the
Biden Administration works to benefit all workers and stu-
dents. The Committee will assess the longstanding education
gaps that have deepened due to institutional educational in-
equities rooted in racism. The Committee will also conduct
oversight on DOL’s, ED’s, and HHS’ rules and use of faith-
based exemptions to ensure that they are not used to discrimi-
nate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orienta-
tion, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other
protected class in federal programs and contracts. Further, the
Committee will investigate maternal and infant issues, food in-
security, and other institutional inequities that impact access
to quality health care and community supports.
• Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act:
ED has not implemented the bipartisan Every Student Suc-
ceeds Act (ESSA) with fidelity. Accordingly, the Committee will
ensure ED fully and appropriately implements ESSA, with a
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focus on ESSA’s accountability and supplement not supplant
provisions.
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• Restarting Student Loan Payments: Congress and
President Trump have suspended all payments and collections
on federally-held student loans since March 2020 due to the
pandemic-induced recession. This will present operational chal-
lenges when servicers are charged with reinitiating collections
and payments for the entire student borrower portfolio. The
Committee will investigate whether servicers are sufficiently
prepared to resume collecting student loan payments and,
when payments resume, will conduct oversight to ensure
servicers are complying with all statutory and contractual re-
quirements.
• Student Aid: The Committee will conduct oversight on
the policies and priorities of the Office of Federal Student Aid
(FSA), especially as they relate to institutional accountability,
monitoring of the incentive compensation ban, reducing abuse
among institutions reliant on online program management
companies, and monitoring institutional financial solvency.
Further, the Committee will continue to investigate and mon-
itor FSA’s procurement of components of the NextGen initia-
tive, FSA’s implementation of the Public Service Loan Forgive-
ness (PSLF) program, and FSA’s implementation of the Teach-
er Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
(TEACH) grants program.
• For-Profit Institution Conversions: Over the last dec-
ade, for-profit institutions have converted to non-profit institu-
tions at an accelerated rate and with insufficient monitoring
from ED. Some of these conversions have allowed for-profit
owners and executives to improperly benefit from non-profit or-
ganizations and have posed financial risks to students and tax-
payers. The Committee will investigate recently converted in-
stitutions and those seeking new conversions to evaluate and
mitigate risks.
• Borrower Defense: The Trump Administration repealed
student borrower protections and replaced them with cor-
porate-friendly regulations that made obtaining meaningful re-
lief for defrauded borrowers nearly impossible. The Committee
will oversee ED’s implementation and re-regulation of these
provisions to ensure borrowers are protected from institutional
misconduct and made whole when evidence of fraud is uncov-
ered.
• Students and Workers with Disabilities: The Com-
mittee will conduct oversight on ED’s implementation of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s significant
disproportionality requirements. Though this requirement was
meant to protect Black and Latino students from overrepre-
sentation in special education, ED has failed to effectively en-
force this provision. The Committee also will monitor the ac-
tivities of DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy
(ODEP) to ensure it is fulfilling its mission to improve edu-
cational opportunities for people with disabilities and provide
technical assistance to employers to support people with dis-
abilities in the workplace.
• Department of Labor’s Workforce Development Pro-
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64
force training programs. This includes reviewing the policies
and expenditures of apprenticeship programs operated by
DOL, and evaluating the various programs under the Work-
force Innovation and Opportunity Act, including Job Corps, the
Dislocated Worker program, and the Re-entry Employment Op-
portunity program.
• Worker Wages: The Committee will conduct oversight on
the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division’s (WHD) actions regarding
overtime pay, protections for tipped workers, and child labor
protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Com-
mittee will evaluate the WHD’s enforcement of prevailing wage
laws.
• Workplace Safety and Health: The Committee will con-
duct oversight on the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-
tration’s (OSHA) actions regarding workplace health and safe-
ty standards, including infectious disease protections, occupa-
tional heat stress, workplace violence in health care and social
service settings, and hazardous substances. The Committee
will assess the adequacy of OSHA’s COVID–19 policies and the
effectiveness of its enforcement efforts at high-risk worksites,
including warehouses, meat packing plants, and nursing
homes.
• Mine Safety and Health: The Committee will evaluate
the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s actions to stem
the rising rates of black lung disease and assess whether
changes to its enforcement policies have compromised miners’
safety.
• Workers’ Compensation Programs: The Committee will
evaluate risks to the solvency of the Black Lung Benefits Dis-
ability Trust Fund, review the adequacy of COVID–19 com-
pensation coverage under the Federal Employees’ Compensa-
tion Act (FECA) and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Com-
pensation Act, and evaluate DOL’s implementation of rec-
ommendations issued by the Government Accountability Office
with respect to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.
• Retirement Security and Pensions: The Committee
will examine the costs and consequences to workers, retirees,
businesses, and communities, as well as to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation, if Congress does not address the multi-
employer pension crisis. The Committee also will continue to
monitor the impact of ‘‘midnight’’ rules (retirement investment
advice, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing,
and proxy voting) that were finalized by DOL during the final
months of the Trump Administration.
• International Labor Rights: The Committee will inves-
tigate, where appropriate, international labor issues, including
those involving trade agreements and labor rights abuses, and
oversee the management and operations of the International
Labor Affairs Bureau within DOL.
• Guestworker Programs: The Committee will conduct
oversight on the implementation of the provisions in the Immi-
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gration and Nationality Act that protect the wages and work-
ing conditions of both U.S. and foreign workers.
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• Collective Bargaining Rights: The Committee will con-
duct oversight and investigations to ensure that the National
Labor Relations Board is fairly and ethically enforcing the Na-
tional Labor Relations Act. This includes ensuring that any
structural changes to the National Labor Relations Board are
aligned with its mission to protect workers.
• Child Nutrition: The Committee will monitor and con-
duct oversight on the Department of Agriculture’s administra-
tion of child nutrition programs within the Committee’s juris-
diction and any proposed policies and regulations that impact
these nutrition programs, including during the COVID–19 pan-
demic.
• Health Care: The Committee will conduct oversight to en-
sure that all people are receiving equitable and affordable ac-
cess to health care, including investigating inequities that pre-
vent individuals and communities from accessing needed
health care. This includes ensuring that all individuals and
families can access needed prescription drugs.
• Supporting Communities: The Committee will conduct
oversight to ensure that community support programs and fed-
eral funding targeted to improving equity for vulnerable popu-
lations achieves that goal.
The Committee reserves the right to review and investigate gen-
eral legislative, administrative, and regulatory issues affecting its
jurisdiction.
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117TH CONGRESS
SUBMISSION OF OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE
ON EDUCATION AND LABOR
MINORITY VIEWS
The American people deserve an open, accountable government
that works efficiently, effectively, and in adherence to the law. Con-
gress must use its constitutional authority to ensure that laws are
properly enforced, taxpayer money is spent wisely in accordance
with congressional intent, and government policy does not harm
the American people. Congressional oversight of federal programs
and activities is a critical part of this authority. Oversight is a con-
stitutional prerogative, an important responsibility of the Congress,
and a core objective of the Committee. Accordingly, the Committee
should responsibly oversee, investigate, and hold accountable the
various agencies, departments, and programs within its jurisdic-
tion.
As we said last Congress, oversight may not be glamorous or ex-
citing, but it is important to be diligent, thoughtful, and respon-
sible in its implementation. It is equally important to be objective.
If the Committee’s work is to be effective, then it is important for
all Members to keep open minds, examine potential problems, as-
sess the actual facts and evidence, and finally determine if there
are concerns that need to be addressed.
Exercise of Oversight Responsibilities
Under the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee
has jurisdiction over programs and statutes administered and en-
forced by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, Health and
Human Services, Agriculture, and Justice, as well as various inde-
pendent agencies. The Committee should continue to ensure these
programs and statutes are implemented in an effective and effi-
cient manner and consistent with the appropriate federal role fol-
lowing congressional intent. In so doing, the Committee should ac-
tively consult with House committees that have concurrent or re-
lated jurisdiction.
The Committee should pursue several areas for oversight and in-
vestigation in the 117th Congress. These areas are discussed below:
• Coronavirus Relief. Significant waiver authority has
been authorized to allow secretaries to waive legal require-
ments and limitations in federal law. Additionally, billions of
taxpayer dollars have been provided over the past year to
states to assist students, schools, employees and employers,
and other entities. The Committee must ensure these funds
are being used effectively and in compliance with the law and
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ensure the waiver authority granted is used appropriately and
fairly.
• Every Student Succeeds Act. In 2015, Congress passed,
and the President signed, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to re-
place No Child Left Behind with commonsense reforms to
allow states and communities the flexibility needed to provide
all students an excellent education. The Committee should en-
sure the Biden administration continues the Trump adminis-
tration’s commitment to follow the letter of the law and con-
gressional intent in its implementation of the law.
• Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education oversees
$1.5 trillion in outstanding federal student loans and disburses
billions in grants and work-study funds each year. The Com-
mittee should continue to monitor the costs and performance
of these programs. The Committee should also examine both
the Office of Federal Student Aid’s internal reorganization and
its contracts with student loan servicers and private collection
agencies.
• Higher Education Regulations. Institutions of higher
education are subject to myriad federal regulations and report-
ing requirements that are often burdensome and costly. The
Committee should continue its oversight of regulatory policies
and challenge those that enlarge the federal footprint in post-
secondary education, which tends to interfere with academic
freedom, infringe on the authorities of the states, limit student
choice and freedom of expression, and unfairly target par-
ticular sectors of higher education.
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. In 2014,
Congress passed, and the President signed, a bipartisan, bi-
cameral bill to fix the nation’s broken workforce development
system. The Committee should examine the impact of the pan-
demic on the programs under the law and ensure the law is
properly implemented so that it continues to help workers at-
tain skills for 21st century jobs.
• Health Care. The Committee should continue oversight of
health care issues, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
and implementation of the No Surprises Act. In particular, the
Committee should focus on how the ACA regulations and sub-
regulatory guidance have harmed employers’ ability to provide
high quality, affordable health care to employees, including
educators and school staff. The Committee should also support
actions to provide relief from these costly and burdensome re-
quirements.
• Employer and Employee Protections. The Committee
should conduct oversight and investigations, as appropriate, to
ensure employee and employer rights under the National
Labor Relations Act (NLRA) are protected and applied consist-
ently without bias. Additionally, the Committee should work to
ensure the NLRA is upheld during the Biden administration
by maintaining the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB)
ability to operate independently and free from political inter-
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ference. The Committee should also conduct oversight into
President Biden’s unprecedented firing of the Senate-confirmed
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68
NLRB General Counsel 10 months before the expiration of his
term.
• Workplace Safety. The Committee has a duty to ensure
that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) are appropriately carrying out their missions to pro-
tect the safety and health of America’s workers. The Com-
mittee should conduct oversight on the rulemaking process by
ensuring agencies solicit necessary and required feedback from
stakeholders so that workplace safety regulations are respon-
sible and feasible. The Committee should also be closely moni-
toring the Biden administration OSHA and MSHA COVID–19
responses—including plans to issue emergency temporary
standards—to ensure that the agencies’ regulatory approach is
legal, appropriate, and does not hinder employers from pro-
tecting workers from COVID–19 in the workplace.
• Retirement Security. The retirement system works best
when workers have access to voluntary, robust, portable, and
secure savings options. The Committee should monitor the
U.S. Department of Labor’s activities to ensure regulations and
sub-regulatory guidance benefit the long-term retirement secu-
rity of working families and do not restrict access to affordable
retirement advice.
• Multiemployer Pensions. Extreme and continued under-
funding in multiemployer defined benefit pension plans threat-
en the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s (PBGC) sol-
vency as well as benefits promised to workers and retirees who
participate in these plans. To prevent further deterioration of
the plans’ funding and protect the security of worker and re-
tiree benefits, the Committee should consider meaningful, for-
ward-looking and fiscally responsible structural reforms con-
sistent with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974. Legislation should include meaningful compromises in-
volving all stakeholders, including unions and employers, to
avoid the moral hazard of open-ended taxpayer commitments.
Without systemic reforms, Congress would simply be reward-
ing multiemployer plan trustees for years of poor management.
The Committee should also continue to monitor the implemen-
tation of the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 and
the activities of the PBGC to develop needed bipartisan re-
forms that will protect both taxpayers and workers.
• Regulatory Process. An open and transparent process
for revising and implementing regulations will benefit stu-
dents, institutions, employers, and workers alike. The Com-
mittee should work to ensure that stakeholders have sufficient
time to review and provide public comment on regulatory ac-
tions within the Committee’s jurisdiction.
• Wage and Hour Laws. Significant federal labor laws
were enacted more than 70 years ago for a very different work-
force from the one that exists today. The Committee should
continue to examine how these outdated laws affect economic
growth and job creation. In addition, the Committee should
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continue to encourage the agencies in its jurisdiction, especially
the U.S. Department of Labor, to focus on compliance assist-
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69
ance, rather than punitive enforcement measures, to help em-
ployers understand and follow federal labor laws.
• Government Spending. The Committee should closely
monitor all agencies under its jurisdiction to determine wheth-
er the expenditure of taxpayers’ money is leading to efficient,
high-quality outcomes for students and workers.
• Union Transparency. Workers who have chosen to be
represented by unions want to be sure their dues are being
properly managed. The Committee should examine the efficacy
of current union reporting requirements and work to ensure
that employees have access to information that clearly shows
how their dues are spent. In particular, the Committee should
conduct oversight to investigate and examine notable cases of
union corruption involving the embezzlement of workers’ union
dues.
• Executive Action. The Obama administration took a
number of executive actions that encroach on the constitutional
authority of Congress to write the law; unfortunately, the
Biden administration seems to have adopted that flawed ap-
proach to governing. The Committee should monitor and ana-
lyze these actions and work together to reclaim Congress’ role
as the legislative branch of government.
Along with the oversight objectives already outlined, the Com-
mittee should examine the programs within its jurisdiction whose
authorizations have expired or will soon expire. Based upon the re-
sults of that oversight, the Committee should determine the appro-
priate next steps.
Conclusion
Committee Republicans believe responsible, fact-driven oversight
of the agencies over which this Committee has jurisdiction is vi-
tally important. The Committee must ensure that agencies are
being good stewards of hard-working taxpayer dollars and are im-
plementing the laws Congress passed with fidelity. Committee Re-
publicans look forward to pursuing oversight opportunities that
meet those goals and working with our majority colleagues in this
endeavor.
Signatories:
VIRGINIA FOXX,
Ranking Member.
GLENN ‘‘GT’’ THOMPSON.
TIM WALBERG.
GLENN GROTHMAN.
ELISE M. STEFANIK.
RICK W. ALLEN.
JIM BANKS.
JAMES COMER.
RUSS FULCHER.
FRED KELLER.
GREGORY F. MURPHY.
MARIANNETTE MILLER MEEKS,
M.D.
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BURGESS OWENS.
BOB GOOD.
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LISA C. MCCLAIN.
DIANA HARSHBARGER.
MARY E. MILLER.
VICTORIA SPARTZ.
MADISON CAWTHORN.
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COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND
COMMERCE
OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON
ENERGY AND COMMERCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 117TH
CONGRESS
THE HONORABLE FRANK PALLONE, JR.,
CHAIRMAN
Rule X, clause 2(d) of the Rules of the House requires each
standing Committee to develop an oversight plan for the two-year
period of the Congress and to submit the plan to the Committee on
Oversight and Reform and to the Committee on House Administra-
tion not later than March 1 of the first session of the Congress.
This is the oversight plan of the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce for the 117th Congress. It includes areas where the Com-
mittee expects to conduct oversight during the 117th Congress,
subject to staff and resource limitations, but does not preclude
oversight or investigation of additional matters. The Committee
will continue to consult with other committees that have jurisdic-
tion over the same or related laws, programs, or agencies with the
objective of ensuring maximum coordination and cooperation. Spe-
cifically, the Committee will continue to work with other commit-
tees to facilitate expiring programs, coordinate with the Congres-
sional Budget Office regarding lapsed authorizations and upcoming
expirations, and hold member and staff-level meetings with rel-
evant committees and House and Senate conferences.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
CLIMATE CRISIS
Climate change is a crisis that affects every region of the country
and threatens the economy, the environment, and public health. In
the midst of a severe economic downturn, the Committee intends
to examine opportunities and mechanisms for a green and just eco-
nomic recovery for all Americans. The Committee will focus on the
economic, environmental, and health effects of climate change, in-
cluding the disproportionate impacts on low-income communities,
communities of color, tribal communities, and other historically
overburdened populations. The Committee will identify opportuni-
ties to reduce negative impacts, create new businesses and jobs,
and make all communities safer and more resilient. The Committee
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will also review actions needed to meet our obligations under the
Paris Climate Agreement and examine the climate impacts of regu-
latory efforts and programs by the Department of Energy (DOE),
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), and other agencies within the
Committee’s jurisdiction. The Committee plans to examine govern-
mental and nongovernmental activities and policies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The Committee will also assess state
funding programs and other efforts by agencies within the Commit-
tee’s jurisdiction to ensure states and local communities have the
resources needed to prepare for and respond to severe weather
events and natural disasters.
CLEAN AIR ACT
The Committee expects to review significant rulemakings and
program implementation under the Clean Air Act and associated
public health and environmental benefits. The Committee will con-
duct oversight of EPA decisions, management strategies, and other
actions affecting efforts to meet Clean Air Act standards, including
EPA actions that affect state efforts to meet public health goals.
This review will include a close examination of the costs and bene-
fits of Clean Air Act actions, and the role these analyses have
played in perpetuating disparate air pollution, for historically over-
burdened communities. Additionally, the Committee will examine
the current role of and proposed changes to the accounting of cost,
benefits, and feasibility in Clean Air Act rulemakings. The Com-
mittee will also continue to conduct oversight of EPA’s implementa-
tion of the Renewable Fuel Standard, including program trans-
parency and opportunities for that authority to address climate
change and pollution disparities.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND CLEANUP
The Committee will conduct oversight of EPA’s implementation
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation &
Liability Act (CERCLA). This will include the cleanup of sites vul-
nerable to the effects of climate change and sites that contribute
to the disparate burden of pollution in historically overburdened
communities. The Committee will also oversee implementation of
recent updates to the Brownfields program. The Committee antici-
pates investigating the public health, environmental, and economic
impacts of the expiration of Superfund taxes and EPA’s decisions
regarding financial responsibility requirements under CERCLA
Section 108(b).
HAZARDOUS AND SOLID WASTE
The Committee will examine state and federal implementation of
our waste laws, including the disparate impacts of unsafe waste
disposal on historically overburdened communities. This review will
focus on the public health and environmental impacts, including
climate impacts, of plastic waste and recycling, coal ash, waste ma-
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terials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, landfill gas,
and various waste disposal methods.
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REGULATION OF DANGEROUS CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES
The Committee will conduct oversight of EPA’s implementation
of the reformed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as EPA
moves forward with the first risk management rules under the law
and revises its framework rules in light of judicial decisions. This
oversight will look at EPA’s efforts to reexamine and incorporate
into its regulatory framework previously excluded uses, exposures,
vulnerable populations, and scientific studies. The Committee will
examine the impacts these decisions are having on the most vul-
nerable and disproportionately impacted, including workers, in-
fants and children, and historically overburdened communities. The
Committee will also examine risk management activities and deci-
sions related to pesticides and other non-TSCA regulated chemi-
cals, as well as the actions of other agencies in the Committee’s ju-
risdiction charged with addressing these issues, including DOE and
the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
DRINKING WATER RISKS AND SAFETY
The Committee will continue its oversight of the standard setting
process under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including obstacles to
timely action and to addressing disparate risks to historically over-
burdened communities. The Committee will also examine serious
threats to the safety of our drinking water, including risks from
lead service lines and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. In addi-
tion, the Committee will continue to review the impact on commu-
nities of regulatory ambiguity under the Safe Drinking Water Act
regarding hydraulic fracturing, as well as transparency and poten-
tial risks to communities from the chemicals used in hydraulic frac-
turing.
EPA MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
The Committee will conduct general oversight of EPA. This will
include review of agency enforcement activities (including the use
of those activities to address disparate pollution burdens in histori-
cally overburdened communities), funding decisions, staff and other
resource allocations, office and program reorganization, grants, re-
search activities, and contracts awarded to outside parties. The
Committee will also conduct general oversight of EPA’s relations
with state, local, and tribal governments, as well as its public
transparency, and adherence to economic, procedural, public
health, and environmental standards in regulatory actions.
NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY
The Committee will examine policies that relate to energy effi-
ciency and conservation, and the exploration, production, trans-
mission, distribution, and consumption of electricity, oil and nat-
ural gas, coal, hydroelectric power, nuclear power, and renewable
energy. The Committee will continue to address associated climate
issues as well as the impacts of such activities on safety, security,
and public health. Further, the Committee will investigate the dis-
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parate costs, benefits, risks, and opportunities of these policies for
historically overburdened communities. The Committee will also re-
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74
view the electrification of the transportation sector, and examine
the electric grid needs for increased charging infrastructure. The
Committee will inquire into the impact of government policies and
programs—including those established in the recently enacted En-
ergy Act of 2020—on the exploration, production, storage, supply,
marketing, pricing, and regulation of domestic energy resources, in-
cluding issues relating to the nation’s energy infrastructure. The
Committee will review existing federal interstate transmission poli-
cies and explore how they should be revised to facilitate increased
integration of renewable energy resources and reduced costs to con-
sumers. The Committee will also explore electric utility responses
to the impacts of climate change-induced extreme weather events
to determine where improvements can be made to mitigate adverse
impacts and expedite recovery. Additionally, the Committee will ex-
amine energy access, energy poverty, and the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), as necessary.
ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS MARKETS AND REGULATION
The Committee will review the federal electricity and natural gas
policies of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and
the Department of Energy (DOE) related to competitive markets
for compliance with relevant statutes. The Committee will also ex-
amine FERC and DOE activities relating to consumer protection
and the environment with regard to electricity, natural gas, and
hydroelectric power, including the development of efficient and vig-
orous wholesale markets for electricity. The Committee will explore
ways to increase transparency into regulatory proceedings at FERC
to ensure that members of the public, particularly landowners sub-
ject to pipeline-related eminent domain proceedings, have the abil-
ity to understand and actively engage with FERC on these matters.
Similarly, the Committee will look specifically at tribal roles in
statutes implemented by FERC. Additionally, the Committee will
closely examine actions regarding pipeline safety by the Depart-
ment of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration as well as actions regarding pipeline security by the
Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Ad-
ministration (TSA). The Committee will also review the need for
modernizing the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act.
ENERGY AND FUEL EFFICIENCY MANDATES
The Committee will continue to oversee federal programs setting
energy efficiency standards for home appliances crafted by DOE, to
ensure that the programs maximize the benefit to consumers, pub-
lic health, and the environment. The Committee will also examine
greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for motor vehicles de-
veloped by EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration (NHTSA), respectively. Additionally, the Committee will re-
view energy efficiency and carbon reduction efforts within the fed-
eral government and the Federal Energy Management Program,
generally. The Committee will also continue its oversight of build-
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ing energy efficiency codes, the process for setting those codes, and
DOE’s role in fostering their adoption.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ITS NATIONAL
LABORATORIES
The Committee will continue to oversee governance, manage-
ment, and operations issues at DOE, including the National Nu-
clear Security Administration (NNSA) and the National Labora-
tories. This will include a continued focus on DOE’s management
of the contractors that operate the national laboratories. The Com-
mittee’s oversight work will also include review of the implementa-
tion of management, security, and safety reforms at NNSA and
DOE facilities, ongoing safety and security matters, as well as the
work of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The Com-
mittee will continue to oversee the Office of Environmental Man-
agement’s efforts to cleanup waste and contamination from nuclear
weapons production and research, including the significant in-
creases in environmental liabilities in recent years. This work will
also include the Committee’s oversight functions over DOE grant
and loan guarantee programs as well as programs and activities re-
lating to nonmilitary energy research and development.
NUCLEAR WASTE
The Committee will continue to review the actions of DOE and
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regarding obligations of
these agencies under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. The Committee
will also examine other nuclear waste cleanup and disposal pro-
grams under its jurisdiction.
THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
The Committee will continue to examine the programs and ac-
tivities of NRC. The Committee will review NRC’s budget requests
and conduct oversight of the manner in which the Commission dis-
charges its various responsibilities, including the Commission’s reg-
ulatory actions, licensing activity, the safety and security of nuclear
power facilities, and nuclear materials licensees.
21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE
The Committee will continue its longstanding oversight of the en-
ergy workforce. The Committee will focus attention on the transi-
tion to a clean energy economy, the impact on traditional energy
employment, and the increased need for a skilled workforce in the
growing areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and storage,
among other things. The Committee will continue its ongoing ex-
amination of diversity in the energy workforce and pathways to en-
sure underrepresented groups including Native Americans, people
of color, women and veterans are able to obtain employment and
benefit from the transition to a clean energy economy.
HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES
THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE OF 2019 (COVID–19)
The Committee will continue general oversight of the response to
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the COVID–19 pandemic. The Committee will review pharma-
ceutical manufacturers’ efforts to develop and produce COVID–19
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76
vaccines, and the federal government’s role in supporting those ef-
forts and ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccines. The Com-
mittee will also continue to examine issues related to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) producing and dissemi-
nating reliable public health data and information, and efforts by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review, authorize, and
approve drugs, vaccines, and devices in the fight against COVID–
19.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
The Committee will continue to examine issues related to the De-
partment of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) implementation of
the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including decisions by the Trump
Administration to administratively and illegally undermine the
ACA. This oversight will also examine the effect the Trump Admin-
istration’s decisions have had on access to comprehensive, afford-
able health care. The Committee will also examine the role the
ACA has played in providing health insurance coverage during the
COVID–19 crisis and associated economic downturn, as well as ex-
plore ways to strengthen the law in order to ensure all Americans
have access to comprehensive, affordable health care.
HHS MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
The Committee will conduct general oversight of HHS and its
agencies to ensure it is fulfilling its mission to enhance and protect
the health of all Americans. The Committee will also review HHS’s
response to the COVID–19 pandemic, including actions taken by
FDA, CDC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),
and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
related to the prevention of, preparation for, and response to
COVID–19. The Committee will also review actions taken by polit-
ical leadership at HHS during the Trump Administration that have
undermined professional morale and the public health mission of
the agency.
CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES
The Committee will review the management, operations, and ac-
tivities of CMS and the programs it administers. The Committee
will study the positive economic effect of Medicaid expansion and
impact of Medicaid expansion on access to care. The Committee
will review insurance coverage rates for children and state out-
reach efforts to enroll uninsured children. The Committee will ex-
amine attempts by the Trump Administration to administratively
and illegally undermine the Medicaid program, which provides crit-
ical services to over 70 million individuals, and the disparate im-
pact that these illegal actions had on access to care for commu-
nities of color. The Committee will also continue to examine the in-
creasing out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors under the Medicare
program, including drug therapies intended to treat COVID–19.
The Committee will examine the positive effects of capping out-of-
pocket costs in Medicare Part D and providing the Secretary of
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HHS the authority to negotiate drug prices, particularly for drugs
that lack robust market competition.
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FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND PRODUCT SAFETY
The Committee will review the management, operations, and ac-
tivities of the FDA, including the ability of the agency to ensure
the safety of the nation’s food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics, as
well as the impact of tobacco use on public health. The Committee
will examine the agency’s implementation of emergency use au-
thorities during COVID–19 response, including authorizations for
drugs, including vaccines and devices. The Committee will also in-
vestigate FDA’s enforcement of current drug supply chain and safe-
ty laws and its foreign drug inspection program. The Committee
will also oversee implementation of the Over-the-Counter Mono-
graph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act, including the establish-
ment and collection of user fees. Further, the Committee will re-
view FDA’s efforts to improve and modernize the regulatory frame-
work for medical devices and medical device safety, as well as ex-
amine FDA oversight and evaluation of diagnostic tests, including
laboratory-developed tests. The Committee will also continue to re-
view the FDA’s efforts to combat youth access to tobacco and elec-
tronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products, as well as the
agency’s enforcement and implementation of the Tobacco Control
Act, including the agency’s review of premarket tobacco product ap-
plications of new tobacco products. The Committee intends to re-
view the safety of cosmetics and personal care products in light of
the substantial increase in cosmetic imports, one of FDA’s larger
categories of imports. The Committee will also examine FDA’s stat-
utory authorities for protecting the nation’s food supply with a view
towards identifying any gaps and whether FDA’s financial and per-
sonnel resources are adequate to protect the public from unsafe
food.
PUBLIC HEALTH AND PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS
The Committee will examine the roles of various federal agencies
responsible for protecting public health, including program man-
agement and implementation. Specifically, the Committee will con-
tinue to conduct oversight of federal efforts on pandemic preven-
tion, preparedness, and response, including the COVID–19 pan-
demic as well as other infectious diseases. Oversight will include
examination of resources and programs such as the Strategic Na-
tional Stockpile, public health laboratory capacity, and disease sur-
veillance, as well as the United States’ response to additional
emerging foreign infectious disease threats. The Committee will
continue oversight of COVID–19 vaccine distribution, administra-
tion, and promotion, as well as activities to combat the under-
utilization of vaccines for other vaccine-preventable diseases. The
Committee will also continue its review of efforts to combat the
drug epidemic, including opioids and stimulants. The Committee
will examine federal coordination carried out by the Office of Na-
tional Drug Control Policy, state and local responses, and the roles
of participants in the health care delivery chain. Additionally, the
Committee will study the role our federal public health agencies
play and the actions such agencies can take to reduce health dis-
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parities among racial and ethnic minorities, and to address the
health impacts caused by gun violence in our communities. Fur-
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ther, the Committee will also review and monitor any efforts that
stymie or hinder access to comprehensive women’s health care and
reproductive health care services, which disproportionately impact
low-income women and women of color. Finally, the Committee will
also continue to monitor implementation of mental health reforms
and the work done by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health
and Substance Use, the mental health impact of the COVID–19
pandemic, as well as issues related to the health and safety of ath-
letes, including youth athletes.
HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY
The Committee will examine the Administration’s actions and
policies related to the rising costs of health care and prescriptions
drugs. This will include examining the role FDA and the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) play in the discovery, development, and
delivery of innovative medications. The Committee will also inves-
tigate the impacts higher health care costs, including rising out-of-
pocket costs, are having on American families, including seniors,
and what actions may be taken to improve affordability within our
health care system. The Committee will conduct oversight on the
implementation of legislative and administrative actions taken to
end surprise billing practices. The Committee will also continue to
review policies proposed by the Administration to lower the costs
of prescription drugs and will investigate how actions taken by
brand name and generic drug manufacturers have impacted such
costs, including abuses and gaming of current regulatory require-
ments. Further, the Committee will study the role rebates play in
the costs of prescription drugs and to our federal health care sys-
tem and how changes to rebates may impact such costs.
REUNIFICATION OF UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN
The Committee will continue to monitor and oversee HHS and
the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s efforts to provide appropriate
care to unaccompanied children who are awaiting placement with
sponsors in the United States. The Committee will also review
HHS’s role in significant policies that affect the placement and co-
ordination of unaccompanied children, including changes to proto-
cols that could delay the placement of unaccompanied children with
sponsors. The Committee’s review will also include monitoring
HHS-contracted facilities’ compliance with federal laws and regula-
tions, as well as HHS’s oversight of these facilities, including influx
facilities.
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
The Committee expects to investigate the availability, quality,
and adequacy of health care prevention and treatment services pro-
vided by the Indian Health Service. The Committee will continue
to review current implementation of the Indian Health Care Im-
provement Act and how this law and the care provided by the In-
dian Health Service is working for American Indians and Alaska
Natives in order to inform the Committee on ways to improve care
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for those who rely on these services. The Committee will also re-
view the disproportionate impact of COVID–19 on tribal commu-
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nities, as well as the quality and adequacy of the Indian Health
Service’s response to the pandemic.
HEALTH CARE INEQUALITY
Despite overall improvements in population health over time,
many health and health care disparities have persisted and, in
some cases, worsened. Addressing these disparities is important
not only from an equity standpoint, but also for improving overall
quality of health care and population health. COVID–19 did not
cause this country’s health and health care disparities, rather, the
pandemic laid bare these vast inequalities among our most vulner-
able populations. The Committee will examine issues of inequities
in our health care system on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, reli-
gion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or na-
tional origin. The Committee will also investigate the dispropor-
tionate impact of COVID–19 on communities of color, racial dis-
parities in maternal and infant mortality, and the appropriate col-
lection of demographic data related to health and health care.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS
The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the oper-
ations, management, and activities of the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), including the effect of its decisions on pro-
tecting consumers, promoting privacy and data security, encour-
aging universal broadband access and adoption, technologies and
services, supply chain security, increasing diversity of ownership
and competition, and ensuring adequate emergency communica-
tions capability. Additionally, the Committee will evaluate the ef-
fect of FCC actions on spectrum policy, network resiliency, and
public safety, as well as data, video, voice, and audio services.
NATIONAL TELECOMMUNCIATIONS AND INFORMATION
ADMINSTRATION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the oper-
ations, management, and activities of the National Telecommuni-
cations and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Depart-
ment of Commerce, including its efforts to promote cybersecurity,
supply chain security, consumer privacy, efficient federal spectrum
use, spectrum sharing, spectrum management, emergency commu-
nications, and network resiliency. The Committee will continue to
oversee the NTIA’s efforts to promote broadband deployment and
adoption, including the establishment of two new offices, the Office
of Internet Connectivity and Growth and the Office of Minority
Broadband Initiatives, and the tribal and rural grant programs.
Additionally, the Committee will evaluate the work of the NTIA in
representing the interests of the United States in international
meetings and negotiations relating to telecommunications and
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internet governance.
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BROADBAND INTERNET DEPLOYMENT, AFFORDABILITY ADOPTION,
AND OPENNESS
The Committee will conduct oversight of funding mechanisms for
broadband deployment and adoption, including the Universal Serv-
ice Fund, and whether such programs adequately and efficiently
promote broadband deployment and adoption for consumers. The
Committee will exercise its jurisdiction to oversee the process—and
the effects on consumers, small businesses, and free speech—asso-
ciated with the repeal of net neutrality. The Committee will exer-
cise its jurisdiction over broadband to ensure continued growth and
investment in the internet. The Committee will also continue to ex-
ercise its jurisdiction over wireless and wired communications to
ensure our nation’s policies governing voice, video, audio, and data
services are promoting investment, innovation, access, affordability,
and job creation. The Committee will oversee the programs estab-
lished in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to increase
internet access and affordability, including the Emergency
Broadband Benefit Program and the Secure and Trusted Commu-
nications Networks Reimbursement Program at the FCC, and the
tribal and broadband deployment grant programs and the Con-
necting Minority Communities Pilot Program at the NTIA.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
The Committee will continue to examine the progress being made
to ensure that first responders have interoperable communications
capabilities with local, state, and federal public safety officials, in-
cluding through the efforts of the Emergency Communications Di-
vision within the Department of Homeland Security. The Com-
mittee will also examine the progress being made by the First Re-
sponder Network Authority in carrying out the mandates of the
Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. In addition,
the Committee will conduct oversight regarding the implementa-
tion of legacy 911 and Next Generation 911 (NG911) services. The
Committee will review efforts to promote deployment of these ad-
vanced systems and challenges to realizing ubiquitous NG911.
SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT
The Committee will continue to oversee FCC and NTIA manage-
ment, allocation, and coordination of the nation’s spectrum for gov-
ernment and commercial use to ensure the highest and best use of
public airwaves for consumers and federal users. The Committee
will further examine whether current plans for reallocating spec-
trum encourage competition, benefit consumers, and are in the
public interest while continuing to protect national security. The
Committee will oversee FCC and NTIA implementation of the Mid-
dle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, the Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2015, the RAY BAUM’s Act, the Spectrum IT Mod-
ernization Act, and the Beat China for 5G Act of 2020.
MEDIA AND JOURNALISM
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The Committee will continue to oversee the FCC’s efforts to di-
versify the broadcast and cable media landscape, including the
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quadrennial review of media ownership regulations and equal em-
ployment opportunity obligations. The Committee will also examine
the role and decline of local journalism and the impact on the
spread of misinformation and disinformation.
SECTION 230
The Committee will continue to review the effects of Section 230
of the Communications Decency Act. The Committee will review to
what extent that liability shield promotes or discourages appro-
priate content moderation online that facilitates a healthy internet
ecosystem. The Committee will review how online platforms are ad-
dressing the proliferation and amplification of disinformation and
extremism online and what they can do to remedy such prolifera-
tion and amplification.
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND COMMERCE ISSUES
PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY
The Committee will examine issues relating to the privacy and
security of consumers’ personal information collected by businesses
and the potential methods for improving privacy protections to ben-
efit consumers. The Committee will also continue to investigate
whether all companies that collect consumer data are fully imple-
menting data security and privacy safeguards that ensure con-
sumers’ personal information is not stolen or misused.
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Committee will continue to review the Consumer Product
Safety Commission’s (CPSC) overall operations, including the effec-
tiveness of its rulemaking, compliance, and enforcement activities,
engagement in voluntary standard-setting activities, and the mod-
ernization of its staff and information technology infrastructure.
The Committee will also continue to monitor the CPSC’s port sur-
veillance program to evaluate its effectiveness in identifying and
preventing unsafe consumer products entering the United States,
especially products in e-commerce shipments entering under the de
minimis value exemption. The Committee will also exercise its ju-
risdiction to improve the safety of consumer products to prevent in-
juries and deaths.
NHTSA MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, FUEL ECONOMY, AND
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
The Committee will continue oversight of the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), including the effectiveness
of the agency’s regulations, investigations, structure, research ac-
tivities, data collection, and enforcement actions pertaining to
motor vehicle safety. The Committee will examine NHTSA’s ability
to effectively oversee and regulate advanced safety technologies in-
cluding advanced driver assistance systems, partially automated
vehicles, and highly automated vehicles. The Committee will also
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examine whether NHTSA effectively monitors and investigates
safety issues, and whether it effectively manages recalls. The Com-
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mittee will work to oversee manufacturers, automobile dealers, and
other entities selling or deploying vehicles to improve motor vehicle
safety to protect drivers, passengers, and all others who share the
roadways. The Committee will continue oversight of fuel economy
standards for motor vehicles developed by NHTSA.
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS AND
CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Committee will review the management, authorities, oper-
ations, investigative, rulemaking, and enforcement actions of the
Federal Trade Commission. The Committee will review consumer
protection activities related to privacy, data security, accountability
of technology companies for unfair and deceptive practices, fraud,
scams, and deceptive advertising.
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS
The Committee will review the management, operations, rule-
making, and enforcement actions of the Consumer Financial Pro-
tection Bureau, and whether the Bureau is achieving its consumer
protection mission.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS AND
MANUFACTURING AND TRADE
The Committee will conduct oversight of the Commerce Depart-
ment and its efforts to promote manufacturing and exports. The
Committee will monitor and examine interstate commerce as well
as bilateral agreements and multilateral trade agreements as those
agreements relate to services, commodities, and industries within
the Committee’s jurisdiction, including energy, telecommunications,
consumer products, e-commerce, food, and drugs. The Committee
will examine whether these agreements adequately protect the in-
terests of domestic and foreign workers, the environment, and con-
sumers. The Committee will also explore the state of manufac-
turing in the United States to identify factors that are hampering
or furthering the nation’s competitiveness and factors that benefit
or hurt American workers.
TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY
The Committee will monitor and examine how the technology in-
dustry, including social media and e-commerce platforms, is affect-
ing diversity, product safety, interstate commerce, fraud, and the
proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, hate, and extre-
mism.
MISCELLANEOUS
CYBERSECURITY
The Committee will continue to examine the protection of infor-
mation and technology vital to our national and economic security
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by examining vulnerabilities and paths to defend against future at-
tacks. The Committee will conduct oversight of actions and pro-
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grams of the National Institute of Standards and Technology as
well as efforts of relevant agencies to implement the Homeland Se-
curity Act of 2002. Additionally, the Committee will review the ef-
forts of agencies within its jurisdiction to secure their networks.
The Committee will also examine initiatives to improve cybersecu-
rity both in the private and public sectors, and review efforts at
agencies within the Committee’s jurisdiction to regulate cybersecu-
rity.
BIOTERRORISM PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
The Committee will continue to monitor the roles of HHS agen-
cies in assisting the nation’s capability, detection, and response to
possible biological attacks. The Committee will also evaluate the
potential impact and preparedness of the nation’s public health sys-
tem. The Committee will continue to review the extent of the co-
ordination between HHS and the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity (DHS), especially as it relates to Project Bioshield, and imple-
mentation of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Pre-
paredness and Response Act of 2002 by HHS.
FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF HIGH-CONTAINMENT BIO LABORATORIES
The Committee will conduct oversight of issues related to high-
containment bio laboratories, which handle some of the most dan-
gerous and exotic diseases, including anthrax, smallpox, Ebola
virus, and foot and mouth disease. Among the issues under review
will be the adequacy of the security and practices of high-contain-
ment bio laboratories and federal efforts to oversee the labora-
tories, and whether some of these efforts are overlapping and dupli-
cative.
SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR CHEMICAL FACILITIES
The Committee will conduct oversight of mandates across agen-
cies to ensure the safety and security of chemical facilities, includ-
ing implementation of DHS’s Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism
Standards Program and EPA’s Risk Management Planning Pro-
gram. The Committee will also examine threats to these facilities
from climate change and extreme weather. Additionally, the Com-
mittee will review the organization and activities of the Chemical
Safety Board.
SCIENTIFIC AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS
The Committee will review programs to assess the objectives,
transparency, and integrity of scientific assessments that inform
regulatory and public health policies. The Committee will examine
issues relating to the numerous Federal science programs assessing
public health risks, including the Integrated Risk Information Sys-
tem at the EPA, the Report on Carcinogens produced by the Na-
tional Toxicology Program at HHS, and assessments proposed or
ongoing in other Federal departments and agencies.
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WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
The Committee will conduct oversight of departments and agen-
cies under its jurisdiction to ensure adequate and prompt imple-
mentation of recommendations from the Government Account-
ability Office, Offices of Inspectors General, and other sources to
eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
The Committee will examine DHS’s activities with respect to
identifying high-priority assets and implementing plans to protect
these assets in areas within the Committee’s jurisdiction. The Com-
mittee will also examine the activities of DOE, FERC, TSA, and
other Federal agencies related the physical security and cybersecu-
rity of the nation’s energy infrastructure, including DOE’s authori-
ties and responsibilities as the sector-specific agency for energy se-
curity. The Committee will also conduct oversight of HHS and
EPA’s responsibilities and authorities as sector-specific agencies for
activities related to the nation’s critical infrastructure for commu-
nications, chemicals, emergency services, and others within the
Committee’s jurisdiction. Additionally, the Committee will examine
the roles and responsibilities of other relevant agencies, such as the
FCC, as well as the private sector.
NUCLEAR SMUGGLING
The Committee will continue to monitor private sector and Fed-
eral government efforts at seaports, border crossings, and mail fa-
cilities. The Committee’s review will examine and assess DOE and
U.S. Customs and Border Protection efforts, including international
efforts, aimed at detecting and preventing the smuggling of dan-
gerous commerce, particularly radiological and nuclear weapons of
mass destruction.
ONLINE PLATFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Committee will examine the effect of online platform prac-
tices on the public good, free speech, and democratic principles, in-
cluding through algorithmic bias. The Committee will also review
the extent to which competition exists among online platforms, and
how consolidation affects consumers.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN FEDERALLY-FUNDED ENTITIES AND
ACTIVITIES
The Committee will provide oversight over all agencies under its
jurisdiction to promote policies of diversity and inclusion in order
to ensure that these federally-funded agencies are representative of
the nation as a whole and are working to support the interests of
all communities and all segments of the overall population.
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COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES
OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL
SERVICES FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
Pursuant to clause 2(d)(1) of rule X of the House of Representa-
tives, the following constitutes the oversight plan of the Committee
on Financial Services for the 117th Congress. It includes areas in
which the Committee and its subcommittees expect to conduct
oversight during the 117th Congress; it does not preclude oversight
or investigation of additional matters or programs as they arise.
The Committee will consult, as appropriate, with other Committees
of the House that may share jurisdiction on any of the subjects list-
ed below.
COVID–19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE
Ensure Equitable Administration and Distribution of Housing
Relief Funds. The Committee will conduct oversight of federal
agencies’, grantees’, and industry’s administration of, and compli-
ance with, COVID–19 housing protections and relief programs to
ensure proper implementation, including compliance with fair
housing and fair lending laws, and equitable treatment of, and allo-
cations of funds to, hardest hit communities. The Committee will
also review the effectiveness of eviction and foreclosure moratoria
and mortgage forbearance in keeping people safely housed during
the pandemic.
Support for Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) and Commu-
nity Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). The Committee
will examine opportunities to support community financial institu-
tions such as MDIs and CDFIs to ensure that they can continue
to assist minority entrepreneurs that are overlooked by traditional
financial institutions, particularly during the COVID–19 pandemic.
The Committee will also review legislation that will direct critical
sources of capital and investment to CDFIs and MDIs to ensure
that these institutions have the tools they need to serve their com-
munities.
Protecting Consumers During the Pandemic. The Committee will
examine how consumers have been affected by the pandemic, in-
cluding to the degree financial institutions utilize the flexibility
provided by Congress and regulators to provide forbearance and
loan modifications for affected consumers. The Committee will also
examine consumer impacts and protections relating to credit re-
porting and debt collection, and the degree to which unfair, decep-
tive, and abusive acts or practices committed during the pandemic
are combatted through robust enforcement.
Global Response to the Pandemic. The Committee will continue
to oversee the role international financial institutions, including
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the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, are playing
in the international response to the COVID–19 pandemic, including
efforts to ensure an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
Defense Production Act. The Committee will monitor the effec-
tiveness of the Defense Production Act and its individual authori-
ties in promoting national security and recovery from natural dis-
asters. In particular, the Committee will monitor the use of the Act
to boost production of medical supplies and equipment to combat
the COVID-19 Pandemic.
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Committee will examine
the budget requests submitted by HUD and USDA for programs
under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including consideration of any
legislative recommendations included in those requests. The Com-
mittee will also review HUD’s and the Rural Housing Service’s
(RHS) general codes of conduct and other policies.
Homelessness. The Committee will examine the current state of
homelessness in the United States of America and the federal re-
sponse to ending homelessness, including oversight of the Con-
tinuum of Care (CoC) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) pro-
grams under the Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), the HUD Veteran Affairs Supported Housing program
(HUD VASH), as well as efforts by the U.S. Interagency Council on
Homelessness (USICH) to coordinate various federal agencies to-
wards the national goals to end homelessness. The Committee will
review the causes and possible solutions to address homelessness,
including in parts of the country where homelessness has reached
crisis levels. The Committee will also consider ways to better serve
those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Rental Housing Crisis. The Committee will examine the current
rental housing crisis that is burdening families across the country
with unaffordable rents. The Committee will examine the role of
existing federal housing programs in addressing the rental housing
crisis, including public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
(HCVs), Section 8 project-based rental assistance (PBRA), the Sec-
tion 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, the Section
811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program, the
HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME), the Low In-
come Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and the Housing Trust
Fund (HTF). As part of its review, the Committee will examine the
conduct of landlords participating in these programs as well as in-
vestigate HUD’s oversight of landlord participants to ensure regu-
lations are complied with. The Committee will also review the limi-
tations of existing programs at current funding levels. The Com-
mittee will consider solutions to address the rental housing crisis,
including proposals to enhance preservation of affordable rental
housing, increase affordable rental housing opportunities through
development of additional rental stock and robust rental assist-
ance, and ensure that affordable rental housing is accessible and
integrated for persons who are seniors and/or have a disability.
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Public Housing. The Committee will examine the rising mainte-
nance and capital needs of the aging public housing stock and the
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limitations of current federal funding levels to address these needs.
As part of its examination, the Committee will investigate the pres-
ence of lead, mold, and other health hazards in the nation’s public
housing system and seek ways to ensure capital repairs are made
in order to improve the health and well-being of residents. The
Committee will review the role of public housing as part of a fed-
eral strategy to address affordable housing needs and will monitor
HUD’s use of the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) and the
demolition and disposition processes as they affect public housing
and its residents. The Committee will monitor HUD’s implementa-
tion and oversight of the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration
program and the effects of such programs on tenants.
Rural Housing. The Committee will examine the affordable hous-
ing needs in rural communities and the limitations in meeting
those needs through existing programs due to current funding lev-
els. In particular, the Committee will examine the aging stock of
properties with Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Loans and 516
Farm Labor Housing Loans, and USDA’s strategy for preserving
these properties and preventing tenant displacement. The Com-
mittee will consider legislation to help preserve these properties
and prevent the displacement of tenants. The Committee will also
monitor USDA’s management of the Section 521 Rental Assistance
(RA) program, the Rural Development Voucher program, the Sec-
tion 502 Direct and Guaranteed Loan programs the Multifamily
Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Loans and
Grants, and the Section 523 Mutual Self-Help grant program.
Community Development. The Committee will consider opportu-
nities to better leverage and coordinate housing development with
neighborhood resources such as transportation and community cen-
ters through programs like the Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG).
Climate Change and Green Housing. The Committee will exam-
ine proposals to address historic and emerging effects of climate
change and environmental hazards in housing and on communities
living in areas at disproportionate risk. The Committee will also
consider opportunities to incentivize greener and more energy effi-
cient measures across the housing market and industry, including
through comprehensive risk and environmental assessments.
Disaster Recovery, Resilience, and Sustainable Development. The
Committee will conduct oversight of the Community Development
Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG–DR) program and ongoing
efforts to provide relief and bolster resilience in disaster-stricken
areas. The Committee will review proposals to permanently author-
ize the CDBG–DR program and enhance our nation’s ability to
mitigate and withstand future disasters in the face of climate
change, which is contributing to the frequency and magnitude of
natural disasters.
Fair Housing. The Committee will conduct oversight of fair hous-
ing enforcement under HUD, including the activities conducted by
the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). The
Committee will also monitor HUD’s ongoing rulemaking processes
on the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) mandate and
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the disparate impact standard under the Fair Housing Act. The
Committee will also monitor other federal agencies’ equitable im-
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plementation and administration of federal housing funds and pro-
grams, as mandated under the Fair Housing Act, such as the De-
partment of the Treasury, the Department of Agriculture, and the
Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NeighborWorks).
Native American and Native Hawaiian Housing. The Committee
will conduct oversight of programs under the Native American
Housing and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) and con-
sider proposals to reauthorize those programs and ensure inclusion
of the descendants of Freedmen. The Committee will also monitor
HUD’s administration of the recent appropriation of an additional
$100 million for the Native American Housing Block Grants pro-
gram, which will be allocated through a competitive grant process.
Housing Finance and Access to Homeownership. The Committee
will examine the health of our housing finance system and the ex-
tent to which it is serving all creditworthy borrowers, especially
low and moderate income (LMI) borrowers, borrowers of color,
rural borrowers, and other underserved borrowers. The Committee
will consider proposals to reform the housing finance system, in-
cluding in real estate appraisals.
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Federal National Mort-
gage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Cor-
poration (Freddie Mac), Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs). The
Committee will monitor the operations, activities and initiatives of
the FHFA, and review its general code of conduct and other agency
policies. The Committee will monitor Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac’s activities under conservatorship, including their response to
ongoing pandemic-related housing needs. The Committee will also
review the FHFA’s initiatives related to capital held by Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac, especially as such initiatives affect access to
credit. The Committee will monitor the capital requirements and fi-
nancial stability of the FHLB system, as well as the FHLB sys-
tem’s ability to fulfill its housing and community economic develop-
ment mission and provide liquidity to member banks in a safe and
sound manner.
Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). The
Committee will examine Ginnie Mae to ensure that the agency has
the necessary resources, procedures, and oversight to manage its
portfolio, including Ginnie Mae’s response to its growing exposure
to nonbank risks.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The Committee will ex-
amine FHA to ensure that it has the necessary resources, proce-
dures, and oversight to manage its portfolio, including ongoing
challenges due to an aging technological infrastructure. The Com-
mittee will also review the FHA’s premium rates.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). The Committee will examine
the role that private mortgage insurance plays in the housing fi-
nance system in providing access to homeownership and consider
the effects of capital requirements placed on PMI companies by
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Mortgage Servicing. The Committee will examine the adequacy of
existing regulatory requirements and oversight of the servicing in-
dustry, including the adequacy of the federal response to the grow-
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ing share of nonbank servicers. The Committee will consider
whether FHFA needs additional authority to establish prudential
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management and operations standards for its servicers. The Com-
mittee will also consider legislative solutions to enhance FHA’s
oversight and enforcement of its loss mitigation requirements and
to address policies that may cause unnecessary foreclosures, includ-
ing foreclosures on seniors with reverse mortgages and on those
who have been affected by natural disasters and national emer-
gencies.
INSURANCE
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Committee will
examine the role of the NFIP in providing affordable insurance to
homeowners, renters, and businesses, investing in mitigation, and
providing maps to aid communities in their flood plain manage-
ment efforts. The Committee will examine proposals to reauthorize
and reform the NFIP to enhance affordability, mapping, and miti-
gation, and to improve the efficiency and transparency associated
with the processing of claims submitted by policyholders. The NFIP
is set to expire on September 30, 2021.
Federal Insurance Office (FIO). The Committee will conduct over-
sight of FIO’s work on domestic and international insurance policy,
including the extent to which traditionally underserved commu-
nities and consumers have access to affordable insurance products.
Climate Risk. The Committee will examine the extent to which
insurance companies’ exposure to the physical and transition risks
of climate change is being adequately measured.
Terrorism Risk Insurance Program. The Committee will conduct
oversight over the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program, which was
reauthorized in the last Congress.
Business Interruption Insurance. The Committee will monitor
and examine the extent to which businesses were affected by a lack
of business interruption coverage during the COVID–19 crisis, and
consider proposals aimed at supporting businesses disrupted by
pandemics and other public health crises.
Insurance Sector Supervision. The Committee will monitor the
insurance sector generally, which may include examining the role
of capital requirements in the insurance sector, including state,
federal, and international efforts to revise capital requirements for
insurance companies, the application of federal capital require-
ments for insurance companies that own depository institutions,
the role of state guaranty funds, issues related to consumer protec-
tion and discrimination in the insurance sector, and issues or gaps
in the regulation of insurers that could contribute to a systemic cri-
sis in the insurance industry or the U.S. financial system. The
Committee will also review implementation of the Military Per-
sonnel Financial Services Protection Act, which was passed in re-
sponse to abuses in the marketing and sale of securities and life
insurance products to servicemembers.
International Insurance Developments. The Committee will mon-
itor developments related to international regulatory standards for
insurance companies, including actions taken by the Financial Sta-
bility Board, the International Association of Insurance Super-
visors, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Devel-
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opment. The Committee will also monitor any developments related
to covered agreements made pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall
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Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank
Act).
Cyber Insurance. The Committee may examine developments re-
lated to the market for cyber insurance and the insurance indus-
try’s susceptibility to cybersecurity risks.
Auto Insurance. The Committee may review the state of the auto-
mobile insurance market in America with a particular focus on
issues of access and affordability for lower- and middle-income
Americans, minorities, and traditionally underserved communities.
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Protecting Consumers and Consumer Financial Protection Bu-
reau. The Committee will monitor the current state of consumer fi-
nancial protection by assessing the adequacy of protections for all
consumers. The Committee will examine any unique challenges ex-
perienced in, and faced by, traditionally underserved communities
and populations in obtaining mainstream consumer financial prod-
ucts and services, including the root causes for credit deserts in
rural and urban communities that have resulted in millions of
unbanked and underbanked consumers. The Committee will con-
sider methods to improve the financial well-being of other vulner-
able consumers such as older Americans, active- duty
servicemembers, veterans, students, young adults, racial and eth-
nic minorities, and immigrants. The Committee will also closely ex-
amine the exercise of the regulatory, supervisory, and enforcement
power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Consumer
Bureau). The Committee will conduct oversight to ensure that the
Consumer Bureau is fully complying with both the spirit and letter
of its purpose, objectives, and mission articulated under title X of
the Dodd-Frank Act to combat unfair, deceptive, abusive acts and
practices in the offering and provision of consumer financial prod-
ucts.
Student Debt Crisis. The Committee will examine the financial
and economic implications of the growing student debt crisis, in-
cluding how a borrower’s inability to repay student debt can serve
as a barrier to homeownership, entrepreneurship, and other eco-
nomic activities. The Committee will also examine the dispropor-
tionate impact the student debt crisis has on borrowers of color and
low-income borrowers. The Committee will monitor the effective-
ness of student borrower protections, including as it relates to pri-
vate education loan servicing standards.
Consumer Protections for Military Servicemembers. The Com-
mittee will examine the adequacy, supervision, and enforcement of
all consumer financial protections, including those provided
through the Military Lending Act (MLA) and the Servicemembers
Civil Relief Act (SCRA), afforded to active-duty servicemembers
and their families.
High Cost Short-Term Credit and Debt Collection. The Com-
mittee will review the effectiveness and extent to which consumer
protections are implemented and enforced with respect to payday
lending, other forms of short-term credit, and debt collection. The
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Committee will also review the use of overdraft services, and its
impact on consumers.
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Mandatory Arbitration. The Committee will monitor the use and
effect of mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements, and similar
provisions, that limit consumers’ ability to participate in a class ac-
tion case against financial institutions when they have been
harmed.
Fair Access to Affordable Consumer Financial Products and Serv-
ices. The Committee will consider ways to expand access to main-
stream financial services among traditionally underserved seg-
ments of the U.S. population. The Committee will evaluate pro-
posals to update certain Federal consumer financial laws to ensure
that they are meeting the evolving financial needs of consumers.
Discrimination in Lending. The Committee will examine the ef-
fectiveness of regulators’ fair lending oversight and enforcement ef-
forts to ensure that the Federal government does not tolerate dis-
crimination. The Committee will also examine the quantity and
quality of data, including that provided under the Home Mortgage
Disclosure Act (HMDA), to ensure discriminatory policies practices
can be identified and addressed.
Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The Committee will monitor
any legislative and regulatory proposals to reform the Community
Reinvestment Act of 1977.
Department of the Treasury, Financial Stability Oversight Coun-
cil (FSOC) and Office of Financial Research (OFR). The Committee
will review the operations and resources of the Department of the
Treasury, as well as its code of conduct and other policies. The
Committee will monitor financial stability and systemic risk issues,
including all matters relating to the operations, activities, and ini-
tiatives of the FSOC and OFR to identify and mitigate threats to
financial stability in the United States. This will also include a re-
view of risks posed by nonbank financial institutions, including
hedge funds, and shifts in the mortgage market, including the
subprime market, from bank financing to non-bank financing.
Supervision and Enforcement of Financial Institutions. The Com-
mittee will review the operations, activities, initiatives, codes of
conduct and other agency policies of the Federal Reserve Board of
Governors, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC),
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and National Cred-
it Union Administration (NCUA). This work will include examining
financial regulators’ supervision of the banking, thrift and credit
union industries for safety and soundness and compliance with
laws and regulations. The Committee will also monitor their en-
forcement activities, including ensuring the compliance of regulated
institutions with existing consent orders, settlement agreements,
deferred prosecution agreements, or similar arrangements. The
Committee will also evaluate the supervision of nonbank financial
companies by the Consumer Bureau.
Enhanced Prudential Standards for Large Banks. The Com-
mittee will monitor how enhanced prudential standards are being
applied to the largest banks operating in the United States, includ-
ing foreign-based institutions. This will include oversight of the
adequacy of capital, liquidity, leverage and stress testing require-
ments. The Committee will oversee efforts to promote the orderly
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resolution of any large financial institution operating in the United
States that fails, including through Dodd-Frank Act’s living wills
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requirements and the Orderly Liquidity Authority. The Committee
will examine the financial regulators’ implementation of Section
619 of the Dodd-Frank Act, known as the ‘‘Volcker Rule.’’ The Com-
mittee will also monitor the structure, ownership, activities and
risk-taking by large depository institutions and their holding com-
panies.
Bank Mergers and Market Concentration. The Committee will
monitor market concentration and merger activity involving banks
and other financial companies. The Committee will examine the
standards for regulatory review of such mergers, and consider the
impacts of ongoing merger activity, especially as it relates to larger
financial institutions, including the impact that mergers have on
competition, consumers, workers, communities, and financial sta-
bility.
Residential and Commercial Real Estate Mortgage Loans. The
Committee will monitor the residential and commercial real estate
mortgage markets, including examining access to affordable and
fair home mortgage lending, and the effectiveness of disclosures
provided to borrowers about the terms and conditions of these
loans. The Committee will also review proposals related to home
improvement loans for improving the energy efficiency of a house.
Community Financial Institutions, including CDFIs and MDIs.
The Committee will review issues related to the health, growth,
safety, and soundness of community banks and credit unions, as
well as their role in lending to small businesses and promoting eco-
nomic growth. This will include examining the status of MDIs and
CDFIs, and the important role they play in providing access to
credit for consumers as well as small and minority-owned busi-
nesses.
Access to Credit and Borrower Protections for Small Businesses.
The Committee will consider proposals that facilitate access to af-
fordable credit for small businesses, and will examine the ability
for the public, regulators, and Congress to monitor trends in small
business lending. The Committee will also review the effectiveness
of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), and consider
proposals to reauthorize the SSBCI in response to the pandemic.
Moreover, the Committee will examine and consider proposals to
strengthen borrower protections for small businesses.
Cybersecurity and Privacy. The Committee will monitor the effec-
tiveness of cybersecurity in the U.S. financial system. The Com-
mittee will evaluate the current level of safeguards relating to pro-
tecting the security and confidentiality of personally identifiable in-
formation from loss, unauthorized access, or misuse. The Com-
mittee will also examine the effectiveness of data breach notifica-
tions and issues related to consumer privacy and consumer control
of their own data, including sensitive financial and credit informa-
tion.
Credit Scores and Credit Reports. The Committee will examine
the state of the credit reporting system, including the accuracy of
credit scores to assess creditworthiness, the impact medical debt
can have on credit scores, and the difficulties consumers face in
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correcting inaccurate information in their credit file. The Com-
mittee will also examine additional data and methods that have
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the potential to improve assessing the creditworthiness of bor-
rowers with appropriate safeguards and protections.
Payments System. The Committee will review government and
private sector efforts to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of
the payments system in the United States, and its potential effect
on consumers and small businesses.
Credit and other Payment Cards. The Committee will monitor
payment card industry practices, including consumer protections
with respect to the use of credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid
cards. The Committee will also examine the effectiveness of the
Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD)
Act of 2009.
Money Services Businesses, Remittances, and De-risking. The
Committee will examine the operations of money services busi-
nesses and the role they play in the financial system. The Com-
mittee will also oversee the ability of consumers to utilize financial
services to affordably remit cross-border payments, as well as con-
sider proposals to mitigate financial institutions engaged in de-
risking that results in unnecessary account closures.
Financial Education. The Committee will review efforts to pro-
mote greater financial literacy among consumers, particularly mat-
ters affecting traditionally underserved communities and popu-
lations.
Cannabis Banking. The Committee will examine the difficulties,
including public safety concerns, that cannabis-related businesses
experience as a result of being unable to access basic banking serv-
ices. The Committee will also review legislative proposals that al-
leviate legal and compliance risks for financial institutions related
to providing such services to cannabis-related businesses in states
where cannabis use, sale, or distribution is authorized.
Climate Risk. The Committee will monitor and evaluate efforts
by the Treasury Department, Financial Stability Oversight Council
(FSOC), Federal Reserve and other prudential regulators to inte-
grate risks associated with climate change into their supervisory
framework.
MONETARY POLICY
The Federal Reserve System. The Committee will conduct over-
sight of the operations and activities of the Federal Reserve Sys-
tem, including its conduct of monetary policy, its regulation and su-
pervision of the financial services sector, its role in the payment
system, and its susceptibility to cybersecurity threats and other se-
curity risks. The Committee will convene hearings to receive the
testimony of the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Re-
serve System and related semi-annual reports on the conduct of
monetary policy. As part of this effort, the Committee will review
issues associated with monetary policy and the state of the econ-
omy, including implementation of the updated monetary policy
framework adopted by the Federal Open Market Committee in
2020, and whether the current path of monetary policy is con-
sistent with the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of price stability
and maximum employment. The Committee will continue to con-
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duct oversight of the Federal Reserve’s extraordinary actions to
stimulate economic recovery in response to the COVID–19 pan-
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demic, including through quarterly hearings on the CARES Act
from the Treasury Secretary and Federal Reserve Chair, and over-
sight over any emergency lending facilities set up to respond to eco-
nomic conditions. The Committee will examine the implications of
the Fed’s emergency lending and large-scale asset purchases have
for economic recovery, financial stability, and the mechanics of
monetary policy.
The Economy and its Impact on Living Standards. The Com-
mittee will examine the extent to which changes in the economy,
and in particular, changes in labor and capital markets, public pol-
icy, and trade have altered the way in which policymakers should
think about the relationship between economic growth, productivity
growth, and growth in employment and incomes. The Committee
will examine these relationships to determine policy responses that
will increase our ability to improve the standard of living for Amer-
ican families.
Coins and Currency. The Committee will conduct oversight of the
printing and minting of U.S. currency and coins, including the ac-
tivities of the Bureau of the Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, and of the operation of programs administered by the
U.S. Mint for producing congressionally authorized commemorative
coins, bullion coins for investors, and Congressional gold medals.
The Committee will review efforts to detect and combat the coun-
terfeiting of U.S. coins and currency in the United States and
abroad. The Committee will also examine methods to reduce the
cost of minting coins using alternative metals and will examine ef-
forts to make currency more accessible to the visually impaired.
The Committee will also consider how to ensure that depictions
and representations on coins and currency fully represent the di-
versity of the United States. The Committee will also monitor and
evaluate the Federal Reserve’s research and potential development
of a central bank digital currency.
INVESTOR PROTECTION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Committee will
examine the budget, operations and organizational structure of the
SEC, and review any new rulemakings.
Investor Confidence. The Committee will examine the factors af-
fecting investor confidence in U.S. capital markets, including inves-
tor perspectives on the quality, quantity, and utility of investment-
related disclosures; the effectiveness of public companies’ internal
controls over financial reporting; corporate accountability to share-
holders; and, the costs of trading securities. The Committee will
also review the effect on investor confidence of fraud and other mis-
conduct and the SEC’s efforts to hold bad actors accountable.
Standard of Care Owed by Financial Advisers and Broker Deal-
ers. The Committee will examine the SEC’s rulemaking package
and interpretations surrounding Regulation Best Interest and
Form CRS Relationship Summary. The Committee will review the
SEC’s efforts to revise those regulations and interpretations con-
sistent with Section 913(g) of the Dodd-Frank Act, to protect inves-
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tors and reduce confusion by requiring investment advisers and
broker dealers to comply with the same fiduciary standard of care.
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The Committee will also consider legislation related to the stand-
ard of care owed to investors by financial advisers.
Mandatory Arbitration. The Committee will examine the effect of
mandatory arbitration requirements on securities investors, as well
as the balance, fairness, and efficiency of the current arbitration
system.
Entrepreneurship. The Committee will monitor market conditions
affecting entrepreneurs’ access to capital, with emphasis on the
capital formation efforts of small businesses, including any unique
challenges faced by minority-, women-, and veteran-owned small
businesses. Additionally, the Committee will examine the conduct
of intermediaries in the capital formation process, such as anti-
competitive behavior among underwriters of initial public offerings
(IPOs). The Committee will also consider legislative proposals to
promote entrepreneurship and enhance the attractiveness of U.S.
public equity markets to investors and businesses.
Corporate Governance. The Committee will review developments
and issues concerning corporate governance of public companies,
including proposals to increase accountability to shareholders
through improved shareholder access to management’s proxy,
shareholder nomination of directors, and majority voting. The Com-
mittee will also examine ways to improve the integrity of the
shareholder voting process and corporate sustainability disclosures,
including those related to the effects of climate change.
Executive Compensation. The Committee will review the SEC’s
implementation of regulations requiring greater transparency in
disclosures of executive compensation arrangements, including the
SEC’s and the other federal financial agencies’ progress in com-
pleting related rulemakings mandated under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Capital Formation in Private and Public Markets. The Com-
mittee will examine the private and public capital markets and the
factors U.S. companies evaluate when deciding to go public, such
as underwriting fees. The Committee will monitor the use of new
and expanded private offering exemptions from the JOBS Act, in-
cluding Regulation D, Regulation A+, and Regulation
Crowdfunding, and examine ways to improve investor protections
in private offerings. The Committee will examine the current defi-
nition of ‘‘accredited investors’’ and ways to improve that definition
to ensure that those investors have the financial sophistication and
wherewithal to invest in private offerings.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs). The Committee will mon-
itor the operations, initiatives, and activities of SROs, including the
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and Financial In-
dustry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA). The Committee also
will consider limitations or regulatory gaps in the current SRO sys-
tem and ways to streamline and strengthen the regulatory, compli-
ance, examination, and enforcement structure.
Hedge Funds and Private Pools of Capital. The Committee will
examine the current state of the hedge fund, private equity and al-
ternative investment industry. The Committee will review the role
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hedge funds and private pools of capital serve in the capital mar-
kets, and their interaction with investors, financial intermediaries,
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and public companies. The Committee will also examine hedge
funds and private equity funds as investment vehicles for pension
funds.
Investment Companies. The Committee will review the current
state of regulation of investment companies and their advisers with
respect to mutual fund operations, governance, disclosure, and
sales in the States and Territories. The Committee also will review
the effectiveness and efficiency of the approval process for new
products, such as exchange-traded funds, and the SEC’s efforts to
standardize that process. The Committee will also review the role
investment companies played in Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis. The
Committee will review Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as
investment vehicles and how the industry uses REITs to finance
various projects, including the financing of private prisons and im-
migration detention centers.
Credit Rating Agencies. The Committee will examine the role
that Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organizations
(NRSROs), also known as credit rating agencies, play in the U.S.
capital markets, and review the effectiveness of the SEC’s regula-
tion and oversight of NRSROs. The Committee will also examine
ways to limit conflicts associated with NRSROs compensation, ap-
proaches to increase their accountability, and the possibility of reg-
ulatory fee assessments.
Financial Accounting and Auditing. The Committee will review
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (PCAOB’s) over-
sight of auditors of public companies and broker-dealers, including
standard-setting and the results of the PCAOB’s inspection pro-
grams. The Committee will also monitor the impact of exemptions
to the scope of the auditing and internal controls requirements of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the adequacy of investor pro-
tections applicable to exempt entities. The Committee will also
monitor the work of the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB) and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
Cybersecurity. The Committee will examine the risks that cyber-
security threats pose to the U.S. capital markets, including invest-
ment and operational risks associated with public companies. The
Committee will also monitor the efforts of the SEC, SROs, and
SEC-registered firms to guard against cybersecurity risks and pro-
tect sensitive, market-moving data and personally identifiable in-
formation (PII) of investors. The Committee will investigate the cy-
bersecurity implications of the creation, movement, and manage-
ment of cryptocurrencies and the usage of blockchain technology.
Fixed income markets. The Committee will review recent develop-
ments in the U.S. corporate and municipal bond markets and the
SEC’s response to those developments.
Derivatives Markets. The Committee will review recent develop-
ments in the U.S. derivatives markets and efforts to harmonize
rules governing those markets domestically and internationally.
The Committee will also examine the SEC’s progress in imple-
menting the remaining regulations of the security-based swaps
markets as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act.
Equity and options markets. The Committee will review recent
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developments in the U.S. equity and options markets and the
SEC’s response to those developments. The Committee will also ex-
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amine brokers’ conflicts of interest arising from rebates and fees
paid for client orders and the SEC’s efforts to address those con-
flicts through, for example, an access fee pilot. The Committee will
monitor the development, implementation, and maintenance of the
Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), a market surveillance tool that
tracks order events, including quotes, orders, executions, alloca-
tions, and associated customer data, and identifies the broker-deal-
er handling them.
Trade Policy Impact. The Committee will examine the impact of
U.S. trade policy proclamations, announcements, decisions, and ac-
tions by the executive branch on U.S. securities markets, including
market volatility, capital formation, corporate reinvestment, and
investor confidence.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI). The Com-
mittee will examine the operations and organizational structure of
TFI and its component parts including OFAC and FinCEN. The
Committee will monitor U.S. government strategies and programs
to combat terrorist financing, money laundering, and other finan-
cial crimes, both domestic and international.
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The Com-
mittee will monitor the operations of FinCEN and its ongoing ef-
forts to implement its regulatory mandates, pursuant to the Bank
Secrecy Act, to safeguard the integrity of the financial system and
combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit fi-
nance. This includes oversight of the execution of the mandates
created by the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 and the Cor-
porate Transparency Act.
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Sanctions. The Com-
mittee will examine the efficacy of economic and trade sanctions
designations and enforcement, as well as the capabilities and re-
sources within OFAC to perform its work. This will include the
monitoring of sanctions programs to ensure that they are fully im-
plemented consistent with Congressional intent and in alignment
with U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. Particular at-
tention will be paid to maximizing the effect of existing programs
through multilateral cooperation, the possible risks associated with
the use of sanctions over the short and long term, and the capacity
of financial technology and innovation to both enable and under-
mine traditional tools of U.S. economic coercion. The Committee
will examine methods of sanctions evasion and efficacy of sanctions
compliance programs.
Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The Committee will
examine the implementation, effectiveness, and enforcement of
anti-money laundering/counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT)
laws and regulations. The Committee will examine patterns and
trends of money laundering and terrorist finance, both domestic
and international, and consider proposals to prevent and detect
abuses of the financial system.
Counterterrorism Financing Policy. The Committee will examine
the enforcement, effectiveness, and implementation of AML/CFT
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law and regulations as well as the role of the Treasury in pro-
moting the adoption and implementation of such standards around
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the globe. The Committee will explore opportunities to enhance
compliance and will work with international organizations and
partners, such as Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Or-
ganization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to
accomplish this goal.
Transparency and Anti-Corruption. The Committee will consider
proposals to strengthen AML/CFT laws to combat corruption and
kleptocracy at home and abroad. This will include oversight over
the execution of the mandates in the Anti-Money Laundering Act
of 2020 and the Corporate Transparency Act.
Trafficking. The Committee will examine efforts to dismantle the
underlying enablers of trafficking and will review potential solu-
tions related to the often-overlapping categories of trafficking, in-
cluding human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and natural re-
source trafficking. The Committee will examine the converging at-
tributes of transnational trafficking networks and the outflow of il-
licit proceeds.
De-Risking at Financial Institutions. The Committee will review
the practices by which broad categories of customers, such as non-
profit organizations or countries, are denied access to the financial
system, often due to risk or perceived risk.
Fraud and Cyber Intrusion. The Committee will examine efforts
to counter fraud, including cyber-enabled fraud and increased
fraudulent activity associated with the COVID–19 pandemic.
Information Sharing. The Committee will examine methods to
improve information sharing among financial institutions, federal
agencies, and other entities, while balancing the safeguards re-
quired to ensure that civil liberties and consumer privacy are pre-
served.
Emerging Technologies. The Committee will examine innovative
technologies, such as virtual assets, distributed ledgers, non-tradi-
tional financial platforms, machine learning and artificial intel-
ligence in regulatory technology (RegTech), and decentralized fi-
nance. The Committee will monitor how these technologies affect
and interact with the U.S. financial system and how the tech-
nologies could be used to combat or assist those who aim to harm
the financial system.
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
The Committee will continue to monitor implementation of the For-
eign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA)
and actions taken by CFIUS to identify and address foreign invest-
ments that pose threats to national security, while preserving the
U.S. commitment to an open investment environment.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE
Global Economic Cooperation. The Committee will monitor the
role of United States leadership in the governance of the global eco-
nomic system and the degree to which sustained international co-
operation helps advance U.S. national security, economic interests,
and values.
Oversight of the Multilateral Development Banks. The Committee
will conduct oversight of U.S. participation in the multilateral de-
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velopment banks and their role in helping developing and emerging
market countries address the health and economic effects of the
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global pandemic. The Committee will continue to monitor imple-
mentation of policy reforms to which the World Bank Group com-
mitted last Congress in areas relating to public subsidies, resource
mobilization, labor markets, private education, and human rights.
The Committee will consider any Administration request for con-
gressional authorization for additional U.S. contributions to these
institutions, including replenishment of the Asian Development
Fund.
International Financial Architecture. The Committee will review
the annual report to Congress and testimony by the Secretary of
the Treasury on the state of the international financial system and
the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Committee will exam-
ine the degree to which the IMF is focused on fighting corruption
in its surveillance and program work, as well as its efforts, through
technical assistance, to strengthen the capacity of Fund members
to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.
The International Development Association and the International
Finance Corporation. The Committee will continue to examine fi-
nancial transfers between the International Development Associa-
tion (IDA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with
respect to transparency, competitive bidding, and development im-
pact. The Committee will monitor the ability of IDA to maintain its
current level of concessional lending to low-income countries in
light of its new financing model that allows IDA to raise a signifi-
cant portion of its replenishment resources by issuing bonds on the
capital markets to supplement donor contributions.
Food Security and Climate Finance. The Committee will examine
U.S. support for international agricultural development programs
and multilateral cooperation on the global climate finance agenda,
including how the international financial institutions are sup-
porting efforts to address climate change in developing countries.
Developing Countries at Risk of Debt Distress. The Committee
will monitor the rising levels of unsustainable debt in developing
countries and examine proposals and mechanisms to create legal
frameworks to help provide for orderly sovereign debt restructuring
processes. The Committee will monitor efforts by the U.S. to en-
gage with other members of the IMF to pressure China to adopt
global standards and practices on sustainable debt financing for de-
veloping countries, including a commitment to lending trans-
parency.
Trade in Financial Services. The Committee will conduct over-
sight of trade negotiations and discussions as they pertain to in-
vestment and trade in financial services and will monitor U.S.
trade objectives and multilateral policies on the regulation of global
capital flows and their effects on global financial stability.
Exchange Rates. The Committee will review the semi-annual re-
port to Congress from the Secretary of the Treasury on inter-
national economic and exchange rate policies pursuant to the Om-
nibus Trade Act of 1988.
Export-Import Bank of the United States. The Committee will
oversee the operations of the Export-Import Bank and its mission
to support U.S. jobs through increased exports, including the
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Bank’s policy on domestic content, its financing of fossil fuel
projects, and its systems of accountability.
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Extractive Industries. The Committee will examine the establish-
ment of a global standard for the public disclosure of payments
that extractive companies make to governments, as well as the ef-
fectiveness of these revenue transparency laws in the United
States and abroad.
Supply Chain Due Diligence. The Committee will examine supply
chain due diligence laws in the U.S and abroad, their enforcement,
and the effects of such laws on the ability of companies to respon-
sibly manage risk associated with the financing of conflict, human
trafficking, and child labor.
FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Updating Regulatory Approach to Fintech. The Committee will
continue to review the existing regulatory framework for licensing
and overseeing fintech products and services, and will examine
what legislation may be needed to properly oversee fintech compa-
nies operating within the rapidly evolving intersection of tech-
nology and finance.
Cryptocurrencies. The Committee will review the rise of ‘‘initial
coin offerings’’’ (ICO) as a means of raising capital for blockchain-
based enterprises. The Committee will examine concerns of in-
creased risks of fraud and manipulation in the ICO markets. The
Committee will also review the SEC’s oversight of the ICO markets
and will consider legislative proposals to improve regulatory clarity
for ICO issuers and investors. Additionally, the Committee will
look at the need for clear guidelines and regulations for crypto as-
sets, stable coins, digital currencies, and related products.
Faster Payments. The Committee will examine the progress of
the Federal Reserve’s real-time payments proposal called FedNow,
as well as the consumer protection, data privacy, and cyber-secu-
rity implications of faster payment approaches led by the private
sector. Additionally, the Committee will consider how federal regu-
lation over bank and nonbanks operating in the payments space
may need to be updated, and whether faster payments will increase
financial inclusion for unbanked and underbanked consumers.
Algorithmic Bias and Artificial Intelligence. The Committee will
evaluate the challenge of how to assess, identify, and regulate bias
in algorithms used by financial institutions for consumer loans and
other products. The Committee will examine the decision-making
processes utilized in these technologies, and how the ‘‘Black Box’’
problem, resulting in a lack of transparency can be addressed. The
Committee will consider how the use of artificial intelligence may
complicate the efforts of human programmers and data scientists
to predict how certain programs utilizing machine learning or deep
learning will operate in real life.
Cybersecurity, Digital Data, and Privacy. The Committee will
study the implications of AI-enabled automation in monitoring and
reporting activities, and how they affect our cybersecurity and data
privacy. The Committee will investigate the role of regulators in
ensuring that information gathered on individuals and used by AI
to make decisions appropriately respects individuals’ privacy. Addi-
tionally, the Committee will consider how much autonomy AI pro-
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grams should have in decision-making over individuals’ financial
transactions, especially when it can lead to adverse actions against
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consumers, such as closing an account because of a determination
that a customer poses too much of a money laundering risk.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Racial and Economic Justice. The Committee will review historic
and systemic racism in the housing and financial system, and con-
sider legislation to provide targeted investments to remedy such in-
justices that have resulted in the marginalization of people of color
and an unconscionable racial wealth gap. The Committee will press
every sector under its jurisdiction to strengthen diversity and inclu-
sion. The Committee will also consider legislation to provide oppor-
tunities to formerly incarcerated individuals that face barriers to
full participation in the financial services industry and in obtaining
affordable housing.
Financial and Economic Inclusion. The Committee will monitor
the availability and affordability of financial products and services
to communities such as underserved rural, urban, Tribal, indige-
nous and other minority communities, and certain populations such
as immigrants, active-duty servicemembers and veterans and their
families, older (including retired) Americans, young adults and col-
lege students, state- and federally-recognized Tribes, indigenous
peoples, and low- and moderate-income consumers. The Committee
will evaluate methods to expand access to the traditional financial
services system to people in different social, income, and economic
segments in this country, including methods to broaden homeown-
ership, increase wages, promote employment within high-growth
industries, encourage savings (including retirement savings), and
investments.
Wealth and Income Inequality, and Income Mobility. The Com-
mittee will examine the existing differences in wealth and income
among American households across the country. The Committee
will evaluate proposals to reduce disparities in opportunity that
continue to persist across different segments of our society and that
were exacerbated in the run-up to, and the fallout from, the 2008
financial crisis, and exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. The
Committee will consider how the economic disparities in this coun-
try compare with other countries and whether successful ap-
proaches by other countries to reduce such disparities could serve
as models for the U.S. The Committee will also monitor, among
other things, whether economic opportunity zones have been suc-
cessful in promoting intra and intergenerational income mobility.
This review will include an assessment of the effect on employment
and income mobility of factory and manual workers from trade
agreements and the increasing use of automation by companies.
Diversity Data. The Committee will review regulated entities’ di-
versity data, including whether and how such companies are:
tracking internal and external workforce and supplier diversity ac-
tivities to identify and mitigate vulnerable moments along the tal-
ent lifecycles; tying executives’ performances to their ability to
meet tangible diversity and inclusion goals; and, using such data
to inform the composition of their boards of directors.
Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWIs). The Com-
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mittee will examine all matters relating to the diversity and inclu-
sion activities within the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdic-
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tion, including the implementation of Section 342 of the Dodd-
Frank Act and Section 1116 of the Housing and Economic Recovery
Act (HERA) by the OMWIs, which are responsible for handling all
matters relating to diversity in management, employment, and
business activities within most federal financial agencies. This re-
view will include, among other things, monitoring whether the
agencies have allocated appropriate resources for their OMWIs,
maintained frequent interaction with and direct reporting lines be-
tween the heads of the agencies and their OMWI Directors, and es-
tablished tangible and measurable outcomes within their long-term
strategic plans and daily operations to achieve a diverse and inclu-
sive culture throughout all levels of their agencies.
Workforce, Supplier, and Business Diversity Efforts Within Agen-
cies and their Regulated Entities. The Committee will consider
measures to further leverage diverse and inclusive perspectives,
skills, and talents within the workforces of agencies under the
Committee’s jurisdiction, particularly at the middle- and senior-
management level, executive, and C-suite positions, to help im-
prove the agencies’ services, foster greater innovation, and develop
novel solutions. The Committee will also monitor agencies’ policies
and practices, as well those of their regulated entities, to ensure
that workplace environments operate in a fair, transparent, and
non- discriminatory manner for all their employees by ensuring
that racial, ethnic, and gender minorities, without regard to their
sex—including sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes,
and pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition—have
equal opportunities.
Recruitment, Retention and Promotion. The Committee will re-
view the policies and practices of all the agencies under the Com-
mittee’s jurisdiction, and of their regulated entities, to promote the
recruitment, retention, and promotion of a diverse pool of employ-
ees, throughout all levels, of each organization but particularly at
the middle- and senior-management level, executive, C-suite, and
board of director positions. The Committee will review the commit-
ment and behavior of leaders, as well as consider measures, to en-
sure that diversity and inclusion goals are effectively transmitted
throughout their organizations, including holding managers ac-
countable for achieving diverse and inclusive environments.
The Rooney Rule. The Committee will consider policies that man-
date the consideration of diverse employment candidates (such as
‘‘the Rooney Rule’’), and whether and how such policies have af-
fected diversity and inclusion efforts, including efforts by the Fed-
eral Reserve to identify and select a diverse pool of candidates for
senior- management positions throughout the entire Federal Re-
serve System.
Vendor, Contractor, and Business Diversity. The Committee will
monitor the agencies’ efforts to increase diversity within their ven-
dor and contractor pools, and may consider methods to address any
challenges, or other barriers, to the agencies’ capacity to enhance
their supplier and business diversity. The Committee will also con-
sider changes to increase the transparency of the diversity prac-
tices of the FHFA’s regulated entities, including requiring public
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reporting of the total dollar amounts these entities spend on third
party vendors and service providers and the amounts paid to firms
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that are minority-owned, women-owned, disability-owned, and
other diverse-owned businesses on a regular basis.
Public Companies. The Committee will consider proposals to en-
hance diversity and inclusion practices and policies at public com-
panies, including by more transparently reporting information re-
garding the equitable inclusion of women and people of color in the
workforce including compensation equity, and the selection process
of those who serve in middle- and senior- management level, execu-
tive, C-suite positions, and boards of directors.
Diverse Entrepreneurs and Access to Capital. The Committee will
monitor challenges faced by, and consider solutions to, encouraging
the creation and growth of diverse entrepreneurs’ businesses, par-
ticularly any unique challenges faced by minority-owned busi-
nesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, Na-
tive-owned businesses, disability-owned businesses, and small busi-
nesses in obtaining access to capital and opportunities to obtain a
fair allocation of federal funds and participation in federal pro-
grams. The Committee will also review how corporations collabo-
rate with minority-owned, women-owned and other diverse- owned
firms in their capital markets activities, including but not limited
to, the investment of pension, union, and retirement funds; exter-
nally managed investment and non-indexed funds; and alternative
investments. The Committee will also monitor the implementation
of data collection measures that could more effectively and effi-
ciently inform the public, investors, regulators, and Congress about
patterns and trends of business lending and other types of financ-
ing.
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OVERSIGHT PLAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL
SERVICES FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
MINORITY VIEWS
Republicans’ top priority remains safely reopening our economy
and getting Americans back to work. This can be accomplished by
ensuring more vaccines and testing are available to our commu-
nities. With the extraordinary effort to provide support to those im-
pacted by COVID–19, comes the need for diligent oversight of the
CARES Act and related relief programs. Additionally, Committee
Republicans remain committed to carrying out commonsense over-
sight priorities, to not only ensure the safety and soundness of our
financial system, but its full recovery as well. Committee Repub-
licans expect to conduct oversight of the following areas during the
117th Congress, as well as oversight and investigations of addi-
tional matters or programs as they arise.
ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RISK
• Cybersecurity. The coronavirus pandemic and related relief
programs have created an environment ripe for cybercriminal activ-
ity. Committee Republicans will continue to conduct oversight of
cybersecurity in the public and private sectors to protect the finan-
cial system from cybercrime. Republicans will facilitate information
sharing and identify best practices among financial regulators and
industry participants, especially for threats related to COVID–19
and related federal relief programs.
• Digitization. Regulators must continue to digitize their oper-
ations and interactions with regulated entities. These changes
should be made permanent even after the pandemic subsides. It is
necessary to ensure that new and modernized digital infrastructure
is in place to allow for efficient and secure digital operations. The
minority will continue to conduct oversight of financial regulators
as they transition to increased digital interactions with regulated
entities on a more permanent basis.
• Democratization of Finance. Increased retail participation
in the stock market has allowed more Americans to generate
wealth and provided new sources of capital for companies to hire
workers and invest in research and development, among other
things. Republicans will conduct oversight of the retail marketplace
to ensure the regulatory environment, including the accredited in-
vestor rule, is favorable for investors. Within that context, Repub-
licans will make findings and recommendations related to trading
in GameStop and other stocks in late January 2021.
• Politicization of Access to Capital. Republicans support
fair access to financing for legally operating businesses, which sup-
ports jobs and promotes long-term economic growth. Financial reg-
ulators have committed to addressing social causes unrelated to
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their regulatory authorities and financial firms continue to limit
access to capital to certain politically unpopular industries. Repub-
licans will conduct oversight of the federal financial regulators to
determine whether their activities are outside their mandates, and
of regulated firms within the committee’s jurisdiction to determine
whether they limit access to capital for legally operating businesses
based on non-pecuniary factors to accomplish unrelated social or
political goals.
• Role of Proxy Advisory Firms. SEC guidance states that
advisers who vote proxies must do so in a manner consistent with
their fiduciary obligations and, to the extent they rely on voting ad-
vice from proxy advisory firms they must take reasonable steps to
ensure the use of that advice is consistent with their fiduciary du-
ties. Republicans will conduct oversight of the regulatory environ-
ment that covers the relationship between proxy advisory firms,
their clients, and corporate boards of directors, to ensure boards
are positioned to meet their fiduciary obligations and determine the
most situationally appropriate course for companies to take.
IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
• Federal Housing Assistance. Despite significant federal in-
vestment over the past several years, homelessness persists as an
issue. Data from the Department of Education shows two million
children experience homelessness at some point during the school
year. Republicans will conduct oversight of homelessness programs
and uses of funding intended for that purpose to ensure resources
are directed toward those in greatest need.
• Implementation of Recommendations from the Commu-
nity of Inspectors General. The audits and investigative work of
the IG community provides a roadmap for congressional oversight
of agencies within the Committee’s jurisdiction. The minority will
review the inventory of open and unimplemented recommendations
from the inspectors general within the committee’s jurisdiction to
identify opportunities for cost savings and areas of common con-
cern. The minority will also seek to hold quarterly hearings with
IGs to highlight some of the most urgent areas for oversight.
• Rulemaking Process. The regulatory rulemaking process has
gone relatively unchanged for decades. Technology tools including
AI could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the notice and
comment process. Republicans will continue to conduct oversight of
agencies as they develop new strategies and further integrate tech-
nology into the rulemaking process.
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
have been operating under federal conservatorship since being
bailed out for nearly $200 billion at the height of the financial cri-
sis. The minority will conduct oversight of the government-spon-
sored enterprises and assess the role of the federal government in
mortgage finance to ensure the administration remains on track to
end government conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
PREVENTING WASTE AND FRAUD
• Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Impact
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Payment Program Fraud. The minority will continue to monitor
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and investigate fraud associated with COVID–19 relief programs,
specifically whether internal program controls effectively balance
the need to distribute relief quickly against fraud prevention. The
minority will seek data from relevant agencies, inspectors general,
GAO, and private sector participants, to identify potential systemic
risk concerns, among other things.
• CARES Act. The CARES Act provided trillions of dollars to
the Treasury and Federal Reserve to stabilize the economy amidst
the COVID–19 pandemic. The minority will continue to conduct
oversight to ensure loan recipients and other program participants
comply with the terms of the programs in conformity with congres-
sional intent and to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse.
• Abuse of the Paycheck Protection Program by Political
Organizations. The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to
provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their work-
ers on the payroll. The Small Business Administration released
data that shows political organizations may have taken advantage
of the program’s expedited nature to obtain funds for which they
were ineligible. The minority will partner with relevant agencies,
inspectors general, and the Justice Department to ensure ineligible
political organizations are held accountable.
• CFPB Oversight. The Dodd-Frank Act created a CFPB that
was unaccountable to Congress. Republicans supported a successful
legal challenge to the Bureau’s unconstitutional structure that
made the CFPB Director removable at will by the President. Still,
the Bureau is funded outside of the congressional appropriations
process, which positions the Federal Reserve Board of Governors to
act as a rubber stamp for the Director’s funding request. The fact
that the Board has no statutory mechanism to scrutinize the Bu-
reau’s funding request has raised concerns that the CFPB’s budget
process is exposed to waste, fraud, and abuse. In light of CFPB’s
continued operation outside the congressional appropriations proc-
ess, Republicans will conduct oversight to ensure the Director does
not abuse the Bureau’s vast enforcement authority to punish indus-
tries disfavored by the Administration.
• Elder Fraud. As the United States’ elder population continues
to grow, financial fraud targeting that community will have mas-
sive implications for financial institutions. Evidence suggests that
one in every five elder Americans has been a victim of some form
of financial fraud. These numbers have increased due to the
amount of COVID-related fraud cases. Republicans will investigate
how regulators and the financial services industry are addressing
elder fraud.
NATIONAL SECURITY
• Terrorism Finance. Republicans will continue to conduct
oversight of the growing network of non-governmental organiza-
tions (NGOs), primarily in Western countries, including the United
States, which, in recent years, has engaged in an organized and
well-coordinated boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign
against Israel. Documents show connections between that network
and groups that operate in the Middle east with known connections
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to terrorist activities. Republicans will ensure the administration
uses the full range of tools to prevent money from moving between
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domestic BDS groups and terrorist groups abroad. Republicans will
also examine whether entities that do business with government
agencies provide goods and services to state sponsors of terrorism.
• Money Laundering. Financial institutions and law enforce-
ment agencies face constantly evolving tactics from sophisticated
criminals and terrorists attempting to leverage the global financial
system. Republicans will continue to assess the Bank Secrecy Act
and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) regulatory regime to in-
vestigate the effectiveness of the current rules, highlight the need
to modernize the reporting system in the digital era, and prevent
criminal activity.
• North Korean Sanctions. North Korea uses corporations
with opaque ownership structures to move money through Amer-
ican banks. The current enforcement of international sanctions in-
tended to block Pyongyang’s access to the global financial system
appear insufficient to prevent these transactions. The minority will
investigate how agencies and financial institutions are combating
money laundering schemes like this and assess whether new legis-
lation in necessary.
• China. Analysts have observed China offering funding for
international projects to secure Chinese access to resources or local
markets, causing countries to become ensnared in a debt trap that
leaves them vulnerable to China’s influence. The minority will ex-
amine China’s debt trap and Chinese resistance to transparent dis-
closure in its lending and discuss the implications of China’s fi-
nancing decisions in terms of the IMF, World Bank, and global sys-
temic risk.
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Oversight Plan
117th Congress
1. INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to the requirements of clause 2(d) of House Rule X, the
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (‘‘the Committee’’)
has prepared this oversight plan for the 117th Congress, which will
be submitted to the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the
Committee on House Administration. This plan summarizes the
Committee’s oversight priorities for the next two years, subject to
the understanding that new developments will undoubtedly affect
priorities and work assignments in the months ahead.
Agency and program oversight are key responsibilities of the leg-
islative branch. Committee Rule 15 requires each Subcommittee to
hold regular oversight hearings that, according to usual practice,
include an annual hearing on the portions of the Administration’s
budget request within that Subcommittee’s jurisdiction. Oversight
activities will be coordinated between the Committee and the Sub-
committees in order to facilitate comprehensive and strategic re-
view of the programs and agencies within the Committee’s jurisdic-
tion.
These Committee activities may include hearings, briefings, re-
ports, and investigations, Member or staff-level meetings, cor-
respondence, fact-finding and oversight travel, reports, and public
statements. They may also include effective use and review of re-
ports by the Government Accountability Office and by statutory In-
spectors General, as well as Congressional Notifications submitted
by executive branch agencies. The Committee will consult, as ap-
propriate, with other committees of the House that may share ju-
risdiction over relevant issues and activities.
The Committee’s authorization and oversight activities will em-
phasize:
• effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy;
• effective implementation of U.S. law;
• the review of agencies and programs in the Committee’s
jurisdiction;
• effective management and administration, and institu-
tional modernization;
• appropriate resourcing of U.S. foreign policy and programs.
• How the Committee’s work will address issues of inequi-
ties on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin.
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2. PRIORITY OVERSIGHT MATTERS
a. Russia: The Committee will address the impact of Russia’s for-
eign and domestic policy on U.S. security, political, and economic
interests, as a result of its continued aggression and related hostile
actions regarding NATO, the EU, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, the
United States, and other countries. It will also examine Kremlin-
driven efforts to undermine western democratic governments and
institutions through cyber intrusions and attacks, disinformation
campaigns, malign influence activities, propaganda, and other hy-
brid warfare tools. The Committee will examine the range of op-
tions available to the United States. to respond to these actions.
The Committee will also review the deteriorating domestic situa-
tion in Russia regarding democracy, civil society, the rule of law,
the free exercise of fundamental freedoms, and human rights, in-
cluding its attacks on opposition leader Alexei Navalny and other
prominent critics of President Putin and the Kremlin. In addition,
the Committee will closely assess strategic stability and related
arms control agreements with Russia to reduce the risk of nuclear
conflict. The Committee will consult widely with experts and allies
to inform the measures the U.S. Government should pursue on
these matters.
b. Ukraine/Georgia: The Committee will closely monitor Rus-
sian-supported separatist activity and other aggressive actions
aimed at undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty, including the forcible
and attempted annexation of Crimea. The Committee will continue
to examine the U.S. response to this aggression in light of the long-
standing U.S. foreign policy doctrine of non-recognition of terri-
torial changes effected by force alone. The Committee will assess
Russia’s ongoing agression in Georgia and consider measures the
U.S. Government can take to continue to promote effective, demo-
cratic governance in these while turning back Russian intrusion. In
addition, the Committee will actively oversee efforts of the U.S.
Government, working alongside allies and partners, to assist these
countries in strengthening their defense capabilities, promoting
economic growth, combating corruption, and promoting an effective
and democratic government.
c. Europe/Eurasia: The Committee will review U.S. relations
with the European Union, individual European countries and rel-
evant regional groupings and multilateral bodies such as the
OSCE, and NATO. Key issues include continued reassurance and
support the security of our NATO allies, particularly in Central
and Eastern Europe; rule of law and border security; U.S.-Euro-
pean cooperative efforts to combat terrorism, white nationalism,
anti-Semitism, and other forms of extremism; and diversification of
energy sources to reduce reliance on Russian energy. The Com-
mittee will focus on strengthening our important strategic and eco-
nomic relationships with allies and partners in order to bolster
American security and promote greater economic growth across the
transatlantic community. The Committee will also scrutinize the
nexus of populism, alignment of far left and far right political
forces and increasingly autocratic governments. Similarly, the
Committee will continue to work with the European Union, the
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United Kingdom, Canada, and other allies and partners to hold the
illegitimate Lukashenko regime accountable for its theft of the Au-
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gust 2020 presidential election in Belarus and its continued crack-
down on peaceful protestors. The Committee will also continue
oversight of U.S. political, security and economic policy in Central
Asia and Western Balkans, with a particular focus on strength-
ening partnerships to advance mutual security interests and Euro-
pean integration where appropriate, including countering violent
extremism, as well as efforts to promote economic development
with the DFC, human rights, and good governance.
d. Turkey: The Committee will examine Turkey’s evolving foreign
policy orientation and its domestic political trends—including but
not limited to its crackdown on domestic freedoms and the rights
of minorities, the LGBTQ community, and others; its persecution
of U.S. Embassy and Consulate staff in Turkey; its efforts to com-
bat ISIS and the spread of extremism; its role as it pertains to con-
flict and refugees in Syria; its aggression against the Kurds and in
Nagorno-Karabakh; its purchase of the Russian S–400 air defense
system; its relationship with the European Union; its continued oc-
cupation of the Republic of Cyprus and aggressive actions in the
Eastern Mediterranean; and the health of the long term U.S.-Tur-
key strategic relationship.
e. Afghanistan: The Committee will comprehensively review U.S.
policy toward Afghanistan. Particular focus will be paid to the Ad-
ministration’s efforts to bring the war in Afghanistan to an end
through an intra-Afghan dialogue. The Committee will also pay
close attention to the Afghan government’s various reform efforts
related to addressing corruption, improving governance, electoral
reforms, and strengthening security. This review will assess the ef-
fectiveness of international aid and U.S. assistance programs, the
broader political-military and associated counterterrorism strate-
gies, and the full range of policies related to the post-2020 US
Taliban peace framework agreement.
f. Pakistan: The Committee will review all elements of U.S. pol-
icy toward Pakistan, including efforts to eliminate safe havens for
violent extremists and establish a stable, democratic country. This
review will encompass both U.S. civilian and security assistance to
Pakistan, in order to assess the extent to which such programs ef-
fectively advance U.S. national interests. The Committee will also
conduct ongoing oversight of matters relating to Pakistan’s nuclear
program, including issues relating to nonproliferation, such as the
legacy of the A.Q. Khan network and Pakistan’s advancing of tac-
tical nuclear weapons
g. North Korea: The Committee will review and work to address
the threat posed by North Korea. Particular focus will be paid to
North Korea’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs,
its ballistic missile program, and the possible proliferation of these
weapons and delivery systems. The Committee will also examine
North Korea’s conventional weapon sales, other illicit activities,
cyber-attacks, human rights violations, as well as U.S. efforts to as-
sist North Korean refugees. The Committee will review U.S. diplo-
matic efforts, U.S. information dissemination efforts, the implemen-
tation of U.S. and international sanctions, the impact of current ne-
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gotiations on U.S. alliances in Asia, whether the executive branch
is keeping the legislative branch fully informed of regional develop-
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ments and U.S. policy toward North Korea, and consider next steps
in U.S. policy to address the North Korean threat.
h. Indo-Pacific: The Committee will review the U.S.’s significant
political, economic, and security interests in the Indo-Pacific, in-
cluding East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Is-
lands. The Committee will conduct oversight of U.S. relations with
countries in the Indo-Pacific, including foreign policy, foreign as-
sistance, human rights and democracy, the strength of U.S. rela-
tionships with and among alliances and partners, security coopera-
tion, territorial disputes, influence operations and trade. The Com-
mittee will evaluate the State Department’s participation in multi-
lateral organizations such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Coopera-
tion (APEC) forum, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and the East Asia Summit, and closely monitor any dis-
cussion of future trade agreements in Asia. The Committee will
monitor the totality of the U.S. relationship with Taiwan as pro-
vided for in the Taiwan Relations Act.
i. India: The Committee will review U.S. policy towards India
and the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation. Particular at-
tention will be paid to the U.S.-India security relationship, includ-
ing cooperation on counterterrorism efforts and developments since
the 2015 defense framework agreement and India’s designation as
a ‘‘Major Defense Partner.’’ The Committee will also focus on ef-
forts to enhance U.S.-India economic and trade relations, and col-
laboration on efforts to address global climate change and support
for human rights and the international rules-based order, stalled
efforts to initiate civil nuclear cooperation and the implications of
India’s rapidly growing energy demands will also be reviewed.
j. China: The Committee will examine China’s role in the Asia-
Pacific region and beyond. Particular focus will be placed on Chi-
na’s influence operations globally, its assertiveness in territorial
disputes, military modernization, and human rights abuses, includ-
ing treatment of Tibetans, Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic
minorities. The Committee will review U.S. export controls related
to China. The Committee will also continue to examine policy op-
tions with respect to Hong Kong given China’s violation of its inter-
national obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and
commitments enshrined in the Basic Law. In addition, the Com-
mittee will examine China’s use of economic coercion and role in
the global economy, including trade, technology, energy, infrastruc-
ture, and its approach to development and foreign assistance, in-
cluding through China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The Committee
will review China’s cooperation on international nonproliferation
efforts against North Korea. The Committee will investigate Chi-
na’s increasing use of cyber and economic espionage to affect for-
eign trade, and other policy outcomes.
k. Sub-Saharan Africa: The Committee will review political, eco-
nomic and security developments on the African continent, includ-
ing the rise of geopolitical competition with Russia, China, and
among the Gulf Arab States on the continent, and risk of demo-
cratic backsliding. Key issues will include efforts to strengthen
democratic institutions, advance human rights, promote peace and
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security, and stimulate investment and equitable economic
growth—including through the implementation of the African
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Growth and Opportunity Act and the Electrify Africa Act. The
Committee will also focus on strengthening ties to the African
Union and its regional economic communities, which are key part-
ners in facilitating regional economic integration, protecting human
rights, and advancing peace and security on the continent. Par-
ticular attention is to be paid to developments in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe, South Sudan,
Somalia, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Mali,
and Niger.
l. Western Hemisphere: The Committee will assess the effective-
ness of U.S. policy towards the countries of the Western Hemi-
sphere and the strategic importance of a positive U.S. agenda in
the Americas, including for those who have been typically excluded
including Afro-descendant and indigenous populations. Special em-
phasis will be placed on developments in political, security and eco-
nomic cooperation with our partners in Canada and Mexico. Efforts
for further collaboration with Argentina and Brazil will also be ex-
plored. The Committee will address the security challenges posed
by transnational criminal organizations and other illegal armed ac-
tors. Challenges to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, anti-
corruption efforts and press freedom in the Americas also will be
examined. The Committee will closely monitor the humanitarian
crisis in Venezuela and its impact on the Venezuelan people and
countries throughout the region, as well as U.S. efforts to hold gov-
ernment actors in the country accountable. In the Northern Tri-
angle countries of Central America, the Committee will assess the
conditions that drive child and family migration and the appro-
priate response from the State Department, USAID and other
international affairs agencies. In Nicaragua, the Committee will as-
sess appropriate actions to continue to hold the country’s govern-
ment and security forces accountable for human rights abuses. In
Colombia, the Committee will evaluate the implementation of the
country’s peace accords and ongoing counternarcotics efforts. The
Committee will continue to closely monitor U.S.-Cuba relations and
the health incidents impacting U.S. government personnel serving
in Cuba. In Haiti, the Committee will continue its oversight of
State Department and USAID assistance for reconstruction efforts,
as well as investigate concerns of human rights abuses and help
support efforts towards free, fair, and inclusive elections with buy-
in from both the Haitian government and opposition. In the Carib-
bean, the Committee will continue efforts to enhance U.S. energy,
security and diplomatic cooperation with the countries of the re-
gion.
m. Syria: The Committee will scrutinize U.S. efforts to address
Syria’s ongoing civil war, the war crimes committed by the Assad
regime and other parties, and the role of Iran, Russia, Turkey and
our Kurdish partners in the conflict. Particular attention will be
paid to the Administration’s new strategy for Syria including re-
gional diplomacy, security coordination, and humanitarian assist-
ance. The Committee will also examine the lasting consequences of
the Trump Administration’s decision to suspend stabilization as-
sistance in Syria and evaluate U.S. efforts to prevent international
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reconstruction funds from assisting the Assad regime until a sus-
tainable political solution is achieved and the regime allows for the
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safe, dignified and voluntary return of the outstanding six million
displaced Syrians. The Committee will examine the impact of Syr-
ia’s refugee crisis on regional states including Turkey, Jordan and
Lebanon and the continued pattern of human rights violations by
the Assad regime, ISIS and its affiliates, and Turkish-supported
militias.
n. Countering Violent Extremism: The Committee will examine
the current status of al-Qaeda and its affiliates, with a specific
focus on recruitment efforts, evolving save havens, and efforts to
obtain WMDs. The Committee will also scrutinize the Administra-
tion’s efforts to defeat ISIS in the Middle East and around the
world, including authorizations for such efforts, leveraging other
countries’ commitments, evaluating U.S. leadership in the Coalition
to Defeat ISIS, and determining the success of U.S. policies that
seek to address the socio-economic challenges that led to the initial
establishment and growth of ISIS. The Committee will conduct
oversight of the State Department’s various counterterrorism pro-
grams, including those designed to counter violent extremism
(CVE), as well as agreements with foreign governments relating to
the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay.
o. U.S. Policies and Actions in the Arabian Peninsula: The Com-
mittee will evaluate the U.S. role in the Gulf, particularly the role
that the United States plays in Yemen, as well as ways that the
United States can help bring the conflict to an end and address the
serious security and economic concerns that have plagued Yemen
for decades. The Committee will also review the U.S. relationship
with members of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen as well as U.S.
policy options to build leverage with the Houthis in order to en-
courage compromise and a lasting resolution to the conflict. The
Committee will also critically evaluate ongoing U.S. arms transfers
and security cooperation with Gulf governments and the extent to
which changes in U.S. policy in these areas can support an end to
the Yemen conflict. The Committee will examine the status of
rights of women, journalists, political dissidents and bloggers in the
Gulf, and the extent to which current U.S. policy prioritizes human
rights, the core of U.S. values.
p. Iran: The Committee will continue to closely review U.S. policy
toward Iran, with a special focus on evaluating how the U.S. with-
drawal from the JCPOA impacts the interests of the United States
and our allies and how re-engagement in the JCPOA would tan-
gibly benefit U.S. national security and that of our allies. The Com-
mittee will also review and work to address the threat posed by
Iran’s ballistic missile development, state sponsorship of terrorism
and growing influence in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, as well
as the regime’s ongoing human rights abuses, including the contin-
ued prolonged detention of Americans.
q. Israel and Palestinian Issues/Middle East Peace: The Com-
mittee will evaluate the lasting consequences of the Trump admin-
istration’s efforts to advance peace between Israelis and Palestin-
ians and will examine the current Administration’s strategy and
recent policy changes in light of a needed return to work towards
a two-state solution. The Committee will examine the enduring
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consequences of changes to U.S. assistance to Palestinians and the
implications of these decisions for our allies and interests as well
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115
as the basic human rights of the Palestinian people. The Com-
mittee will look at the various ways that the Administration can
continue building cooperation with Israel in an effort to expand
this mutually beneficial relationship.
r. Middle East and North Africa: The Committee will carefully
review overall U.S. policy toward the Middle East and North Afri-
ca, to include: the extent to which U.S. foreign assistance is being
utilized in Iraq to help address the inequities that brought about
the initial rise of ISIS; the democratic transition in Tunisia; the
status of political negotiations in Libya; the impact of Chinese eco-
nomic and diplomatic investment in the Middle East; the con-
sequences of low oil prices for various oil-producing states; human
rights and challenges to the rule of law throughout the region; and
United States policies, programs, authorities and funding to ad-
dress these challenges.
s. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Develop-
ment Oversight, Authorization, and Modernization: The Committee
will seek to pass a State Department Authorization bill as one has
not been enacted since 2002. Emphasis will also be placed on mod-
ernizing personnel systems and practices, increasing workforce
flexibility and improving recruitment, retention, and promotion
processes, with a focus on ensuring that Department of State per-
sonnel better represent the diversity of the United States. The
Committee will continue to monitor and examine the operations,
budget, programs, planning, workforce training, building, and secu-
rity policies with an eye toward authorization for Fiscal Year 2021.
In addition to hearings with the Secretary of State and other Ad-
ministration officials regarding their budget proposals for the up-
coming year, such efforts may include: revisions to the Foreign
Service Act; the Foreign Assistance Act; efforts to improve diversity
and inclusion, with an emphasis on addressing barriers to reten-
tion and promotion at the mid and senior levels, consideration of
reforms to Executive Branch reporting requirements; and a reduc-
tion or consolidation of offices with duplicative mandates and over-
lapping responsibilities. In the wake of increasing threats to U.S.
personnel serving overseas, the Committee will continue to evalu-
ate the security of our embassies and consulates, along with pro-
posed reforms to the State Department’s diplomatic security service
to promote the personnel safety in the context of appropriate eval-
uation of risk.
t. Employee Retaliation: The Committee will pursue legislative
changes to address the results of its investigation during the 116th
Congress into politically-motivated retaliation against State De-
partment and USAID employees during the Trump Administration,
including individuals who have alleged they were subjected to pro-
hibited personnel practices on account of their national origin, sex-
ual identity, perceived political views, or in response to whistle-
blowing.
u. Foreign Assistance: The Committee will review the underlying
authorities for U.S. foreign assistance with an eye towards reduc-
ing duplication, increasing transparency and effectiveness, and
modernizing the foreign assistance workforce. It will also review
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issues related to the implementation of U.S. foreign assistance pro-
grams and projects, including the role of U.S. missions and embas-
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sies in overseeing grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. In
addition, the Committee will review issues related to coordination
between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
and other U.S. Government agencies and departments involved in
carrying out U.S. foreign assistance. Among a broad range of
issues, the Committee will review U.S. foreign assistance initia-
tives aimed at providing life-saving humanitarian assistance, cata-
lyzing economic growth, supporting sustainable development ap-
proaches, reducing state fragility, and addressing food security and
global health challenges, and increasing resilience of developing
communities to weather shocks and stresses, including climate
change. The Committee will also exercise oversight over the initial
investments and growth of the newly created International Devel-
opment Finance Corporation. Assistance provided through the Mil-
lennium Challenge Corporation will also receive close scrutiny.
v. Global Health: The Committee will examine key global health
issues, in particular the ongoing effects of COVID–19, both directly
and on broader global health efforts. The Committee will also con-
duct oversight on global health security efforts, including infectious
disease surveillance and control and strengthening of health care
systems. Additionally, the Committee will examine the impacts of
the previous Administration’s reimposition of the Global Gag Rule
and elimination of funding to UNFPA on women’s health services
and access to reproductive health. Additionally, the Committee’s
oversight will include reviewing PEPFAR’s efforts to date, as well
as, progress on global malnutrition elimination, support for mater-
nal and child health, and the U.S. engagement with the Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
w. Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment: The Com-
mittee will examine the effectiveness of U.S. policy on climate
change, including the impact of the past Administration’s with-
drawal from the Paris Climate Accord on our diplomatic relations,
our development assistance, and multilateral engagement. We will
explore the impacts of climate change on national security, its con-
tributions to displacement and social unrest across the globe, and
how we can advance a path toward climate stabilization. We will
consider the evolution of the global energy landscape, emphasize
good governance of existing resources, and work to assure energy
security for the US and our allies. The Committee will also oversee
engagement on environmental issues including wildlife trafficking,
international conservation efforts, and the role and safety of envi-
ronmental activists across the globe.
x. Economic Policy and Trade: The Committee will oversee inter-
national economic policy, including U.S. leadership in trade, fi-
nance, energy, technology, and development policy to promote eco-
nomic prosperity and national security.
y. The Committee will continue to oversee the administration of
defense export controls under the Arms Export Control Act.
z. U.S. Nonproliferation Policy: The Committee will examine the
effectiveness of U.S. nonproliferation policy and the international
nonproliferation regime in preventing the spread of weapons of
mass destruction. The Committee will address opportunities to
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strengthen existing nonproliferation organizations, especially the
International Atomic Energy Agency, increase cooperation with
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117
other countries, and enhance international nonproliferation agree-
ments and mechanisms including the international regulation of
civil nuclear power and the potential spread of technology, equip-
ment and material useful in the development of nuclear weapons
capabilities. The Committee will closely examine proposed and ex-
isting bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements with other coun-
tries, including their potential to promote U.S. nonproliferation ob-
jectives and commercial interests.
aa. Export Controls, Arms Transfers and Security Assistance: The
Committee will assess the effectiveness of export controls under the
Export Control Reform Act, regulation of defense transfers under
the Arms Export Control Act and security assistance programs au-
thorized under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export
Control Act in advancing U.S. national interests. In addition, the
Committee will review those security cooperation programs funded
by the Department of Defense, but which require concurrence of
the Secretary of State, or otherwise give rise to the Committee’s ju-
risdiction.
bb. U.S. International Broadcasting: The Committee will con-
tinue to actively monitor and review the operations and organiza-
tion of U.S. government-supported, civilian international broad-
casting to respond more effectively to the challenges presented by
state and non-state actors using modern communication platforms.
The Committee will closely oversee efforts by USAGM to rebuild
from the brief, destructive tenure of former CEO Michael Pack, and
return USAGM to its proper position of being independent and
non-partisan.
cc. Human Rights and Democracy: The Committee will examine
and monitor human rights abuses around the world and the dete-
rioration of democracy and democratic norms globally. The Com-
mittee will also review the Administration’s recentering of human
rights and democracy as a key parts of U.S. foreign policy, with an
added emphasis on addressing issues of inequities on the basis of
race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender iden-
tity, disability, age, or national origin. The Committee will also as-
sess U.S. involvement with multilateral human rights organiza-
tions, to ensure that U.S. diplomacy serves to promote human
rights and freedoms.
dd. United Nations and International Organizations: The Com-
mittee will closely review all aspects of U.S. participation in inter-
national organizations and seek to ensure the US is accountable for
its funding commitments, as well as advocating for equitable obli-
gations from all UN member states. The Committee will closely
monitor the work of the United Nations Department of Peace-
keeping Operations and Department of Field Support, and particu-
larly efforts to improve performance and enhance accountability.
The Committee will seek to ensure America’s engagement with UN
institutions will support international diplomatic and development
goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals. The Com-
mittee will also assess and address foreign adversaries’ attempts to
expand influence in UN institutions to coopt these organizations in
service of private political agendas. Close attention will be paid to
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the extent to which the Administration’s strategies in international
organizations has led to greater engagement and improved out-
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comes on human rights issues, as well as its support for and ac-
countability of the World Health Organization, now that the United
States has reentered.
ee. Cyberpolicy: The Committee will conduct oversight over U.S.
efforts to examine and devise appropriate responses to cyber
threats from foreign governments, non-state actors, and criminal
networks that target the United States. The Committee will also
examine efforts by U.S. adversaries to undermine the government,
democratic and other institutions of the United States and other
nations through cyber intrusions.
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ADDITIONAL VIEWS
In addition to the oversight priorities outlined regarding Turkey,
the Committee should also pay close attention to Turkey’s contin-
ued persecution of religious minorities, in clear violation of its own
Constitution, and to its antagonistic actions against Greece, a
NATO ally, in the Aegean Sea.
DINA TITUS (NV–1).
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COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
OVERSIGHT PLAN OF
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
The following is the Oversight Plan of the Committee on Home-
land Security for the 117th Congress. The Oversight Plan consists
of topics designated for review by Chairman Bennie G. Thompson,
in consultation with Ranking Member John Katko. Below are de-
scriptions of some of the significant issues the Committee intends
to conduct oversight on this Congress. The Committee continues to
be committed to addressing in the course of its work inequities in
homeland security related to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national ori-
gin, and to ensuring witness and stakeholder input from a diverse
array of Americans.
OVERSIGHT, MANAGEMENT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
During the 117th Congress, the Committee will conduct over-
sight of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) activities re-
lating to human capital recruitment and retention, acquisition
practices, systems modernization and other functions essential to
the Department effectively and efficiently fulfilling its critical mis-
sions. The Committee will also examine the Department’s ongoing
efforts to consolidate its headquarters at the St. Elizabeths cam-
pus. Additionally, the Committee plans to oversee the Depart-
ment’s development of its capstone strategy document, the Quad-
rennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR). Finally, the Committee
will investigate homeland security programs and practices, as war-
ranted.
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
The Committee will monitor the Department’s efforts to plan and
implement strategic human capital management programs that ad-
dress current and emerging human capital challenges, including
persistently low morale among the Department’s workforce; lack of
diversity in the Department’s leadership cadre; and ongoing dif-
ficulties with recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees at compo-
nents and offices across the Department. Additionally, the Com-
mittee will examine the authorities and activities of the Chief
Human Capital Officer (CHCO) and the coordination of policy be-
tween and among the Department’s CHCOs.
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ACQUISITION, PROCUREMENT, AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
The Committee will review the Department’s major acquisition
programs and procurement and contracting practices to promote
the delivery of critical capabilities and prevent waste, fraud, and
abuse. The Committee will also examine the Department’s over-
sight of acquisitions and procurement, including components’ com-
pliance with associated policy and guidance. Further, the Com-
mittee will review the activities and authorities of the Under Sec-
retary for Management and the Chief Procurement Officer to en-
sure the effective management of these key functions.
SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION AND INTEGRATION
The Committee will examine the Department’s efforts to mod-
ernize and integrate its systems, including information technology
and financial management systems. The Committee will monitor
the development, implementation, and integration of new systems
across components as well as management of the Department-wide
portfolio of systems.
POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION
The Committee will monitor the efforts of the Department’s Of-
fice of Strategy, Policy, and Plans to ensure coordination and inte-
gration of policy between headquarters and the components. The
Committee will examine the Department’s efforts to take a longer-
term, strategic view of threats and hazards to the homeland, in-
cluding through the publication of the QHSR. Additionally, the
Committee will oversee the activities of the Office of Targeted Vio-
lence and Terrorism Prevention, including the implementation of
the Department’s Strategic Framework to Counter Terrorism and
Targeted Violence.
DEPARTMENTAL WASTE, FRAUD, ABUSE, AND MISMANAGEMENT
Pursuant to rule X, clause 2 (n)(1) of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee will work to identify waste, fraud,
abuse, or mismanagement in the Department’s programs that may
undermine its vital missions.
PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
The Committee will continue to monitor the Department’s efforts
under Section 222 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L.
107–296), which created a Privacy Officer for the Department of
Homeland Security, and Section 705 of the Act which established
an Officer for Civil Rights and Liberties.
BORDER SECURITY, FACILITATION, AND OPERATIONS
In the 117th Congress, the Committee will examine how the De-
partment can continue to enhance the security of America’s borders
by preventing the entry of terrorists and their weapons, stemming
the flow of illegal drugs, and addressing unauthorized entries while
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also facilitating legitimate trade and travel to this country. Addi-
tionally, the Committee will review the Department’s treatment of
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individuals—particularly families and children, the elderly, those
with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations—at the border,
conditions in immigration detention facilities, and regional ap-
proaches to managing migration flows in the Western Hemisphere.
BORDER SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE, TECHNOLOGY, AND PERSONNEL
The Committee will examine efforts to enhance situational
awareness and security of the borders of the United States. The
Committee seeks to understand the metrics used by the Depart-
ment to assess effectiveness of border security infrastructure, tech-
nology, and operations, to include costs to the taxpayers and im-
pacts on nearby communities, which may be marginalized or un-
derserved in some cases. Furthermore, the Committee will review
the infrastructure, technology, and personnel needs at land, sea,
and airports of entry, which currently limit the Department’s abil-
ity to detect illegal narcotics and contraband entering the country
and may slow the processing of individuals and goods.
BORDER SCREENING PROGRAMS
The Committee intends to review efforts to assist border and con-
sular officials in identifying, intercepting, and disrupting terrorists
attempting to enter the United States. The Committee will exam-
ine the continued integration, security, and reliability of various
law enforcement and intelligence-based databases used to screen
persons seeking to enter this country, operations at the Depart-
ment’s National Vetting Center, and progress toward implementing
a biometric entry and exit system at ports of entry. Particular focus
will be on ensuring the prevention of discrimination and protection
of civil rights and liberties for individuals subject to those pro-
grams.
TRANSPORTATION AND MARITIME SECURITY
During the 117th Congress, the Committee plans to examine the
Department’s efforts to develop and implement strategies to ad-
dress terrorist threats in varied transportation environments, in-
cluding both air and surface transportation. The Committee will re-
view the effectiveness of the Transportation Security Administra-
tion’s (TSA) passenger, baggage, and cargo screening programs and
operations. The Committee will also examine the challenges facing
the TSA workforce, including limited protections for TSA agents,
persistent low morale, and the need to increase diversity among its
leadership ranks. Additionally, the Committee will examine the use
of transportation security grants to better secure America’s trans-
portation system.
AVIATION SECURITY
The Committee intends to review TSA’s progress in developing
and deploying passenger and baggage screening technologies, in-
cluding the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of such technologies.
The Committee will examine TSA’s use of explosives detection ca-
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nines to ensure that canine teams are utilized effectively. The Com-
mittee will also look at management of the agency’s Screening
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Partnership Program. Additionally, the Committee also will review
TSA’s passenger search policies and practices, passenger pre-
screening programs including the use of no-fly and selectee lists,
and protocols for ensuring that passengers designated high-risk are
receiving enhanced screening at the checkpoint. The Committee
will assess whether there are additional ways for TSA to enhance
security and improve risk-based strategies throughout the aviation
system.
As part of this oversight, the Committee plans to examine TSA’s
staffing needs and related matters affecting the TSA workforce,
such as continued low morale and high attrition among transpor-
tation security officers. The Committee will also examine privacy
and civil rights protections for the traveling public. Additionally,
the Committee will examine the threats to aviation and other tar-
gets posed by unmanned aircraft or ‘‘drones.’’
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY
The Committee will review TSA’s efforts to secure surface transit
systems, including the highest- risk mass transit and rail systems.
The Committee’s oversight will include a review of the Transit Se-
curity Grant Program to determine if it is supporting surface trans-
portation security adequately. The Committee will also review the
extent to which TSA effectively coordinates with its Federal, State,
local, and private sector partners to secure our Nation’s transpor-
tation systems. Additionally, the Committee will assess the effec-
tiveness of TSA’s efforts to secure the Nation’s pipeline systems
through TSA’s oversight and inspection activities.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Committee will help ensure that TSA works appropriately
with transportation sector stakeholders and labor through the
Aviation Security Advisory Committee, the Surface Transportation
Security Advisory Committee, collective bargaining, or other
means. The Committee will also encourage TSA to find new ways
to leverage private sector expertise, innovation, and technologies,
including from small businesses, in its mission to secure the Na-
tion’s critical transportation systems in the most effective and effi-
cient manner possible.
MARITIME SECURITY
The Committee will examine various aspects of maritime secu-
rity, including the security of port facilities and the screening of
vessels, passengers, cargo, and crew, for potential terrorists, ter-
rorist weapons, and contraband. The Committee plans to review
the Coast Guard’s statutorily defined homeland security missions,
to include ports, waterways, and coastal security; drug interdiction;
migrant interdiction; law enforcement; and defense readiness. The
Committee will also review resource and asset needs within the
Coast Guard to determine whether the service is operationally
ready to address the varied threats to America’s ports and water-
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ways while pursuing a long-term sustainable path of fleet recapi-
talization. Additionally, the Committee will conduct oversight on
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the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) pro-
gram.
INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERTERRORISM
During the 117th Congress, the Committee will conduct over-
sight to inform Congress and the public on current and evolving in-
telligence and counterterrorism threats; identify policy to best em-
power communities, support stakeholders, and protect the home-
land; and enhance trust between the Department and all of its
partners, including the American public, to ensure intelligence and
counterterrorism efforts are effective.
The Committee’s oversight will specifically examine the capabili-
ties and efforts of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the De-
partment of Homeland Security Intelligence Enterprise, the United
States Secret Service, civil rights oversight offices, along with Fed-
eral, state, and local partners, to identify, prevent, deter, and re-
spond to intelligence and terrorism threats to the homeland. This
work will examine domestic and international terrorism threats to
the homeland. As 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the Sep-
tember 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Committee will review the
authorities granted to and efforts undertaken by the Department
since its creation and assess a path forward, including a strategic
vision for the Department to create a secure homeland through its
intelligence and counterterrorism programs and activities. The
Committee will also explore the growing effort to further integrate
cyber-threat intelligence reporting with intelligence about the phys-
ical world to create a more holistic intelligence picture. Addition-
ally, the Committee will review civil unrest that has recently oc-
curred across the country.
DOMESTIC TERRORISM
Committee will review the persistent, growing threat to the U.S.
from domestic terrorism movements. As part of that effort, the
Committee will investigate the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Janu-
ary 6, 2021, including the involvement of domestic terrorist groups,
the use of online platforms by the perpetrators in carrying out the
attack, and any intelligence and information sharing lapses that
may have occurred.
INTELLIGENCE ENTERPRISE & INFORMATION SHARING
The Committee will conduct oversight of the Department’s Intel-
ligence Enterprise, including intelligence activities throughout the
Department and component agencies. The Committee will review
efforts to build the intelligence, analytical, and assessment capa-
bilities of the Department and to ensure its full participation in the
Intelligence Community as part of its homeland security mission.
This will include a specific look at the Office of Intelligence and
Analysis’ current and future capabilities, including its mission and
specific means to adjust to a fluid threat landscape and build ex-
pertise and fill gaps within the intelligence community.
The Committee will also examine the Department’s role in man-
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aging, distributing, and using intelligence and threat information
in furtherance of its homeland security mission. This will include
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126
current and future information sharing efforts within the Depart-
ment, between the Department and other Federal agencies, and be-
tween the Department and the Committee. Furthermore, the Com-
mittee will monitor the extent to which the Department effectively
coordinates and collaborates with other Federal, State, and local
agencies to mitigate threats to the homeland. Specifically, the Com-
mittee will assess the degree to which the Office of Intelligence and
Analysis effectively supports State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial
law enforcement partners and other stakeholders. The Committee
will also review how the Department collects and shares informa-
tion, including through vital security vetting programs and Federal
terrorist or criminal watchlists.
The Committee will continue to assess the development of the
Department’s counterintelligence and insider threat programs, in-
cluding Departmental organizational changes, resources, moni-
toring programs, and training initiatives. Specifically, the Com-
mittee will examine the Department’s counterintelligence efforts to
prevent adversaries from penetrating the Department to exploit
sensitive information, operations, programs, personnel, and re-
sources.
PRIVACY, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
The Committee will monitor the Department’s efforts to ensure
appropriate privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections in its
intelligence, counterterrorism, and information sharing programs
and activities. Specifically, the Committee will examine and evalu-
ate such programs and activities with regard to protected cat-
egories, such as race and religion, as well as constitutional rights,
such as freedom of speech. Moreover, the Committee will seek to
ensure that intelligence and counterterrorism oversight, including
any legislative fixes, are appropriately scoped to build trust, bolster
resilience, and empower minority and other historically
marginalized communities who are often targeted by acts of extre-
mism.
UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE
The Committee will examine the operations of the United States
Secret Service, including its efforts to protect the President of the
United States and other Executive branch officials and to inves-
tigate financial and cybercrime. The Committee will also review
the agency’s staffing model to determine whether it has adequate
resources to meet its current and projected needs. The Committee
will examine the Secret Service’s lead role in planning and exe-
cuting security operations for National Special Security Events. Ad-
ditionally, the Committee will conduct oversight into whether the
agency is taking steps to address persistent concerns about hiring
practices, promotion policies, and morale, including increasing di-
versity in leadership positions.
ONLINE EXTREMISM
The Committee will examine the exploitation of online platforms
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by extremists to incite violence, plan violent acts, and cause harm
in the offline world. The Committee will conduct oversight on De-
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127
partmental programs and activities with online platforms to
counter extremism online; efforts by technology platforms and serv-
ice providers in moderating extremist content on their platforms;
and the maturation of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Ter-
rorism; and policy to combat online extremist content while re-
specting free expression, civil rights, and civil liberties.
CYBERSECURITY, INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION, AND
INNOVATION
During the 117th Congress, the Committee will conduct over-
sight of the cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, and science
and technology activities of the Department.
CYBERSECURITY
The Committee will continue its oversight of the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) implementation of the
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018,
which operationalized CISA. Additionally, the Committee will ex-
amine implementation of cybersecurity related provisions of H.R.
6395, the National Defense Authorization Act of FY 2021 and the
Federal government’s response to recent malicious cyber campaigns
targeting Federal networks. Toward that end, the Committee will
continue to its oversight of the deployment and maturation of
CISA’s EINSTEIN and Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation
(CDM) programs for securing Federal networks. Additionally, the
Committee will conduct oversight of strategic initiatives carried out
by the new National Risk Management Center to identify inter-
dependencies and mitigate vulnerabilities across critical infrastruc-
ture sectors. The Committee will also examine ways to further
build the Department’s cybersecurity capability and capacity to im-
plement its cyber statutory authorities.
Additionally, the Committee will continue its work examining the
implementation of cybersecurity legislation, including the National
Cybersecurity Protection Act of 2014, (Pub. L. 113–282) (author-
izing the National Cybersecurity Communications and Integration
Center, or NCCIC); the Federal Information Security Moderniza-
tion Act of 2014, (Pub. L. 113–283 (authorizing DHS to carry out
Federal information security activities); the Cybersecurity En-
hancement Act of 2014, (Pub. L. 113–274) (providing for improve-
ments to cybersecurity through public-private partnerships, edu-
cation, awareness, and development of standards and best prac-
tices); and the Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act, (Pub. L.
113–246) (calling for a comprehensive cyber workforce strategy
with workforce assessments every three years). The Committee will
also examine CISA’s election security activities.
INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION
The Committee will examine CISA’s programs to protect critical
infrastructure, with key focus on internal coordination mechanisms
to ensure that expertise can be leveraged efficiently and effectively
and encourage CISA to proactively respond to new and emerging
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threats, such as the threat of unmanned aerial vehicles detected in
sensitive airspace and soft targets. The Committee will also review
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128
how DHS, through CISA, works with the various critical infrastruc-
ture sectors pursuant to Presidential Policy Directive 21, Critical
Infrastructure Security and Resilience (PPD–21).
The Committee will oversee CISA’s ongoing administration of
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS) program,
which requires high risk chemical facility owners and operators to
report chemical holdings, perform vulnerability assessments, and
adopt risk-based security measures to protect against the threat of
a terrorist attack. Further, the Committee will continue to monitor
the Department’s efforts to establish a program to secure the sale
and transfer of ammonium nitrate, as required by the Secure Han-
dling of Ammonium Nitrate Act of 2008, and potentially develop
new access controls to prevent the illicit flow of other precursor
chemicals commonly used in Improved Explosive Devices (IEDs).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE
The Committee will conduct oversight of the coordination of
homeland security-related research, development, testing, and eval-
uation (RDT&E) within the Department and the adequacy of mis-
sion support provided by the Directorate to operational elements of
the Department, state and local authorities, and the private sector.
The Committee will also review the Department’s efforts to attract
the Nation’s most talented scientists and build partnerships with
the academic community through its Homeland Security Centers of
Excellence and University Programs.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND
RECOVERY
In the 117th Congress, the Committee will continue to conduct
oversight of the Department’s efforts to prevent, prepare for, re-
spond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and
other major emergencies, including the COVID–19 pandemic.
PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY
The Committee will examine the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency’s (FEMA) response and recovery efforts for declared
disasters to ensure capabilities incorporate lessons learned and
Federal resources are used appropriately. Focus will include lesson
learned from recent disasters and recovery efforts, addressing the
needs of underserved and vulnerable populations, and the impact
of global warming on disasters. The Committee will also review the
Department’s training and exercise programs. Further, the Com-
mittee will monitor the extent to which FEMA is incorporating in-
formation from national exercises into future training, planning,
and response, recovery, and mitigation activities. Additionally, the
Committee will conduct oversight of the Department’s Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Office efforts to counter threats from
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons.
COVID–19
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The Committee will continue its oversight of the Federal re-
sponse to the COVID–19 pandemic, including the role of FEMA in
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129
responding to the disaster. Particular focus will be on monitoring
FEMA’s work with the Centers for Disease Control and other Fed-
eral agencies to coordinate with State, local, and tribal, and terri-
torial entities and the private sector to assist with COVID–19 vac-
cine distribution, as well as addressing inequitable access to vac-
cine and disparate outcomes for minority and underserved commu-
nities.
ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND FIRST
RESPONDERS
The Committee will examine FEMA’s allocation and administra-
tion of grants to state and local governments and emergency re-
sponse providers to prevent, prepare for, respond to, mitigate, and
recover from a terrorist attack or other disaster. The Committee
will review the coordination of grant programs within the Depart-
ment in developing guidance and administering grants; the ability
of state and local governments to access, obligate, and expend
funds; the strength of regional partnerships developed through
grants; and the risk-based distribution and expenditure of such
grants at the state and local levels.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
The Committee will examine the coordination of various commu-
nications programs and offices within the Department, including
the achievement and maintenance of interoperable communications
capabilities among the Department’s components, as required by
the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communica-
tions Act (Pub. Law 114–29). The Committee will monitor activities
of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and the devel-
opment of the public safety interoperable wireless broadband net-
work. In addition, the Committee will review the Department’s In-
tegrated Public Alert and Warning System to ensure timely and ef-
fective alerts and warnings are provided to the public in the event
of an emergency.
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COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
ADMINISTRATION
Oversight Plan for the 117th Congress
Committee on House Administration
The Committee on House Administration (Committee) has devel-
oped the following oversight plan pursuant to clause 2(d) of rule X
of the Rules of the House of Representatives. The Committee’s
oversight activities are key to the operations of the Legislative
Branch, including the House and House Officers, Legislative
Branch agencies, and other related entities. The Committee’s re-
sponsibilities also include oversight of federal elections. The juris-
diction of the Committee, pursuant to clause House Rule X, clause
1(k), is as follows:
(1) Appropriations from accounts for committee salaries and ex-
penses (except for the Committee on Appropriations); House Infor-
mation Resources; and allowance and expenses of Members, Dele-
gates, the Resident Commissioner, officers, and administrative of-
fices of the House.
(2) Auditing and settling of all accounts described in subpara-
graph (1).
(3) Employment of persons by the House, including staff for
Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, and committees;
and reporters of debates, subject to rule VI.
(4) Except as provided in paragraph (r)(11), the Library of Con-
gress, including management thereof; the House Library; statuary
and pictures; acceptance or purchase of works of art for the Cap-
itol; the Botanic Garden; and purchase of books and manuscripts,
(5) The Smithsonian Institution and the incorporation of similar
institutions (except as provided in paragraph (r)(11)).
(6) Expenditure of accounts described in subparagraph (1).
(7) Franking Commission; 19
(8) Printing and correction of the Congressional Record.
(9) Accounts of the House generally.
(10) Assignment of office space for Members, Delegates, the Resi-
dent Commissioner, and committees.
(11) Disposition of useless executive papers.
(12) Election of the President, Vice President, Members, Sen-
ators, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner; corrupt practices;
contested elections; credentials and qualifications; and Federal elec-
tions generally.
19 The name of the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, also known as
the Franking Commission, was recently changed to the House Communications Standards Com-
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mission. COMMS Act., P.L. 116–260.
(131)
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132
(13) Services to the House, including the House Restaurant,
parking facilities, and administration of the House Office Buildings
and of the House wing of the Capitol.
(14) Travel of Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commis-
sioner.
(15) Raising, reporting, and use of campaign contributions for
candidates for office of Representative, of Delegate, and of Resident
Commissioner; and
(16) Compensation, retirement, and other benefits of the Mem-
bers, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, officers, and employ-
ees of Congress.
The Committee will continue its oversight of operations of the
House, Legislative Branch agencies, and federal elections in the
117th Congress. This oversight work will include various forms of
Committee activity, including, but not limited to, regular oversight
meetings with Committee staff, Member-level meetings, briefings,
hearings, correspondence, studies, reports, and cooperation with
relevant inspectors general. The Committee intends to continue
and expand its practice of holding both monthly general oversight
meetings for House Officers and agencies and project-specific recur-
ring oversight meetings for Legislative Branch programs and ac-
tivities that require extra Committee attention.
The Committee’s oversight activities will emphasize:
• House Officers and operations;
• Legislative Branch agencies and related entities;
• Security of the Capitol and throughout the legislative
branch, including the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist at-
tack on the U.S. Capitol;
• Operations of the Legislative Branch during the ongoing
COVID–19 pandemic;
• Member services;
• Committee funding and activities;
• The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995;
• Official communications;
• House technology use and modernization; and
• Federal election law and procedures.
HOUSE OFFICERS AND OPERATIONS
The Committee intends to work with the House Officers to de-
velop and implement long term plans to ensure that they are well
positioned to serve the House community effectively. These plans
will focus on increasing efficiency, improving management prac-
tices, diversifying the workforce, promoting physical and cyber se-
curity, and facilitating interoffice cooperation.
House Officers and Operations, Generally
• Oversee collaboration among House Officers and other Legisla-
tive Branch entities with respect to the institutional response to
the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic.
• Provide general policy guidance to the House Officers.
• Provide policy guidance and conduct oversight of security and
safety issues and congressional entities charged with such roles,
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ensuring coordination among the various entities, with an empha-
sis on the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack at the Capitol.
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• Review proposals and oversee efforts to recruit and retain a
more diverse and inclusive workforce.
• Analyze management improvement proposals and other initia-
tives submitted by the House Officers and relevant Inspectors Gen-
eral.
• Assure coordination among House Officers and other Legisla-
tive Branch entities on the continued development and implemen-
tation of a comprehensive district office support program.
• Coordinate with House Officers and officials to develop and im-
plement long term plans and goals for the financial and adminis-
trative functions of the House.
• Coordinate with the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Ap-
propriations on matters impacting operations of the House and
other Legislative Branch entities.
• Ensure coordination among House Officers and other Legisla-
tive Branch entities on administrative and technology matters, in-
cluding reviewing and improving existing IT security policies.
• Oversee compliance with the House Employees Position Classi-
fication Act (2 U.S.C. §§ 291 et seq.).
• Review relevant rules, regulations, and statutes and, in con-
sultation with the House Officers, revise where necessary.
• Work with House Officers to create more cost effective and effi-
cient operations within the House, including, but not limited to,
elimination of any duplicative programs or activities.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
• Provide policy direction for the Chief Administrative Officer
(CAO). Continue the review of functions and administrative oper-
ations assigned to the CAO.
• Review ongoing process and technology upgrades to the House
financial management system, ensuring appropriate internal con-
trols are in place.
• Oversee the CAO’s role in assuring accessibility to the House
wing of the Capitol, the House Office Buildings, and other House
facilities consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA).
• Oversee the House Child Care Center, including response to
the COVID–19 pandemic and efforts to reduce the waitlist and ex-
pand admissions.
• Oversee the House Recording Studio, with a focus on the exe-
cution of remote proceedings.
• Oversee the use of electronic consent forms for casework.
• Review of the House’s new equipment program.
• Oversee efforts to improve customer service and communica-
tions across all CAO functions and business units.
• Oversee development and implementation of strategies to in-
crease House staff retention.
• Oversee House restaurant operations.
• Oversee the Office of Employee Assistance and House Wellness
Center, including efforts to increase capacity and address the trau-
ma among Members and staff associated with the January 6, 2021,
domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.
• Oversee operations and management of the office supply store
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and gift shop.
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• Oversee the CAO’s customer advocate program.
• Oversee the Student Loan Repayment program and recent re-
forms thereto.
• Oversee House Creative Services.
• Review alternatives to the current mail delivery process to
strengthen the services and tools available to Members and staff.
• Review and provide direction on the CAO’s actions in response
to the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic.
• Review and help to facilitate efforts to diversify the CAO work-
force.
• Review existing asset management processes.
• Review House furniture policy, inventory, and selection.
• Review House procurement policies and monitor the effective-
ness of the CAO’s procurement and contract management func-
tions.
• Review issues related to district office leases.
• Review new technology initiatives to better serve Members,
committees, and the public.
• Review procedures for processing contracts with the House
that exceed the threshold of $350,000.
• Review proposals and oversee corresponding efforts to convert
certain services provided by contractors to in-house services.
• Review semi-annual financial and operational status reports;
oversee implementation of changes in operations to improve serv-
ices and increase efficiencies.
• Review staff benefits offered by the House and proposals to
modify benefits.
• Review the officially sanctioned ‘‘Congressional App Chal-
lenge.’’
• Review the Wounded Warrior Program and develop rec-
ommendations, in consultation with veteran’s organizations, about
improvements to the program.
• Review the SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton
Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program and develop
recommendations, in consultation with veteran’s organizations,
about improvements to the program.
• Review training offerings available to Members and staff
through the Congressional Staff Academy, identifying additional
programming opportunities.
• Review and oversee information technology services provided,
maintained or hosted by House Information Resources:
Æ Review of the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack
at the Capitol, including cybersecurity implications and re-
sponse.
Æ Oversee failsafe procedures to guarantee continuity of op-
erations.
Æ Oversee House cybersecurity practices, including network
security and threat prevention.
Æ Review of the House Disaster Recovery Program.
Æ Review of House IT configuration and redundancy posture.
Æ Oversee web services activities, including new Member
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website development.
Æ Oversee pilot and rollout of Quill letter signing platform.
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135
Æ Oversee development of improvements to CMS experience
for Member offices.
Æ Oversee the Technology Partner Program, including the
marketing thereof.
Æ Oversee efforts to continue movement toward cloud com-
puting.
Clerk of the House
• Review functions and administrative operations assigned to
the Clerk.
• Oversee official reporter participation in field hearings.
• Coordinate on matters under the jurisdiction of the House Fine
Arts Board and the Capitol Preservation Board.
• Oversee efforts to implement digital signatures in the House.
• Oversee legislative process adjustments necessitated by the
COVID–19 pandemic, including limited proxy voting and the elec-
tronic hopper.
• Oversee participation in the Bulk Data Task Force.
• Oversee preparation of congressionally authorized publications.
• Oversee the House document repository.
• Oversee the lobbying disclosure process, including ways to
make data more easily accessible for the general public.
• Review and approve contracts and requests for proposals by
the Clerk that exceed the $350,000 spending threshold.
• Review of semi-annual financial and operational status reports;
recommend changes in operations to improve services and increase
efficiencies.
• Review other issues related to the COVID–19 pandemic, in-
cluding staff vaccination.
• Review standards for the electronic exchange of legislative in-
formation among the chambers of Congress and Legislative Branch
agencies.
• Review the application programming interface incorporated in
the Clerk’s website.
• Review the Clerk’s current IT configuration and redundancy
posture.
• Review the printing needs of the Clerk to evaluate the poten-
tial for eliminating duplication.
House Inspector General
• Review of functions and administrative operations assigned to
the Inspector General.
• Direct Inspector General to conduct management advisories to
improve implementation and operation of key House functions.
• Ensure that audit prioritization is based upon the assessment
of risk to the operations of the House.
• Monitor progress of House audits.
• Review and approve proposed audit plan and audit reports, in-
cluding the annual financial statements audit.
• Review comprehensive financial and operational audits of the
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House, investigate any irregularities uncovered, and monitor nec-
essary improvements.
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House Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• Oversee and support efforts to direct and guide House employ-
ing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and re-
tain a diverse workforce.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with the diversity survey re-
quirement set forth in House Rule II, clause (9)(b)(2).
• Oversee and ensure compliance with the diversity report re-
quirement set forth in House Rule II, clause (9)(b)(3).
House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds
• Oversee efforts to promulgate best practices for whistleblower
intake for offices of the House set forth in House Rule II, clause
10(b)(1).
• Oversee the provision of whistleblower intake trainings for of-
fices of the House set forth in House Rule II, clause 10(b)(2).
House Sergeant at Arms (HSAA)
• Review and oversee security operations in the House, including
the House Chamber, the galleries, the Capitol, House Office Build-
ings, Capitol Grounds, and district offices.
• Review of the events of January 6, 2021, including consider-
ation and facilitation of security recommendations made by Lt.
General Russel Honoré (Ret.) and his task force studying the Janu-
ary 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.
• Consult with the HSAA on policies adopted by the Capitol Po-
lice Board and other relevant oversight entities.
• Review of functions and administrative operations assigned to
the HSAA.
• Examine Sergeant at Arms’ role in assuring accessibility to the
House wing of the Capitol, the House Office Buildings, and other
House facilities consistent with the ADA.
• Review and monitor the HSAA amendments to protocols to en-
sure the safety of Members’ Washington, D.C., and district offices
and homes.
• Review and monitor the HSAA emergency preparedness and
training of all Members, staff, and employees.
• Review and monitor the HSAA implementation of new Mem-
ber, staff, employee, and visitor tracking protocols and electronic
systems.
• Review and monitor the repair/improvement of Capitol security
entry and exit pedestrian points.
• Review and oversee initiatives designed to increase security
and security awareness for Members and staff in district offices.
• Review annual financial and operational status reports; rec-
ommend changes in operations to improve services and increase ef-
ficiencies.
• Review any and all HSAA improvements to the identification
and badging of Members, staff, employees, contractors, and visitors.
• Review emergency continuity of operations and continuity of
government plans of action, including plans to communicate to
Members and staff.
• Review impact of electronic access to controlled spaces.
• Review short and long-term crisis mental health support for
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• Review the effectiveness of district office security program, in-
cluding the law enforcement coordinator program, enterprise-wide
security system contract, and processes for mail sent to the district
offices.
• Review the policies and procedures for visitor access to the
Capitol.
• Review the security operation of House parking facilities, regu-
lations, and allocation of parking spaces.
• Review the use of technology generally in the protection of the
House of Representatives.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND OTHER ENTITIES
Architect of the Capitol (AOC)
• Oversee the Cannon House Office Building renovation, with an
emphasis on Phase III progress.
• Review lessons learned from Phase II of the Cannon House Of-
fice Building renovation and monitor application to Phase III.
• Oversee the closeout of punch list items in the Cannon House
Office Building renovation, including earlier phases.
• Oversee life safety measures, accessibility measures, and im-
proved evacuation mechanisms in House buildings.
• Oversee restoration and repairs necessitated by the January 6,
2021, domestic terrorist attack at the Capitol, including, but not
limited to review of any proposed infrastructure security rec-
ommendations made by Lt. General Russel Honoré (Ret.).
• Oversee efforts to improve diversity within the office of the Ar-
chitect of the Capitol (AOC), with an emphasis on senior levels of
the agency.
• Oversee hiring practices, with an emphasis on increasing di-
versity and inclusion at the senior levels of the agency.
• Oversee the continued institutional response to the COVID–19
pandemic.
• Oversee the AOC’s role in assuring accessibility to the House
wing of the Capitol and the House Office Buildings.
• Oversee the pest management practices of the AOC.
• Oversee AOC’s maintenance of House Buildings and the House
side of the Capitol.
• Oversee caucus and meeting room renovations.
• Oversee efforts to create and maintain a professional work-
place culture.
• Oversee National Statuary Hall.
• Oversee operations of the Capitol Visitor Center, including
public tours, the re-design of Exhibition Hall, contracting practices
and revolving fund status, in conjunction with the Senate Com-
mittee on Rules and Administration.
• Oversee other capital projects, including the Rayburn Garage
refurbishment.
• Review AOC efforts to improve discipline program and ac-
countability systems, including those applicable to exempt per-
sonnel.
• Review plans and proposals for future projects in the House
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• Review reports by the AOC Inspector General and implementa-
tion of audit recommendations. Examine options to improve oper-
ation and structure of the AOC Inspector General’s office.
• Review the AOC Office of Sustainability’s efforts to reduce en-
ergy and waste consumption in the Capitol Complex by, for exam-
ple, use of waterless and low-flow plumbing fixtures in restroom fa-
cilities.
• Review relevant rules, regulations, and statutes and, in con-
sultation with the agency, revise where necessary.
• Review the electronic and procured services provided by the
Architect.
• Review the operations and organizational structure of the Of-
fice of the Architect, considering proposals for reorganization pro-
vided to the Committee by the Architect.
• Review workplace safety and health efforts.
Government Publishing Office (GPO)
• Continue efforts to reform title 44, United States Code, par-
ticularly provisions related to the Federal Depository Library Pro-
gram.
• Examine current Government Publishing Office (GPO) printing
and binding regulations to determine advisability of change.
• Monitor implementation of remedial actions taken by manage-
ment to address audit issues identified by the GPO Inspector Gen-
eral and outside financial auditors.
• Monitor progress of the GPO committee print project.
• Oversee GPO response to the COVID–19 pandemic.
• Oversee operations of the GPO, including the Superintendent
of Documents.
• Oversee Secure and Intelligent Document (SID) production, in-
cluding production of passports.
• Oversee Superintendent of Documents’ sales and depository li-
brary programs.
• Review agency efforts to recruit a diverse and inclusive work-
force.
• Review and adopt legislative proposals to reform government
printing by eliminating redundancies and unnecessary printing, in-
creasing efficiency, and enhancing public access to government
publications.
• Review GPO labor practices and labor agreements.
• Review the printing needs of the House of Representatives to
identify the potential for eliminating duplication.
• Review use of GPO facilities and other assets to identify pos-
sible alternatives that enhance value to the Congress and the pub-
lic.
• Under the authority set forth in 44 U.S.C. § § 101 et seq, re-
view rules and regulations promulgated by the Joint Committee on
Printing, updating where prudent.
Library of Congress
• Conduct detailed oversight of Congressional Research Service
operations and consider any need to modify management and orga-
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nizational structure of the service. Areas of focus to include:
Æ Diversity and inclusion;
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Æ Staff morale and attrition rates;
Æ Work environment;
Æ Resource allocation; and
Æ Administrative support for subject matter experts.
• Conduct detailed oversight the Copyright Office:
Æ Review the use of technology generally in Copyright Office
operations, and specifically the office’s modernization efforts.
This includes continued oversight of the development and im-
plementation of the Enterprise Copyright System, including
the recordation and registration systems, updated application
process and updated user experience platform.
Æ Review the Copyright Office’s efforts to communicate its
modernization efforts to stakeholders.
Æ Review security measures and processes for e-deposits
submitted to both the Copyright Office and Library of Con-
gress.
Æ Review the Copyright Office’s spending authority and its
ability to budget for multi-year capital projects.
• Conduct a review of the progress that the Library has made
in providing public access to government information, especially in
electronic form.
• Consider legislation proposed by the Library.
• Oversee collection development programs and digital collection
plans.
• Oversee Law Library operations.
• Oversee Library capital projects.
• Oversee Library IT modernization consistent with the guidance
from the Government Accountability Office, including efforts to
overhaul records storage, utilize the cloud, stabilize the core IT
structure, improve IT governance and develop a more centralized
and professional IT workforce.
• Oversee the Contracts and Grants Directorate, including acqui-
sition workforce training and acquisition planning.
• Oversee the implementation of the Library of Congress Fiscal
Operations Improvement Act of 2000 (P.L. 106–481, 114 Stat.
2187), the Veterans’ Oral History Project Act (P.L. 106–380, 114
Stat. 1447), the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 (P.L.
106–474, 114 Stat. 2085), and the History of the House Awareness
and Preservation Act (P.L. 106–99, 113 Stat. 1330).
• Oversee the Library’s technology hosting environment transi-
tion.
• Oversee the National Library Service’s efforts to provide the
most effective service to their library partners, explore ways to in-
crease the number of users under 65, review the format and con-
tent for those users, and oversee plans to move to a new physical
headquarters.
• Oversee Library of Congress operations, including inventory
cataloguing systems, preservation efforts, and plans to grow collec-
tions.
• Oversee the Library’s Visitor Experience Initiative, including
the Thomas Jefferson Building renovations.
• Ensure the continued compilation of educational websites and
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materials tailored for students going to school remotely due to the
COVID–19 pandemic.
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140
• Oversee gift shop financial management and accounting.
• Oversee improvements to the Legislation Information Service.
• Oversee Library storage facilities, including the shelving re-
placement project in the Law Library.
• Oversee supervisor and employee conduct, workplace environ-
ment and culture, discipline, and other human resources matters.
• Oversee the Library’s Overseas Offices program.
• Oversee the operation of the Library’s various websites, includ-
ing Congress.gov and Copyright.gov.
• Review and propose changes to the rules and regulations pro-
mulgated by the Joint Committee on the Library.
• Review customer order processing procedures.
• Review relevant rules, regulations, and statutes and, in con-
sultation with the agency, revise where necessary.
• Review reports by Library of Congress Inspector General and
implementation of audit recommendations. Examine options to im-
prove operation and structure of the Library of Congress Inspector
General’s office.
• Review the use of technology generally in Library of Congress
operations, and specifically the ongoing work to centralize tech-
nology operations.
Office of Congressional Accessibility Services (OCAS)
• Oversee management and operations of Office of Congressional
Accessibility Services, such as the implementation of the ADA, in
conjunction with Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.
Smithsonian Institution
• Oversee efforts to increase collections storage capacity, includ-
ing review of proposed legislation to expand collections storage ca-
pacity.
• Oversee efforts to publish educational materials tailored to-
ward students participating in virtual learning due to the COVID–
19 pandemic.
• Oversee efforts to reduce the Smithsonian Institution’s de-
ferred maintenance backlog.
• Oversee general museum and research facility operations of
the Smithsonian Institution.
• Oversee response to the COVID–19 pandemic, including mu-
seum operations and workplace safety.
• Oversee Smithsonian science and research facilities, including
the work being conducted in Panama, Hawaii and around the
world.
• Oversee the partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London.
• Oversee the planning for newly authorized Smithsonian facili-
ties, including the National Women’s History Museum and the Na-
tional Museum of the American Latino.
• Review and evaluate the Smithsonian Institution’s use of fed-
erally appropriated funds.
• Review relevant rules, regulations and statutes and, in con-
sultation with the agency, revise where necessary.
• Review any proposals to charge fees for admission to any
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Smithsonian exhibits.
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• Review COVID–19 impacts to Trust finances and labor out-
look.
• Review efforts to improve diversity and inclusion within the
Smithsonian, including, diversity in exhibits/collections and diver-
sity in the workforce, with an emphasis on senior levels of the
Smithsonian.
• Review operations and conduct oversight of Smithsonian En-
terprises.
• Review operations of the National Zoo.
• Review proposed appointments of citizen regents to the Smith-
sonian Institution’s Board of Regents.
• Review Smithsonian policies regarding initiation of planning,
design, and construction of projects.
• Review the Smithsonian Inspector General reports on the sta-
tus of the Smithsonian, with a focus on cybersecurity and deferred
maintenance issues.
United States Capitol Police
• Review the events of and related to the January 6, 2021, do-
mestic terrorist attack on the Capitol including consideration and
facilitation of security recommendations made by Lt. General
Russel Honoré (Ret.) and his task force studying attack.
• Review and oversee implementation of Inspector General rec-
ommendations
• Authorize and oversee of the installation and maintenance of
new security systems and devices proposed by the Capitol Police
Board and other relevant security entities.
• Oversee national search for a new permanent Department
leadership, including a new Department Chief.
• Oversee any potential structural reforms to the Department.
• Review and monitor the Department’s implementation of Inclu-
sion, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA) with recruitment, train-
ing, and development of all Department employees and leadership,
with a focus on diversifying the ranks of the department.
• Review and monitor the Department’s plan of action to imple-
ment mandatory basic, immediate, and advanced leadership train-
ing of all supervisory personnel.
• Review short and long-term crisis mental health support for
Department officers and Civilian Personnel.
• Conduct oversight of the effectiveness of Department pre-
screeners.
• Conduct oversight of House garages security implementation.
• Continually review physical security requirements for Mem-
bers of Congress.
• Examine the Department’s role in assuring accessibility to the
House wing of the Capitol, House Office Buildings and other facili-
ties consistent with the ADA.
• Monitor administrative operations of the agency, including
budgetary management, over-time use, civilian components, attri-
tion rates, recruitment efforts and incentive programs for officers
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and civilian employees.
• Oversee efforts to improve Department transparency.
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142
• Review all reports authored by the Department Inspector Gen-
eral, along with operations and structure of the Inspector General’s
Office.
• Review analysis of uniformed officer post/duty assignments to
determine and authorize force levels to meet the agency’s security
requirements within the Capitol complex to include the Capitol Vis-
itor Center, the Library of Congress, and U.S. Botanic Garden.
• Review and consider proposals to improve USCP training pro-
gram, especially to counter bias, for new recruits and in-service
training, including the Department’s use of programs at the Fed-
eral Law Enforcement Training Centers.
• Review and monitor the Department IG’s immediate rec-
ommendations to address insider threats within the Department.
• Review relevant rules, regulations, and statutes and, in con-
sultation with the agency, revise where necessary.
• Review and monitor the revision of the Department’s Use of
Force policy.
• Review and oversee revisions of all Department Memorandums
of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandums of Agreement (MOA)
with certain federal, state, local, and Department of Defense enti-
ties.
• Review Department COVID–19 enhanced testing and vaccina-
tion programs.
• Review Department security clearance policy.
• Review proposals for additional USCP authorities, facilities,
and equipment.
Member Services
• Oversee Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA), includ-
ing amounts, structure, regulations, and calculations to ensure that
all Members have sufficient resources to effectively represent their
constituents.
• Oversee the processing of vouchers and direct payments, in-
cluding those for payroll. Continue to monitor the implementation
of the electronic vouchering system.
• Provide guidance and outreach to congressional offices to en-
sure compliance with Committee regulations.
• Review and, if appropriate, revise the Guide to Outfitting and
Maintaining an Office, a set of regulations governing the acquisi-
tion, transfer, and disposal of furnishings, equipment, software,
and related services.
• Review and, if appropriate, revise the Members’ Congressional
Handbook, a set of regulations governing the appropriate use of the
Members’ Representational Allowance.
• Work with the Officers of the House, the AOC, and other Leg-
islative Branch agencies to provide meaningful outreach to Member
offices and provide that the views of member offices are incor-
porated into their ongoing work.
New Member Orientation
• Plan, implement, and oversee the New Member Orientation
program for newly elected Members of Congress.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of the Congressional
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Research Service’s New Member Issues Seminar.
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• Oversee continued implementation of the Transition Aide pro-
gram.
• Oversee implementation of new technologies to help facilitate
New Member Orientation.
• Work with the Congressional Research Service and other sup-
port agencies to make available additional on-going professional de-
velopment services for new Members and staff.
Intern Program
• Continue and expand the Gregg and Livingston Harper Con-
gressional Internship Program for Individuals with Intellectual
Disabilities.
• Oversee the House Paid Internship program, including over-
sight of paid interns in district offices.
• In coordination with the Senate Committee on Rules and Ad-
ministration, organize, administer, and oversee the intern lecture
series.
• Review and consider revising the intern handbook and other
publications and communication materials used in support of the
intern program.
COMMITTEE FUNDING AND OVERSIGHT
• Review monthly reports on committee activities and expendi-
tures.
• Review and, as necessary, revise the Committees’ Congres-
sional Handbook.
• Review primary and any secondary expense resolutions and
approve authorization of committee funding levels.
• Review committees’ franking expenditures.
• Review committees’ requests for the use of consultant con-
tracts.
CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1995
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