[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 87 (Wednesday, June 26, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D689-D692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
REVIEW PROPOSAL--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review the Administration's 
proposed legislation creating a Department of Homeland Security. Testimony 
was heard from Bob Odom, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and 
Forestry, State of Louisiana; Roger Johnson, Commissioner, Department of 
Agriculture, State of North Dakota; Meg Scott Phipps, Commissioner, 
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, State of North Carolina; 
and public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies approved for full 
Committee action the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration and Related Agencies appropriations for fiscal year 
2003.
TREASURY, POSTAL SERVICE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and 
General Government approved for full Committee action the Department of 
Treasury, Postal Service and General Government appropriations for fiscal 
year 2003.
REVIEW PROPOSED--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Administration's proposal 
to create a new Department of Homeland Security, and its impact on the 
Department of Defense and defense-related aspects of the Department of 
Energy. Testimony was heard from Stephen A. Cambone, Principal Deputy Under 
Secretary (Policy), Department of Defense; and John Gordon, Administrator, 
National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

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OUTSOURCING: REVIEW--COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES PANEL REPORT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Readiness held a 
hearing on Outsourcing: Review of the Commercial Activities Panel Report. 
Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General and Chairman, 
Commercial Activities Panel, GAO; Angela B. Styles, Administrator, Office of 
Federal Procurement Policy, OMB; Michael Wynn, Deputy Under Secretary 
(Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Department of Defense; and public 
witnesses.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on the Financial Accounting Standards 
Board Act. Testimony was heard from Edmund L. Jenkins, Chairman, Financial 
Accounting Standards Board; and public witnesses.
AREA CODE EXHAUSTION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the 
Internet held a hearing on Area Code Exhaustion: What are the Solutions? 
Testimony was heard from Dorothy Atwood, Bureau Chief, Wireline Competition 
Bureau, FCC; and public witnesses.
CONSUMER RENTAL AGREEMENT ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Began consideration of H.R. 1701, Consumer 
Rental Agreement Act.
  Will continue tomorrow.
HOMELAND SECURITY--SHOULD CONSULAR AFFAIRS BE TRANSFERRED
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service, Census and 
Agency Organization held a hearing on ``Homeland Security: Should Consular 
Affairs be Transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security?'' 
Testimony was heard from Grant S. Green, Jr., Under Secretary, Management, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
SPRING VALLEY REVISITED--STATUS OF CONTAMINATED SITES CLEANUP
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on the District of Columbia 
held a hearing on Spring Valley Revisited--The Status of the Cleanup of 
Contaminated Sites in Spring Valley. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Blumenauer; David Wood, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; 
the following officials of the Department of the Army: Raymond J. Fatz, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Occupational Health; and 
Col. Charles J. Fiala, Jr., USA, Baltimore District Engineer, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers; Thomas C. Voltaggio, Regional Administrator, Region III, 
EPA; Robert C. Williams, Director, Division of Health Assessment and 
Consultation, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Department 
of Health and Human Services; the following officials of the District of 
Columbia: Theodore Gordon, Senior Deputy Director, Public Health Assurance, 
Department of Health; and Bailus Walker, Jr., Chairman, Mayor's Spring 
Valley Scientific Advisory Panel; and public witnesses.
SINGLE AUDIT ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, 
Financial Management, and Intergovernmental Relations, held a hearing on 
``The Single Audit Act: Is it Working?'' Testimony was heard from Sally E. 
Thompson, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO; Mark W. 
Everson, Controller, OMB; Frederick T. Knickerbocker, Associate Director, 
Economic Programs, Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce; the 
following officials of the Department of Education: Jack Martin, Chief 
Financial Officer; and Thomas A. Carter, Assistant Inspector General, Audit 
Services; Elizabeth A. Hanson, Director, Departmental Real Estate Assessment 
Center, Department of Housing and Urban Development; and a public witness.
HOMELAND SECURITY ACT
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on H.R. 5005, Homeland 
Security Act of 2002. Testimony was heard from hearing and markup of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of State: Marc Grossman, Under Secretary, 
Political Affairs; and George Lannon, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Consular Affairs.
PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on ``The Proposal to Create a 
Department of Homeland Security.'' Testimony was heard from Tom Ridge, 
Assistant to the President, Office of Homeland Security Adviser.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following measures: H. Con. 
Res. 408, honoring the American Zoo and Aquarium Associate and its 
accredited member institutions for their continued service to animal 
welfare, conservation education, conservation research, and wildlife 
conservation programs; H. Con. Res. 425, calling for the full appropriation 
of the State and tribal shares of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund; H.R. 
2990, amended, Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and 
Improvement Act of 2001; H.R. 3048, amended, Russian River Land Act; H.R. 
3223, amended, Jicarilla Apache Reservation Rural Water System Act; H.R. 
3258, amended, Reasonable Right-of-Way Fees Act of 2001; H.R. 3401, amended, 
California Five Mile Regional Learning Center Transfer Act; H.R 3534, 
amended, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chisksaw Nations Claims Settlement Act; H.R. 
3813, Coal Accountability and Retired Employee

[[Page D691]]

Act for the 21st Century; H.R. 3815, Presidential Historic Site Study Act; 
H.R. 4638, to reauthorize the Mni Wiconi Rural Water Supply Project; H.R. 
4807, Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act; H.R. 4870, 
amended, Mount Naomi Wilderness Boundary Adjustment Act; and H.R. 4883, 
amended, to reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998.
  The Committee also began consideration of H.R. 4749, Magnuson-Stevens Act 
Amendments of 2002.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule on H.R. 5010, 
making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2002, providing one hour of general debate equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the Committee 
on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order against consideration 
of the bill. The rule waives clause 2 of rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized 
or legislative provisions in an appropriations bill) against provisions in 
the bill. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered for amendment 
by paragraph. The rule authorizes the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole 
to accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their 
amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions. Finally, the rule provides that upon 
adoption of the resolution it shall be in order, any rule of the House 
notwithstanding, to consider concurrent resolutions providing for 
adjournment of the House and Senate during the month of July. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Lewis of California and Murtha.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule on H.R. 5011, 
making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base 
realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2003, and for other purposes providing one hour of 
general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill. The rule waives clause 2 of rule 
XXI (prohibiting unauthorized or legislative provisions in an appropriations 
bill) against provisions in the bill. The rule provides that the bill shall 
be considered for amendment by paragraph. The rule authorizes the Chairman 
of the Committee of the Whole to accord priority in recognition to Members 
who have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Finally, the 
rule provides that H. Res. 421 be laid upon the table. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Hobson and Olver.
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a resolution providing that it 
shall be in order at any time on the legislative day of Thursday, June 27, 
2002, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules 
relating to H. Res. 459, expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that Newdow v. U.S. Congress was erroneously decided. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representative 
Pickering.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION REPORTED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 7 to 4, a resolution waiving 
clause 6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on 
the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The resolution applies the 
waiver to any resolution reported on the legislative day of Thursday, June 
27, 2002, providing for consideration or disposition of H.R. 4954, to amend 
title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a voluntary program 
for prescription drug coverage under the Medicare Program and to modernize 
and reform payments and the regulatory structure of the Medicare Program.
MEDICARE MODERNIZATION AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG ACT OF 2002
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 9 to 4, a closed rule on H.R. 
4954, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 
voluntary program for prescription drug coverage under the Medicare Program, 
to modernize and reform payments and the regulatory structure of the 
Medicare Program, providing two hours of debate in the House, with one hour 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Ways and Means and one hour equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill except those arising under section 302(f) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The rule provides that in lieu of the 
amendment recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means, the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute printed in the report of the Committee on Rules 
accompanying this resolution shall be considered as adopted. The rule waives 
all points of order against consideration of the bill. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Johnson of Connecticut, Manzullo, Thurman, and 
Pallone.

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FREEDOM CAR; GETTING NEW TECHNOLOGY INTO THE MARKETPLACE
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on Freedom Car: 
Getting New Technology into the Marketplace. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 5012, John F. Kennedy Center Plaza Authorization Act; 
H.R. 3479, amended, National Aviation Capacity Expansion Act; H.R. 1070, 
amended, Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2001; and H.R. 4635, amended, Arming 
Pilots Against Terrorism Act.
  The Committee also approved the following: several GSA Fiscal Year 
Investment and Leasing resolutions; and several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Survey resolution.
VETERANS HEALTH-CARE ITEMS PROCUREMENT REFORM AND IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on H.R 
3645, Veterans Health-Care Items Procurement Reform and Improvement Act of 
2002. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs: Mark Catlett, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Management; and John S. Bilobran, Deputy Assistant Inspector General, 
Auditing; Cindy A. Bascetta, Director, Health Care-Veterans' Health and 
Benefits Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
CREATION--HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Creation of Homeland Security 
Department. Testimony was heard from Jimmy Gurule, Under Secretary, Office 
of Enforcement, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
GLOBAL HOT SPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Hot Spots. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
F