[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 83 (Thursday, June 20, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D653-D655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation held a 
hearing on Transportation Security Administration. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Transportation: John 
W. Magaw, Under Secretary, Security; and Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector 
General.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Treasury, Postal 
Service and General Government held a hearing on the Office of National 
Drug Control Policy. Testimony was heard from John P. Walters, 
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
UNION DUES--ASSESSMENT OF USE FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on ``An Assessment of the Use of Union Dues 
for Political Purposes: Is the Law Being Followed or Violated?'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported the following: 
Certain health profession programs regarding practices of pharmacy, as 
amended; and programs of grants to health care providers to implement 
electronic prescription drug programs.
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY FOR AMERICA ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Began markup of H.R. 3995, Housing 
Affordability for America Act of 2002.
  Committee recessed subject to call.

[[Page D654]]


POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Government Reform: By a vote of 6 yeas, 20 nays and 9 
present, the Committee defeated H.R. 4970, Postal Accountability and 
Enhancement Act.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY--PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL OVERVIEW
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on ``The Department of 
Homeland Security: An Overview of the President's Proposal.'' Testimony 
was heard from Tom Ridge, Assistant to the President, Office of 
Homeland Security Advisor.
OIL DIPLOMACY
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Oil Diplomacy: 
Facts and Myths Behind Foreign Oil Dependency. Testimony was heard from 
Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy; Alan P. Larson, Under Secretary, 
Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, Department of State; and 
public witnesses.
LITIGATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON RAILS-TO-TRAILS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on ``Litigation and its 
Effect on the Rails-To-Trails Program.'' Testimony was heard from Tom 
Sanconetti, Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Resources 
Division, Department of Justice; Thomas Murphy, Mayor, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--PATENT REEXAMINATION AND SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held an oversight hearing on ``Patent 
Reexamination and Small Business Innovation.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full Committee action the following 
measures: H. Con. Res. 408, honoring the American Zoo and Aquarium 
Associate for their continued service to animal welfare, conservation 
education, conservation research, and wildlife conservation programs; 
H.R. 3937, amended, to revoke a Public Land Order with respect to 
certain lands erroneously included in the Cibola National Wildlife 
Refuge, California; H.R. 4807, Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge 
Expansion Act; and H.R. 4883, amended, Hydrographic Services 
Improvement Act Amendments of 2002.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the following: H.R. 4870, Mount Naomi Wilderness Boundary 
Adjustment Act; H.R. 4952, Mount Wilson Observatory Preservation and 
Enhancement Act; H.R. 3802, to amend the Education Land Grant Act to 
require the Secretary of Agriculture to pay the costs of environmental 
reviews with respect to conveyances under that Act; H.R. 4919, Tonto 
and Coconino Forests Land Exchange Act; and H.R. 4917, Los Padres 
National Forest Land Exchange Act of 2002. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Peterson of Pennsylvania. and Hayworth; Tom L. 
Thompson, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; 
and public witnesses.
RETIREMENT SAVINGS SECURITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing one hour of debate on H.R. 4931, Retirement Savings Security 
Act of 2002. The rule provides for consideration of the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution, if offered by Representative Matsui or his 
designee, which shall be considered as read and shall be separately 
debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
and an opponent. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendment printed in the report. Finally, the rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Portman and Matsui.
AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES--RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards held a hearing on Research Priorities for Aquatic Invasive 
Species. Testimony was heard from Representative Underwood; and public 
witnesses.
FEDERAL TRANSIT CAPITAL GRANTS PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on Federal Transit Capital Grants 
Programs. Testimony was heard from Jennifer L. Dorn, Administrator, 
Federal Transit Administration, Department of Transportation; John H. 
Anderson, Jr., Director, Transportation Issues Area, GAO; Linda A. 
Lovejoy, Chief, Public Transit, Bureau of Transit and Local Roads, 
Department of Transportation, State of Wisconsin; and public witnesses.

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RETIREMENT SECURITY AND DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on Retirement Security and Defined Benefit Pension Plans. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Gutknecht; Steven A. Kandarian, Executive 
Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; and public witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY PROGRAMS' CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings on Social Security Disability Programs' Challenges and 
Opportunities. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
GREECE HUMAN RIGHTS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission concluded joint hearings to examine human rights in Greece, 
focusing on minority rights, religious liberty, freedom of the media, 
human trafficking, and domestic terrorism, after receiving testimony 
from Mania Telalian, Legal Advisor, Athens, Greece, Dimitrios 
Moschopoulos, Counselor, Berlin, Germany, both of the Greece Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs; Vassilios Tsirbas, European Centre for Law and 
Justice, Strasbourg, France; Adamantia Pollis, New School University, 
New York, New York; and Panayote Dimitras, Center for Documentation and 
Information on Minorities in Europe-Southeast Europe, Athens, Greece.