[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D379-D381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION ACT; ANIMAL WELFARE 
ACT AMENDMENTS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture 
approved for full Committee action, as amended, the following bills: 
H.R. 2962, Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act; and 
H.R. 1275, to amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the interstate 
movement of live birds for the purpose of having the birds participate 
in animal fighting.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 2962. 
Testimony was heard from public 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 the 
Treasury. Testimony was heard from Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary of 
the Treasury.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education held a hearing on the SSA and the U.S. 
Institute of Peace. Testimony was heard from Kenneth S. Apfel, 
Commissioner, SSA; and Chester A. Crocker, Chairman, U.S. Institute of 
Peace.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Armed Services, Special Oversight Panel on Merchant Marine 
approved recommendations to the committee on H.R. 4205, National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Armed Services: Special Oversight Panel on Morale, Welfare 
and Recreation approved recommendations to the committee on H.R. 4205, 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001.
NTSB RAPIDRAFT PAYMENT SYSTEM ABUSE
Committee on the Budget: Housing and Infrastructure Task Force held a 
hearing on Abuse of the NTSB Rapidraft Payment System. Testimony was 
heard from Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General, Department of 
Transportation; and James E. Hall, Chairman, National Transportation 
Safety Board.
U.S. ENRICHMENT CORPORATION PRIVATIZATION--IMPACT ON DOMESTIC URANIUM 
INDUSTRY
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
held a hearing to review U.S. Enrichment Corporation privatization and 
its impact on the domestic uranium industry. Testimony was heard from 
Gary Gensler, Under Secretary, Department of the Treasury; Ernest J. 
Moniz, Under Secretary, Department of Energy; Carl Paperiello, Deputy 
Executive Director, Materials, Research, and State Programs, NRC; and 
public witnesses.
RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING FREEDOM ACT; NONCOMMERCIAL BROADCASTING FREEDOM 
OF EXPRESSION ACT
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3525, 
Religious Broadcasting Freedom Act; and H.R. 4201, Noncommercial 
Broadcasting Freedom of Expression Act of 2000. Testimony was heard 
from the following Commissioners of the FCC: Harold W. Furchtgott-Roth; 
and Gloria Tristani; and public witnesses.

[[Page D380]]


EDUCATION OPTIONS ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 4141, Education Opportunities To Protect and Invest In Our 
Nation's Students (Education OPTIONS) Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 4022, Russian Anti-Ship Missile Nonproliferation 
Act; and H.R. 3680, to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 1998 with respect to the adjustment of composite 
theoretical performance levels of high performance computers.
  The Committee also favorably considered the following measures and 
adopted a motion urging the Chairman to request that they be considered 
on the Suspension Calendar: H. Res. 464, expressing the sense of 
Congress on international recognition of Israel's Magen David Adom 
Society and its symbol the Red Shield of David; H. Res. 449, 
congratulating the people of Senegal on the success of the multi-party 
electoral process; H.R. 4251, Congressional Oversight of Nuclear 
Transfers to North Korea Act; H. Con. Res. 304, Expressing the 
condemnation of the continued egregious violations of human rights in 
the Republic of Belarus, the lack of progress toward the establishment 
of democracy and the rule of law in Belarus, calling on President 
Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime to engage in negotiations with the 
representatives of the opposition and to restore the constitutional 
rights of the Belarusian people, and calling on the Russian Federation 
to respect the sovereignty of Belarus; H.R. 3879, amended, Sierra Leone 
Peace Support Act; and H. Con. Res. 295, amended, relating to 
continuing human rights violations and political oppression in the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam 25 years after the fall of South Vietnam 
to Communist forces.
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN CUBA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on Children's Rights in 
Cuba. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims held 
a hearing on H.R. 3485, Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
GUAM MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
755, Guam War Restitution Act; and H.R. 2462, Guam Omnibus 
Opportunities Act. Testimony was heard from Lisa Guide, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Policy and International Affairs, Department of 
the Interior; former Delegate Ben Blaz of Guam; and a public witness.
SHARK FINNING PROHIBITION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 3535, Shark Finning 
Prohibition Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Cunningham; 
Andrew Rosenberg, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; 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. 2773, 
amended, Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Act; H.R. 2950, amended, Oregon 
Land Exchange Act of 1999; H.R. 2778, amended, Taunton River Wild and 
Scenic River Study Act of 1999; H.R. 3084, to authorize the Secretary 
of the Interior to contribute funds for the establishment of an 
interpretive center on the life and contributions of President Abraham 
Lincoln; H.R. 3241, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to 
recalculate the franchise fee owed by Fort Sumter Tours Inc., a 
concessioner providing service to Fort Sumter National Monument in 
South Carolina; and H.R. 3676, Santa Rosa and San Jacino Mountains 
National Monument Act of 2000.
WIRELESS INTERNET TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held a hearing on 
Wireless Internet Technology. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
OSHA'S PROPOSED ERGONOMICS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Paperwork Reduction held a hearing on OSHA's Proposed Ergonomics 
Standard and its Impact on Small Business. Testimony was heard from 
Charles N. Jeffress, Administrator, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
VETERANS' LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on VA adjudication of Hepatitis C claims, and the following bills: H.R. 
1020, Veterans' Hepatitis C Benefits Act; H.R. 3816, to amend title 38, 
United States Code, to provide that a stroke or heart attack that is 
incurred or aggravated by a member of a reserve component in the 
performance of duty while performing inactive duty training shall be 
considered to be service-connected for purposes of benefits under laws 
administered by

[[Page D381]]

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; H.R. 3998, Veterans' Special Monthly 
Compensation Gender Equity Act; and H.R. 4131, Veterans' Compensation 
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Stupak and Snyder; the following officials of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs: Gary Roselle, M.D., Program Director, Infectious 
Diseases, Medical Center, Cincinnati; Nora Egan, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Management; and John McCourt, Deputy Director, Compensation 
and Pension Service; representatives of veterans organizations; and 
public witnesses.
FUNDAMENTAL TAX REFORM
Committee on Ways and Means: Concluded hearings on fundamental tax 
reform. Testimony was heard from Representative Portman; and public 
witnesses.
MANAGING INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY PERSONNEL RESOURCES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Building Capabilities: The Challenges of Managing 
Intelligence Community Personnel Resources. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
2001 BUDGET
  Conferees on Wednesday, April 12, agreed to file a conference report 
on the differences between the Senate and House passed versions of H. 
Con. Res. 290, establishing the congressional budget for the United 
States Government for fiscal year 2001, revising the congressional 
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2000, and 
setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for each of fiscal years 
2002 through 2005.