[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 68 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D499-D501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE ANNIVERSARY; HEALTHY FOREST RESTORATION 
ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported the following measures: H.J. 
Res. 49, recognizing the important service to the Nation provided by 
the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture on 
the occasion of its 50th anniversary; and H.R. 1904, Healthy Forests 
Restoration Act of 2003.
LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies continued appropriation 
hearings. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION AND TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Treasury, and Independent Agencies held a hearing on Management and 
Cost Oversight of Federal Highway Funding. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Transportation: Mary Peters, 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administrator; and Kenneth M. Mead, 
Inspector General; and Tom Stephens, Director, Department of 
Transportation, State of Nevada.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Secretary of the 
Treasury. Testimony was heard from John W. Snow, Secretary of the 
Treasury.
TRADE IN SERVICES AND E-COMMERCE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Trade in Services and E-
Commerce: The Significance of the Singapore and Chile Free Trade 
Agreements.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Office of the United States Trade Representative: Ralph F. Ives III, 
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Asia-Pacific and APEC Affairs; and 
Regina K. Vargo, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Americas; 
Michelle O'Neill, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Information Technology 
Industries, Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL CREDIT REPORTING SYSTEM IMPORTANCE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``The Importance of the 
National Credit Reporting System to Consumers and the U.S. Economy.'' 
Testimony was heard from Wayne Abernathy, Assistant Secretary, 
Financial Institutions, Department of the Treasury; and public 
witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT--INFORMATION SHARING BARRIERS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Out of Many, 
One: Assessing Barriers to Information Sharing in the Department of 
Homeland Security.'' Testimony was heard from Steve Cooper, Chief 
Information Officer, Department of Homeland Security; Mark Forman, 
Associate Director, Information, Technology and E-Government, OMB; the 
following officials of the GAO: Robert Dacey, Director, Information 
Technology Team; and Randolph C. Hite, Director, Architecture and 
Systems Issues, Information Technology; and public witnesses.
DENTISTRY--FULL DISCLOSURE IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Human Rights and 
Wellness held a hearing on ``Consumer Choice and Implementing Full 
Disclosure in Dentistry.'' Testimony was heard from Representative 
Michaud; and public witnesses.
FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 1950, Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2004 and 
2005.

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U.S. COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION AND NONPROLIFERATION PROGRAMS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe and the 
Subcommittee on International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human 
Rights held a joint hearing on U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction and 
Nonproliferation Programs, Part I. Testimony was heard from John S. 
Wolf, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Nonproliferation, Department of 
State; Ken Baker, Principal Deputy Administrator, National Nuclear 
Security Administration, Department of Energy; and Lisa Bronson, Deputy 
Under Secretary, Technology, Security, Policy and Counterproliferation, 
Department of Defense.
  Hearings continue May 14.
OVERSIGHT--DIRECT BROADCASTING SATELLITE SERVICE
Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing on ``Direct 
Broadcasting Satellite Service in the Multichannel Video Distribution 
Market.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WAR ON TERRORISM--IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SINCE 9/11
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims held an oversight hearing on War on Terrorism: 
Immigration Enforcement Since September 11, 2001. Testimony was heard 
from Kevin Rooney, Director, Executive Office for Immigration Review, 
Department of Justice; the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: Michael Dougherty, Staff Director, Operations, 
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Jay Ahern, Assistant 
Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection; and a public witness.
JOBS AND GROWTH RECONCILIATION TAX ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 9 to 4, a closed rule 
providing one hour of debate in the House on H.R. 2, Jobs and Growth 
Reconciliation Tax Act of 2003, equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and 
Means. The rule provides that the amendment recommended by the 
Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill shall be considered 
as adopted. The rule waives all points of order against the bill, as 
amended, and against its consideration. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Thomas and Representatives Smith of Michigan, Rangel, 
McDermott, Kanjorski, Cooper of Tennessee, Jackson-Lee of Texas, 
Loretta Sanchez of California, Berry, Wu, Weiner, Ross, Emanuel, and 
Marshall,
NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE REDUCTION PROGRAM
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Research held a hearing on the 
National Earthquake Reduction Program: Past, Present, and Future. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NASA'S INTEGRATED SPACE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND ORBITAL SPACE PLAN 
PROGRAM
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on NASA's Integrated Space Transportation Plan and Orbital 
Space Plan Program. Testimony was heard from Frederick D. Gregory, 
Deputy Administrator, NASA; and public witnesses.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES FACING UNINSURED
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Tax, Finance, and Exports 
held a hearing on Overcoming Obstacles Facing the Uninsured: How the 
Use of Medical Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts and Tax 
Credits Can Help. Testimony was heard from Representative Manzullo; and 
public witnesses.
FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICER PROGRAM STATUS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on the Status of the Federal Flight Deck 
Officer Program. Testimony was heard from Stephen McHale, Deputy 
Administrator, Transportation Security Administration, Department of 
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL FLIGHT DECK OFFICER PROGRAM--ALLOW CARGO PILOTS PARTICIPATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 765, to 
amend title 49, United States Code, to allow cargo pilots to 
participate in the Federal flight deck officer program.
EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE MISMANAGEMENT IN PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY VETERANS 
DEPARTMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on past and present 
efforts to identify and eliminate fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement 
in programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Testimony was heard from Richard J. Griffin, Inspector General, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and Cynthia A. Bascetta, Director, 
Healthcare--Veterans' Health and Benefits Issues, GAO.

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