[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D379-D382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and the Judiciary, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Supreme 
Court. Testimony was heard from the following Justices of the Supreme 
Court: Anthony M. Kennedy; and Clarence Thomas.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on FTC. Testimony was heard from 
Timothy Muris, Chairman, FTC.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on District of Columbia held 
a hearing on Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the District of Columbia: 
Paul Quander, Director, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency; 
and Susan Shafer, Director, Pretrial Services Agency.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on AID. Testimony was 
heard from Andrew Natsios, Administrator, AID, Department of State.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Bioterrorism. Testimony was heard from Jerome M. Hauer, Assistant 
Secretary, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health 
and Human Services.

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LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative held a hearing 
on House of Representative, the Library of Congress, the CBO, the GPO, 
and the GAO. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
House of Representatives: Jay Eagen, CAO; Jeff Trandahl, Clerk of the 
House; Wilson S. Livingood, Sergeant at Arms; Steven McNamara, 
Inspector General; Geraldine Gennet, Office of the General Counsel; 
John R. Miller, Office of the Law Revision Counsel; and M. Pope Barrow, 
Office of the Legislative Counsel; John Eisold, M.D., Office of the 
Attending Physician; James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress; 
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, CBO; Bruce R. James, Public Printer, 
GPO; and David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO.
TRANSPORTATION AND TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Treasury, and Independent Agencies held a hearing on National Youth 
Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Testimony was heard from John P. Walters, 
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, and public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on FAA Personnel Costs and 
Management. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Transportation: Marion Blakey, Administrator; FAA; and 
Kenneth Mead, Inspector General.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent 
Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
FAMILY TIME FLEXIBILITY ACT; IMPROVING EDUCATION RESULTS FOR CHILDREN 
WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported H.R. 1119, 
Family Time Flexibility Act.
  The Committee also began markup of H.R. 1350, Improving Education 
Results for Children With Disabilities Act of 2003.
  Will continue tomorrow.
STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVING MEDICARE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health, hearing 
entitled ``Strengthening and Improving Medicare.'' Testimony was heard 
from Rick Foster, Chief Actuary, Center for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services; Barbara Kennelly, 
President, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare; 
and public witnesses.
COMMERCIAL SPECTRUM ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
1320, Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act.
FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY RELIEF ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 1375, Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2003.
SARS THREAT; IMMUNITY
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on ``The SARS Threat: Is 
the Nation's Public Health Network Prepared for a Possible Epidemic.'' 
Testimony was heard from Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and 
Human Services; Janet Heinrich, Director, Public Health Issues, GAO; 
and public witnesses.
  The Committee also approved immunity for William Bulger and Francis 
Salemme.
STANDARD DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION ADVANCEMENT ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Antitrust held a hearing on 
H.R. 1086, Standard Development Organization Advancement Act of 2003. 
Testimony was heard from Earl Everett, Director, Division of Safety 
Engineering, Department of Labor, State of Georgia; and public 
witnesses.
ENERGY POLICY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour and 30 minutes of general debate with 30 minutes equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce and 20 minutes equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority members of each of the 
following Committees: Science, Resources, and Ways and Means. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee 
report accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that the 
amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in 
the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, 
shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified 
in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an 
opponent, shall
 
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not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject 
to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the 
Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendments printed in the report. Finally, the rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Tauzin and Representatives Wilson of New Mexico, Boehlert, 
Calvert, McCrery, Johnson of Connecticut, Ryan of Wisconsin, Pombo, 
Porter, Shays, Capito, Ose, King of Iowa, Tom Davis of Virginia, Miller 
of Florida, Dingell, Markey, Boucher, Stupak, Capps, Schakowsky, Solis, 
Davis of Florida, Costello, Udall of Colorado, Wu, Rahall, Inslee, 
Udall of New Mexico, Oberstar, Nadler, Blumenauer, Berkley, Maloney, 
Waxman, and Hastings of Florida. on H.R. 6, Energy Policy Act of 2003. 
Further action was deferred.
CONFERENCE REPORT--PROTECT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany S. 151, 
Prosecutorial Remedies and Tools Against the Exploitation of Children 
Today (PROTECT) Act of 2003 and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representative 
Scott of Virginia.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION CONFERENCE REPORT--FY 2004 BUDGET RESOLUTION
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 April 
10, 2003, providing for consideration or disposition of a conference 
report to accompany, H. Con. Res. 95, establishing the congressional 
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2004 and 
setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2003 and 
2005 through 2013.
NANOTECHNOLOGY--SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on The Societal Implications of 
Nanotechnology, focusing on H.R. 766, Nanotechnology Research and 
Development Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
``WILL WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY WITHOUT A STRONG U.S. MANUFACTURING 
BASE?''
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Will We Have An 
Economic Recovery Without a Strong U.S. Manufacturing Base?'' Testimony 
was heard from Grant Aldonas, Under Secretary, International Trade, 
Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 1527, National Transportation Safety Board 
Reauthorization Act of 2003; H. Con. Res. 53, amended, authorizing the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby; 
H. Con. Res. 96, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service; H. Con. Res. 128, 
authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace 
Officers' Memorial Service; H.R. 281, 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. 1018, to designate the building located at 1 
Federal Plaza in New York, New York, as the ``James L. Watson United 
States Court of International Trade Building.''
  The Committee also approved 15 GSA Lease resolutions and 2 amending 
resolutions.
FAA AND FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on Reauthorization of the Federal Aviation 
Administration and The Aviation Programs: General Aviation. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Regional Economic Development Authority issues relating to 
reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Appalachian Regional 
Commission: Anne B. Pope, Federal Co-Chair; and William C. Shelton, 
Alternate of the State Co-Chairman; and public witnesses.

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OVERSIGHT--TROOPS TO TEACHERS PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held an 
oversight hearing on the Troops to Teachers Program. Testimony was 
heard from Nina Rees, Deputy Under Secretary, Innovation and 
Improvement, Department of Education; John Gantz, Director, Defense 
Activity, Non-Traditional Educational Support, Department of Defense; 
and public witnesses.
EXPANDING COVERAGE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN MEDICARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Expanding Coverage of 
Prescription Drugs in Medicare. Testimony was heard from Douglas Holtz-
Eakin, Director, CBO; David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
PROTECT ACT
Conferees on Tuesday, April 8, agreed to file a conference report on 
the differences between the Senate and the House passed versions of S. 
151, to prevent child abduction and the sexual exploitation of 
children.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET RESOLUTION
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and the House passed versions H. Con. Res. 95, establishing 
the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal 
year 2004 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal 
years 2003 and 2005 through 2013.