[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D519-D520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS--DEFENSE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held hearings on 
proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 1998 for the Department of 
Defense, focusing on Air Force programs, receiving testimony from 
Sheila E. Widnall, Secretary of the Air Force; and Gen. Ronald R. 
Fogleman, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
  Subcommittee will meet again on Wednesday, June 4.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported 1,121 
routine military nominations in the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and 
Army Reserve.
QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the Department of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review which relates to 
the shape, makeup, characterization, and the implementation of American 
armed forces for the next several years, focusing on its impact on the 
future years defense program, after receiving testimony from Gen. 
Dennis J. Reimer, USA, Chief of Staff, United States Army; Adm. Jay L. 
Johnson, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; Gen. Charles C. Krulak, USMC, 
Commandant, United States Marine Corps; and Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, 
USAF, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force.
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT REFORM
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearings to examine certain management and program areas in need of 
reform to improve efficiency and effectiveness at the Department of 
Transportation, after receiving testimony from Raymond J. DeCarli, 
Associate Deputy Inspector General, and Mortimer L. Downey, Deputy 
Secretary, both of the Department of Transportation; and John H. 
Anderson, Jr., Director, Transportation Issues, Resources, Community, 
and Economic Development Division, General Accounting Office.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following measures:
  S. 417, authorizing funds for energy conservation programs under the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute. (As approved by the committee, the amendment authorizes 
funds for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through fiscal year 2000, and 
United States' participation in the International Energy Agency through 
fiscal year 2002);
  S. 210, to make technical and other changes to the Organic Act of 
Guam, the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, and the Compact of 
Free Association Act, and to return excess Federal land to the people 
of Guam, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  H.R. 649, to amend sections of the Department of Energy Organization 
Act that are obsolete or inconsistent with other statutes and to repeal 
a related section of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974; and
  S. Res. 57, to support the work of the National Lewis and Clark 
Bicentennial Council and all the Federal, State, and local entities and 
other interested groups that are preparing bicentennial activities to 
celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition 
during the years 2004 through 2006.
HISTORIC SITES/MEMORIALS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation concluded hearings on S. 
Res. 57, to support the commemoration of the bicentennial of the Lewis 
and Clark Expedition, S. 231, to establish

[[Page D520]]

the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in New Mexico to further 
the study of the physical, geological, and biological aspects of caves, 
S. 312, to revise the boundary of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace 
National Historic Site in Larue County, Kentucky, S. 423, to grant a 
three-year extension to the Board of Regents of Gunston Hall to 
establish a memorial to honor George Mason in the District of Columbia, 
S. 669, to provide for the acquisition of the Plains Railroad Depot at 
the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Georgia, and S. 731, to 
grant a five-year extension for construction of the National Peace 
Garden memorial in the District of Columbia, after receiving testimony 
from Katherine H. Stevenson, Associate Director for Cultural Resources 
Stewardship and Partnerships, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior.
NOMINATION
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded hearings on the nomination of 
Robert S. LaRussa, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
for Import Administration, after the nominee, who was introduced by 
Senator D'Amato and Representative Levin, testified and answered 
questions in his own behalf.
MEDICARE REFORM
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine the 
applicability of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) 
as a model for reform of the Medicare program, receiving testimony from 
Senators Gregg and Wyden; Stuart M. Butler, Heritage Foundation, Robert 
D. Reischauer, Brookings Institution, and Edwin C. Hustead, Hay Group, 
all of Washington, D.C.; Kenneth E. Thorpe, Tulane University School of 
Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana; Richard V. 
Anderson, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California; and Peter Wyckoff, 
Minnesota Senior Federation-Metropolitan Region, St. Paul, on behalf of 
the National Council on the Aging and the National Coalition of 
Consumer Organizations on Aging.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
CHILD WELFARE REFORM
Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy 
held hearings on child welfare reform proposals, including S. 511, to 
require that the health and safety of a child be considered in any 
foster care of adoption placement, to eliminate barriers to the 
termination of parental rights in appropriate cases, and to promote the 
adoption of children with special needs, and S. 742 and H.R. 867, bills 
to promote the adoption of children in foster care, receiving testimony 
from Senator DeWine; Representatives Kennelly and Camp; Chief Justice 
Margaret L. Workman, West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, 
Charleston; Susan Badeau, National Adoption Center, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Voice for Adoption; Sister Rose Logan, 
Astor Home for Children, Rhinebeck, New York, on behalf of Catholic 
Charities USA; and Gary J. Stangler, Missouri Department of Social 
Services, Jefferson City, on behalf of the American Public Welfare 
Association.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
U.S.-CHINA TRADE ENFORCEMENT
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the status of United States enforcement of laws and regulations 
prohibiting the importation of prison-made products manufactured in the 
People's Republic of China, after receiving testimony from James E. 
Johnson, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement, and George J. Weise, 
Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, both of the Department of the 
Treasury; Jeffrey A. Bader, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs; Jeffrey L. Fiedler, Food and Allied 
Service Trades Department (AFL-CIO), and Maranda Yen Shieh, Greater 
Washington Network for Democracy in China and Friends of Hong Kong and 
Macao Association, both of Washington, D.C.; Harry Wu, Laogai Research 
Foundation, Milpitas, California; Peter B. Levy, Labelon/Noesting 
Company, Mt. Vernon, New York; and Fu Shenqi, New York, New York.
NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee held oversight hearings to 
review Federal services and benefits designed to assist Native American 
veterans, receiving testimony from Jesse Brown, Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs; Espiridion Borrego, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Veterans' Employment and Training; Arcenio Smiley, Church Rock, New 
Mexico, on behalf of the Navajo Code Talkers Association; Apesanahkwat, 
Menominee Indian Nation, Keshena, Wisconsin; Anthony R. Pico, Viejas 
Band of the Kumeyaay Indian Reservation, Alpine, California; Samuel N. 
Penney, Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, Lapwai, Idaho; Kali 
Watson, Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Honolulu; and Ernie 
Stevens, Jr., National Congress of American Indians, Washington, D.C.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.