[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D257-D260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FREEDOM TO E-FILE ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry approved for full Committee action, 
as amended, H.R. 852, Freedom to E-File Act.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
and Judiciary held a hearing on Drug Enforcement. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Justice: Donnie 
Marshall, Administrator, DEA; James K. Robinson, Assistant Attorney 
General, Criminal Division; and Mary H. Murguia, Director, Executive 
Office for U.S. Attorneys.
  The Subcommittee also continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from Members of Congress.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Army budget overview. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army: Louis Caldera, 
Secretary; and Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, USA, Chief of Staff.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Army acquisitions. Testimony was heard from Paul J. Hoeper, Assistant 
Secretary, Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, Department of the 
Army, Department of Defense.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the District of Columbia 
held a hearing on Corrections and Related Activities. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the government of the District of 
Columbia: John L. Clark, Corrections Trustee; John A. Carver, Trustee, 
Court Services and Offender Supervision; and Cynthia Jones, Director, 
Public Defender Service.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development met in executive session to hold a hearing on Department of 
Energy--Atomic Energy Defense Activities. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Energy: Gen. Eugene E. 
Habiger, USAF, Director, Security and Emergency Operations; and Brig. 
Gen. Thomas F. Gioconda, USAF, Acting Deputy Administrator, Defense 
Programs; and Rose Gottemoeller, Deputy Administrator, Defense Nuclear 
Nonproliferation, both with the National Nuclear Security 
Administration.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the National Endowment for the Humanities and on National Endowment for 
the Arts. Testimony was heard from William Ferris, Chairman, National 
Endowment for the Humanities; and Bill Ivey, Chairman, National 
Endowment for the Arts.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on Employment and Training 
Administration/Veterans Employment; Employment Standards 
Administration; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; and Mine 
Safety and Health Administration. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Labor: Raymond L. Bramucci, 
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration; Bernard 
Anderson, Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration; 
Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary, OSHA; and Davitt McAteer, 
Assistant Secretary, Mine Safety and Health.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on Office of National Drug 
Control Policy and on the Executive Office of the President. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Executive Office of the 
President: Barry McCaffrey, Director, Office of National Drug Control 
Policy; and Michael Lyle, Director, Office of Administration.

[[Page D258]]


VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development: Saul Ramirez, Jr., Deputy 
Secretary; Dave Gibbons, Budget Officer; Cardell Cooper, Assistant 
Secretary, Community Planning and Development; Harold Lucas, Assistant 
Secretary, Public and Indian Housing; Eva Plaza, Assistant Secretary, 
Fair Housing; William Apgar, Assistant Secretary, Housing, FHA 
Commissioner; Hal DeCell, Assistant Secretary, Legislation; Susan 
Wachter, Assistant Secretary, Policy Development and Research; and Joe 
Smith, Assistant Secretary, Administration.
U.S. POLICY TOWARDS COLOMBIA
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on U.S. policy towards 
Colombia. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Brian Sheridan, Assistant Secretary (Special 
Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict); Gen. Charles E. Wilhelm, USMC, 
Commander in Chief, U.S. Southern Command; and Rand Beers, Assistant 
Secretary (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs).
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on 
International Financial Architecture. Testimony was heard from Lawrence 
H. Summers, Secretary of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
MEDICARE PROGRAM--PATIENT ACCESS TO SELF-INJECTABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a 
hearing on Patient Access to Self-injectable Prescription Drugs in the 
Medicare Program. Testimony was heard from Michael Hash, Deputy 
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 3615, amended, Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act; H.R. 3113, 
amended, Unsolicited Electronic Mail Act of 1999; and H.R. 3439, Radio 
Broadcasting Preservation Act of 1999.
``MISSING WHITE HOUSE E-MAILS: MISMANAGEMENT OF SUBPOENAED RECORDS''
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on ``Missing White House 
E-Mails: Mismanagement of Subpoenaed Records''. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Executive Office of the President: 
Daniel Barry, Computer Specialist, Office of Administration; and Mark 
Lindsay, Assistant to the President and Director of White House 
Management and Administration; Laura Crabtree, Chief Information 
Officer, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; U.S. POLICY TOWARD IRAQ
Committee on International Relations: 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. 292, amended, congratulating President-elect Chen Shui-bian and 
Vice President-elect Annette Lu of Taiwan and reaffirming United States 
policy toward Taiwan and the People's Republic of China; and H.R. 3707, 
amended, American Institute in Taiwan Facilities Enhancement Act.
  The Committee also held a hearing on U.S. Policy Toward Iraq. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
State: C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International 
Organization Affairs; and A. Elizabeth Jones, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; and Alina 
Romanowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Near Eastern and South Asian 
Affairs.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT--ITEM VETO
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H.J. Res. 9, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States to allow an item veto of appropriation bills. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives English and Baldacci; Louis 
Fisher, Senior Specialist in Separation of Powers, Congressional 
Research Service, Library of Congress; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual 
Property approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 
4034, United States and Trademark Office Reauthorization Act; and H.R. 
2100, amended, Antitampering Act of 1999.

[[Page D259]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held a hearing on the 
following bills: H.R. 2810, Violent Offender DNA Identification Act; 
H.R. 3087, DNA Backlog Elimination Act; and H.R. 3375, Convicted 
Offender DNA Index System Support Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Gilman, Weiner, Kennedy of Rhode Island, and Bishop; 
the following officials of the Department of Justice: Dwight E. Adams, 
Deputy Assistant Director, Laboratory Division, FBI; and David G. Boyd, 
Director, Office of Science and Technology, National Institute of 
Justice; David Coffman, Crime Laboratory Analyst Supervisor, 
Investigation and Forensics Program Area, Department of Law 
Enforcement, Florida; Paul B. Ferrara, Director, Division of Forensic 
Science, Department of Criminal Justice Services, Florida; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; OVERSIGHT--FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans, approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 2090, Exploration of the Seas Act; and H.R. 3919, Coral 
Reef Conservation and Restoration Partnership Act of 2000.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year 
2001 budget recommendations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
Testimony was heard from Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
CABIN USER FEE FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on H.R. 3327,Cabin User Fee Fairness Act of 1999. Testimony 
was heard from Representative Nethercutt; Paul Brouha, Associate Deputy 
Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 1500, 
Americas' Wilderness Protection Act; H.R. 1509, to authorize the 
Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial in 
the District of Columbia or its environs to honor veterans who became 
disabled while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States; H.R. 
1864, amended, Public Hearing Standardization Act of 1999; H.R. 2932, 
amended, Golden Spike/Crossroads of the West National Heritage Area Act 
of 1999; H.R. 3293, amended, 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; and H.R. 3605, amended, San Rafael Western Legacy District and 
National Conservation Act.
EPA'S SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUDGET
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Authorization Request: Environmental 
Protection Agency Science and Technology Budget. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the EPA: Norine Noonan, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Research and Development; and W. Randall 
Seeker, Chairman, Research Strategies Advisory Committee, Science 
Advisory Board; and David G. Wood, Associate Director, Environmental 
Protection Issues, Resources, Community, and Economic Development 
Division, GAO.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 3069, amended, Southeast Federal Center Public-
Private Development Act of 2000; H.R. 3171, amended, National Health 
Museum Site Selection Act; H.R. 1359, to designate the Federal building 
and United States courthouse to be constructed at 10 East Commerce 
Street in Youngstown, Ohio, as the ``Frank J. Battisti and Nathaniel R. 
Jones Federal Building and United States Courthouse''; S. 1567, 
amended, to designate the United States courthouse located at 223 Broad 
Street in Albany, Georgia, as the ``C.B. King United States 
Courthouse''; and H.R. 4052, Transportation and Infrastructure Reports 
Restoration Act of 2000.
GSA'S CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and 
Pipeline Transportation held a hearing on GSA's Fiscal Year 2001 
Capital Investment Programs. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
English, Clement, Radanovich, Neal, Scott, Taylor of Mississippi, 
Reyes, Quinn, LaFalce and Skretny; Jane E. Roth, Chairwoman, Space of 
Facilities Committee, Judicial Conference, U.S. Court of Appeals; Harry 
T. Edwards, Chief Judge, U.S. Courts of Appeals; the following Chief 
Judges of the U.S. District Court: Terry J. Hatter, Jr., Edward B. 
Davis, and John E. Conway; and public witnesses.
VETERANS' LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the Department of Veterans

[[Page D260]]

Affairs obligation to assist veterans in filing claims for benefits, 
and H.R. 3193, Duty to Assist Veterans Act of 1999. Testimony was heard 
from Joseph Thompson, Under Secretary, Benefits, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
CHILD PROTECTION ISSUES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Child Protection Issues. Testimony was heard from Senators 
DeWine and Rockefeller; Representative Pryce of Ohio; Kristine 
Ragaglia, Commissioner, Department of Children and Families, State of 
Connecticut; and public witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES--WORK INCENTIVES FOR BLIND AND DISABLED
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on Work Incentives for Blind and Disabled Social Security 
Beneficiaries. Testimony was heard from: Representative Ehrlich; Susan 
Daniels, Deputy Commissioner, Disability and Income Security Program, 
SSA; Barbara Bovbjerg, Associate Director, Education, Workforce and 
Income Security Issues, Health, Education and Human Services Division, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
INTELLIGENCE MATTERS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold hearings on the National Security Agency Legal Authorities and on 
the Consolidated Cryptologic Program. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki): Commission 
concluded hearings on the impact of organized crime and corruption on 
democratic and economic reform in southeast Europe and Central Asia, 
regional and international efforts to address this threat, and the 
effect it has on United States security, economic and political 
interests, after receiving testimony from Rob Boone, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement 
Affairs; James K. Weber, Deputy Assistant Director, International 
Operations Branch, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of 
Justice; John Tennant, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for 
Europe and Eurasia, U.S. Agency for International Development; Adrian 
Karatnycky, Freedom House, New York, New York; and Nancy Lubin, JNA 
Associates, Inc., Washington, D.C.