[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1027-D1029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COUNTY SCHOOLS FUNDING REVITALIZATION ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 2389, 
County Schools Funding Revitalization Act of 1999.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education approved for full Committee action the Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations for fiscal year 
2000.
FIXING OUR SCHOOLS
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Fixing Our Schools From the 
Bottom Up, State, Local and Private Reform Initiatives. Testimony was 
heard from Senator Voinovich; Richard W. Riley, Secretary of Education; 
Jeb Bush, Governor, State of Florida; Dwight Evans, member of the 
Legislature, State of Pennsylvania; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS ENERGY MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power approved for 
full Committee action, as amended, the following bills: H.R. 2884, to 
extend energy conservation programs under the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act through fiscal year 2003; and H.R. 2531, Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
following: Reauthorization of Expiring Energy Policy and Conservation 
Act Programs; and on the Energy Policy and Conservation Act Amendments. 
Testimony was heard from Robert Gee, Assistant Secretary, Fossil 
Energy, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
BLOOD SAFETY AND AVAILABILITY
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Blood Safety and Availability. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Health and Human 
Services: Thomas Roslewicz, Deputy Inspector General, Audit Services; 
and Joe Green, Assistant Deputy, Audit Services; and public witnesses.
FIGHTING PROSTATE CANCER
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on Fighting Prostate 
Cancer: Are We Doing Enough? Testimony was heard from Representative 
Cunningham; former Senator Robert Dole of Kansas; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered the 
following measures and adopted a motion urging the Chairman to request 
that they be considered on the Suspension Calendar: H. Res. 292, 
amended, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding 
the referendum in East Timor, calling on the Government of Indonesia to 
assist in the termination of the current civil unrest and violence in 
East Timor, and supporting a United Nations Security Council-endorsed 
multinational force for East Timor; H. Res. 181, condemning the 
kidnapping and murder by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia 
(FARC) of 3 United States citizens, Ingrid Washinawatok, Terence 
Freitas, and Lahe'ena'e Gay; H.R. 2608, to amend the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 to clarify the definition of ``major drug-transit country'' 
under the international narcotics control program; H.J. Res. 65, 
amended, commending the World War II veterans who fought in the Battle 
of the Bulge; H. Con. Res. 187, Expressing the sense of Congress 
regarding the European Council noise rule affecting hushkitted and 
reengined aircraft; and H. Res. 297, amended, expressing sympathy for 
the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Taiwan on 
September 21, 1999.
OVERSIGHT--INDEPENDENT COUNSEL--ABUSES OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on the Abuses of 
Individual Rights by Independent Counsel. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
STATES' CHOICE OF VOTING SYSTEMS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H.R. 1173, States' Choice of Voting Systems Act. Testimony 
was heard from Representative Campbell; Anita Hodgkiss, Deputy 
Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
PRISON INDUSTRIES REFORM ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, H.R. 2558, Prison Industries Reform Act 
of 1999.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2496, 
to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program 
Act of 1994; H.R. 2821, to amend the North American Wetlands 
Conservation Act to provide for appointment of 2 additional members of 
the North

[[Page D1028]]

American Wetlands Conservation Council; and H.R. 1775, Estuary Habitat 
Restoration Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Dingell; the following officials of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior: Tom Melius, Assistant Director, External 
Affairs; and Gary D. Frazer, Assistant Director, Ecological Services; 
Sally Yozell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA; 
Michael L. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Army, Civil Works, 
Department of the Army; Richard Ribb, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, 
Department of Environmental Management, State of Rhode Island; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: S. 382, 
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Establishment Act of 1999; 
H.R. 1695, to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal public 
lands in the Ivanpah Valley, Nevada, to Clark County, Nevada, for the 
development of an airport facility; H.R. 1725, Miwaketa Park Expansion 
Act; and H.R. 2737, amended, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to convey to the State of Illinois certain Federal land associated with 
the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to be used as an historic 
and interpretive site along the trail.
EXPEDITED PROCEDURES
  Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving clause 
6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on 
the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to a special rule reported on or before October 1, 1999, 
providing for consideration of a bill or joint resolution making 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2000, an amendment 
thereto, a conference report thereon, or an amendment reported in 
disagreement from a conference thereon. The rule applies the waiver to 
a special rule reported on or before October 1, 1999, providing for 
consideration of any conference report to accompany a bill making 
general appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, 
or any amendment reported in disagreement from a conference thereon.
SPACE SHUTTLE SAFETY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on Space Shuttle Safety. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the NASA: Frederick D. Gregory, Associate Administrator, 
Safety and Mission Assurance; and William F. Readdy, Deputy Associate 
Administrator, Space Flight; and a public witness.
SMALL MANUFACTURING AND THE CHALLENGES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on 
Small Manufacturing and the Challenges of the New Millennium. Testimony 
was heard from Raymond Kammer, Director, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures:
  H. Con. Res. 187, Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the 
European Council noise rule affecting hushkitted and reengined 
aircraft; and H.R. 2910, to amend title 49, United States Code, to 
authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board 
for fiscal years 2000, 2001, and 2002.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS--FRAUD AND MISMANAGEMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on fraud and mismanagement in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from Stephen P. 
Backhus, Director, Veterans' Affairs and Military Health Care Issues, 
GAO; and the following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: 
Richard J. Griffin, Inspector General; and Edward A. Powell, Jr., 
Assistant Secretary, Financial Management.
OVERSIGHT--CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held an 
oversight hearing of the Child Support Enforcement Program. Testimony 
was heard from Olivia A. Golden, Assistant Secretary, Children and 
Families, Department of Health and Human Services; Nick Young, 
Director, Child Support Enforcement Division, State of Virginia; 
Marilyn Ray Smith, Associate Deputy Commissioner and Chief Legal 
Counsel, Child Support Enforcement Division, Department of Revenue, 
State of Massachusetts; Teresa L. Kaiser, Executive Director, Child 
Support Enforcement Administration, Department of Human Resources, 
State of Maryland; Barbara L. Saunders, Assistant Deputy Director, 
Office of Child Support Enforcement, Department of Human Services, 
State of Ohio; Alisha Griffin, Assistant Director, Office of Child 
Support and Paternity Programs, Division of Family Development, State 
of New Jersey; Robert Doar, Deputy Commissioner and Director, Office of 
Child Support Enforcement, Office of

[[Page D1029]]

Temporary and Disability Assistance, State of New York; and public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
FINANCIAL SERVICES MODERNIZATION
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of S. 900/H.R. 10, bills to enhance competition in the 
financial services industry by providing a prudential framework for the 
affiliation of banks, securities firms, and other financial service 
providers, but did not complete action thereon, and recessed subject to 
call.