[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 29, 1995)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D438-D441]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
GOVERNMENT ACREAGE IDLING PROVISIONS--IMPACT ON PROGRAM COMMODITY CROPS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities held 
a hearing to review Government acreage idling provisions and their 
impact on program commodity crops. Testimony was heard from Keith 
Collins, Acting Chief Economist, USDA; and public 
witnesses. [[Page D439]] 
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of 
Congress and public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and the Judiciary (and Related Agencies) held a hearing on Immigration 
and Border Security. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Justice: Doris Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration 
and Naturalization Service; Anthony Mascato, Director, Executive Office 
for Immigration Renewal; and Allen Bursen, U.S. Attorney, Southern 
District, State of California; Mary A. Ryan, Assistant Secretary, 
Consular Affairs, Department of State; and Barbara Jordan, Chairman, 
Commission on Immigration Reform.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development continued appropriation hearing. Testimony was heard from 
Members of Congress and public witnesses.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior (and Related 
Agencies) continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
Members of Congress.
LABOR--HHS--EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education (and Related Agencies) held a hearing on 
Administration on Aging, Inspector General, HHS, Vocational and Adult 
Education, and on Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Health and Human Services: Ferndo Torres-Gil, Assistant Secretary, 
Administration on Aging; and June Gibbs Brown, Inspector General; the 
following officials of the Department of Education; Augusta Souza 
Kappner, Assistant Secretary, Vocational and Adult Education; and 
Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary, Special Education and 
Rehabilitation Services.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on GSA/Federal Construction and 
on the GAO. Testimony was heard from Roger W. Johnson, Administrator, 
GSA; Gaston L. Gianni, Jr., Associate Director, Government Business 
Operations Issues, General Government, GAO.
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.
ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Continued hearings on the Administration's 
Fiscal Year 1996 Budget, with emphasis on the Perspective of State and 
Local Governments. Testimony was heard from the following State 
Legislators: Senator Dick Finan, State of Ohio; Representative George 
Cunningham, State of Arizona; Representative Ann Rest, State of 
Minnesota; Representative David Ennis, State of Delaware; 
Representative Brad Gorham, State of Rhode Island; Representative Susan 
Wagle, State of Kansas; Delegate Kirk Cox, State of Virginia; and 
Representative Steve Grubbs, State of Iowa; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
TRAINING ISSUES
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities: Subcommittee on 
Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning concluded 
hearings on training issues, Vocational Rehabilitation. Testimony was 
heard from Frederick Schroeder, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services 
Administration, Department of Education; and public witnesses.
CONTRACTING OUT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on Contracting Out: Part I. Testimony was heard 
from L. Nye Stevens, Director, Planning and Reporting, General 
Government Division, GAO; and John Koskinen, Deputy Director, 
Management, OMB.
  Hearings continue April 5.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE 
ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on District 
of Columbia approved for full Committee action H.R. 1345, District of 
Columbia [[Page D440]] Financial Responsibility and Management 
Assistance Act of 1995.
UNITED STATES-EAST ASIAN ECONOMIC RELATIONS: A FOCUS ON SOUTH KOREA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific 
held a joint hearing on United States-East Asian Economic Relations: A 
Focus on South Korea. Testimony was heard from Lawrence S. Eagleburger, 
former Secretary of State; and public witnesses.
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR NARCOTICS PRODUCING AND TRANSIT COUNTRIES IN 
LATIN AMERICA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere Affairs held a hearing to review the Administration's 
Certification Program for Narcotics Producing and Transit Countries in 
Latin America. Testimony was heard from Robert S. Gelbard, Assistant 
Secretary, International Narcotics Matters, Department of State; Thomas 
A. Constantine, Administrator, DEA, Department of Justice; William J. 
Olson, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Narcotics 
Matters, Department of State; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing on the following: H.R. 587, to amend title 35, 
United States Code, with respect to patents on biotechnological 
processes; and H.R. 1269, to amend the act of June 22, 1974, to 
authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe by regulation the 
representation of ``Woodsy Owl.'' Testimony was heard from H. Dieter 
Hoinkes, Senior Counsel, Office of Legislative and International 
Affairs, Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; and a 
public witness.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
continued hearings on the fiscal year 1996 national defense 
authorization request, with emphasis on the Department of Energy budget 
request. Testimony was heard from Harold Smith, Jr., Assistant to the 
Secretary (Atomic Energy), Department of Defense; the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Kenneth E. Baker, Acting 
Director, Office of Nonproliferation and National Security; Victor H. 
Reis, Assistant Secretary, Defense Programs; and Charles B. Curtis, 
Under Secretary; Sigfried S. Hecker, Director, Los Alamos National 
Laboratory; Bruce C. Tarter, Director, Lawrence Livermore National 
Laboratory; and Albert Narath, Director, Sandia National Laboratories.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on National Security: Special Oversight Panel on Morale, 
Welfare and Recreation held a hearing on the fiscal year 1996 national 
defense authorization request, with emphasis on the effect of force 
structure drawdown on morale, welfare and recreation programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Fred Pang, Assistant Secretary, Force Management; Brig. Gen. 
John G. Meyer, USA, Commander, U.S. Army Community and Family Support 
Center; Rear Adm. Larry R. Marsh, USN, Assistant Chief of Naval 
Personnel, Personnel Readiness and Community Support, Bureau of Naval 
Personnel; Col. Stevan Richards, USAF, Director, Directorate of 
Services, U.S. Air Force; and Brig. Gen. J. R. Joy, USMC (Ret.), 
Director, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Support Activity, U.S. Marine 
Corps.
  Hearings continue April 6.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and 
Lands approved for full Committee action amended the following bills: 
H.R. 260, National park System Reform Act of 1995; H.R. 1077, to 
authorize the Bureau of Land Management; and H.R. 1091, to improve the 
National Park System in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Native American and Insular 
Affairs held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1306, American 
Samoa Economic Development Act; and H.R. 1332, Rongelap Recovery and 
Community Self-Reliance Act. Testimony was heard from Allen P. Stayman, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Territorial and International Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; and the following officials of the Republic 
of the Marshall Islands; Banny De Brun, Deputy Chief of Mission; 
Johnsay Riklon, member of the Nitijela; and Billiet Edmond, Mayor, 
Rongelap.
CONTRACT WITH AMERICA TAX RELIEF ACT
Committee on Rules: Heard testimony but took no action on H.R. 1215, 
Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Archer and Representatives Bunning of Kentucky, Collins of 
Georgia, Upton, Ganske, Kasich, Kolbe, Allard, Bass, Burton of Indiana, 
Morella, Zeliff, McIntosh, Tate, Martini, Goodling, Porter, Houghton, 
Roberts, Wolf, Pryce, Doolittle, Castle, Hutchinson, Istook, 
Knollenberg, Salmon, Gibbons, Wyden, Sabo, Orton, Pomeroy, Browder, 
Collins of [[Page D441]] Illinois, Moran, Gephardt, Obey, Foglietta, 
Evans, Kennedy of Massachusetts, Lowey, Nadler, and Stupak.
CONFERENCE REPORT--SELF-EMPLOYED HEALTH INSURANCE PERMANENT REDUCTION 
RESTORATION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report on H.R. 831, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the deduction for 
the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals, to repeal the 
provisions permitting nonrecognition of gain on sales and exchanges 
effectuating policies of the Federal Communications Commission, and 
against its consideration. The rule dispenses with the reading of the 
conference report. Testimony was heard from Chairman Archer and 
Representatives Gibbons, Matsui, and Levin.
APPROPRIATE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS--HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES FIND 
EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Procurement, Exports, and 
Business Opportunities held a hearing on the appropriate role and the 
effectiveness of various Federal Government programs in helping small 
businesses find export opportunities around the world. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Commerce; Lauri 
Fitz-Pegado, Director General, U.S. Foreign and Commercial Service; 
Raymond Vickery, Jr., Assistant Secretary, Trade Development; and 
Charles Meissner, Assistant Secretary, International Economic Policy; 
Joseph Grandmaison, Director, Trade and Development Agency; Mary Jean 
Ryan, Associate Deputy Administrator, Economic Development, SBA: Maria 
Louisa Haley, member, Board of Directors, Export-Import Bank; and 
Christopher Finn, Executive Vice-President, Overseas Private Investment 
Corporation, U.S. International Development Cooperation Agency.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT AMENDMENTS AND AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment approved for full Committee action amended 
H.R. 961, Clean Water Amendments of 1995.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade approved for full 
Committee action the following: H.R. 553, amended, Caribbean Basin 
Trade Security Act; and proposed legislation providing Fiscal year 1996 
Budget Authorizations for the Customs Service, the International Trade 
Commission, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Joint Meetings
SELF-EMPLOYED HEALTH INSURANCE TAX CREDIT
Conferees on Tuesday, March 28, agreed to file a conference report on 
the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 
831, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend 
the deduction for the health insurance costs of self-employed 
individuals, and to repeal the provisions permitting nonrecognition of 
gain on sales and exchanges effectuating policies of the Federal 
Communications Commission.
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate- and House-
passed versions of H.R. 889, making emergency supplemental 
appropriations and rescissions to preserve and enhance the military 
readiness of the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1995, but did not complete action thereon, and recessed 
subject to call.