Kerry to testify before Senate panel next week

Secretary of State John Kerry will testify Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Kerry, who used to serve as chairman of that committee, will talk to senators about President Obama’s budget priorities for national security and foreign policy.

{mosads}That hearing comes as the Senate is poised to pass a Russian sanctions bill. The panel will likely ask Kerry for an update on the situation in Ukraine, where President Vladimir Putin has invaded Crimea. The Senate legislation places sanctions against Russian leaders and provides aid to Ukraine to promote democracy.

On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will also hold a hearing titled, “Syria After Geneva: Next Steps for U.S. Policy.” The Syrian civil war began nearly three years ago, after rebels tried to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The United Nations got Assad to agree to turn over chemical weapons, and the panel is expected to get an update on how that effort is progressing.

Details on these and other Senate hearings follow:

Senate Aging

– March 26, “Preventing Medicare Fraud: How Can We Best Protect Seniors and Taxpayers?”

2:15 p.m., 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Armed Services

– March 25, “U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea”

9:15 a.m., G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 27, “Posture of the Department of the Navy”

9:30 a.m., G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs 

– March 26, “Are Alternative Financial Products Serving Consumers?”

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation

– March 26, “Protecting Personal Consumer Information from Cyber Attacks and Data Breaches”

2:30 p.m., 253 Russell Senate Office Building 

Senate Energy and Natural Resources 

– March 25, “Importing Energy, Exporting Jobs. Can it be Reversed?”

10 a.m., 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Environment and Public Works

– March 26, “Oversight Hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget”

10 a.m., 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 27, “MAP-21 Reauthorization: State and Local Perspectives on Transportation Priorities and Funding”

9:45 a.m., 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Foreign Relations

– March 25, “National Security & Foreign Policy Priorities in the FY 2015 International Affairs Budget”

10 a.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 26, “Syria After Geneva: Next Steps for U.S. Policy”

2:30 p.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

– March 25, “Teacher Preparation: Ensuring a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom”

2:30 p.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 27, “Strengthening the Federal Student Loan Program for Borrowers”

10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

– March 26, “Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships to Reduce Cyber Risks to Our Nation’s Critical Infrastructure”

10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 27, “Nominations”

2:30 p.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Indian Affairs

– March 26, “The President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for Tribal Programs”

2:30 p.m., 628 Senate Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Judiciary

– March 26, “Reauthorization of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Veterans’ Affairs

– March 26, “2014 Legislative Presentation of The American Legion”

10 a.m., G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building