[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 14, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D384-D386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREST INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS PROGRAM
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry, hearing to review the U.S. Forest 
Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. Testimony was heard 
from Robert Lewis, Deputy Chief, Research and Development, Forest 
Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the SEC, the FCC, and on the 
Administration of Foreign Affairs. Testimony was heard from Arthur 
Levitt, Jr., Chairman, SEC; William E. Kennard, Chairman, FCC; and 
Bonnie Cohen, Under Secretary, Management, Department of State.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior continued 
appropriation hearings, with emphasis on Energy and other 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.

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VA-HUD-INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies continued hearings on the EPA. Testimony was heard from Carol 
M. Browner, Administrator, EPA.
HUD'S Y2K PREPAREDNESS
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on the 
Department of HUD's Preparedness for the Year 2000: Testing, 
Contingency Planning, and Business Partner Outreach. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development: Saul Ramirez, Deputy Secretary; and Susan Gaffney, 
Inspector General; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 45, amended, Nuclear 
Waste Policy Act of 1999; H.R. 459, to extend the deadline under the 
Federal Power Act for FERC Project No. 9401, the Mt. Hope Waterpower 
Project; and H.R. 1378, to authorize appropriations for carrying out 
pipeline safety activities under chapter 601 of title 49, United States 
Code.
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION OVERVIEW
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on Title I of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: An Overview. Testimony was 
heard from Alan L. Ginsburg, Director, Planning and Evaluation Service, 
Office of the Under Secretary, Department of Education; and public 
witnesses.
TAX REFORM IN THE STATES
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on Tax Reform in the 
States, Part 2, of a series on National Problems, Local Solution: 
Federalism at Work. Testimony was heard from the following Governors: 
Christine T. Whitman, New Jersey; Mike Huckabee, Arkansas; and Jim 
Gilmore, Virginia.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on International Relations: Began markup of H.R. 1211, 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001.
  Will continue tomorrow.
U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS REVIEW
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing to Review U.S.-Taiwan Relations on the 20th 
Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. Testimony was heard from Susan 
Shirk, Deputy Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of State; Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Asia 
and Pacific Affairs, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
SHOULD WE REAUTHORIZE OPIC?
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade held a hearing on Should We Reauthorize OPIC? 
Testimony was heard from George Munoz, President, Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation, U.S. International Development Cooperation 
Agency; and public witnesses.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT--PROHIBITING FLAG DESECRATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution approved 
for full Committee action, by a vote of 7 to 4, H.J. Res. 33, proposing 
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the 
Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United 
States.
OVERSIGHT--LAW ENFORCEMENT BORDER PROBLEMS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
an oversight hearing on law enforcement problems at the border between 
the United States and Canada, focusing on the issues of drug smuggling, 
illegal immigration, and terrorism. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Justice: Michael Pearson, 
Executive Associate Commissioner, Field Operations, Headquarters, 
Immigration and Naturalization Service; Eugene Davis, Deputy Chief, 
U.S. Border Patrol; and Michael Bromwich, Inspector General; Robert 
Trotter, Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, Department of 
the Treasury; and public witnesses.
LANDOWNERS EQUAL TREATMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on H.R. 1142, Landowners Equal 
Treatment Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from Representative Thomas; 
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department 
of the Interior; Richard M. Whitman, Attorney-in-Charge, Natural 
Resources Section, Department of Justice, State of Oregon; and public 
witnesses.
HAZARDOUS DUTY AREAS--TAX BENEFITS AVAILABLE
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H.R. 1376, to

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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. The rule waives 
all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule further 
provides that the amendment recommended by the Committee on Ways and 
Means and printed in the bill be considered as adopted. Finally, the 
rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
CLIMATE CHANGE BUDGET AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a 
hearing on the Fiscal Year 2000 Climate Change Budget Authorization 
Request. Testimony was heard from Neal F. Lane, Director, Office of 
Science and Technology Policy; David M. Gardiner, Assistant 
Administrator, Policy, EPA; and the following officials of the 
Department of Energy: Dan W. Reicher, Assistant Secretary, Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and Jay E. Hakes, Administrator, 
Energy Information Administration.

Joint Meetings
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
Conferees on Tuesday, April 13, agreed to file a 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.