Congress returns from its Memorial Day break to resume work on the defense budget for fiscal 2016 and renewed questions about problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The House Appropriations Committee will mark up its draft of next year’s defense appropriations bill Wednesday, while Senate staffers work behind the scenes to bring the annual authorization bill to a full chamber vote. Once complete, the two pieces of legislation will set spending levels and priorities for the military.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee will renew its criticism of Iranian detention policies with testimony Tuesday from family members of Americans held against their will in that country.
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will hold its 16th hearing of the year Wednesday, which is significant because it matches the total hearings held by the committee in all of 2014. Their House counterparts will also take up a series of health care-related questions during hearings Monday and Wednesday.
Monday
House Veterans’ Affairs — 4 p.m. — Cannon 334
Contracting issues
The subcommittee on oversight will review problems with VA contracting, including allegations of violating existing agreements in outside health care issues.
Tuesday
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2172
Iran
The committee will hear from family members of Americans detained in Iran and efforts to get them released. At noon, the committee will mark up a resolution demanding the release of those prisoners.
House Appropriations — 10:15 a.m. — Rayburn 2359
Defense appropriations
The full appropriations committee will mark up its draft of the defense budget for fiscal 2016.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 2 p.m. — Cannon 334
Pending legislation
The subcommittee on economic opportunity will review several bills dealing with education and employment programs for veterans.
House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2172
Counterterrorism
The subcommittee on terrorism will review operations and management of the State Department’s counterterrorism bureau.
Wednesday
House Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Cannon 334
Health care payments
The subcommittee on health will review problems with VA payments to non-department health care providers.
House Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — Cannon 311
Texas shooting
The committee will review terrorist ties to the recent shooting in Garland, Texas, and the potential for similar attacks within the United States.
House Foreign Affairs — 12 p.m. — Rayburn 2172
ISIS
The subcommittee on the Middle East will review recent gains by ISIS in Iraq, including the takeovers of Ramadi and Palmyra.
House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2200
Zimbabwe
The subcommittee on Africa will review U.S.-Zimbabwe relations and security issues in that region.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 2:30 p.m. — Russell 418
Health Care proposals
The committee will review several pending pieces of legislation related to veterans’ health care options and recent moves by VA officials to extend Choice Card access to more veterans.
