[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 49 (Tuesday, April 28, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D417-D419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
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 Review Commission, the National Mediation Board, the National 
Commission on Libraries, and the Armed Forces Retirement Home. 
Testimony was heard from Stuart E. Weisberg, Chairman, Occupational 
Safety and Health Review Commission; Ernest W. DuBester, Chairman, 
National Mediation Board; Jeanne Hurley Simon, Chairperson, National 
Commission on Libraries and Information Science; and David F. Lacy, 
CEO/Chairman of the Board, Armed Forces Retirement Home.

[[Page D418]]


EUROPEAN MONETARY UNION
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic 
and International Monetary Policy held a hearing on European Monetary 
Union. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
UNDERSTANDING VIOLENT CHILDREN
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Youth, and Families held a hearing on Understanding Violent 
Children. Testimony was heard from Rodney Hammond, M.D., Director, 
Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention 
and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
AMERICAN WORKER PROJECT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on American Worker Project: Impact of 
Federal Workplace Agencies, Programs, and Laws on the American Worker. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FEHB PROGRAM--COMPLEMENT TO MILITARY HEALTH CARE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Civil 
Service held a hearing on the FEHB Program as a Complement to Military 
Health Care. Testimony was heard from Representatives Stearns, Moran of 
Virginia, Thornberry and Watts of Oklahoma; Gary A. Christopherson, 
Acting Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs, Department of Defense; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--HEALTH CARE INITIATIVES PURSUED UNDER FALSE CLAIMS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing on health care initiatives pursued under the False 
Claims Act that impact hospitals. Testimony was heard from Donald K. 
Stern, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts and Chair, 
Attorney General's Advisory Committee, Department of Justice; the 
following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: 
Lewis Morris, Assistant Inspector General, Legal Affairs; and Robert A. 
Berenson, Director, Center for Health Care Plans and Providers 
Administration, Health Care Financing Administration, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the following: H.R. 1865, Spanish Peaks Wilderness Act of 
1997; H.R. 3186, Rogue River National Forest Interchange Act of 1998; 
H.R. 3187, to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
to exempt not-for-profit entities that hold rights-of-way on public 
lands from certain strict liability requirements imposed in connection 
with such rights-of-way; H.R. 3520, to adjust the boundaries of the 
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the adjacent Wenatchee 
National Forest in the State of Washington; and a measure to permit the 
Forest Service to sell their office in Medford, OR in order to fund an 
add-on to the Bureau of Land Management Medford District Office so they 
can co-locate. Testimony was heard from Representatives Skaggs and 
Hastings of Washington; Ron Stewart, Deputy Chief, Forest Service, 
USDA; and a public witness.
BATTLE OF MIDWAY NATIONAL MEMORIAL STUDY ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
and Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans held a 
joint hearing on H.R. 2800, Battle of Midway National Memorial Study 
Act. Testimony was heard from John Rogers, Deputy Director, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
AUTHORIZING USE OF CERTAIN LAND
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on H.R. 3220, to authorize the use of certain land in 
Merced County, California, for an elementary school. Testimony was 
heard from Destry T. Jarvis, Assistant Director, External Affairs, 
National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
HIGHER EDUCATION AMENDMENTS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified open rule 
providing 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 6, Higher Education 
Amendments of 1998, equally divided between the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The 
rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Education and the Workforce now printed 
in the bill, modified by the amendments printed in part 1 of the report 
of the Committee on Rules shall be considered as an original bill for 
the purpose of amendment. The rule provides that the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute shall be considered by title and that each title 
shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule provides 
that before consideration of any other amendment it shall be in order 
to consider the amendment printed

[[Page D419]]

in part 2 of the report of the Committee on Rules, if offered by 
Representative Goodling or his designee. The rule provides that the 
amendment shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for twenty 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an 
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject 
to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the 
Committee of the Whole. All points of order are waived against that 
amendment. The rule provides that if that amendment is adopted, the 
provisions of the amendment in the nature of a substitute as then 
perfected shall be considered as original text for the purpose of 
further amendment. The rule provides that no other amendment to the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those 
printed in the Congressional Record. The rule allows for the Chairman 
of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of 
the bill, and to reduce votes to five minutes on a postponed question 
if the vote follows a fifteen minute vote. Finally, the rule provides 
one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives McKeon, Clay, Kildee, and Fattah.
FEDERAL FUNDS PROHIBITION--DISTRIBUTION OF NEEDLES FOR INJECTION OF 
ILLEGAL DRUGS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing 2 
hours of debate on H.R. 3717, to prohibit the expenditure of Federal 
funds for the distribution of needles or syringes for the hypodermic 
injection of illegal drugs, equally divided and controlled by 
Representative Wicker and an opponent. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hastert and Wicker.
NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL SECURITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing 3 hours of debate on H.R. 3546, National Dialogue on Social 
Security Act of 1998. The rule provides for consideration of an 
amendment printed in the Congressional Record, if offered by 
Representative Rangel or his designee, which shall be considered as 
read and shall be debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled 
by the proponent and an opponent. Finally, the rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Archer and Representative Stenholm.
OVERSIGHT--TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO FREE TRADE
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held an oversight 
hearing on International Standards: Technical Barriers to Free Trade. 
Testimony was heard from Ray Kramer, Director, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT--PROPOSALS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment continued hearings on proposals for a Water 
Resources Development Act of 1998. Testimony was heard from John 
Zirschky, Acting Assistant Secretary (Civil Works), Department of the 
Army; and John H. Parcell, Associate Tax Legislative Counsel, Office of 
Tax Policy, Department of the Treasury.

Joint Meetings
CHINESE ACCESS TO MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
potential threats of exporting dual use and military technology to 
China, and to review a General Accounting Office report on the 
effectiveness of Tianemen sanctions restricting technology transfer, 
after receiving testimony from William A. Reinsch, Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Export Administration; Harold Johnson, Associate Director, 
International Relations and Trade Group, General Accounting Office; and 
Peter Leitner, Arlington, Virginia.
ISTEA AUTHORIZATION
  Conferees continued to resolve the differences between the Senate- 
and House-passed versions of H.R. 2400, to authorize funds for Federal-
aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, but did 
not complete action thereon, and will meet again on Thursday, April 30.
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
Conferees met on the differences between the Senate- and House-passed 
versions of H.R. 3579, making emergency supplemental appropriations for 
the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, but did not complete action 
thereon, and will meet again tomorrow.