[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D149-D150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS--AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, and Related Agencies held hearings on proposed budget 
estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the Department of Agriculture, 
receiving testimony from Dan Glickman, Secretary, Richard Rominger, 
Deputy Secretary, Keith Collins, Chief Economist, and Stephen B. 
Dewhurst, Director, Office of Budget and Program Analysis, all of the 
Department of Agriculture.
  Subcommittee will meet again on Tuesday, March 4.
APPROPRIATIONS--AID
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations held 
hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the 
Agency for International Development and to review bilateral economic 
assistance programs, receiving testimony from J. Brian Atwood, 
Administrator, Agency for International Development.
  Subcommittee recessed subject to call.
PERSIAN GULF ILLNESS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the Department of Defense response to reports that service members may 
have been exposed to chemical agents while serving in the Persian Gulf 
and to research efforts into the causes and treatment of Persian Gulf 
related illnesses, after receiving testimony from John P. White, Deputy 
Secretary of Defense; Lt. Gen. Carlton W. Fulford, Jr., USMC, 
Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Camp Pendleton, 
California); Brig. Gen. Daniel R. Zanini, USA, Chief of Army Staff; 
Stephen C. Joseph, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; 
Elaine L. Larson and Adm. Donald Custis, USN (Ret.), both on behalf of 
the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses; 
and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA (Ret.).
AUTHORIZATION--DEFENSE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held 
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, receiving testimony 
from Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, USAF, Director, Ballistic Missile 
Defense Organization, Department of Defense.
  Subcommittee recessed subject to call.
TV RATINGS SYSTEM
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:Committee held 
hearings to examine the impact and adequacy of the current television 
ratings system, receiving testimony from Senators Boxer, Coats, Conrad, 
Leahy, and Lieberman; Representatives Bono, Burton, Foley, Gallegly, 
Joseph Kennedy, and Markey; Joan Dykstra, National PTA, Eddie Fritts, 
National Association of Broadcasters, Jack Valenti, Motion Picture 
Association of America, Robert T.M. Phillips, American Psychiatric 
Association, and Andrea Sheldon, Traditional Values Coalition, all of 
Washington, D.C.; Lois Salisbury, Children Now, Oakland, California; 
Matt Blank, Showtime Network, New York, New York; Joanne Cantor, 
University of Wisconsin, Madison; Kevin Saunders, University of 
Oklahoma, Norman; and Brian Wilcox, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, on 
behalf of the American Psychological Association.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
MEDICARE
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine the views of 
certain Congressional advisory commissions on the Administration's 
proposed budget request for fiscal year 1998 for Medicare, receiving

[[Page D150]]

testimony from Joseph P. Newhouse, Chairman, Prospective Payment 
Assessment Commission; and Gail R. Wilensky, Chair, Physician Payment 
Review Commission.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
MEDICARE
Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Health Care resumed hearings to 
examine the financial soundness of the Medicare program and its future 
status, receiving testimony from Thomas R. Saving and Andrew J. 
Rettenmaier, both of the Private Enterprise Research Center/Texas A&M 
University, College Station; Stuart H. Altman, Brandeis University 
Graduate School for Social Policy, Waltham, Massachusetts; and Len M. 
Nichols, Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
1998 STATE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations concluded hearings to examine the President's proposed 
budget request for fiscal year 1998 for the Department of State's 
administration of foreign affairs, after receiving testimony from 
Patrick F. Kennedy, Acting Under Secretary of State for Management.
AUTHORIZATION--HIGHER EDUCATION ACT
Committee on Labor and Human Resources: Committee held hearings to 
examine the Administration's postsecondary education policy and 
proposed legislation authorizing funds for programs of the Higher 
Education Act, receiving testimony from Richard W. Riley, Secretary of 
Education.
  Hearings will continue on Friday, March 14.
HUBZONE ACT
Committee on Small Business: Committee held hearings on S. 208, to 
provide Federal contracting opportunities for small business concerns 
located in historically underutilized business zones, receiving 
testimony from Barry N. Corona, Production Products Manufacturing and 
Sales, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri; J. Glynn Loope, Alleghany Highlands 
Economic Development Authority, Covington, Virginia; Ursula Powidzki, 
Baltimore Advisors, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, on behalf of the 
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City; and Fabio Sampoli, Greater New 
Haven Chamber of Commerce, New Haven, Connecticut.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.