[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 44 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D288-D291]
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 soybean

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industry. Testimony was heard from Bart Ruth, Vice President, American 
Soybean Association.
  Hearings continue April 4.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary held a hearing on the Supreme Court. Testimony was heard 
from following Justicies of the Supreme Court: Anthony M. Kennedy; and 
Clarence Thomas.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the District of Columbia 
held a hearing on Public Schools and Public Charter Schools. Testimony 
was heard from Col. Charles J. Fiala, Jr., USA, Commander and District 
Engineer, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department 
of Defense; the following officials of the District of Columbia: Peggy 
Cooper Cafritz, President, Board of Education; Paul Vance, 
Superintendent, Public Schools; Josephine Baker, Chair, Public Charter 
School Board; George Brown, Chairman, Credit Enhancement Committee for 
Public Charter Schools; and Laurent Ross, Director, Tuition Assistance 
Program;
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior and Related 
Agencies held a hearing on Energy (National Energy Strategy). Testimony 
was heard from Mary J. Hutzler, Director, Office of Integrated Analysis 
and Forecasting, Energy Information Administration, Department of 
Energy; and public witnesses.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Quality of Life. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on Federal Transit Administration, and on Federal Transit 
Capital Projects. Testimony was heard from Hiram Walker, Acting Deputy 
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Department of 
Transportation; Jose F. Lluch, Executive Director, Highway and 
Transportation Authority, Puerto Rico; and public witnesses.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 
and General Government held a hearing on Custom Service Counter drug-
oversight. Testimony was heard from Charles Windwood, Acting 
Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.
MILITARY FORCES POSTURE
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the posture of U.S. 
military forces. Testimony was heard from Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, USAF, 
Commander in Chief, U.S. European Command, Department of Defense.
  Hearings continue April 4.
COMMISSARIES AND EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Special Oversight Panel on Morale, Welfare 
and Recreation held a hearing on commissaries and exchange programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Gail H. McGinn, Acting Assistant Secretary (Force Management 
Policy); Lt. Gen. Charles S. Mahan, Jr., USA, Deputy Chief of Staff 
(Logistics); Vice Adm. James G. Amerault, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations (Logistics); Lt. Gen. Michael E. Zettler, USAF, Deputy Chief 
of Staff (Installations and Logistics); Lt. Gen. Jack W. Klimp, USMC, 
Deputy Chief of Staff (Manpower and Reserve Affairs); Maj. Gen. Robert 
J. Courter, USAF, Defense Commissary Agency; Rear Adm. Steven W. Maas, 
USAF, Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service; Maj. Gen. Charles 
J. Wax, USAF, Commander, Army and Air Force Exchange Service; and Brig. 
Gen. Michael Downs, USMC (Ret.), Director, Personnel and Family 
Readiness Division.
TRANSFORMING FEDERAL ROLE IN EDUCATION
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on 
``Transforming the Federal Role in Education for the 21st Century: 
H.R.1, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; H.R. 340, Excellence and 
Accountability in Education Act; and H.R. 345, Public Education 
Reinvestment, Reinvention, and Responsibility Act. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
FCC--AGENDA AND PLANS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on ``FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell: 
Agenda and Plans for Reform.'' Testimony was heard from Michael K. 
Powell, Chairman, FCC.
BEYOND THE TAX CUT; UNLEASHING OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary 
Policy, Technology and Economic Growth held a hearing on Beyond the Tax 
Cut:

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Unleashing the Economy. Testimony was heard from Representative Armey; 
E. Floyd Kvamme, Co-Chairman, President's Committee of Advisors on 
Science and Technology, Office of Science and Technology Policy; and 
public witnesses.
MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and South Asia held a hearing on Developments in the Middle East. 
Testimony was heard from Edward Walker, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State.
OVERSIGHT--SOUTH WEST BORDER DRUG TRAFFICKING
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held an oversight 
hearing on Drug Trafficking on the Southwest Border. Testimony was 
heard from W. Royal Furgeson, Jr., Judge, U.S. District Court, Western 
District of Texas; Donnie R. Marshall, Administrator, DEA, Department 
of Justice; John Varrone, Assistant Commissioner, Office of 
Investigations, U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury; and 
Mike Scott, Chief, Criminal Law Enforcement, Department of Public 
Safety, State of Texas.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on the Effect of Mining Claim Fees on 
Domestic Exploration: Are They Worth It? Testimony was heard from Linda 
Calbom, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO; Robert 
Anderson, Deputy Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource 
Protection, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full Committee action, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 643, African Elephant Conservation 
Reauthorization Act of 2001; H.R. 645, Rhinoceros and Tiger 
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2001; and H.R. 700, Asian Elephant 
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2001.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing on Comprehensive 
Conservation Planning and the Operation and Maintenance Backlog in the 
National Wildlife Refuge System. Testimony was heard from Dan Ashe, 
Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL FOREST RESTORATION--EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the Effective Community Involvement in National Forest 
Restoration and Recreation Efforts: Obstacles and Solutions. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Forest Service, USDA: 
Randy Phillips, Deputy Chief, Programs and Legislation; and Sally 
Collins, Associate Deputy Chief; and public witnesses.
EPA--STRENGTHEN SCIENCE
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards held a hearing on H.R. 64, to provide for the establishment 
of the position of Deputy Administrator for Science and Technology of 
the Environmental Protection Agency. Testimony was heard from Bill 
Glaze, Chairman, Science Advisory Board, EPA; and public witnesses.
RAILROAD TRACK SAFETY ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held a hearing on Railroad Track Safety Issues. Testimony was 
heard from Mark Lindsey, Chief Counsel and Acting Administrator, 
Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation; Robert 
Chipkevich, Director, Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Study, 
National Transportation Safety Board; and public witnesses.
DEATH TAX ELIMINATION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported amended H.R. 8, Death Tax 
Elimination Act of 2001.
FREE TRADE DEALS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
Free Trade Deals: Is the United States Losing Ground As Its Trading 
Partners Move Ahead? Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--COVERT ACTION CASE STUDY
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
International Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Covert Action Case Study. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.
NRO ISSUES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Technical 
and Tactical Intelligence met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
NRO Issues. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

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Joint Meetings
HUMAN CAPITAL CHALLENGES
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on 
Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring and the District of 
Columbia held joint hearings with the House Committee on Government 
Reform's Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization to 
examine the final report of the U.S. Commission on National Security in 
the 21st Century, focusing on national security implications of the 
human capital crisis, receiving testimony from Henry L. Hinton, Jr., 
Managing Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, General 
Accounting Office; Robert J. Lieberman, Deputy Inspector General, 
Department of Defense; and James R. Schlesinger, former Secretary of 
Defense and former Secretary of Energy, and Adm. Harry D. Train, USN 
(Ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander--Atlantic, Commander of the 
Sixth Fleet and former Director of the Joint Staff, both on behalf of 
the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century.
  Hearings recessed subject to call.
KOSOVO
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission concluded hearings to examine recent developments in and 
around Kosovo, including human rights, minority rights, local 
elections, development of a local police force, and security and civil 
order, as well as recent escalations of violence in neighboring regions 
of southern Serbia and Macedonia, and the international response to 
this violence, after receiving testimony from Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, 
USAF, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (NATO), and Commander-in-Chief, 
United States European Command; James W. Pardew, Jr., Deputy Special 
Advisor for Kosovo and Dayton Implementation, Department of State; and 
Daan W. Everts, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
Mission in Kosovo, Pristina.