[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 30 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D178-D182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Agriculture: Approved the Committee Budget Views and 
Estimates for Fiscal Year 2000 for submission to the Committee on the 
Budget.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on the U.S. Southern Command. Testimony was 
heard from Gen. Charles Wilhelm, USMC, Commander-in-Chief, Southern 
Command, Department of Defense.

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LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the National Human Genome 
Research Institute, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial 
Research, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institute of 
Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of General 
Medical Sciences, and the Fogarty International Center. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the NIH, Department of Health and 
Human Services: Harold Varmus, M.D., Director; Francis S. Collins, 
M.D., Director, National Human Genome Research Institute; Donald A. B. 
Lindberg, M.D., Director, National Library of Medicine; Marvin Cassman, 
M.D., Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences; and 
Gerald T. Keusch, M.D., Director, Fogarty International Center.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Testimony was heard from 
John J. Hamre, Deputy Secretary, Department of Defense.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the Neighbor Reinvestment Corporation, the 
National Credit Union Administration and the Community Development 
Financial Institute. Testimony was heard from George Knight, Executive 
Director, National Reinvestment Corporation; Norman E. D'Amours, 
Chairman, National Credit Union Administration; and Ellen W. Lazar, 
Director, Community Development Financial Institutions, Department of 
the Treasury.
NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE DEPLOYMENT
Committee on Armed Services: Ordered reported H.R. 4, to declare it to 
be the policy of the United States to deploy a national missile 
defense.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND MILITARY FAMILY HOUSING BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee in Military Installations and 
Facilities held a hearing on the fiscal year 2000 budget request for 
military construction and military family housing of the Department of 
Defense. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: William Lynn, Under Secretary; Mahlon Apgar, IV, 
Assistant Secretary (Installations, Logistics and Environment); Maj. 
Gen. Milton Hunter, USA, Director, Military Programs, Corps of 
Engineers; Maj. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, Jr., USA, Assistant Chief 
of Staff, Installations Management; Brig. Gen. James Helmly, USA, 
Deputy Chief, Army Reserve; and Brig. Gen. Michael Squier, USA, Deputy 
Director, National Guard, all with the Department of the Army; and 
Randall Yim, Deputy Under Secretary (Installations).
PAY AND RETIREMENT REFORM PROPOSALS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on pay and retirement reform proposals. Testimony was heard 
from Mark E. Gebicke, Director, Military Operations and Capabilities 
Issues, National Security and International Affairs Division, GAO; 
Christopher Jehn, Assistant Director, National Security, CBO; the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Rudy deLeon, Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; Lt. Gen. David Ohle, USA, Deputy 
Chief of Staff, Personnel, Department of the Army; Vice Adm. Daniel T. 
Oliver, USN, Chief, Naval Personnel, Department of the Navy; Lt. Gen. 
Donald L. Peterson, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of the Air 
Force; and Lt. Gen. Jack W. Klimp, USMC, Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; and 
public witnesses.
LOGISTICS CAPABILITIES AND/OR SHORTFALLS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Readiness held a 
hearing on logistics capabilities and/or shortfalls. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of GAO: Jack Brock, Director, 
Information Management Issues and David Warren, Director, Defense 
Management Issues; and the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Lt. Gen. John G. Coburn, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Logistics, Department of the Army; Vice Adm. James Amerault, USN, 
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Logistics), Department of the Navy; 
Lt. Gen. John Handy, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Installations and 
Logistics, Department of the Air Force; Maj. Gen. Geoffrey B. 
Higginbotham, USMC, Deputy Chief of Staff, Installations and Logistics, 
U.S. Marine Corps; Lt. Gen. Henry T. Glisson, USA, Director, Defense 
Logistics Agency; and Marvin Langston, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Chief Information Officer (Policy and Implementation).
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Research and 
Development held a hearing on ballistic missile defense programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department

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of Defense: Jacques S. Gansler, Under Secretary, Acquisition and 
Technology; Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, USAF, Director, Ballistic Missile 
Defense Organization; and Lt. Gen. Gregory S. Martin, USAF, Principal 
Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Approved the Committee 
Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal year 2000 for submission to the 
Committee on the Budget.
SOCIAL SECURITY PROPOSAL--MARKET IMPACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
held a hearing on The Market Impact of the Administration's Social 
Security Proposal. Testimony was heard from Representatives Sanford, 
Pomeroy and Smith of Michigan; and public witnesses.
MEDICARE+CHOICE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE RISK ADJUSTOR
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on Medicare+Choice: An Examination of the Risk Adjustor. 
Testimony was heard from Mike Hash, Deputy Administrator, Health Care 
Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; Bill 
Scanlon, Director, Health Financing and Public Health, GAO; Gail R. 
Wilensky, Chair, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; and public 
witnesses.
ED-FLEX ROLE IN IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND REDUCING BUREAUCRACY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Youth, and Families held a hearing on Putting Performance 
First: Ed-Flex and Its Role in Improving Student Performance and 
Reducing Bureaucracy. Testimony was heard from Carlotta Joyner, 
Director, Education and Employment Issues, GAO; Gregg Stubbs, Assistant 
Director, Division of Professional Development and Licensure, 
Department of Education, State of Ohio; Madeleine Draeger Manigold, 
Coordinator, Waivers, Office for the Education of Special Populations, 
Education Agency, State of Texas; Michael E. Ward, Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, Department of Public Instruction, State of North 
Carolina; and a public witness.
THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS; FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD RETIREMENT 
PORTABILITY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service approved 
for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 208, to amend title 
5, United States Code, to allow for the contribution of certain 
rollover distributions to accounts in the Thrift Savings Plan, to 
eliminate certain waiting period requirements for participating in the 
Thrift Savings Plan; and H.R. 807, Federal Reserve Board Retirement 
Portability Act.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on Federal 
Reserve Board Retirement Portability. Testimony was heard from Edward 
W. Kelley, Jr., member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; and 
William E. Flynn, III, Associate Director, Retirement and Insurance 
Services, OPM.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy, and Human Resources held a hearing on Oversight of the 1999 
National Drug Control Strategy. Testimony was heard from Barry R. 
McCaffrey, Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
GAO VIEWS ON DEPARTMENTS--VULNERABILITIES TO WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Veterans Affairs, and International Relations held a hearing on 
Vulnerabilities to Waste, Fraud and Abuse: Inspector General and GAO 
Views on the Departments of Defense, State and Veterans Affairs. 
Testimony was heard from Henry Henton, Assistant Comptroller, National 
Security and Internal Affairs Division, GAO; Eleanor Hill, Inspector 
General, Department of Defense; Richard J. Griffin, Inspector General, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers, 
Inspector General, Department of State.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the President's 
Fiscal Year 2000 International Affairs Budget Request. Testimony was 
heard from Madeleine K. Albright, Secretary of State.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific approved for full Committee action the following measures: H.R. 
825, amended, United States-Macau Policy Act of 1999; H. Res. 32, 
expressing support for, and calling for actions in support for, free, 
fair, and transparent elections in Indonesia; and H. Con. Res. 28, 
amended, expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should 
introduce and make all efforts necessary to pass a resolution 
criticizing the People's Republic of

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China for its human rights abuses in China and Tibet at the annual 
meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
BRAZIL'S ECONOMIC CRISIS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade held a hearing on Brazil's Economic Crisis: 
Implications for International Trade. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
COPYRIGHT COMPULSORY LICENSE IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property held a hearing on H.R. 768, Copyright Compulsory License 
Improvement Act. Testimony was heard from William J. Roberts, Jr., 
Senior Attorney, Office of the General Counsel, Copyright Office, 
Library of Congress; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INS DECISIONS IMPACTING AGENCY'S ABILITY TO CONTROL CRIMINAL 
AND ILLEGAL ALIENS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing on recent Immigration and Naturalization Service 
decisions impacting the Agency's ability to control criminal and 
illegal aliens. Testimony was heard from Representative Reyes; Doris 
Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
Department of Justice; Norman J. Rabkin, Director, Administration of 
Justice Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--BUDGET REQUESTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year Budget request of the U.S. 
Geological Survey, the Office of Surface Mining, the Minerals 
Management Service and the energy and minerals programs of the Bureau 
of Land Management. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of the Interior: Charles Groat, Director, U.S. 
Geological Survey; Nina Hatfield, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land 
Management; Thomas Kitsos, Acting Director, Minerals Management 
Service; and Kathy Karpan, Director, Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement.
NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION ACT; OVERSIGHT--COASTAL ZONE 
MANAGEMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full Committee action amended H.R. 39, 
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing on the Coastal Zone 
Management Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Goss; Terry D. 
Garcia, Assistant Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of 
Commerce; Robert C. Shinn, Jr., Commissioner, Department of 
Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 15, Otay 
Wilderness Act of 1999; H.R. 54, to extend the authorization for the 
Upper Delaware Citizens Advisory Council; H.R. 150, Education Land 
Grant Act; H.R. 154, to provide for the collection of fees for the 
making of motion pictures, television productions, and sound tracks in 
National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System units; H.R. 
449, Gateway Visitor Center Authorization Act of 1999; H.R. 509, to 
direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to the personal 
representative of the estate of Fred Steffens of Big Horn County, 
Wyoming, certain land comprising the Steffens family property; and H.R. 
510, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer to John R. and 
Margaret J. Lowe of Big Horn County, Wyoming, certain land so as to 
correct an error in the patent issued to their predecessors in 
interest.
OVERSIGHT--HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT BUDGET
  Committee on Science, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held 
an oversight hearing on fiscal year 2000 Budget: Human Space Flight. 
Testimony was heard from Joe Rothenberg, Associate Administrator, 
Office of Space Flight, Headquarters, NASA; Marcia S. Smith, 
Specialist in Aerospace and Telecommunications Policy, Congressional 
Research Service, Library of Congress; and public witnesses,
UNSCREWING THE FASTENER QUALITY ACT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on 
Unscrewing the Fastener Quality Act. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
818, Disaster Mitigation Coordination Act of 1999; and H.R. 774, 
Women's Business Center Amendments of 1999.
  The Committee also approved Committee's Budget Views and Estimates 
for fiscal year 2000 for submission to the Committee on the Budget.

[[Page D182]]


DOMESTIC OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION INCENTIVES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on Incentives for Domestic Oil and Gas Production and Status of the 
Industry. Testimony was heard from Donald C. Lubick, Assistant 
Secretary, Tax Policy, Department of the Treasury; Jay Hakes, 
Administrator, Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy; 
and public witnesses.
STEEL TRADE ISSUES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
Steel Trade Issues. Testimony was heard from Representatives Cardin, 
English, Regula, Visclosky, Traficant, Greenwood, Klink, Stupak, Buyer, 
Doyle, Berry and Kucinich; William Daley, Secretary of Commerce; 
Charlene Barshefsky, U.S. Trade Representative; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--IRAQI DEVELOPMENTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Iraqi Developments: An Intelligence Update. The 
Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS PROGRAMS
  Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the House 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint hearings to review the 
legislative recommendations of certain veteran's organizations, after 
receiving testimony from Boyd Barclay, Military Order of the Purple 
Heart, Washington, D.C.; Charles L. Calkins, Fleet Reserve 
Associations, Alexandria, Virginia; Frederick P. Athans, Retired 
Enlisted Association, Grand Rapid, South Dakota; Margaret M. Peterson, 
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Vineland, New Jersey; and James D. 
Staton, Air Force Sergeants Association, Suitland, Maryland.