[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 9, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D972-D973]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HIGHER EDUCATION ACT--GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Select 
Education held a hearing entitled ``Beyond Baccalaureate: Graduate 
Programs in the Higher Education Act.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
FAIRNESS TO CONTACT LENS CONSUMERS ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on H.R. 2221, Fairness to Contact 
Lens Consumers Act. Testimony was heard from J. Howard Beales III, 
Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC; Robert L. Hubbard, 
Director, Litigation, Antitrust Bureau, Office of the Attorney General, 
State of New York; and public witnesses.
EPA ELEVATION TO DEPARTMENT LEVEL
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural 
Resources and Regulatory Affairs held a hearing entitled ``Elevation of 
the EPA to Department Level Status: Federal and State Views,'' and on 
H.R. 37 and H.R. 2138, Department of Environmental Protection. 
Testimony was heard from James L. Connaughton, Chairman, Council on 
Environmental Quality; Marianne L. Horinko, Acting Administrator, EPA; 
Warren Chisum, member, House of Representatives, State of Texas; Howard 
Roitman, Director, Environmental Programs, Department of Public Health 
and Environment, State of Colorado; Ron Hammerschmidt, Director, 
Division of Environment, Department of Health and Environment, State of 
Kansas; and public witnesses.
COMBATING TERRORISM
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations, hearing on Combating 
Terrorism: Preparing and Funding First Responders. Testimony was heard 
from former Senator Warren Rudman of New Hampshire; Adrian H. Thompson, 
Chief, Fire and EMS Department, District of Columbia; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--ADVANCEMENTS IN SMART CARD AND BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held an oversight 
hearing entitled ``Advancements in Smart Card and Biometric 
Technology.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
GAO: Joel Willemssen, Managing Director of IT Management; and Keith 
Rhodes, Chief Technologist; Sandy Bates, Commissioner, Federal 
Technology Services, GSA; Ken Scheflen, Director, Defense Manpower Data 
Center (East), Department of Defense; Benjamin Wu, Under Secretary, 
Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department 
of Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe approved 
for full Committee action the following measures: H. Res. 356, 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the man-
made famine that occurred in Ukraine in 1932-1933; and H. Res. 355, 
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the 
United States and Bulgaria.
FAIR AND ACCURATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified open rule 
providing 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 2622, Fair and Accurate 
Credit Transactions Act of 2003. 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, and shall be considered as read. The 
rule waives all points of order against the committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute. The rule makes in order only those amendments 
to the committee amendment that are printed in the Congressional Record 
or are pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. The rule 
provides that each amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be 
offered only by the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, 
and that each amendment shall be considered as read. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Oxley and Representatives Shadegg, Ose Frank of 
Massachusetts, Hooley of Oregon and Inslee.
CHARITABLE GIVING ACT; BUDGET, WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE LETTER
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 7, 
Charitable Giving Act of 2003.
  The Committee also approved the Budget, Waste, Fraud and Abuse letter 
to be forwarded to the Committee on the Budget.

[[Page D973]]


``PERSPECTIVES ON HOUSE REFORM: FORMER HOUSE LEADERS''
Select Committee on Homeland Security; Subcommittee on Rules held a 
hearing entitled ``Perspectives on House Reform: Former House 
Leaders.'' Testimony was heard from the following former Speakers of 
the House: Newt Gingrich, Georgia; and Tom Foley, Washington; and 
former Representatives Bob Walker of Pennsylvania; and Lee Hamilton of 
Indiana.

Joint Meetings
OSCE
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Committee concluded a hearing to examine U.S. policy toward the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), after 
receiving testimony from A. Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary for 
European and Eurasian Affairs, and Lorne W. Craner, Assistant Secretary 
for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, both of the Department of 
State.