[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 19, 2000)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D780-D782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL FARM POLICY
Committee on Agriculture: Continued hearings to review federal farm policy. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue July 26.
CHINA--MILITARY CAPABILITIES
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on military capabilities of the 
People's Republic of China. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMMODITY FUTURES MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Held a hearing on H.R. 4541, 
Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. Testimony was heard from Lee 
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.
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING SECURITY PRINTING AMENDMENTS ACT
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy approved for full Committee action, as 
amended, H.R. 4096, Bureau of Engraving and Printing Security Printing 
Amendments Act of 2000.
PARK SERVICE--FIRE SAFETY FAILURES
Committee on the Budget: Natural Resources and the Environment Task Force 
held a hearing on Fire Safety Failures of the Park Service: Caretaker of the 
Nation's Treasures Ineffective in Addressing Hazards. Testimony was heard 
from Jim Wells, Director, Energy, Resources and Science Issues, GAO; and 
Maureen Finnerty, Associate Director, Operations and Education, National 
Park Service, Department of the Interior.
FOOD STAMP FRAUD
Committee on the Budget: Task Force on Welfare held a hearing on Food Stamp 
Fraud: Why Trafficking Persists and What Can Be Done About It. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the USDA: Roger C. Viadero, Inspector 
General; and Shirley R. Watkins, Under Secretary, Food Nutrition and 
Consumer Services; Larry Dyckman, Director, Food and Agriculture Issues, 
GAO; Darrell Hartman, Director, Special Operations, Office of the Inspector 
General, Department of Human Services, State of Texas; and public witnesses.
BALANCED BUDGET ACT OF 1997--CURRENT IMPACT ON PROVIDERS AND PATIENTS
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Health and Environment held a hearing 
on ``BBA '97: A Look at the Current Impact on Providers and Patients.'' 
Testimony was heard from William J. Scanlon, Director, Health Financing and 
Public Health, GAO; Gail Wilensky, Chair, Medicare Payment Advisory Council; 
and public witnesses.
FCC'S SPECTRUM POLICIES
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on A Review of the FCC's Spectrum 
Policies for the 21st Century, including H.R. 4758, Spectrum Resource 
Assurance Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Nethercutt and 
Gutknecht; Greg Rohde, Assistant Secretary, Department of Commerce; Tom 
Surgue, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC; Malcolm Lee, Assistant 
Deputy Secretary, Department of State; and public witnesses.
RETIREMENT SECURITY ADVICE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-Employee 
Relations approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 4747, 
Retirement Security Advice Act of 2000.
OVERSIGHT--STATE DEPARTMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans 
Affairs and International Relations held a hearing on ``Oversight of the 
State Department: Is Management Getting Results?'' Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the

[[Page D781]]

Department of State: Bert T. Edwards, Chief Financial Officer, Assistant 
Secretary, Finance and Management Policy; David G. Carpenter, Assistant 
Secretary, Diplomatic Security, Director, Office of Foreign Missions; and 
Jacquelyn L. Williams Bridgers, Inspector General; and Ben Nelson, Director, 
National Security and International Affairs Division, GAO.
BOSNIA--CRIME AND CORRUPTION
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Crime and Corruption 
in Bosnia. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the GAO: 
Harold Johnson, Associate Director and James Shafer, Assistant Director, 
both with International Relations and Trade; and David Bruno, Evaluator in 
Charge; and Ambassador James Pardew, Deputy Special Advisor to the President 
and Secretary of State for Kosovo and Dayton Implementation, Bureau of 
European Affairs, Department of State.
INTERNET PIRACY COSTS--MUSIC AND SOFTWARE INDUSTRIES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International Economic 
Policy and Trade held a hearing on the Costs of Internet Piracy for the 
Music and Software Industries. Testimony was heard from Q. Todd Dickinson, 
Under Secretary, Intellectual Property and Director, Patent and Trademark 
Office, Department of Commerce; Joseph Papovich, Assistant U.S. Trade 
Representative for Services, Investment, and Intellectual Property; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following measures: H.J. 
Res. 72, amended, granting the consent of the Congress to the Red River 
Boundary Compact; H.R. 4700, to grant the consent of the Congress to the 
Kansas and Missouri Metropolitan Culture District Compact; and H.R. 1349, 
amended, Federal Prisoner Health Care Copayment Act of 1999.
  The Committee also began consideration of H.R. 2987, Methamphetamine Anti-
Proliferation Act of 1999.
CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS RESOLUTION AND REPORT; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following: a resolution and 
report containing statements of fact (1) reporting to the House of 
Representatives Contempt of Congress by the Project on Government Oversight, 
Ms. Danielle Brian Stockton, Mr. Keith Rutter, Mr. Henry M. Banta, and Mr. 
Robert A. Berman arising from refusals to comply with subpoenas duces tecum 
issued by the Committee on Resources and (2) reporting to the House of 
Representatives Contempt of Congress by Mr. Robert A. Berman, Mr. Keith 
Rutter, Ms. Danielle Brian Stockton, and Mr. Henry M. Banta arising from 
refusals to answer pertinent questions while testifying under subpoena 
before the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources; S. 1937, to amend 
the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act to 
provide for sales of electricity by the Bonneville Power Administration to 
joint operating entities; H.R. 3033, amended, to direct the Secretary of the 
Interior to make certain adjustments to the boundaries of Biscayne National 
Park in the State of Florida; H.R. 3112, amended, Colorado Ute Settlement 
Act Amendments of 1999; H.R. 4275, amended, Colorado Canyons National 
Conservation Area and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 2000; H.R. 4320, 
amended, Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000; H.R. 4340, Mineral Revenue 
Payments Clarification Act of 2000; and H.R. 4583, to extend the 
authorization for the Air Force Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial 
in the District of Columbia or its environs.
  The Committee also passed a motion regarding transfer of Committee 
records.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE 
REPORT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing one hour 
of general debate on H.R. 4871, making appropriations for the Treasury 
Department, the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the 
President, and Certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2001, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives 
all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule waives 
clause 2 of rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized, legislative provisions or 
reappropriations in a general appropriations bill) against the bill, except 
as otherwise specified in the rule. 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 Representatives Kolbe and 
Hoyer.
MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY RECONCILIATION ACT CONFERENCE REPORT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 4810, Marriage Tax 
Penalty Elimination Reconciliation Act of 2000 and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. The rule lays H. Res. 556 on the table.

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NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION INCENTIVE ACT
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Encouraging Science, Math, 
Engineering and Technology Education in Kindergarten Through 12th Grade and 
H.R. 4273, National Science Education Incentive Act. Testimony was heard 
from Judith Sunley, Acting Assistant Director, Education and Human 
Resources, NSF; and public witnesses.
MOTOR CARRIER FUEL EQUITY ACT; RAILROAD RETIREMENT AND SURVIVORS' 
IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported, as 
amended, the following bills: H.R. 4441, Motor Carrier Fuel Cost Equity Act 
of 2000; and H.R. 4844, Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act 
of 2000.
MOTOR CARRIER FUEL COST EQUITY ACT; RAILROAD RETIREMENT AND SURVIVORS' 
IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Ground 
Transportation approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 
4441, amended, Motor Carrier Fuel Cost Equity Act of 2000; and H.R. 4844, 
Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2000.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 4868, Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2000; 
H.R. 4678, Child Support Distribution Act of 2000; and H.R. 4865, Social 
Security Benefits Tax Relief Act.
F