[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1181-D1183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOOD STAMP PROGRAM WASTE AND ABUSE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing on review of the waste 
and abuse in the administration of the Food Stamp Program. Testimony 
was heard from Craig Beachamp, Assistant Inspector General, 
Investigations, USDA; and Robert Robinson, Director, Food and 
Agriculture Issues, Resources, Community and Economic Development 
Division, GAO.
FAA'S STANDARD TERMINAL AUTOMATION REPLACEMENT SYSTEM
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on FAA's Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System 
(STARS). Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Transportation: Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General; 
George L. Donahue, Associate Administrator, Research and Acquisition 
and Ronald E. Morgan, Director, Air Traffic, both with the FAA; and a 
public witness.
GAO REPORT--FEDERAL HOUSING ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital 
Markets, Securities and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing 
on the GAO Report on the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise 
Oversight. Testimony was heard from Thomas J. McCool, Director, 
Financial Institutions and Market Issues, GAO; and Mark Kinsey, Acting

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Director, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development.
FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported amended H.R. 10, Financial 
Services Act of 1997.
VIDEO COMPETITION--ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Video Competition: Access to 
Programming. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RESULTS ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Held a hearing on the 
Results Act: Are We Getting Results? Testimony was heard from 
Representative Armey and Franklin Raines, Director, OMB.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Committee on House Oversight: Held a hearing on Campaign Finance 
Reform. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hutchinson, Allen, 
Doolittle, Shays, Meehan, Miller of California and Baesler.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
COPYRIGHT LICENSING REGIMES--RETRANSMISSION OF BROADCAST SIGNALS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing regarding copyright licensing regimes covering 
retransmission of broadcast signals. Testimony was heard from Marybeth 
Peters, Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress; and public 
witnesses.
FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES--IMPROVING AND EXPANDING
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held a hearing 
regarding options for improving and expanding cooperation between 
Federal Prison Industries and the private sector. Testimony was heard 
from Steve Schwalb, Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT-PARTNERSHIPS FOR WILDLIFE 
ACT--INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE OCEAN
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 
2556, North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989 and Partnerships 
for Wildlife Act.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing to examine activities 
being planned by the Administration for the International Year of the 
Ocean. Testimony was heard from D. James Baker, Under Secretary, Oceans 
and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
began markup of H.R. 2186, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to provide assistance to the National Historic Trails Interpretive 
Center in Casper, Wyoming.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
2438, to encourage establishment of appropriate trails on abandoned 
railroad rights-of-way, while ensuring protection of certain 
reversionary property rights; H.R. 1995, Point Reyes National Seashore 
Farmland Protection Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Ryun and Woolsey; Kate Stevenson, Associate Director, 
Cultural Resource Stewardship and Partnership, National Park Service, 
Department of Interior; and public witnesses.
WATER MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS OF EL NINO
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on Water Management Implications of the 1997/98 El 
Nino. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Commerce; Elbert W. Friday, Assistant Adminstrator, 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, and Ants Leetmaa, Director, Climate 
Prediction Center, both with NOAA; Mark Schaefer, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Water and Science and Acting Director, U.S. Geological 
Survey, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT--IMPLEMENTATION AND PROPOSALS FOR REFORM
Committee on Rules: Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House 
and the Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process held a joint 
hearing on Implementation of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
Proposals for Reform. Testimony was heard from Representatives Condit 
and Portman; James L. Blum, Deputy Director, CBO; and former 
Representative Robert S. Walker of Pennsylvania.
INDEMNIFICATION AND CROSSWAIVER AUTHORITY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on Indemnification and Crosswaiver Authority. Testimony was 
heard from

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June Edwards, Associate General Counsel, NASA; and public witnesses.
OIL SPILL PREVENTION MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Oil Spill 
Prevention Measures. Testimony was heard from Rear Adm. Robert C. 
North, USCG, Assistant Commandant, Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation; and public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--LABOR/HHS/EDUCATION
Conferees continued in evening session to resolve the differences 
between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 2264, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1998.