WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, held a business meeting to consider pending legislation. The Committee voted on four presidential nominations, seven pieces of legislation, and five U.S. Postal Service facility naming bills.
Presidential Nominations– The following nominations were reported out of Committee en bloc by voice vote:
Steven M. Wellner to be an Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Hon. Julia A. Clark to be General Counsel, Federal Labor Relations Authority
Hon. Tony Hammond to be Commissioner, Postal Regulatory Commission
Hon. Nanci E. Langley to be Commissioner, Postal Regulatory Commission
Legislation
S. 2354, DHS Cybersecurity Workforce Recruitment and Retention Act of 2014.
Approved by voice vote
This bill would give the Secretary of Homeland Security recruitment and retention authorities for cybersecurity professionals commensurate with those of the Secretary of Defense.
Portman Amendment MDM14277
Approved by voice vote
This amendment would require the Department of Homeland Security to implement the National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework to provide a common lexicon for cybersecurity work, a uniform classification system for job functions, and specific employment codes.
S. 1820, Responsible Use of Taxpayer Dollars for Portraits Act of 2013
Approved by voice vote
This bill would place limits on the amount of federal funding that can support commissioned portraits and would encourage federal agencies to obtain funding from sources other than tax dollars.
The Committee approved the following pieces of legislation en bloc by voice vote:
S. 1744, Security Clearance Accountability, Reform, and Enhancement Act with Tester-McCaskill-Begich Amendment OLL14405 in the nature of a substitute
This bill would require the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to terminate or place on administrative leave an OPM employee if the Director determines that such employee was intentionally involved in misconduct affecting the integrity of the background investigations of OPM.
Tester Amendment OLL14396
Approved by voice vote
This amendment would change the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to strengthen the accountability of individuals involved in misconduct affecting the integrity of background investigations, to update guidelines for agencies to determine position designation, and for other purposes.’’
S. 2113, Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act with Coburn Amendment HEN14331 in the nature of a substitute
This bill would set forth additional information relating to a federal program that the Office of Management and Budget is required to include on its website and update at least annually.
H.R. 1233, Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014
This bill would require that any communication regarding presidential records must be tied to an official email account in order to maintain presidential records with the Archivist of the United States.
Carper-Coburn Amendment MIR14256
Approved by voice vote
This amendment would define the term “covered employee,” specify that the President, Vice President, or a covered employee not create or send a record using a non-official email account, change the requirement to forwarding a record to an official email account from “within five days” after the creation of the record to “not later than 20 days” after the creation of the record.
S. 1045, A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that persons having seriously delinquent tax debts shall be ineligible for Federal employment with Coburn-Pryor Amendment HEN14351 in the nature of a substitute
This bill would make an individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt ineligible to be appointed, or to continue serving, as a federal employee.
S. 675, Never Contract with the Enemy Act with Ayotte Amendment DAV14628 in the nature of a substitute
This bill would require that executive agencies not contract with the enemy or with any person or entity that provides funds received under a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement to an enemy of the United States or that otherwise supports those actively opposing the United States or coalition forces in a contingency operation.
Postal Naming Bills– The Committee approved the following pieces of legislation by en bloc by voice vote:
H.R. 1036— This bill would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 Center Street West in Eatonville, Washington as the “National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Post Office.”
H.R. 1228 — This bill would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 South 9th Street in De Pere, Wisconsin as the “Corporal Justin D. Ross Post Office Building.”
H.R. 1451 — This bill would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14 Main Street in Brockville, New York as the “Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building.”
H.R. 2391 — This bill would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5323 Highway N in Cottleville, Missouri as the “Lance Corporal Philip Vinnedge Post Office.”
H.R. 3060 — This bill would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 232 Southwest Johnson Avenue in Burleson, Texas as the “Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building.”