[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D180-D183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource 
Conservation, and Research held a hearing to review the implementation 
of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Testimony was heard 
from Craig Cox, Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Natural Resources and 
Environment, USDA.
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 Departmental Administration, the Chief Financial Officer and 
the Chief Information Officer. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the USDA: Pearlie Reed, former Acting Assistant Secretary, 
Administration; Sally Thompson, Chief Financial Officer; and Anne F. 
Reed, Chief Information Officer.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary, held a hearing on the FBI and the Secretary of Commerce. 
Testimony was heard from Louis J. Freeh, Director, FBI, Department of 
Justice; and William M. Daley, Secretary of Commerce.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior continued 
appropriation hearings, with emphasis on Indian Programs. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, the Administration for Children and Families 
and the Administration on Aging. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Health and Human Service; Clarie V. 
Broome, M.D., Acting Director, Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention; Jeanette C. Takamura, M.D., Assistant Secretary, 
Administration on Aging; Olivia A. Golden, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Administration for Children and Families.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on the Quality of Life and the Senior Enlisted from each 
Service. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Sgt. Maj. Robert E. Hall, USA; Master Chief 
Petty Officer John Hagan, USN; Sgt. Maj. Lewis Lee, USMC; and Chief 
Master Sergeant Eric W. Benken, USAF.
NATIONAL SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security held a 
hearing on FY 1999 Air Force Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of the Air Force: F. Whitten 
Peters, Under Secretary and Gen. Michael E. Ryan, USAF, Chief of Staff.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
FY 1999 Air Force Acquisition Program. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Air Force: Arthur L. 
Money, Assistant Secretary (Acquisition) and Lt. Gen. George K. 
Muellner, USAF, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acquisition).
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on the Coast Guard. Testimony was heard from Adm. Robert E. 
Kramek, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of 
Transportation.

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TREASURY-POSTAL SERVICE, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on Financial Management Services, 
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Mint. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of the Treasury: Richard 
Gregg, Commissioner, Financial Management Service; Thomas A. Ferguson, 
Associate Director, Research and Development, Bureau of Engraving and 
Printing; and Phil Diehl, United States Mint.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on Community Development Financial 
Institutions. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Treasury: Robert E. Rubin, Secretary; Ellen Lazar, 
Director, Community Financial Development Institutions Fund; and John 
D. Hawke, Jr., Under Secretary, Domestic Finance.
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND REFORM AND AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Ordered reported amended 
H.R. 3114, International Monetary Fund Reform and Authorization Act of 
1998.
SUPERFUND REFORM ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
held a hearing on H.R. 3000, Superfund Reform Act. Testimony was heard 
from Carol M. Browner, Administrator, EPA; Craig O'Connor, General 
Counsel, NOAA, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
TOBACCO SETTLEMENT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on the Tobacco Settlement. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES--DEVELOPING CONSENSUS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Postsecondary 
Education, Training and Life-Long Learning held a hearing on Developing 
a Consensus on Student Loan Interest Rates. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Gordon and Kanjorski; David A. Longanecker, Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education; 
and Jonathan Gruber, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Analysis, 
Department of the Treasury.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections approved for full Committee action amended the following 
bills: H.R. 2888, Sales Incentive Compensation Act; and H.R. 2327, 
Drive for Teen Employment Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Ordered reported amended 
the following bills: H.R. 3249, Federal Retirement Coverage Corrections 
Act; and H.R. 2883, Government Performance and Results Act Technical 
Amendments of 1997.
OVERSIGHT--FEC
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on the Federal Election Commission. Testimony was heard from 
Representative White; the following officials of the FEC: Joan D. 
Aikens, Chairman; John C. Surina, Staff Director; and Lawrence M. 
Noble, General Counsel; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--HEPATITIS C
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources held an oversight hearing on Public Health 2000: Hepatitis C, 
the Silent Epidemic. Testimony was heard from David Satcher, M.D., 
Surgeon General of the United States, Department of Health and Human 
Services; John F. Mazzuchi, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Clinical and 
Program Policy, Department of Defense; the following officials of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs: Thomas Holohan, M.D., Chief, Patient 
Care Services Officer; and Gary Roselle, Program Director, Infectious 
Diseases; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESS PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on National 
Economic Growth, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs held a 
hearing on H.R. 3310, Small Business Paperwork Reduction Act of 1998. 
Testimony was heard from Jere Glover, Chief Counsel for Advocacy, SBA; 
and public witnesses.
CAMPAIGN REFORM
Committee on House Oversight: Continued hearings on Campaign Reform. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Knollenberg, Cook, Rivers, 
Clement, Gekas, Gilchrest and Gejdenson.

[[Page D182]]


FOREIGN ASSISTANCE BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the 
Administration's Foreign Assistance Budget request for FY 1999. 
Testimony was heard from J. Brian Atwood, Administrator, AID, U.S. 
International Development Cooperation Agency.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific approved for full Committee action amended the following 
resolutions: H. Res. 364, urging the introduction and passage of a 
resolution on the human rights situation in the People's Republic of 
China at the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights; H. Res. 361, calling for free and impartial elections in 
Cambodia; and H. Con. Res. 218, concerning the urgent need to establish 
a cease fire in Afghanistan and begin the transition toward a broad-
based multiethnic government that observes international norms of 
behavior.
MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT ON INVESTMENT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade, hearing on ``Multilateral Agreement on 
Investment: Win, Lose or Draw for the U.S.?'' Testimony was heard from 
Alan Larson, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, 
Department of State.
CRISIS--GREAT LAKES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and the Subcommittee on Africa held a joint hearing on the 
Ongoing Crisis in the Great Lakes. Testimony was heard from Howard 
Wolpe, Special Envoy, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State; 
and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--MASS TORTS AND CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held an oversight hearing regarding mass torts and class 
action lawsuits. Testimony was heard from Representative Moran of 
Virginia; Anthony J. Scirica, Judge, United States Circuit, U.S. Court 
of Appeals, 3rd Circuit; and public witnesses.
NATURALIZATION REFORM ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
a hearing on H.R. 2837, Naturalization Reform Act of 1998. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Justice: 
Paul Virtue, General Counsel, Immigration and Naturalization Service; 
and James S. Angus, Acting Executive Director, Office of Naturalization 
Operations; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on National Security: Continued hearings on the fiscal year 
1999 National Defense authorization budget request. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. Wesley 
K. Clark, USA, Commander in Chief, U.S. European Command; and Gen. 
Anthony C. Zinni, USMC, Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command.
  Hearings continue March 12.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
and Subcommittee on Military Research and Development continued joint 
hearings on FY 1999 Department of Defense with emphasis on Army 
modernization. Testimony was heard from Kenneth J. Oscar, Acting 
Assistant Secretary, Research, Development and Acquisition, Department 
of the Army.
  Hearings continue March 10.
OVERSIGHT--ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on Endangered Species 
Act. Testimony was heard from Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; and Rolland Schmitten, 
Director, National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Commerce.
COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health 
approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 2458, Community 
Protection and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Act of 1997.
OVERSIGHT--ROAD FROM KYOTO; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Science: Continued oversight hearings on the Road From 
Kyoto--Part 3: State Department Overview. Testimony was heard from 
Stuart E. Eizenstat, Under Secretary, Economic, Business and 
Agricultural Affairs, Department of State.
  The committee also approved pending Committee business.
AVIATION MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 2843, Aviation 
Medical Assistance Act of 1997.

[[Page D183]]


FAA'S MODERNIZATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on FAA's modernization programs. Testimony was 
heard from Gerald L. Dillingham, Associate Director, Transportation 
Issues, GAO; the following officials of the Department of 
Transportation: Jane Garvey, Administrator, FAA; and Kenneth M. Mead, 
Inspector General; and public witnesses.
GSA BUDGET AND RELATED ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Public 
Buildings and Economic Development held a hearing on the GSA's FY 1999 
budget and related issues. Testimony was heard from Jacob J. Lew, 
Deputy Director, OMB; Robert Peck, Commissioner, Public Buildings 
Service, GSA; Judge Norman Stahl, Chairman, Security and Facilities 
Committee, U.S. Judicial Conference; J. Peter Basso, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Budget and Programs, Department of Transportation; Bernard 
L. Ungar, Director, Government Business Operations Issues, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits approved for 
full Committee action the following bills; H.R. 3039, Veterans' 
Transitional Housing Opportunities Act of 1997; and H.R. 3211, amended, 
to amend title 38, United States Code, to enact into law eligibility 
requirements for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, H.R. 3213, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify enforcement of veterans' 
employment rights with respect to a State as an employer or a private 
employer, to extend veterans' employment and reemployment rights to 
members of the uniformed services employed abroad by United States 
companies.