[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D410-D412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the District of Columbia 
held a hearing on the Administration's Proposal. Testimony was heard 
from John W. Hill, Jr., Executive Director, Financial Responsibility 
and Management Assistance Authority; G. Edward DeSeve, Controller, 
Office of Federal Financial Management, OMB; and public witnesses.
VA-HUD-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
Members of Congress and public witnesses.
RIEGLE-NEAL CLARIFICATION ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial 
Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing on H.R. 1306, Riegle-
Neal Clarification Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from Thomas R. 
Carper, Governor, State of Delaware; Margarita Prentice, Senator, State 
of Washington; and public witnesses.
MEDICAL DEVICES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on Medical Devices: Technological Innovation and Patient/
Provider Perspectives. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the FDA, Department of Health and Human Services: Michael A. 
Friedman, M.D., Lead Deputy Commissioner; D. Bruce Burlington, M.D., 
Director and Susan Alpert, M.D., Director, Office of Device Evaluation, 
both with the Center for Devices and Radiological Health; and public 
witnesses.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Product Liability Reform and How 
the Legal Fee Structure Affects Consumer Compensation. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND LITERACY ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported amended H.R. 
1385, Employment, Training and Literacy Enhancement Act of 1997.

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FEDERAL EMPLOYEES GROUP LIFE INSURANCE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on ``Federal Employees Group Life Insurance: 
Could We Do Better?'' Testimony was heard from William E. Flynn III, 
Associate Director, Retirement and Insurance, OPM; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on the post FTS-2000 Telecommunications Contract. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the GSA: David J. Barram, 
Administrator; and Robert Woods, Commissioner, Federal 
Telecommunications Service.
OVERSIGHT--BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources and Intergovernmental Relations held a hearing on ``Bureau of 
Labor Statistics Oversight: Fixing the Consumer Price Index''. 
Testimony was heard from Katherine G. Abraham, Commissioner, Labor 
Statistics, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
FOREIGN POLICY REFORM ACT
Committee on International Relations: Began markup of the Foreign 
Policy Reform Act.
  Will continue tomorrow.
BANKRUPTCY AMENDMENTS; BANKRUPTCY LAW TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 764, 
Bankruptcy Amendments of 1997, and H.R. 120, Bankruptcy Law Technical 
Corrections Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Ehlers and Knollenberg; Albert B. Sullivan, Director, Office of Asset 
Management and Disposition, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development; and public witnesses.
FLAG DESECRATION AMENDMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H.J. Res. 54, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States authorizing Congress to prohibit the physical 
desecration of the flag of the United States. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Solomon, Skaggs, Lipinski, Shimkus, Ackerman and Frost; 
Alan Lance, Attorney General, State of Idaho; Robert Zukowski, 
Representative, State of Wisconsin; and public witnesses.
SECURITY AND FREEDOM THROUGH ENCRYPTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property approved for full Committee action H.R. 695, Security and 
Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act.
OVERSIGHT--SAFEGUARDING NATURALIZATION PROCESS INTEGRITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing on Safeguarding the Integrity of the 
Naturalization Process. Testimony was heard from Representative Ros-
Lehtinen; the following officials of the Department of Justice: Stephen 
Colgate, Assistant Attorney General, Administration; Dennis Kurre, 
Deputy Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Information Services 
Division, FBI; and Doris Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration and 
Naturalization Service; Norman Rabkin, Director, Administration of 
Justice Issues, General Government Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported H.R. 1420, National Wildlife 
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.
  The Committee also held a hearing on H.J. Res. 59, to disapprove a 
rule affecting polar bear trophies from Canada under the 1994 
amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act issued by the U.S. and 
Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Peterson of Minnesota; Marshall Jones, Assistant 
Director, International Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; John E. Reynolds, III, Chairman, Marine 
Mammal Commission; and public witnesses.
COMMITTEE FUNDING
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote a closed rule providing for 
consideration in the House without the intervention of any point of 
order H. Res. 129, providing amounts for the expenses of certain 
committees of the House of Representatives in the 105th Congress. The 
rule provides that the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute will be considered as adopted. The rule provides 1 hour of 
debate. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Thomas.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Public 
Buildings and Economic Development approved for full Committee action 
the following: H. Con. Res. 49, authorizing the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby; H. Con. Res. 67, 
authorizing the 1997 Special Olympics Torch Relay to be run through the 
Capitol Grounds; H. Con. Res. 66, authorizing the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the 16th annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service; 
and two Committee amendments to GSA resolutions.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
408, International Dolphin Conservation Program Act; and H.R. 1463, 
amended, to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for 
the Customs Service, the Office of the United States Trade 
Representative, and the International Trade Commission.