[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D424-D426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
CARBON CYCLE RESEARCH AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Subcommittee on 
Production and Price Competitiveness concluded hearings to examine 
carbon cycle research and agriculture's role in mitigating greenhouse 
gases and reducing climate changes, after receiving testimony from 
David J. Hofmann, Director, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics 
Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department 
of Commerce; Keith Collins, Chief Economist, and John M. Kimble, 
Research Soil Scientist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, both 
of the Department of Agriculture; Richard E. Stuckey, Council for 
Agricultural Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa; Charles W. Rice, 
Kansas State University Department of Agronomy, Lincoln, Nebraska, on 
behalf of the Soil Science Society of America and American Society of 
Agronomy; William Richards, Circleville, Ohio, former Chief of the Soil 
Conservation Service; and John C. Haas, Larned, Kansas, on behalf of 
the Kansas and the National Grain Sorghum Producers Association and 
Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching.
APPROPRIATIONS--SUBCOMMITTEE ALLOCATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Committee completed its review of 
subcommittee allocations of budget outlays and new budget authority 
allocated to the committee in 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.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, and Related Agencies approved for full committee 
consideration an original bill making appropriations for Agriculture, 
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001.
APPROPRIATIONS--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal 
year 2001, after receiving testimony in behalf of funds for their 
respective activities from Eamon M. Kelly, Chairman, and Rita Colwell, 
Director, both of the National Science Foundation; and Neil Lane, 
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy.
AUTHORIZATION--DEFENSE
Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to 
continue markup of proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal 
year 2001 for military activities of the Department of Defense, but did 
not complete action thereon, and will meet again on Tuesday, May 9.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearing on the nominations of J. Randolph Babbitt, of Virginia, Robert 
W. Baker, of Texas, Edward M. Bolen, of Maryland, Phil Boyer, of 
Maryland, Debbie D. Branson, of Texas, Geoffrey T. Crowley, of 
Wisconsin, Robert A. Davis, of Washington, and Kendall W. Wilson, of 
the District of Columbia, each to be a Member of the Federal Aviation 
Management Advisory Council, Department of Transportation, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. 
Baker was introduced by Senator Hutchison, and Ms. Branson was 
introduced by Senators Hutchison and Hollings.

[[Page D425]]


FOREST SERVICE STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTING PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and 
Public Land Management concluded oversight hearings on the United 
States Forest Service's use of current and proposed stewardship 
contracting procedures, including authorities under section 347 of the 
FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Act, and whether these procedures assist 
or could be improved to assist forest management activities to meet 
goals of ecosystem management, restoration, and employment 
opportunities on public lands, after receiving testimony from Ann 
Bartuska, Director of Forest Management, Forest Service, Department of 
Agriculture; Jim Hubbard, Colorado State Forest Service, Fort Collins, 
on behalf of the National Association of State Foresters; Lynn 
Jungwirth, Watershed Research and Training Center, Hayfork, California; 
Carol Daly, Flathead Economic Policy Center, Columbia Falls, Montana, 
on behalf of the Flathead Forestry Project; Richard Willhite, Shearer 
Lumber Products, Elk City, Idaho; Diane Snyder, Wallowa Resources, 
Enterprise, Oregon; George Ramirez, Las Humanas Cooperative, Tajique, 
New Mexico; Charles Spencer, University of Oregon Labor Education and 
Research Center, Eugene, on behalf of the Ecosystem Workforce Program; 
Phil Dahl-Bredine, Cooperative Ownership Development Corporation, 
Silver City, New Mexico, on behalf of the Tierra Alta Wood Products 
Industry and Jobs and Biodiversity Coalition; Paul M. Harlan, Collins 
Companies, Lakeview, Oregon; and Gerald J. Gray, American Forests, 
Steve Holmer, American Lands Alliance, and Michael T. Leahy, National 
Audubon Society, all of Washington, D.C.
MEDICARE REFORM
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine the Health 
Care Financing Administration's role and readiness in Medicare reform, 
receiving testimony from Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, Administrator, Health 
Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; 
William E. Flynn, III, Associate Director for Retirement and Insurance, 
Office of Personnel Management; William J. Scanlon, Director, Health 
Financing and Public Health Issues, Health, Education, and Human 
Services Division, General Accounting Office; Rogelio Garcia, 
Specialist in American National Government, Government and Finance 
Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; Gail R. 
Wilensky, Project HOPE, Bethesda, Maryland; and Judith Feder, 
Georgetown University Public Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.
  Hearings recessed subject to call.
U.S. LIBYA POLICY
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South 
Asian Affairs concluded hearings to examine U.S. foreign policy toward 
Libya, focusing on economic issues, politics, foreign relations, the 
Great Man-Made River project, and the indictments following Pan Am 103 
and UTA 772 terrorist explosion, after receiving testimony from Ronald 
Neumann, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; 
John R. Bolton, American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C.; and 
Stephanie Bernstein, Justice for Pan Am 103, Bethesda, Maryland.
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR REINVENTING GOVERNMENT
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of 
Government Management, Restructuring and the District of Columbia 
concluded hearings to examine the management reform efforts of the 
National Partnership for Reinventing Government for the last seven 
years, including changes to government management and programs that 
were proposed and implemented, and S. 2306, to increase the efficiency 
and effectiveness of the Federal Government, after receiving testimony 
from J. Christopher Mihm, Associate Director, Federal Management and 
Workforce Issues, General Government Division, General Accounting 
Office; Ronald C. Moe, Project Coordinator, Government and Finance 
Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; Paul C. 
Light, Brookings Institution, and Scott A. Hodge, Citizens for a Sound 
Economy Foundation, both of Washington, D.C.; and Donald F. Kettl, 
University of Wisconsin LaFollette Institute of Public Affairs, 
Madison, on behalf of the Brookings Institution.
AGRICULTURAL JOBS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND BENEFITS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration concluded 
hearings on S. 1814, to establish a system of registries of temporary 
agricultural workers to provide for a sufficient supply of such workers 
and to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to streamline 
procedures for the admission and extension of stay of nonimmigrant 
agricultural workers, after receiving testimony from Senators Graham, 
Craig, and Gordon Smith; Representative Berman and Bishop; Josh Wunsch, 
Wunsch Farms, Traverse City, Michigan, on behalf of the Michigan Farm 
Bureau and the American Farm Bureau; Polo Garcia, House of Zion 
Ministries, Inc., Woodburn, Oregon; Cecilia Munoz, National Council of 
La Raza, and James S. Holt, McGuiness, Norris and Williams and the 
Employment Policy Foundation, on behalf of the

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National Council of Agricultural Employers, both of Washington, D.C.; 
and Marcos Camacho, United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, Keene, 
California.