[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 132 (Wednesday, October 9, 2002)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1067-D1069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies appropriations for fiscal year 2003.
OVERSIGHT--NIH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services and Education held an oversight hearing on the National Institutes 
of Health. Testimony was heard from Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director, NIH, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
QUALITY POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on 21st Century 
Competitiveness held a hearing on Training Tomorrow's Teachers: Ensuring a 
Quality Postsecondary Education. Testimony was heard from Cornelia M. Ashby, 
Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Telecommunications and Trade 
Promotion Authority: Meaningful Market Access Goals for Telecommunications 
Services in International Trade Agreements.'' Testimony was heard from 
Florizelle Liser, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Industry and 
Telecommunications; and public witnesses.
PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETPLACE COMPETITION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
titled ``Examining Issues Related to Competition in the Pharmaceutical 
Marketplace: A Review of the FTC Report, `Generic Drug Entry Prior to Patent 
Expiration'.'' Testimony was heard from Lester Crawford, Acting 
Commissioner,

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FDA, Department of Health and Human Services; Timothy J. Muris, Chairman, 
FTC; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; COMMITTEE REPORTS
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
5205, to amend the District of Columbia Retirement protection Act of 1997 to 
permit the Secretary of the Treasury to use estimated amounts in determining 
the service longevity component of the Federal benefit payment required to 
be paid under such Act to certain retirees of the Metropolitan Police 
Department of the District of Columbia; H.R. 5215, amended, Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002; H.R. 4187, 
amended, Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2002; and H.R. 2458, 
amended, E-Government Act of 2002.
  The Committee also approved the following Committee Reports entitled: 
``Making Federal Computers Secure: Overseeing Effective Information Security 
Management;' ``How Can The Federal Government Better Assist State and Local 
Governments Prepare for a Biological, Chemical, or Nuclear Attack?;'' ``The 
Federal Government's Continuing Efforts to Improve Financial Management;'' 
``Defense Security Service: The Personnel Security Investigations (PSI) 
Backlog Poses a Threat to National Security;'' ``Federal Law Enforcement at 
the Borders and Ports of Entry: Challenges and Solutions;'' and ``Problems 
With the Presidential Gifts System.''
INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT EVALUATION
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on An Evaluation of the 
International Religious Freedom Report. Testimony was heard from John 
Hanford, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Department 
of State; Felice Gaer, Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious 
Freedom; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 2155, 
amended, to amend title 18, United States Code, to make it illegal to 
operate a motor vehicle with a drug or alcohol in the body of the driver at 
a land border port of entry; S. 1339, Persian Gulf War POW/MIA 
Accountability Act of 2002; H.R. 4967, Border Commuter Student Act of 2002; 
and H.R. 5334, to ensure that a public safety officer who suffers a fatal 
heart attack or stroke while on duty shall be presumed to have died in the 
line of duty for purposes of public safety officer survivor benefits.
OVERSIGHT--INS'S INTERACTIONS WITH HESHAM MOHAMED AL HEDAYET; PRIVATE RELIEF 
BILL
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, 
and Claims held an oversight hearing on ``The Immigration and Naturalization 
Services's (INS's) Interactions with Hesham Mohamed Al Hedayet.'' Testimony 
was heard from William R. Yates, Deputy Executive Associate Commissioner, 
Immigration Services Division, INS, Department of Justice and public 
witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also considered a private relief bill.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON RULES RELATING 
TO CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS
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, October 10, 2002, 
providing for the consideration or disposition of a joint resolution making 
further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2003.
DOD APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT
Connittee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 5010, making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2003 and against its consideration. The rule provides that the 
conference report shall be considered as read.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT
Conmmittee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany 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 against its consideration. The rule provides 
that the conference report shall be considered as read.
OVERSIGHT--FEDERAL LANDS HIGHWAY PROGRAM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Highways and 
Transit held an oversight hearing on Federal Lands Highway Program. 
Testimony was heard from Neal A. McCaleb, Assistant Secretary-Indian 
Affairs, Department of the Interior; Von Stokes, Director of Engineering, 
National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; and public witnesses.

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PROJECT SHAD--CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TESTS CONDUCTED ON AMERICAN 
SERVICEMEMBERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense), Regarding Secret Chemical and 
Biological Tests Conducted on American Servicemembers. Testimony was heard 
from William Winkenwerder, Jr., M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs, 
Department of Defense; and Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Deputy Under Secretary, 
Health, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Joint Meetings
9/11 INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION
Joint Hearing: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence continued joint 
hearings, in closed session, with the House Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence to examine activities of the United States Intelligence 
Community in connection with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the 
United States, receiving testimony from officials of the intelligence 
community.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
APPROPRIATIONS--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between the 
Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 5011, to authorize appropriations 
for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure 
for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003.
F