Congress returns from its spring break to a flurry of defense and veterans hearings, including a rare Monday evening event focused on preventing veterans suicide.
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing comes amid concerns over a series of suicides on VA medical facility campuses earlier this month, and will feature tough questions for department officials from both sides of the political aisle.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will appear before Congress again, this time to defend the White House’s fiscal 2020 budget request to the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday morning.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will consider nominations for the new Chief of Naval Operations, Marine Corps Commandant and Army Chief of Staff over a series of hearings this week.
House Veterans' Affairs — 7 p.m. — 1334 Longworth
Suicide prevention
VA and outside experts will testify on department suicide prevention efforts.
Tuesday, April 30
House Appropriations — 9 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Homeland Security budget
Homeland Security officials will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Nominations
The committee will consider the nominations of Adm. William Moran to be Chief of Naval Operations and Lt. Gen. David Berger to be Commandant of the Marine Corps.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2253 Rayburn
Pending legislation
The subcommittee on health will consider several pending bills.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Kosovo wartime victims
Atifete Jahjaga, former president of the Republic of Kosovo, will testify on war crimes in the Kosovo conflict.
House Appropriations — 11 a.m. — H-140 Capitol
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 1:30 p.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Global terrorism
Outside experts will testify on worldwide extremist threats.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — 2253 Rayburn
VA budget
Department officials will testify before the economic opportunity subcommittee on veterans benefits and budgeting issues.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Military medical malpractice
Victims of military malpractice incidents and outside experts will testify on potential legal changes regarding the Feres doctrine.
House Foreign Affairs — 2 p.m. — 2200 Rayburn
UN peacekeeping
Outside experts will testify on United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa.
Senate Appropriations — 2:30 p.m. — 124 Dirksen
VA budget
Department officials will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request for VA.
Wednesday, May 1
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Defense budget
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
North/South America
Adm. Craig Faller, head of U.S. Southern Command, and Gen. Terrance O’Shaughnessy, head of U.S. Northern Command, will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Russia
Outside experts will testify on Russian aggression and U.S. national security responses.
Senate Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 192 Dirksen
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller will testify on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10:15 a.m. — 419 Dirksen
Syria
Actor Ben Stiller and outside experts will testify on the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — 1334 Longworth
Pending legislation
The subcommittee on disability assistance will consider several pending bills.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Army modernization
Service officials will testify on future modernization plans and the fiscal 2020 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Military construction programs
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment Robert McMahon will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 222 Russell
Nuclear weapons
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Ellen Lord and other defense officials will testify on U.S. nuclear weapons policy and the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 2:30 p.m. — 192 Dirksen
NASA budget
NASA officials will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Thursday, May 2
House Armed Services — 9 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Air Force modernization
Service officials will testify on Air Force modernization plans and the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Nominations
The committee will review the nomination of Gen. James McConville to become Chief of Staff of the Army.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — 1300 Longworth
Women veterans
VA officials and outside advocates will testify on barriers to women’s health care access at the department.
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.
