[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 85 (Monday, May 22, 1995)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D643-D644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
INSURANCE STATE'S AND CONSUMER RIGHTS CLARIFICATION AND FAIR 
COMPETITIVENESS ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous 
Materials held a hearing on H.R. 1317, Insurance State's and Consumer 
Rights Clarification and Fair Competitiveness Act of 1995. Testimony 
was heard from Jim Long, Commissioner [[Page D644]] of Insurance, 
Department of Insurance, State of North Carolina; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous 
Materials held an oversight hearing to determine if ammonium nitrate 
fertilizer used in the fatal bombing of the Alfred R. Murrah Federal 
Building in Oklahoma City can be neutralized to prevent future 
tragedies. Testimony was heard from Ralph C. Ostrowski, Chief, Arson 
and Explosives Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, 
Department of the Treasury; Tony Fainburg, Senior Associate/Project 
Director, OTA; and public witnesses.
AMERICAN OVERSEAS INTEREST ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a modified open rule 
providing 2 hours of general debate on H.R. 1561, American Overseas 
Interests Act of 1995.
  The rule waives clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI (three day availability for 
committee reports); section 302(f) (prohibiting consideration of 
legislation providing new entitlement authority in excess of a 
committee's allocation); 303(a) (prohibiting consideration of budgetary 
legislation prior to the adoption of the budget resolution); 308(a) 
requiring a CBO cost estimate in the committee report on legislation 
containing new entitlement, spending, or budget authority, or a change 
in revenues); 402(a) (credit authority not subject to appropriations in 
advance) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 against consideration 
of the bill.
  The rule makes in order the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on International Relations as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment. The committee amendment shall be 
considered as read. The rule waives clause 5(a) of rule XXI 
(prohibiting appropriations on a legislative bill); section 302(f); 
303(a); and 402(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 against the 
committee amendment.
  The rule requires that amendments be pre-printed in the Congressional 
Record. The rule further provides for consideration for amendment under 
the 5-minute rule for 10 hours, followed by debate as guaranteed under 
clause 6 of rule XXIII (permitting five minutes for and against each 
amendment). Consideration of the bill for amendment may not continue 
beyond 2:30 p.m., on Thursday, May 25, 1995. The rule allows the 
chairman of the International Relations Committee the authority to 
offer certain pre-printed amendments en bloc or germane modifications 
of any such amendment. The amendments shall not be subject to amendment 
or to a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of 
the Whole.
  The rule deletes section 2210 from the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute through a self-executing provision. Section 2210 
would establish a new scorekeeping system for certain lease purchasing 
agreements that is contrary to scorekeeping under the Budget Act. As 
such, the provision violates section 306 of the Budget Act which 
prohibits the consideration of amendments under the Budget Committee's 
jurisdiction if offered to bills not reported by the Budget Committee. 
Since the Budget Committee has communicated opposition to waiving 
points of order against the International Relations Committee's 
amendment in the nature of a substitute for this provision, the 
provision in the rule would delete the offending section from the 
substitute.
  Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or 
without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Gilman and 
Representative Hamilton.
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY--21ST CENTURY
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Held a hearing on the 
Intelligence Community in the 21st Century. Testimony was heard from 
the following former Directors of the CIA: Ambassador Richard Helms; 
James R. Schlesinger; William Colby; Adm. Stansfield Turner; William H. 
Webster, and R. James Woolsey.