[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 15, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D210-D213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Testimony was heard from 
Michael Dunn, Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs, USDA.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Supreme Court and on State and 
Local Law Enforcement. Testimony was heard from the following Justices 
of the Supreme Court: David Souter; and Clarence Thomas; the following 
officials of the Department of Justice: Mary Lou Leary, Acting 
Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs; John J. Wilson, 
Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention; and Thomas C. Frazier, Director, Office of Community 
Oriented Policing Services; and Alan Hantman, Architect of the Capitol.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Fiscal Year 2001 Navy/Marine Corps Budget Overview. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Richard 
Danzig, Secretary of the Navy; Adm. Jay L. Johnson, USN, Chief of Naval 
Operations; and Gen. James L. Jones, USMC, Commandant of the Marine 
Corps.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to continue hearings 
on this subject. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on the Secretary of 
State. Testimony was heard from Madeleine K. Albright, Secretary of 
State.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Holocaust Museum, the Kennedy Center and 
on the Secretary of Energy. Testimony was heard from Bill Richardson, 
Secretary of Energy, Lee Hamilton, Director, Woodrow Wilson Center; 
Sara J. Bloomfield, Director, National Holocaust Museum; and Laurence 
Wilker, President, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on Vocational and Adult 
Education and Educational Research and Improvement, and the Office of 
Higher Education/Office of Student Financial Aid. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Education: Patricia 
W. McNeil, Assistant Secretary, Vocational and Adult Education; and 
Cyril Kent McGuire, Assistant Secretary, Educational Research and 
Improvement.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Family Housing Privatization. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Randall Yim, Deputy 
Under Secretary, Installations; Mahlon Apgar IV, Assistant Secretary, 
Army, Installations and Environment; Duncan Holaday, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Navy, Installations and Facilities; and Jim G. Dishner, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Air Force, Installations.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Testimony was 
heard from Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General, Department of

[[Page D211]]

Transportation; Phyllis F. Scheinberg, Associate Director, 
Transportation Issues, Resources, Community and Economic Development 
Division, GAO; and George D. Warrington, President and CEO, National 
Railroad Passenger Corporation.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the Secret Service and on the 
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Treasury: Brian L. 
Stafford, Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; and Jim 
Sloan, Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on NASA. Testimony was heard from Daniel S. 
Goldin, Administrator, NASA.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the Fiscal Year 2001 
National Defense authorization budget request, with emphasis on the 
regional commanders. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense: Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, USMC, Commander in 
Chief, U.S. Central Command; Adm. Dennis C. Blair, USN, Commander in 
Chief, U.S. Pacific Command; and Gen. Thomas A. Schwartz, USA, 
Commander in Chief, U.S. Forces Korea.
  Hearings continue March 22.
MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION RESALE SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Special Oversight Panel on Morale, Welfare 
and Recreation held a hearing on morale, welfare and recreation resale 
systems and programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense: Alphonso Maldon, Jr., Assistant Secretary 
(Force Management Policy); Maj. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, USA, 
Assistant Chief of Staff (Installation Management), Department of the 
Army; Vice Adm. James F. Amerault, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations, Department of the Navy; Lt. Gen. John W. Handy, USAF, 
Deputy Chief of Staff (Installations and Logistics), Department of the 
Air Force; Lt. Gen. Jack W. Klimp, USMC, Deputy Chief of Staff 
(Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; Maj. 
Gen. Robert J. Courter, Jr., USAF, Director, Defense Commissary Agency; 
Maj. Gen. Barry D. Bates, USA, Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange 
Service; Rear Adm. Richard T. Ginman, USN, Commander, Navy Exchange 
Service Command; Phillip G. Short, USMC (Ret), Director, Personal and 
Family Readiness Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; Victor 
Vasquez, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary (Personnel Support, Families 
and Education); Brig. Gen. Craig B. Whelden, USA, Commander, U.S. Army 
Community and Family Support Center; Rear Adm. James B. Hinkle, USN, 
Commander, Naval Personnel Command, Department of the Navy; and Arthur 
J. Myers, Director, Air Force Services, Department of the Air Force.
TRICARE--REMOVING BARRIERS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on removing the barriers to TRICARE. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Rudy de Leon, 
Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; Sue Bailey, Assistant 
Secretary, Health Affairs; H. James T. Sears, M.D., Executive Director, 
TRICARE Management Activity; and Adm. D.L. Pilling, USN, Vice Chief, 
Naval Operations; Stephen P. Backhus, Director, Veterans' Affairs and 
Military Health Care Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
WORLD BANK AIDS PREVENTION TRUST FUND ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Ordered reported, as 
amended, H.R. 3519, World Bank AIDS Prevention Trust Fund Act.
REAGAN LEGACY
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic 
and International Monetary Policy held a hearing on H.R. 3591, to 
provide for the award of a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to 
former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan in recognition 
of their service to the Nation. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Gibbons and former officials of the Reagan Administration.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION FISCAL YEAR 2001
Committee on the Budget: Ordered reported the Concurrent Budget 
Resolution for Fiscal Year 2001.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS REPORT
Committee on Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 1089, Mutual Fund Tax Awareness Act of 1999; and H.R. 1954, 
Rental Fairness Act of 1999.
  The Committee also approved a motion adopting a report finding Miles 
Jones, M.D., in Contempt of

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Congress, and directed the Chairman to file the report with the House 
and to take such action as may be necessary to bring the report before 
the House for its consideration.
HCFA'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT RESULTS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Information, and Technology held a hearing on the Results of the Health 
Care Financing Administration's Fiscal Year 1999 Financial Statement 
Audit. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Health and Human Services: June Gibbs Brown, Inspector 
General; and Michael M. Hash, Deputy Administrator, Health Care 
Financing Administration; and Gloria L. Jarmon, Director, Health, 
Education and Human Services, Accounting and Financial Management 
Issues, Accounting and Information Management Division, GAO.
AGENT ORANGE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Veterans' Affairs and International Relations held a hearing on Agent 
Orange: Status of the Air Force's Ranch Hand Study. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of GAO: Kwai Chan, Director, Special 
Studies and Evaluations; and Weisueh Chiu, Project Manager, Agent 
Orange Study, National Security International Affairs Division; the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Joel Michalek, Senior 
Principal Investigator, Ranch Hand Study; and Richard Albanese, Senior 
Medical Research Officer, USAF; Robert J. Epley, Director, Compensation 
and Pension Service Veterans' Benefits Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and the following officials of the Department of 
Health and Human Services: Ronald Coene, Executive Secretary, Ranch 
Hand Advisory Committee, FDA; and David Butler, Study Director, 
Veterans and Agent Orange Reports, Institute of Medicine; and public 
witnesses.
OIL PRICE REDUCTION ACT; ADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN ASSISTANCE REQUEST
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 3822, Oil Price Reduction Act of 2000.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the Administration's Fiscal Year 
2001 Foreign Assistance Request. Testimony was heard from J. Brady 
Anderson, Administrator, AID, Department of State.
NEW MILLENNIUM--U.S. AND LATIN AMERICA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on the U.S. and Latin America in the New 
Millennium: Outlook and Priorities. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
FAIRNESS IN ASBESTOS COMPENSATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Continued markup of H.R. 1283, Fairness in 
Asbestos Compensation Act of 1999.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Con. Res. 89, recognizing the Hermann Monument and Hermann Heights Park 
in New Ulm, Minnesota, as a national symbol of the contributions of 
Americans of German heritage; H. Res. 182, expressing the sense of the 
House of Representatives that the National Park Service should take 
full advantage of support services offered by the Department of 
Defense; H.R. 2958, to provide for the continuation of higher education 
through the conveyance of certain public lands in the State of Alaska 
to the University of Alaska; H.R. 3417, amended, Pribilof Islands 
Transition Act, and H.R. 3671, amended, Wildlife and Sport Fish 
Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
1 hour of debate on H.R. 2372, Private Property Rights Improvement Act 
of 1999. The rule makes in order the Committee on the Judiciary 
amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment. The rule makes in order 
only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that the amendments made 
in order may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be 
offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered 
as read, shall be debatable for the time specified equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in the report. 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

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one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Canady, Boehlert, Watt of North Carolina, 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Waters and Traficant.
NSF BUDGET AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Basic Research concluded hearings 
on National Science Foundation Fiscal 2001 Budget Authorization 
Request, Part III: A View from Outside NSF. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
STANDARDS CONFORMITY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on 
Standards Conformity and the Federal Government: A Review of Section 12 
of Public Law 104-113. Testimony was heard from Jim Wells, Director, 
Energy, Resources, and Science Issues, GAO; Belinda Collins, Director, 
Office of Standards Services, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Department of Commerce; Gregory E. Saunders, Director, 
Defense Standardization Program Office, Department of Defense; and 
Richard L. Black, Director, Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and 
Standards, Department of Energy.
HELPING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on Helping Agricultural 
Producers ``Re-Grow'' Rural America'': Providing the Tools. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
U.S. COAST GUARD BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on the United States 
Coast Guard Fiscal Year 2001 budget request. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Stupak; John H. Anderson, Jr., Director, Transportation 
Issues, GAO; Thomas J. Howard, Deputy Assistant Inspector General, 
Maritime and Departmental Programs, Department of Transportation; and 
public witnesses.
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: H.R. 938, to designate the Federal building located at 290 
Broadway in New York, New York, as the ``Ronald H. Brown Federal 
Building''; H.R. 1279, amended, to designate the Federal building and 
United States post office located at 223 Sharkey Street in Clarksdale, 
Mississippi, as the ``Aaron E. Henry Federal Building and United States 
Post Office''; H.R. 1605, amended, to designate the United States 
courthouse building located at 402 North Walnut Street and Prospect 
Avenue in Harrison, Arkansas, as the ``J. Smith Henley Federal 
Building''; H.R. 2412, to designate the Federal building and United 
States courthouse located at 1300 South Harrison Street in Fort Wayne, 
Indiana, as the ``E. Ross Adair Federal Building and the United States 
Courthouse''; H. Con. Res. 279, authorizing the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the 200th birthday celebration of the Library of Congress; 
H. Con. Res. 280, authorizing the District of Columbia Special Olympics 
Law Enforcement Torch Run to be run through the Capitol Grounds; H. 
Con. Res. 281, authorizing the use of the East Front of the Capitol 
Grounds for performances by the John F. Kennedy Center for the 
Performing Arts; H. Con. Res. 277, authorizing the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby; and H. Con. Res. 
278, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 19th annual 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
  Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint hearings with 
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on the legislative 
recommendations of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, after receiving 
testimony from John W. Smart, Commander-In-Chief, Veteran of Foreign 
Wars of the United States, Washington, D.C.