[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 154 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1259-D1260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education concluded hearings to examine stem cell 
research funding issues, focusing on the National Bioethics Advisory 
Commission report ``Ethical Issues in Human Stem Cell Research'', after 
receiving testimony from Senator Thurmond; Representative Dickey; Frank 
E. Young, Reformed Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C., former 
Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration; and James F. Childress, 
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, on behalf of the National 
Bioethics Advisory Commission.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nominations of Alphonso Maldon, Jr., of Virginia, to be Assistant 
Secretary for Force Management Policy, and John K. Veroneau, of 
Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, both of 
the Department of Defense, after the nominees testified and answered 
questions in their own behalf. Mr. Maldon was introduced by Senator 
Robb, and Mr. Veroneau was introduced by Senator Snowe.
LOCAL PHONE COMPETITION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearings on local voice and data marketplace competition, examining how 
to increase consumer choice in local telephone markets, after receiving 
testimony from Royce J. Holland, Allegiance Telecom, Inc, Dallas, 
Texas; Charles S. Houser, TriVergent Communications, Inc., Greenville, 
South Carolina; Roy Neel, United States Telecom Association, 
Washington, D.C.; Daniel O. Pegg, Leap Wireless International, Inc., 
San Diego, California; and Rick Tidwell, Birch Telecom, Inc., Emporia, 
Kansas.
CHECHNYA CONFLICT
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on the 
conflict in Chechnya and its implications for United States relations 
with Russia, after receiving testimony from Stephen R. Sestanovich, 
Ambassador at Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for 
the New Independent States; Elena Bonner, Andrei Sakharov Foundation, 
Brookline, Massachusetts; and Paul A. Goble, Radio Free Europe/Radio 
Liberty, Washington, D.C.
U.S./NIGERIA RELATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on United 
States relations with Nigeria, focusing on Nigeria's transition to 
civilian rule, democracy, and human rights, after receiving testimony 
from Thomas Pickering, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; 
Jean Herskovits, State University of New York at Purchase, New York; 
Adotei Akwei, Amnesty International, Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 276, for the relief of Sergio Lozano, Faurico Lozano and Ana 
Lozano, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 302, for the relief of Kerantha Poole-Christian;
  S. 1019, for the relief of Regine Beatie Edwards;
  H. Con. Res. 141, celebrating One America;
  S. Res. 118, designating December 12, 1999, as ``National Children's 
Memorial Day'';
  H.J. Res. 54, granting the consent of Congress to the Missouri-
Nebraska Boundary Compact;
  S. 1418, to provide for the holding of court at Natchez, Mississippi 
in the same manner as court is held at Vicksburg, Mississippi; and

[[Page D1260]]


  The nominations of Ann Claire Williams, of Illinois, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, Faith S. Hochberg, to be 
United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, Virginia 
A. Phillips, to be United States District Judge for the Central 
District of California, Donna A. Bucella, to be United States Attorney 
for the Middle District of Florida, and Daniel J. French, to be United 
States Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
MCI WORLDCOM/SPRINT MERGER
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
possible affects the proposed merger of MCI WorldCom and Sprint would 
have on competition and consumer choice in the telecommunications 
industry, and S.1854, to reform the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust 
Improvements Act of 1976, after receiving testimony from Bernard J. 
Ebbers, MCI WorldCom, Clinton, Mississippi; William T. Esrey, Sprint 
Corporation, Westwood, Kansas; James F. Rill, Collier, Shannon, Rill 
and Scott, and Gene Kimmelman, Consumers Union, both of Washington, 
D.C.; and Tod A. Jacobs, Sanford C. Bernstein and Company, Inc., New 
York, New York.
NURSING HOME CARE
Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded hearings on certain 
initiatives to improve nursing home quality of care, focusing on the 
Health Care Financing Administration's regional offices and their 
ability to oversee state agencies they contract with to ensure that 
nursing homes comply with federal quality standards, after receiving 
testimony from William J. Scanlon, Director, Health Financing and 
Public Health Issues, Health, Education, and Human Services Division, 
General Accounting Office; Michael Hash, Deputy Administrator, Health 
Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; 
and Steve White, Raleigh, North Carolina, on behalf of the Association 
of Health Facility Survey Agencies.