[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D159-D160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
FARM BILL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded 
hearings to examine statutes of conservation programs in the current 
farm bill, including Conservation Reserve Program, Emergency 
Conservation Program, Pasture Recovery Program, and Debt for Nature, 
after receiving testimony from Nathan L. Rudgers, New York Department 
of Agriculture and Markets, Albany, on behalf of the National 
Association of State Departments of Agriculture; Craig Cox, Soil and 
Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, Iowa; John Hassell, Conservation 
Technology Information Center, West Lafayette, Indiana; Bob Stallman, 
Columbus, Texas, on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation; Dan 
Specht, McGregor, Iowa, on behalf of the Sustainable Agriculture 
Coalition; and Tom Buis, National Farmers Union, Rollin D. Sparrow, 
Wildlife Management Institute, Gerald Cohn, American Farmland Trust, 
David Stawick, Alliance for Agricultural Conservation, and Paul Faeth, 
World Resources Institute, all of Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 143, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, to reduce securities fees in excess of those 
required to fund the operations of the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, to adjust compensation provisions for employees of the 
Commission, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  An original resolution (S. Res. 40) requesting $2,741,526 for 
operating expenses for the period from March 1, 2001 through September 
30, 2001, $4,862,013 for operating expenses for the period from October 
1, 2001 through September 30, 2002, and $2,079,076 for operating 
expenses for the period from October 1, 2002 through February 28, 2003.
  Also, committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 107th 
Congress, and announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Securities and Investments: Senators Enzi (Chairman), 
Shelby, Crapo, Bennett, Allard, Hagel, Santorum, Bunning, Dodd (Ranking 
Member), Johnson, Reed, Schumer, Bayh, Corzine, Carper, and Stabenow.
  Subcommittee on Financial Institutions: Senators Bennett (Chairman), 
Ensign, Shelby, Allard, Santorum, Bunning, Crapo, Johnson (Ranking 
Member), Miller, Carper, Stabenow, Dodd, Reed, and Bayh.
  Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance: Senators Hagel 
(Chairman), Enzi, Crapo, Bayh (Ranking Member), Miller, and Johnson.
  Subcommittee on Housing and Transportation: Senators Allard 
(Chairman), Santorum, Ensign, Shelby, Enzi, Hagel, Reed (Ranking 
Member), Carper, Stabenow, Corzine, Dodd, and Schumer.
  Subcommittee on Economic Policy: Senators Bunning (Chairman), 
Bennett, Ensign, Schumer (Ranking Member), Miller, and Corzine.
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET PROPOSAL
Committee on the Budget: Committee held hearings to examine the 
President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2002, receiving 
testimony form Paul H. O'Neill, Secretary of the Treasury.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
TRANSITION TO DIGITAL TELEVISION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearings to examine issues related to the broadcast industry's 
transition to digital television, including digital rollout by the 
cable industry, cable industry upgrades, cable's new digital and high 
definition programming, digital must carry and retransmission consent, 
compatibility issues, and digital television set sales, after receiving 
testimony from Jeff Sagansky, Paxson Communications Corporation, West 
Palm Beach, Florida; Ben Tucker, Fisher Broadcasting, Inc., Seattle, 
Washington, on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters; 
Michael Willner, Insight Communications, New York, New York; and Mark 
Cooper, Consumer Federation of America, James Gattuso, Competitive 
Enterprise Institute, Joseph S. Kraemer, LECG, and Thomas W. Hazlett, 
American Enterprise Institute, all of Washington, D.C.
ANTI-DRUG CERTIFICATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
proposed legislation to reform the anti-drug certification process, 
after receiving testimony from Senators Grassley and Hutchison; 
Representatives Gilman and Reyes; R. Rand Beers,

[[Page D160]]

Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement Affairs; and Bernard W. Aronson, ACON Investments, 
Washington, D.C., former Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-
American Affairs.
U.S./IRAQ POLICY
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South 
Asian Affairs held hearings to examine United States policy towards 
Iraq, receiving testimony from former Senator Bob Kerrey; Richard N. 
Perle, American Enterprise Institute, former Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for International Security, Morton H. Halperin, Council on 
Foreign Relations, and Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic and 
International Studies, all of Washington, D.C.
  Hearings recessed subject to call.
INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations held hearings to examine the role of United States 
correspondent banking and offshore banks as vehicles for international 
money laundering, and the efforts of financial entities, federal 
regulators, and law enforcement to limit money laundering activities 
within the United States, receiving testimony from James C. Christie, 
Bank of America, Oakland, California; David A. Weisbrod, Chase 
Manhattan Bank, New York, New York; and John M. Mathewson.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.