Senate panels focus on ISIS

Two Senate committees will hear from Obama administration officials on the growing threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee will receive testimony from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. Those two will answer questions on the president’s plan of attack against ISIS, also called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

{mosads}On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hear from another Obama Cabinet member — Secretary of State John Kerry. He will have just returned from the Middle East, where he’s been trying to get other countries to join a U.S.-led coalition to fight ISIS.

Senators are waiting for the House to send them a stopgap funding measure, but President Obama’s request to include money for training Syrian rebels to fight ISIS has delayed the House vote until early next week.

Some lawmakers are calling for a vote to authorize the use of military force, but Obama has said he doesn’t need it to launch airstrikes.

Details on these and other Senate hearings follow: 

Senate Aging

– Sept. 16, “Harnessing the Power of Telehealth: Promises and Challenges?”

2 p.m., 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Armed Services

– Sept. 16, “U.S. Policy Towards Iraq and Syria and the Threat Posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)”

9:30 a.m., 216 Hart Senate Office Building

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

– Sept. 16, “Examining the State of Small Depository Institutions”

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Sept. 18, “Assessing and Enhancing Protections in Consumer Financial Services”

11 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation

– Sept. 17, “Executive Session”

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

Senate Finance

– Sept. 16, “Retirement Savings 2.0: Updating Savings Policy for the Modern Economy”

10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Sept. 17, “Reforming America’s Outdated Energy Tax Code”

10:15 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Foreign Relations

– Sept. 17, “Nominations”

10 a.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Sept. 17, “United States Strategy To Defeat The Islamic State In Iraq and the Levant”

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

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

– Sept. 16, “Ebola in West Africa: A Global Challenge and Public Health Threat”

2:30 p.m., 216 Hart Senate Office Building

– Sept. 17, “Executive Session: S.2141, Sunscreen Innovation Act; H.R.4366, Strengthening Education through Research Act; and the Nomination of Sharon Block to serve as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board”

10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Sept. 18, “Fulfilling the Promise: Overcoming Persistent Barriers to Economic Self-Sufficiency for People with Disabilities”

9:30 a.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

– Sept. 15, “Equality for the District of Columbia: Discussing the Implications of S. 132, the New Columbia Admission Act of 2013”

3 p.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– Sept. 17, “Nominations”

10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Indian Affairs

– Sept. 17, “S. 2670, Keep the Promise Act of 2014”

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

Senate Judiciary

– Sept. 17, “Why Net Neutrality Matters: Protecting Consumers and Competition Through Meaningful Open Internet Rules”

10:30 a.m., 216 Hart Senate Office Building

– Sept. 18, “Nominations”

11 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Rules and Administration

– Sept. 17, “Business Meeting: EAC Nominations and Legislation”

2 p.m., 216 U.S. Capitol