[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D645-D648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS SMALL BUSINESS FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction 
approved for full Committee action the Military Construction 
appropriations for fiscal year 2004.
SMALL BUSINESS FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Began markup of H.R. 660, 
Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003.

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  Will continue tomorrow.
FTC REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``The Reauthorization of 
the Federal Trade Commission: Positioning the Commission for the 
Twenty-First Century.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the FTC: Timothy J. Muris, Chairman, Mozelle W. Thompson, 
Orson Swindle, and Thomas B. Leary, all Commissioners.
NATION'S FIRST RESPONDERS--SPECTRUM NEEDS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on entitled ``The Spectrum Needs of Our 
Nation's First Responders.'' Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Harman and Weldon of Pennsylvania; Edmond J. Thomas, Chief Engineer, 
Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC; Norman J. Jacknis, Chief 
Information Officer, Department of Information Technology, Westchester 
County, State of New York; First Lt. Gene Adamczyk, State Police, State 
of Michigan; and public witnesses.
MATCHING CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing 
entitled ``Matching Capital and Accountability--The Millennium 
Challenge Account.'' Testimony was heard from John Taylor, Under 
Secretary, International Affairs, Department of the Treasury; and the 
following officials of the Department of State: Alan Larson, Under 
Secretary, Economic, Business and Agriculture Affairs; and Andrew 
Natsios, Administrator, AID.
CITIZEN'S GUIDE--FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND THE PRIVACY ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census approved for full 
Committee the following: The Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of 
Information Act and The Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government 
Records.
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AT CROSSROADS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on The Middle East 
Peace Process at a Crossroads. Testimony was heard from William Burns, 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Department of 
State.
COMMENDING SIGNING OF U.S.-ADRIATRIC CHARTER; RENEWING THE 
TRANSATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP: A VIEW FROM THE U.S.
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe approved 
for full Committee action H. Con. Res. 209, commending the signing of 
the United States-Adriatric Charter, a charter of partnership among the 
United States, Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Renewing the Transatlantic 
Partnership: A View From the United States. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERVIEW OF RADIO AND TV MARTI
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on Overview of Radio and Television Marti. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Broadcasting 
Board of Governors: Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Chairman; and Pedro V. Roig, 
Director, Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Con. Res. 21, commemorating the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase; 
H. Res. 30, concerning the San Diego long-range sportfishing fleet and 
rights to fish the waters near the Revillagigedo Islands of Mexico; 
H.R. 74, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain land 
in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Nevada, to the Secretary of 
the Interior, in trust for the Washoe Indian Tribe of Nevada and 
California; H.R. 272, amended, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture 
to convey certain land to Lander County Nevada, and the Secretary of 
the Interior to convey certain land to Eureka County, Nevada, for 
continued use as cemeteries; H.R. 901, amended, to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to construct a bridge on Federal land west of 
and adjacent to Folsom Dam in California; H.R. 1113, amended, to 
authorize an exchange of land at Fort Frederica National Monument; H.R. 
1209, to extend the authority for the construction of a memorial to 
Martin Luther King, Jr., in the District of Columbia; H.R. 1284, to 
amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 
to increase the Federal share of the costs of the San Gabriel Basin 
demonstration project; and H.R. 1945, amended, Pacific Salmon Recovery 
Act.
CLASS ACTION FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
1 hour of general debate on H.R. 1115, Class Action Fairness Act of 
2003. The

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rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill 
shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
and shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on the Judiciary now printed in 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 
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 Sensenbrenner 
and Representatives Scott of Virginia, Lofgren, Jackson-Lee of Texas, 
Delahunt and Sandlin.
TAX RELIEF, SIMPLIFICATION, AND EQUITY ACT--RELATING TO THE 
CONSIDERATION OF THE SENATE AMENDMENT
Committee on Rules: Committee granted, by a vote of 9 to 4, a rule 
providing that upon adoption of the resolution the bill, H.R. 1308, Tax 
Relief, Simplification, and Equity Act of 2003, with the Senate 
amendments thereto, be hereby taken from the Speaker's table. The rule 
provides that upon adoption of the resolution the Senate amendment to 
the title is hereby agreed to. The rule further provides that upon 
adoption of the resolution the Senate amendment to the text is hereby 
agreed to with the amendment printed in the report of the Committee on 
Rules accompanying the resolution. Finally, the rule provides that it 
shall be in order for the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means 
to move that the House insist on its amendment to the Senate amendment 
to H.R. 1308, or that the House disagree to any further Senate 
amendment, and request or agree to a conference with the Senate 
thereon. Testimony was heard from Representatives Castle, Rangel, 
Levin, Tanner, Pelosi and Hoyer.
U.S.-RUSSIAN SPACE COOPERATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on U.S.-Russian Cooperation in Space. Testimony was heard from 
John Schumacher, Assistant Administrator, External Relations, NASA; and 
public witnesses.
REVITALIZING AMERICA'S MANUFACTURERS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Revitalizing 
America's Manufacturers: SBA Business and Enterprise Development 
Programs.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
SBA: Daryl Hairston, Deputy Associate Deputy Administrator, Government 
Contracting and Business Development; and Kaaren Street, Deputy 
Associate Deputy Administrator, Enterprise Development; and public 
witnesses.
EPA GRANTS MANAGEMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on EPA Grants Management: 
Persistent Problems and Proposed Solutions. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the EPA: Nikki L, Tinsley, Inspector 
General; and Morris X. Winn, Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Administration and Resources Management; and John B. Stephenson, 
Director, Environmental Issues, GAO.
VETERANS' MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 886, to amend title 38, United States 
Code, to provide for the payment of dependency and indemnity 
compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who died on or 
before September 30, 1999, under the same eligibility conditions as 
apply to payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the 
survivors of former prisoners of war who die after that date; H.R. 
1167, to amend title 38, United States Code, to permit remarried 
surviving spouses of veterans to be eligible for burial in a national 
cemetery; H.R. 1500, Veterans' Appraiser Choice Act; H.R. 1516, to 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national 
cemetery for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania; and H.R. 2163, to 
amend title 38, United States Code, to exclude the proceeds of life 
insurance from consideration as income for purposes of determining 
veterans' pension benefits. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Simpson, Holden, Bradley of New Hampshire, Gerlach, Larsen of 
Washington on behalf of Representative Smith of Washington, and Wilson 
of New Mexico; John M. Molino, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Military, 
Community and Family Policy, Department of Defense; Frederico Juarbe, 
Jr., Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Services, 
Department of Labor; and Robert Epley, Under Secretary, Policy and 
Program Management, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

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VETERANS' MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on the following: H.R. 1720, Veterans Health Care Facilities Capital 
Improvement Act; H.R. 116, Veterans' New Fitzsimons Health Care 
Facilities Act of 2003; H.R. 2307, to provide for the establishment of 
new Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for veterans in 
the area of Columbus, Ohio, and in south Texas; and H.R. 2349, to 
authorize certain major medical facility projects for the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from Robert H. Roswell, M.D., 
Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
representatives of veterans organizations.
ADMINISTRATION'S FOSTER CARE FLEXIBLE FUNDING PROPOSAL
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on the Administration's Foster Care Flexible Funding Proposal. 
Testimony was heard from Wade F. Horn, Assistant Secretary, 
Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and 
Human Services; Barbara Riley, Deputy Director, Office of Children and 
Families, Department of Job and Family Services, State of Ohio; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
IRAQ ECONOMY
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
policies and procedures to encourage long-term economic growth and 
prosperity in reforming Iraq's economy, focusing on establishing a 
stable financial system that consists of new leadership, better 
security, free trade, regional banking, establishing new currency, and 
property rights, after receiving testimony from Hernando de Soto, 
Institute for Liberty and Democracy, Lima, Peru; Basil al-Rahim, 
MerchantBridge, London, England, on behalf of the Iraq Foundation; 
Rachel Bronson, Council on Foreign Relations, New York, New York; and 
David Ellerman, Washington, D.C.