Defense hearings: Nepal relief, veterans groups’ concerns

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Staff

A Nepalese woman stands carrying her child outside her house damaged in last month’s earthquake on the outskirts of Lalitpur, Nepal, Monday, May 11, 2015. The April 25 earthquake killed more than 8,000 people and left thousands more homeless, as it flattened mountain villages and destroyed buildings and archaeological sites in the Himalayan region. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Congress has a light slate of defense- and veterans affairs-related hearings scheduled before its weeklong Memorial Day recess, with the foreign affairs committees doing most of the work.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee will review ongoing rescue and relief efforts in Nepal on Thursday, while its Senate counterpart will review a series of nominations this week.

The two chambers’ Veterans’ Affairs committees will hold a joint hearing Wednesday to hear from a host of veterans groups on pending policy issues. That hearing was originally scheduled for March, but got scuttled because of snow.

Tuesday

House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2172

Trade

The subcommittee on trade will discuss trade promotion agencies and U.S. foreign policy.

House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2200

Hungary

The subcommittee on Europe will examine the future of U.S.-Hungary relations and regional security issues.

Senate Foreign Relations — 2:45 p.m. — Dirksen 419

Nominations

The committee will consider several pending nominations, including Marcia Denise Occomy to be director of the African Development Bank.

Wednesday

Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — Dirksen 419

Cuba

State Department officials will testify before the committee about the status of U.S.-Cuba relations and changes in U.S. policy for the region.

Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Hart 216

VSOs

The committees will hear from American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and several other advocacy groups on pending legislation and priorities for the year.

House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2172

Egypt

The subcommittee on North Africa will discuss the security situation in Egypt two years after the government overthrow there.

Senate Appropriations — 11 a.m. — Visitors Center 217

Closed briefing

The subcommittee on defense will receive a closed briefing on the security situation in Syria.

House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2200

Rwanda

The subcommittee on Africa will discuss ongoing security and humanitarian concerns in Rwanda.

House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2172

Nepal

The subcommittee on Asia will discuss ongoing humanitarian efforts in Nepal following the devastating April 25 earthquake.

Senate Foreign Relations — 2:30 p.m. — Dirksen 419

Nominations

The committee will consider several pending ambassadorship nominations.

Thursday

House Veterans’ Affairs — 9 a.m. — Cannon 334

Pending legislation

The committee will discuss and vote on several pending measures on VA health and employment policies.

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.

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