[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 22, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1018-D1020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ATLANTIC FLEET TRAINING CENTER--READINESS IMPLICATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Readiness held a 
hearing on readiness implications concerning the Atlantic Fleet 
Training Center, Vieques, Puerto Rico. Testimony was heard from 
Resident Commissioner Romero-Barcelo; the following officials of the 
Department of the Navy: Vice Adm. William J. Fallon, USN, Commander, 
2nd Fleet; Lt. Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, Commander, U.S. Marine Forces, 
Atlantic; Rear Adm. John M. Johnson, USN, Commander, Carrier Group 6; 
Brig. Gen. Emo Gardner, USMC, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Aviation; and Rear Adm. Cutler Dawson, USN, former Commander, Cruiser 
Destroyer Group 12.
RUSSIAN MONEY LAUNDERING
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Continued hearings on 
Russian Money Laundering. Testimony was heard from James Robinson, 
Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice; 
and public witnesses.
COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT 
IMPROVEMENTS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials 
concluded hearings on legislation to Improve the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, focusing on 
the following bills: H.R. 1300, Recycle America's Land Act of 1999; and 
H.R. 2580, Land Recycling Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the EPA: Tim Fields, Assistant Administrator, 
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response; and Steven Herman, 
Assistant Administrator, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance; and 
public witnesses.
ORGAN PROCUREMENT AND TRANSPLANTATION NETWORK AMENDMENTS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on H.R. 2418, Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network 
Amendments of 1999. Testimony was heard from William Raub, M.D., Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Planning and Evaluation/Science Policy, Department 
of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant: An Assessment of 
Worker Safety and Environmental Contamination. Testimony was heard from 
David Michaels, Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health, 
Department of Energy; Richard D. Green, Director, Region 4, Waste 
Management Division, EPA; Malcolm R. Knapp, Deputy Executive Director, 
Operations for Materials, Research, and State Programs, NRC; Robert 
Logan, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Protection, State of 
Kentucky; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--2000 CENSUS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on the Census held an 
oversight hearing of the 2000 Census: Discussion of the Effects of 
Including Puerto Rico in the 2000 U.S. Population Totals. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Serrano, Romero-Barcelo and Faleomavaega; 
and Kenneth Prewitt, Director, Bureau of the Census. Department of 
Commerce.

[[Page D1019]]


STATISTICAL EFFICIENCY ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Information, and Technology approved for full Committee action the 
following bills: H.R. 2885, amended, Statistical Efficiency Act of 
1999; and H.R. 2513, to direct the Administrator of General Services to 
acquire a building located in Terre Haute, Indiana.
TERRORISM PREPAREDNESS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Veterans Affairs and International Relations held a hearing on 
Terrorism Preparedness: Medical First Response. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Health and Human 
Services: Robert F. Knouss, Director, Office of Emergency Preparedness; 
and Scott Lillibridge, M.D., Director, Bio-Terrorism Preparedness 
Response Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention; and public witnesses.
TRADE IN THE AMERICAS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Economic Policy and Trade held a hearing on Trade in the Americas: 
Progress, Challenges, and Prospect. Testimony was heard from Walter 
Bastian, Director, Office of Latin America and the Caribbean, 
International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce; Douglas 
Browning, Assistant Commissioner, International Affairs, U.S. Customs 
Service, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Con. Res. 124, expressing the sense of the Congress relating to recent 
allegations of espionage and illegal campaign financing that have 
brought into question the loyalty and probity of Americans of Asian 
ancestry; H.R. 2005, amended, Workplace Goods Job Growth and 
Competitiveness Act of 1999; and H.R. 1791, amended, Federal Law 
Enforcement Animal Protection Act of 1999.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported 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; 
S. 944, to amend Public Law 105-188 to provide for the mineral leasing 
of certain Indian lands in Oklahoma; 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; H.R. 2547, amended, Chugach 
Alaska Natives Settlement Implementation Act of 1999; and H.R. 2841, to 
amend the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to provide for 
greater fiscal autonomy consistent with other United States 
jurisdictions.
HEALTH RESEARCH AND QUALITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified open rule, 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 2506, Health Research and Quality 
Act of 1999. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Commerce now printed in the 
bill be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment. 
The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
shall be open for amendment by section. The rule provides for the 
consideration of pro forma amendments and those amendments pre-printed 
in the Congressional Record, which may be offered only by the Member 
who caused it to be printed or his designee, and shall be considered as 
read. 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 Representatives 
Bilirakis and Brown of Ohio.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO UTILIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology and the Subcommittee 
on Basic Research held a joint hearing on Overcoming Barriers to 
Utilization of Technology in the Classroom. Testimony was heard from 
George O. Strawn, Executive Officer, Computer and Information Science 
and Engineering Directorate, NSF; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--TVA
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on TVA: Electricity 
Restructuring and General Oversight. Testimony was heard from David N. 
Smith, Chief Financial Officer, TVA; Linda M. Calbom, Director, Civil 
Audits, GAO; and public witnesses.

[[Page D1020]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following measures: H.R. 1663, National Medal of Honor Memorial Act; 
and H.J. Res. 65, commending the World War II veterans who fought in 
the Battle of the Bulge.
STRENGTHENING MEDICARE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Strengthening Medicare for Future Generations. Testimony was heard from 
Dan L. Crippen, Director, CBO; David M. Walker, Comptroller General, 
GAO; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS--AGRICULTURE
  Conferees continued to resolve the differences between the Senate and 
House passed versions of H.R. 1906, making appropriations for 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, but did 
not complete action thereon, and recessed subject to call.
APPROPRIATIONS--FOREIGN OPS/EXPORT FINANCING
  Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 2606, making appropriations for foreign 
operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2000, but did not complete action thereon, and 
recessed subject to call.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
  Conferees continued in evening session to resolve the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2561, making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2000.