[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 25 (Thursday, February 11, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D134-D137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRIBUSINESS CONSOLIDATION
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review agribusiness 
consolidation. Testimony was heard from Mark Drabenstott, Vice 
President and Director, Center for the Study of Rural America, Federal 
Reserve Bank, Kansas City, Missouri; and public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Inspector General. Testimony was heard from Roger C. 
Viadero, Inspector General, USDA,
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on Export and Trade 
Financing Agencies. Testimony was heard from James A. Harmon,

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President and Chairman, Export-Import Bank; George Munoz, President and 
CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, U.S. International 
Development Cooperation Agency; and J. Joseph Grandmaison, Director, 
Trade and Development Agency.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Energy Conservation. Testimony was heard from Dan Reicher, Assistant 
Secretary, Energy, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy; and Susan Kladiva, Associate Director, Energy, Resources, and 
Science Issues, GAO.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials from the Department of 
Health and Human Services: Jeffrey P. Kopanda, M.D., Director, Center 
for Disease Control; Nelba Chavez, Administrator, Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration; and John M. Eissenberg, M.D., 
Administrator, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND COUNTERMEASURE DEVICES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Procurement held 
a hearing on protection equipment and countermeasure devices. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Lt. Gen. Paul J. Kern, USA, Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, 
(Research, Development, and Acquisition); Patrick Neary, Senior 
Executive Analyst, Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, both with the 
U.S. Army; Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations, (Resources, Warfare Requirements, and Assessments); Rear 
Adm. Lowell E. Jacoby, Director, Naval Intelligence; and Lt. Jack Daly, 
Amphibious Group Three, all with the U.S. Navy; Lt. Gen. John E. 
Rhodes, USMC, Commander, Combat Development Command; Michael Decker, 
Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, (Intelligence), both with the U.S. 
Marine Corps; and Lt. Gen. Gregory S. Martin, USAF, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, (Aquisition); and Maj. Gen. Richard R. Paul, USAF, 
Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory Command, Air Force Material 
Command, both with the U.S. Air Force.
FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Continued hearings on H.R. 
10, Financial Services Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from Alan 
Greenspan, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; and public 
witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; COMMITTEE BUDGET; COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 5l4, 
Wireless Privacy Enhancement Act of 1999; and H.R. 438, amended, 
Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.
  The Committee also approved the following: Budget for the 106th 
Congress and Oversight Plan for the 106th Congress.
NURSING HOME RESIDENT PROTECTION AMENDMENTS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on H.R. 540, Nursing Home Resident Protection Amendments of 
1999. Testimony was heard from Representative Davis of Florida; Mike 
Hash, Deputy Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, 
Department of Health and Humans Services; and public witnesses.
ADMINISTRATION'S EDUCATION PROPOSALS AND PRIORITIES FISCAL YEAR 2000
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on the 
Administration's Education Proposals and Priorities for fiscal year 
2000. Testimony was heard from Richard Riley, Secretary of Education.
2000 CENSUS OVERSIGHT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Census held a hearing 
on Oversight of the 2000 Census: Examining the Benefits of Post-Census 
Local Review. Testimony was heard from Representatives Petri and 
Sawyer; Everett Ehrlich, member, U.S. Census Monitoring Board; Kenneth 
Blackwell, Secretary of State, State of Ohio; Timothy M. Kaine, Mayor, 
Richmond, State of Virginia; and public witnesses.
POSTAL MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Postal Service held a 
hearing on H.R. 22, Postal Modernization Act of 1999. Testimony was 
heard from William J. Henderson, Postmaster General and CEO, U.S. 
Postal Service; the following officials of the Postal Rate Commission: 
Edward J. Gleiman, Chairman; W.H. LeBlanc III, Vice Chairman; George A. 
Omas, Ruth Y. Goldway and Dana B. Covington, all Commissioners; and 
public witnesses.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported the following 
bills: H.R. 434, amended, African Growth and Opportunity Act; and H.R. 
669, Peace Corps Expansion Act.
  The Committee also approved its Oversight Plan for the 106th 
Congress.
AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on H.R. 434, African Growth and Opportunity Act. Testimony was 
heard from Susan Rice, Assistant Secretary, African Affairs, Department 
of State.
NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 39, Neotropical Migratory 
Bird Conservation Act. Testimony was heard from John Rogers, Deputy 
Director, Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department 
of the Interior; Robert McDowell, Director, Division of Fish, Game and 
Wildlife, Department of Environment Protection and Energy, State of New 
Jersey; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--GETTYSBURG VISITOR CENTER
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held an oversight hearing on Gettysburg general management plan and 
visitor center. Testimony was heard from Denis P. Galvin, Deputy 
Director, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
BUDGET REQUEST--SCIENCES AT NASA
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Request: The Sciences at NASA. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of NASA: Edward 
Weiler, Associate Administrator, Space Science; Ghassem Asrar, 
Associate Administrator, Earth Science; and Arnauld Nicogossian, 
Associate Administrator, Life and Microgravity Sciences and 
Applications; and Claude Canizares, Chairman, Space Studies Board, 
National Research Council.
BUDGET REQUEST--TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing to 
review the Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Request for the Technology 
Administration. Testimony was heard from the following officials from 
the Department of Commerce: Gary Bachula, Acting Under Secretary, 
Technology; Raymond Kammer, Director, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology; and Johnnie E. Frazier, Inspector General.
SBA'S WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing to review the SBA's Women's 
Business Center Program. Testimony was heard from Betsy Myers, 
Associate Deputy Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development, 
SBA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLANS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 92, to designate the Federal building and United 
States courthouse located at 251 North Main Street in Winston Salem, 
North Carolina, as the ``Hiram H. Ward Federal Building and United 
States Courthouse''; H.R. 158, to designate the Federal Courthouse 
located at 316 North 26th Street in Billings, Montana, as the ``James 
F. Battin Federal Courthouse''; H.R. 233, to designate the Federal 
building located at 700 East San Antonio Street in El Paso, Texas, as 
the ``Richard C. White Federal Building''; H.R. 396, to designate the 
Federal building located at 1301 Clay Street in Oakland, California, as 
the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building''; H.R. 603, to amend title 
38, United States Code, to clarify the application of the Act popularly 
known as the ``Death on the High Seas Act''; and H.R. 661, to direct 
the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit the commercial operation of 
supersonic transport category aircraft that do not comply with stage 3 
noise levels in the European Union adopts certain aircraft noise 
regulations.
  The Committee also approved the following: further Committee 
organization and the Oversight Plan for the 106th Congress.
FINANCIAL NEEDS OF AIRPORTS, FAA AND AVIATION SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation concluded hearings on the financial needs of airports, the 
FAA, and the aviation system, focusing on the benefits to passengers 
and private pilots from increased funding for airport improvements and 
air traffic control modernization. Testimony was heard from Jane F. 
Garvey, Administrator, FAA, Department of Transportation; Fred Vogt, 
Director, Aeronautics Division, Department of Transportation, State of 
Tennessee; and public witnesses.

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COAST GUARD AND FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION BUDGETS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on the Coast Guard and 
Federal Maritime Commission fiscal year 2000 Budgets. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department 
of Transportation: Adm. James M. Loy, USCG, Commandant; and Master 
Chief Petty Officer Vincent Patton, III; Edward P. Walsh, Managing 
Director, Federal Maritime Commission; and John H. Anderson, Jr., Issue 
Area Director, Transportation Issues, GAO.
CAPITOL COMPLEX--FIRE SAFETY ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and 
Pipeline Transportation held a hearing on fire safety issues within the 
Capitol Complex. Testimony was heard from John W. Lainhart, Inspector 
General, U.S. House of Representatives; Herb Franklin, Executive 
Assistant, Architect of the Capitol; and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--OFFICE OF MOTOR CARRIERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Ground 
Transportation held a hearing on oversight of the Office of Motor 
Carriers: Part One. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Transportation: Jack Basso, Assistant Secretary, 
Budget and Programs, Chief Financial Officer; Kenneth R. Wykle, 
Administrator, and Julie Anna Cirillo, Program Manager, Motor Carrier 
and Highway Safety, both with the Federal Highway Administration.
VA BUDGET
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2000 
Budget of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from 
Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and representatives 
of veterans organizations.
FEDERAL RETIREMENT COVERAGE CORRECTIONS ACT; SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM 
LESSONS LEARNED; COMMITTEE BUDGET AND OVERSIGHT PLANS
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported H.R. 416, Federal 
Retirement Coverage Corrections Act.
  The Committee also hold a hearing on social security reform lessons 
learned in other countries. Testimony was heard from Dan Crippen, 
Director, CBO; James Roosevelt, Associate Commissioner, Retirement 
Policy, SSA; and public witnesses.
  The Committee approved the following: Committee Budget; and Oversight 
Plans for the 106th Congress.
MEDICARE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT; COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Management of the Medicare Program. Testimony was heard from Nancy-Ann 
Min DeParle, Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, 
Department of Health and Human Services; William J. Scanlon, Director, 
Health Financing and Public Health Issues, Health, Education, and Human 
Services Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
  Prior to the hearing, the Subcommittee met for organizational 
purposes.
FIGHTING FOREIGN PROTECTIONISM--IMPORTANCE OF TRADE NEGOTIATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the Importance of Trade Negotiations in Fighting Foreign Protectionism. 
Testimony was heard from Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade 
Representative.
COUNTERNARCOTICS BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on counternarcotics. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.