Senate panel to hear Obama’s trade agenda next week

The Senate Finance Committee will hear from U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman about President Obama’s trade policy agenda next week.

{mosads}Thursday’s hearing will come after Obama’s trip to Asia where he failed to reach a deal with Japan. That failure will make the president’s goal of enacting a larger TransPacific Partnership (TPP) agreement by the end of this year even harder.

Lawmakers have expressed an unwillingness to pass a fast-track trade authority bill that would free Obama’s hands in making trade deals with other countries.

On Wednesday, the Senate Rules Committee will hold a hearing on “dark money” in political campaigns.

The panel will hear from former Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Chairman Trevor Potter, who is also the legal counsel to Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC. He is and acting FEC Commissioner Ann Ravel are expected to advocate for more campaign funding transperancy.

Details on these and other hearings follow:

Senate Aging

– April 30, “Exploring the Perils of the Precious Metals Market”

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

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

– May 1, “The Importance of Regional Strategies in Rural Economic Development”

10 a.m., 328A Russell Senate Office Building

Senate Armed Services

– April 29, “National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force”

9:30 a.m., G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– April 30, “Reform of the Defense Acquisition System”

9:30 a.m., G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development

– April 29, “Nominations and S. 1217, Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation

– April 30, “Transportation Security Administration Oversight: Confronting America’s Transportation Security Challenges”

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

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

– May 1, “Short on Gas: A look into the propane shortages this winter”

2:30 p.m., 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Finance

– May 1, “President Obama’s 2014 Trade Policy Agenda”

11 a.m., 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Foreign Affairs

– April 30, “A Transformation: Afghanistan Beyond 2014”

10:30 a.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

– April 29, “Workers’ Memorial Day: Are Existing Private Sector Whistleblower Protections Adequate To Ensure Safe Workplaces?”

10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

– April 30, “Lessons Learned from the Boston Marathon Bombing: Improving Intelligence and Information Sharing”

10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Indian Affairs

– April 30, “S. 2132, to amend the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of 2005”

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

Senate Judiciary

– April 29, “Law Enforcement Responses to Disabled Americans: Promising Approaches for Protecting Public Safety”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– April 30, “Oversight of the Drug Enforcement Administration”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– May 1, “Nominations”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Rules and Administration

– April 30, “Dollars and Sense: How Undisclosed Money and Post-McCutcheon Campaign Finance Will Affect 2014 and Beyond”

10 a.m., 301 Russell Senate Office Building

Senate Veterans’ Affairs

– April 30, “Overmedication: Problems and Solutions

10 a.m., 418 Russell Senate Office Building