[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D861-D864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FAMILY PET PROTECTION ACT, PET SAFETY AND PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3393, Family Pet Protection 
Act of 1996; and H.R. 3398, Pet Safety and Protection Act of 1996. 
Testimony was heard from Michael Dunn, Assistant Secretary, Marketing 
and Regulatory Programs, USDA; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital 
Markets, Securities and Government Sponsored Enterprises concluded 
oversight hearings regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Testimony was 
heard from Leland C. Brendsel, Chairman and CEO, Federal Home Loan 
Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and Robert B. Zoellick, Executive 
Vice-President, Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae).
BUDGET PROCESS
Committee on the Budget: Concluded hearings on ``How Did We Get Here 
From There?'' A Discussion of the Evolution of the Budget Process from 
1974 to the Present, Part III. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Barton of Texas, Orton, Cox of California, Stenholm, Neumann, Smith of 
Michigan, Largent, Crapo, Castle, Visclosky, Cardin, Everett and Horn.
REAUTHORIZATION--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT PROGRAMS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on reauthorization of Existing Public Health Service Act 
Programs. Testimony was heard from Philip R. Lee, M.D., Assistant 
Secretary, Health, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities: Ordered reported 
the following measures: H.R. 3863, amended, Student Debt Reduction Act 
of 1996; and H. Res. 470, expressing the sense of the Congress that the 
Department of Education should play a more active role in monitoring 
and enforcing compliance with the provisions of the higher Education 
Act of 1965 related to campus crime.

[[Page D862]]


  The Committee also began markup of H.R. 3876, Juvenile Crime Control 
and Delinquency Prevention Act.
FBI BACKGROUND FILES
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Held a hearing on 
Security of FBI Background Files. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the FBI, Department of Justice: Howard M. 
Shapiro, General Counsel; Thomas A. Kelley, Inspector, Deputy General 
Counsel; and Peggy J. Larson, Supervisory Research Analyst; and a 
public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered and adopted 
a motion urging the Chairman to request that the following bills be 
considered on the Suspension Calendar: H. Con. Res. 120, amended, 
supporting the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and the progress 
of its political and economic reforms; and H.R. 3916, to make available 
certain Voice of America and Radio Marti multilingual computer readable 
text and voice recordings.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported amended H.R. 3307, 
Regulatory Fair Warning Act.
  The Committee also continued markup of H.R. 3565, Violent Youth Crime 
Act of 1996.
  Will continue tomorrow.
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing regarding the possible shifting of refugee 
resettlement to private organizations. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Obey and Condit; Lavinia Limon, Director, Office of 
Refugee Resettlement, Department of Health and Human Services; Edwin 
Silverman, State Coordinator, Refugee Resettlement Program, Department 
of Public Aid, State of Illinois; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
3640, amended, Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Claims 
Settlement Act; H.R. 3642, California Indian Land Claims Transfer Act; 
H.R. 2512, amended, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Infrastructure Development 
Trust Fund Act of 1996; H.R. 2710, amended, Hoopa Valley Reservation 
South Boundary Correction Act; H.R. 3547, amended, to provide for the 
conveyance of a parcel of real property in the Apache National Forest 
in the State of Arizona to the Alpin Elementary School District 7 to be 
used for the construction of school facilities and related playing 
fields; H.R. 2693, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make a 
minor adjustment in the exterior boundary of the Hells Canyon 
Wilderness in the States of Oregon and Idaho to exclude an established 
Forest Service road inadvertently included in the wilderness; H.R. 
1179, amended, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic 
Building Restoration and Preservation Act; S. 1467, amended, Fort Peck 
Rural County Water Supply System Act of 1995; H.R. 3903, amended, to 
require the Secretary of the Interior to sell the Sly Park Dam and 
Reservoir; H.R. 3910, amended, Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1996; S. 
811, amended, Water Desalinization Research and Development Act of 
1996; and H.R. 3828, Indian Child Welfare Act Amendments of 1996.
  The Committee failed to approve H.R. 3879, Northern Mariana Islands 
Delegate Act.
NEW ENGLAND GROUNDFISH MANAGEMENT PLAN
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans 
held an oversight hearing on the economic effects of the New England 
Groundfish Management Plan. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Frank of Massachusetts; the following officials of NOAA, Department of 
Commerce: Andrew Rosenberg, Northeast Regional Director, National 
Marine Fisheries Service; and John Bullard, Director, Office of 
Sustainable Development and Intergovernmental Affairs; Robin Alden, 
Commissioner of Marine Resources, State of Maine; and public witnesses.
SANTEE SIOUX TRIBE OF NEBRASKA
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Native American and Insular 
Affairs held a hearing on H.R. 3595, to make available to the Santee 
Sioux Tribe of Nebraska its proportionate share of funds awarded in 
Docket 74-A to the Sioux Indian Tribe. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Barrett of Nebraska; Deborah Maddox, Director, Office of 
Tribal Services, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving points of 
order against the conference report on H.R. 3103, Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. Testimony was heard from Chairman Archer and 
Representatives Hastert and Stark.

[[Page D863]]


CONFERENCE REPORT--SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report on S. 1316, the Safe Drinking 
Water Act Amendments of 1996, and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read.
COMBATING TERRORISM
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule providing that at 
any time on the calendar day of Friday, August 2, 1996, the Speaker may 
entertain a motion offered by the majority leader or his designee that 
the House suspend the rules and pass a bill or joint resolution 
relating to the subject of combating terrorism.
CONFERENCE REPORT--SMALL BUSINESS JOB PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving points of 
order against the conference report on H.R. 3448, Small Business 
Protection Act of 1996, and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Archer and Representatives Hastert 
and Stark.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a 
hearing on funding Department of Energy Research and Development in a 
constrained Budget Environment. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Gregory H. Friedman, Deputy 
Inspector General, Audits; and Roger A. Lewis, Senior Advisor, Office 
of Strategic Computing and Simulation; Allen Li, Associate Director, 
Energy, Resources and Science Issues, Resources, Community, and 
Economic Development Division, GAO; Daniel Hartley, Vice President, 
Laboratory Development, Sandia National Laboratory; Ron Cochran, 
Executive Office, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Charles Gay, 
Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; RESOLUTIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 3535, to redesignate a Federal building in 
Suitland, MD, as the ``W. Edwards Deming Federal Building''; H.R. 3576, 
amended, to designate the U.S. courthouse located at 401 South Michigan 
Street in South Bend, IN, as the ``Robert Kurtz Rodibaugh United States 
Courthouse''; and H.R. 3710, amended, to designate a U.S. courthouse 
located in Tampa, FL, as the ``Sam M. Gibbons United States 
Courthouse''.
  The Committee also approved the following: 18 Repair and Alteration 
Resolutions; 1 Lease Resolution; and 2 11(b) Resolutions.
CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS ON COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on H.R. 1309, to amend title 49, United States 
Code, to require the use of child safety restraint systems approved by 
the Secretary of Transportation on commercial aircraft. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Lightfoot; the following officials of the 
FAA, Department of Transportation: Peggy Gilligan, Deputy Associate 
Administrator, Regulation and Certification; and Louise Maillett, 
Acting Assistant Administrator, Policy, Planning, and International 
Aviation; Barry Sweedler, Director, Office of Safety Recommendations, 
National Transportation Safety Board; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NEXCOM LEASE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Public 
Buildings and Economic Development held a hearing on the oversight of 
NEXCOM Lease. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
GSA: Hillary Peoples, Assistant Commissioner, Public Buildings Service; 
and Harmon Eggers, Associate General Counsel; and the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Eleanor Hill, Inspector 
General; VAdm. James Fitzgerald, USN, Inspector General and Steve 
Honigman, General Counsel, both with the Department of the Navy; and 
Robert Taylor, Deputy General Counsel.
U.S. TRADE POLICY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade continued hearings 
on the Status and Future Direction of U.S. Trade Policy, with emphasis 
on U.S. Trade with Sub-Saharan Africa. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives McDermott and Jefferson; Jeffrey M. Lang, Deputy U.S. 
Trade Representative; George Moose, Assistant Secretary, African 
Affairs Bureau, Department of State; and public witnesses.
BOSNIA/IRAN ARMS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Bosnia/Iran Arms. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.

[[Page D864]]



Joint Meetings
HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM
Conferees on Wednesday, July 31, agreed to file a conference report on 
the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 
3103, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve portability 
and continuity of health insurance coverage in the group and individual 
markets, to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in health insurance and 
health care delivery, to promote the use of medical savings accounts, 
to improve access to long-term care services and coverage, and to 
simplify the administration of health insurance.
SMALL BUSINESS JOB PROTECTION ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on H.R. 3448, to provide 
tax relief for small businesses, to protect jobs, to create 
opportunities, and to increase the take home pay of workers.
APPROPRIATIONS--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 3845, making 
appropriations for the government of the District of Columbia and other 
activities chargeable in whole or in part against revenues of said 
District for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997.