[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 77 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D583-D585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CROP INSURANCE INDUSTRY--FINANCIAL STATUS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing to review the financial status of the 
Crop Insurance industry. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the USDA: Ross J. Davidson, Administrator, Risk Management 
Agency; and Keith Collins, Chief Economist; and public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
Judiciary and Related Agencies held a hearing on Impact of Chinese 
Imports on U.S. Companies. Testimony was heard from Peter F. Allgeier, 
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative; Grant D. Aldonas, Under Secretary, 
International Trade, International Trade Administration, Department of 
Commerce; Douglas M. Browning, Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Border 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
NIH--DECODING FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN GENOMIC RESEARCH
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``National Institutes of Health: Decoding our Federal 
Investment in Genomic Research.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: 
Francis Collins, M.D., Director, National Human Genome Research 
Institute, NIH; and Muin J. Khoury, M.D., Director, Office of Genomics 
and Disease Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and 
Aristides Patrinos, Director, Office of Biological and Environmental 
Research, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
HEDGE FUNDS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``The Long and Short of Hedge Funds: Effects of Strategies for Managing 
Market Risk.'' Testimony was heard from William H. Donaldson, Chairman, 
SEC; and public witnesses.
SECTION 8 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``The Section 8 Housing Assistance 
Program: Promoting Decent Affordable Housing for Families and 
Individuals who Rent.'' Testimony was heard from Michael Liu, Assistant 
Secretary, Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 2122, amended, Project BioShield Act of 2003; H.R. 2087, 
amended, Bob Hope American Patriot Award Act of 2003; H. Con. Res. 162, 
honoring the city of Dayton, Ohio, and its

[[Page D584]]

many partners, for hosting ``Inventing Flight: The Centennial 
Celebration,'' a celebration of the centennial of Wilbur and Orville 
Wright's first flight; H.R. 1465, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron 
Station, North Carolina, as the ``General Charles Gabriel Post 
Office''; H.R. 1610, to redesignate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 120 East Ritchie Avenue in Marceline, 
Missouri, as the ``Walt Disney Postal Office Building''; H. Res. 159, 
expressing profound sorrow on the occasion of the death of Irma Rangel; 
H. Res. 195, congratulating Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs for hitting 
500 major league home runs; and H.R. 2030, to designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 120 Baldwin Avenue in Paia, 
Maui, Hawaii, as the ``Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building.''
OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing on H.R. 2086, Office of 
National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2003. Testimony was 
heard from John P. Walters, Director, Office of National Drug Control 
Policy.
INTERNET TAX NONDISCRIMINATION ACT; BANKRUPTCY JUDGESHIP ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
49, Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on H.R. 1428, Bankruptcy 
Judgeship Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Melloy, U.S. 
Circuit Judge, Court of Appeals of the Eight Circuit; Paul Mannes, U.S. 
Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maryland; William O. Jenkins, Jr., 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO; and a public 
witness.
U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK FEE MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and 
Intellectual Property approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 1561, United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 
2003.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on the following measures: H.R. 
2048, International Fisheries Reauthorization Act of 2003; and H. Res. 
30, concerning the San Diego long-range sportfishing fleet and rights 
to fish the waters near the Revillagigedo Islands of Mexico. Testimony 
was heard from Ambassador Mary Beth West, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Oceans and Fisheries, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental 
and Scientific Affairs, Department of State; William T. Hogarth, 
Assistant Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, Department of Commerce; and Marshall P. Jones, Jr., Deputy 
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 1598, Irvine Basin Surface and Groundwater 
Improvement Act of 2003; and H.R. 1732, Williamson County Water 
Recycling Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from Representatives Carter 
and Edwards; Mark Limbaugh, Director, External and Intergovernmental 
Affairs, Bureau of Reclamation. Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--JOBS AND GROWTH TAX RELIEF RECONCILIATION ACT OF 
2003
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report on H.R. 2, Jobs and Growth Tax 
Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and against its consideration. The 
rule provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
The rule provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and 
Means. The rule provides that the previous question shall be considered 
as ordered on the conference report to final adoption without 
intervening motion except one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule 
provides that the yeas and nays shall be considered as ordered on the 
question of adoption of the conference report and that clause 5(b) of 
rule XXI (requiring a three-fifths vote on any measure containing a 
federal income tax rate increase) shall not apply to the conference 
report.
PREMIER CERTIFIED LENDERS PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 923, 
Premier Certified Lenders Program Improvement Act.
COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on the Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation Act of 2003. Testimony was

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heard from Adm. Thomas H. Collins, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security.
WATER: IS IT THE ``OIL'' OF THE 21ST CENTURY?
Committee on Transportation and infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Water: Is it the ``Oil'' of 
the 21st Century? Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  Hearings continue June 4.
VA--LONG-TERM CARE PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on long-term care programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Testimony was heard from Cynthia A. Bascetta, Director, Veterans' 
Health and Benefits Issues, GAO; and Robert H. Roswell, M.D., Under 
Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs.
FBI NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMS BUDGET
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the FBI National Security Programs Budget. Testimony 
was heard from departmental witnesses.
BRIEFING GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
hold a briefing on Global Intelligence Update. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.
PROGRESS REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Concluded hearings entitled 
``How is America Safer? A Progress Report on the Department of Homeland 
Security.'' Testimony was heard from Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland 
Security.

Joint Meetings
KEEPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SAFE ACT
Conferees: agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of S. 342, to amend the 
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to make improvements to and 
reauthorize programs under that Act.
JOBS AND GROWTH RECONCILIATION TAX ACT
Conferees: agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2, to provide for 
reconciliation pursuant to section 201 of the concurrent resolution on 
the budget for fiscal year 2004.