[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Daily Digest]
[Page D]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
GENERAL OUTLOOK--FARM ECONOMY AND COMMODITY PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities held 
a hearing to review general outlook for farm economy and commodity 
programs. Testimony was heard from Keith Collins, Acting Administrator, 
Economics, USDA; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue July 14.
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE--PROPOSED REGULATIONS 
CONCERNING IMPORTED NONMANUFACTURED WOOD ARTICLES
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Natural 
Resources held a hearing to review proposed regulations by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service to establish prohibitions and 
restrictions concerning imported nonmanufactured wood articles. 
Testimony was heard from Representative DeFazio; the following 
officials of the USDA: B. Glen Lee, Deputy Administrator, Plant 
Protection and Quarantine, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; 
and Michael Rains, Associate Deputy Chief, Forest Service; and public 
witnesses.
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON MILITARY LANDS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Installations and 
Facilities held a hearing on natural resources management on military 
lands. Testimony was heard from Donna M. Heivilin, Director, Defense 
Management and NASA Issues, National Security and International Affairs 
Division, GAO; the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Sherri Wasserman Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary, Environmental 
Security; Frank Colson, Executive Director, Defense Policy Board on 
Federal Aviation; Brig. Gen. Steward Wallace, USA, Director of 
Training, Department of the Army; RAdm. Steven Briggs, USN, Director, 
Aviation Plans and Requirements, Department of the Navy; and Maj. Gen. 
Edwin Tenoso, USAF, Director, Operations, Department of the Air Force; 
the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Gary 
Edwards, Assistant Director, Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
Mat Millenbach, Acting Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary, Land 
and Mineral Management; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs: Ordered reported as 
amended the following bills: H.R. 4587, International Development Act 
of 1994; and H.R. 4455, to authorize the Export-Import Bank of the 
United States to provide financing for the export of nonlethal defense 
articles and defense services the primary end use of which will be for 
civilian purposes.
HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY PRACTICES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing to examine the financial practices and 
changing organizational structures in the health insurance industry 
generally, as well as reviewing trends concerning community rating and 
preexisting conditions. Testimony was heard from C. Jeanne Shaheen, 
member, Senate, State of New Hampshire; Thomas R. Van Cooper, Director, 
Insurance Regulation, Department of Banking, Insurance, and Securities, 
State of Vermont; Thomas C. Foley, Actuary, Bureau of Life and Health, 
Forms and Rates, Department of Insurance, State of Florida; Salvatore 
R. Curiale, Superintendent of Insurance, Insurance Department, State of 
New York; and public witnesses.
UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD BURMA
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific 
approved for full Committee action a measure regarding United States 
Policy Toward Burma.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on United States Policy Toward 
Burma. Testimony was heard from Representative Richardson; the 
following officials of the Department of State: Thomas Hubbard, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs; and 
Catharin Dalphino, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Human Rights 
and Humanitarian Affairs; and public witnesses.
DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA AND THE NEW INDEPENDENT STATES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle 
East held a hearing on Developments in Russia and the New Independent 
States. Testimony was heard from James F. Collins, Senior Coordinator, 
Office of the Ambassador-at-Large, New Independent States, Department 
of State.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; DRAFT REPORTS
Committee on Government Operations: Ordered reported the following: 
H.R. 4569, amended, President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records 
Collection Extension Act of 1994; H.R. 2461, the amend the Federal 
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to authorize the 
transfer to States of surplus personal property for donation to 
nonprofit providers of necessaries to impoverished families and 
individuals; H.R. 4549, to amend title 5, United States Code, to 
provide for travel and transportation expenses for the family of a 
career appointee in the Senior Executive Service who dies after 
transferring in the interest of the Government to an official duty 
station and who was eligible for an annuity at the time of death; H.R. 
1873, amended, to require certain payments made to victims of Nazi 
persecution to be disregarded in determining eligibility for and the 
amount of benefits or services based on need; and S. 716, amended, 
Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1993.
  The Committee also approved the following draft reports: ``The 
Effectiveness of Public Law 102-526: Further Legislation Needed for 
Release of Kennedy Assassination Records''; ``Information Resources 
Management in a Reconfigured U.S. Department of Agriculture''; and 
``Improving the Management of the Farmers Home Administration Single 
Family Housing Portfolio Through Centralized Servicing and Mortgage 
Escrowing.''
VEGETABLE INK PRINTING ACT; DRAFT REPORTS
Committee on Government Operations: Subcommittee on Information, 
Justice, Transportation and Agriculture approved for full Committee 
action: H.R. 716, amended, Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1993; and the 
following draft reports: ``Information Resources Management in a 
Reconfigured U.S. Department of Agriculture;'' and ``Improving the 
Management of the Farmers Home Administration Single Family Housing 
Portfolio Through Centralized Servicing and Mortgage Escrowing.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES DRAFT REPORT; BUDGET PROCESS REFORM
Committee on Government Operations: Subcommittee on Legislation and 
National Security approved for full Committee action the following: 
H.R. 4569, amended, President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records 
Collection Extension Act of 1994; H.R. 2461, to amend the Federal 
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to authorize the 
transfer to States of surplus personal property for donation to 
nonprofit providers of necessaries to impoverished families and 
individuals; H.R. 4549, to amend title 5, United States Code, to 
provide for travel and transportation expenses for the family of a 
career appointee in the Senior Executive Service who dies after 
transferring in the interest of the Government to an official duty 
station and who was eligible for an annuity at the time of death; and a 
draft report entitled ``The Effectiveness of Public Law 102-526: 
Further Legislation Needed for Release of Kennedy Assassination 
Records.''
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Budget Process Reform. 
Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported as amended the following 
bills: H.R. 934, to amend title 28, United States Code, relating to 
jurisdictional immunities of foreign states, to grant jurisdiction to 
the courts of the United States in certain cases involving torture or 
extrajudicial killing occurring in that state; H.R. 1103, to amend 
title 17, United States Code, with respect to secondary transmissions 
of superstations and network stations for private home viewing; H.R. 
4307, to amend title 35, United States Code, with respect to 
applications for process patents; H.R. 2289, Office of Government 
Ethics Authorization Act of 1994; and H.R. 4490, to extend the 
Administrative Conference of the United States.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional 
Rights held an oversight hearing on Term Limits for Members of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 4598, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
make technical corrections to maps relating to the Coastal Barrier 
Resources System; H.R. 3817, to amend the Fishermen's Protective Act; 
H.R. 4253, Corning National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act of 1994; H.R. 
4504, Striped Bass Act of 1994; H.R. 4422, amended, Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 1994; and H.R. 4647, to direct the Secretary of 
the Interior to convey to the city of Imperial Beach, CA, approximately 
1 acre of land in the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge.
MAGNUSON FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS--FISHERIES 
USER FEES
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries: Subcommittee on Fisheries 
Management held a hearing on Fisheries User Fees, and other provisions 
of H.R. 4430, to amend the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Gilchrest; and Douglas K. 
Hall, Assistant Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 3433, amended, to provide for the management of portions of the 
Presidio under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior; S. 
273, to remove certain restrictions from a parcel of land owned by the 
city of North Charleston, South Carolina, in order to permit a land 
exchange; S. 1357, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the 
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act; and S. 1066, to restore 
Federal services to the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.
YAKIMA RIVER BASIN WATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations approved for full Committee action as amended H.R. 1690, 
to authorize certain elements of the Yakima River Basin Water 
Enhancement Project.
INTELLIGENT VEHICLE-HIGHWAY SYSTEMS
Committee on Public Works and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Investigations and Oversight held a hearing on Intelligent Vehicle-
Highway Systems, Testimony was heard from Barry T. Hill, Associate 
Director, Transportation Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: The Committee, by a recorded vote of 6 to 1, 
granted a rule waiving clause 7 of rule XXI against consideration of 
H.R. 4650, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1995. Clauses 2 and 6 of Rule XXI are 
waived against all provisions in the bill. testimony was heard from 
Representatives Murtha, McDade, and Ehlers.
CONFERENCE REPORT--LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: The Committee, by a recorded vote of 5 to 2, 
granted a rule waiving all points of order against the conference 
report to accompany H.R. 4454, making appropriations for the 
Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1995, and 
against its consideration. The conference report shall be considered as 
read. Testimony was heard from Representative Fazio.
SMALL BUSINESS AND MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES 
ACT
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported as amended H.R. 4263, 
Small Business and Minority Small Business Procurement Opportunities 
Act of 1994.
BARRIER AND RISKS: VA HEALTH CARE COMPETITIVENESS AND THE HEALTH 
SECURITY ACT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on ``Barrier and Risks: VA Health Care 
Competitiveness and the Health Security Act.'' Testimony was heard from 
Robert A. Perreault, Director, Health Care Reform Office, Veterans 
Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and David P. 
Baine, Director, Federal Health Care Delivery Issues, Health, 
Education, and Human Services Division, GAO.
CHINA MFN NEW STATUS; HEALTH CARE REFORM
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered adversely reported H.J. Res. 373, 
disapproving the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment--most-
favored-nation treatment--to the products of the People's Republic of 
China.
  The Committee also continued markup of health care reform 
legislation.
  Will continue tomorrow.
URUGUAY ROUND IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade approved for full 
Committee action draft Uruguay Round Trade Agreements implementing 
proposals.

Joint Meetings
HARDROCK MINING REFORM ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate- and House-
passed versions of H.R. 322, to modify the requirements applicable to 
locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the 
principles of self-initiation of mining claims, but did not complete 
action thereon, and recessed subject to call.