[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D257-D259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
AUTHORIZATION--AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee resumed 
hearings on proposed legislation authorizing funds for agricultural 
research programs of the 1996 Farm Bill, receiving testimony from 
Robert B. Horsch, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri; David E. 
Ervin, Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture, 
Greenbelt, Maryland; Robert G. Cassens, University of Wisconsin, 
Madison, on behalf of the Federation of American Societies of Food 
Animal Sciences; William W. McFee, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 
Indiana, on behalf of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science 
Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America; Ron 
Warfield, Illinois Farm Bureau, Bloomington, on behalf of the American 
Farm Bureau Federation; Phil McLain, Statesville, North Carolina, on 
behalf of the National Association of Wheat Growers; Mike Wehler, 
Plain, Wisconsin, on behalf of the Animal Agriculture Coalition; Dennis 
Wiese, South Dakota Farmers Union, Flandreau, on behalf of the National 
Farmers Union; and Ron Rosmann, Harlan, Iowa, on behalf of the 
Practical

[[Page D258]]

Farmers of Iowa and the Kellogg Foundation/Integrated Farming Systems 
Project.
  Hearings continue on Thursday, March 20.
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 in behalf of funds for their activities from James 
R. Lyons, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, Paul W. 
Johnson, Chief, Gary A. Margheim, Acting Associate Chief and Acting 
Deputy Chief for Science and Technology, Thomas A. Weber, Deputy Chief 
for Management, Lawrence E. Clark, Deputy Chief for Programs, and 
Carole Jett, Acting Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and Resources 
Assessment, all of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and 
Dennis Kaplan, Deputy Director for Budget, Legislative and Regulatory 
Systems, all of the Department of Agriculture.
  Subcommittee will meet again on Tuesday, April 8.
APPROPRIATIONS--FEMA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies held hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 
1998 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, receiving testimony 
from James Lee Witt, Director, FEMA.
  Subcommittee will meet again on Tuesday, April 8.
AUTHORIZATION--DEFENSE
Committee on Armed Services: Committee resumed hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 1998 for the Department 
of Defense and the future years defense program, focusing on military 
strategies and operational requirements of the unified commands, 
receiving testimony from Gen. George A. Joulwan, USA, Commander-in-
Chief, U.S. European Command; Adm. Joseph W. Prueher, USN, Commander-
in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command; and Gen. John H. Tilelli, USA, 
Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, 
and United States Forces Korea.
  Committee will meet again on Thursday, March 20.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nominations of Yolanda Townsend Wheat, of 
Missouri, to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration 
Board, Jeffrey A. Frankel, of California, to be a Member of the Council 
of Economic Advisers, Charles A. Gueli, of Maryland, to be a Member of 
the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences, 
and Susan R. Baron, of Maryland, to be a Member of the National 
Corporation for Housing Partnerships.
COAST GUARD BUDGET
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Oceans and Fisheries concluded hearings to examine the President's 
proposed budget request for fiscal year 1998 for the United States 
Coast Guard, after receiving testimony from Adm. Robert E. Kramek, 
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation.
INTERSTATE WASTE AND FLOW CONTROL
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded hearings 
on proposals to authorize State and local governments to enact flow 
control laws and to regulate the interstate transportation of solid 
waste, after receiving testimony from Senators Coats, Specter, and 
Levin; Representatives Franks and Pascrell; Mayor John E. Rooney, 
Northvale, New Jersey, on behalf of the Mayors' Task Force Against Flow 
Control; Deputy Mayor for Operations Randy M. Mastro, New York, New 
York; Randy Johnson, Hennepin County, Minnesota, on behalf of the 
National Association of Counties; David K. Leff, Connecticut Department 
of Environmental Protection, Hartford; Grover G. Norquist, Americans 
for Tax Reform, Washington, D.C.; John Broadway, Richmond, Virginia, on 
behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business; James M. 
Seif, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg; 
John Cahill, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 
Albany; David L. Olson, Max, North Dakota, on behalf of the Dakota 
Resource Council/Western Organization of Resource Councils; and Anthony 
Ciofalo, Allied Waste Industries, Scottsdale, Arizona, on behalf of the 
National Solid Wastes Management Association/Environmental Industry 
Associations.
CHINA
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific 
Affairs concluded hearings to examine the future of China, focusing on 
the effect the death of Deng Xiaoping will have on Chinese domestic and 
foreign policies, after receiving testimony from Winston Lord, New 
York, New York, former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and 
Pacific Affairs; James R. Lilley, Institute for Global Chinese Affairs/
University of Maryland, College Park; Harry Harding, Elliott School of 
International Affairs/George Washington University, and Robert Kagan, 
American University, both of Washington, D.C.; Winberg Chai, University 
of Wyoming, Laramie;

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and Chen You-wei, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International 
Studies, Potomac, Maryland.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nominations of Donald M. Middlebrooks, to be United States District 
Judge for the Southern District of Florida, Jeffrey T. Miller, of 
California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern 
District of California, Margaret M. Morrow, to be United States 
District Judge for the Central District of California, and Robert W. 
Pratt, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of 
Iowa, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own 
behalf. Mr. Middlebrooks was introduced by Senators Mack and Graham, 
Mr. Miller was introduced by Senator Feinstein, Ms. Morrow was 
introduced by Senator Boxer and Representative Rogan, and Mr. Pratt was 
introduced by Senators Grassley and Harkin.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Labor and Human Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following business items:
  S. 4, to provide private sector employees the same opportunities for 
time-and-a-half compensatory time off, biweekly work programs, and 
flexible credit hour programs to help balance the demands and needs of 
work and family, and to clarify the provisions relating to exemptions 
of certain professionals from the minimum wage and overtime 
requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; and
  The nominations of John A. Armstrong, of Massachusetts, Jane 
Lubchenco, of Oregon, Vera C. Rubin, of the District of Columbia, Bob 
H. Suzuki, of California, Richard A. Tapia, of Texas, Mary K. Gaillard, 
of California, M.R.C. Greenwood, of California, Stanley Vincent 
Jaskolski, of Ohio, and Eamon M. Kelly, of Louisiana, each to be a 
Member of the National Science Board, National Science Foundation, 
Arthur I. Blaustein, of California, Lorraine Weiss Frank, of Arizona, 
and Susan Ford Wiltshire, of Tennessee, each to be a Member of the 
National Council on the Humanities, Dave Nolan Brown, of Washington, to 
be a Member of the National Council on Disability, Donna Holt 
Cunninghame, of Maryland, to be Chief Financial Officer, Corporation 
for National and Community Service, Jon Deveaux, of New York, to be a 
Member of the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board, Magdalena 
G. Jacobsen, of Oregon, to be a Member of the National Mediation Board, 
Mary Lucille Jordan, of Maryland, and Theodore Francis Verheggen, of 
the District of Columbia, each to be a Member of the Federal Mine 
Safety and Health Review Commission, Joseph Lane Kirkland, of the 
District of Columbia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the 
United States Institute of Peace, Nathan Leventhal, of New York, to be 
a Member of the National Council on the Arts, and a Public Health 
Service Corps list received by the Senate on January 30, 1997.
NOMINATION
Committee on Labor and Human Resources: Committee concluded hearings on 
the nomination of Alexis M. Herman, of Alabama, to be Secretary of 
Labor, after the nominee, who was introduced by Senator Shelby and 
Representative Callahan, testified and answered questions in her own 
behalf.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing on intelligence matters from officials of the 
intelligence community.
  Committee recessed subject to call.