[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D151-D153]
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, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on the FDA. Testimony was heard from Michael Friedman, Deputy 
Commissioner, Operations, FDA, USDA.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on the Secretary of the 
Treasury. Testimony was heard from Robert E. Rubin, Secretary of the 
Treasury.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the National Center of Human 
Genome Research, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 
Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and 
the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Health and Human Services: Francis S. Collins, M.D., Director, National 
Human Genome Research Institute; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Kenneth Olden, 
M.D., Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; 
and James B. Snow, Jr., M.D., Director, National Institute on Deafness 
and other Communication Disorders.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
an Overview hearing. Testimony was heard from John J. Hamre, 
Comptroller, Department of Defense.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security met in 
executive session to hold a hearing on the U.S. European Command and on 
the U.S. Atlantic Command. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. George Joulwan, USA, 
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. European Command; and Gen. John Sheehan, USMC, 
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command.
MEDICARE MANAGED CARE
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on Medicare Managed Care: Payment and Related Issues. Testimony 
was heard from Bruce M. Fried, Director, Office of Managed Care, Health 
Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; 
Jonathan Ratner, Associate Director, Health Financing Systems, Health, 
Education, and Human Services, GAO; Donald A. Young, M.D., Executive 
Director, Prospective Payment Assessment Commission; and Roger S. 
Taylor, M.D., Commissioner, Physician Payment Review Commission.
OVERSIGHT--REHABILITATION ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Postsecondary 
Education, Training and Life-Long Learning held an oversight hearing on 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Education: Judy Heumann, Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; and 
Frederic Schroeder, Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services 
Administration; P. Charles LaRosa, Commissioner, Department of 
Vocational Rehabilitation, State of South Carolina; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--HUD
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources and Intergovernmental Relations held an oversight hearing on 
the Department of Housing and Urban Development: Mission, Management, 
and Performance. Testimony

[[Page D152]]

was heard from Andrew M. Cuomo, Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on National 
Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice held an oversight 
hearing on the 1997 National Drug Control Strategy. Testimony was heard 
from Barry R. McCaffrey, Director, Office of National Drug Control 
Policy.
FREE SPEECH AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing regarding Free Speech and Campaign Finance Reform. Testimony 
was heard from Senator McConnell; Representatives Gephardt and Frank of 
Massachusetts; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing regarding deception of a Congressional Task Force 
delegation to the Miami District of the Immigration and Naturalization 
Service. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Justice: Stephen Colgate, Assistant Attorney General, 
Administration; and Doris Meissner, Commissioner and Chris Sale, Deputy 
Commissioner, both with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION BUDGET REQUESTS
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Installations 
and Facilities held a 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. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: John B. Goodman, Deputy Under 
Secretary (Industrial Affairs and Installations); Robert M. Walker, 
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Logistics and 
Environment); Maj. Gen. Randolph House, USA, Assistant Chief of Staff, 
Installations Management, Department of the Army; Brig. Gen. William 
Bilo, Deputy Director, Army National Guard; and Brig. Gen. James 
Helmly, Deputy Chief, Army Reserve.
DOD HEALTH CARE ALTERNATIVES
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held 
a hearing on Department of Defense health care alternatives for 
Military Medicare-Eligible Beneficiaries. Testimony was heard from 
Stephen P. Backhus, Director, Veterans' Affairs and Military Health 
Care Issues, GAO; Stephen Joseph, M.D., Assistant Secretary (Health 
Affairs), Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
DEFENSE R&D FOR FUTURE READINESS
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Research and 
Development held a hearing on Defense research and development for 
future readiness. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Anita K. Jones, Director, Defense Research 
and Engineering; Lee Buchanan, Deputy Director, Defense Advanced 
Research Projects Agency; Patricia Sanders, Director, Test Systems 
Engineering and Evaluation; and Thomas Perdue, Acting Deputy Under 
Secretary (Advanced Technology).
NATIONAL GEOLOGIC MAPPING ACT REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
approved for full Committee action as amended H.R. 709, to reauthorize 
and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on this 
legislation. Testimony was heard from P. Patrick Leahy, Chief 
Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior; and a 
public witness.
NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, and 
Wildlife and Oceans, held a hearing on H.R. 437, to reauthorize the 
National Sea Grant College Program Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Stupak; Ronald C. Baird, Executive Director, National 
Sea Grant College Program, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, 
NOAA, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
NOAA BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held oversight hearing on the NOAA fiscal year 1998 
budget request, which includes funding for the National Marine 
Fisheries Service. Testimony was heard from D. James Baker, Under 
Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce.
OVERSIGHT--RESEARCH AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held an oversight hearing on Research and Resource Management in the 
National Park Service. Testimony was heard from Barry T. Hill, 
Associate Director, Energy, Resources and

[[Page D153]]

Science Issues, Resources, Community and Economic Development Division, 
GAO; the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Richard 
B. Keigley, Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey; Roger G. Kennedy, 
Director, National Park Service; and Mark Schaefer, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Water and Science; and public witnesses.
HOUSE RULES RECODIFICATION
Committee on Rules: Bipartisan Ad Hoc Task Force on the Recodification 
of House Rules met to discuss the Task Force agenda and goals.
  The Task Force received a briefing on the Recodification of House 
Rules by Charles Johnson, Chief Parliamentarian of the House.
ETHICS REFORM
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct: Task Force on Ethics Reform 
met in executive session to hold a hearing on Ethics Reform. Testimony 
was heard from Members of Congress.
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on 
Surface Transportation Research Needs for the Next Century. Testimony 
was heard from Mortimer L. Downey, Deputy Secretary, Department of 
Transportation; David L. Winstead, Secretary, Department of 
Transportation, State of Maryland; and a public witness.
ISTEA REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Surface 
Transportation continued hearings on ISTEA Comprehensive 
Reauthorization Proposals: On the Administration's and Other 
Comprehensive Reauthorization Proposals. Testimony was heard from 
Rodney E. Slater, Secretary of Transportation; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue March 4.
VA BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on the Administration's 
fiscal year 1998 VA Budget. Testimony was heard from Frank Q. Nebeker, 
Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
ENCOURAGING ADOPTION
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Encouraging Adoption. Testimony was heard from Mark Nadel, 
Associate Director, Income Security Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security met for 
organizational purposes.
ETHICS REFORM
Task Force on Ethics Reform: Met in executive session to discuss Ethics 
Reforms.