[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D384-D386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Foreign Agricultural Service. Testimony was heard from 
August Schumacher, Jr., Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, 
USDA.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
Members of Congress and public witnesses.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior (and Related 
Agencies) held a hearing on the Institute of Museum Services and on the 
National Endowment for the Humanities. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the National Foundation on the Arts and the 
Humanities: Diane B. Frankel, Director, Institute of Museum Services; 
and Sheldon Hackney, Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities.
LABOR--HHS--EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education (and Related Agencies) held a hearing on 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences and National Institute 
of Aging, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin 
Diseases, and on National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders. Testimony was heard from the following officials of NIH, 
Department of Health and Human Services: Marvin Cassman, M.D., Acting 
Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences; Richard J. 
Hodes, M.D., Director, National Institute on Aging; Michael D. 
Lockshin, M.D., Acting Director, National Institute of Arthritis and 
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; and James B. Snow, M.D., Director, 
National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Base Closure. Testimony was heard from Robert E. Bayer, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Installations), Department of Defense.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation (and 
Related Agencies) continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs and 
Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies held a hearing 
on the FEMA. Testimony was heard from James Lee Witt, Director, FEMA.
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPETITIVENESS ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Continued hearings on the 
following: H.R. 1062, Financial Services Competitiveness Act of 1995; 
Glass-Steagall Reform; and related issues. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
PRIVATE SECTOR SOLUTIONS TO MEDICARE
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Private Sector Solutions to 
Medicare. Testimony was heard from William Roper, M.D., former 
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held an 
oversight hearing on the status of the international global climate 
change negotiations and [[Page D385]] their impact on the U.S. economy. 
Testimony was heard from Rafe Pomerance, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Environment and Development, Department of State; Susan Tierney, 
Assistant Secretary, Policy, Department of Energy; Karl Hausker, Deputy 
Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, 
EPA; and public witnesses.
TRAINING ISSUES
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities: Subcommittee on 
Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning continued 
hearings on training issues. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue March 23.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on Post Federal Telecommunications System Acquisition Strategy. 
Testimony was heard from Jack Brock, Director, Information Resources 
Management, GAO; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue March 28.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 1995
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a recorded vote of 7 to 5, a modified 
closed rule which provides for the further consideration of H.R. 4, the 
``Personal Responsibility Act of 1995.'' The rule provides for the 
adoption in the House and Committee of the Whole of an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 1214, for the 
bill as so amended to be considered an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment, and for the bill as so amended to be considered as read. 
Only amendments printed in the Rules Committee report or specified in 
the rule are in order, and the amendments are considered as read. 
Except as otherwise specified in the rule, amendments printed in the 
rule may only be offered in the order specified, by the Member 
designated, and debatable for 20 minutes each, equally divided between 
the proponent and an opponent, except that the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Ways and Means Committee, or their designees, 
may offer one pro forma amendment each per amendment for debate 
purposes. All points of order are waived against the amendments made in 
order by the rule.
  The Committee on Ways and Means or a designee may offer amendments en 
bloc consisting of amendments not previously disposed of which are 
printed in the Rules Committee report or germane modifications thereof. 
The amendments offered en bloc shall be considered as read (except that 
modifications shall be reported), shall be debatable for 20 minutes 
equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Ways and Means Committee.
  The rule permits the original proponent of an amendment included in 
an en bloc amendment to insert a statement in the Congressional Record 
immediately prior to the disposition of the amendments en bloc.
  The rule permits the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone until a time during further consideration in the Committee of 
the Whole a request for a recorded vote on any amendment made in order 
by the rule, and to reduce to five minutes the time for voting on any 
such postponed question following the first such vote if there is no 
intervening business. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may 
recognize out of the order printed the consideration of any amendment 
made in order by the rule, provided it is not sooner than one hour 
after the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee or a designee 
announces from the floor a request to that effect.
  Following the disposition of the amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report and any en bloc combinations thereof, it shall be in 
order to consider three amendments in the nature of a substitute if 
offered by the named proponent or a designee, if offered in the 
following order, debatable for one hour each: (1) an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 1267 if offered 
by Representative Deal of Georgia; (2) an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute consisting of the text H.R. 1250 if offered by 
Representative Mink of Hawaii; and (3) an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute consisting of the text of the bill as amended prior to the 
consideration of the three substitutes if offered by the chairman of 
the Committee on Ways and Means or a designee. The amendments shall not 
be subject to further amendment except for the third amendment which 
may be amended by any amendment printed in the report not yet offered, 
but subject to the same conditions for debate and consideration out of 
order, including the one-hour notice requirement.
  If more than one amendment in the nature of a substitute is adopted, 
the one receiving the most affirmative votes shall be considered as 
finally adopted and reported to the House. In the case of a tie, the 
last such amendment adopted receiving the most votes shall be reported.
  It shall be in order in the House to demand a separate vote to any 
amendment adopted to the bill or incorporated in the third amendment in 
the nature of a substitute made in order unless it is replaced by 
another amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions.

[[Page D386]]

COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct: Met in executive session to 
consider pending business.
MEDICARE AND PRIVATE SECTOR HEALTH CARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Medicare and Private Sector Health Care Quality Measurement, Assurance 
and Improvement. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Health and Human Services: Bruce C. Vladeck, 
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration; and Philip R. Lee, 
M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health; and public witnesses.
ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTION; MARITIME
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Analysis and Production. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
  The Committee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Maritime. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.