[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 54 (Tuesday, April 20, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D408-D410]
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. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND 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 AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Testimony was

[[Page D409]]

heard from Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
BANK SECRECY ACT--REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on General 
Oversight and Investigations and the Subcommittee on Financial 
Institutions and Consumer Credit held a joint hearing on reporting 
requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 and related statutes. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Treasury: James E. Johnson, Under Secretary, Enforcement; and Bonni 
G. Tischler, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Investigations, U.S. 
Customs Service; Mary Lee Warren, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, 
Criminal Division, Department of Justice; Richard A. Small, Assistant 
Director, Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation, Board of 
Governors, Federal Reserve System; Christie A. Sciacca, Associate 
Director, Division of Supervision, FDIC; and public witnesses.
WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment approved 
for full Committee action amended H.R. 1180, Work Incentives 
Improvement Act of 1999.
ENERGY LABORATORIES--SECURITY--GAO PERSPECTIVE
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Security at the Department of Energy's Laboratories: 
The Perspective of the General Accounting Office. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Energy, Resources, and Science 
Issues, GAO: Victor S. Rezendes, Director; William F. Fenzel, John R. 
Schulze and Gary R. Boss, all Assistant Directors.
EMPLOYER HEALTH PLAN ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations, hearing on Employer Health Plan Accountability: Do 
Participants Have Adequate Protections? Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
REGULATORY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Economic 
Growth, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs approved for full 
Committee action amended H.R. 1074, Regulatory Right-to-Know Act of 
1999.
BANKRUPTCY REFORM ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Began markup of H.R. 833, Bankruptcy Reform 
Act of 1999.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 791, Star-Spangled Banner 
National Historic Trail Study Act of 1999; and H.R. 1104, to authorize 
the Secretary of the Interior to transfer administrative jurisdiction 
over land within the boundaries of the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt 
National Historic Site to the Archivist of the United States for the 
construction of a visitor center. Testimony was heard from Denis 
Galvin, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United States, National 
Archives and Records Administration; and public witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT-EDUCATION FLEXIBILITY PARTNERSHIP ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 11 to 0, a rule waiving all 
points of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 800, 
Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. Testimony was heard from Chairman Goodling and 
Representative Castle.
EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ACT
Committee On Rules: Granted, by a vote of 10 to 0, an open rule 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 1184, Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Authorization Act of 1999. The rule waives clause 4(a) of rule XIII 
(requiring a three day layover of the committee report) against 
consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science now 
printed in the bill be considered as an original bill for the purpose 
of amendment. The rule provides that the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute shall be open for amendment by section. The rule 
authorizes the Chair to accord priority in recognition to Members who 
have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule 
allows for the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes 
during consideration of the bill, and to reduce voting time to five 
minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a fifteen minute 
vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Sensenbrenner and 
Representative Smith of Michigan.

[[Page D410]]



Joint Meetings
EDUCATION FLEXIBILITY PARTNERSHIP ACT
Conferees, on Thursday, April 15, agreed to file a conference report on 
H.R. 800, to provide for education flexibility partnerships.