[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 120 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D935-D936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OF FOOD BANKS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Nutrition, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review food banks 
and the participation of the private sector in the delivery of food 
assistance. Testimony was heard from Representatives Baker and Cooksey; 
Shirley R. Watkins, Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer 
Services, USDA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Met but took no action on pending legislation.
  Adjourned subject to call.
OSHA'S REINVENTION PROJECT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing to examine OSHA's Reinvention Project. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RURAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources continued oversight hearings on the Need for Better Focus in 
the Rural Health Clinic Program (RHC) Part II. Testimony was heard from 
Bernice Steinhardt, Director, Health Service Quality and Public Health, 
GAO; Claude Earl Fox, Acting Administrator, Health Resource Services 
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Committee favorably considered 
and adopted a motion urging the Chairman to request that the following 
measures be considered on the Suspension Calendar: H. Res. 217, 
recognizing the important contributions made by Americans of Austrian 
heritage; H. Con. Res. 139, amended, expressing the sense of the 
Congress that the United States Government should fully participate in 
EXPO 2000 in the year 2000, in Hanover, Germany, and should encourage 
the academic community and the private sector in the United States to 
support this worthwhile undertaking; and H. Con. Res. 137, expressing 
the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the urgent need 
for an international criminal tribunal to try members of the Iraqi 
regime for crimes against humanity.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 872, amended, Biomaterials Access Assurance Act of 1997; 
and H.R. 2440, to make technical corrections to Section 10 of title 9, 
United States Code.
ELECTRONIC THEFT ACT; ELECTRIC COPYRIGHT PIRACY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing on H.R. 2265, No Electronic Theft (NET) Act, 
and also on electronic copyright piracy. Testimony was heard from 
Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights, Copyright Office of the United 
States, Library of Congress; Kevin Di Gregory, Deputy Assistant 
Attorney General (Criminal Division), Department of Justice; and public 
witnesses.
CELLULAR TELEPHONE FRAUD
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held a hearing on 
cellular telephone fraud. Testimony was heard from Michael C. Stenger, 
Special Agent in Charge, Financial Crimes Division, Department of the 
Treasury; the following officials of the Department of Justice: John 
Navarrete. Deputy Assistant Director, FBI; and Anthony R. Bocchichio, 
Assistant Administrator, Operational Support Division, DEA; and public 
witnesses.
OCEAN SENSE OF CONGRESS RESOLUTION; NATION'S FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full

[[Page D936]]

Committee action amended H. Con. Res. 131, expressing the sense of 
Congress regarding the ocean.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing to review the 
management of our Nation's fisheries by the National Marine Fisheries 
Service. Testimony was heard from Rolland Schmitten, Assistant 
Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce.
OVERSIGHT--AFFECT OF INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY AGREEMENTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on the affect of international forestry agreements 
on U.S. Forest Service decision-making. Testimony was heard from Rafe 
Pomerance, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment and Development, 
Department of State; and the following officials of the Forest Service, 
USDA: Michael Dombeck, Chief; and Valdis Mezainis, Director, Office of 
International Programs; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power approved for 
full Committee action amended the following measures: H.R. 2400, Water-
Related Technical Corrections Act of 1997; and H.R. 1400, Tumalo 
Irrigation District Water Conservation Project Authorization Act.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
1400 and H.R. 2398, Small Reclamation Water Resources Project Act of 
1997. Testimony was heard from a public witness.
CONFERENCE REPORT--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted a rule that waives all points of order 
against the conference report to accompany 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, and its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Packard and Hefner.
PREPARING FOR EL NINO
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a 
hearing on Preparing for El Nino. Testimony was heard from J. Michael 
Hall, Director, Office of Global Programs, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce; Michael Armstrong, Associate Director, Office of Mitigation, 
FEMA; I. Miley Gonzalez, Under Secretary, Research, Education and 
Economics, USDA; Douglas Wheeler, Secretary, State Resources Agency, 
State of California; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology approved for full 
Committee action H.R. 2429, to reauthorize the Small Business 
Technology Transfer Program through fiscal Year 2000.
SMALL BUSINESS REGULATORY ASSISTANCE ACT
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Paperwork Reduction and the Subcommittee on Government Programs and 
Oversight held a joint hearing on H.R. 96, Small Business Regulatory 
Assistance Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Solomon; Johnnie Albertson, Associate Administrator, Small Business 
Development Centers, SBA; and public witnesses.
VETERANS' LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 2367, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 
1997; H.R. 2206, amended, Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 
1997; and S. 923, amended, to deny veterans benefits to persons 
convicted of Federal capital offenses.
NAFTA--ADMINISTRATION'S COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the Administration's comprehensive review of the North American Free 
Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Levin, Kaptur, Kolbe, Velazquez and Reyes; Jeffrey M. Lang, Deputy U.S. 
Trade Representative; JayEtta Hecker, Associate Director, International 
Relations and Trade Issues, National Security and International Affairs 
Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
SECURITY AND FREEDOM THROUGH ENCRYPTION (SAFE) ACT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session 
and ordered reported amended H.R. 695, Security and Freedom Through 
Encryption (SAFE) Act.