[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 13, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D376-D378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior continued 
appropriation hearings, with emphasis on Natural Resource Programs. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the EPA. Testimony was heard from Carol 
Browner, Administrator, EPA.
FINALIZING BANK PREPAREDNESS FOR YEAR 2000
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on 
Finalizing Bank Preparedness for the Year 2000: Testing, Credit Risk, 
Contingency Planning and Liquidity, and Customer Confidence. Testimony 
was heard from Edward W. Kelley, Jr., member, Board of Governors, 
Federal Reserve System; from the following officials of the Department 
of the Treasury: John D. Hawke, Jr., Comptroller of the Currency; and 
Ellen Seidman, Director, Office of Thrift Supervision; Donna Tanoue, 
Chairman, FDIC; Norman D'Amours, Chairman, National Credit Union 
Administration; John P. Burke, Banking Commissioner, Department of 
Banking, State of Connecticut; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--REGULATORY CLASSIFICATION OF LOW-POWER TV LICENSEES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held an oversight hearing on Regulatory 
Classification of Low-Power Television Licensees. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Mass Media Bureau, FCC: Roy J. 
Stewart, Chief; and Keith Larson, Associate Chief, Engineering; and 
public witnesses.
REWARDING PERFORMANCE IN COMPENSATION ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on Rewarding Performance in Compensation 
Act. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
YEAR 2000--ARE CRITICAL PROGRAMS READY?
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Information, and Technology and the Subcommittee on Technology of the 
Committee on Science held a joint hearing on ``Are the Federal 
Government's Critical Programs Ready for January 1st, 2000?'' Testimony 
was heard from Deidre Lee, Acting Deputy Director, Management, OMB; 
Joel Willemssen, Director, Civil Agencies Information Systems, GAO; 
Anne Reed, Chief Information Officer, AID, U.S. Information Development 
Cooperation Agency; Fernando Burbano, Chief Information Officer, 
Department of State; and James Flyzik, Chief Information Officer, 
Department of the Treasury.
DEBT RELIEF FOR AFRICA
Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on Debt Relief for Africa. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Waters; William Schuerch, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
International Development, Debt and Environmental Policy, Department of 
the Treasury; and public witnesses.

[[Page D377]]


YEAR 2000 READINESS AND RESPONSIBILITY ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on H.R. 775, Year 2000 
Readiness and Responsibility Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Davis of Virginia, Dreier, Moran of Virginia, Cramer, 
Dooley of California and Sandlin; Walter K. Stapleton, Judge, U.S. 
Court of Appeals, Third Circuit; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 
IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on the National 
Environmental Policy and the Environmental Quality Improvement Act. 
Testimony was heard from George Frampton, Acting Chair, Council on 
Environmental Quality.
  Hearings continue April 21.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT--TAX LIMITATION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a recorded vote of 7 to 1, a structured 
rule providing 3 hours of debate on H. J. Res. 37, proposing an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States with respect to tax 
limitations. The rule provides for one motion to amend if offered by 
the Minority Leader or his designee, which shall be considered as read 
and shall be separately debatable for 1 hour equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent. Finally, the rule provides 
for one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Scarborough, Barton of Texas and Watt of 
North Carolina.
LOCAL CENSUS QUALITY CHECK ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote a structured rule providing 
for one hour of debate on H.R. 472, Local Census Quality Check Act, as 
amended, in the House, equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Government Reform. The 
rule considers the amendment printed in the Rules Committee report as 
adopted upon the adoption of the resolution. The rule provides for the 
consideration of the amendment numbered one printed in the 
Congressional Record, if offered by Representative Maloney of New York 
or her designee, which shall be debatable for one hour equally divided 
and controlled between the proponent and an opponent. Finally, the rule 
provides for one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
CONFERENCE REPORT--CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report on H. Con. Res. 68, establishing 
the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal 
year 2000 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for each of 
fiscal years 2001 through 2009, and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. The 
rule provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled between 
the chairman and ranking minority of the Committee on the Budget. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Kasich.
HAZARDOUS DUTY AREAS--TAX BENEFITS AVAILABLE
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported H.R. 1376, to extend the 
tax benefits available with respect to services performed in a combat 
zone to services performed in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 
(Serbia/Montenegro) and certain other areas.
1999 TAX RETURN FILING--IRS BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on the 1999 Tax Return Filing Season and the IRS Budget for Fiscal Year 
2000. Testimony was heard from Charles O. Rossotti, Commissioner, IRS, 
Department of the Treasury; James R. White, Director, Tax Policy and 
Administration Issues, General Government Division, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS BUDGET AUTHORIZATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
budget authorizations for fiscal years 2000 and 2001 for the U.S. 
Customs Service, U.S. International Trade Commission, Office of the 
U.S. Trade Representative, and other Customs issues. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Rodriguez; the following officials of the 
Department of the Treasury: Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, U.S. 
Customs Service; John P. Simpson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Regulatory, Tariff, and Trade Enforcement; and Dennis S. Schindel, 
Assistant Inspector General, Audit; Richard W. Fisher, Deputy U.S. 
Trade Representative; Lynn M. Bragg, Chairman, U.S. International Trade 
Commission; the following officials of the GAO: Norman J. Rabkin, 
Director, Administration of Justice Issues, General Government 
Division; and Randolph C. Hite, Associate Director, Governmentwide and 
Defense Information Systems, Accounting and Information Management 
Division; and public witnesses.

[[Page D378]]


BUDGET: DCI WRAP-UP
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on fiscal year 2000 Budget: DCI Wrap-up. Testimony was 
heard from departmental witnesses.