[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 37 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D280-D282]
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 concluded 
hearings on proposed legislation authorizing funds for agricultural 
research programs of the 1996 Farm Bill, after receiving testimony from 
Senator Burns; W. Bruce Crain, Executive Director, Alternative 
Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation, Department of 
Agriculture; Robert L. Thompson, Winrock International Institute for 
Agricultural Development, Morrilton, Arkansas; Joseph D. Coffey, 
Southern States Cooperative, Richmond, Virginia, on behalf of the 
Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching; Charles C. 
Brosius, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Harrisburg, on behalf 
of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture; 
Gregory N. Brown, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 
Blacksburg, on behalf of the National Association of Professional 
Forestry Schools and Colleges; and William Guyton, Idaho National 
Engineering and Environmental Laboratory/Lockheed Martin Idaho 
Technologies Co., Idaho Falls.
APPROPRIATIONS--UNITED NATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and the Judiciary and Related Agencies held hearings on proposed budget 
estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the United Nations, receiving 
testimony from Bill Richardson, United States Ambassador to the United 
Nations; and Princeton N. Lyman, Assistant Secretary of State for 
International Organization Affairs.
  Subcommittee will meet again on Tuesday, April 8.
APPROPRIATIONS--ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 
1998 for energy and water development programs, receiving testimony in 
behalf of funds for their activities from Victor H. Reis, Assistant 
Secretary for Defense Programs, and Kenneth E. Baker, Acting Director, 
Office of Nonproliferation and National Security, both of the 
Department of Energy; and Harold P. Smith, Assistant to the Secretary 
of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Programs.
  Subcommittee recessed subject to call.
APPROPRIATIONS--FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations held 
hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 1998 for foreign 
assistance programs, focusing on international narcotics, crime and law 
enforcement activities, receiving testimony from Louis J. Freeh, 
Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice; and 
Robert S. Gelbard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International 
Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Department of State.
  Subcommittee recessed subject to call.
CONRAIL MERGER
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation and Related 
Agencies held hearings to examine the impact of the sale of Conrail to 
CSX Corporation and Norfolk Southern on the United States

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transportation system, rail service, and employees, receiving testimony 
from Senator Warner; George D. Warrington, President/Northeast 
Corridor, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak); Linda J. 
Morgan, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board; Maryland Governor 
Parris N. Glendening, Annapolis; Mayor Ed Rendell, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania; Bradley L. Mallory, Pennsylvania Department of 
Transportation, Harrisburg; John J. Haley, Jr., New Jersey Department 
of Transportation, Trenton; John W. Snow, CSX Corporation, Richmond, 
Virginia; David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Norfolk, 
Virginia; Tim O'Toole, Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail), 
Washington, D.C.; Hugh Welsh, Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, 
New York, New York; Robert A. Scardelletti, Transportation-
Communications International Union, Rockville, Maryland, on behalf of 
the Transportation Trades Department/AFL-CIO; Robert L. Evans, 
Occidental Chemical Corporation, Dallas, Texas, on behalf of the 
National Industrial Transportation League; and Michael Hawbaker, Glenn 
O. Hawbaker, Inc., State College, Pennsylvania.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
AUTHORIZATION--DOE NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee held hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 1998 for the Department 
of Energy national security programs and to review environmental 
management activities, receiving testimony from Federico Pena, 
Secretary, Charles B. Curtis, Deputy Secretary, and Alvin L. Alm, 
Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, all of the Department 
of Energy.
  Committee recessed subject to call.
COMMERCIAL AND INVESTMENT BANKING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on 
Financial Institutions and Regulatory Relief concluded hearings to 
examine the Federal Reserve System's proposal to modify the 
restrictions imposed on bank holding companies engaged in underwriting 
and dealing in securities, after receiving testimony from Susan M. 
Phillips, Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; 
Victor A. Warnement, NationsBank Capital Markets, Inc., Charlotte, 
North Carolina; Richard B. Roberts, Wachovia Bank, Winston-Salem, North 
Carolina, on behalf of the ABA Securities Association and the American 
Bankers Association; and Charles W. Calomiris, Columbia University 
School of Business, New York, New York.
OCEAN SHIPPING REFORM
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine concluded hearings on S. 
414, to encourage competition in international shipping and growth of 
United States imports and exports, after receiving testimony from 
Harold J. Creel, Jr., Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission; Linda J. 
Morgan, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board; Michael M. Murphy, APL 
Limited, J.M. Graham, Council of European and Japanese National 
Shipowners' Associations, Edward Wytkind, Transportation Trades 
Department/AFL-CIO, and Peter Powell, Sr., National Customs Brokers and 
Forwarders Association, all of Washington, D.C.; Christopher Koch, Sea-
Land Service, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina; William P. Verdon, 
Crowley Maritime Corporation, Oakland, California; Donald Cameron, Bose 
Corporation, Framingham, Massachusetts; and Tom Kornegay, Port of 
Houston, Houston, Texas.
ELECTRIC UTILITIES DEREGULATION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee resumed oversight 
hearings to discuss proposals to advance the goals of deregulation and 
competition in the electric power industry, receiving testimony from 
Elizabeth A. Moler, Chair, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
Department of Energy; Bruce B. Ellsworth, New Hampshire Public 
Utilities Commission, Concord, and Robert W. Gee, Public Utility 
Commission of Texas, Austin, both on behalf of the National Association 
of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; Richard H. Cowart, Vermont Public 
Service Board, Montpelier; P. Gregory Conlon, California Public 
Utilities Commission, San Francisco; Curt Hebert, Mississippi Public 
Service Commission, Jackson; John M. Quain, Pennsylvania Public Utility 
Commission, Harrisburg; Linda Breathitt, Kentucky Public Service 
Commission, Frankfurt; and Marsha H. Smith, Idaho Public Utilities 
Commission, Boise.
  Committee recessed subject to call.
NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation concluded hearings to 
examine the future of the National Park System and to identify the 
needs, requirements, and innovative programs that will improve and 
enhance the operations of the Park Service, after receiving testimony 
from Roger G. Kennedy, Director, National Park Service, Department of 
the Interior.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the nominations of

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Johnny H. Hayes, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors 
of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and Judith M. Espinosa, of New 
Mexico, and D. Michael Rappoport, of Arizona, each to be a Member of 
the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence 
in National Environmental Policy Foundation.
MEDICARE
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine proposals to 
improve choices under the Medicare program, including S. 146, to permit 
Medicare beneficiaries to enroll with qualified provider-sponsored 
organizations under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, receiving 
testimony from Senator Frist; Glenn A. Pomeroy, North Dakota Department 
of Insurance, Bismarck, on behalf of the National Association of 
Insurance Commissioners; Karen Ignagni, American Association of Health 
Plans, Washington, D.C.; Donald T. Lewers, Easton, Maryland, on behalf 
of the American Medical Association; John T. Nielsen, Intermountain 
Health Care, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, on behalf of the Coalition for 
Fairness in Medicare; and Richard K. Reiner, Florida Hospital 
Healthcare System, Orlando.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TRADE POLICY
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of 
Government Management, Restructuring, and the District of Columbia 
concluded hearings to examine the role of the Department of Commerce in 
United States trade policy, promotion, and regulation, and 
opportunities for reform and consolidation, after receiving testimony 
from Representatives Mica and White; Timothy J. Hauser, Deputy Under 
Secretary of Commerce for International Trade; William H. Lash III, 
George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia; and Ed 
Hudgins, CATO Institute, and Edward J. Black, Computer and 
Communications Industry Association, both of Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported S. 
270, to grant the consent of Congress to the Texas Low-Level 
Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact.
AUTHORIZATION--HIGHER EDUCATION
Committee on Labor and Human Resources: Committee concluded hearings on 
proposed legislation authorizing funds for programs of the Higher 
Education Act, focusing on the role of higher education institutions in 
preparing teachers for the 21st century, after receiving testimony from 
Susan Brady, University of Rhode Island, Kingston; Jill Mattuck Tarule, 
University of Vermont, Burlington; Charles R. Coble, University of 
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, on behalf of the University-School Teacher 
Education Partnerships in North Carolina; and Richard Wormeli, Herndon 
Middle School, Herndon, Virginia.
CRS/LOC
Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee concluded oversight 
hearings to review the operations and budget of the Congressional 
Research Service and the Library of Congress, after receiving testimony 
from Daniel Mulhollan, Director, Congressional Research Service, James 
H. Billington, Librarian, and Donald L. Scott, Deputy Librarian, both 
of the Library of Congress.