[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 100 (Thursday, July 23, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D828-D831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AMERICAN HOMEOWNERSHIP ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing 
and Community Opportunity held a hearing on H.R. 3899, American 
Homeownership Act of 1998. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FEDERAL WORKPLACE DRUG-TESTING PROGRAMS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services' Policy 
for Federal Workplace Drug-Testing Programs. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: 
Joseph Autry, M.D., Director, Division of Workplace Programs, Center 
for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration; Edward J. Cone, M.D., Acting Chief, Clinical 
Pharmacology Branch, Intramural Research Programs, National Institute 
on Drug Abuse, NIH; and Donald Bruce Burlington, M.D., Director, Center 
for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 4237, amended, to amend the District of Columbia 
Convention Center and Sports Arena Authorization Act of 1995 to revise 
the revenues and activities covered under such Act; H.R. 2508, amended, 
to provide for the conveyance of Federal land in San Joaquin County, 
CA,

[[Page D829]]

to the city of Tracy, CA; H.R. 4243, amended, to reduce waste, fraud, 
and error in Government programs by making improvements with respect to 
Federal management and debt collection practices, Federal payment 
systems, and Federal benefit programs; H.R. 4244, amended, Federal 
Procurement System Performance Measurement and Acquisition Workforce 
Training Act of 1998; H.R. 3725, amended, Postal Service Health and 
Safety Promotion Act; H.R. 2526, to amend title 5, United States Code, 
to make the percentage limitations on individual contributions to the 
Thrift Savings Plan more consistent with the dollar amount limitation 
on elective deferrals; H.R. 2566, amended, Civil Service Retirement 
System Actuarial Redeposit Act of 1997; H.R. 2943, to amend title 5, 
United States Code, to increase the amount of leave time available to a 
Federal employee in any year in connection with serving as an organ 
donor; H.R. 4259, Haskell Indians Nations University and Southwestern 
Indian Polytechnic Institute Administrative Systems Act of 1998; H.R. 
4280, amended, to provide for greater access to child care services for 
Federal employees; H.R. 2623, to designate the United States Post 
Office located at 16250 Highway 603 in Kiln, Mississippi, as the ``Ray 
J. Favre Post Office Building''; H.R. 3167, to designate the United 
States Post Office located at 297 Larkfield Road in East Northport, New 
York, as the ``Jerome Anthony Ambro, Jr. Post Office Building''; H.R. 
4052, to establish designations for United States Postal Service 
buildings located in Coconut Grove, Opa Locka, Carol City, and Miami, 
Florida; H.R. 3810, to designate the United States Post Office located 
at 202 Center Street in Garwood, New Jersey, as the ``James T. Leonard, 
Sr. Post Office''; H.R. 3939, to designate the United States Postal 
Service building located at 658 63rd Street, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, as the ``Edgar C. Campbell, Sr., Post Office Building''; 
H.R. 3999, to designate the United States Postal Service building 
located at 5209 Greene Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the 
``David P. Richardson, Jr., Post Office Building''; H.R. 4000, amended, 
to designate the United States Postal Service building located at 400 
Edgmont Avenue, Chester, Pennsylvania, as the ``Thomas P. Foglietta 
Post Office Building''; H.R. 4001, to designate the United States 
Postal Service building located at 2601 North 16th Street, 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the ``Roxanne H. Jones Post Office 
Building''; H.R. 4002, to designate the United States Postal Service 
building located at 5300 West Jefferson Street, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, as the ``Freeman Hankins Post Office Building''; and H.R. 
4003, to designate the United States Postal Service building located at 
2037 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the ``Max Weiner 
Post Office Building''.
  The Committee also approved the following draft report entitled: 
``Making the Federal Government Accountable: Enforcing the Mandate for 
Effective Financial Management''.
EXPECTANT MOTHERS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on National 
Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice held a hearing on 
Expectant Mothers and Substance Abuse: Intervention and Treatment 
Challenges for State Governments. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Latham; the following officials of the State of South 
Carolina: Charles Condon, Attorney General; and Catherine 
Christophillis, Director, Drug Prosecution; Joanne Huelsman, Senator, 
State of Wisconsin; and public witnesses.
KOSOVO--CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE OPTIONS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Kosovo--Current 
Situation and Future Options. Testimony was heard from Ambassador 
Robert Gelbard, Special Representative of the President and the 
Secretary of State for Implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords, 
Department of State; and Walter Slocombe, Under Secretary, Policy, 
Department of Defense.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 4049, 
Regulatory Fair Warning Act of 1998; and H.R. 4096, Taxpayer's Defense 
Act. Testimony was heard from Joseph N. Onek, Principal Deputy 
Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice; Christopher McLean, 
Deputy Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held an oversight hearing on the United States Copyright 
Office. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Copyright Office of the United States, Library of Congress: Marybeth 
Peters, Register of Copyrights; and Shira Perlmutter, Associate 
Register, Policy and International Affairs.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE; PRIVATE IMMIGRATION BILLS; OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims 
approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 3843, to grant a 
Federal charter to the American GI Forum of the United States.
  The Subcommittee approved private immigration bills.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing on Alternative 
Technologies for Implementation of Section 110 of the Illegal 
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1997 at Land 
Borders. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Hrinyak, Deputy Assistant 
Commissioner, Inspections, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
Department of Justice; Joseph O'Gorman, National Team Leader, Land 
Border Passenger Processing, U.S. Customs Service, Department of the 
Treasury; and public witnesses.
PATIENT PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule on 
H.R. 4250, Patient Protection Act of 1998, providing for one hour of 
debate, equally divided between Representative Hastert and an opponent. 
The rule provides that the amendments printed in the Rules committee 
report shall be considered as adopted. The rule provides for the 
consideration of an amendment printed in the Congressional Record and 
numbered 2. The amendment shall be considered as read, and shall be 
debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
and an opponent. All points of order against the amendment are waived. 
Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Bliley, Stearns, 
Bilbray, Ganske, Coburn, Lazio, Goodling, Graham, Paul, Ramstad, 
Johnson of Connecticut, Scarborough, Shadegg, Hastert, Brady of Texas, 
Thomas, Dingell, Pallone, Eshoo, Strickland, Clay, McDermott, Kleczka, 
Evans, and Berry.
NSF'S SYSTEMIC INITIATIVES
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Basic Research held an oversight 
hearing on the National Science Foundation's Systemic Initiatives: Are 
SSIs The Best Way to Improve K-12 Math and Science Education? Testimony 
was heard from Daryl E. Chubin, Director, Division of Research, 
Evaluation, and Communications, Directorate for Education and Human 
Resources, NSF; Thomas Baird, Area Cities for Educational Enhancement, 
Department of Education, State of Florida; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; RESOLUTIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 3482, to designate the Federal building located 
at 11000 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the 
``Abraham Lincoln Federal Building; H.R. 3598, to designate the Federal 
building located at 700 East San Antonio Street in El Paso, Texas, as 
the ``Richard C. White Federal Building''; S. 2032, amended, to 
designate the Federal building in Juneau, Alaska, as the ``Hurff A. 
Saunders Federal Building''; H.R. 4275, amended, Economic Development 
Partnership Act of 1998; and H.R. 4268, amended, National Parks Air 
Tour Management Act of 1998.
  The Committee also approved the following resolutions: 12 Corps of 
Engineers Survey; and 14 Public Buildings.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
to review the implementation of section 1706 of title 38, United States 
Code, which provides for the specialized treatment and rehabilitative 
needs of disabled veterans. Testimony was heard from Stephen P. 
Backhus, Director, Veterans' Affairs and Military Health Care Issues, 
Health, Education, and Human Services Division, GAO; the following 
officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Thomas H. Miller, 
Chairman, Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special Disabilities 
Programs; Thomas L. Garthwaite, M.D., Deputy Under Secretary, Health; 
Denis J. Fitzgerald, M.D., Director, VISN 1 and Leroy P. Gross, M.D., 
Director, VISN 6, both with the Veterans Integrated Services Network; 
representatives of veterans organizations; and a public witness.
SSA--LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings to examine labor-management relations at the SSA. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the SSA: John Reusing, Claims 
Authorizer, Division of International Operations; Jim Beckstrom, 
Computer Specialist, Office of Systems; Jim Schampers, District 
Manager, Waco, Texas; and Edwin M. Hardesty, District Manager, Tulsa, 
Oklahoma.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session 
and ordered reported amended H.R. 3829, Intelligence Community 
Whistleblower Protection Act of 1998.

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CIA--WHISTLEBLOWER REGULATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on CIA's new Whistleblower Regulation. The Committee 
was briefed by departmental witnesses.
DENIAL AND DECEPTION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Denial and Deception. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
IMF STRUCTURE
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
financial condition of the International Monetary Fund, after receiving 
testimony from Harold J. Johnson, Jr., Associate Director of 
International Relations and Trade Issues, General Accounting Office.
APPROPRIATIONS--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 4059, making 
appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base 
realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 1999.