[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 5, 1997)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1219-D1221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREST RECOVERY AND PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource 
Conservation, and Research approved for full Committee action amended 
H.R. 2515, Forest Recovery and Protection Act of 1997.
FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty 
Crops held a hearing to review the Federal Crop Insurance Program. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the USDA: Dallas 
Smith, Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; 
and Ken Ackerman, Administrator, Risk Management Agency; and public 
witnesses.
HOMELESS HOUSING PROGRAMS CONSOLIDATION AND FLEXIBILITY ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Ordered reported amended 
H.R. 217, Homeless Housing Programs Consolidation and Flexibility Act.
INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS STATUS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing 
on the Status of International Global Climate Change Negotiations 
focusing on the upcoming global climate change agreement negotiations 
in Kyoto, Japan. Testimony was heard from Timothy E. Wirth, Under 
Secretary, Global Affairs, Department of State.
MOLTEN METAL TECHNOLOGY FUNDING
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on the Department of Energy's Funding of Molten Metal 
Technology. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--TEAMSTER'S ELECTION
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Approved a motion to approve 
a Contract Agreement to provide services to the Committee in relation 
to the oversight investigation of the International Brotherhood of 
Teamsters election.
CSRS-FERS OPEN SEASON--WHAT ARE THE MERITS?
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on ``CSRS-FERS OPEN SEASON-What Are the 
Merits?''. Testimony was heard from William E. Flynn, Associate 
Director, Retirement and Insurance Service, OPM; Michael Brostek, 
Associate Director, Federal Workforce and Management Issues, GAO; and 
Paul Van de Water, Assistant Director, Budget Analysis Division, CBO.
OVERSIGHT--FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Testimony was heard from 
L. Nye Stevens, Director, Federal Management and Workforce Issues, 
General Government Division, GAO; G. Martin Wagner, Associate 
Administrator, Governmentwide Policy, GSA; Bruce Alberts, President, 
National Academy of Sciences; and public witnesses.
SOLDIERS WITHOUT BORDERS--CRISIS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on ``Soldiers 
Without Borders: Crisis in Central Africa''. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of State: Bill Richardson, 
Ambassador to the United Nations; and Howard Wolpe, Special Envoy, 
Bureau of African Affairs; and public witnesses.
ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing on The Antitrust 
Enforcement Agencies: The Antitrust Division of the Department of 
Justice and the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission. 
Testimony was heard from Joel Klein, Assistant Attorney General, 
Antitrust Division, Department of Justice; Robert Pitofsky, Chairman, 
FTC; and public witnesses.
INTERNET DOMAIN NAME TRADEMARK PROTECTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held an oversight hearing

[[Page D1220]]

on the Internet Domain Name Trademark Protection. Testimony was heard 
from Bruce Lehman, Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of Patent and 
Trademarks, Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; and 
public witnesses.
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA NURSING RELIEF ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
a hearing H.R. 2759, Health Professional Shortage Area Nursing Relief 
Act of 1997. Testimony was heard from Representative Rush; Neil 
Sampson, Acting Associate Administrator, Health Professions, Health 
Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human 
Services; and public witnesses.
BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT POSED BY IRAN
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Research and 
Development held a hearing on the ballistic missile threat posed by 
Iran. Testimony was heard from Lt. Gen. Lester Lyles, USAF, Director, 
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Department of Defense.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 755, 
amended, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow 
individuals to designate and portion of their income tax overpayments, 
and to make other contributions, for the benefit of units of the 
National Park System; H.R. 1309, to provide for an exchange of lands 
with the city of Greeley, Colorado, and The Water Supply and Storage 
Company to eliminate private inholdings in wilderness areas; and H.R. 
1567, amended, Eastern Wilderness Act.
AMENDING HOUSE RULES--REPEAL EXCEPTION TO REQUIREMENT THAT COMMITTEE 
PROCEEDINGS BE OPENED TO ALL MEDIA
Committee on Rules: Ordered reported, by a roll call vote of 7 to 2, 
H.Res. 301, Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to 
repeal the exception to the requirement that public committee 
proceedings be open to all media.
EXPEDITED PROCEDURES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a rule waiving clause 
4(b) of rule XI (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the 
same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to a special rule reported before November 10, 1997 providing 
for consideration of a bill or joint resolution making appropriations 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, any amendment thereto, 
any conference report thereon, or any amendment reported in 
disagreement from a conference thereon. The waiver also applies to a 
special rule reported before November 10, 1997 providing for 
consideration of a bill or joint resolution making continuing 
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, any 
amendment thereto, any conference report thereon, or any amendment 
reported in disagreement from a conference thereon. The rule provides 
that the Speaker may entertain motions to suspend the rules at any time 
before November 10, 1997 provided that the object of the motion is 
announced from the floor at least one hour before the motion is offered 
and that the Speaker shall consult with the Minority Leader in 
scheduling legislation under this authority to suspend the rules.
EXPEDITED PROCEDURES--REMAINDER OF FIRST SESSION OF 105TH CONGRESS
Committee on Rules: Additionally, granted, by a vote of 8 to 3, a rule 
waiving clause 4(b) of rule XI (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider 
a rule on the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against 
certain resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies 
the waiver to a special rule reported before November 10, 1997 
providing for consideration of a bill or joint resolution making 
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, any 
amendment thereto, any conference report thereon, or any amendment 
reported in disagreement from a conference thereon. The waiver also 
applies to a special rule reported before November 10, 1997 providing 
for consideration of a bill or joint resolution making continuing 
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, any 
amendment thereto, any conference report thereon, or any amendment 
reported in disagreement from a conference thereon. The rule provides 
that the Speaker may entertain motions to suspend the rules at any time 
before November 10, 1997 provided that the object of the motion is 
announced from the floor at least one hour before the motion is offered 
and that the Speaker shall consult with the Minority Leader in 
scheduling legislation under this authority to suspend the rules. 
Finally, the rule provides that during the remainder of the First 
Session of the 105th Congress, the Speaker may not recognize a member 
other than the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader to offer from the 
floor, or to announce an intention to offer, a resolution as a question 
of the privileges of the House. Also, the rule provides that the 
Speaker may postpone consideration of any noticed resolution as a 
question of the privileges of the House prior to

[[Page D1221]]

the adoption of this resolution during the remainder of the First 
Session of the 105th Congress.
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS AND COST OVERRUNS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on International Space Station Status and Cost Overruns. 
Testimony was heard from Wilbur Trafton, Associate Administrator, 
Office of Space Flight, NASA; Allen Li, Associate Director, GAO; and a 
public witnesses.
NONPROLIFERATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Nonproliferation. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.