[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D215-D217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS--EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL
Committee on Appropriations: Committee ordered favorably reported an 
original bill (S. 544) making emergency supplemental appropriations and 
rescissions for recovery from natural disasters, and foreign 
assistance, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999.
APPROPRIATIONS--TRANSPORTATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation concluded 
hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2000 for the 
Department of Transportation, after receiving testimony from Rodney E. 
Slater, Secretary of Transportation.
APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury and General 
Government concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal 
year 2000 for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, after 
receiving testimony from Barry R. McCaffrey, Director, Office of 
National Drug Control Policy.
APPROPRIATIONS--FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Veteran Affairs, Housing 
and Urban Development and Independent Agencies concluded hearings on 
proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2000 for the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, after receiving testimony from James L. 
Witt, Director, Mike Walker, Deputy Director, Gary Johnson, Chief 
Financial Officer, and Carrye Brown, Administrator, U.S. Fire 
Administrator, all of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
AUTHORIZATION--DEFENSE
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2000 for the Department 
of Defense focusing on the military strategy and operational 
requirements of the regional commands, and the future years defense 
program, after receiving testimony from Adm. Dennis C. Blair, USN, 
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command; Gen. Charles E. Wilhelm, 
USMC, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Southern Command; and Gen. John H. 
Tilelli, Jr., USA, Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command/U.S. 
Forces Korea/Combined Forces Command Korea.
BUSINESS MEETING: FINANCIAL SERVICES MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on Banking: Committee ordered favorably reported an original 
bill to enhance competition in the financial services industry by 
providing a prudential framework for the affiliation of banks, 
securities firms, insurance companies, and other financial service 
providers.
CHILDREN INTERNET PROTECTION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearings on S. 97, to require the installation and use by schools and 
libraries of a technology for filtering or blocking material on the 
Internet on computers with Internet access to be eligible to receive or 
retain universal service assistance, after receiving testimony from 
Janie Harris, Solace House, Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Mary Anne Layden, 
University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia; 
Candace Morgan, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, Vancouver, Washington; 
Gordon Ross, Net Nanny Software International, Inc., Bellevue, 
Washington; Bruce Taylor, National Law Center for Children and 
Families, Fairfax, Virginia; Jay A. Sekulow, American Center for Law 
and Justice, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Elliot M. Mincberg, People for 
the American Way Foundation, Washington, D.C.; and Adrian Russell-
Falla, RuleSpace, Inc., Portland, Oregon.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following business items:
  S. 278, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 
lands to the county of Rio Arriba, New Mexico;
  S. 291, to convey certain real property within the Carlsbad Project 
in New Mexico to the Carlsbad Irrigation District;
  S. 292, to preserve the cultural resources of the Route 66 corridor 
and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance;
  S. 293, to direct the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to 
convey certain lands in San Juan County, New Mexico, to San Juan 
College;
  S. 243, to authorize the construction of the Perkins County Rural 
Water System and authorize financial assistance to the Perkins County 
Rural Water System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, in the planning and 
construction of the water supply system;
  S. 330, to promote the research, identification, assessment, 
exploration, and development of methane hydrate resources;

[[Page D216]]


  S. 334, to amend the Federal Power Act to remove the jurisdiction of 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to license projects on fresh 
waters in the State of Hawaii;
  S. 356, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 
works, facilities, and titles of the Gila Project, and designated lands 
within or adjacent to the Gila Project, to the Wellton-Mohawk 
Irrigation and Drainage District;
  S. 361, 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;
  S. 366, to amend the National Trails System Act to designate El 
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail;
  S. 382, to establish the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in 
the State of South Dakota;
  S. 422, to provide for Alaska state jurisdiction over small 
hydroelectric projects;
  S. 426, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, to provide 
for a land exchange between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Huna 
Totem Corporation;
  S. 430, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, to provide 
for a land exchange between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Kake 
Tribal Corporation;
  S. 449, 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;
  H.R. 171, to authorize appropriations for the Coastal Heritage Trail 
Route in New Jersey; and
  H.R. 193, to designate a portion of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord 
Rivers as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
  Also, Committee completed its review of those programs which fall 
within the committee's jurisdiction as contained in the President's 
proposed budget for fiscal year 2000, and agreed on recommendations it 
will make thereon to the Committee on the Budget.
NOMINATION
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded hearings 
on the nomination of Robert Wayne Gee, of Texas, to be the Assistant 
Secretary of Energy for Fossil Energy, after the nominee testified and 
answered questions in his own behalf.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded hearings 
on the nominations of Gary S. Guzy, of the District of Columbia, to be 
an Assistant Administrator (Office of General Counsel) of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and Anne Jeannette Udall, of North 
Carolina, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. 
Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy 
Foundation, after the nominees testified and answered questions in 
their own behalf. Mr. Guzy was introduced by Senator Lautenberg and Dr. 
Udall was introduced by Representative Udall.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Finance: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following bills:
  S. 331, bill to amend the Social Security Act to expand the 
availability of health care coverage for working individuals with 
disabilities, to establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency 
Program in the Social Security Administration to provide such 
individuals with meaningful opportunities to work, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute; and
  S. 494, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit 
transfers or discharges of residents of nursing facilities as a result 
of a voluntary withdrawal from participation in the Medicaid program.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS BUDGET
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations concluded hearings on the President's proposed budget 
request for fiscal year 2000 for the Department of State, after 
receiving testimony from Bonnie R. Cohen, Under Secretary for 
Management, and Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers, Inspector General, both of 
the Department of State; and Benjamin F. Nelson, Director, 
International Relations and Trade Issues, National Security and 
International Affairs Division, General Accounting Office.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following measures:
  S. 380, to reauthorize the Congressional Award Act;
  S. 92, to provide for biennial budget process and a biennial 
appropriations process and to enhance oversight and the performance of 
the Federal Government, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  An original bill to provide guidance for the designation of 
emergencies as a part of the budget process. (As approved by the 
committee, the bill incorporates the text of Title II of S. 93.); and
  An original bill to prevent the shutdown of the Government at the 
beginning of a fiscal year if a new budget is not yet enacted. (As 
approved by the committee, the bill incorporates the text of Title IV 
of S. 93.)

[[Page D217]]


BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported S. 
249, to provide funding for the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children, and to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth 
Act, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
NEW SAFE ACT
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions: Subcommittee on 
Employment, Safety and Training concluded hearings on S. 385, to amend 
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to further improve the 
safety and health of working environments, after receiving testimony 
from Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health; Roslyn C. Wade, Minnesota Department of Labor and 
Industry, Minneapolis; Harry C. Alford, Jr., National Black Chamber of 
Commerce, Inc., and Margaret Seminario, Department of Occupational 
Safety and Health (AFL-CIO), both of Washington, D.C.; Robert J. 
Cornell, Mon Valley Petroleum, Inc., McKeesport, Pennsylvania, on 
behalf of the National Association of Manufacturers; Edwin J. Foulke, 
Jr., Jackson, Lewis, Schnitzler and Krupman, Greenville, South 
Carolina, on behalf of the United States Chamber of Commerce; Scott 
Hobbs, Hobbs, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut, on behalf of the 
Associated General Contractors of America; Gayla McCluskey, American 
Industrial Hygiene Association, Radnor, Pennsylvania; and Curtis 
McGuire, Redlegs Lumper Service, Columbus, Ohio.