[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D351-D353]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary held a hearing on U.N. Peacekeeping. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of State: Richard 
Holbrooke, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.; and David Welch, Assistant 
Secretary, International Organizations.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on AID Administrator. 
Testimony was heard from J. Brady Anderson, Administrator, AID, 
Department of State.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Native American issues. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education continued appropriations hearings. Testimony 
was heard from Members of Congress.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on the U.S. Mint. Testimony was 
heard from John P. Mitchell, Acting Director, U.S. Mint, Department of 
the Treasury; and public witnesses.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies continued appropriations hearings. Testimony was heard from 
Members of Congress.
FINANCIAL CONTRACT HIRING, HEDGE FUND DISCLOSURE, AND OVER-THE-COUNTER 
DERIVATIVES RECOMMENDATIONS
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on the 
recommendations of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets 
concerning Financial Contract Netting, Hedge Fund Disclosure, and Over-
the-Counter Derivatives. Testimony was heard from Representative Baker; 
Lewis A. Sachs, Assistant Secretary, Financial Markets, Department of 
the Treasury; Patrick M. Parkinson, Associate Director, Division of 
Research and Statistics, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; 
Annette L. Nazareth, Director, Division of Market Regulation, SEC; C. 
Robert Paul, General Counsel, Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held an oversight hearing on the status of 
deployment of broadband technologies. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
EDUCATION OPTIONS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Continued markup of H.R. 
4141, Education Opportunities To Protect and Invest In Our Nation's 
Students (Education OPTIONS) Act.
  Will continue tomorrow.
KOSOVO--RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Recent 
Developments in Kosovo and Related Issues. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of State: Ambassador James 
Pardew, Deputy Special Advisor to the President and Secretary for 
Kosovo and Dayton Implementation; and James Swigert, Deputy Special 
Advisor, Deputy Assistant Secretary, both with the Bureau of European 
Affairs; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--BANKRUPTCY CODE LIMIT ON REGULATORY POWERS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on the limit on regulatory 
powers under the Bankruptcy Code. Testimony was heard from Ethan 
Posner, Deputy Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice; 
Christopher J. Wright, General Counsel, FCC; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INTEGRATION OF ECO-REGION ASSESSMENTS IN FOREST SERVICE 
PLANS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on Integration of Eco-region Assessments in Forest 
Service Plans. Testimony was heard from Barry Hill, Associate Director, 
Energy, Resources, and Science Issues, Resources, Community, and 
Economic Development Division, GAO; and Chris Risbrudt, Director, Eco-

[[Page D352]]

System Management Coordination, Forest Service, USDA.
TAXATION LIMITATION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, a modified 
closed rule providing 2 hours of debate on H.J. Res. 94, proposing an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States with respect to tax 
limitations. The rule provides for one amendment printed in the 
Congressional Record if offered by the Minority Leader or his designee, 
which shall be considered as read and shall be separately debatable for 
one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an 
opponent. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with 
or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Sessions and Conyers.
MOTIONS TO SUSPEND RULES
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, a rule 
providing that suspensions will be in order at any time on or before 
the legislative day of Friday, April 14, 2000. The rule provides that 
the object of any motion to suspend the rules will be announced from 
the floor at least one hour prior to its consideration. Finally, the 
rule provides that the Speaker or his designee shall consult with the 
Minority Leader or his designee on the object of any suspension 
considered under this resolution.
CLEAN LAKES PROGRAMS REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, an open rule 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 2328, to amend the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Clean Lakes Program. The rule 
makes in order the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
amendment in the nature of a substitute, now printed in the bill, as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment. The rule waives clause 7 of 
rule XVI (prohibiting nongermane amendments) against the committee 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule provides that the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be open for amendment by 
section. The rule authorizes the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole 
to accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their 
amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule allows 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 one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Shuster and Representatives Sweeney 
and Borski.
CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, an open rule 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 3039, Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act 
of 1999. The rule provides that the bill shall be open for amendment at 
any point. The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in 
recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the 
Congressional Record. The rule allows 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 one motion to 
recommit, with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Shuster and Representative Borski.
NASA'S BUDGET REQUEST--AERO-SPACE TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on NASA's Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Request: Aero-Space 
Technology Enterprise. Testimony was heard from Sam Venneri, Associate 
Administrator, Aero-Space Technology Enterprise, NASA; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--E-COMMERCE AND SMALL BUSINESSES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Government Programs and 
Oversight held an oversight hearing to examine the federal government's 
use of e-commerce to facilitate procurement in comparison to the 
private sector. Testimony was heard from Deidre Lee, Administrator, 
Office of Federal Procurement Policy, OMB; the following officials of 
the SBA: Max E. Summers, State Director, Small Business Development 
Center, State of Missouri; and Major Clark, Assistant Advocate, Office 
of Advocacy; Scottie Knott, Director, JECPO, Defense Logistics Agency, 
Department of Defense; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 673, amended, Florida Keys Water Quality 
Improvements Act of 1999; H.R. 855, amended, Long Island Sound 
Preservation and Protection Act; H.R. 1106, amended, Alternative Water 
Sources Act of 1999; H.R. 1237, amended, to amend the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act to permit grants for the national estuary program 
to be used for the development and implementation of a comprehensive 
conservation and management plan, to reauthorize appropriations to 
carry out the program; H.R. 2957, amended, Lake Pontchartrain Basin 
Protection Act of 1999 and H.R. 3313, amended, Long Island Sound 
Restoration Act;

[[Page D353]]

H.R. 1405, to designate the Federal building located at 143 West 
Liberty Street, Medina, Ohio, as the ``Donald J. Pease Federal 
Building''; H.R. 1571, to designate the Federal building under 
construction at 600 State Street in New Haven, Connecticut, as the 
``Merrill S. Parks, Jr., Federal Building''; H.R. 1729, To designate 
the Federal facility located at 1301 Emmet Street in Charlottesville, 
Virginia, as the ``Pamela B. Gwin Hall''; H.R. 1901, to designate the 
United States border station located in Pharr, Texas, as the ``Kika de 
la Garza United States Border Station''.
  The Committee also approved Corps of Engineers Survey Resolutions and 
11(b) Pubic Buildings Resolutions.
EGYPT AIR CRASH ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Issues Arising out of the Egypt Air Crash, 
including Video Recorders in the Cockpit, English Proficiency 
Requirements for Foreign Pilots and Psychological Testing of Pilots. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Franks of New Jersey; James E. 
Hall, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board; Thomas McSweeny, 
Associate Administrator, Regulation and Certification, FAA, Department 
of Transportation; and public witnesses.
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 Program. Testimony was heard from Robert Peck, 
Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, GSA; and Bernard Ungar, 
Director, Government Business Operational Issues, GAO.
FUNDAMENTAL TAX REFORM
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on fundamental tax reform. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Peterson of Minnesota and 
Linder; Billy Hamilton, Deputy Comptroller of Public Accounts, State of 
Texas; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
SOCIAL SECURITY--EFFORTS TO INFORM PUBLIC
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on efforts to inform the public about Social Security. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Weller, Hoekstra, Pomeroy and 
Sununu; Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner, SSA; Barbara Bovbjerg, 
Associate Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, 
Health, Education and Human Services Division, GAO; and public 
witnesses.