[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D260-D263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE TRADE
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing on Agriculture Trade into the 
21st century. Testimony was heard from Dan Glickman, Secretary of 
Agriculture.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Federal Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Departmental Administration and Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the USDA: Pearlie Reed, Acting Assistant Secretary, Administration; 
Irwin T. David, Acting Chief Financial Officer; and Anne F. Thomson 
Reed, Acting Chief Information Officer.
  The Subcommittee also continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from Members of Congress and public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Department of Commerce and on the 
International Trade Administration/International Trade Commission. 
Testimony was heard from Stuart E. Eizenstat, Under Secretary, 
International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce; and Marcia 
E. Miller, Chairman, U. S. International Trade Commission.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Geological Survey and on Secretary of Energy. Testimony was heard from 
Gordon P. Eaton, Director, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the 
Interior; and Federico Pena, Secretary of Energy.

[[Page D261]]


LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the National Institute of 
Mental Health, the National Institute of Aging, the National Institute 
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the National Institute of 
General Medical Sciences. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: Dennis P. 
Williams, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget; Steven E. Hyman, M.D., 
Director, Richard K. Nakamura, M.D., Associate Director, Science 
Policy, William T. Fitzsimmons, Executive Officer, Gemma M. Weiblinger, 
Special Assistant to the Director and J. Richard Pine, Budget Officer, 
all with the National Institute of Mental Health; Richard J. Hodes, 
M.D., Director, National Institute of Aging; Harold Varmus, M.D., 
Director, NIH; Zach W. Hall, M.D., Director, National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke; and Marvin Cassman, M.D., Director, 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on the FAA. Testimony was heard from Barry Valentine, Acting 
Administrator, FAA, Department of Transportation.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the National Archives. 
Testimony was heard from John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United 
States, National Archives and Records Administration.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. Testimony was heard from Andrew M. Cuomo, Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development.
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on H.R. 
607, Homeowners Insurance Protection Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Hansen, Kennedy of Massachusetts and Waters; Michael 
Stamper, Executive, Vice President, Risk Management, Federal Home Loan 
Mortgage Corporation; and public witnesses.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on the reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Act (SAMSHA). Testimony was heard from Nelba R. Chavez, 
Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; Frankie Sue 
Del Papa, Attorney General, State of Nevada; and public witnesses.
MANDATORY UNION DUES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing on mandatory union dues. Testimony 
was heard from Representative Torres; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--HHS AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS; MISSION MANAGEMENT AND 
PERFORMANCE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources continued oversight hearings on the Department of Health and 
Human Services and the Department of Veterans' Affairs: Mission, 
Management, and Performance. Testimony was heard from June Gibbs Brown, 
Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; the 
following officials of the GAO: Richard L. Hembra, Assistant 
Comptroller General, Health, Education and Human Services; Thomas G. 
Dowdal, Assistant Director, Health Financing and Public Health Issues; 
and David P. Baine, Director, Federal Health Care Delivery Issues; and 
William Merriman, Deputy Inspector General, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
OPIC--AUTHORIZE, PRIVATIZE, REFORM OR TERMINATE
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade held a hearing to review the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation--Authorize, Privatize, Reform, or Terminate. 
Testimony was heard from Ruth Harkin, CEO, Overseas Private Investment 
Corporation, U.S. International Development Cooperation Agency; and 
public witnesses.
FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on the Foreign Relations 
Authorization for FY 1998-99: International Organizations and 
Conferences. Testimony was heard from Princeton Lyman, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of 
State.

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TAX LIMITATION--CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H.J. Res. 62, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States with respect to tax limitation. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Shadegg; and public witnesses.
MILITARY BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE PROCESS
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Installations 
and Facilities held a hearing on current implementation issues in the 
base realignment and closure process. Testimony was heard from John B. 
Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary (Industrial Affairs and Installations), 
Department of Defense; and Neil Singer, Deputy Assistant Director, 
National Security, CBO.
NEW ATTACK SUBMARINE PROGRAM
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
held a hearing on the New Attack Submarine Program. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of the Navy: John W. 
Douglass, Assistant Secretary, Navy, Research, Development and 
Acquisition; and Vice Adm. Donald Tilling, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations, Resources, Requirements and Assessments; Ronald O'Rourke, 
Specialist in National Defense, Congressional Research Service, Library 
of Congress; and public witnesses.
MILITARY DEPOT-LEVEL MAINTENANCE ISSUES
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Readiness held 
a hearing on depot-level maintenance issues. Testimony was heard from 
David R. Warren, Director, Defense Management Issues, GAO; and the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. Johnnie E. 
Wilson, USA, Commander, Army Materiel Command; Vice Adm. George R. 
Sterner, USN, Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command and Vice Adm. John 
A. Lockard, USN, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, both with the 
Department of the Navy; Gen. Henry Viccellio, Jr., USAF, Commander, Air 
Force Materiel Command, Department of the Air Force; and Brig. Gen. 
Harry K. Barnes, USMC, Commander, Marine Corps Logistics Bases, 
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATION'S FORESTS MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on Management of our Nation's forests and criteria 
for determining healthy forests. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Dombeck, Chief, Forest Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
WORKING FAMILIES FLEXIBILITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted a modified closed rule providing 1 hour of 
debate on H.R. 1, Working Families Flexibility Act of 1997. The rule 
makes in order the Committee on Education and the Workforce amendment 
in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment and provides that it shall be 
considered as read.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the report 
of the Committee on Rules. The amendments made in order by this rule 
shall be considered only in the order specified, shall be considered as 
read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally 
divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be 
subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a 
division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. 
The rule further provides that an amendment designated to be offered by 
the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce or his 
designee may be offered en bloc with one or more other such amendments.
  Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Goodling and 
Representatives Fawell, Ballenger, Clay, Miller of California and 
Owens.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Rules: Approved its Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal 
Year 1998 for transmission to the Committee on the Budget.
U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Basic Research held a hearing on 
the fiscal year 1998 Authorization of the United States Fire 
Administration. Testimony was heard from Carrye Brown, Administrator, 
U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA; and public witnesses.
ISTEA REAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held a hearing on the ISTEA Rail Infrastructure Programs. 
Testimony was heard from Don Itzkoff, Deputy Administrator, Federal 
Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation; Leo Howard, 
Chairman, Board of Directors, Rail Authority, State of West Virginia; 
and public witnesses.

[[Page D263]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health approved for full 
Committee action the following bills: H.R. 1001, to extend the term of 
appointment of certain members of the Prospective Payment Assessment 
Commission and the Physician Payment Review Commission; and H.R. 1003, 
Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997.
IRS BUDGET--TAX RETURN FILING SEASON
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on the IRS Budget for fiscal year 1998 and the 1997 Tax Return Filing 
Season. Testimony was heard from Representative Archer; Mike Dolan, 
Deputy Commissioner, IRS, Department of the Treasury; Lynda D. Willis, 
Director, Tax Policy and Administration Issues, General Government 
Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
U.S. TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the U.S. Trade Policy Objectives and Initiatives. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Visclosky; Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade 
Representative-designate; and public witnesses.
BUDGET--TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the Budget--Technical Intelligence: Requirements, 
Collection, Processing and Exploitation. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.