[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 130 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1046-D1047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL HYDROELECTRIC RELICENSING PROCESS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing 
on the Federal Hydroelectric Relicensing Process. Testimony was heard 
from Senator Craig; Douglas Smith, General Counsel, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy; John Leshy, Solicitor, 
Department of the Interior; Robert Joslin, Deputy Chief, National 
Forest Service, Forest Service, USDA; Terry Garcia, Assistant 
Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA, Department of Commerce; and 
public witnesses.
WELFARE REFORM LAW--IMPLEMENTATION OF ABSTINENCE EDUCATION PROVISIONS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Implementation

[[Page D1047]]

of the Abstinence Education Provisions of the Welfare Reform Law. 
Testimony was heard from Peter Van Dyck, M.D., Acting Associate 
Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Department of Health and 
Human Services; Claude Allen, Secretary, Department of Health and Human 
Services, State of Virginia; and public witnesses.
AMERICAN WORKER PROJECT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on American Worker Project: Retailers and 
Manufacturers Concerning the Garment Industry. Testimony was heard from 
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Chairwoman, Standing Committee on Labor, 
State of New York; and Larry Martin, President, American Apparel 
Manufacturers Association.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Information, and Technology began consideration 
of the following bills: H.R. 4620, the Statistical Consolidation Act of 
1998; H.R. 2635, Human Rights Information Act; H.R. 3032, Construction 
Subcontractors Payment Protection Enhancement Act of 1998; and H.R. 
4614, to provide for the conveyance of Federal land in New Castle, New 
Hampshire, to the Town of New Castle, New Hampshire, and to require the 
release of certain restrictions with respect to land in such town.
  Will continue September 28.
VA OVERSIGHT
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Subcommittee on Human 
Resources held a hearing on VA Oversight: The Impact of Restructuring 
on Health Care Quality. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Thomas Garthwaite, 
M.D., Deputy Under Secretary, Health; Denis FitzGerald, M.D., Network 
Director, VISN-1; Bruce Woolette, D.D.S., Department of Dentistry and 
Jack Bachman, Department of Neurology, both with the Togus, Maine, VA 
Medical Center; and public witnesses.
INDEPENDENT COUNSEL COMMUNICATION--REDACTION OF AND WITHHOLDING OF 
CERTAIN DOCUMENTS, RECORDS, AND MATERIALS
Committee on the Judiciary: Met in executive session and agreed to the 
redaction of and the withholding of certain documents, records, and 
materials received from the Independent Counsel, which would otherwise 
be required to be released on September 28, 1998.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved for full Committee action the following 
measures: S.J. Res. 51, granting the consent of Congress to the Potomac 
Highlands Airport Authority Compact entered into between the States of 
Maryland and West Virginia; and H.R. 4572, to clarify that governmental 
pension plans of the possessions of the United States shall be treated 
in the same manner as State pension plans for purposes of the 
limitation on the State income taxation of pension income.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on S.J. Res. 
5l. Testimony was heard from Senator Sarbanes; Representative Bartlett 
of Maryland; and a public witness.
READINESS REALITIES
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Readiness, 
Subcommittee on Installations and Facilities, and the Subcommittee on 
Military Personnel held a joint hearing on readiness realities. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Vice Adm. Herbert A. Browne, Jr., II, USN, Commander, 3rd 
Fleet, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Gen. Richard E. Hawley, USAF, Commander, Air 
Combat Command; and Lt. Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, Commander, Marine Corps 
Forces Atlantic, Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, 
Marine Expeditionary Force; and Gen. David A. Bramlette, (USA, Ret.), 
former Commander, U.S. Army Forces Command.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS TO CHINA
Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial 
Concerns with the People's Republic of China: Met in executive session 
to continue to receive briefings.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--ENERGY AND WATER
  Conferees on Thursday, September 24, agreed to file a conference 
report on the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions 
of H.R. 4060, making appropriations for energy and water development 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999.