[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 17, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D673-D676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
CPSC AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Consumer Affairs and Product Safety concluded hearings on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for the Consumer Product Safety 
Commission, after receiving testimony from Hal Stratton, Chairman, and 
Mary Sheila Gall and Thomas Moore, both a Commissioner, and William 
Duross, General Counsel, all of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; 
R. David Pittle, Consumers Union, Yonkers, New York; Rachel Weintraub, 
Consumer Federation of America, Alan Korn, National Safe Kids Compaign, 
Stephen Gold, National Association of Manufacturers, Gary S. Klein, on 
behalf of the Toy Industry Association, and Robert Polk, on behalf of 
the National Association of State Fire Marshals, all of Washington, 
D.C.

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NATIONAL AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES ACT
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Fisheries, 
Wildlife, and Water concluded hearings on S. 525, to amend the 
Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to 
reauthorize and improve that Act, after receiving testimony from 
Senator Levin; Barry T. Hill, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, General Accounting Office; Joseph J. Angelo, Director of 
Standards, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; Matthew 
Hogan, Assistant Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lori 
Williams, Executive Director, National Invasive Species Council, both 
of the Department of the Interior; Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere/National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; G. Tracy Mehan III, Assistant 
Administrator for Water, Environmental Protection Agency; Michael W. 
Hauser, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waterbury; 
James M. Beers, Centreville, Virginia, on behalf of the American Land 
Rights Association; Sebastian Hargrove, Nature Conservancy of Idaho, 
Hailey; and James H.I. Weakley, Lake Carriers' Association, Cleveland, 
Ohio.
BILATERAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
Committee on Finance: Committee held hearings to examine the 
implementation of the U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreements with 
Singapore and Chile, focusing on efforts to expand trade worldwide, 
market access for services, trade in goods and agriculture, electronic 
commerce, protections for U.S. investors, intellectual property rights, 
receiving testimony from Senator Bond; Peter F. Allgeier, Deputy U.S. 
Trade Representative; Jeffrey R. Shafter, Citigroup Global Markets, on 
behalf of the U.S. Singapore Free Trade Agreement Business Coalition, 
Sandra Polaski, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Paul L. 
Joffee, National Wildlife Federation, all of Washington, D.C.; Norman 
Sorensen, Principal International, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, on behalf of 
the Coalition of Service Industries; Jim Jarrett, Intel Corporation, 
Santa Clara, California, on behalf of the Business Software Alliance 
and High-Tech Trade Coalition; Larry Liebenow, Quaker Fabric 
Corporation, Fall River, Massachusetts, on behalf of the U.S. Chamber 
of Commerce; Jon Caspers, National Pork Producers Council, Swaledale, 
Iowa; Keith Schott, Montana Grain Growers Association, Broadview, on 
behalf of the Montana Stockgrowers Association; and David Johnson, 
Warner Music Group, New York, New York, Entertainment Industry 
Coalition for Free Trade.
  Hearings recessed subject to the call.
AVIATION AND ENVIRONMENT TREATIES
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International 
Carriage by Air, done at Montreal May 28, 1999 (Treaty Doc. 106-45), 
Protocol to Amend the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules 
Relating to International Carriage by Air Signed at Warsaw on October 
12, 1929, done at The Hague September 28, 1955 (The Hague Protocol) 
(Treaty Doc. 107-14), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic 
Pollutants, with Annexes, done at Stockholm, May 22-23, 2001 (Treaty 
Doc. 107-5), Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent 
Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in 
International Trade, with Annexes, done at Rotterdam, September 10, 
1998 (Treaty Doc. 106-21), Agreement Between the Government of the 
United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation 
on the Conservation and Management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear 
Population done at Washington on October 16, 2001 (Treaty Doc. 107-10), 
Agreement Amending the Treaty Between the Government of the United 
States of America and the Government of Canada on Pacific Coast 
Albacore Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges done at Washington May 26, 
1981 (the ``Treaty''), effected by an exchange of diplomatic notes at 
Washington on July 17, 2002, and August 13, 2002 (the ``Agreement''); 
enclosed is the report of the Secretary of State on the Agreement and a 
related agreement, effected by an exchange of notes at Washington on 
August 21, 2002, and September 10, 2002, amending the Annexes to the 
Treaty (Treaty Doc. 108-1), and Amendments to the 1987 Treaty on 
Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and 
the Government of the United States of America, with Annexes and agreed 
statements, done at Port Moresby, April 2, 1987, done at Koror, Palau, 
March 30, 1999, and at Kiritimati, Kiribati, March 24, 2002. Also 
transmitted, related Amendments to the Treaty Annexes, and the 
Memorandum of Understanding (Treaty Doc. 108-2), after receiving 
testimony from Jeffrey N. Shane, Under Secretary of Transportation for 
Policy; and John R. Byerly, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Transportation Affairs, and John F. Turner, Assistant Secretary for 
Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, both of 
the Department of State.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 481, to amend chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, to 
provide that certain Federal annuity

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computations are adjusted by 1 percentage point relating to periods of 
receiving disability payments;
  S. 589, to strengthen and improve the management of national 
security, encourage Government service in areas of critical national 
security, and to assist government agencies in addressing deficiencies 
in personnel possessing specialized skills important to national 
security and incorporating the goals and strategies for recruitment and 
retention for such skilled personnel into the strategic and performance 
management systems of Federal agencies;
  S. 610, to amend the provisions of title 5, United States Code, to 
provide for workforce flexibilities and certain Federal personnel 
provisions relating to the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 678, to amend chapter 10 of title 39, United States Code, to 
include postmasters and postmasters organizations in the process for 
the development and planning of certain policies, schedules, and 
programs, with an amendment;
  S. 908, to establish the United States Consensus Council to provide 
for a consensus building process in addressing national public policy 
issues, with an amendment;
  S. 910, to ensure the continuation of non-homeland security functions 
of Federal agencies transferred to the Department of Homeland Security, 
with an amendment;
  S. 926, to amend section 5379 of title 5, United States Code, to 
increase the annual and aggregate limits on student loan repayments by 
Federal agencies;
  S. 1166, to establish a Department of Defense national security 
personnel system, with amendments;
  S. 1245, to provide for homeland security grant coordination and 
simplification, with amendments;
  S. 508, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the 
``Floyd Spence Post Office Building'';
  S. 708, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as 
the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building'';
  S. 867, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 710 Wick Lane in Billings, Montana, as the ``Ronald Reagan 
Post Office Building'';
  S. 1145, 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'';
  S. 1207, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 120 East Ritchie Avenue in Marceline, Missouri, as 
the ``Walt Disney Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 825, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 7401 West 100th Place in Bridgeview, Illinois, as 
the ``Michael J. Healy Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 917, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, 
as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 925, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1859 South Ashland Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as 
the ``Cesar Chavez Post Office'';
  H.R. 981, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 141 Erie Street in Linesville, Pennsylvania, as the 
``James R. Merry Post Office'';
  H.R. 985, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 111 West Washington Street in Bowling Green, Ohio, 
as the ``Delbert L. Latta Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 1055, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1901 West Evans Street in Florence, South Carolina, 
as the ``Dr. Roswell N. Beck Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 1368, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 7554 Pacific Avenue in Stockton, California, as the 
``Norman D. Shumway Post Office Building'';
  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. 1596, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 2318 Woodson Road in St. Louis, Missouri, as the 
``Timothy Michael Gaffney Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 1609, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 201 West Boston Street in Brookfield, Missouri, as 
the ``Admiral Donald Davis Post Office Building'';
  H.R. 1740, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1502 East Kiest Boulevard in Dallas, Texas, as the 
``Dr. Caesar A.W. Clark, Sr. Post Office Building'';
  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''; and
  The nominations of Michael J. Garcia, of New York, to be an Assistant 
Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 
C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
Homeland Security, Susanne T. Marshall, of Virginia, to be Chairman, 
and Neil McPhie,

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of Virginia, to be a Member, both of the Merit Systems Protection 
Board, Terrence A. Duffy, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Federal 
Retirement Thrift Investment Board, Albert Casey, of Texas, to be a 
Governor of the United States Postal Service, and James C. Miller III, 
of Virginia, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service.
PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETPLACE BARRIERS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
legislative and regulatory responses to the Federal Trade Commission 
Study on barriers to entry in the pharmaceutical marketplace, after 
receiving testimony from former Senator Howard Metzenbaum; Timothy J. 
Muris, Chairman, Federal Trade Commission; Dan Troy, Chief Counsel for 
Food and Drugs, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and 
Human Services; Sheldon T. Bradshaw, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, 
Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice; and Kathleen Jaeger, 
Generic Pharmaceutical Association, and Bruce Kuhlik, Pharmaceutical 
Research and Manufacturers of America, both of Washington, D.C.
PEER-TO-PEER FILE SHARING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
whether personal and national security risks compromise the potential 
of Peer-to-Peer File-Sharing programs, which are Internet applications 
that allow users to download and share electronic files from other 
users on the same network, after receiving testimony from Senator 
Feinstein; Representatives Tom Davis and Waxman; Randy Saaf, 
MediaDefender, Inc., Los Angeles, California; Alan Morris, Sharman 
Networks Limited, Sydney, Australia; Chris Murray, Consumers Union, 
Washington, D.C.; Nathaniel Good, University of California, Berkeley; 
and Aaron Krekelberg, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
SECRET HOLDS
Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee concluded hearings to 
examine Senate Resolution 151, requiring public disclosure of notices 
of objections (holds) to proceedings to motions or measures in the 
Senate, focusing on reforms, unanimous consent, bargaining tactics, 
leaders, and alternative approaches, after receiving testimony from 
Senators Grassley and Wyden; Walter J. Stewart, Secretary of the United 
States Emeritus, and Sarah A. Binder, Brookings Institution, both of 
Washington, D.C.; Joseph Cooper, Johns Hopkins University Department of 
Political Science, Baltimore, Maryland; C. Lawrence Evans, College of 
William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia; and Steven S. Smith, 
Washington University Murray Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, 
Government, and Public Policy; St. Louis, Missiouri.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the nominations of Alan G. Lance, Sr., of Idaho, who was introduced by 
Senators Craig and Crapo, and Lawrence B. Hagel, of Virginia, both to 
be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, 
after the nominees testified and answered questions in their own 
behalf.
NOMINATION
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded hearings to 
examine the nomination of Frank Libutti, of New York, to be Under 
Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, 
Department of Homeland Security, after the nominee testified and 
answered questions in his own behalf.
SENIOR HOUSING
Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded oversight hearings to 
examine the Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 
Supportive Housing Services program which targets the housing needs of 
low- to very low-income elderly, focusing on Federal efforts to provide 
affordable housing for low-income seniors, after receiving testimony 
from John Weicher, Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
and Federal Housing Administration Commissioner; David G. Wood, 
Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment, General 
Accounting Office; Cynthia Robin Keller, Volunteers of America, 
Alexandria, Virginia; Tom Herlihy, National Church Residences, 
Columbus, Ohio; and Lee Ann Hubanks, Plano Community Homes, Inc., 
Plano, Texas, on behalf of the American Association of Homes and 
Services for the Aging.