[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D126-D128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; REVIEW LIVESTOCK PRICES; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
17, Selective Agricultural Embargoes Act of 1999; and H.R. 609, to 
amend the Export Apple and Pear Act to limit the applicability of the 
Act to apples.
  The Committee also held a hearing to review livestock prices. 
Testimony was heard from Keith Collins, Chief Economist, USDA; and 
public witnesses.
  Prior to those actions, the Committee met for organizational purposes 
and approved the Committee's Oversight Plan for the 106th Congress.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies began 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Dan Glickman, 
Secretary of Agriculture.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold hearings on European Command and U.S. Central Command. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Gen. Wesley K. Clark, USA, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. European 
Command; and Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, USMC, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. 
Central Command.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the Forest Service. Testimony was heard from Ronald E. Stewart, Deputy 
Chief, Programs and Legislation, Forest Service, USDA; and Barry T. 
Hill, Associate Director, Energy, Resources, and Science Issues, 
Resources Community and Economic Development Division, GAO.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education began

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appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Donna Shalala, 
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  The Subcommittee held a hearing on the Health Care Financing 
Administration. Testimony was heard from and the following officials of 
the Department of Health and Human Services: Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, 
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration; and Dennis P. 
Williams, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative began 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress 
and public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee held a hearing on the Library of Congress and CBO. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Library of 
Congress: James H. Billington, Librarian; and Donald L. Scott, Deputy 
Librarian; and the following officials of the CBO: Dan L. Crippen, 
Director; and Barry B. Anderson, Deputy Director.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation began 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress 
and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Began hearings on H.R. 10, 
Financial Services Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing 
on H.R. 45, Nuclear Waste Policy Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Gibbons and Berkley; Lake H. Barrett, Acting Director, 
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Department of Energy; 
Jared Cohon, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board; 
Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman, NRC; Robert Perciasepe, Assistant 
Administrator, Air and Radiation, EPA; Stuart E. Schiffer, Deputy 
Assistant Attorney General, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil 
Division, Department of Justice; Kenny Guinn, Governor, State of 
Nevada; Kevin Phillips, Mayor, Caliente, Nevada; and public witnesses.
INTERNET POSTING--CHEMICAL WORST-CASE SCENARIOS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment and the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing on 
Internet Posting of Chemical ``Worst-Case'' Scenarios: A Roadmap for 
Terrorists? Testimony was heard from Robert M. Burnham, Section Chief, 
Domestic Terrorism, National Security Division, FBI, Department of 
Justice; Tim Fields, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid 
Waste and Emergency Response, EPA; Brett Burdick, Environmental 
Programs Manager, Department of Emergency Services, State of Virginia; 
and public witnesses.
WIRELESS PRIVACY ENHANCEMENT ACT; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC 
SAFETY ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 514, Wireless Privacy Enhancement Act of 1999; and H.R. 
438, amended, Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE; COMMITTEE FUNDING; COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported H.R. 221, to 
amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to permit certain youth to 
perform certain work with wood products.
  The Committee also approved the Committee Budget request for the 
106th Congress; and the Oversight Plan for the 106th Congress.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS--WASTE AND FRAUD
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on Waste and Fraud in 
Federal Government Programs. Testimony was heard from June Gibbs Brown, 
Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; Susan 
Gaffney, Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development; Roger C. Viadero, Inspector General, USDA; and David 
Walker, Comptroller General, GAO.
BUDGET REQUEST; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on House Administration: Approved the 106th Committee Budget 
Request and considered other pending Committee business.
KOSOVO--U.S. ROLE
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on U.S. Role in 
Kosovo. Testimony was heard from Thomas R. Pickering, Under Secretary, 
Political Affairs, Department of State; and Walter B. Slocombe, Under 
Secretary, Policy, Department of Defense.
U.S.-ASIA POLICY CHALLENGES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Challenges in U.S.-Asia Policy. Testimony was 
heard from Stanley

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Roth, Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department 
of State; and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL NEEDS OF AIRPORTS, FAA AND AVIATION SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation continued hearings on the financial needs of airports, the 
FAA, and the aviation system, with emphasis on the economic impact of 
airports and airport improvements on the community and the economy. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Ford; Gerald L. Dillingham, 
Associate Director, Transportation Issues, Resources, Community, and 
Economic Development Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and 
Pipeline Transportation held a hearing on reauthorizing the Hazardous 
Materials Transportation Program. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Pascrell; Kelley Coyner, Administrator, Research and 
Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation; Chief 
Jim Fife, Chairman, Fire Commission, State of West Virginia; Larry 
Wort, Chief, Bureau of Safety Programs, Division of Traffic Safety, 
Department of Transportation, State of Illinois; and public witnesses.
AGENCY BUDGETS; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Agency Budgets and 
Priorities for fiscal year 2000. Testimony was heard from Joseph W. 
Westphal, Assistant Secretary, Army, (Civil Works), Department of 
Defense; the following officials of the EPA: J. Charles Fox, Assistant 
Administrator, Water; and Timothy Fields, Jr., Acting Assistant 
Administrator, Solid Waste and Emergency Response; the following 
officials of the TVA: Kate J. Jackson, Executive Vice President, 
Resource Group; and David N. Smith, Chief Financial Officer; Albert S. 
Jacquez, Administrator, St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation; 
Danny Sells, Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
USDA; and Nancy Foster, Assistant Administrator, Ocean Services and 
Coastal Management, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
  Prior to the hearing, the Subcommittee met for organizational 
purposes.
SSI FRAUD PREVENTION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 545, SSI Fraud Prevention Act of 1999.
ANNUAL REPORT--IRS NATIONAL TAXPAYER ADVOCATE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on the Annual Report of the Internal Revenue Service National Taxpayer 
Advocate. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the IRS, 
Department of the Treasury: Charles O. Rossotti, Commissioner; and W. 
Val Oveson, National Taxpayer Advocate; and Cornelia Ashby, Associate 
Director, Tax Policy and Administration Issues, General Government 
Division, GAO.
IMPACTS OF CURRENT SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings on the impacts of the current social security system. 
Testimony was heard from Cynthia Fagnoni, Director, Income Security 
Issues, Health, Education and Human Services Division, GAO; and public 
witnesses.