[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 73 (Thursday, June 6, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D577-D579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
BLACK HILLS NATIONAL FOREST--PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry

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held a hearing on Public Safety Concerns and Forest Management Hurdles 
in the Black Hills National Forest. Testimony was heard from Mark E. 
Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and the Environment, USDA; John 
Twiss, Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest, Custer, South 
Dakota; and a public witness.
``ARE YASSER ARAFAT AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CREDIBLE PARTNERS FOR 
PEACE?''
Committee on Armed Services: Special Oversight Panel on Terrorism held 
a hearing on the question ``Are Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian 
Authority Credible Partners for Peace?'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND IDENTIFICATION PROCESS REFORM
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
held a hearing on ``Learning Disabilities and Early Intervention 
Strategies: How to Reform the Special Education Referral and 
Identification Process.'' Testimony was heard from Robert Pasternack, 
Assistant Secretary, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education; G. Reid Lyon, Research Psychologist and Chief, 
Child Development and Behavior Branch, National Institute of Child 
Health and Human Development, NIH, Department of Health and Human 
Services; former Representative William F. Goodling of Pennsylvania; 
and a public witness.
NIH--INVESTING IN RESEARCH
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``The National Institutes of Health: Investing in Research to 
Prevent and Cure Disease.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of NIH, Department of Health and Human Services: Claude 
Lenfant, M.D., Director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and 
Audrey S. Penn, M.D., Acting Director, National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Edward Sanchez, Commissioner, 
Department of Health, State of Texas; and public witnesses.
DOE'S FREEDOMCAR
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``DOE's FreedomCAR: Hurdles, 
Benchmarks for Progress, and Role in Energy Policy.'' Testimony was 
heard from Jim Wells, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; 
David K. Garman, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY RELIEF ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
3951, Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2002.
FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, 
Financial Management, and Intergovernmental Relations held a hearing on 
``The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996: Are 
Agencies Meeting the Challenge?'' Testimony was heard from Sally E. 
Thompson, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO; Lloyd A. 
Blanchard, Chief Operating Officer, SBA; Donna R. McLean, Assistant 
Secretary, Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer, Department 
of Transportation; and Karen C. Alderman, Executive Director, Joint 
Financial Management Improvement Program.
ASSESSMENT--CUBA BROADCASTING--VOICE OF FREEDOM
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on An Assessment of Cuba 
Broadcasting--The Voice of Freedom. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of State: Dan Fisk, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs; and Adolfo 
Franco, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin American and the 
Caribbean, AID; the following officials of the Broadcasting Board of 
Governors: Brian Conniff, Director, Office of the International 
Broadcasting Bureau; and Salvador Lew, Director, Office of Cuba 
Broadcasting; and public witnesses.
SOUTH ASIA--CURRENT CRISIS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and South Asia held a hearing on The Current Crisis in South Asia. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3815, 
Presidential Historic Site Study Act; H.R. 4141, Red Rock Canyon 
National Conservation Area Protection and Enhancement Act of 2002; and 
H.R. 4620, America's Wilderness Protection Act. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Ross and Otter; the following officials of the 
Department of the Interior: Nina Hatfield, Deputy Director, and Larry 
Finfer, Assistant Director, Communications, both with the Bureau of

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Land Management; Abigail Kimbell, Associate Deputy Chief, National 
Forest System, USDA; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESS--COST OF REGULATIONS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight and the Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, and 
Government Programs held a joint hearing on The Cost of Regulations to 
Small Business. Testimony was heard from John D. Graham, Administrator, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB; former 
Representative David McIntosh of Indiana; and public witnesses.
RECENT DERAILMENTS AND RAILROAD SAFETY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held a hearing on Recent Derailments and Railroad Safety. 
Testimony was heard from Allan Rutter, Administrator, Federal Railroad 
Administration, Department of Transportation; Marian Blakey, Chairman, 
National Transportation Safety Board; Stephen Strachan, Vice President 
and Chief Transportation Officer, National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation (Amtrak); and public witnesses.
VA CLAIMS PROCESSING TASK FORCE'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the status of the VA's implementation of the VA Claims Processing 
Task Force's recommendations, and the potential for a greater VA/
Veterans Service Organization ``partnership.'' Testimony was heard from 
Daniel L. Cooper, Under Secretary, Benefits, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
CORPORATE INVERSIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Corporate Inversions. 
Testimony was heard from Pamela F. Olson, Acting Assistant Secretary, 
Tax Policy, Department of the Treasury.

Joint Meetings
9/11 INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION
Joint Hearing: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence met in closed session to 
consider events surrounding September 11, 2001.
  Committees will meet again on Tuesday, June 11.