[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 29 (Thursday, March 14, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D233-D235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS--AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, and Related Agencies concluded hearings on proposed budget 
estimates for fiscal year 2003 for the Department of Agriculture, 
focusing on the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Natural 
Resources Conservation Services, Rural Development Mission Area, 
Research, Education, and Economics, Department Administration, National 
Appeals Division, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Working 
Capital Fund, and Office of the Inspector General, after receiving 
testimony from Keith Collins, Chief Economist, J.B. Penn, Under 
Secretary for Farm and Foreign Services, Mark E.

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Rey, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Michael E. 
Neruda, Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, Joseph J. Jen, 
Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics, and Dennis 
Kaplan, Director, Office of Budget and Program Analysis, all of the 
Department of Agriculture.
REGIONAL EMERGENCY PLANNING
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on District of Columbia 
concluded hearings to examine the accountability of funds appropriated 
last year for regional emergency planning for the Nation's Capital, in 
order to implement a seamless emergency response plan, a rigorous 
training program, and a public education plan, after receiving 
testimony from Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Margret 
Nedelkoff Kellems, and Peter G. LaPorte, Emergency Management Agency, 
both of the Government of the District of Columbia, Richard A. White, 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and Michael C. Rogers, 
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, all of Washington, D.C.
APPROPRIATIONS--EDUCATION
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates 
for fiscal year 2003 for the Department of Education, after receiving 
testimony from Roderick Paige, Secretary of Education.
APPROPRIATIONS--TREASURY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury and General 
Government concluded hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal 
year 2003 for the Department of the Treasury, after receiving testimony 
from Paul H. O'Neill, Secretary of the Treasury.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2003 for the Department 
of Defense, focusing on the atomic energy defense activities of the 
Department of Energy, after receiving testimony from Spencer Abraham, 
Secretary, Everett Beckner, Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, 
and Linton F. Brooks, Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear 
Nonproliferation, both of the National Nuclear Security Administration, 
all of the Department of Energy.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Airland concluded hearings 
to examine proposed legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2003 
for the Department of Defense, focusing on Army modernization and 
transformation, after receiving testimony from Les Brownlee, Under 
Secretary of the Army; and Gen. John M. Keane, USA, Vice Chief of 
Staff, United States Army.
ACCOUNTING AND INVESTOR PROTECTION
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee resumed 
oversight hearings to examine accounting and investor protection issues 
raised by Enron and other public companies, including oversight of the 
accounting profession, audit quality and independence, and formulation 
of accounting principles, receiving testimony from James G. Castellano, 
Rubin, Brown, Gornstein and Company, James E. Copeland, Deloitte and 
Touche, William E. Balhoff, Poslethwaite and Netterville, Olivia A. 
Kirtley, ResCare, Inc., and James S. Gerson, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 
all of New York, New York, on behalf of the American Institute of 
Certified Public Accountants; and Peter J. Wallison, American 
Enterprise Institute Project on Financial Market Deregulation, and 
Robert E. Litan, Brookings Institution Economic Studies Program, both 
of Washington, D.C.
  Hearings continue on Tuesday, March 19.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded 
hearings on the nominations of JoAnn Johnson, of Iowa, and Deborah 
Matz, of New York, each to be a Member of the National Credit Union 
Administration Board, after the nominees testified and answered 
questions in their own behalf. Ms. Johnson was introduced by Senator 
Grassley.
NATIONAL DEFENSE RAIL ACT
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
hearings on S. 1991, to establish a national rail passenger 
transportation system, reauthorize Amtrak, and improve security and 
service on Amtrak, after receiving testimony from Senators Biden and 
Carper; Michael P. Jackson, Deputy Secretary, and Kenneth M. Mead, 
Inspector General, both of the Department of Transportation; George D. 
Warrington, President/CEO, Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation); New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, New Orleans, Louisiana, on 
behalf of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; David D. King, North Carolina 
Deputy Department of Transportation, Raleigh, on behalf of the States 
for Passenger Rail Coalition; Edward Hamberger, Association of American 
Railroads, Gilbert E. Carmichael, Amtrak Reform Council, and Charles F. 
Moneypenny, Transport Workers Union of America,

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all of Washington, D.C.; and William J. Rennicke, Mercer Management 
Consulting, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine reimbursement 
and access to prescription drugs under Medicare Part B, focusing on 
payment systems, physician practice costs, and recent settlements, 
receiving testimony from Thomas A. Scully, Administrator, Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Janet Rehnquist, Inspector General, 
both of the Department of Health and Human Services; Laura A. Dummit, 
Director, Health Care-Medicare Payment Issues, General Accounting 
Office; Larry Norton, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, 
New York, on behalf of the American Society of Clinical Oncology; Ellen 
Stovall, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, Silver Spring, 
Maryland; and Lisa M. Getson, Apria Healthcare, Lake Forest, 
California.
  Hearings recessed subject to call.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nomination of Richard Monroe Miles, of South Carolina, to be Ambassador 
to Georgia, James W. Pardew, of Arkansas, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of Bulgaria, Peter Terpeluk, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be 
Ambassador to Luxembourg, and Lawrence E. Butler, of Maine, to be 
Ambassador to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. 
Miles was introduced by Senator Hollings, Mr. Terpeluk was introduced 
by Senators Specter and Santorum, and Mr. Butler was introduced by 
Senator Collins.
AMERICAN STEEL
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded hearings to examine the future of American steel, focusing on 
ensuring the viability of the industry and the health care and 
retirement security for workers, after receiving testimony from Robert 
S. Miller, Jr., Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; 
Leo W. Gerard, United Steelworkers of America, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania; Jerry Fallos, United Steelworker of America Local 4108, 
Aurora, Minnesota; Jeffrey Mikula, Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point 
mill, and Gertrude Misterka, both of Baltimore, Maryland; and McCall 
White, Ellicott City, Maryland.
INDIAN PROGRAMS BUDGET
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded oversight hearings on 
the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2003 for Indian 
programs, including those provided by the Department of Interior's 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Indian Gaming Commission, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency, after receiving testimony from Neal A. 
McCaleb, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs; 
Diane C. Regas, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water, Environmental 
Protection Agency; and Montie R. Deer, National Indian Gaming 
Commission, Washington, D.C.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded hearings on the 
nominations of Robert H. Roswell, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for 
Health, and Daniel L. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary 
for Benefits, both of the Department of Veterans Affairs, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf. Mr. 
Roswell was introduced by Senators Graham and Nelson (FL).
SENIOR HEALTH CARE AND THE ECONOMY
Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
current economy and its impact on seniors, focusing on funds for, and 
services provided by, Medicaid, health, and senior services, after 
receiving testimony from Gail R. Wilensky, Project HOPE, Bethesda, 
Maryland, former Administrator, Health Care Financing Administration; 
Idaho Lt. Governor Jack Riggs, on behalf of the Council of State 
Governments Health Capacity Task Force, and Karl B. Kurtz, Idaho 
Department of Health and Welfare, both of Boise; Joan W. Lawrence, Ohio 
Department of Aging, Columbus; Barbara Lyons, Kaiser Commission on 
Medicaid and the Uninsured, Washington, D.C.; Vernon K. Smith, Health 
Management Associates, Lansing, Michigan; Barry Donenfeld, Mid-
Willamette Valley Senior Services Agency, Salem, Oregon, on behalf of 
the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.