[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D946-D947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOOD STAMP PROGRAM--REVIEW OPERATIONS
Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, 
Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing to review the operations of the Food 
Stamp Program. Testimony was heard from Shirley Watkins, Under Secretary, 
Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, USDA; Clarence H. Carter, 
Commissioner, Department of Social Services, State of Virginia; Douglas E. 
Howard, Director, Family Independence Agency, State of Michigan; Lynda G. 
Fox, Secretary, Department of Human Resources, State of Maryland; Melba L. 
Price, Associate Director, Department of Social Services, State of Missouri; 
and public witnesses.
U.S. FUTURE EXCHANGES--REGULATORY RELIEF
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Risk Management, Research, and 
Specialty Crops held a hearing to review regulatory relief for U.S. futures 
exchanges. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission: David D. Spears, Acting Chairman; Barbara 
Pedeson Holum, James E. Newsome and Thomas J. Erickson, all Commissioners; 
and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported, amended, the following bills: H.R. 
1714, Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce; H.R. 1858, 
Consumer and Investor Access to Information Act of 1999; H.R. 486, Community 
Broadcasters Protection of 1999; H.R. 2130, Hillory J. Farias Date-Rape 
Prevention Drug Act of 1999; and H.R. 2506, Health and Research and Quality 
Act of 1999.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE FIGURES
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on ``White House Insider Mark 
Middleton: His Ties to John Huang, Charlie Trie, and Other Campaign Finance 
Figures''. In refusing to give testimony, Mark Middleton invoked Fifth 
Amendment privileges.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime held a hearing on the 
following bills: H.R. 2558, Prison Industries Reform Act of 1999; and H.R. 
2551, Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 1999. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Hoekstra; Kathleen M. Hawk Sawyer, 
Director, Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice; Reginald A. Wilkson, 
Director, Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, State of Ohio; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held an 
oversight hearing on the H-1B Temporary Professional Worker Visa Program. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LEASING--LANDS OFFSHORE FLORIDA
Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a 
hearing on H.R. 33, imposing certain restrictions and requirements on the 
leasing under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of lands offshore 
Florida. Testimony was heard from Representative Goss; Walt Rosenbusch, 
Director, Minerals Management Service, Department of the Interior; Jay 
Hakes, Administrator, Energy Information Administration, Department of 
Energy; Mike Joyner, Director, Legislative and Governmental Affairs, State 
of Florida; and a public witness.
COASTAL COMMUNITY CONSERVATION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and 
Oceans approved for full Committee action, amended, H.R. 2669, Coastal 
Community Conservation Act of 1999.

[[Page D947]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 20, Upper 
Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Mongaup Visitor Center Act of 1999; 
H.R. 748, amended, to amend the Act that established the Keweenaw National 
Historical Park to require the Secretary of the Interior to consider 
nominees of various local interests in appointing members of the Keweenaw 
National Historical Parks Advisory Commission; H.R. 1615, Lamprey Wild and 
Scenic River Extension Act; H.R. 1665, amended, to allow the National Park 
Service to acquire certain land for addition to the Wilderness Battlefield 
in Virginia, as previously authorized by law, by purchase or exchange as 
well as by donation; H.R. 2140, amended, to improve protection and 
management of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in the State 
of Georgia; and H.R. 2339, National Discovery Trails Act of 1999.
BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote, a structured rule providing one 
hour of general debate on H.R. 417, Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act 
of 1999 divided equally between the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on House Administration. The rule makes in order only those 
amendments printed in the Rules Committee report. The rule provides that 
amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in the 
report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this report, shall be 
considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report 
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall 
not be subject to amendment. The rule also waives all points of order 
against the amendments printed in the report except that the adoption of an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall constitute the conclusion of 
consideration of the bill for amendment. The rule permits 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 
Chairmen Thomas and Goodling; Representatives Ewing, Shays, Hutchinson, 
Shaw, Calvert, Brady of Texas, Wamp, Hoyer, Davis of Florida. Meehan and 
Levin.
CONFERENCE REPORT--WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany S. 507, Water Resources 
Development Act of 1999, and against its consideration. The rule provides 
that the conference report shall be considered as read. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Boehlert.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 2681, Rail Passenger Disaster Family Assistance 
Act; H.R. 2679, Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1999; H. Con. Res. 171, 
congratulating the American Public Transit Association for 25 years of 
commendable service to the transit industry and the Nation; and H.R. 1300, 
amended, Recycle America's Land Act of 1999.
  The Committee also approved the following: 1 lease resolution; 1 repair 
and alteration resolution; and Corps of Engineers Survey resolutions.
U.S. NEGOTIATING OBJECTIVES--WTO SEATTLE MINISTERIAL MEETING
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on United 
States Negotiating Objectives for the WTO Seattle Ministerial Meeting. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Weller, Becerra, Regula and Miller 
of Florida; Susan G, Esserman, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative; Sheldon R. 
Jones, Director, Department of Agriculture, State of Arizona; and public 
witnesses.
F


                         COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR

                         FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1999

          (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  No meetings/hearings scheduled.


                                  House

  Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources, hearing on the Narcotics Threat from 
Colombia, 9 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.


                             Joint Meetings

  Joint Economic Committee: to hold hearings on the employment and 
unemployment situation for July, 9:30 a.m., 2212 Rayburn Building.