[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 22, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1124-D1126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION--GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE RESULTS 
ACT REPORT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty 
Crops held a hearing to review the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission's Government Performance Results Act Report. Testimony was 
heard from Richard J. Hillman, Acting Associate Director, Financial 
Institutions and Markets Issues, General Government Division, GAO; and 
Brooksley Born, Chairperson, Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING--BLACK-MARKET PESO BROKERING
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on General 
Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to review law enforcement 
efforts to combat international money laundering occurring through 
``black-market peso brokering''. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Treasury: Allen Doody, Assistant 
Director, Operations, U.S. Customs Service; Greg Passic, Senior Special 
Agent, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; and Al James, Senior 
Special Agent, Criminal Investigation Division, IRS; and ``Ms. Doe,'' 
former money launderer utilized by the Colombian drug cartels.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power concluded 
hearings on H.R. 655, Electric Consumers' Power to Choose Act of 1997, 
and also

[[Page D1125]]

the following bills: H.R. 338, Ratepayer Protection Act; H.R. 1230, 
Consumers Electric Power Act of 1997; H.R. 1359, to amend the Public 
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a means to support 
programs for electric energy conservation and energy efficiency, 
renewable energy, and universal and affordable service for electric 
consumers; and H.R. 1960, Electric Power Competition and Consumer 
Choice Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from Stephen Wright, Vice 
President, National Relations, Bonneville Power Administration, 
Department of Energy; George Costello, Legislative Attorney, American 
Law Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; John 
Hanger, Commissioner, Public Utility Commission, State of Pennsylvania; 
and public witnesses.
READING EXCELLENCE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported amended H.R. 
2614, Reading Excellence Act.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH CARE PROTECTION ACT; FEDERAL EMPLOYEES LIFE 
INSURANCE IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service approved for full Committee action amended the following bills: 
H.R. 1836, Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act of 1997; and 
H.R. 2675, Federal Employees Life Insurance Improvement Act.
ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY TOWARD SOUTH ASIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on the Administration's Policy Toward South 
Asia. Testimony was heard from Karl F. Inderfurth, Assistant Secretary, 
Bureau of South Asian Affairs, Department of State.
IMPACT OF CHILD LABOR ON FREE TRADE
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade and the Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a joint hearing on the Impact of Child 
Labor on Free Trade. Testimony was heard from Andrew Samet, Acting 
Deputy Secretary, International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--TVA AND FEDERAL POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRATIONS--APPLICATION 
OF ANTITRUST LAWS
Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing on the 
Application of the Antitrust Laws to the Tennessee Valley Authority and 
the Federal Power Marketing Administrations. Testimony was heard from 
Ed Christenbury, General Counsel, TVA; Douglas Smith, Deputy General 
Counsel, Energy Policy, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
LINE ITEM VETO
Committee on National Security: Held a hearing on the President's line 
item veto action on the fiscal year 1998 Defense and Military 
Construction Appropriations. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Maj. Gen. Clair F. Gill, USA, 
Director, Army Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Financial 
Management, Department of the Army; Rear Adm. James F. Amerault, USN, 
Director, Budget, Financial Management Division, Department of the 
Navy; and Maj. Gen. George T. Stringer, USAF, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Budget, Department of the Air Force.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: S. 423, 
to extend the legislative authority for the Board of Regents of Gunston 
Hall to establish a memorial to honor George Mason; H.R. 434, amended, 
to provide for the conveyance of small parcels of land in the Carson 
National Forest and the Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, to the 
village of El Rito and the town of Jemez Springs, New Mexico; S. 459, 
to amend the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to extend certain 
authorizations; H.R. 1739, amended, BWCAW Accessibility and Fairness 
Act of 1997; H.R. 1842, to terminate further development and 
implementation of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative; H.R. 2283, 
amended, Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997; and S. 731, to 
extend the legislative authority for construction of the National Peace 
Garden memorial.
EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS--PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 2646, Educational Savings Accounts 
for Public and Private Schools Act of 1997. The rule provides that the 
bill shall be considered as read for amendment. The rule also provides 
that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on Ways and Means, as modified by the amendment printed in 
part 1 of the report of the Committee on Rules, as adopted. The rule 
provides for consideration of the further amendment printed in part 2 
of the report, if offered by Representative Rangel of New York or his 
designee, against which all points of order are waived, which shall be 
considered as read for amendment and shall be debatable for 1 hour 
equally divided between the proponent and an opponent. Finally, the 
rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. 
Testimony

[[Page D1126]]

was heard from Chairman Archer and Representative Rangel.
LOAN PROGRAMS AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on the SBA's 7(a) and 504 
loan programs and their effectiveness in serving economically 
distressed and disadvantaged areas. Testimony was heard from Aida 
Alvarez, Administrator, SBA; and public witnesses.
IRS RESTRUCTURING AND REFORM ACT OF 1997
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported amended H.R. 2676, 
Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1997.