[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D234-D236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
MEDICAL LIABILITY CRISIS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies hearings to examine 
causes of the medical liability insurance crisis, focusing on proposals 
to reform the medical litigation system, after receiving testimony from 
Claude A. Allen, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services; Peter 
R. McCombs, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia; Donald M. Berwick, 
Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston, Massachusetts; Jay 
Angoff, Rogert C. Brown and Associates, Jefferson City, Missouri; James 
D. Hurley, Atlanta, Georgia, on behalf of the American Academy of 
Actuaries; Brian Holmes, Hagerstown, Maryland; Linda McDougal, 
Woodville, Wisconsin; and Leanne Dyess, Vicksburg, Mississippi.
APPROPRIATIONS: VA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies concluded hearings to 
examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2004 for the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, after receiving testimony from Anthony 
J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION: UNIFIED COMMANDS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings in open and 
closed session to examine proposed legislation authorizing funds for 
fiscal year 2004 for the Department of Defense and the Future Years 
Defense Program, focusing on military strategy and operational 
requirements in of the unified and regional commands, after receiving 
testimony from Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, USN, Commander, United States 
Pacific Command; Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, USA, Commander, United Nations 
Command, United Nations Command, Republic of Korea-United States 
Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces in Korea; and Gen. 
James T. Hill, USA, Commander, United States Southern Command.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management 
Support concluded hearings on proposed legislation authorizing funds 
for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2004, focusing on the 
impacts of environmental laws on readiness and the related 
Administration legislative proposal, after receiving testimony from 
General John M. Keane, USA, Vice Chief of the Army; Admiral William J. 
Fallon, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; General William L. Nyland, 
USMC, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps; General Robert H. 
Foglesong, USAF, Vice Chief of the Air Force; and Benedict S. Cohen, 
Deputy General Counsel for Installation and Environment, Department of 
Defense.
2004 BUDGET: FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded 
hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal 
year 2004 for the Federal Transit Administration, after receiving 
testimony from Jennifer L. Dorn, Administrator Federal Transit 
Administration, Department of Transportation.
2004 BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Committee ordered favorably reported an 
original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget 
for the United States Government for fiscal year 2004 and including the 
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2003 and for fiscal years 
2005 through 2013.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 579, to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board;
  S. 275, to amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, and to 
establish the United States Boxing Administration, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute;
  S. 196, to establish a digital and wireless network technology 
program, with amendments;
  S. 165, to improve air cargo security, with amendments; and

[[Page D235]]


  The nominations of Ellen G. Engleman, of Indiana, to be a Member and 
Chairman, and Richard F. Healing, of Virginia, and Mark V. Rosenker, of 
Maryland, both to be Members, all of the National Transportation Safety 
Board, Charles E. McQueary, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of 
Homeland Security for Science and Technology, and Jeffrey Shane, of the 
District of Columbia, to be Under Secretary for Policy, Robert A. 
Sturgell, of Maryland, to be Deputy Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration, and Emil H. Frankel, of Connecticut, to be an 
Assistant Secretary, all of the Department of Transportation; and 
United States Coast Guard promotion lists received by the Senate on 
January 28, February 6, February 25, and March 11, 2003.
  Also, Committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 108th 
Congress, and announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Aviation: Senators Lott (Chairman), Stevens, Burns, 
Hutchison, Snowe, Brownback, Smith, Fitzgerald, Ensign, Allen, Sununu, 
Rockefeller, Hollings, Inouye, Breaux, Dorgan, Wyden, Nelson (FL), 
Boxer, Cantwell, and Lautenberg.
  Subcommittee on Communications: Senators Burns (Chairman), Stevens, 
Lott, Hutchison, Snowe, Brownback, Smith, Fitzgerald, Ensign, Allen, 
Sununu, Hollings, Inouye, Rockefeller, Kerry, Breaux, Dorgan, Wyden, 
Boxer, Nelson (FL), and Cantwell.
  Subcommittee on Competition, Foreign Commerce, and Infrastructure: 
Senators Smith (Chairman), Burns, Brownback, Fitzgerald, Ensign, 
Sununu, Dorgan, Boxer, Nelson (FL), Cantwell, and Lautenberg.
  Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Product Safety: Senators 
Fitzgerald (Chairman), Burns, Smith, Wyden, and Dorgan.
  Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard: Senators Snowe 
(Chairwoman), Stevens, Lott, Hutchison, Smith, Sununu, Kerry, Hollings, 
Inouye, Breaux, and Cantwell.
  Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space: Senators Brownback 
(Chairman), Stevens, Burns, Lott, Hutchison, Ensign, Allen, Sununu, 
Breaux, Rockefeller, Kerry, Dorgan, Wyden, Nelson (FL), and Lautenberg.
  Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine: Senators 
Hutchison (Chairwoman), Stevens, Burns, Lott, Snowe, Brownback, Smith, 
Allen, Inouye, Rockefeller, Kerry, Breaux, Wyden, Boxer, and 
Lautenberg.
  Senators McCain and Hollings are Ex-Officio Members of all the 
Subcommittees.
WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded hearings 
to examine the impact of fires on America in 2002 and the potential 
2003 fire season, focusing on the management and implementation of the 
National Fire Plan, the effects on tourism, and the President's Healthy 
Forest Initiative, after receiving testimony from David Tenny, Deputy 
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and the 
Environment; Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for 
Policy, Management, and Budget; and Linda M. Conlin, Assistant 
Secretary, U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded 
oversight hearings to examine the designation and management of 
National Heritage Areas, including criteria and procedures for 
designating heritage areas, the potential impact of heritage areas on 
private lands and communities, federal and non-federal costs of 
managing heritage areas, and methods of monitoring and measuring the 
success of heritage areas, after receiving testimony from Paul Hoffman, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and 
Parks; Kathryn Higgins, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 
Washington, DC; C. Allen Sachse, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage 
Corridor Commission, Easton, Pennsylvania; and Peyton Knight, American 
Policy Center, Warrenton, Virginia.
CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Clean Air, 
Climate Change, and Nuclear Safety concluded oversight hearings to 
examine the implementation of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality 
Improvement Program, and transportation conformity, focusing on the 
collaboration of transportation and air quality planners, direct public 
and private investment projects, systems and technologies that will 
reduce air pollution coming from the mobile source sector, after 
receiving testimony from Emil H. Frankel, Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation for Transportation Policy; Jeffrey R. Homstead, 
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, Environmental Protection 
Agency; Howard R. Maier, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, 
Cleveland, Ohio; W. Gerald Teague, Emory University School of Medicine, 
Atlanta, Georgia;

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Jerry Lasker, Indian Nations Council of Governments, Tulsa, Oklahoma; 
Annette Liebe, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Portland, on 
behalf of the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program 
Administrators, and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control 
Officials; Diane Steed, American Highway Users Alliance, Washington, 
D.C.; Marsha Kaiser, Maryland Department of Transportation, Annapolis, 
on behalf of the American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials; and Michael Replogle, Environmental Defense, 
New York, New York.
MILITARY OPERATIONS/IRAQ
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing to examine Iraq's political future from William 
Burns, Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee held hearings to examine the 
nomination of Priscilla Richman Owen, of Texas, to be United States 
Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, who was introduced by Senators 
Hutchison and Cornyn, where the nominee testified and answered 
questions in her own behalf.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on 
intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the 
intelligence community.
  Committee will meet again on Tuesday, March 18.