Senate panels set to hear from Obama cabinet

Obama administration officials will visit Capitol Hill next week to discuss budget issues with senators.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — which he used to chair. He will talk about the administration’s national security and foreign policy priorities that were outlined in President Obama’s 2015 budget proposal.

{mosads}That same day, the Veterans’ Affairs Committee will hear from Secretary Eric Shinseki on the Department of Veterans Affairs budget.

And Labor Secretary Tom Perez will testify before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on how raising the minimum wage could lift people out of poverty.

HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has been pushing his bill that would raise the current $7.25 federal minimum wage to $10.10. President Obama has supported the proposal, but Republicans argue it would harm job creation by burdening small businesses. A vote on Harkin’s bill is expected before the November elections, where Democrats have made income inequality a top issue.

Details on these and other Senate hearings follow:

Senate Armed Services

– March 11, “Nominations”

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

– March 12, “The Situation in Afghanistan”

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

– March 13, “U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command”

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

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

– March 13, “Nominations”

10 a.m., 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation

– March 12, “Nominations”

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

Senate Foreign Relations

– March 11, “Nominations”

2:15 p.m., 116 Capitol Building

– March 12, “National Security & Foreign Policy Priorities in the FY 2015 International Affairs Budget”

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

– March 13, “Keystone XL and the National Interest Determination”

11:15 a.m., 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

– March 10, “Doing What’s Right: Preparing Iowa’s Children for Success in School and Beyond”

9 a.m., Des Moines, Iowa

– March 12, “From Poverty to Opportunity: How a Fair Minimum Wage Will Help Working Families Succeed”

TBD, 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 13, “Protecting the Public Health: Examining FDA’s Initiatives and Priorities”

10 a.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

– March 12, “Management Matters: Creating a 21st Century Government

10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 13, “The Homeland Security Department’s Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2015”

10 a.m., 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Indian Affairs

– March 12, “Tribal Transportation: Pathways to Infrastructure and Economic Development in Indian Country”

10 a.m., 628 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Judiciary

– March 11, “Open Government and Freedom of Information: Reinvigorating the Freedom of Information Act for the Digital Age”

10:15 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

– March 12, “Nominations”

10 a.m., 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Senate Rules and Administration

– March 12, “Election Administration: Innovation, Administrative Improvements and Cost Savings”

9:45 a.m., 301 Russell Senate Office Building

Senate Veterans’ Affairs

– March 12, “The Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for Veterans’ Programs”

2 p.m., 418 Russell Senate Office Building