[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D202-D205]
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, FDA, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the Farm 
Credit Administration and on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 
Testimony was heard from Marsha Martin, Chairman of the Board, Farm 
Credit Administration; and John Tull, Jr., Acting Chairman, Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Natural Resources. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the Corporation for Public 
Broadcasting, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the National Education Goals 
Panel and the NLRB. Testimony was heard from Ambassador Richard W. 
Carlson, President and CEO, Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Max M. 
Kampelman, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, U.S. Institute of Peace; 
Ken Nelson, Executive Director, National Education Goals Panel; and 
William B. Gould, IV, Chairman, NLRB.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction 
continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
congressional and public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security met in 
executive session to hold a hearing on Commander in Chief, Special 
Operations Command and Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Gen. Henry H. Shelton, USA, Commander in Chief, Special 
Operations Command; and Gen. Binford J.J. Peay, III, USA, Commander in 
Chief, U.S. European Command.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on the Office of the Secretary. Testimony was heard from 
Mortimer L. Downey, Deputy Secretary, Department of Transportation.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on tax systems modernization and 
on IRS operations. Testimony was heard from the following

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officials of the Department of the Treasury: Larry Summers, Deputy 
Secretary; and Margaret Milner Richardson, Commissioner, IRS.
HEALTH COVERAGE AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 3070, Health Coverage Availability and 
Affordability Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities: Ordered reported 
the following bills: H.R. 2570, amended, Older Americans Amendments of 
1995; H.R. 3055, to amend section 326 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 to permit continued participation by Historically Black Graduate 
Professional Schools in the grant program authorized by that section; 
and H.R. 3049, to amend section 1505 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 to provide for the continuity of the Board of Trustees of the 
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts 
Development.
LOCAL EMPOWERMENT AND FLEXIBILITY ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources and Intergovernmental Relations approved for full Committee 
action H.R. 2086, Local Empowerment and Flexibility Act of 1995.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported the following 
resolutions: H. Res. 345, expressing concern about the deterioration of 
human rights in Cambodia; H. Res. 379, expressing the sense of the 
House of Representatives concerning the eighth anniversary of the 
massacre of over 5,000 Kurds as a result of a gas bomb attack by the 
Iraqi Government; H. Con. Res. 102, concerning the emancipation of the 
Iranian Baha'i community; H.J. Res. 158, to recognize the Peace Corps 
on the occasion of its 35th anniversary and the Americans who have 
served as Peace Corps volunteers; and H. Con. Res. 148, amended, 
expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States is 
committed to the military stability of the Taiwan Strait and United 
States military forces should defend Taiwan in the event of invasion, 
missile attack or blockade by the People's Republic of China.
CRISIS IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Crisis in the Taiwan Strait: Implications for 
U.S. Foreign Policy. Testimony was heard from Winston Lord, Assistant 
Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State; Kurt 
Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL COURTS IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing on H.R. 1989, Federal Courts Improvement Act of 
1995. Testimony was heard from Stephen H. Anderson, Judge, Salt Lake 
City, Utah; Emmett R. Cox, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit; 
Barefoot Sanders, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District 
of Texas; Earl W. Britt, Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District 
of North Carolina; and a public witness.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on National Security: Continued hearings on fiscal year 1997 
national defense authorization request, with emphasis on the ABM Treaty 
and its relationship to national and theater missile defense programs. 
Testimony was heard from R. James Woolsey, former Director, CIA; 
Richard N. Perle, former Assistant Secretary, International Security 
Policy, Department of Defense; and Michael Krepon, President, Henry L. 
Stimson Center.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 1772, 
amended, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire certain 
interests in the Waihee Marsh for inclusion in the Oahu National 
Wildlife Refuge Complex; H.R. 1836, to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to acquire property in the town of East Hampton, Suffolk 
County, New York, for inclusion in the Amagansett National Wildlife 
Refuge; H.R. 2660, to increase the amount authorized to be appropriated 
to the Department of the Interior for the Tensas River National 
Wildlife Refuge; and H.R. 2679, to revise the boundary of the North 
Platte National Wildlife Refuge.
IMMIGRATION IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing 2 hours of debate on H.R. 2202, Immigration in the National 
Interest Act of 1995. The rule waives all points of order except those 
arising under section 425(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
(unfunded mandates) against consideration of the bill. The rule makes 
in order the Committee on the Judiciary amendment in the nature of a 
substitute now printed in the bill,

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as modified by the amendment printed in part 1 of the report of the 
Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. The rule provides that 
the amendment in the nature of a substitute, as modified, shall be 
considered as read.
  The rule provides for the consideration of the amendments printed in 
the report of the Committee on Rules, which shall be considered only in 
the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments referenced in the report of 
the Committee on Rules except those arising under section 425(a) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (unfunded mandates).
  The rule allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and allows the 
Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to reduce to five minutes a 
postponed question if the vote follows a fifteen minute vote. The rule 
provides that a separate vote may be demanded in the House on any 
amendment adopted to the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute. The rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions.
  The rule further provides that it shall be in order at any time for 
the Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary or a designee to offer 
amendments en bloc consisting of amendments not previously disposed of 
which are printed in the report of the Committee on Rules or germane 
modifications thereof, which may include a perfecting amendment to text 
proposed to be stricken by such an amendment. Amendments offered en 
bloc shall be considered as read (except that modifications shall be 
reported) and shall be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided between 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the 
Judiciary or their designees. The original proponent of an amendment 
included in an en bloc amendment is permitted to insert a statement in 
the Congressional Record immediately prior to the disposition of the 
amendment en bloc. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hyde, 
McCollum, Smith of Texas, Schiff, Gallegly, Canady of Florida, 
Goodlatte, Bryant of Tennessee, Chabot, Chrysler, Campbell, Tate, 
Archer, Shaw, Bunning, Camp, Doolittle, Pombo, Chambliss, Smith of New 
Jersey, Dreier, Rohrabacher, Deal of Georgia, Kim, Kingston, Bilbray, 
Brownback, Waldholtz, Conyers, Schumer, Berman, Bryant of Texas, Scott, 
Becerra, Jackson-Lee of Texas, Vento, Gutierrez, Roybal-Allard, 
Velazquez, Abercrombie, Cardin, Kleczka, Condit, Farr of California, 
Obey, Beilenson, Richardson, Traficant, and Filner.
ENERGY--OUTLOOK AND IMPLICATIONS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a 
hearing on U.S. Energy Outlook and Implications for Energy R&D. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Energy: Jay E. Hakes, Administrator, Energy Information Administration; 
and Joseph J. Romm, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and public witnesses.
AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation continued hearings on the Airport Improvement Program, with 
emphasis on airport needs. Testimony was heard from Gerald L. 
Dillingham, Associate Director, Transportation Issues/Resources, 
Community, and Economic Development Division, GAO; Frederick H. Vogt, 
Director, Aeronautics Division, Department of Transportation, State of 
Tennessee; William L. Blake, Director, Division of Aeronautics, 
Department of Transportation, State of Illinois; Willard G. Plentl, 
Jr., Director of Aviation, Division of Aviation, Department of 
Transportation, State of North Carolina; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue March 20.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Approved Budget Views and Estimates for 
submission to the Committee on the Budget.
UNITED STATES-ISRAEL FREE TRADE AREA IMPLEMENTATION ACT AMENDMENTS; 
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported H.R. 3074, to amend the 
United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of 1985 to 
provide the President with additional proclamation authority with 
respect to articles of the West Bank or Gaza Strip or a qualifying 
industrial zone.
  The Committee also approved Budget Views and Estimates for submission 
to the Committee on the Budget.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on legislative 
recommendations of certain veterans organizations, after receiving 
testimony from Richard Grant, Paralyzed Veterans of

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America, Richard G. Fazakerley, Blinded Veterans of America, Virginia 
M. Torsch, Retired Officers Association, Charles R. Jackson, Non-
Commissioned Officers Association of the United States, and Neil 
Goldman, Jewish War Veterans of the United States, all of Washington, 
D.C.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Conferees on Wednesday, March 13, agreed to file a conference report on 
the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 
956, to establish legal standards and procedures for product liability 
litigation.
ALBANIA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission held hearings to examine the challenges to democracy in 
Albania, receiving testimony from Elez Biberaj, Director of the 
Albanian Service, Voice of America; and Fred Abrahams, Human Rights 
Watch/Helsinki, and Kathleen Imholz, both of New York, New York.
  Commission recessed subject to call.