[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 157 (Tuesday, November 9, 1999)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1284-D1285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE AVAILABILITY ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Began markup of H.R. 21, 
Homeowners' Insurance Availability Act of 1999.
MEDICAID FRAUD AND ABUSE
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Medicaid Fraud and Abuse: Assessing State and Federal 
Responses. Testimony was heard from Leslie Aronovitz, Director, Chicago 
Field Office, GAO; the following officials of the Department of Health 
and Human Services: John E. Hartwig, Deputy Inspector General, 
Inspections; and Penny Thompson, Medicare Program Integrity Group, 
Health Care Financing Administration; John Krayniak, Director, Medicaid 
Fraud Control Unit, Division of Criminal Justice, State of New Jersey; 
Mark Fecteau, Assistant Director, Bureau of Medical Services, 
Department of Human Services, State of Maine; and public witnesses.
FORCE PROTECTION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Veterans' Affairs and International Relations held a hearing on Force 
Protection: Improving Safeguards for Administration of Investigational 
New Drugs to Members of the Armed Forces. Testimony was heard from John 
Spotila, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
OMB; Sue Bailey, Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs, Department of 
Defense; William Raub, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Science Policy, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; U.S. POLICY TOWARD HAITI
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 3244, to combat trafficking of persons, especially into the sex 
trade, slavery, and slavery-like conditions in the United States and 
countries around the world through prevention, through prosecution and 
enforcement against traffickers, and through protection and assistance 
to victims of trafficking.
  The Committee also favorably considered the following resolutions and 
adopted a motion urging the Chairman to request that they be considered 
on the Suspension Calendar: H. Con. Res. 165, expressing United States 
policy toward the Slovak Republic; H. Con. Res. 169, amended, 
expressing United States policy toward Romania; H. Con. Res. 206, 
amended, expressing grave concern regarding armed conflict in the North 
Caucasus region of the Russian Federation which has resulted in 
civilian casualties and internally displaced persons, and urging all 
sides to pursue dialog for peaceful resolution of the conflict; H. Con. 
Res. 222, Condemning the assassination of Armenian Prime Minister 
Vazgen Sargsian and other officials of the Armenian Government and 
expressing the sense of the Congress in mourning this tragic loss of 
the duly elected leadership of Armenia; H. Con. Res. 211, expressing 
the strong support of the Congress for the recently concluded elections 
in the Republic of India and urging the President to travel to India; 
and H. Con. Res. 200, amended, expressing the strong opposition of 
Congress to the military coup in Pakistan and calling for a civilian, 
democratically-elected government to be returned to power in Pakistan.
  The Committee also held a hearing on U.S. Policy Toward Haiti. 
Testimony was heard from Senators DeWine and Graham; Representatives 
Goss and Conyers; and Ambassador Peter Romero, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Western Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and 
Pipeline Transportation approved for full Committee action the 
following: GSA's Fiscal Year 2000 leasing program; 17 resolutions, 
including 2 11(b) resolutions; and H.R. 809, amended, Federal 
Protective Service Reform Act of 1999.

[[Page D1285]]


WAGE AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH ACT; ADMINISTRATION'S NEW SOCIAL SECURITY PLAN
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3081, Wage 
and Employment Growth Act of 1999.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the Administration's new Social 
Security plan. Testimony was heard from Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary of 
the Treasury; David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; and Dan L. Crippen, 
Director, CBO.
Joint Meetings
VETERANS' MILLENNIUM HEALTH CARE ACT
Conferees continued in evening session to resolve the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2116, to amend title 38, United 
States Code, to establish a program of extended care services for veterans 
and to make other improvements in health care programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
F