Vote on the Nomination of Neil Jacobs to be NOAA Administrator

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session to reconsider the nomination of Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator). Jacobs was previously reported to the full Senate on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. However, possible changes in Senate floor procedure around nominations necessitates a roll call vote. The executive session will be immediately followed by a nominations hearing.

Nominee:

  • Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator)

The vote was cancelled for lack of a quorum.

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
253 Russell

09/17/2025 at 10:00AM

Vote on the Nomination of Jeffery Hall to be EPA Assistant Administrator, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

EPW business meeting to consider:

  • Jeffery Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

The vote did not take place for lack of a quorum.

Nomination hearing was on July 3rd.

Jeffery Hall, previously a partner at oil-industry law firm Burke Law Group, is principal deputy assistant administrator in EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. At Burke, Hall represented Dr. Eithan Haim, an anti-trans surgeon who stole minor patient files and shared them with neo-Nazi activist Chris Rufo. The case against Haim was dropped by the DOJ days after Trump became president. Hall also represented the anti-trans organization Do No Harm. Hall also represented the State of Louisiana in arguments before the Fifth Court of Appeals in Texas v. EPA. The court ruled against Louisiana.

A March 12 memo from Hall lays out specific “initial guidance” on realigning the agency’s 2023 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives with the Trump Administration’s stated goals. The memo provides that “enforcement and compliance assurance actions shall not shut down any stage of energy production . . . or power generation absent an imminent and substantial threat to human health or an express statutory or regulatory requirement to the contrary.” Further, actions that “would unduly burden or significantly disrupt energy production or power generation,” among other consequences, must be approved by Mr. Hall.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
562 Dirksen

09/17/2025 at 09:50AM

Votes on 32 Department of State Nominations, including Jacob Helberg to be Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment

Full committee business meeting.

Nominees:

Department of State Assistant Secretaries and Under Secretaries:

  • Thomas DiNanno, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security
  • Michael DeSombre, of Illinois, to be an Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • Jacob Helberg, of Florida, to be an Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
  • Paul Kapur, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs
  • Chris Pratt, of Utah, to be an Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, vice Jessica Lewis, resigned
  • Todd Wilcox, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security
  • Riley Barnes, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
  • Sarah Rogers, of New York, to be Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy
  • Caleb Orr, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs

United Nations:

  • Michael G. Waltz, of Florida, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the Rank of Ambassador, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations, and to be Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations
  • Dan Negrea, of Connecticut, to be Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations
  • Lynda Blanchard, of Alabama, to be U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, with the rank of Ambassador

Ambassadors:

  • Nicole McGraw, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia
  • Somers Farkas, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Malta
  • Kenneth Howery, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark
  • Stacey Feinberg, of California, to be Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  • Howard Brodie, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Finland
  • Arthur Fisher, of North Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Austria
  • Nicholas Merrick, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Czech Republic
  • Roman Pipko, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia
  • Anjani Sinha, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore
  • Thomas Rose, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Poland
  • Richard Buchan III, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco
  • John Giordano, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia
  • Michel Issa, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic
  • Sean O’Neill, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Julie Stufft, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Bill Bazzi, of Michigan, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia
  • Melinda Hildebrand, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica
  • William White, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium

Other Officials:

  • Leandro Rizzuto, of Florida, to be Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador
  • Benjamin Black, of New York, to be Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation

Jacob Helberg is senior advisor to Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies.

Ben Black is the son of billionaire Leon Black.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
S-116 Capitol

09/17/2025 at 09:15AM

Markup of Department of State Reauthorization Bills

Full committee markup.

Markup Notice

Legislation:

Amendments filed:

House Foreign Affairs Committee
2172 Rayburn

09/17/2025 at 09:00AM

Permitting Reform Under the Clean Air Act

The Subcommittee on Environment will hold a legislative hearing on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. (ET) in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “From Gridlock to Growth: Permitting Reform Under the Clean Air Act.” The hearing will focus potential reforms to permitting and environmental reviews under the Clean Air Act.

Hearing memo

Legislation:

  • H.R. 161, New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act (Rep. Griffith)
  • H.R. ____, Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events Act (FIRE) Act
  • H.R. ____, Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations Act (RED Tape) Act
  • H.R. ____, Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act
  • H.R. ____, Air Permitting Improvements to Protect National Security Act

Witnesses:

  • Clint Woods, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Environmental Management
  • Mark Gebbia, Vice President, Environment and Permitting, Williams
  • Ashley Kunz, Senior Director, Environmental Health and Safety, Micron
  • Danny Seiden, President and CEO, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Keri Powell, Senior Attorney for Community Health and Air Program Leader, Southern Environmental Law Center
House Energy and Commerce Committee
   Environment Subcommittee
2123 Rayburn

09/16/2025 at 02:00PM

Surveying the Threat of Agroterrorism: Perspectives on Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense

A Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology hearing entitled, “Surveying the Threat of Agroterrorism: Perspectives on Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense.”

Witnesses:

  • Daniel K. Wims, Ph.D., President, Alabama A&M University
  • Cris Young, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, COL USA (Ret.), Professor of Practice, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University
  • Marty Vanier, DVM, Director, National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Associate Director, Biosecurity Research Institute, Kanas State University
  • Asha M. George, DrPH, Executive Director, Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense
House Agriculture Committee
310 Cannon

09/16/2025 at 02:00PM

Maintaining Election Operations in the Face of Climate Disasters

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET, the Subcommittee on Elections of the Committee on House Administration will hold a hearing titled, “Maintaining Election Operations in the Face of Natural Disasters.” The hearing will be held in room 1310 of the Longworth House Office Building.

Witnesses:

  • Karen Brinson Bell, Former Executive Director, North Carolina State Board of Elections
  • Cord Byrd, Secretary of State of Florida, Office of the Florida Secretary of State
  • Stacy Eggers IV, Eggers, Eggers, Eggers, & Eggers, PLLC
House House Administration Committee
   Elections Subcommittee
1310 Longworth

09/16/2025 at 02:00PM

EPA Enforcement of the Clean Air Act Under the Biden Administration

Subcommittee hearing.

Witnesses:

  • Kory Willis, Owner & Founder, PPEI Custom Tuning
  • Justin Savage, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
  • Eric Schaeffer (Minority Witness), Former Executive Director (Retired 2025), Environmental Integrity Project

Willis’s company sells defeat devices. His business was hit by Hurricane Laura and then by Hurricane Delta in 2020.

Savage testimony:

It is not disputed that defeat devices are generally prohibited by the CAA. What is disputed, however, is whether EPA and the Justice Department can prosecute the sale, distribution, or installation of such products criminally.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
   Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee
2247 Rayburn

09/16/2025 at 01:00PM

An Examination of the State of the Specialty Crop Industry

Full committee hearing.

Witnesses:

  • Michael Frantz, President, Frantz Wholesale Nursery, LLC, Hickman, CA
  • Dr. Ramesh Sagili, Professor, Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
  • Dr. Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lansing, MI, on behalf of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
  • Dana Brennan, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Grimmway Farms, Bakersfield, CA
House Agriculture Committee
1300 Longworth

09/16/2025 at 11:00AM

Alaska's Natural Resources

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold an oversight hearing titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.”

Hearing memo

Witnesses:

Panel I

  • Nagruk Harcharek, President, Voice of the Arctic Inupiat, Anchorage, AK
  • Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director, Alaska Miners Association, Anchorage, AK
  • Dutch Kuyper, Vice President, Lands and Development, Cook Inlet Region, Inc., Anchorage, AK
  • John Christensen Jr., Tribal President, Native Village of Port Heiden, Port Heiden, AK (Minority witness)

Panel II

  • Ethan Tyler, Senior Director, Public Policy and Lands, Aleut, Anchorage, AK
  • Clark Penney, President, Penney Capital, Anchorage, AK
  • Clarence Clark, Owner, Southeast Alaska Resources, Ketchikan, AK
  • Philip Wight, Associate Professor of History and Arctic & Northern Studies, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (Minority witness)
House Natural Resources Committee
   Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
1324 Longworth

09/16/2025 at 10:15AM