[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 59 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D492-D494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURAL TRADE--MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS--ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review the 1999 
Multilateral Negotiations on Agricultural Trade--Asia and the Pacific. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment approved 
for full Committee action the following measures: H.R. 2202, amended, 
National Marrow Donor Program Reauthorization Act of 1997; and H. Con. 
Res. 171, declaring the memorial service sponsored by the National 
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Memorial Service Board of Directors to 
honor emergency medical services personnel to be the ``National 
Emergency Medical Services Memorial Service''.
HANFORD SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL PROJECT--MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Management Problems with the Department of Energy's 
Hanford Spent Nuclear Fuel Project. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Hastings of Washington; Gary L. Jones, Associate 
Director, Energy, Resources and Science Issues, Resources, Community 
and Economic

[[Page D493]]

Development Division, GAO; John T. Conway, Chairman, Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board; the following officials of the Department of 
Energy: Ernest J. Montz, Under Secretary; and John Wagner, Manager, 
Richland Operations Office; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--CREATING AN OFFICE OF FEDERAL MANAGEMENT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information and Technology held an oversight 
hearing on Creating an Office of Federal Management. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the GAO: J. Christopher Mihm, 
Associate Director, Federal Management and Workforce Issues; and Paul 
L. Posner, Director, Budget Issues, Accounting and Information 
Management; the following officials of the Congressional Research 
Service, Library of Congress: Harold C. Relyea, Specialist and Virginia 
McMurray, Specialist, both with the American National Government 
Division; and Ronald C. Moe, Specialist, Government Organization and 
Management Division; and public witnesses.
BANKRUPTCY REFORM ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Began consideration of H.R. 3150, 
Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3109, Thomas Cole National 
Site Act; and H.R. 1390, to authorize the Government of India to 
establish a memorial to honor Mahatma Gandhi in the District of 
Columbia. Testimony was heard from Representatives Solomon, Pallone, 
Regula and McCollum; Bill Shaddox, Acting Associate Director, 
Professional Services, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior.
OVERSIGHT--CALFED
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on California Federal Bay Delta Program (CALFED). 
Testimony was heard from David Potter, Chief Deputy Director, 
Department of Water Resources, State of California; and public 
witnesses.
MANDATES INFORMATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H.R. 3534, Mandates Information Act of 1998. The rule 
waives points of order against consideration of the bill for failure to 
comply with section 306 of the Budget Act (prohibiting consideration of 
legislation within the Budget Committee's jurisdiction, unless reported 
by the Budget Committee). The rule considers the amendment recommended 
by the Committee on Rules now printed in the bill as adopted and the 
bill, as amended, as original text for the purpose of further amendment 
which is considered as read. The rule allows the chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole to accord priority in recognition to those 
members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional 
Record prior to their consideration. The rule allows the Chairman of 
the Committee of the Whole to postpone recorded votes and reduce to 
five minutes the voting time on any postponed question, provided that 
the voting time on the first in any series of questions is not less 
than fifteen minutes. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions.
FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
1 hour of debate on H.R. 10, Financial Services Act of 1998. The rule 
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in 
part 1 of the Rules Committee report shall be considered as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment and that it 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 no amendment to that 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those 
printed in part 2 of the Rules Committee report, which may be offered 
only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a 
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to 
amendment except as specified in the report. The rule waives all points 
of order against the amendments printed in the report. The rule allows 
the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone recorded votes 
and reduce to five minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on 
any postponed votes provided that the voting time on the first in any 
series of questions shall be not less than fifteen minutes. Finally, 
the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
NEW WILDLIFE REFUGE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H.R. 512, New Wildlife Refuge Authorization Act. The 
rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed 
in the Congressional Record and numbered 1 shall be considered as an 
original bill for amendment purposes, and provides that the

[[Page D494]]

amendment shall be considered as read. The rule waives clause 7 of rule 
XVI (prohibiting nongermane amendments) against the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute. The rule permits the Chair to accord priority 
in recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments in the 
Congressional Record. The rule allows the Chairman of the Committee of 
the Whole to postpone recorded votes and reduce to five minutes the 
minimum time for electronic voting on any postponed votes provided that 
the voting time on the first in any series of questions shall be not 
less than fifteen minutes. Finally, the rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Young.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on H.R. 3689, The Land Between 
the Lakes Protection Act of 1998 and on two Small Watershed Projects. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Whitfield, Tanner, Bryant and 
Ryun; Ann W. Wright, General Manager, Land Between the Lakes, Golden 
Pond, Kentucky, TVA; and Lawrence E. Clark, Deputy Chief, Programs, 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
VETERANS MEDICARE ACCESS IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health approved for full 
Committee action amended H.R. 3828, Veterans Medicare Access 
Improvement Act of 1998.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade approved for full 
Committee action amended the following bills; H.R. 3644, to amend the 
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 to provide for 
the use of customs user fees for additional preclearance activities of 
the Customs Services; and H.R. 3809, Drug Free Borders Act of 1998.