[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 16 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D134-D136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURAL TRADE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry 
held a hearing to review livestock, dairy, and poultry trade between 
the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Testimony was heard from 
Lon Hatamiya, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; and 
public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Research, Education and Economics. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the USDA: I. Miley Gonzalez, Under 
Secretary, Eileen Kennedy, Acting Deputy Under Secretary and Bob 
Robinson, Administrator, Cooperative State Research, all with Research, 
Education, and Economics; Donald Bay, Administrator, National 
Agricultural Statistics Service; Floyd P. Horn, Administrator, 
Agricultural Research Service; Susan Offutt, Administrator, Economic 
Research Service; and Stephen B. Dewhurst, Budget Officer.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Attorney General and on the USIA. 
Testimony was heard from Janet Reno, Attorney General; and the 
following officials of the USIA: Joseph Duffy, Director; and David 
Burke, Chairman, Board of Broadcasters.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the Occupational Safety and 
Health Administration, and on GAO, Department of Health and Human 
Services oversight. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Labor: Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary, 
Occupational Safety and Health; J. Davitt McAteer, Assistant Secretary, 
Mine Safety and Health; and Richard L. Hembra, Assistant Comptroller 
General, Health, Education, and Human Services Division, GAO.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction 
continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of 
Congress and public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security held a 
hearing on FY 1999 Army Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: Robert M. Walker, 
Under Secretary and Gen. Dennis J. Reimer, USA, Chief of Staff.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
FY 1999 Army Acquisition Program. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: Kenneth J. Oscar, 
Acting Assistant Secretary (Research, Development and Acquisition); Lt. 
Gen. Paul Kern, USA, Military Deputy to the Acting Secretary (Research, 
Development and Acquisition); and Lt. Gen. William Campbell, USA, 
Director, Information Systems

[[Page D135]]

for Command, Control, Communications and Computers.
TREASURY-POSTAL SERVICE, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the IRS. Testimony was heard 
from Charles O. Rossotti, Commissioner, IRS, Department of the 
Treasury.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the Court of Veterans Appeals and the 
Selective Service System. Testimony was heard from Frank Q. Nebeker, 
Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals; and Gil Coronado, 
Director, Selective Service System.
WIRELESS PRIVACY ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported amended H.R. 2369, Wireless 
Privacy Enhancement Act.
FAIRNESS FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND EMPLOYEES ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations approved for full Committee action H.R. 3246, 
Fairness for Small Business and Employees Act of 1998.
CAMPAIGN REFORM
Committee on House Oversight: Continued hearings on Campaign Reform. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Calvert, Smith of Michigan, 
Price of North Carolina, Slaughter, Linda Smith of Washington, Paul, 
Kaptur and Engel.
NARCOTICS POLICY TOWARD COLOMBIA
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on U.S. Narcotics 
Policy Toward Colombia. Testimony was heard from Henry L. Hinton, 
Assistant Comptroller General, National Security and International 
Affairs, GAO; and the following officials of the DANTI (anti-drug) 
Unit, Colombian National Police: Col. Leonardo Gallego, Director; and 
Lt. Fernando Lopez, Logistics Support Officer.
CAMBODIA--UNCERTAIN STATUS OF DEMOCRACY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Shattered Dream, the Uncertain State of 
Democracy in Cambodia. Testimony was heard from Stanley Roth, Assistant 
Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--ADMINISTRATIVE TAXATION: FCC'S UNIVERSAL SERVICE TAX
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on Administrative 
Taxation: The FCC's Universal Service Tax. Testimony was heard from 
Christopher A. McLean, Deputy Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, 
USDA; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--RELIGIOUS FREEDOM--FEDERAL PROTECTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing regarding the need for federal protection of 
religious freedom after Boerne v. Flores. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 
2696, amended, Vessel Hull Design Protection Act; H.R. 2294, amended, 
Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1997; H.R. 2281, amended, WIPO 
Copyright Treaties Implementation Act; and H.R. 3209, the On-line 
Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND FAMILY HOUSING BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Installations 
& Facilities held a hearing on FY 1999 budget request for military 
construction and military family housing of the Department of Defense. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: John B. Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary; and the following 
officials of the Department of the Army; Alma Moore, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, (Installations, Logistics, and Environment); Maj. 
Gen. David Whaley, USA, Assistant Chief of Staff, Installations 
Management; Brig. Gen. James Helmly, USA, Deputy Chief, Army Reserve; 
and Col. Michael Squier, USA, Deputy Director, Army National Guard.
TRICARE PROGRAM STATUS
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held 
a hearing on the status and effectiveness of the TRICARE program. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials form the Department of 
Defense: D. Edward Martin, M.D., Acting Assistant Secretary, (Health 
Affairs), Col. Steve E. Phurrough, USA, Lead Agent, TRICARE Central 
Region 7/8; Rear Adm. Richard A. Nelson, MC, USN, Lead Agent TRICARE 
Region 9; Brig. Gen. Dan L. Locker, USAF, Lead Agent Region 4; and

[[Page D136]]

Mr. Stephen P. Backhus, Veterans' Affairs and Military Health Care 
Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
DOD MODERNIZATION
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee Military Procurement and 
the Subcommittee on Military Research and Development held a joint 
hearing on Department of Defense Modernization for FY 1999. Testimony 
was heard from Jacques S. Gansler, Under Secretary, Acquisition and 
Technology, Department of Defense.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT--MISCELLANEOUS BUDGET REQUESTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on the Administration's FY 1999 budget 
request for three agencies within the Department of Interior: Office of 
Surface Mining, Minerals Management Service, and the Energy and 
Minerals programs of the Bureau of Land Management. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Kathy 
Karpan, Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; 
Cynthia Quarterman, Director, Minerals Management Service; and Tom Fry, 
Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management.
OVERSIGHT--NOAA AND NATIONAL MARINE SERVICE BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on the Interior: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, NOAA, and National Marine Service FY 1999 Budget 
request. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Interior: Don Barry, Assistant Secretary, Fish and 
Wildlife and Parks; and John Rogers Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
OVERSIGHT--FEE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
Committee on the Interior: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public 
Lands held an oversight hearing on Fee Demonstration Programs-Successes 
and Failures. Testimony was heard from Representative Herger; John M. 
Berry, Assistant Secretary, Policy Management and Budget, Department of 
the Interior; Lyle Laverty, Regional Forester, Rocky Mountain Region, 
Forest Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 
STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY BUDGET REQUESTS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held an oversight 
hearing on the FY 1999 Administration Request for the Technology 
Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Commerce: Gary Bachula, Acting Under Secretary, Technology and Johnnie 
E. Frazier, Acting Inspector General; and Susan Kladiva, Associate 
Director, Energy, Resources and Science Issues, Resources, Community 
and Economic Development Division, GAO.
TRAVEL AGENTS--STOLEN AIRLINE TICKET STOCKS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Issues related to Stolen Airline Ticket 
Stocks from Travel Agents. Testimony was heard from Neil J. Gallagher, 
Deputy Assistant Director, Criminal Investigative Division, FBI, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
ASSESSING HEALTH CARE QUALITY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Assessing Health Care Quality. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: John 
Eisenberg, M.D., Administrator, Agency for Health Care Policy and 
Research; and Jeff Kang, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Center for Health 
Plans and Providers, Health Care Financing Administration; and public 
witnesses.
FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on the Future of Social Security for this Generation and the 
Next. Testimony was heard from Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner, SSA; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the 
legislative recommendations of certain veteran organizations, receiving 
testimony from Elizabeth R. Carr, Blinded Veterans Association, Kenneth 
C. Huber, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Jack Berman, Jewish War 
Veterans, Louis C. Tebbe, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and 
Charles R. Jackson, Non Commissioned Officers Association of the USA, 
all of Washington, D.C.