{"id":37579,"date":"2017-07-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-10T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/07\/10\/this-week-in-congress-senators-grill-trump-s-navy-secretary-pick\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:47:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:47:32","slug":"this-week-in-congress-senators-grill-trump-s-navy-secretary-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2017\/07\/10\/this-week-in-congress-senators-grill-trump-s-navy-secretary-pick\/","title":{"rendered":"This week in Congress: Senators grill Trump’s Navy secretary pick"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Congress returns from a short holiday recess to a busy three weeks of work before their extended August break. Officials from the Senate Armed Services Committee hope to clear numerous nominations before then, and start this week with five would-be military appointees. That work begins on Tuesday, with the confirmation hearing for Richard Spencer as the next Navy secretary. The panel and their House counterparts will also be working behind the scenes for full-chamber passage of their respective drafts of the annual defense authorization bill. If the House and Senate can advance those, negotiators will spend most of August reconciling the differences in the massive budget policy measures. The congressional Veterans Affairs panels also have crowded schedules, with several dozen pieces of legislation being considered by lawmakers. The committees will also need to deal with authorizing more money for VA\u2019s Choice program in the next few weeks, to keep it from going bankrupt in early August. Tuesday<\/b>Senate Armed Services<\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50Navy Secretary nomination<\/i>The committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Richard Spencer, nominated to be the next Secretary of the Navy.Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Russell 418Pending legislation<\/i>The committee will consider 13 health care bills, including a draft of a proposed overhaul of the department\u2019s Choice program.Wednesday<\/b>Senate Armed Services<\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50Nomination<\/i>The committee will consider the nominations of four would-be Defense Department officials, including Ryan McCarthy\u2019s nomination to be the next undersecretary of the Army.Senate Foreign Relations<\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419Foreign aid<\/i>Outside experts will testify before the committee on pending legislation to limit foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority.House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Cannon 334Capital Assets<\/i>The committee will head from VA officials on the department\u2019s capital asset needs and the fiscal 2018 budget request.House Foreign Affairs<\/a> \u2014 10 a m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172Foreign development<\/i>Outside experts will testify before the committee on proposals to support women in impoverished countries. \u00a0House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 1 p.m. \u2014 Cannon 334Pending legislation<\/i>The subcommittee on oversight will consider a series of pending bills.Senate Appropriations<\/a> \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Dirksen 106MilCon\/VA appropriations<\/i>The subcommittee on military construction and veterans issues will mark up its draft of the fiscal 2018 VA and military construction budget.House Foreign Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2 p m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172State Department FY18 budget<\/i>Officials from the State Department will testify before the committee on U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere and funding priorities in the fiscal 2018 budget request.House Foreign Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2:30 p m. \u2014 Rayburn 2200Terrorism<\/i>Outside experts will testify before the committee on terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia and the implications for U.S. national security.House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Cannon 334Pending legislation<\/i>The subcommittee on economic oversight will consider a series of pending bills.Thursday<\/b>Senate Armed Services<\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50Montenegro<\/i>The committee will hear from outside experts on the recent attempted coup in Montenegro and the negative influence of Russia in Europe.House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Cannon 334Gulf War illness<\/i>A pair of subcommittees will hear from health officials on VA\u2019s processing of Gulf War Illness claims.House Homeland Security<\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Visitors Center H210Al Qaeda<\/i>The committee will hear from outside experts on changes in the terrorist group and the current threat it poses to U.S. national security.Senate Appropriations<\/a> \u2014 10:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen 106MilCon\/VA appropriations<\/i>The full committee will mark up its draft of the fiscal 2018 VA and military construction budget.House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Cannon 334VA efficiency<\/i>The subcommittee on health will hear from department officials on recent productivity and efficiency changes for VA health services.House Homeland Security<\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Visitors Center H210ISIS<\/i>The committee will hear from outside experts on the threat of terrorists entering the United States following the fall of Islamic State group strongholds in the Middle East.