[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 25, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D990-D992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
USDA--CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM--FARMER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Department Operations, 
Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry held a hearing on Civil Rights 
Program of the USDA for Farmer Program Participants. Testimony was 
heard from Lawrence J. Dyckman, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, GAO; Lou Gallegos, Assistant Secretary, Departmental 
Administration, USDA; and public witnesses.

[[Page D991]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported the following: H.R. 
2037, amended, Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; H.R. 4701, 
amended, Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act; H. Res. 398, 
Recognizing the devastating impact of fragile X, urging increased 
funding for research on fragile X, and commending the goals of National 
Fragile X Research Day; and a measure to be introduced Patient Safety 
and Quality Improvement Act.
REGARDING THE TRANSITION TO DIGITAL TV
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on a measure Regarding the Transition 
to Digital Television. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CHECK CLEARING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing on H.R. 5414, Check Clearing for the 
21st Century Act. Testimony was heard from Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Vice 
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; Robert M. Fenner, 
General Counsel, National Credit Union Administration; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe approved 
for full Committee action the following measures: H. Res. 468, amended, 
Transatlantic Security and NATO Enhancement Resolution of 2002; H. Con. 
Res. 116, Recommending the integration of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia 
into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); and H. Res. 253, 
Recommending the integration of the Republic of Slovakia into the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
SATELLITE RADIO FREEDOM ACT; SATELLITE SERVICES ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 4869, 
Satellite Radio Freedom Act; and H.R. 5429, Satellite Services Act of 
2002. Testimony was heard from Representative Tom Davis; and public 
witnesses.
JUSTICE FOR UNITED STATES PRISONERS OF WAR ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims held a hearing on H.R. 1198, Justice for United 
States Prisoners of War Act of 2001. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Rohrabacher; William H. Taft, IV, Legal Advisor, 
Department of State; Rob McCallum, Jr., Assistant Attorney General, 
Civil Division, Department of Justice; and Lester I. Tenney, former 
Prisoner of War.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
992, to provide grants to local governments to assist such local 
governments in participating in certain decisions related to certain 
Indian groups and Indian tribes; H.R. 2345, Thomasina E. Jordan Indian 
Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2001; and H.R. 5155, 
Native American Sacred Lands Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Johnson of Connecticut, Simmons, Moran of Virginia, and 
Mrs. Davis of Virginia; from the following officials of the Department 
of the Interior: Chris Kearney, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Policy and 
International Affairs; and Michael Smith, Director, Office of Tribal 
Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs; and public witnesses.
HELP EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE, LOW COST, TIMELY HEALTH CARE (HEALTH) ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by record vote of 9 to 2, a closed rule 
providing 1 hour of debate in the House on H.R. 4600, Help Efficient, 
Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Health Care (HEALTH) Act of 2002, with 40 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary and 20 minutes 
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. The rule provides 
that the bill shall be considered as read for amendment. The rule 
provides that in lieu of the amendments recommended by the Committee on 
the Judiciary and Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill, the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee 
report shall be considered as adopted. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representatives Nadler, Scott, Markey, 
Brown of Ohio, Eshoo, Berkley and Hoeffel.
CONFERENCE REPORT--21ST CENTURY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS 
AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 2215, 21st 
Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, and 
against its consideration. The rule provides that the conference report 
shall be considered as read. Testimony was heard from Chairman 
Sensenbrenner.

[[Page D992]]


SAME DAY CONSIDERATION--RESOLUTION REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, 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 special rule reported on the legislative day of 
Thursday, September 26, 2002, providing for consideration or 
disposition of a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for 
the fiscal year 2003.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, a closed rule 
providing one hour of debate in the House on H.J. Res. 111, making 
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2003, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the joint resolution. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit.
INCREASED STEEL TARIFFS--AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS--UNINTENDED 
CONSEQUENCES
Committee on Small Business: Continued hearings entitled ``Lost Jobs, 
More Imports: Unintended Consequences of Higher Steel Tariffs (Part 
II).'' Testimony was heard from Grant D. Aldonas, Under Secretary, 
International Trade, International Trade Administration, Department of 
Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following: bills: H.R. 5083, to designate the United States courthouse 
at South Federal Place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the ``Santiago E. 
Campos United States Courthouse;'' H.R. 5335, to designate the Federal 
building and United States courthouse located at 200 West 2nd Street in 
Dayton, Ohio, as the ``Tony Hall Federal Building and United States 
Courthouse;''and H.R. 5428, amended, Water Resources Development Act of 
2002.
  The Committee also approved several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Survey resolutions.

Joint Meetings
SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE ENERGY ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 4, to enhance energy conservation, research and 
development and to provide for security and diversity in the energy 
supply for the American people, but did not complete action thereon, 
and will meet again tomorrow.