[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D566-D568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management, Research and 
Specialty Crops continued hearings on Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission Reauthorization. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue June 8.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the Legislative 
appropriations for fiscal year 2000.
KEY INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ISSUES
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on key 
international financial issues. Testimony was heard from Robert E. 
Rubin, Secretary of the Treasury; Alan Greenspan, Chairman, Board of 
Governors, Federal Reserve System; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
BUDGET PROCESS
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Budget Process. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Nussle, Cardin and Minge; 
Jacob J. Lew, Director, OMB; Dan Crippen, Director, CBO; Rudolph G. 
Penner, former Director, CBO; and public witnesses.
ELECTRICITY COMPETITION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power continued 
hearings on Electricity Competition, focusing on PURPA, Stranded Costs, 
and the Environment. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue May 26.
AMERICA--THREAT OF BIOTERRORISM
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on the Threat of Bioterrorism in America: Assessing the 
Adequacy of Federal Law Relating to Dangerous Biological Agents. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Justice: Jim Reynolds, Chief, Terrorism and Violent Crime Section, 
Criminal Division; and Robert M. Burnham, Chief, Domestic Terrorism 
Section, National Security Division, FBI; the following officials of 
the Department of Health and Human Services: William Raub, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Policy; and Stephen M. Ostroff, M.D., Associate 
Director, Epidemiologic Science, National Center for Infectious 
Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and public 
witnesses.
FCC COMMISSION REFORM
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Federal Communications Commission 
Reform: The States' Perspective. Testimony was heard from Irma Muse 
Dixon, Commissioner, District 3, Public Service Commission, State of 
Louisiana; William R. Gillis, Commissioner, Utilities and 
Transportation Commission, State of Washington; David W. Rolka, 
Commissioner, Public Utility Commission, State of Pennsylvania; Bob 
Rowe, Commissioner, Public Service Commission, State of Montana; and a 
public witness.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on Academic 
Achievement for All: Increasing Flexibility and Improving Student 
Performance and Accountability. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Tanner; Bret Schundler, Mayor, Jersey City, New Jersey; William 
Moloney, Commissioner of Education, Department of Education, State of 
Colorado; and public witnesses.
SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy, and Human Resources held a hearing on School Violence: What is 
Being Done to Combat School Violence? What Should be Done? Testimony 
was heard from Nelba Chavez, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; William 
Modzeleski, Director, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, Department of 
Education; Charlie Condon, Attorney General, State of South Carolina; 
and public witnesses.
NATIONAL YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION DEMONSTRATION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Began markup of H.R. 102, National Youth 
Crime Prevention Demonstration Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, and Intellectual 
Property approved for full Committee action the following: H.R. 354, 
amended, Collections of Information Antipiracy Act; the American 
Inventors Protection Act; H.R. 1565, amended, Trademark Amendments Act 
of 1999; H.R. 1852, Multidistrict Trial Jurisdiction Act of 1999; H.R. 
1761, amended, Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999; and H.R. 
1225, United States Patent and Trademark Office Reauthorization Act, 
Fiscal Year 2000.

[[Page D567]]


OVERSIGHT--STELLER SEA LIONS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on Steller Sea Lions. 
Testimony was heard from Andrew Rosenberg, Deputy Assistant 
Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce; Frank V. Kelty, Mayor, Unalaska, State of 
Alaska; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--COUNTY SCHOOLS 25% FUNDING STABILIZATION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on County Schools 25% Fund Stabilization. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY WATER MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on California Central Valley Water Management. 
Testimony was heard from Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior; Mary 
Nichols, Secretary of Resources, State of California; and public 
witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SECURITY
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Security at the Department of 
Energy: Who's Protecting the Nation's Secrets. Testimony was heard from 
Bill Richardson, Secretary of Energy.
EASING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND IMPROVING VEHICLE SAFETY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology, hearing on Easing 
Traffic Congestion and Improving Vehicle Safety: ITS and Transportation 
Technology Solutions for the 21st Century. Testimony was heard from 
Kenneth Wykle, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, 
Department of Transportation; and public witnesses.
VETERANS' MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 1071, Montgomery GI Bill Improvements Act 
of 1999; and H.R. 1182, Servicemembers Educational Opportunity Act of 
1999. Testimony was heard from Nora Egan, Deputy Under Secretary, 
Management, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; and public 
witnesses.
NATIONAL CEMETERIES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on National Cemeteries, including 
Arlington National Cemetery. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Chenoweth; Roger R. Rapp, Acting Under Secretary, National Cemetery 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Brian E. Burke, 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Army (Civil Works), Department of 
the Army; Ray Boland, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, State 
of Wisconsin; Charles F. Smith, Assistant Secretary, Division of 
Veterans Affairs, State of North Carolina; Lt. Col. Robin L. Higgins, 
USMC (Ret.), Executive Director, Department of Veterans Affairs, State 
of Florida; and representatives of veterans organizations.
TRADE AGENCY AUTHORIZATIONS, DRUG FREE BORDERS AND PREVENTION OF ON-
LINE PORNOGRAPHY ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported amended H.R. 1833, Trade 
Agency Authorizations, Drug Free Borders and Prevention of On-Line 
Pornography Act of 1999.
FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources approved 
for full Committee action amended H.R. 1802, Foster Care Independence 
Act of 1999.
CUSTOMS SERVICE PASSENGER INSPECTION OPERATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on U.S. Customs Service passenger inspection operations. Testimony was 
heard from Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, 
Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources' 
Subcommittee on Energy Research, Development, Production and Regulation 
concluded joint oversight hearings with the House Committee on 
Government Reform's Subcommittee on National Economic Growth, Natural 
Resources and Regulatory Affairs on the Administration's fiscal year 
2000 budget request for climate change programs and compliance with 
various statutory provisions in fiscal year 1999 appropriations acts 
requiring detailed accounting of climate change spending and 
performance measures for each requested increase in funding, after 
receiving testimony from Representative Knollenberg; Deidre A. Lee, 
Acting Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget; 
Peter F. Guerrero, Director, Environmental Protection Issues, 
Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division, General 
Accounting

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Office; T.J. Glauthier, Deputy Secretary of Energy; David M. Gardiner, 
Assistant Administrator for Policy, Environmental Protection Agency; 
Jerry Taylor, Cato Institute, and David M. Nemtzow, Alliance to Save 
Energy, both of Washington, D.C.; and William H. Lash, III, George 
Mason University, Arlington, Virginia.