The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust will hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The hearing, “Pier Pressure: Regulation and Competition in Maritime Shipping,” will examine issues of competition and regulation in maritime shipping. It will also explore the current state of competition between ocean carriers and the merits of the Shipping Act antitrust exemption.
Witnesses:
Richard Sicotte, Professor of Economics, University of Vermont
Erika Douglas, Professor of Law, Beasley School of Law, Temple University
Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy, National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council
House Judiciary Committee
the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee
The Subcommittee on Energy has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday, March 17 at 10:00 AM
(ET) in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The title of the hearing is “Winter Storm Fern
Lessons: Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand.”
Subcommittee hearing entitled “Advancing America’s Interests at the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference.”
Witnesses:
Kelly Ann Shaw, Partner, Akin, Former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs
Stephen Ezell, VP of Global Innovation Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Peter Bachmann, President and CEO, USA Rice Federation
Bruce Hirsh, Founder, Tailwind Global Strategies LLC
Any person(s) and/or organization(s) wishing to submit written comments for the
hearing record can do so here: [email protected].
Please ATTACH your submission as a Microsoft Word document in compliance with the
formatting requirements listed below, by the close of business on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
For questions, or if you encounter technical problems, please call (202) 225-3625
The Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record. As
always, submissions will be included in the record according to the discretion of the Committee.
The Committee will not alter the content of your submission but reserves the right to format it
according to guidelines. Any submission provided to the Committee by a witness, any materials
submitted for the printed record, and any written comments in response to a request for written
comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any submission not in compliance with
these guidelines will not be printed but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and
use by the Committee.
All submissions and supplementary materials must be submitted in a single document via email,
provided in Word format and must not exceed a total of 10 pages. Please indicate the title of the
hearing as the subject line in your submission. Witnesses and submitters are advised that the
Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
All submissions must include a list of all clients, persons and/or organizations on whose behalf
the witness appears. The name, company, address, telephone, and fax numbers of each witness
must be included in the body of the email. Please exclude any personal identifiable information
in the attached submission.
The purpose of the subcommittee hearing is to receive testimony from the following witnesses on the following bills.
Witnesses:
David Palumbo, Deputy Commissioner of Operations, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Terry Turpin, Director, Office of Energy Projects, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Legislation:
S. 1034, A bill to establish the Southwestern Power Administration Fund, and for other purposes. (Moran).
S. 1242, A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out watershed pilots, and for other purposes. (Wyden).
S. 2437/H.R. 3857, A bill to amend the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act to reauthorize the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program, and for other purposes. (Hickenlooper).
S. 2753, A bill to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to authorize certain extraordinary operation and maintenance work for urban canals of concern. (Risch).
S. 3409, A bill to reaffirm that the Bureau of Reclamation retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, ensuring long-term conservation of the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native aquatic species in the Yellowstone River while protecting the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project and District from undue financial and operational burdens, and for other purposes. (Daines).
S. 3500, A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications. (Cortez Masto).
S. 3518, A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to address certain alterations in, and the maintenance and repair of, project works, to provide for the licensing of micro hydrokinetic energy projects, and for other purposes. (Murkowski).
S. 3635, A bill to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000. (Daines).
S. 3684, A bill to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reauthorize water power research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities, and for other purposes. (Murkowski).
S. 3693, A bill to extend the authorization for a large-scale water recycling and reuse grant program. (Cortez Masto).
S. 3723, A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water from the Missouri River to the Western Dakota Regional Water System, and for other purposes. (Thune).
S. 3725, A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to expand the capacity and reach of the Lewis and Clark Water System, Inc. (doing business as “Lewis & Clark Regional Water System”), in the States of Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. (Thune).
S. 3732, A bill to amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to authorize assistance under the storage program, and for other purposes. (Gallego).
S. 3736, A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, and for other purposes. (Rounds).
S. 3737, A bill to amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to provide financial and technical assistance to eligible entities for the conduct of innovative approaches to voluntary water partnership agreements among multiple water users and projects conducted by individual agricultural entities, and for other purposes. (Padilla).
S. 3738, A bill to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the large-scale water recycling and reuse program, to establish a Water Conveyance Improvement Program, and for other purposes. (Padilla).
S. 3743, A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a feasibility study on a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam, and for other purposes. (Lee).
S. 3792, A bill to provide for the establishment of a Water Project Navigators Program, and for other purposes. (Hickenlooper).
S. 4040, A bill to amend Public Law 89-108 to modify the authorization of appropriations for State and Tribal, municipal, rural, and industrial water supplies, and for other purposes. (Hoeven).
S. 4041, A bill to reauthorize the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, and for other purposes. (Daines).
The Committee on Rules will meet Monday, March 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following measures:
H.R. 1958 – Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that aliens who have been convicted of defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits are inadmissible and deportable
H.R. 4638 – Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act of 2025, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable
H.R. 556, the ‘‘Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of
2025,’’ would undermine science-based wildlife conservation by prohibiting federal land managers from regulating lead ammunition
and tackle—known pollutants that have devastated wildlife populations across the United States. This legislation ignores decades of
scientific evidence demonstrating that lead ammunition and fishing
tackle pose grave threats to over 130 species, including iconic
birds like bald eagles, California condors, and common loons.
The scientific consensus is clear: when lead ammunition is used
in hunting, bullets fragment and contaminate gut piles that scavenger animals consume, while lead fishing tackle is mistaken for
food or grit by waterbirds. It takes only tiny amounts of lead to
kill large birds, making this a significant conservation concern on
federal lands specifically managed to protect wildlife.
Rather than supporting evidence-based land management, H.R.
556 would strip federal agencies of their fundamental authority to
regulate pollutants on lands under their stewardship. This legislation would effectively handcuff land managers from protecting wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges—areas explicitly managed with
the mission of conserving wildlife. By requiring agencies to prove
that wildlife population declines are ‘‘primarily caused’’ by lead ammunition in each specific management unit, the bill would create
an impossibly high and cost-prohibitive standard that most land
units lack the budget or staff capacity to meet.
Ironically, as written, this bill could also preempt the authority
of states to limit the use of lead in hunting or fishing. At least 38
states currently have lead ammunition and tackle restrictions in
place, demonstrating that this is not a federal overreach but a
widespread conservation strategy. States like Arizona, New Hampshire, Maine, and Minnesota have demonstrated remarkable success with lead fishing tackle bans, protecting wildlife while ensuring continued access for sportsmen and women through gear exchange programs, non-lead materials discounts, and incentives for
lead removal.
By blocking federal agencies from using the best available
science to make determinations about lead restrictions, this bill
prioritizes ideology over evidence and threatens the long-term stewardship of our public lands and wildlife. The legislation could have
numerous unintended consequences, including forcing land closures
to protect species that could otherwise be managed through targeted lead restrictions.
This bill represents a dangerous step backward for wildlife conservation at a time when we should be building on the proven success of existing lead reduction programs. Rather than addressing
the documented impacts of lead on wildlife, H.R. 556 would make
conservation and management more difficult while undermining
the very lands and wildlife that provide hunting and fishing opportunities for future generations.
Previous analyses have shown no significant price difference between lead-free and lead-core ammunition in popular calibers, with
annual cost differences for anglers of only $5–25 per year 3—comparable to other minor hunting expenses. In contrast, the Trump
administration’s sweeping tariffs on imported metals and ammunition components are driving up costs for all ammunition—both lead
and non-lead—making the modest price differences between ammunition types a negligible concern compared to the broader affordability crisis facing sportsmen and women.
The robust body of scientific literature supporting lead restrictions reflects decades of research and successful implementation.
H.R. 556 ignores this evidence and sets a troubling precedent for
politics to override science in federal land management decisions,
ultimately threatening both wildlife conservation and sustainable
hunting and fishing opportunities.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee executive session on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. ET (approx.) to consider the following nominations:
Agenda:
Matthew Anderson, of Colorado, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Michael Graham, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
Richard Kloster, of West Virginia, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board
Seval Oz, of California, to be the Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology
Arvind Raman, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Coast Guard Promotions (PN 716, PN 769, PN 846)
The nomination hearing for Seval Oz took place on July 23rd. Oz was Head of Global Strategic Partnerships for Google [X]’s Self-Driving Car Program from 2011 to 2014, where she supported business and marketing efforts for the initiative that later became Waymo. Oz recently served on the board of directors of MicroVision Inc., an advanced driver-assistance systems software company. She is Mehmet Oz’s sister. A vote on her nomination had been been scheduled for October, November, and December but was repeatedly delayed. She was renominated in January.
Mike Graham is a current member of the NTSB, appointed in Trump’s first term. His nomination hearing took place on September 17th. A vote on his nomination had been been scheduled for October, November, and December but was repeatedly delayed. He was renominated in January.
The nomination hearing for Richard Kloster took place on November 6th. Kloster, a Republican, is president and founder of Integrity Rail Partners, Inc., a consultant on railroads and rail equipment based in Charles Town, W. Va. Kloster is on the executive board of the National Industrial Transportation League shipper trade group, as well as the board of the Railway Supply Institute. His nomination lapsed at the end of the year, and he was renominated in January.
Oversight hearing on “Examining Federal Policies Governing Indian Water Rights Settlements,” and legislative hearing to receive testimony on S. 953, Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025.
The $5 billion package to “secure water rights for Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribal members in northeastern Arizona and to give the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe a reservation” is a re-introduction of the same bill from 2024, which died at the end of that year after a furious last-ditch effort.
On paper, tribal nations in the Colorado River basin have senior rights to about one-fourth of the Colorado River’s water.
Dr. Wesley Brooks, of Florida, to be Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
William “Billy” Long, of Missouri, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iceland
Robert Sweeney, of Texas, to be United States Director of the Asian Development Bank, with the Rank of Ambassador
Added nominees:
Frank Garcia, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs)
Lee Lipton, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of the Philippines
Asel Roberts, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Slovenia
Troy Edgar of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of El Salvador
Jared Novelly, of Missouri, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Independent State of Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Niue
The nomination hearing was February 12th. Fellow nominee Jeremy Carl’s nomination was stalled by bipartisan opposition to his overt white supremacism.