[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 14, 2001)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D212-D214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL FARM COMMODITY PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Continued hearings on federal farm commodity 
programs, with the National Farmers Union. Testimony was heard from 
Leland Swenson, President, National Farmers Union.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Inspector General, USDA. Testimony was heard from Roger C. Viadero, 
Inspector General, USDA.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on U.S. European Command. Testimony was heard 
from Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, USAF, Commander in Chief, European 
Command, Department of Defense.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
U.S. Space Command. Testimony was heard from Gen. Ralph Eberhart, USAF, 
Commander in Chief, U.S. Space Command and North American Aerospace 
Command, Department of Defense.
LABOR, HHS, AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services and Education continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on European Military Construction. Testimony was heard from 
Gen.

[[Page D213]]

Joseph W. Ralston, USAF, Commander in Chief, European Command, 
Department of Defense.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation continued 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
TRICARE BENEFITS IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on implementation of TRICARE benefits for Medicare-eligible 
military retirees. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Rear Adm. Jarrett Clinton, USN, Acting 
Assistant Secretary (Health Affairs); James Sears, Director, TRICARE 
Management Activity; and Kenneth C. Scheflen, Director, Defense 
Manpower Data Center; Elizabeth Cusick, Acting Executive Associate 
Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
USDA BUDGET PRIORITIES
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Department of 
Agriculture Budget Priorities for Fiscal Year 2002. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Stenholm; Ann M. Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture; 
and a public witness.
EMPOWERING SUCCESS: FLEXIBILITY AND SCHOOL CHOICE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
Reform held a hearing on Empowering Success: Flexibility and School 
Choice. Testimony was heard from. Lisa Graham Keegan, Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, Department of Education, State of Arizona; Spence 
Korte, Superintendent, Public Schools, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY: COAL
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held an oversight hearing on National Energy Policy: Coal. 
Testimony was heard from Mary Hutzler, Director, Office of Integrated 
Analysis and Forecasting, Energy Information Agency, Department of 
Energy; Billy Jack Gregg, Director. Consumer Advocate Division, Public 
Service Commission, State of West Virginia; Edwin Pinero, Director, 
Program Operations, Office of Pollution and Compliance, Department of 
Environmental Protection, State of Pennsylvania.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO STOCK MARKET DATA
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing on Public 
Access to Stock Market Data-Improving Transparency and Competition. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CONFRONTING LIBERIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on Confronting Liberia. Testimony was heard from Senator 
Feingold; and public witnesses.
EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKES; PERU--PROSPECTS FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere approved for full committee action H. Con. Res. 41, 
expressing sympathy for the victims of the devastating earthquakes that 
struck El Salvador on January 13, and February 13, 2001, and supporting 
ongoing aid efforts.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Prospects for Free and Fair 
Elections in Peru. Testimony was heard from Ambassador Luis Lauredo, 
OAS, Department of State; Susan Westin, Managing Director, 
International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and a public witness.
PRIVATE IMMIGRATION AND PRIVATE CLAIMS BILLS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims 
approved for full Committee action a private claims bill.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee adopted Rules of Procedure for 
private immigration bills and private claims bills and policy on 
Federal Charters.
SMALL BUSINESS PAPERWORK RELIEF ACT; BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H.R. 327, Small Business Paperwork Relief Act. The 
rule provides that it shall be in order to consider as an original bill 
for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute printed in the Congressional Record and numbered 1. The rule 
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be open 
for amendment by section. The rule allows the Chairman of the Committee 
of the Whole to accord priority in recognition to Members who have 
preprinted their amendments in the Congressional Record. Finally, the 
rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Burton and Representatives Ose and 
Tierney.
  The Committee adopted Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2002 
for submission to the Committee on the Budget.

[[Page D214]]


CLIMATE CHANGE
Committee on Science: Held a hearing entitled: ``Climate Change: The 
State of the Science.'' Testimony was heard from Daniel Albritton, 
Director, Aeronmay Laboratory, NOAA, Department of Commerce; and public 
witnesses.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Small Business: Approved Committee Budget Views and 
Estimates for Fiscal Year 2002 for submission to the Committee on the 
Budget.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM--MODERNIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on the FAA's efforts to modernize the Air 
Traffic Control system, focusing on the Standard Terminal Automation 
Replacement System (STARS). Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: Kenneth M. Mead, 
Inspector General; and Steven Zaidman, Associate Administrator, 
Research and Acquisitions, FAA; and public witnesses.
ADMINISTRATION'S HEALTH AND WELFARE PRIORITIES; BUDGET VIEWS AND 
ESTIMATES
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on the Administration's 
Health and Welfare Priorities. Testimony was heard from Tommy G. 
Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  Prior to this action, the Committee approved Committee Budget Views 
and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2002 for submission to the Committee on 
the Budget.
BRIEFING--COVERT ACTION CAPABILITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on 
International Policy and National Security and the Subcommittee on 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to hold a joint briefing on Covert Action Capabilities. The 
Subcommittees were briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
WILDFIRE PROGRAM
Joint Hearing: Senate Appropriations' Subcommittee on the Interior 
concluded joint hearings with the House Committee on Appropriations' 
Subcommittee on the Interior on issues dealing with the wildfire 
program, after receiving testimony from Lyle Laverty, Associate Deputy 
Chief/National Fire Plan Coordinator, Forest Service, Department of 
Agriculture; Tim Hartzell, Director, Office of Wildland and Fire 
Coordination, Department of the Interior; and James Hubbard, Colorado 
State Forest Service, Fort Collins, on behalf of the Western Governors 
Association.
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the 
legislative recommendations of the Disabled American Veterans, after 
receiving testimony from Armando C. Albarran, Disabled American 
Veterans, Washington, D.C., who was accompanied by several of his 
associates.