[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 29 (Thursday, March 14, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D236-D239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Food Safety and Inspection Service. Testimony was heard from 
the following official of the USDA: Stephen B. Dewhurst, Budget 
Officer; Elsa Murano, Under Secretary; and Merle D. Pierson, Deputy 
Under Secretary, both with Food Safety; and Margaret O'K Glavin, Acting 
Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and Judiciary held a hearing on State Department-International 
Organizations, and on NOAA. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of State: Ambassador John D. Negroponte, 
U.S. Mission to the UN; and William Wood, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary; and Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), 
Administrator, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Fiscal Year 2003 Army Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: Thomas E. White, 
Secretary; and Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, USA, Chief of Staff.

[[Page D237]]


ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on Department of Energy-Nuclear Waste 
Management and Disposal. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Lake Barrett, Director, Office 
of Civil Radioactive Waste Management; and Jessie Robertson, Assistant 
Secretary, Environmental Waste Management.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held an oversight 
hearing on Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Office of Special Trustee for 
American Indians. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of the Interior: J. Stevens Griles, Deputy Secretary; 
Thomas N. Slonaker, Special Trustee, American Indians; Neil A. McCaleb, 
Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs; and Ross O. Swimmer, Director, 
Office of Indian Trust Transition.
LABOR, HHS AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Service and Education held a hearing on National Institutes of Health 
Panel: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of Department of Health and Human Services, NIH: 
Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., Director, Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases; Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., Director, National Cancer 
Institute; Richard J. Hodes, M.D., Director, National Institute on 
Aging; Audrey S. Penn, M.D., Acting Director, Neurological Disorders 
and Stroke; and Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation continued 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service 
and General Government held a hearing on OMB and on Executive Office of 
the President. Testimony was heard from Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., 
Director, OMB; and Phil Larson, Special Assistant to the President and 
Director, Office of Administration.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on Community Development Financial Institutions 
and on National Institute of Environmental Health Services. Testimony 
was heard from Tony Brown, Director, Community Development Financial 
Institutions Fund, Department of the Treasury; and Kenneth Olden, M.D., 
Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the fiscal year 2003 
National Defense Authorization budget request. Testimony was heard from 
Department of Defense: Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart, USAF, Commander-in-
Chief, U.S. Space Command; and Gen. William F. Kernan, USA, Commander-
in-Chief, U.S. Joint Forces Command.
  Hearings continue March 20.
MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Special Oversight Panel on the Merchant 
Marine held a hearing on the fiscal year 2003 Maritime Administration 
Authorization budget request. Testimony was heard from William G. 
Schubert, Maritime Administrator, Maritime Administration, Department 
of Transportation.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENCROACHMENT ISSUES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Readiness held a 
hearing on environmental and encroachment issues. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Raymond F. 
DuBois, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary (Installations and Environment); 
Paul W. Mayberry, Deputy Under Secretary (Readiness); Mario Fiori, 
Assistant Secretary (Installations and Environment), Department of the 
Army; Hansford T. Johnson, Assistant Secretary (Installations and 
Environment), Department of the Navy; and Nelson Gibbs, Assistant 
Secretary (Installations, Environment and Logistics), Department of the 
Air Force; Steven Shimberg, Deputy Associate Administrator, Enforcement 
and Compliance, EPA; Craig Manson, Assistant Secretary, Fish, Wildlife 
and Parks, Department of the Interior; and William Hogarth, Assistant 
Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce.

[[Page D238]]


CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION FISCAL YEAR 2003
Committee on the Budget: On March 13, the Committee ordered reported 
the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2003.
ENRON FINANCIAL COLLAPSE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings on the Financial Collapse of Enron 
Corp., focusing on Enron's inside and outside counsel. Testimony was 
heard from Rex R. Rogers, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, 
Enron Corporation; the following former officials of Enron Corporation: 
Scott M. Sefton, General Counsel, Enron Global Finance; James V. 
Derrick, Jr., General Counsel; and Carol L. St. Clair, Assistant 
General Counsel, ECT Resources Group; and the following officials of 
Vinson and Elkins, L.L.P.: Joseph C. Dilg, Managing Partner; and Ronald 
R. Astin, Partner.
FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY RELIEF ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing on the Financial Services Regulatory 
Relief Act of 2002. Testimony was heard from Mark Olson, member, Board 
of Governors, Federal Reserve System; the following officials of the 
Department of the Treasury: Julie L. Williams, First Senior Deputy 
Comptroller and Chief Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency; and Carolyn Buck, Chief Counsel, Office of Thrift 
Supervision; William S. Kroener, General Counsel, FDIC; Dennis Dollar, 
Chairman, National Credit Union Administration; and public witnesses.
BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT; COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK 
GRANT PROGRAM
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 2941, 
Brownfields Redevelopment Enhancement Act.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing entitled ``Review of the 
Community Development Block Grant Program.'' Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Shays, Meek of Florida and Ros-Lehtinen; Roy Bernardi, 
Assistant Secretary, Community Planning and Development, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 3340, to amend title 5, United States Code, to allow certain 
catch-up contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan to be made by 
participants age 50 or over; H.R. 3921, Acquisition Streamlining 
Improvement Act; H.R. 3947, amended, Federal Property Asset Management 
Reform Act of 2002; H.R. 3924, Freedom to Telecommute Act of 2002; H.R. 
3925, amended, Digital Tech Corps Act of 2001.
  The Committee also approved a draft report entitled ``Justice Undone: 
Clemency Decisions in the Clinton White House.''
AFGHANISTAN FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the Afghanistan 
Freedom Support Act of 2002. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of State: Andrew S. Natsios, Administrator, 
AID; and Alan P. Larson, Under Secretary, Economic, Business and 
Agricultural Affairs.
OVERSIGHT--PATENT LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held an oversight hearing on ``Patent Law and 
Non-Profit Research Collaboration.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime held continued 
hearings on the Office of Justice Programs Part Three--Waste, Fraud and 
Abuse. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Justice: Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General; Tracy A. 
Henke, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice 
Programs; and Carl Peed, Director, COPS Office; and Bonnie Campbell, 
former Director, Violence Against Women Office, Office of Justice 
Programs, Department of Justice.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on ``FY 2003 U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals 
Management Service and Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & 
Enforcement Budgets.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of the Interior: Jeffrey Jarrett, Director, Office of 
Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement; P. Patrick Leahy, 
Associate Director, Geology, U.S. Geological Survey; and Lucy Querques 
Denett, Acting Director, Minerals Management Service.

[[Page D239]]


SPECIES PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans, the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands and the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held a 
joint hearing on H.R. 3558, Species Protection and Conservation of the 
Environment Act. Testimony was heard from James Tate, Jr., Science 
Advisor to the Secretary, Department of the Interior; Janette Kaiser, 
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, 
USDA; and public witnesses.

NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAMACT AMENDMENTS; TECHNOLOGY 
ADMINISTRATIONREVIEW AND REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 3389, 
National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Technology Administration: 
Review and Reauthorization. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Commerce: Phillip J. Bond, Under 
Secretary, Technology and Chief of Staff to the Secretary; and Arden L. 
Bement, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation and the Subcommittee on Railroads held a joint oversight 
hearing on Reauthorization of the National Transportation Safety Board. 
Testimony was heard from Marion C. Blakey, Chairman, National 
Transportation Safety Board.
OVERSIGHT--PORT SECURITY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on 
Financial Responsibility for Port Security. Testimony was heard from 
William G. Schubert, Administrator, Maritime Administration, Department 
of Transportation; and public witnesses.
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SAVINGS BILL OF RIGHTS
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3669, 
Employee Retirement Savings Bill of Rights.
RATIONALIZING MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Rationalizing Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Testimony was heard from 
Bobby Jindal, Assistant Secretary, Planning and Evaluation, Department 
of Health and Human Services; William Scanlon, Director, Health 
Financing and System Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEETINGS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold meetings with Richard Betts, member, of the former National 
Commission on Terrorism and with the British House of Commons Northern 
Ireland Affairs Committee.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the 
legislative presentations of certain veterans organizations, after 
receiving testimony from Rachel Clinkscale, Gold Star Wives of America, 
Inc., Arlington, Virginia; Charles L. Calkins, Fleet Reserve 
Association, Alexandria, Virginia; Com. Sgt. Michael Parente, USAF, 
(Ret.), Air Force Sergeants Association, Suitland, Maryland; and Sr. 
Mast. Sgt. Vincent B. Niski, USAF, (Ret.), The Retired Enlisted 
Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado.