[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 111 (Thursday, July 24, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D885-D886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee ordered 
favorably reported H.R. 1904, to improve the capacity of the Secretary 
of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to plan and conduct 
hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System lands and 
Bureau of Land Management lands aimed at protecting communities, 
watersheds, and certain other at-risk lands from catastrophic wildfire, 
to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and address threats to forest 
and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire, across the 
landscape, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded hearings to examine 
the nominations of General Richard B. Meyers, USAF, for reappointment 
as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reappointment to the grade 
of general, and General Peter Pace, USMC, for reappointment as Vice 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reappointment to the grade of 
general, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their 
own behalf.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: COMPETITIVE SOURCING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks concluded oversight hearings on competitive sourcing effort 
within the National Park Service, focusing on the process for 
determining inherently governmental positions, the

[[Page D886]]

number of positions being evaluated, the time schedule and cost for 
evaluation, the process for keeping personnel informed during the 
evaluation, the progress made to date, and the effect on National Park 
Service management responsibilities, after receiving testimony from 
Fran P. Mainella, Director, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; Angela B. Styles, Administrator for Federal Procurement 
Policy, Office of Management and Budget; Sam Kleinman, Center for Naval 
Analysis Corporation, Alexandria, Virginia; Geoffrey F. Segal, Reason 
Foundation, Arlington, Virginia; J.W. Wade, Tuscon, Arizona, on behalf 
of the Campaign to Protect America's Lands, and a coalition of 
concerned NPS retirees; and Scot McElveen, Harpers Ferry National 
Historical Park, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, on behalf of the 
Association of National Park Rangers, and the Association of National 
Park Maintenance Employees.
NOMINATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded hearings to examine the 
nomination of Donald K. Steinberg, of California, to be Ambassador to the 
Federal Republic of Nigeria, after the nominee testified and answered 
questions in his own behalf.
CONGO BASIN FOREST
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on African Affairs concluded 
hearings on the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (a partnership of countries, 
non-governmental organizations, and private businesses dedicated to the 
conservation and sustainable use and management of the forest), focusing on 
the logging policy, enhancing protected areas, encouraging better 
environmental governance, strengthening local resources management, 
fundamental benefits of the Partnership, and the Yaounde Summit, after 
receiving testimony from Walter H. Kansteiner III, Assistant Secretary for 
African Affairs, and John F. Turner, Assistant Secretary for Oceans, 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, both of the Department 
of State; Keith Brown, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for 
Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development; J. Michael Fay, 
Wilderness Conservation Society, Bronx, New York; and Tony Mokombo, World 
Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C.
COMPETITIVE SOURCING INITIATIVE
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of Government 
Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia concluded 
hearings to examine the Administration's competitive sourcing initiative, 
focusing on the Office of Management and Budget's revisions of the A-76 
circular outlining the guidance on public/private competitions, after 
receiving testimony from Angela Styles, Administrator, Office of Federal 
Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget; David M. Walker, 
Comptroller General of the United States, General Accounting Office; Jacques 
S. Gansler, University of Maryland, College Park; Paul C. Light, New York 
University, New York, New York; Charles Tiefer, University of Baltimore 
School of Law, Chevy Chase, Maryland; and Frank Camm, RAND Corporation, 
Santa Monica, California.
FEDERAL BIODEFENSE READINESS
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee concluded 
hearings to examine federal biodefense readiness, focusing on the public 
health workforce, the status of Centers for Disease Control terrorism 
preparedness and emergency response activities, the Emergency Communication 
System, smallpox preparedness, the Food and Drug Administration's role in 
counterterrorism activities, vulnerability and threat assessments, 
laboratory enhancements, research, Operation Liberty Shield, and developing 
the research infrastructure, after receiving testimony from Julie L. 
Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mark B. 
McClellan, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, and Elias A. Zerhouni, Director, 
National Institutes of Health, all of the Department of Health and Human 
Services.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 1301, to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit video 
voyeurism in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United 
States, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. Con. Res. 40, designating August 7, 2003, as ``National Purple Heart 
Recognition Day'';
  S. Res. 124, designating September 28, 2003, as ``National Good Neighbor 
Day'';
  S. Res. 167, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
Harley-Davidson Motor Company, which has been a significant part of the 
social, economic, and cultural heritage of the United States and many other 
nations and a leading force for product and manufacturing innovation 
throughout the 20th century; and
  The nominations of James O. Browning, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of New Mexico, and H. Brent McKnight, to be United States 
District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina.
  Also, committee began consideration of S.J. Res. 1, proposing an amendment 
to the Constitution of the United States to protect the rights of crime 
victims, but did not complete action thereon and will meet again on Tuesday, 
July 29.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on 
intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the intelligence 
community.
  Committee recessed subject to call.