[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D393-D395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FARM BILL IMPLEMENTATION; AGRICULTURE ASSISTANCE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing on implementation of the 2002 Farm bill 
and 2003 Agriculture Assistance. Testimony was heard from J.B. Penn, 
Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, USDA.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND THE JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State 
and the Judiciary and Related Agencies continued appropriation 
hearings. Testimony was heard from Members of Congress.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Science and Technology. Testimony was heard from Charles 
McQueary, Under Secretary, Science and Technology Directorate, 
Department of Homeland Security.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the U.S. Coast Guard. 
Testimony was heard from Adm. Thomas H. Collins, USCG, Commandant, U.S. 
Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services and Related Agencies held a hearing on Secretary of Labor. 
Testimony was heard from Elaine L. Chao, Secretary of Labor.
TRANSPORTATION AND TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Treasury, and Independent Agencies, on Passenger Rail (Panel). 
Testimony was heard from Michael P. Jackson, Deputy Secretary, 
Department of Transportation; David L. Gunn, President and Chief 
Executive Officer, Amtrak; and a public witness.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on NSF. Testimony was heard from Rita R. 
Colwell, Director, NSF.
IMPROVING EDUCATION RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 1350, Improving Education Results for Children With Disabilities 
Act of 2003.
EFFECTIVENESS OF STATE REGULATION: WHY SOME CONSUMERS CAN'T GET 
INSURANCE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises, hearing entitled ``The 
Effectiveness of State Regulation: Why Some Consumers Can't Get 
Insurance.'' Testimony was heard from Ernst Csiszar, Director, 
Department of Insurance, State of South Carolina; and public witnesses.
NATION'S CAPITAL--EMERGENCY READINESS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Are We Ready 
for Prime Time? Assessing the State of Emergency Readiness in the 
Nation's Capital.'' Testimony was heard from Michael Byrne, Director, 
Office of National Capital Region Coordination, Department of Homeland 
Security; Van Harp, Director, Washington Field Office, FBI, Department 
of Justice; Teresa Chambers, Chief, U.S. Park Police, National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior; Mark Warner, Governor, State of 
Virginia; the following officials of the District of Columbia: Anthony 
Williams, Mayor; and Charles Ramsey, Chief, Metropolitan Police 
Department; Richard White, General Manager, Washington Metropolitan 
Area Transit Authority; and public witnesses.
BALKANS--ASSESSING PROGRESS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe held a 
hearing on The Balkans: Assessing the Progress and Looking to the 
Future. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT TRANSITION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims held an oversight hearing on ``Department of 
Homeland Security Transition: Bureau of Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement.'' Testimony was heard from Asa Hutchinson, Under 
Secretary, Border and Transportation Security, Department of Homeland 
Security; Rich Stana, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
SIKES ACT REAUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on

[[Page D394]]

H.R. 1497, Sikes Act Reauthorization Act of 2003. Testimony was heard 
from Raymond F. DuBois, Deputy Under Secretary, Installations and 
Environment, Department of Defense; Benjamin N. Tuggle, Chief, Division 
of Federal Program Activities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
FY 2004 BUDGET RESOLUTION CONFERENCE REPORT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 4, a rule waiving all 
points of order against the 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, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. Finally, the rule provides one hour of debate in 
the House equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Budget. Testimony was heard 
from chairman Nussle and Representative Spratt.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION WARTIME SUPPLEMENTAL--CONFERENCE REPORT
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 
Friday, April 11, 2003, providing for consideration or disposition of a 
conference report to accompany H.R. 1559, making emergency wartime 
supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2003.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards held a hearing on Transportation Research and Development: 
Investing in the Future. Testimony was heard from Emil Frankel, 
Assistant Secretary, Transportation Policy, Department of 
Transportation; Kate Siggerud, Acting Director, Physical Infrastructure 
Team, GAO; Eric E. Harm, Deputy Director, Division of Highways, 
Department of Transportation, State of Illinois; and public witnesses.
VETERAN'S LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 241, Veterans Beneficiary Fairness Act of 
2003; H.R. 533, Agent Orange Veterans' Disabled Children's Benefits Act 
of 2003; H.R. 761, Disabled Servicemembers Adapted Housing Assistance 
Act of 2003; H.R. 850, Former Prisoners of War Special Compensation Act 
of 2003; H.R. 966, Disabled Veterans' Return-to-Work Act of 2003; and 
H.R. 1048, Disabled Veterans Adaptive Benefits Improvement Act of 2003. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Simpson; the following 
officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Daniel L. Cooper, 
Under Secretary, Benefits; and Ronald J. Henke, Director, Compensation 
and Pension Service, both with the Veterans Benefits Administration; 
and John H. Thompson, Deputy General Counsel; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
OVERSIGHT--MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held an 
oversight hearing on medical and prosthetic research programs in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Langevin; the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: Nelda P. Wray, M.D., Chief Research and Development Officer, 
Office of Research and Development, Veterans Health Administration; 
Mindy Aisen, M.D., Director, Rehabilitation Research and Development; 
John G. Demakis, M.D., Director, Health Sciences Research and 
Development; and Fred S. Wright, M.D., Associate Chief of Staff, 
Research, VA Healthcare System, State of Connecticut; and Kevin C. 
Dellsperger, M.D., Chief of Staff, Associate Dean, Veterans Affairs, VA 
Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa; and public witnesses.
MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on VA's progress in the development of 
the medical education program mandated by Section 3 of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs Emergency Preparedness Act of 2002. Testimony was 
heard from Robert H. Roswell, Under Secretary, Health, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; Jerome M. Hauer, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office 
of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health and Human 
Services; Eric Tolbert, Director, Preparedness, Emergency Preparedness 
and Response Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; Col. Maria 
Morgan, USAF, Deputy Adjutant General, National Guard, State of New 
Jersey; and public witnesses.
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND ``RETURNS TO WORK''
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Unemployment

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Benefits and ``Returns to Work.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
MEDICARE
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded joint hearings to examine 
Medicare, focusing on the 2003 Medicare Trustees Report, the long-term 
financial viability of the program, proposals to add a prescription 
drug benefit, and other related reforms, after receiving testimony from 
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office; David M. 
Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, General Accounting 
Office; Gail R. Wilensky, Project HOPE, Millwood, Virginia; and John P. 
Martin, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and 
Marilyn Moon, Urban Institute, both of Washington, D.C.