[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D584-D586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM
Committee on the Budget: Task Force on Social Security held a hearing 
on International Social Security Reform. Testimony was heard from Dan 
Crippen, Director, CBO; and public witnesses.
Y2K AND MEDICAL DEVICES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment and the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing on 
Y2K and Medical Devices: Screening for the Y2K Bug. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the FDA, Department of Health and Human 
Services: William Hubbard, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Policy; and 
Thomas Shope, Special Assistant to the Director, Office of Science and 
Technology, Center for Devices and Radiological Health; Joel C. 
Willemssen, Director, Civil Agencies Information Systems, Accounting 
and Information Management Division, GAO; and public witnesses.
SECURITY AND FREEDOM THROUGH ENCRYPTION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Practices held a hearing on H.R. 850, Security and Freedom 
through Encryption (SAFF) Act. Testimony was heard from Ronald D. Lee, 
Associate Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice; Barbara 
McNamara, Deputy Director, NSA, Department of Defense; William Reinsch, 
Under Secretary, Commerce, Export Administration, Department of 
Commerce; and public witnesses.
EDUCATION REFORM
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early 
Childhood, Youth, and Families held a hearing on Education Reform: 
Putting the Needs of Our Children First. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered the 
following measures and adopted motions urging the Chairman to request 
that they be considered on the Suspension Calendar: H.R. 1908, amended, 
to authorize the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign 
countries; H. Res. 178, concerning the tenth anniversary of the 
Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989, in the People's Republic of 
China; and H. Res. 168, recognizing the Foreign

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Service of the United States on the occasion of its 75th anniversary.
ETHIOPIA-ERITREA WAR
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on the Ethiopia-Eritrea War: U.S. Policy Options. Testimony was 
heard from Susan Rice, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FCC LICENSE TRANSFER PROCEEDINGS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on Novel Procedures in FCC 
License Transfer Proceedings. Testimony was heard from Harold 
Furchtgott-Roth, Commissioner, FCC; and public witnesses.
METHANE HYDRATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held a hearing on H.R. 1753, (and S. 330) Methane Hydrate Research and 
Development Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from Representative Doyle; 
Timothy S. Collett, Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 
Department of the Interior; Robert S. Kripowicz, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Fossil Energy, Department of Energy; Bilal U. Haq, 
Division of Ocean Sciences, NSF; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on the Role of the National Forests in the Lewis 
and Clark Bicentennial. Testimony was heard from Paul Brouha, Associate 
Deputy Chief, Forest Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held an oversight hearing on New NPS Methodology used to evaluate the 
achievement of natural quiet restoration standards in Grand Canyon 
National Park. Testimony was heard from Representative Berkeley; Jackie 
Lowey, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; David Traynham, Assistant Administrator, Policy, Planning and 
International Aviation, FAA, Department of Transportation; and public 
witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted by voice vote a structured 
rule providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 1905, making 
appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2000, divided equally between the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives 
points of order against consideration of the bill for failure to comply 
with section 306 (prohibiting consideration of legislation within the 
Budget Committee's jurisdiction, unless reported by the Budget 
Committee) or section 401 (prohibiting consideration of budget related 
legislation, as reported, that is not subject to appropriations) of the 
Congressional Budget Act. The rule also waives all points of order 
against provisions of the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized or legislative provisions in a 
general appropriations bill) except as specified in the rule. The rule 
makes in order only the amendment printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution, and pro forma amendments offered by the 
chairman or ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations 
or their designees for the purpose of debate. The rule waives points of 
order against the amendment printed in the report for failure to comply 
with clause 2 of Rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized or legislative 
provisions in a general appropriations bill). The rule provides that 
the amendment made in order may be offered only by a Member designated 
in the report, shall be considered as read, and shall be debatable for 
the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject to amendment. The 
rule allows 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 Representatives Taylor 
of North Carolina, Castle, Shays, Camp, Pastor, Hoyer, Farr of 
California, Lowey, DeLauro, and Weiner.
EDUCATION LAND GRANT ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, an open rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 150, Education Land Grant 
Act, equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Resources. The rule makes in order the Committee on 
Resources amendment in the nature of a substitute as an original bill 
for the purpose of amendment, which shall be open for amendment at any 
point. 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 the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to

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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 Representatives Hansen and Hayworth.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science: Ordered reported amended H.R. 1655, Department of 
Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 
1999.
  The Committee also began mark up of H.R. 1742, Environmental 
Protection Agency Office of Research and Development and Science 
Advisory Board Authorization Act of 1999.
  The Committee recessed subject to call.
SMALL BUSINESS REVIEW PANEL TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS ACT
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported H.R. 1882, Small Business 
Review Panel Technical Amendments Act of 1999.
WELFARE TO WORK
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Empowerment held a hearing 
on ``Welfare To Work: What Is Working, What Is Next?'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
TAX CODE COMPLEXITY--INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on the impact of complexity in the tax code for individual taxpayers 
and small businesses. Testimony was heard from W. Val Oveson, National 
Taxpayer Advocate, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and public 
witnesses.
ALLEGATIONS OF CIA INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG TRAFFICKING IN CALIFORNIA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Allegations of CIA Involvement in Drug Trafficking in 
California. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.