[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 3, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D602-D604]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Screener Background Investigations. Testimony was heard from 
James M. Loy, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration, 
Department of Homeland Security; Steve Benowitz, Associate Director, 
Product Services, OPM; and public witnesses.
SCHOOL READINESS ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
Reform held a hearing on H.R. 2210, School Readiness Act of 2003. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
``CAN TOBACCO CURE SMOKING?--A REVIEW OF TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION''
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Can Tobacco Cure 
Smoking?--A Review of Tobacco Harm Reduction.'' Testimony was heard 
from Timothy Muris, Chairman, FTC; Vice Adm. Richard H. Carmona, USN, 
U.S. Surgeon General and Acting Assistant Secretary, Health, Department 
of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
METHYL BROMIDE STATUS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Status of Methyl Bromide under the 
Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol.'' Testimony was heard from 
Jeffrey M. Burnam, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Bureau of 
Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, 
Department of State; Jeffrey R. Holmstead, Assistant Administrator, Air 
and Radiation, EPA; Rodney J. Brown, Deputy Under Secretary, Research, 
Education and Economics, USDA; and public witnesses.
INCREASE ORGAN DONATIONS--ASSESSING INITIATIVES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled

[[Page D603]]

``Assessing Initiatives to Increase Organ Donations.'' Testimony was 
heard from Michelle Snyder, Director, Office of Special Programs, 
Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and 
Human Services; and public witnesses.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS--ACCOUNTING TREATMENT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``The Accounting Treatment of Employee Stock Options.'' Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Dreier and Eshoo; Robert H. Herz, Chairman, 
Financial Accounting Standards Board; and public witnesses.
POTENTIAL REDUCED EXPOSURE/REDUCED RISK TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Potential 
Reduced Exposure/Reduced Risk Tobacco Products: An Examination of the 
Possible Public Health Impact and Regulatory Challenges.'' Testimony 
was heard from Scott Leischow, M.D., Chief, Tobacco Control Research 
Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Department of Health and Human 
Services; Lee Peeler, Deputy Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 
FTC; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--JEWISH EXODUS FROM ARAB LANDS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia held a briefing entitled ``The Forgotten Refugees: the 
Jewish Exodus from Arab Lands.'' The Subcommittee was briefed by Avi 
Becker, Secretary General, World Jewish Congress; Irwin Cotler, Member 
of Parliament, Canada; Carole Basri, Adjunct Professor of Corporate Law 
and Irey Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania School of Law; and Sami 
Totah, American Sephardic Federation.
OVERSIGHT--ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held an oversight hearing on the Reauthorization of the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Private Property 
Protection Under the National Historic Preservation Act. Testimony was 
heard from deTeel Patterson Tiller, Acting Associate Director, Cultural 
Resources, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; John Nau, 
Chairman, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and public 
witnesses.
PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION BAN ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing 1 hour of debate on H.R. 760, Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act 
of 2003. The rule makes in order the amendment printed in the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution, if offered by 
Representative Greenwood of Pennsylvania or his designee, which shall 
be considered as read, and shall be separately debatable for one hour 
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. The 
rule waives all points of order against the amendment printed in the 
report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. The rule provides that after passage of H.R. 760, it 
shall be in order to take from the Speaker's table S. 3 and to consider 
the Senate bill in the House. The rule provides for a motion to strike 
all after the enacting clause of S. 3 and to insert in lieu thereof the 
provisions of H.R. 760 as passed by the House. The rule waives all 
points of order against the motion to strike and insert. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Chabot, Greenwood, Scott of Virginia, 
Baldwin, Hoyer and Edwards.
CHECK CLEARING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of general debate on H.R. 1474, Check Clearing for the 21st 
Century Act. The rule waives all points of order against consideration 
of the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now 
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment. The rule provides that the bill shall be 
considered for amendment by section and that each section shall be 
considered as read. The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in 
recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the 
Congressional Record. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Bachus.
PORT SECURITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Port Security. 
Testimony was heard from Adm. Thomas H. Collins, USCG, Commandant, U.S. 
Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; William C. Ellis, 
Director of Security, Port of Long Beach, California; and Bethann 
Rooney, Manager, Port Security, Port Authority of New York and New 
Jersey.

[[Page D604]]


TASK FORCE REPORT--IMPROVE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY FOR VETERANS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing to receive the report of 
the President's Task Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for our 
Nation's Veterans. Testimony was heard from Gail R. Wilensky, Co-Chair, 
President's Task Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for our Nation's 
Veterans.