[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 30 (Thursday, March 16, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D218-D221]
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 Chief Information Officer. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the USDA: Joseph Leo, Chief Information Officer; 
and Pearlie S. Reed, Chairman, National Food and Agriculture Council.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Small Business Administration. 
Testimony was heard from Aida Alvarez, Administrator, SBA; and Louis J. 
Freeh, Director, FBI, Department of Justice.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Ballistic Missile Defense. Testimony was 
heard from Lt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish, USAF, Director, Ballistic Missile 
Defense, Department of Defense.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on Department of Energy--Energy Resources 
and Science. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Energy: James Decker, Acting Director, Office of Science; 
Dan W. Reicher, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy; and William D. Magwood, Director, Office of Nuclear Energy, 
Science and Technology.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the Geological Survey. Testimony was heard from Charles G. Groat, 
Director, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on Howard University, Gallaudet 
University, Special Institutions for the Disabled, and Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Education: H. Patrick Swygert, 
President, Howard University; I. King Jordan, President, Gallaudet 
University; Judith E. Heumann, Assistant

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Secretary, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Tuck Tinsley, 
III, President, American Printing House for the Blind; and Robert R. 
Dilva, Vice President, National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Family Housing Privatization. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the IRS, and the Secretary of 
the Treasury. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Treasury: Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary; and Charles 
O. Rossotti, Commissioner, IRS.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the EPA. Testimony was heard from Carol 
Browner, Administrator, EPA.
NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Armed Services, Special Oversight Panel on Department of 
Energy Reorganization, hearing on the National Nuclear Security 
Administration and implementation of the provisions of Title XXXII. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Energy: T.J. Glauthier, Deputy Secretary; David M. Klaus, Director, 
Office of Management and Administration, Brig. Gen. Thomas F. Gioconda, 
USAF, Acting Deputy Administrator, Defense Programs; Adm. F.L. Bowman, 
USN, Deputy Director, Naval Reactors and Rose E. Gottemoeller, Acting 
Deputy Administrator, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, all with the 
National Nuclear Security Administration.
MILITARY HOUSING PRIVATIZATION INITIATIVE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Installations and 
Facilities held a hearing on the implementation of the Military Housing 
Privatization Initiative, utilities infrastructure privatization, and 
asset management practices of the military departments. 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 Jimmy 
Dishner, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Air Force.
AIR FORCE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Procurement and 
the Subcommittee on Military Research and Development held a joint 
hearing on Air Force programs. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense: 
Lawrence J. Delaney, Assistant Secretary (Acquisition); and Lt. Gen. 
Stephen Plummer, USAF, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary 
(Acquisition).
HEDGE FUND DISCLOSURE ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital 
Markets Securities and Government-Sponsored Enterprises approved for 
full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 2924, Hedge Fund Disclosure 
Act.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 2924. 
Testimony was heard from Lee Sachs, Assistant Secretary, Financial 
Markets, Department of the Treasury.
NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK--ASSESSING THE OPERATION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing on Assessing the Operation of the National Practitioner 
Data Bank. Testimony was heard from Tom Croft, Director, Division of 
Quality Assurance, Health Resources and Services Administration, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
RURAL LOCAL BROADCAST SIGNAL ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on H.R. 3615, Rural Local Broadcast 
Signal Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Goodlatte; Dan L. 
Crippen, Director, CBO; Roger C. Viadero, Inspector General, USDA; and 
public witnesses.
WEALTH THROUGH THE WORKPLACE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing on H.R. 3462, Wealth Through the 
Workplace Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
``FEDERAL ACQUISITION: WHY ARE BILLIONS BEING WASTED''
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Information, and Technology held a hearing on ``Federal Acquisition: 
Why

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are Billions Being Wasted?'' Testimony was heard from Henry L. Hinton, 
Jr., Assistant Comptroller General, National Security and International 
Division, GAO: the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Robert J. Lieberman, Assistant Inspector, Audits; and Stan Z. Soloway, 
Deputy Under Secretary, Acquisition Reform; Deidre Lee, Director, 
Office of Federal Procurement Policy, OMB; and public witnesses.
NORTH KOREA
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on North Korea: 
Leveraging Uncertainty? Testimony was heard from Wendy R. Sherman, 
Counselor, Department of State; and public witnesses.
AFRICA'S ENERGY POTENTIAL
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on Africa's Energy Potential. Testimony was heard from Calvin 
Humphrey, Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Affairs, Department 
of Energy; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 1283, 
Fairness in Asbestos Compensation Act of 1999.
  The Committee also began markup of H.R. 1304, Quality Health-Care 
Coalition Act of 1999.
  Will continue March 22.
FEDERAL PRISONER HEALTH CARE COPAYMENT ACT; PRESIDENTIAL THREAT 
PROTECTION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, the following bills: H.R. 1349, Federal 
Prisoner Health Care Copayment Act of 1999; and H.R. 3048, Presidential 
Threat Protection Act of 1999.
OVERSIGHT--BUDGET REQUESTS
Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on Fiscal Year 2001 Budget requests for the 
following Department of the Interior Agencies: Office of Surface 
Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement; Minerals Management Service; 
energy and minerals programs of the Bureau of Land Management, and the 
U.S. Geological Survey, except water resources programs. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of the Interior: 
Kathy Karpan, Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement; Walt Rosenbusch, Director, Minerals Management Service; 
Nina Rose Hatfield, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management; and P. 
Patrick Leahy, Chief Geologist, U.S. Geographical Survey.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2941, Las Cienegas National 
Conservation Area Establishment Act of 1999; H.R. 3676, Santa Rosa and 
San Jacinto Mountains National Mountains National Monument Act of 2000; 
and H.R. 3293, to amend the law that authorized the Vietnam Veterans 
Memorial to authorize the placement within the site of the memorial of 
a plaque to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after their service 
in the Vietnam war, but as a direct result of that service. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Kolbe, Pastor, Bono and Gallegly; the 
following officials of the Department of the Interior: Bruce Babbitt, 
Secretary; and John Parsons, Associate Director, Lands, Resources, and 
Planning, National Capitol Region, National Park Service; and public 
witnesses.
BIENNIAL BUDGETING
Committee on Rules: Continued hearings on Biennial Budgeting: A Tool 
for Improving Government Fiscal Management and Oversight. Testimony was 
heard from Lee Hamiltoon, Director, Woodrow Wilson Center; and public 
witnesses.
ENERGY DEPARTMENT--BUDGET AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment continued 
hearings on the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Authorization Request: 
Department of Energy Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; 
Fossil Energy; and Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Energy: Dan 
W. Reicher, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy; Robert S. Kripowicz, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Fossil Energy and William D. Magwood, IV, Director, Office of Nuclear 
Energy, Science and Technology.
NASA BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on NASA Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Request for Human Spaceflight. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of NASA: Joseph 
Rothenberg, Associate Administrator, Human Spaceflight; Roberta Gross, 
Inspector General; and Henry McDonald, Director, Ames Research Center; 
and Allen Li, Associate Director, National Security and International 
Affairs Division, GAO.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 3903, to deem the vessel M/V Mist Cove to be 
less than 100

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gross tons, as measured under chapter 145 of title 46, United States 
Code; H.R. 910, amended, San Gabriel Basis Water Quality Initiative; 
H.R. 1775, amended, Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act of 
1999; H.R. 2328, amended, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act to reauthorize the Clean Lakes Program; H.R. 3039, Chesapeake Bay 
Restoration Act of 1999; 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; H. 
Con. Res. 278, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 19th 
annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service; and H.R. 809, 
amended, Federal Protective Service Reform Act of 1999.
  The Committee also approved 5 Corps of Engineers Survey Resolutions.
RETENTION OF SCREENERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Aviation Security, focusing on Training and 
Retention of Screeners. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: Alexis M. Stefani, 
Assistant Inspector General, Auditing; and Adm. Cathal Flynn, USN, 
Associate Administrator, Civil Aviation Security, FAA; Gerald L. 
Dillingham, Associate Director, Transportation Issues, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
LOAN GUARANTY SERVICE--VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the Department of Veterans Affair's 
Loan Guaranty Service. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Ackerman; the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: Michael Slachta, Jr., Assistant Inspector General, Auditing; 
and Keith Pedigo, Director, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans' Benefits 
Administration; and representatives of veterans organizations.
COMPASSION FOR CHILDREN AND CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on H.R. 1488, Compassion for Children and Child Support 
Enforcement Act of 1999. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hyde 
and Woolsey; Jeffrey Cohen, Director, Office of Child Support, State of 
Vermont; Nick Young, Director, Child Support Enforcement Division, 
State of Virginia; and public witnesses.
BABY BOOMER BENEFICIARIES--SOCIAL SECURITY READINESS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings to examine Social Security's readiness for the impending wave 
of Baby Boomer beneficiaries. Testimony was heard from Kenneth S. 
Apfel, Commissioner, SSA; and public witnesses.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM BUDGET
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Fiscal Year 2001 Central Intelligence Program Budget. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.