[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1133-D1135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
U.S. TRADE ISSUES WITH CANADA
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities held 
a hearing on current U.S. trade issues with Canada. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Hill; and public witnesses.
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION--REVIEW BUDGET--ANNUAL PERFORMANCE 
PLAN
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management and Specialty 
Crops held a hearing on Review of the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission's FY 2000 Budget and Annual Performance Plan. Testimony was 
heard from Brooksley Born, Chairperson, Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission; and Richard J. Hillman, Acting Associate Director, 
Financial Institutions and Markets Issues, General Government Division, 
GAO.
WILL JUMBO EURO NOTES THREATEN THE GREENBACK?
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic 
and International Monetary Policy held a hearing on Will Jumbo Euro 
Notes Threaten the Greenback? Testimony was heard from Theodore E. 
Allison, Assistant to the Board, System Affairs, Board of Governors, 
Federal Reserve System; and Gary Gensler, Assistant Secretary, 
Financial Markets, Department of the Treasury.
SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AMENDMENTS IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on the Implementation of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act 
Amendments. Testimony was heard from the following officials of EPA: J. 
Charles Fox, Acting Assistant Administrator, Water; and Cynthia C. 
Dougherty, Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water; and 
public witnesses.

[[Page D1134]]


DOE'S HANFORD RADIOACTIVE TANK WASTE PRIVATIZATION CONTRACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on A Review of the Department of Energy's Hanford 
Radioactive Tank Waste Privatization Contract. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Hastings of Washington; Gary L. Jones, Associate 
Director, Energy, Resources and Science Issues, Resources, Community 
and Economic Development Division, GAO; the following officials of the 
Department of Energy: Ernest J. Moniz, Under Secretary; James M. 
Owendoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environmental Restoration; John 
Wagoner, Manager, Richland Operations Office; and Walter S. Howes, 
Director, Contract Reform and Privatization; and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION--YEAR 2000 PROBLEM
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the Year 2000 Problem at the 
Department of Education, Part II. Testimony was heard from Joel 
Willemssen, Director, Information Resources Management, Accounting and 
Information Management Division, GAO; and Marshall S. Smith, Acting 
Deputy Secretary, Department of Education; and the following officials 
of the Corporation for National and Community Service: Wendy Zenker, 
Chief Operating Officer; and William Anderson, Assistant Inspector 
General, Audit.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES AND REPORTS
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Ordered reported amended 
the following bills: H.R. 4523, Lorton Technical Corrections Act of 
1998; and H.R. 4566, District of Columbia Courts and Justice Technical 
Corrections Act of 1998.
  The Committee also approved the following draft reports entitled: 
``Hepatitis C: Silent Epidemic, Mute Public Health Response;'' 
``Medicare Home Health Services: No Surety in the Fight Against Fraud 
and Waste;'' ``The Year 2000 Problem;'' and ``Campaign Fundraising 
Improprieties and Other Possible Violations of Law.''
  The Committee also approved the release of Depositions and 
Interrogatories.
ASSESSING ADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN POLICY
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Assessing the 
Administration's Foreign Policy: The Record After Six Years. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MODERNIZATION
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
and the Subcommittee on Military Research and Development held a joint 
hearing on Department of Defense modernization. Testimony was heard 
from Jacques S. Gansler, Under Secretary, Acquisition and Technology, 
Department of Defense; Richard Davis, Director, National Security 
Analysis, National Security and International Affairs Division, GAO; 
and public witnesses.
NAVY SHIP DONATION PROCEDURES
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Procurement 
held a hearing on Navy ship donation procedures. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Andrews; Michael C. Hammes, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary (Research, Development and Acquisition), Department of the 
Navy; Joseph Azzolina, Assemblyman, State of New Jersey; and a public 
witness.
CONFERENCE REPORT--BANKRUPTCY REFORM ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 3150, 
Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1998, and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Gekas, Nadler, and Jackson-
Lee.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 7 to 2, a rule providing for 
the further consideration of H.R. 4274, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, 
pursuant to H. Res. 564. The rule provides 1 hour of debate. The rule 
makes in order, before consideration of any other amendments, the 
amendments numbered 2 and 3 that were printed in the Rules Committee 
report (105-762) that accompanied H. Res. 564.
FASTENER QUALITY ACT: NEEDED OR OUTDATED?
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on the 
Fastener Quality Act: Needed or Outdated? Testimony was heard from 
Representative Manzullo; Raymond Kammer, Director, National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.

[[Page D1135]]



Joint Meetings
HUMAN SERVICES/HEAD START AUTHORIZATION
  Conferees on Tuesday, October 6, agreed to file a conference report 
on the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of S. 
2206, to amend the Head Start Act, the Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act of 1981, and the Community Services Block Grant Act to 
reauthorize and make improvements to those Acts, and to establish 
demonstration projects that provide an opportunity for persons with 
limited means to accumulate assets.
APPROPRIATIONS--TREASURY/POSTAL SERVICES
  Conferees on Wednesday, October 7, agreed to file a further 
conference report on the differences between the Senate- and House-
passed versions of H.R. 4104, making appropriations for the Treasury 
Department, the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of 
the President, and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1999.
BANKRUPTCY REFORM
  Conferees on Wednesday, October 7, agreed to file a conference report 
on the differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of 
H.R. 3150, to amend title 11 of the United States Code.
DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT
  Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 2281, to amend 
title 17, United States Code, to implement the World Intellectual 
Property Organization Copyright Treaty and Performances and Phonograms 
Treaty.
CARL D. PERKINS VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENTS
  Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate- and House-passed versions of H.R. 1853, to amend 
the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act.