[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D456-D458] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) NOMINATIONS Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Eric M. Bost, of Texas, to be Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, and William T. Hawks, of Mississippi, to be Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, both of the Department of Agriculture, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. Hawks was introduced by Senator Cochran. AGRICULTURAL CREDIT Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded hearings to examine the state of Department of Agriculture farm loan programs, focusing on current credit conditions confronting American farmers and farm lenders, after receiving testimony from Neilson Conklin, Director, Market and Trade Economics Division, Economic Research Service, and Carolyn B. Cooksie, Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs, Farm Service Agency, both of the Department of Agriculture; Lawrence J. Dyckman, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, General Accounting Office; Jay Penick, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Spokane, Washington, on behalf of the Farm Credit Council; Henry D. Edelman, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac), and Ferd Hoefner, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, both of Washington, D.C.; John Evans, Jr., D.L. Evans Bank, Burley, Idaho, on behalf of the Independent Community Bankers of America; Gary R. Canada, Bank of England, England, Arkansas, on behalf of the American Bankers Association; David Carter, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Aurora, Colorado, on behalf of the National Farmers Union; and Frank Brost, Rapid City, South Dakota, on behalf of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. D.C. FAMILY DIVISION REFORM Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on District of Columbia concluded hearings on the District of Columbia Superior Court's proposed reform of its Family Court Division, after receiving testimony from Chief Judge Rufus G. King, III, and Presiding Judge Reggie B. Walton, Family Court Division, both of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and Judge David E. Grossmann, Hamilton County Juvenile Court (Ret.), Cincinnati, Ohio, on behalf of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. APPROPRIATIONS--LEGISLATIVE Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2002, after receiving testimony in behalf of funds for their respective activities from James W. Ziglar, Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper; James J. Varey, Chief, United States Capitol Police; and Bill Thompson, Executive Director, Office of Compliance. APPROPRIATIONS--FEMA Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2002 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, after receiving testimony from Joe M. Allbaugh, Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency. NOMINATIONS Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Timothy J. Muris, of Virginia, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner; Maria Cino, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, Kathleen B. Cooper, of Texas, to be Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Bruce P. Mehlman, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, all of the Department of Commerce; and Sean B. O'Hollaren, of Oregon, to be Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs, and Donna R. McLean, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget Programs and Chief Financial Officer, both of the Department of Transportation, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Ms. Cino was introduced by Senator [[Page D457]] Allen, Dr. Cooper was introduced by Senator Hutchison, Mr. O'Hollaren was introduced by Senators Gordon Smith and Wyden, and Ms. McLean was introduced by Representative Duncan. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 230, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a former Bureau of Land Management administrative site to the City of Carson City, Nevada, for use as a senior center; S. 254, to provide further protections for the watershed of the Little Sandy River as part of the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit, Oregon; S. 329, to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a theme study on the peopling of America; S. 498, to amend the National Trails System Act to include national discovery trails, and designate the American Discover Trail, with amendments; S. 506, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, to provide for a land exchange between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Huna Totem Corporation; S. 509, to establish the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Corridor in the State of Alaska, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 238, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct feasibility studies on water optimization in the Burnt River basin, Malheur River basin, Owyhee River basin, and Powder River Basin, Oregon; S. 491, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to the provisions of the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater to participate in the design, planning, and construction of the Denver Water Reuse project, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; S. 517, to authorize funding the Department of Energy to enhance its mission areas through technology transfer and partnerships for fiscal years 2002 through 2006; and The nominations of Francis S. Blake, of Connecticut, to be Deputy Secretary, Robert Gordon Card, of Colorado, to be Under Secretary, Bruce Marshall Carnes, of Virginia, to be Chief Financial Officer, and David Garman, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, all of the Department of Energy. NOMINATIONS Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of J. Steven Griles, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, and Lee Sarah Liberman Otis, of Virginia, to be General Counsel, Jessie Hill Roberson, of Alabama, to be Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, Nora Mead Brownell, of Pennsylvania, and Patrick Henry Wood III, of Texas, both to be Members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, all of the Department of Energy, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. Griles was introduced by Senators Warner, Allen, and Representative Boucher, Ms. Roberson was introduced by Senator Allard, and Ms. Otis was introduced by Senator Allen and Warner. RECONCILIATION Committee on Finance: On Tuesday, May 15, committee ordered favorably reported an original bill (S. 896), to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 103 of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2002 (H. Con. Res. 83). NOMINATIONS Committee on Finance: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Claude A. Allen, of Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary, Thomas Scully, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, and Piyush Jindal, of Louisiana, to be Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, all of the Department of Health and Human Services, Linnet F. Deily, of California, and Peter F. Allgeier, of Virginia, each to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative, each with the rank of Ambassador, Peter R. Fisher, of New Jersey, to be Under Secretary for Domestic Finance, and James Gurule, of Michigan, to be Under Secretary for Enforcement, both of the Department of the Treasury, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. Jindal was introduced by Senator Landrieu. NOMINATIONS Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Stephen Brauer, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to Belgium, and A. Elizabeth Jones, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. Brauer was introduced by Senator Bond. NOMINATIONS Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Thelma J. Askey, of Tennessee, to be Director of the Trade and Development Agency, and Peter S. Watson, of California, to be President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Ms. Askey was introduced by Representatives Bereuter and Nancy Johnson. [[Page D458]] NOMINATIONS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Leo S. Mackay, Jr., of Texas, to be Deputy Secretary, Robin L. Higgins, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, Maureen Patricia Cragin, of Maine, to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Jacob Lozada, of Puerto Rico, to be Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration, and Gordon H. Mansfield, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. Mackay was introduced by Senator Hutchison, and Ms. Cragin was introduced by Senator Collins. INTELLIGENCE Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the intelligence community. Committee will meet again tomorrow. ILLEGAL DRUG TRANSIT ZONE United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: Caucus concluded hearings to examine counterdrug interdiction strategy and operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, known as the Transit Zone, after receiving testimony from Edward H. Jurith, Acting Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy; Donnie R. Marshall, Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice; Adm. James M. Loy, Commandant, United States Coast Guard, Department of Transportation, United States Interdiction Coordinator; and Charles Winwood, Acting Commissioner, United States Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.