[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 90 (Thursday, July 9, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D737-D739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
U.S. EXPORT CONTROL
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the role of the Department of Defense in implementing United States 
policy on export controls and nonproliferation, after receiving 
testimony from Stephen D. Bryen, former Deputy Under Secretary of 
Defense for Trade and Security Policy; Gary Milhollin, University of 
Wisconsin Law School, Madison, on behalf of the Wisconsin Project on 
Nuclear Arms Control; and Mitchel B. Wallerstein, former Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counterproliferation Policy.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  The nominations of William Clyburn, Jr., of South Carolina, to be a 
Member of the Surface Transportation Board, Department of 
Transportation, Deborah K. Kilmer, of Idaho, to be an Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce, Neal F. Lane, of Oklahoma, to be Director, and 
Rosina M. Bierbaum, of Virginia,

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to be an Associate Director, both of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, Clyde J. Hart, Jr., of New Jersey, to be 
Administrator of the Maritime Administration, Rear Adm. Timothy W. 
Josiah, for appointment as Chief of Staff, United States Coast Guard, 
and to the grade of Vice Admiral, and a United States Coast Guard 
promotion list received by the Senate on June 17, 1998;
  S. 2124, authorizing funds for fiscal year 1999 for the Maritime 
Administration, Department of Transportation, with an amendment;
  S. 1736, to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a 
certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement for 
employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel BETTY JANE;
  S. 2096, to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a 
certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement for 
employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel FOILCAT, with an 
amendment;
  S. 2139, to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a 
certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement for 
employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel YESTERDAYS DREAM;
  S. 1480, authorizing funds for fiscal year 1998 through 2000 for the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct research, 
monitoring, education and management activities for the eradication and 
control of harmful algal blooms, including blooms of Pfiesteria 
piscicida and other aquatic toxins, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute; and
  H.R. 3824, amending the Fastener Quality Act to exempt from its 
coverage certain fasteners approved by the Federal Aviation 
Administration for use in aircraft, with an amendment.
  Also, committee began markup of proposed legislation authorizing 
funds for the Federal Aviation Administration, S. 268, to promote air 
safety and restore or preserve natural quiet in national parks by 
establishing minimum flight altitudes and prohibiting overflights below 
such minimum altitudes in any national park, and S. 1353, to amend 
title 49, United States Code, to provide assistance and slots with 
respect to air carrier service between high density airports and 
airports that do not receive sufficient air service, and to improve jet 
aircraft service to underserved markets, but did not complete action 
thereon, and will meet again on Tuesday, July 14, 1998.
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE/NATIONAL PARKS/HAWAII LAND ACQUISITION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation concluded hearings on S. 
2232, to establish the Little Rock Central High School National 
Historic Site in the State of Arkansas, S. 2106 and H.R. 2283, bills to 
expand the boundaries of Arches National Park, Utah, to include 
portions of certain drainages that are under the jurisdiction of the 
Bureau of Land Management, and to include a portion of Fish Seep Draw 
currently owned by the State of Utah, S. 2129, to eliminate 
restrictions on the acquisition of certain land contiguous to Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park, and S. 1333, to amend the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to allow national park units that cannot 
charge an entrance or admission fee to retain other fees and charges, 
after receiving testimony from William Shaddox, Acting Associate 
Director for Professional Services, National Park Service, Department 
of the Interior; Everett Tucker, III, Central High Museum, Inc., Little 
Rock, Arkansas; Ernest Green, Lehman Brothers, Washington, D.C.; and 
Tom Robinson, Grand Canyon Trust, Flagstaff, Arizona.
ESTUARY CONSERVATION/COASTAL POLLUTION REDUCTION
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded hearings 
on S. 1222, to catalyze restoration of estuary habitat through more 
efficient financing of projects and enhanced coordination of Federal 
and non-Federal restoration programs, S. 1321, to authorize funds to 
permit grants for the national estuary program to be used for the 
development and implementation of a comprehensive conservation and 
management plan, and H.R. 2207, to require the owner or operator of the 
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, publicly owned treatment works, in order to be 
eligible to apply for a waiver of secondary treatment requirements, to 
transmit to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
the results of a study of the marine environment of coastal areas in 
the Mayaguez area to determine the feasibility of constructing a deep 
ocean outfall for the treatment works, and to authorize funds through 
fiscal year 1998 for the National Estuary Program, after receiving 
testimony from Senators Faircloth, Breaux, and Torricelli; Robert H. 
Wayland, III, Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, 
Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency; Michael L. Davis, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; H. Curtis 
Spalding, Save the Bay, Providence, Rhode Island; JoAnn M. Burkholder, 
North Carolina State University, Raleigh; J. Walter Milon, University 
of Florida, Gainesville; Ted Morton, American Oceans Campaign, 
Washington, D.C.; Xavier Romeu, Puerto Rico Federal Affairs 
Administration, San Juan; and

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Juan C. Martinez-Cruzado, Mayaguezanos for Health and Environment, 
Inc., Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
U.S.-CHINA TRADE RELATIONS
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine the 
Administration's proposed renewal of normal trade relations with China, 
receiving testimony from Madeleine K. Albright, Secretary of State; 
Charlene Barshefsky, United States Trade Representative; Zbigniew 
Brzezinski, Center for Strategic and International Studies, former 
National Security Advisor, Brent Scowcroft, Scowcroft Group, on behalf 
of the Forum for International Policy, former National Security 
Advisor, and Mike Jendrzejczyk, Human Rights Watch, all of Washington, 
D.C.; Ernest S. Micek, Cargill, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minnesota; 
Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Appeal of Conscience Foundation, New York, New 
York; Frederick W. Smith, FDX Corporation, Memphis, Tennessee; and 
Warren W. Smith, Alexandria, Virginia.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
SAFETY OF FOOD IMPORTS
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations resumed hearings to examine the adequacy of procedures 
and systems used by the Department of Agriculture Food Safety and 
Inspection Service and the Department of Health and Human Services Food 
and Drug Administration to oversee the safety of food imported into the 
United States, focusing on the outbreak of Cyclospora associated with 
fresh raspberries imported into the United States from Central America, 
receiving testimony from Stephen M. Ostroff, Associate Director for 
Epidemiologic Science, and Barbara L. Herwaldt, Medical Officer, 
Division of Parasitic Diseases, both of the National Center for 
Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
Department of Health and Human Services; Stephanie A. Smith, 
Investigator, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on 
Governmental Affairs; and Jeffrey A. Foran, International Life Science 
Institute, Washington, D.C.
  Hearings were recessed subject to call.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 512, to amend chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, relating 
to identity fraud, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  S. 2143, to amend chapter 45 of title 28, United States Code, to 
authorize the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice to accept 
voluntary services, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
  Also, committee began consideration of S. 1645, to amend title 18, 
United States Code, to prohibit taking minors across State lines to 
avoid laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions, 
and the nomination of Kim McLean Wardlaw, of California, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, but did not complete action 
thereon, and will meet again on Thursday, July 16.
NOMINATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nomination of Beth Nolan, of New York, to be Assistant Attorney General 
for the Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice, after the 
nominee, who was introduced by Senator Moynihan and District of 
Columbia Delegate Norton, testified and answered questions in her own 
behalf.