[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 144 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1131-D1134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nominations of Sally Thompson, of Kansas, to be 
Chief Financial Officer, Department of Agriculture, and Joseph B. Dial, 
of Texas, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATION VETO
Committee on Appropriations: Committee ordered favorably reported S. 
1292, to disapprove the cancellations transmitted by the President on 
October 6, 1997 regarding the Fiscal Year 1998 Military Construction 
Appropriations (Public Law 105-45), with an amendment.

[[Page D1132]]

NATO ENLARGEMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the cost implications of enlarging NATO membership to include Poland, 
Hungary, and the Czech Republic and the impact of enlargement on 
Department of Defense readiness, after receiving testimony from Henry 
L. Hinton, Jr., Assistant Comptroller General, National Security and 
International Affairs Division, General Accounting Office.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Armed Services: Committee met to consider certain pending 
nominations, but did not take final action thereon, and recessed 
subject to call.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nominations of Lt. Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, USA, to be Commander-in-
Chief, United States Special Operations Command and for appointment to 
the grade of general, and Lt. Gen. John A. Gordon, USAF, to be Deputy 
Director of Central Intelligence and for appointment to the grade of 
general.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following bills:
  S. 1228, to provide for a 10-year circulating commemorative coin 
program to commemorate each of the 50 States, with amendments; and
  S. 318, to require automatic cancellation and notice of cancellation 
rights with respect to private mortgage insurance which is required by 
a creditor as a condition for entering into a residential mortgage 
transaction, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded 
hearings on the nominations of Kevin Emanuel Marchman, of Colorado, to 
be Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Saul N. Ramirez 
Jr., of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, Richard F. Keevey, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial 
Officer, Eva M. Plaza, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Fair 
Housing and Equal Opportunity, and Gail W. Laster, of New York, to be 
General Counsel, all of the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Jo Ann Jay Howard, of Texas, to be Federal Insurance 
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, F. Amanda Debusk, 
of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, R. Roger Majak, 
of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export 
Administration, and David L. Aaron, of New York, to be Under Secretary 
of Commerce for International Trade. Mr. Ramirez was introduced by 
Senator Gramm, Ms. Plaza was introduced by Representative Reyes, Ms. 
Howard was introduced by Senator Hutchison, Ms. Debusk and Mr. Majak 
were introduced by Senator Robb, and Mr. Aaron was introduced by 
Senator Baucus.
EUROPEAN PENSION PROGRAMS
Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
current and future situation of public retirement systems in Europe and 
their impact on the European Monetary Union, and the need for pension 
reform, after receiving testimony from Koen De Ryck, Pragma Consulting, 
Brussels, Belgium; Richard Disney, University of London/Institute for 
Fiscal Studies, London, England; and Richard C. Leone, Twentieth 
Century Fund, New York, New York.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee met and 
approved a proposal to improve travel safety on the nation's roads and 
waterways, promote the safe shipment of hazardous materials, and 
advance pipeline transportation safety.
U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee held oversight 
hearings to examine certain issues associated with the potential export 
of United States generating technology to China, focusing on the 
benefits of implementing the United States-China Nuclear Cooperation 
Agreement, receiving testimony from William F. Martin, World Resources 
Institute, former Deputy Secretary of Energy and former Executive 
Secretary of the National Security Council, Robert L. Gallucci, 
Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Robert E. Ebel, Center 
for Strategic and International Studies, and Joe F. Colvin, Nuclear 
Energy Institute, all of Washington, D.C.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
MONUMENT BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation concluded hearings on S. 
633, to adjust the boundary of the Petroglyph National Monument, and S. 
1132, to modify the boundaries of the Bandelier National Monument to 
include the lands within the headwaters of the Upper Alamo Watershed 
which drain into the Monument and which are not currently within the 
jurisdiction of a Federal land management agency, and to authorize 
purchase or donation of those lands, after receiving testimony from 
Denis P. Galvin, Deputy Director, National

[[Page D1133]]

Park Service, Department of the Interior; Mayor Martin J. Chavez, 
Mayor-Elect Jim Baca, Ike Eastvold, Friends of the Albuquerque 
Petroglyphs, and Terri Cole, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, 
and Lawrence D. Weaver, Westside Coalition of Neighborhood 
Associations/Paradise Hills Civic Association, Robert L. Morris, Robert 
L. Morris Inc., and Dennis R. Foltz, Middle Rio Grande Council of 
Governments, all of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and William F. Weahkee, 
Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc., Bernalillo, New Mexico.
NORTH DAKOTA FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee held hearings to 
examine the proposed flood control project at Devils Lake, North 
Dakota, receiving testimony from Senators Conrad and Dorgan; 
Representative Pomeroy; John H. Zirschky, Acting Assistant Secretary of 
the Army for Civil Works; Michael J. Armstrong, Associate Director for 
Mitigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency; David A. 
Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota State Water Commission, Bismarck; Gary L. 
Pearson, Dakota Prairie Audubon Society, Jamestown, North Dakota; and 
Joe Belford, Ramsey County Lake Emergency Management Committee, Devils 
Lake, North Dakota.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
NOMINATION
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded hearings on the nomination of 
Charles Rossotti, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of 
Internal Revenue, Department of the Treasury, after the nominee, who 
was introduced by Senator Warner and Representative Thomas Davis, 
testified and answered questions in his own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nominations of Daniel Fried, of the District of Columbia, to be 
Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Peter Francis Tufo, of New York, 
to be Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, Alexander R. Vershbow, of 
the District of Columbia, to be United States Permanent Representative 
on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the rank 
and status of Ambassador, Thomas J. Miller, of Virginia, for the rank 
of Ambassador during his tenure of service as Special Coordinator for 
Cyprus, David Timothy Johnson, of Georgia, for the rank of Ambassador 
during his tenure of service as Head of the United States Delegation to 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Kathryn Walt 
Hall, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Austria, and James 
Carew Rosapepe, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to Romania, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Ms. Hall 
was introduced by Senator Hutchison, and Mr. Rosapepe was introduced by 
Representative Hoyer.
U.S. INTERESTS IN CASPIAN BASIN
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on International Economic 
Policy, Export and Trade Promotion concluded hearings to examine United 
States economic and strategic interests in the Caspian Sea region, 
after receiving testimony from Senator Brownback; Stuart E. Eizenstat, 
Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural 
Affairs; Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Baker, Donelson, Bearman and 
Caldwell, Washington, D.C., former Deputy Secretary of State; and 
Charles J. Pitman, Amoco Eurasia Petroleum Company, Houston, Texas.
CAMPAIGN FINANCING INVESTIGATION
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Committee continued hearings to 
examine certain matters with regard to the committee's special 
investigation on campaign financing, receiving testimony from Stephen 
Smith, Chief Petty Officer Charles McGrath, and Col. Charles Campbell, 
all of the White House Communications Agency.
  Hearings continue on Tuesday, October 28.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  The nominations of Kenneth Ray McFerran, to be United States Marshal 
for the Western District of Arkansas, Joaquin L.G. Salas, to be United 
States Marshal for the District of Guam and concurrently United States 
Marshal for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands, Charles 
Vincent Serio, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of 
Louisiana, and Jose Gerado Troncoso, to be United States Marshal for 
the District of Nevada;
  S. 474, to provide penalties against any person who, while engaged in 
the business of betting or wagering, knowingly uses a communication 
facility for the transmission or receipt in interstate or foreign 
commerce of bets or wagers, information assisting in the placing of 
bets or wagers, or a communication that entitles the transmitter or 
receiver to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 813, to provide criminal penalties for theft and willful vandalism 
at national cemeteries, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute; and
  S. Res. 96, proclaiming the week of March 15 through March 21, 1998, 
as ``National Safe Place Week''.

[[Page D1134]]

EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT
Committee on Labor and Human Resources: Committee held hearings on S. 
869, to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual 
orientation, receiving testimony from Raymond W. Smith, Bell Atlantic 
Corporation, Arlington, Virginia; Thomas J. Grote, Donatos Pizza, 
Columbus, Ohio; Kendall Hamilton, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and David N. 
Horowitz, Phoenix, Arizona.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following bills:
  S. 109, authorizing funds to make block grants on behalf of Native 
Hawaiians to carry out affordable housing activities in Hawaii and 
provide the grant amounts directly to the Department of Hawaiian Home 
Lands, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1079, to permit the leasing of mineral rights, in any case in 
which the Indian owners of an allotment that is located within the 
boundaries of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and held trust by 
the United States have executed leases to more than 50 percent of the 
mineral estate of that allotment, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  S. 156, to provide certain benefits of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River 
Basin program to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, with an amendment; and
  H.R. 79, to provide for the conveyance of certain land in the Six 
Rivers National Forest in the State of California for the benefit of 
the Hoopa Valley Tribe.