[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D385-D387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURAL EXPORT PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
the Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty Crops held a joint 
hearing on the effectiveness of Agricultural Export Programs. Testimony 
was heard from Chris Goldthwait, General Sales Manager, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported an Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1997.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND THE JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and the Judiciary continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard 
from Members of Congress.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs continued appropriation hearings. 
Testimony was heard from Members of Congress and public witnesses.
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 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Reauthorization of the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Commerce: Shirl G. 
Kinney, Deputy Assistant Secretary, National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration; and Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary, 
Communications and Information; and public witnesses.
EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND LITERACY ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Postsecondary 
Education, Training and Life-Long Learning approved for full Committee 
action amended H.R. 1385, Employment, Training and Literacy Enhancement 
Act of 1997.
FEDERAL HIRING FROM WELFARE ROLLS
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on Federal Hiring from the Welfare Rolls. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas; 
John A. Koskinen, Deputy Director, Management, OMB; James B. King, 
Director, OPM; Diane Disney, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Civilian 
Personnel), Department of Defense; Eugene A. Brickhouse, Assistant 
Secretary, Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--STATUS OF EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY GULF WAR SYNDROME
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources and Intergovernmental Relations continued oversight hearings 
on Status of Efforts to Identify Gulf War Syndrome, Part II. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Bernard Rostker, Special Assistant, Gulf War Illnesses; and Donald 
Mancuso, Deputy Inspector General; Robert Walpole, Special Assistant, 
Gulf War Illnesses, CIA; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Postal 
Service held an oversight hearing of the U.S. Postal Service. Testimony 
was heard

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from Michael E. Motley, Acting Director, Government Business Operations 
Issues, GAO; and Marvin T. Runyon, Postmaster General and CEO, U.S. 
Postal Service.
COMMITTEE FUNDING; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on House Oversight: Ordered reported amended the following 
measures: H. Res. 129, providing amounts for the expenses of certain 
committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Fifth 
Congress; and H. Con. Res. 25, providing for acceptance of a statute of 
Jack Swigert, presented by the State of Colorado, for placement in 
National Statuary Hall.
  The Committee also considered pending Committee business.
ANGOLA'S GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on Angola's Government of National Unity. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of State: George Moose, 
Assistant Secretary; and Paul Hare, U.S. Special Representative to 
Angola.
  The Subcommittee also received a briefing on this subject from public 
witnesses.
JUVENILE CRIME CONTROL ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Began mark up of H.R. 3, Juvenile Crime 
Control Act of 1997.
  Will continue April 29.
FUTURE OF HYDROGRAPHY
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the future of 
hydrography. Testimony was heard from Diana Josephson, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.
QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP FOREST RECOVERY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forests Health 
approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 858, Quincy Library 
Group Forest Recovery and Economic Stability Act of 1997.
BUDGET REQUEST--NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION PROGRAM
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Basic Research held a hearing on 
fiscal year 1998 budget request for the National Earthquake Hazards 
Reduction Program. Testimony was heard from Richard W. Krimm, Executive 
Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate, FEMA; P. Patrick Leahy, 
Chief Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior; 
Elbert L. Marsh, Acting Assistant Director, Engineering, NSF; Robert 
Hebner, Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
PATENT TERM AND PATENT APPLICATION DISCLOSURE
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Government Programs and 
Oversight held a hearing on the Importance of Patent Term and Patent 
Application Disclosure Issues to Small Businesses: What Impact Will 
Proposed Changes in the Patent Laws Have on Small Businesses? Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Rohrabacher and Kucinich; and public 
witnesses.
GSA FEDERAL BUILDINGS FUND SHORTFALL
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Public 
Buildings and Economic Development held a hearing on the Shortfall in 
the GSA Federal Buildings Fund. Testimony was heard from Robert A. 
Peck, Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, GSA; and Michael Motley, 
Associate Director, Government Business Operations Issues, GAO.
MEDICARE PROVIDER-SPONSORED ORGANIZATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Medicare Provider-Sponsored Organizations. Testimony was heard from 
Kathleen A. Buto, Associate Administrator, Policy, Health Care 
Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; Gail 
R. Wilensky, Chair, Physician Payment Review Commission; and public 
witnesses.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ISSUES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Unemployment Insurance Issues. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Thomas, English of Pennsylvania, Upton, Farr and 
Shadegg; David Poythress, Commissioner, Department of Labor, State of 
Georgia; Thomas P. Nagle, Under Secretary, Health and Welfare, State of 
California; and public witnesses.
DISABILITY APPEALS PROCESS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held an 
oversight hearing on the Disability Appeals Process. Testimony was 
heard from Carolyn Colvin, Deputy Commissioner, Programs

[[Page D387]]

and Policy, SSA; Jane L. Ross, Director, Income Security Issues, 
Health, Education, and Human Services Division, GAO; and public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
NATO ENLARGEMENT
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission held hearings to examine the process to enlarge the 
membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), receiving 
testimony from Ojars Kainins, Latvia Ambassador to the United States; 
Alfonsas Eidintas, Lithuania Ambassador to the United States; Jerzy 
Kozminski, Poland Ambassador to the United States; and Grigore-Kalev 
Stoicescu, Estonia Ambassador to the United States.
  Hearings continue on Thursday, May 8.