[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 26, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D142-D145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM--USDA'S FINAL REGULATION
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource 
Conservation, and Research held a hearing to review the USDA's final 
regulation on the Conservation Reserve Program. Testimony was heard 
from Dallas Smith, Acting Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agriculture 
Services, USDA; and public witnesses.
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 the Secretary of Agriculture. Testimony was heard from Dan 
Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Inspector General for the 
Department of Justice and on the Legal Services Corporation. Testimony 
was heard from Michael Bromwich, Inspector General, Department of 
Justice; and Douglas S. Eakeley, Chairman, Board of Directors, Legal 
Services Corporation.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the Secretary of the Interior. Testimony was heard from Bruce Babbitt, 
Secretary of the Interior.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the Director, NIH, on the 
National Cancer Institute and the National Eye Institute. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: Harold Varmus, M.D., Director, NIH; Richard D. 
Klausner, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute; and Carl Kupfer, 
M.D., Director, National Eye Institute.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security held a 
hearing on the fiscal year 1998 Defense Budget. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: William S. 
Cohen, Secretary; and Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, USA, Chairman, Joint 
Chiefs of Staff.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation continued 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress 
and public witnesses.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the Office of Inspector 
General, Department of the Treasury and on the Secret Service. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Treasury: Valerie Lau, Inspector General; and Eljay B. Bowron, 
Director, U.S. Secret Service.
VETERANS' AFFAIRS, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on NASA. Testimony was heard from Daniel S. 
Goldin, Administrator, NASA.
CREDIT UNION INDUSTRY
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial 
Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing on issues currently 
facing the

[[Page D143]]

Credit Union Industry. Testimony was heard from Representative Frost; 
Norman E. D'Amours, Chairman, National Credit Union Administration; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 649, Department of 
Energy Standardization Act of 1997; and H.R. 363, amended, to amend 
section 2118 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to extend the Electric 
and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information Dissemination 
Program; H.R. 651, to extend the deadline under the Federal Power Act 
for the construction of a hydroelectric project located in the State of 
Washington; and H.R. 652, to extend the deadline under the Federal 
Power Act for the construction of a hydroelectric project located in 
the State of Washington.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 649 and 
H.R. 363. Testimony was heard from Eric Fygi, Deputy General Counsel, 
Department of Energy; and a public witness.
VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service approved for full Committee action H.R. 240, Veterans' 
Employment Opportunity Act of 1997.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on this 
measure. Testimony was heard from James B. King, Director, OPM; and 
public witnesses.
CIVIC VOLUNTEERS, YOUTH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND WAR ON DRUGS
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on National 
Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice held a hearing on 
Civic Volunteers, Youth Service Organizations, and the War on Drugs. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DORNAN V. SANCHEZ
Committee on House Oversight: Task Force on the Contested Election 
assigned to the Forty-sixth District of California; adopted a motion 
postponing the disposition of Representative Sanchez's motion to 
dismiss until a hearing on the merits.
NEW THINKING ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on New Thinking on 
Foreign Assistance. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD NORTH KOREA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Engaging the Hermit Kingdom: U.S. Policy 
Toward North Korea. Testimony was heard from Charles Kartman, Assistant 
Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Acting), Department of 
State; Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, East Asian and 
Pacific Affairs, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on Department of State 
Management Initiatives. Testimony was heard from Patrick Kennedy, 
Acting Under Secretary, Management, Department of State.
PATENT LEGISLATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing on the following: H.R. 400, 21st Century Patent 
System Improvement Act; H.R. 673, Patent and Trademark Office Surcharge 
Extension Act of 1997; and H.R. 811, Patent Term Restoration Act. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Kelly, Hunter, Rohrabacher and 
Campbell; Bruce A. Lehman, Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of 
Patents and Trademarks, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
ADMINISTRATION'S ANTI-GANG AND YOUTH VIOLENCE INITIATIVE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime and the Subcommittee 
on Early Childhood, Youth and Families of the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce held a joint hearing regarding the Administration's 
anti-gang and youth violence initiative. Testimony was heard from Janet 
Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice.
DEFENSE REFORM
Committee on National Security: Held a hearing on defense reform. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: John White, Deputy Secretary; and Paul Kaminski, Under 
Secretary (Acquisition and Technology).
NAVY SHIPBUILDING OVERVIEW
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
and the Subcommittee on Military Research and Development held a joint 
hearing on Navy shipbuilding overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Navy, Department of 
Defense: John W. Douglass,

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Assistant Secretary (Research, Development and Acquisition); VADM. 
Donald L. Pilling, USN, Deputy Chief, Naval Operations, Resources, 
Requirements, and Assessments; and Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Oster, USMC, 
Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources, Headquarters, U.S. 
Marine Corps; Ron O'Rourke, Specialist in National Defense, 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and a public 
witness.
CARGO AIRCRAFT--TRAFFIC ALERT AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Whether the Traffic Alert and Collision 
Avoidance System Should be Required in Cargo Aircraft. Testimony was 
heard from Guy S. Gardner, Associate Administrator, Regulation and 
Certification, FAA, Department of Transportation; Robert T. Francis, 
Vice Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board; the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Maj. Gen. Donald L. Peterson, 
USAF, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Air and Space Operations, U.S. 
Air Force; Rear Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, USN, Director, Air Warfare 
Division, U.S. Navy; and public witnesses.
STATE BOATING SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on reauthorization of 
the State Boating Safety Grant Program. Testimony was heard from Rear 
Adm. James T. Hull, USCG, Director, Operations Policy, United States 
Coast Guard, Department of Transportation; and public witnesses.
WELFARE REFORM LEGISLATION--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Technical Corrections to Welfare Reform legislation. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Herger; Olivia A. Golden, 
Acting Assistant Secretary, Children and Families, Department of Health 
and Human Services; and public witnesses.
WTO SINGAPORE MINISTERIAL MEETING
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the WTO Singapore Ministerial Meeting. Testimony was heard from 
Delegate Christian-Green; Jeffrey M. Lang, Deputy U.S. Trade 
Representative; JayEtta Hecker, Associate Director, International 
Relations and Trade Issues, National Security and International Affairs 
Division, GAO; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
1998 BUDGET/ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 1998 and the 
Administration's view on the health and direction of the economy, after 
receiving testimony from Franklin D. Raines, Director, Office of 
Management and Budget.


                    COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY,

                           FEBRUARY 27, 1997

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, and Related Agencies, to hold hearings on proposed 
budget estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the Department of 
Agriculture, 10 a.m., SD-124.
  Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, to hold hearings on proposed 
budget estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the United States Agency 
for International Development (USAID) and to review bilateral 
economic assistance programs, 10:30 a.m., SD-138.
  Committee on Armed Services, to hold hearings concerning the 
Department of Defense actions pertaining to Persian Gulf illnesses, 
9:30 a.m., SD-106.
  Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, to hold hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 1998 for the 
Department of Defense and the future years defense program, focusing 
on ballistic missile defense programs, 2 p.m., SR-222.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to hold 
hearings to examine violence in television programming, 10 a.m., SR-
253.
  Committee on Finance, to hold hearings on views of congressional 
advisory commissions on the Administration's fiscal year 1998 
Medicare budget proposal, 11 a.m., SD-215.
  Subcommittee on Health Care, to resume hearings to examine the 
financial soundness of the Medicare Program, 2 p.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on International 
Operations, to hold hearings on the President's proposed budget 
request for fiscal year 1998 for the Department of State, 11 a.m., 
SD-419.
  Committee on Labor and Human Resources, to hold hearings on 
proposed legislation authorizing funds for programs of the Higher 
Education Act, 10 a.m., SD-430.
  Committee on Small Business, to hold hearings on S. 208, to 
provide Federal contracting opportunities for small business 
concerns located in historically underutilized business zones, 9:30 
a.m., SR-428A.


                                 NOTICE

  For a listing of Senate committee meetings scheduled ahead, see pages 
E336-38 in today's Record.

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                                 House

  Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, on 
the FDA, 1 p.m., 2362A Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related 
Programs, on the Secretary of the Treasury, 10:30 a.m., 2360 
Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, 
on the National Center of Human Genome Research; and the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 10 a.m., and on the 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National 
Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, 1:30 p.m., 
2358 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Military Construction, on Overview, 2 p.m., B-300 
Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on National Security, executive, on the U.S. European 
Command, 10 a.m., and, executive, on the U.S. Atlantic Command, 1:30 
p.m., H-140 Capitol.
  Committee on Commerce, Subcommittee on Health and Environment, 
hearing on Medicare Managed Care: Payment and Related Issues, 1 
p.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on 
Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning, hearing on 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 9 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Subcommittee on 
Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations, oversight hearing 
on the Department of Housing and Urban Development: Mission, 
Management, and Performance, 11 a.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs, and 
Criminal Justice, oversight hearing on the 1997 National Drug 
Control Strategy, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, 
hearing regarding Free Speech and Campaign Finance Reform, 9 a.m., 
2141 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims, oversight hearing 
regarding deception of a Congressional Task Force delegation to the 
Miami District of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1 
p.m., 2237 Rayburn.
  Committee on National Security, Subcommittee on Military 
Installations and Facilities, hearing on the fiscal year 1998 
military construction budget request for programs of the Secretary 
of Defense, the Defense Agencies, and the Active and Reserve 
Components of the Department of the Army, 11 a.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Military Personnel, hearing on Department of 
Defense health care alternatives for Military Medicare-Eligible 
Beneficiaries, 1 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Military Research and Development, hearing on 
Defense research and development for future readiness, 2 p.m., 2118 
Rayburn.
  Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources, hearing and markup of H.R. 709, to reauthorize and amend 
the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992, 2 p.m., 1334 Longworth.
  Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, and Wildlife and Oceans, 
to hold a hearing on H.R. 437, to reauthorize the National Sea Grant 
College Program Act, 9 a.m., and to hold an oversight hearing on the 
NOAA fiscal year 1998 budget request, which includes funding for the 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 12 p.m., 1334 Longworth.
  Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, oversight hearing 
on Research and Resource Management in the National Park Service, 12 
p.m., 1324 Longworth.
   Committee on Rules, Bipartisan Ad Hoc Task Force on the 
Recodification of House Rules, to hold an organizational meeting; 
followed by a briefing by the House Parliamentarian, 1 p.m., H-313 
Capitol.
  Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Technology, hearing on 
Surface Transportation Research Needs for the Next Century, 11 a.m., 
2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Surface Transportation, to continue hearings on ISTEA Comprehensive 
Reauthorization Proposals: On the Administration's and Other 
Comprehensive Reauthorization Proposals, 9:30 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, hearing on the Administration's 
fiscal year 1998 VA Budget, 9:30 a.m., 334 Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Human Resources, 
hearing on Adoption, 11 a.m., B-318 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Social Security, to hold an organizational 
meeting, 9 a.m., 1129 Rayburn.