[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D580-D582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
SELECTIVE AGRICULTURE EMBARGOES ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Nutrition, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing on H.R. 3654, 
Selective Agriculture Embargoes Act of 1998. Testimony was heard from 
Lon Hatamiya, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; and 
public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on National Security met in 
executive session to begin mark up of the Department of Defense 
appropriations for fiscal year 1999.
  Will continue tomorrow.

[[Page D581]]


HOW SANCTIONS CAN AFFECT U.S. POLICY INTERESTS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on How Sanctions 
Can Affect U.S. Policy Interests. Testimony was heard from Stuart 
Eizenstat, Under Secretary, Economics, Business and Agricultural 
Affairs, Department of State; Jan Paul Acton, Assistant Director, 
Natural Resources and Commerce Division, CBO; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing on Effects of 
Consolidation on the State of Competition in the Financial Services 
Industry. Testimony was heard from Laurence Meyer, member, Board of 
Governors, Federal Reserve System; John Nannes, Deputy Assistant 
Attorney General, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice; Bill Baer, 
Director, Bureau of Competition, FTC; and public witnesses.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule on 
H. Con. Res. 284, revising the congressional budget for the United 
States Government for fiscal year 1998, establishing the congressional 
budget for fiscal year 1999 and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
levels for fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, providing three 
hours of general debate with two hours equally divided and controlled 
by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the 
Budget, including one hour on economic goals and policies equally 
divided and controlled by Representative Saxton and Representative 
Stark. The rule provides for the consideration as an original 
concurrent resolution for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute printed in part 1 of the Rules Committee report. 
The rule makes in order only those amendments in the nature of a 
substitute printed in part 2 of the Rules Committee report to be 
offered only in the order specified, only by the Member designated, 
debatable for one hour each equally divided and controlled and shall 
not be subject to amendment. The rule waives all points of order 
against the amendments except that if an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute is adopted, it is not in order to consider further 
substitutes. The rule allows the chairman of the Committee of the Whole 
to postpone votes during consideration of the concurrent resolution, 
and to reduce voting time to five minutes on a postponed question if 
the vote follows a fifteen minute vote. The rule permits the Chairman 
of the Budget Committee to offer amendments in the House to achieve 
mathematical consistency pursuant to section 305(a)(5) of the Budget 
Act. The rule suspends the application of House Rule XLIX (relating to 
the establishment of the statutory limit on the public debt) with 
respect to the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 
1999. Testimony was heard from Chairman Kasich and Representatives 
Scarborough, Spratt, Minge, and Stenholm.
TIANANMEN SQUARE
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing for 
consideration of H. Con. Res. 285, expressing the sense of the Congress 
that the President of the United States should reconsider his decision 
to be formally received in Tiananmen Square by the Government of the 
People's Republic of China, in the House. The rule provides one hour of 
debate equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and a 
Member opposed. The rule provides one motion to recommit. Testimony was 
heard from Chairman Gilman.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT--RESTORING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing for consideration of H.J. Res. 78, proposing an amendment to 
the Constitution of the United States restoring religious freedom in 
the House. The rule provides that the joint resolution shall be 
considered as read, and that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in 
the joint resolution shall be considered as adopted. The rule provides 
that the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint 
resolution, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final 
passage without intervening motion except as specified. The rule 
provides for one hour of debate on the joint resolution, as amended, 
equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on the Judiciary. The rule also provides for consideration of 
a further amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules 
accompanying this resolution, which may be offered only by the Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, and shall be 
separately debatable for one hour equally divided between the proponent 
and an opponent. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with 
or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Canady, Istook, Scott, Edwards, Bishop, and Green.
FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings on the Future of Social Security for this Generation and the 
Next, examining proposals regarding personal accounts. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Smith of

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Michigan; Edward M. Gramlich, member, Board of Governors, Federal 
Reserve System; Fred T. Goldberg, Executive Director, Bipartisan 
Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform; and public witnesses.
INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTING--PANEL FINDINGS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Panel Findings on the Indian Nuclear Testing. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.