[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 24, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D666-D668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported H.R. 2016, making 
appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base 
realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 1998.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative approved for 
full Committee action the Legislative appropriations for fiscal year 
1998.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation approved 
for full Committee action the Transportation appropriations for fiscal 
year 1998.
HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE--DISASTER PRONE AREAS
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing 
and Community Opportunity held a hearing on The Adequacy of Available 
Homeowners' Insurance in Disaster Prone Areas--The Problem. Testimony 
was heard from Daniel Sumner, General Counsel, Department of Insurance, 
State of Florida; and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL SERVICES REFORM
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
held a hearing on Financial

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Services Reform. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EDUCATION AT A CROSSROADS
  Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on 
Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on Education at a 
Crossroads, What Works, What's Wasted in Federal Drug and Violence 
Prevention Programs. Testimony was heard from Representatives Barton 
of Texas and Etheridge; Carotta Joyner, Director, Education and 
Employment Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
OSHA'S REINVENTION PROJECT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration's reinvention project. Testimony was heard from Gregory 
Watchman, Acting Assistant Secretary, OSHA, Department of Labor.
OVERSIGHT--INSPECTORS GENERAL--INVESTIGATIVE PRACTICES
  Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on Investigative Practices of Inspectors General. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Hamilton and Goss; Jacquelyn 
Williams-Bridgers, Inspector General, Department of State; Eleanor 
Hill, Inspector General, Department of Defense and Chair, 
President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE); Michael 
Bromwich, Inspector General, Department of Justice; Patrick 
McFarland, Inspector General, OPM and Chair, Investigations 
Committee, PCIE; and Robert M. Bryant, Assistant Director, Criminal 
Investigative Division, FBI, Department of Justice and Chair, 
Integrity Committee, PCIE.
GULF WAR SYNDROME-STATUS OF EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources held a hearing on Status of Efforts to Identify Gulf War 
Syndrome, with emphasis on Recent GAO Findings. Testimony was heard 
from Donna Heivilin, Director, Planning and Reporting, GAO.
  Hearings continue June 26th.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; LIBERIAN ELECTION
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa approved 
for full Committee action the following: H. Con. Res. 99, expressing 
concern over recent events in the Republic of Sierra Leone in the wake 
of the recent military coup d'etat of that country's first 
democratically elected President; and a resolution urging a restoration 
of peace in Congo-Brazzaville.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on The Liberian Election: A New 
Hope? Testimony was heard from Howard Jeter, U.S. Special Envoy to 
Liberia, Department of State; and public witnesses.
SECURITY AND FREEDOM THROUGH ENCRYPTION (SAFE) ACT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade approved for full Committee action amended 
H.R. 695, Security and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act.
NORTHERN IRELAND--HUMAN RIGHTS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on Human Rights in Northern 
Ireland. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
700, to remove the restriction on the distribution of certain revenues 
from the Mineral Springs parcel to certain members of the Agua Caliente 
Band of Cahuilla Indians; H.R. 948, Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and 
Chippewa Indians Act; H.R. 976, Mississippi Sioux Tribes Judgment Fund 
Distribution Act of 1997; and H.R. 1604, to provide for the division, 
use, and distribution of judgment funds of the Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians of Michigan pursuant to dockets numbered 18-E, 58, 364, and 18-
R before the Indian Claims Commission. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Stupak; Ada E. Deer, Assistant Secretary, Indian 
Affairs, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on Resident Exotic Plants and Pests threatening 
the health of the National Forests. Testimony was heard from William 
Mattson, Chief Insect Ecologist, N. Central Forest Experiment Station, 
Forest Service, USDA; Barbara Burns, Forest Insect and Disease 
Specialist, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, State of 
Vermont; and public witnesses.
UTAH WILDERNESS PROTECTION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the following measures: H.R. 1952, Utah Wilderness 
and School Trust Lands Protection Act of 1997; and H.R. 1500, to 
designate certain Federal lands in the State of Utah as wilderness. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Cannon and Cook; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R.

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134, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide a loan 
guarantee to the Olivenhain Water Storage Project and H.R. 1400, Tumalo 
Irrigation District Water Conservation Project Authorization Act. 
Testimony was heard from Eluid Martinez, Commissioner, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
BALANCED BUDGET ACT; TAXPAYER RELIEF ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted by a recorded vote of 9 to 4, 
a rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 2015 (``The Balanced 
Budget Act'') and waives all points of order against its consideration. 
The rule provides three hours of general debate equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on the Budget. The rules considers the amendment printed in the 
Congressional Record and numbered 1, as adopted. All points of order 
are waived against the provisions of the bill, as amended by the rule. 
The rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. 
Section 2 of the rule provides for the consideration of H.R. 2014 
(``The Taxpayer Relief Act'') and waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill and against its provisions, as amended by the 
rule. The rule provides three hours of general debate equally divided 
and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means. The rule considers the amendment printed 
in the Congressional Record and numbered 2, as adopted in the House and 
in the Committee of the Whole. The rule provides for consideration of 
the bill, as amended, as an original bill for the purposes of further 
amendment. The rule provides for the consideration of an amendment 
printed in the Congressional Record and numbered 1, only if offered by 
Representative Rangel of New York or his designee, which shall be 
debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
and opponent, and which shall not be subject to amendment or to a 
demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee 
of the Whole. All points of order are waived against the amendment. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Kasich, Shays, 
Smith of Michigan, Archer, Thomas, Roukema, Fawell, Davis of Virginia, 
Castle, Barton of Texas, Spratt, Minge, Bentsen, Pomeroy, Rangel, 
Levin, Cardin, McDermott, Becerra, Peterson of Minnesota, Kennedy of 
Massachusetts, Hinchey, Dingell, Pallone, Brown of Ohio, Norton, 
Nadler, Taylor of Mississippi, Maloney of New York, Conyers, Meek of 
Florida, Visclosky, Eshoo, Furse, Thurman, Berry, Goode, Turner, Boyd, 
and John.
CIVILIAN AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT--ROLE OF R&D
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on The 
Role of R&D in Improving Civilian Air Traffic Management. Testimony was 
heard from Steven B. Zaidman, Director, Office of System Architecture 
and Investment Analysis, FAA, Department of Transportation; Henry 
McDonald, Director, Ames Research Center, NASA; and public witnesses.
FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings on the Future of Social Security for this Generation and the 
Next. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--NATO ENLARGEMENT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on NATO Enlargement. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.