[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 15, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D818-D819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the following 
appropriations for fiscal year 2004: Energy and Water Development; and 
District of Columbia.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative held a hearing 
on Capitol Visitor Center. Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, 
Comptroller General, GAO; and Alan M. Hantman, Architect of the 
Capitol.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies approved for full Committee action the VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies appropriations for fiscal year 2004.
AMERICAN--EXPANDING ACCESS TO COLLEGE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on 21st Century 
Competitiveness held a hearing on ``Expanding Access to College in 
America: How the Higher Education Act Can Put College Within Reach.'' 
Testimony was heard from Teri Flack, Deputy Commissioner, Higher 
Education Coordinating Board, State of Texas; and public witnesses.
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL TO REPLACE--30-YEAR TREASURY RATE
Committee on Education and the Workplace: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations and the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures of 
the Committee on Ways and Means held a joint hearing on Examining 
Pension Security and Defined Benefit Plans: the Administration's 
Proposal to Replace the 30-year Treasury Rate. Testimony was heard from 
Ann Combs, Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security, Department 
of Labor; Peter Fisher, Under Secretary, Domestic Finance, Department 
of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on monetary policy and 
the state of the economy. Testimony was heard from Alan Greenspan, 
Chairman,. Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System.
FEDERAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTEGRATION AND CONSOLIDATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held an oversight 
hearing on ``Federal Information Systems Integration and Consolidation: 
Maximizing Technology Investment Across Agency Boundaries.'' Testimony 
was heard from Mark A. Forman, Administrator, E-Government and 
Information Technology, OMB; and public witnesses.
UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT OR LACI AND CONNER'S LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 1997, Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 
2003 or Laci and Conner's Law.
EXTEND SPECIAL IMMIGRANT RELIGIOUS WORKER PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims approved for full Committee action H.R. 2151, to 
amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend for an additional 5 
years the special immigrant religious worker program.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: H. R. 
1006, amended, Captive Wildlife Safety Act; H.R. 1409, Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act; and S. 111, to direct the Secretary 
of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the 
national significance of the Miami Circle site in the State of Florida 
as well as the suitability and feasibility of its inclusion in the 
National Park System as part of Biscayne National Park.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1289, National 
Parks Institute Act; H.R. 532, Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate 
National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act; and H.R. 408, to 
provide for expansion of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Camp and Lantos; Dan Smith, 
Special Assistant to the Director, National Park Service, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.

[[Page D819]]


INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of general debate on H.R. 2691, making appropriations for the 
Department of the Interior and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2004. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill. Under the rules of the House the bill shall 
be read for amendment by paragraph. The rule waives points of order 
against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations or legislative 
provisions in an appropriations bill), except as specified in the 
resolution. The rule waives points of order against amendments for 
failure to comply with clause 2(e) of rule XXI (prohibiting designated 
emergencies in reported appropriation bills). 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.
SCHOOL READINESS ACT
Committee on Rules: Heard testimony from Chairman Boehner and 
Representatives Castle, Murphy, George Miller of California, Woolsey, 
Hinojosa, Tierney, Kind, Grijalva, Majette, Van Hollen, Frank of 
Massachusetts, Edwards, Waters, Scott of Virginia, Kennedy of Rhode 
Island, Jackson-Lee of Texas and Schiff, but action was deferred on 
H.R. 2210, School Readiness Act of 2003.
NOAA SATELLITES
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and 
Standards held a hearing on NOAA Satellites: Will Weather Forecasting 
Be Put at Risk? Testimony was heard from Gregory Withee, Assistant 
Administrator, National Environmental Satellite Data and Information 
Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; Peter Teets, Under Secretary, 
Air Force and Executive Agent for Space, Department of Defense; David 
Powner, Acting Director, Information Technology Management Issues, GAO; 
and public witnesses.
CONTRACT BUNDLING AND SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing on Contract Bundling and Small Business 
Procurement. Testimony was heard from Jo Baylor, Director, Office of 
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development; Ralph C. Thomas III, Assistant Administrator, Office 
of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, NASA; Sean M. Moss, 
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 
Department of Transportation; Theresa A. Speake, Director, Office of 
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of Energy; 
Linda Oliver, Deputy Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged 
Business Utilization, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
TRANSFER PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC RECORDS TO THE HOUSE REGARDING USE OF 
FEDERAL AGENCY RECORDS--INVOLVING TEXAS LEGISLATURE MEMBERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered unfavorably 
reported H. Res. 288, directing the Secretary of Transportation to 
transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days after 
the date of the adoption of this resolution all physical and electronic 
records and documents in his possession related to any use of Federal 
agency resources in any task or action involving or relating to Members 
of the Texas Legislature in the period beginning May 11, 2003, and 
ending May 16, 2003, except information the disclosure of which would 
harm the national security interests of the United States.
  Prior to this action, the Committee held a hearing on this 
resolution. Testimony was heard from Representative Green of Texas; and 
Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General, Department of Transportation.
RESEARCH COMPLIANCE OFFICE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on H.R. 1585, to establish an office to oversee research compliance and 
assurance within the Veterans Health Administration of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from Robert H. Roswell, M.D., 
Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and a public 
witness.
COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
consider pending business.
INDUSTRY SPEAKS ON CYBERSECURITY
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Science, and Research and Development held a hearing entitled 
``Industry Speaks on Cybersecurity.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.