[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5355-S5356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, on behalf of the majority leader, I ask 
unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive 
session to consider the following nominations on the Executive 
Calendar: Calendar Nos. 602, 604, 607, 608, 609, 611, 613, 614 and all 
nominations placed on the Secretary's desk in the Foreign Service. I 
further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed, the 
motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, any statements relating 
to the nominations appear at the appropriate place in the Record, the 
President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the 
Senate then return to legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coats). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The nominations considered and confirmed are as follows:


        national commission on libraries and information science

       Jeanne Hurley Simon, of Illinois, to be a Member of the 
     National Commission on Libraries and Information Science for 
     a term expiring July 19, 2002. (Reappointment)


           national foundation on the arts and the humanities

       William James Ivey, of Tennessee, to be Chairperson of the 
     National Endowment for the Arts for a term of four years.


            federal mine safety and health review commission

       Robert H. Beatty, Jr., of West Virginia, to be a Member of 
     the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission for a 
     term expiring August 30, 2004. (Reappointment)


             corporation for national and community service

       Thomas Ehrlich, of California, to be a Member of the Board 
     of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community 
     Service for a term of five years. (Reappointment)
       Dorothy A. Johnson, of Michigan, to be a Member of the 
     Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and 
     Community Service for a term of five years, vice Walter H. 
     Shorenstein, term expired.


                     small business administration

       Fred P. Hochberg, of New York, to be Deputy Administrator 
     of the Small Business Administration.


                          department of state

       William Joseph Burns, of Pennsylvania, a Career Member of 
     the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to 
     be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
       Ryan Clark Crocker, of Washington, a Career Member of the 
     Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be 
     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to the Syrian Arab Republic.


                         in the foreign service

       Foreign Service nominations beginning Alexander Almasov, 
     and ending James Hammond Williams, which nominations were 
     received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional 
     Record of March 26, 1998
       Foreign Service nominations beginning Joan E. La Rosa, and 
     ending Morton J. Holbrook, III, which nominations were 
     received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional 
     Record of March 26, 1998
       Foreign Service nominations beginning Michael Farbman, and 
     ending Mary C. Pendleton, which nominations were received by 
     the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record of April 
     22, 1998


                     nomination of william j. ivey

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on May 13, 1998, the Senate Labor and Human 
Resources Committee unanimously supported Bill Ivey's nomination to be 
the Chairman of the National Endowment

[[Page S5356]]

for the Arts (NEA). As a member of this committee, and as a Tennessean, 
I believe Bill Ivey will bring a much needed, new voice to this agency.
  Many people in my home State have viewed the NEA as an elitist 
agency. Bill Ivey brings a new vision with a perspective of the real 
world. In fact, a newspaper in Tennessee noted that the ``Country Music 
Foundation director would provide `Heart of America' leadership.''
  Bill Ivey has been the Director of the Country Music Foundation in 
Nashville, Tennessee since 1971. He has played an integral role in the 
Nashville music community. He has taught at Vanderbilt University's 
Blair School of Music and has written a variety of essays on America's 
musical traditions.
  The National Endowment for the Arts has come under increased scrutiny 
in recent years. Both the American people and Congress have questioned 
its stewardship of the taxpayers' dollar. Through committee work and 
the appropriations process, many innovative reform options have been 
considered, but few have been adopted. Bill Ivey offers the prospect of 
a fresh start for the National Endowment for the Arts so that all 
Americans will have pride and a stake in its activities.

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