[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D346-D348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMODITY EXCHANGE ACT AMENDMENTS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty 
Crops continued hearings on reform of the Commodity Exchange Act and 
provisions of H.R. 467, Commodity Exchange Act Amendments of 1997. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Federal Drug Administration, and Related Agencies approved 
for full Committee action Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 
1997.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and the Judiciary held a hearing on the SBA, the Economic Development 
Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, the Arms 
Control and Disarmament Agency and the EEOC. Testimony was heard from 
Aida Alvarez, Administrator, SBA; and the following officials of the 
Department of Commerce, Phillip A. Singerman, Assistant Secretary, 
Economic Development Administration; and Paul R. Weber, Assistant 
Director, Minority Business Development Agency; John D. Holum, 
Director, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; and Gilbert F. 
Casellas, Chairman, EEOC.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development approved for full Committee action Supplemental 
Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1997.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior concluded 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security approved 
for full Committee action Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 
1997.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Ballistic Missile Defense. 
Testimony was heard from Gen. Lester Lyles, USA, Director, Ballistic 
Missile Defense Organization, Department of Defense.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies approved for full Committee action Supplemental Appropriations 
for Fiscal Year 1997.
  The Subcommittee also concluded hearings on the EPA. Testimony was 
heard from Carol M. Browner, Administrator, EPA.
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Continued markup of H.R. 
2, Housing Opportunity and Responsibility Act of 1997.
  Will continue tomorrow.
LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK TRUST FUND AMENDMENTS ACT
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported H.R. 688, Leaking Underground 
Storage Tank Trust Fund Amendments of 1997.
COMMON CENTS STOCK PRICING ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
concluded hearings on H.R. 1053, the Common Cents Stock Pricing Act of

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1997. Testimony was heard from William Johnston, President, New York 
Stock Exchange; Tom Ryan, President, American Stock Exchange; Robert M. 
Greber, Chairman and CEO, Pacific Exchange; and public witnesses.
OSHA'S METHYLENE CHLORIDE RULE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on OSHA's Methylene Chloride rule. Testimony 
was heard from Emily Sheketoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Labor; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NURSING HOMES HEALTH CARE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources and Intergovernmental Relations held an oversight hearing on 
Health Care in Nursing Homes. Testimony was heard from George Grob, 
Deputy Inspector General, Evaluations and Inspections, Department of 
Health and Human Services; Leslie Aronovitz, Associate Director, Health 
Financing and Systems Issues, GAO; Steven Wiggs, Assistant Attorney 
General, State of Arizona; Stephen M. Spahr, Deputy Attorney General, 
Director, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, State of New York; and public 
witnesses.
PARTICULAR MATTER AND OZONE--EPA'S PROPOSED STANDARDS
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on National 
Economic Growth, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs held a 
hearing on ``EPA's Proposed Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone: 
Is EPA Above the Law?'' Testimony was heard from George Voinovich, 
Governor, Ohio; Jeffrey Schoenberg, Representative, State of Illinois; 
Richard Brodski, Assemblyman, State of New York; Richard Russman, 
Senator, State of New Hampshire; Susan Golding, Mayor, San Diego, 
California; Frances Monk, Mayor, Port Neches, Texas; and public 
witnesses.
  Hearings continue April 23.
POSTAL REFORM ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Postal 
Service held a hearing on H.R. 22, Postal Reform Act of 1997. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
DORNAN V. SANCHEZ
Committee on House Oversight: Began consideration of motions on 
subpoenas issued in connection with the Contested Election in the 
Forty-sixth District of California.
ZAIRE
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered and adopted 
a motion urging the Chairman to request that H. Res. 115, amended, 
concerning the promotion of peace, stability, and democracy in Zaire, 
be considered on the Suspension Calendar.
BURMESE REFUGEES IN THAILAND
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on Burmese Refugees in 
Thailand. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--BANKRUPTCY SYSTEM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on the operation of the 
bankruptcy system and a status report from the National Bankruptcy 
Review Commission. Testimony was heard from Brady C. Williamson, 
Chairman, National Bankruptcy Review Commission; George Paine, Chief 
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Middle District, Tennessee, Administrative 
Office of the United States Courts; and public witnesses.
QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW AND NATIONAL DEFENSE PANEL
Committee on National Security: Held a hearing on Quadrennial Defense 
Review and National Defense Panel. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the National Defense Panel, Philip A. Odeen, 
Chairman; Adm. David Jeremiah, USN (Rtd.) and Andrew Krepinevich, both 
members of the Panel.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Con. Res. 8, amended, expressing the sense of Congress with respect to 
the significance of maintaining the health and stability of coral reef 
ecosystems; H.R. 39, African Conservation Reauthorization Act of 1997; 
H.R. 408, amended, International Dolphin Conservation Program Act; H.R. 
449, amended, Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1997; and 
H.R. 478, amended, Flood Prevention and Family Protection Act of 1997.
21ST CENTURY PATENT SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote an open rule providing 1 hour 
of debate on H.R. 400, 21st Century Patent System Improvement Act. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The 
rule makes in order the Committee on the Judiciary amendment in the 
nature of a substitute now printed in the bill and modified by section 
2

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of the rule. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment 
in the nature of a substitute, as modified, and provides that it shall 
be considered as read.
  The rule provides for priority in recognition for those amendments 
that are pre-printed in the Congressional Record prior to their 
consideration on the floor. The rule also allows the Chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the 
bill, and allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to reduce 
votes to five minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 
fifteen minute vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Hyde, 
Representatives Coble, Rohrabacher, Conyers and Frank of Massachusetts.
SUSPENSIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote a resolution providing for 
the consideration of motions to suspend the rules on Wednesday, April 
23, 1997 and Thursday April 24, 1997. Any matter to be considered under 
suspension will be announced from the House floor at least one hour 
prior to consideration. The rule provides that the Speaker or his 
designee will consult with the Majority Leader or his designee on any 
suspension considered under this resolution.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 363, 
to amend section 2118 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to extend the 
Electric and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information 
Dissemination Program; H.R. 437, amended, Marine Resources 
Revitalization Act; H.R. 1271, amended, FAA Research, Engineering, and 
Development Authorization Act of 1997; H.R. 1272, amended, Fire 
Administration Authorization Act of 1997; H.R. 1273, amended, National 
Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1997; H.R. 1274, amended, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act of 
1997; H.R. 1275, amended, Civilian Space Authorization Act, Fiscal 
Years 1998 and 1999; H.R. 1276, amended, Environmental Research, 
Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1997; H.R. 1277, 
Department of Energy Civilian Research and Development Act of 1997; and 
H.R. 1278, amended, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Authorization Act of 1997.
PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS--HEALTH PROBLEMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health and the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing on 
health problems of Persian Gulf War Veterans and possible exposure to 
chemical warfare agents. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Bernard Rostker, Special 
Assistant to the Deputy Secretary, Gulf War Illness; Col. Thomas P. 
Leavitt, USA, Chief, Inspections Division, Inspector General, 
Department of the Army; and Col. Joe Huber, USA, Office of the Deputy 
Chief of Staff, Army, Operations; Robert D. Walpole, Chief, Persian 
Gulf Task Force, CIA; and public witnesses.
ADOPTION PROMOTION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 867, amended, Adoption Promotion Act of 
1997.
ELECTRONIC FEDERAL TAX PAYMENT SYSTEM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Hastings of Washington and Linda Smith of Washington; 
the following officials of the Department of the Treasury: James E. 
Donelson, Chief, Taxpayer Service, IRS; and Russell D. Morris, 
Commissioner, Financial Management Service; and public witnesses.