[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 132 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1027-D1028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the District of Columbia 
appropriations for fiscal year 1998.
MEDICARE WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Medicare Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. Testimony was heard 
from Joel Willemssen, Director, Accounting and Information Management 
Division, GAO; and the following officials of the Department of Health 
and Human Services: George M. Reeb, Assistant Inspector General, Health 
Care Financing Audits, Office of the Inspector General; and Bruce 
Fried, Director, Center for Health Plans and Providers, Health Care 
Financing Administration.
FREEDOM FROM GOVERNMENT COMPETITION ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology held a hearing on 
H.R. 716, Freedom from Government Competition Act of 1997. Testimony 
was heard from Senator Thomas; Ed DeSeve, Acting Deputy Director, 
Management, OMB; L. Nye Stevens, Director, Federal Management and 
Workforce Issues, GAO; Steve Goldsmith, Mayor, Indianapolis, Indiana; 
Shirley Ybarra, Deputy Secretary, Transportation, State of Virginia; 
and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported amended the 
following bills: H.R. 2232, Radio Free Asia Act of 1997; and H.R. 2358, 
Political Freedom in China Act of 1997.
  The Committee failed to approve H.R. 967, to prohibit the use of 
United States funds to provide for the participation of certain Chinese 
officials in international conferences, programs, and activities and to 
provide that certain Chinese officials shall be ineligible to receive 
visas and be excluded from admission to the United States.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote, a modified closed rule on 
H.R. 1370, to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States, 
providing one hour of general debate equally divided between the 
Chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Banking and 
Financial Services. The rule provides for consideration of the 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the 
bill as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and waives points 
of order against the amendment in the nature of a substitute for 
failure to comply with clause 7 of Rule XVI (relating to germaneness). 
The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the report of 
the Committee on Rules. The rule provides that each amendment may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by 
a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall 
be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule grants 
authority to the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone 
recorded votes and reduce voting time to 5 minutes provided that the 
first vote in a series is not less than 15 minutes. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Leach and Representatives Castle, 
LaFalce, and Vento.
NATIONAL MONUMENT FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule on 
H.R. 1127, National Monument Fairness Act of 1997, providing one hour 
of general debate to be equally divided between the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Resources. The rule makes 
in order the Committee on Resources amendment in the nature of a 
substitute as an original bill for purpose of amendment, which shall be 
considered as read. The rule provides for the consideration of the 
amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules, which shall 
be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered 
only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, 
shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided 
and controlled by the proponent and an opponent,

[[Page D1028]]

shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand 
for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the 
Whole. The rule allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to reduce votes to 
five minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a fifteen 
minute vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or 
without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hansen, 
Boehlert, Hostettler, and Vento.
DORNAN V. SANCHEZ--CONTESTED ELECTION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 6 to 3, a closed rule on H. 
Res. 244, demanding that the Office of the United States Attorney for 
the Central District of California file criminal charges against 
Hermandad Mexicana Nacional for failure to comply with a valid subpoena 
under the Federal Contested Elections Act, providing one hour of debate 
equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on House Oversight. The rule waives points of order against 
consideration of the resolution. Finally, the rule provides one motion 
to recommit which may not contain instructions and on which the 
previous question shall be considered as ordered. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Thomas and Representatives Ehlers, Gejdenson, Hoyer, 
DeLauro, Furse, and Becerra.
CONFERENCE REPORT--ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 2203, making 
appropriations for energy and water development for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1998, and against its consideration. The rule also 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives McDade and Fazio.