[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D225-D228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Food Safety and Inspection Service. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the USDA: Garry McKee, Administrator, Food 
Safety and Inspection Service; and Elsa Murano, Under Secretary, Food 
Safety Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Marketing and Regulatory 
Programs. Testimony was heard from William Hawks, Under Secretary, 
Marketing and Regulatory Programs, USDA.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Fiscal Year 2004 Army Posture. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Army: Thomas E. White, Secretary; 
and Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, USA, Chief of Staff.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of Special Trustee for American 
Indians. Testimony was heard from James Steven Griles, Deputy 
Secretary, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Department 
of Education-Panel: ``No Child Left Behind Act'' program.

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Testimony was heard from Eugene Hickok, Under Secretary, Education, 
Department of Education.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on Pacific Command Military Construction. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. Leon J. 
Laporte, USA, Commander, U.S. Forces, Korea; and Adm. Thomas Fargo, 
USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command.
TRANSPORTATION AND TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Treasury, and Independent Agencies held a hearing on Inspector General, 
Department of Treasury. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Treasury: Dennis Schindel, Deputy 
Inspector General; and Pam Gardiner, Acting Treasury Inspector General, 
Tax.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the fiscal year 2004 
national defense authorization budget request. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Gen. Charles R. 
Holland, USA, Commander, U.S. Special Forces Command; Gen. James T. 
Hill, USA, Commander, U.S. Southern Command; Adm. E.P. Giambastiani, 
USN, Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command; Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, USN, 
Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; and Gen. Leon J. Laporte, USA, 
Commander, U.S. Forces Korea.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on the fiscal year 2004 national defense 
authorization budget request. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Paul Bogosian, Deputy Program 
Executive, Aviation, Department of the Army; the following officials of 
the Department of the Navy: Rear Adm. Tom Kilcline, USN, N780 (Head, 
Aviation Plans and Requirements Branch); and Tom Laux, Program 
Executive Officer (Air ASW, Assault, and Special Missions); and public 
witnesses.
PATRON AND INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES--MILITARY EXCHANGES, COMMISSARIES, AND 
MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Total Force held a hearing 
on patron and industry perspectives on military exchanges, 
commissaries, and morale, welfare and recreation programs, Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION
Committee on the Budget: Began markup of the Concurrent Resolution on 
the Budget for Fiscal Year 2004.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT--FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IMPROVEMENTS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Select 
Education held a hearing on ``Recent Improvements of Financial 
Management Practices at the U.S. Department of Education.'' Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Education: 
William D. Hansen, Deputy Secretary; and Thomas A. Carter, Deputy 
Inspector General; and Linda Calbom, Director, Division of Financial 
Management and Assurance, GAO.
FAMILY TIME FLEXIBILITY ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on H.R. 1119, Family Time Flexibility Act. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality continued hearings on ``Comprehensive National Energy Policy.'' 
Testimony was heard from J. Mark Robinson, Director, Office of Energy 
Projects, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy; 
and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
MEDICAID TODAY: THE STATES' PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on ``Medicaid Today: The States' Perspective.'' Testimony was heard 
from the following Governors: Jeb Bush, Florida; John G. Rowland, 
Connecticut; and Bill Richardson, New Mexico.
THEFT AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings on

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the ``Procurement and Property Mismanagement and Theft at Los Alamos 
National Laboratory.'' Testimony was heard from Ralph Erickson, 
Manager, Lost Alamos National Laboratory Site Office, National Nuclear 
Security Administration, Department of Energy; and the following 
officials of the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Stanley L. Busboom, 
staff member; Frank P. Dickson, Jr., Laboratory Counsel; Richard A. 
Marquez, Associate Director, Administration; and John C. Browne, Senior 
Research Scientist; and public witnesses.
MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY PRACTICES--EFFECT ON INDIVIDUAL INVESTORS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Mutual Fund Industry Practices and their Effect on Individual 
Investors.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FEDERAL BUILDINGS AND VEHICLES--ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Energy 
Efficiency Improvements in Federal Buildings and Vehicles.'' Testimony 
was heard from David Garman, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, Department of Energy; and the following officials of 
the GSA: Paul Lynch, Assistant Commissioner, Business Operations, 
Public Buildings Service; and William Rivers, Director, Federal Vehicle 
Policy Division, Office of Government-wide Policy.
COMMITTEE FUNDING
Committee on House Administration: Met to consider Committee funding 
requests for the following Committees: House Administration; Education 
and the Workforce; Government Reform; Small Business; Transportation 
and Infrastructure; Ways and Means; Intelligence, Financial Services, 
Judiciary, Resources; and Standards.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered and adopted 
a motion urging the Chairman to request that H.R. 1208, Northern Island 
Peace and Reconciliation Support Act of 2003, be considered on the 
Suspension Calendar.
  The Committee adversely reported H. Res. 68, requesting the President 
to transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days 
after the date of the adoption of this resolution documents in the 
President's possession relating to Iraq's declaration on its weapons of 
mass destruction that was provided to the United Nations on December 7, 
2002.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following: H. Res. 
132, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
Ninth Circuit of Appeals ruling in Newdow v. United States Congress is 
inconsistent with the Supreme Court's interpretation of the first 
amendment and should be overturned; and H.R. 975, amended, Bankruptcy 
Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2003.
ARCTIC COASTAL PLAIN DOMESTIC ENERGY SECURITY ACT
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on H.R. 39, Arctic Coastal Plain 
Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from Gale 
Norton, Secretary of the Interior; Tara Sweeney, Special Assistant, 
Rural Affairs, Governor, State of Alaska; and public witnesses.
HELP EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE, LOW-COST, TIMELY HEALTHCARE (HEALTH) ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule on H.R. 5, 
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 
2003, providing two hours of debate in the House, with 80 minutes 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on the Judiciary and 40 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 in lieu of 
the amendments recommended by the Committees on the Judiciary and on 
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. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or 
without instructions. Finally, the rule provides that H. Res. 126 is 
laid on the table. Testimony was heard from Chairman Sensenbrenner, 
Chairman Tauzin, and Representatives Conyers, Nadler, Jackson-Lee of 
Texas, Delahunt, Dingell, Pallone, Stupak, Engel, DeFazio, Sandlin, 
Berkley, and Hoeffel.
AEROSPACE COMMISSION REPORT AND NASA WORKFORCE
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Aerospace Commission Report and 
NASA Workforce. Testimony was heard from Robert Walker, Chairman, 
Commission on the Future of the Aerospace Industry; and public 
witnesses.

[[Page D228]]


FAA AND AVIATION PROGRAMS COMMERCIAL AVIATION AUTHORIZATIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Authorization of the Federal Aviation 
Administration and the Aviation Programs: Commercial Aviation. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LABOR DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on the Administration's 
Fiscal Year 2004 Budget for the U.S. Department of Labor. Testimony was 
heard from Elaine L. Chao, Secretary of Labor.
CIA OVERVIEW
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the Director of the CIA Overview. Testimony was heard 
from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the 
legislative recommendations of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, after 
receiving testimony Raymond C. Sisk, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the 
United States, Washington, D.C.