[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Daily Digest]
[Page D]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MONTANA WILDERNESS ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported H.R. 2473, Montana 
Wilderness Act.
HIGH-VALUE AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS--CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE RURAL ECONOMY
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Foreign Agriculture and 
Hunger held a hearing to review high-value agricultural exports and the 
contribution to the rural economy. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the USDA: Bob Nash, Under Secretary, Small 
Community and Rural Development; and Christopher E. Goldthwait, General 
Sales Manager and Associate Administrator, Foreign Agricultural 
Service; and public witnesses.
DAIRY PRODUCER MARKET STABILIZATION AND EXPORT DEVELOPMENT ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock continued 
consideration of H.R. 4235, Dairy Producer Market Stabilization and 
Export Development Act of 1994.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard 
from Members of Congress and public witnesses.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Agencies held a hearing on U.S. Trade Investment 
Overseas. Testimony was heard from Kenneth D. Brody, President and 
Chairman, Export-Import Bank; J. Joseph Grandmaison, Director, Trade 
and Development Agency; and the following officials of the U.S. 
International Development Cooperative Agency: Ruth Harkin, President, 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and Terry Brown, Assistant to 
the Administrator, Policy and Program Coordination, AID.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on International Response to 
AIDS. Testimony was heard from Representative McDermott; Tim E. Wirth, 
Counselor, Department of State; Helene Gayle, M.D., AIDS, Coordinator, 
AID, U.S. International Cooperative Agency; David Satcher, M.D., 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the Forest Service. Testimony was heard from James R. Lyons, Assistant 
Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, USDA.
LABOR--HHS--EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor--Health and Human 
Services--Education, held a hearing on the Health Care Financing 
Administration, the SSA, the Office of Assistant Secretary for Health, 
and on the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: Bruce C. Vladeck, Administrator, Health Care Financing 
Administration; Shirley Sears Chater, Commissioner of Social Security, 
SSA; Philip R. Lee, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health; Elaine M. 
Johnson, Acting Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration; and J. Jarrett Clinton, M.D., Administration, 
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation continued 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress 
and public witnesses.
  On April 27, the Subcommittee continued appropriation hearings. 
Testimony was heard from Members of Congress and public witnesses.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies concluded hearings on the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development: Dwight P. Robinson, 
President, Government National Mortgage Association; Roberta 
Achtenberg, Assistant Secretary, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; 
Andrew Cuomo, Assistant Secretary, Community Planning and Development; 
Susan M. Gaffney, Inspector General; Marilynn A. Davis, Assistant 
Secretary, Administration; G. Edward DeSeve, Chief Financial Officer; 
Michael A. Stegman, Assistant Secretary; and Aida Alvarez, Director, 
Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Concluded hearings on the fiscal year 1995 
national defense authorization, with emphasis on cooperative efforts to 
reduce the threat in the former Soviet Union. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Ashton B. Carter, 
Assistant Secretary, International Security Policy; and Harold P. 
Smith, Jr., Assistant to the Secretary, Atomic Energy.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Acquisition 
concluded hearings on the fiscal year 1995 national defense 
authorization, with emphasis on C-17 aircraft program. Testimony was 
heard from Frank C. Conahan, Assistant Comptroller General, National 
Security and International Affairs Division, GAO.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness met in executive 
session to conclude hearings on the fiscal year 1995 national defense 
authorization, receiving a briefing on the progress and funding of 
cooperative efforts to reduce the threat in the former Soviet Union. 
The Subcommittee was briefed by Joseph Kelley, Director in Charge, 
International Affairs, National Security and International Affairs 
Division, GAO.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Research and Technology 
concluded hearings on the fiscal year 1995 national defense 
authorization, with emphasis on research and technology investment 
programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Gilbert F. Decker, Assistant Secretary, 
Research, Development and Acquisition, Department of the Army; Nora 
Slatkin, Assistant Secretary, Research, Development and Acquisition, 
Department of the Navy; and Lt. Gen. Richard E. Hawley, USAF, Principle 
Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, Acquisition, Department of the Air 
Force.
CONSUMER ACCESS--FINANCIAL SERVICES
Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on 
Consumer Credit and Insurance held a hearing on consumer access to 
financial services with a focus on low- and moderate-income consumers' 
difficulties in obtaining access to conventional services and the 
nature of the services they consequently use. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Torres and Fields of Louisiana; and public witnesses.
INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on 
International Development, Finance, Trade and Monetary Policy held a 
hearing on the Inter-American Development Bank. Testimony was heard 
from Susan Levine, Deputy Assistant Secretary, International 
Development, Debt, and Environment Policy, Department of the Treasury; 
and public witnesses.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Select Education and 
Civil Rights held a hearing on the reauthorization of the Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act. Testimony was heard from Linda Morra, 
Director, Education and Employment Issues, Human Resources Division, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer 
Protection, and Competitiveness held a hearing on Sales Practices of 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Testimony was heard from Daniel Y. 
Sumner, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the Insurance 
Commissioner, State of Florida; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and the 
Environment concluded oversight hearings on tobacco products. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
UNITED STATES-GERMAN AGREEMENT--TRANSFER TO GERMAN CONTROL OF NAZI 
PARTY RECORDS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International Security, 
International Security and Human Rights held a hearing on United 
States-German Agreement on the Transfer to German Control of Nazi Party 
Records in Berlin Document Center. Testimony was heard from Mary Ann 
Peters, Deputy Assistant Secretary, European and Canadian Affairs, 
Department of State; Mark Richards, Deputy Assistant Attorney General 
(Criminal Division), Department of Justice; Louis Bellardo, Acting 
Deputy Assistant Archivist, National Archives and Records 
Administration; and public witnesses.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND RECREATIONAL FIREARMS USE PROTECTION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported amended H.R. 4296, Public 
Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act.
MARITIME REFORM--FUNDING PROPOSALS
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries: Subcommittee on Merchant 
Marine held a hearing on funding proposals for Maritime Reform. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
1181, to increase Federal payments in lieu of taxes to units of general 
local government; and S. 455, to amend title 31, United States Code, to 
increase Federal payments to units of general local government for 
entitlement lands. Testimony was heard from Representative Stupak; 
Larry Benna, Acting Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.
OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Post Office and Civil Service: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on H.R. 2289, Office of Government Ethics 
Authorization Act of 1994. Testimony was heard from Stephen D. Potts, 
Director, Office of Government Ethics.
AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
Committee on Public Works and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Investigations and Oversight held a hearing on Aviation Infrastructure 
Needs. Testimony was heard from David Hinson, Administrator, FAA, 
Department of Transportation; and public witnesses.
NSF AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted an open rule providing 1 hour of debate of 
H.R. 3254, National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1994. The 
rule makes in order the Science, Space, and Technology Committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment. The bill will be considered 
by title with each title considered as read. Clause 5(a) of Rule XXI is 
waived against the committee substitute. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Brown and Representatives Walker and Boehlert.
SBA'S LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL; SMALL BUSINESS AND MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS 
PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACT
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on SBA's Legislative 
Proposal. Testimony was heard from Cassandra Pulley, Deputy 
Administrator, SBA.
  The Committee also held a hearing on H.R. 4263, Small Business and 
Minority Small Business Procurement Opportunities Act of 1994. 
Testimony was heard from Steven Kelman, Administrator, Office of 
Federal Procurement Policy, OMB; and public witnesses.
VETERANS LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Compensation, Pension, 
and Insurance held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 4088, 
Veterans' Compensation Rate Amendments of 1994; H.R. 2997, to amend 
title 38, United States Code, to codify the addition by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs to certain diseases to the list of diseases 
occurring in veterans that are considered to be service connected; H.R. 
3159, to amend title 38, United States Code, to codify the addition by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of certain additional diseases to the 
list of diseases occurring in veterans that are considered to be 
service-connected; H.R. 69, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide reclassification of members of the Board of Veterans Appeals 
and to ensure pay equity between those members and administrative law 
judges; H.R. 3240, to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate 
the terms of appointment for members of the Board of Veterans Appeals 
and to ensure pay equity between those members and administrative law 
judges; and H.R. 1986, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide that the effective date for discontinuance of compensation and 
pension paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall be the date on 
which the recipient dies, rather than the last day of the preceding 
month in the case of a veterans with a surviving spouse.Testimony was 
heard from Representative Lewis of Florida; the following officials of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs: Charles Cragin, Chairman, Board of 
Veterans' Appeals; and J. Gary Hickman, Director, Compensation and 
Pension Service; and representatives of veterans organizations.
SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported as amended H.R. 4278, 
Social Security Act Amendments of 1994.
  The Committee began markup of H.R. 4277, Social Security 
Administrative Reform Act of 1994.
  Will continue May 4.