[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 17, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D625-D626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource 
Conservation, and Research held a hearing on the role of federal, 
state, and private agricultural research. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the USDA: Ed Knipling, Acting Administrator, 
Agricultural Research Service; and Dan Dooley, Vice Chairman, 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board; and public witnesses.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior approved for full 
Committee action the Interior appropriations for fiscal year 1998.
FINANCIAL MODERNIZATION
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Began markup of Financial 
Modernization legislation.
  Will continue tomorrow.
HIGHER EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENTS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Postsecondary 
Education, Training and Life-Long Learning held a hearing on H.R. 6, 
Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
  Hearings continue June 19.
WITNESS INTIMIDATION AND RETALIATION--GANG-RELATED
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held a hearing 
regarding gang-related witness intimidation and retaliation. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
VISA WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing regarding the Visa Waiver Pilot Program. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Kim, Abercrombie and Frank of 
Massachusetts; Mary Ryan, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular 
Affairs, Department of State; Michael Cronin, Assistant Commissioner, 
Office of Inspections, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
DEFENSE REFORM ACT
Committee on National Security: Held a hearing on H.R. 1778, Defense 
Reform Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: John Hamre, Under Secretary, Comptroller; R. 
Noel Longuemare, Acting Under Secretary, Acquisition and Technology; 
and Sherri Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary, Environmental Security; 
Butch Hinton, Assistant Comptroller General, GAO; Gale Norton, Attorney 
General, State of Colorado; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forest and Forest Health 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 799, to 
require the Secretary of Agriculture to make a minor adjustment in the 
exterior boundary of the Hells Canyon Wilderness in the States of 
Oregon and Idaho to exclude an established Forest Service road 
inadvertently included in the wilderness; and H.R. 838, to require 
adoption of a management plan for the Hells Canyon National Recreation 
Area that allows appropriate use of motorized and nonmotorized river 
craft in the recreation area.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1051, New Mexico Statehood 
and Enabling Act Amendments of 1997; and H.R. 1567, to provide for the 
designation of additional wilderness lands in the eastern United 
States. Testimony was heard from Representatives Skeen and Redmond; 
Destry T. Jarvis, Assistant Director, External Affairs, National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior; Janice McDougle, Associate Deputy 
Chief, National Forest System, USDA; and a public witness.
CHINA--MFN STATUS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
U.S.-China Trade Relations and renewal of China's Most-Favored-Nation 
Status. Testimony was heard from Representatives Solomon, Dreier, 
Levin, Smith of New Jersey, Pelosi, Porter, Wolf, Kolbe, Ewing, 
Blumenauer and Salmon;

[[Page D626]]

Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade Representative; Stuart E. Eizenstat, 
Under Secretary, Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ECONOMIC ESPIONAGE
Joint Economic Committee: Committee held hearings to examine national 
and economic security implications of the current technology transfer 
policy of the United States and the recent removal of export 
restrictions and the expansion of foreign intelligence operations in 
the United States, receiving testimony from Kenneth Flamm, Brookings 
Institution, and John J. Fialka, both of Washington, D.C.; Lt. Gen. 
Robert L. Schweitzer, USA (Ret.), Springfield, Virginia; and Peter M. 
Leitner, Arlington, Virginia.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.