[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 27, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D873-D874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT AMENDMENTS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing 
on H.R. 623, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to 
eliminate certain regulation of plumbing supplies. Testimony was from 
Representative Knollenberg; and public witnesses.
SECURITIES TRANSACTION FEES--IMPACT OF MARKET VOLATILITY
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
held a hearing on the Impact of Market Volatility in Securities 
Transaction Fees. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment approved 
for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 2130, amended, 
Hillory J. Farias Date-Rape Prevention Drug Act of 1999; and H.R. 2506, 
Health Research and Quality Act of 1999.
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL BUILDING LEVEL
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on Title I: 
What's Happening at the School District and School Building Level. 
Testimony was heard from Reid Lyon, Child Development and Behavior 
Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--2000 YEAR CENSUS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Census held a hearing 
on Oversight of the 2000 Census: Examining the Bureau's Paid 
Advertising Campaign. Testimony was heard from Kenneth J. Prewitt, 
Director, Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES PAY ADJUSTMENT; LIFE INSURANCE--FEDERAL 
EMPLOYEES
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 915, to authorize a cost of living 
adjustment in the pay of administrative law judges.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Life Insurance: New Options 
for Federal Employees. Testimony was heard from William E. Flynn, III, 
Associate Director, Retirement and Insurance Services, OPM; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 1752, Federal Courts Improvement Act of 1999; and H.R. 
2112, Multidistrict, Multiparty, Multiforum Trial Jurisdiction Act of 
1999.
  The Committee also began mark up of H.R. 1875, Interstate Class 
Action Jurisdiction Act of 1999.
  Will continue August 3.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule on H.R. 2606, 
making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and 
related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, 
providing one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Appropriations. The rule allows that the bill be open to amendment by 
paragraph. The rule waives points of order against provisions in the 
bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI (prohibiting 
unauthorized or legislative provisions or transfers of funds in a 
general appropriations bill). The rule provides that before 
consideration of any other amendment it shall be in order to consider 
the amendments printed in part A of the Rules Committee report which 
shall be considered only in the order printed in the report. The rule 
provides that the amendment printed in part B of the report may be 
offered only at the appropriate point in the reading of the bill. The 
rule provides that the amendments printed in the report may be offered 
only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, 
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 waives all points of order against the 
amendments printed in the report. The rule allows the chairman of the 
Committee of the Whole to accord priority in recognition to Members who 
have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule 
further 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 
Callahan, Gilman, Smith of New Jersey, Campbell, Deal of Georgia, 
Greenwood, Pitts and Pelosi.

[[Page D874]]


CONFERENCE REPORT ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, FAMILY HOUSING, AND BASE 
REALIGNMENT, FY 2000
Committee on Rules Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report on H.R. 2465, making appropriations 
for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and 
closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2000, and against its consideration. The rule provides 
that the conference report shall be considered as read.
DIGITAL DIVIDE: BRIDGING THE TECHNOLOGICAL GAP
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Empowerment held a hearing 
to discuss the ``The Digital Divide: Bridging The Technological Gap''. 
Testimony was heard from Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary, 
Communications and Information, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.
ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS--NEEDLESS REGULATIONS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Government Programs and 
Oversight held a hearing on the burden that needless regulations and 
lack of common sense in enforcement of regulations place upon Small 
Businesses. Testimony was heard from Alan Hartman, Architect of the 
Capitol; Jay Gullo, Mayor, New Windsor, Maryland; and public witnesses.
NATURAL GAS AND HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and 
Pipeline Transportation held a hearing on reauthorization of the 
Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Program. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Metcalf; Kelley Coyner, Administrator, 
Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of 
Transportation; James E. Hall, Chairman, National Transportation Safety 
Board; and public witnesses.
TEA 21 ENVIRONMENTAL STREAMLINING PROVISIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Ground 
Transportation held a hearing on TEA 21 Environmental Streamlining 
Provisions. Testimony was heard from Eugene Conti, Jr., Assistant 
Secretary, Transportation Policy, Department of Transportation; Steven 
A. Herman, Assistant Administrator, Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance, EPA; Michael L. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Army 
(Civil Works), Policy and Legislation, Corps of Engineers; and public 
witnesses.
Y2K
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Technical 
and Tactical Intelligence met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Y2K. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
  Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2465, making 
appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base 
realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2000.