[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 17, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1012-D1013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT; INTERNATIONAL STUDIES 
IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Select 
Education approved for full Committee action, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 3076, Graduate Opportunities in Higher Education Act; and 
H.R. 3077, International Studies in Higher Education Act.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH SMALL EMPLOYER ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on H.R. 2731, Occupational Safety and Health 
Small Employer Access to Justice Act of 2003, Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on the International Consumer 
Protection Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from Timothy J. Muris, 
Chairman, FTC; and public witnesses.
SARBANES-OXLEY: ARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS MORE RELIABLE?
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Accounting 
under Sarbanes-Oxley: Are financial statements more reliable?'' 
Testimony was heard from William H. Donaldson, Chairman, SEC; and 
William J. McDonough, Chairman, Public Company Accounting Oversight 
Board.
OVERSIGHT--FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION--RECOMMENDATIONS--NATIONAL 
COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SERVICE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service and 
Agency Organization held an oversight hearing titled ``Human Capital 
Planning: Exploring the National Commission on the Public Service's 
Recommendations for Reorganizing the Federal Government.'' Testimony 
was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; Clay Johnson 
III, Deputy Director, Management, OMB; and Paul A. Volcker, Chairman, 
National Commission on the Public Service.
NATIONAL SUPPLY REDUCTION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Implementation of 
National Supply Reduction Strategy.'' Testimony was heard from Barry 
Crane, Deputy Director, Supply Reduction, Office of National Drug 
Control Policy.
OVERSIGHT--SECURITY IN SOFTWARE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held an oversight 
hearing titled ``Exploring Common Criteria: Can It Ensure That the 
Federal Government Gets Needed Security in Software?'' Testimony was 
heard from Edward A. Roback, Chief, Computer Security Division, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Michael G. 
Fleming, Chief, Information Assurance Solutions Group, Information 
Assurance Directorate, NSA; and Robert G. Gorrie, Deputy Director, 
Defense-wide Information Assurance Program; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS--MODERN OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on ``Environmental Aspects of Modern Oil and 
Gas Development.'' Testimony was heard from Representative Vitter; 
Steve Kolian, Environmental Scientist, Department of Environmental 
Quality, State of Louisiana; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FOREST SERVICE RECREATION FEE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forests Health held 
an oversight hearing on the Forest Service Recreation Fee Demonstration 
Program. Testimony was heard from Tom Thompson, Deputy Chief, National 
Forest System, U.S. Forest Service, USDA; Barry Hill, Director, Natural 
Resources and Environment, GAO; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on National Small Business 
Week: Small Business Success Stories. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATION'S INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held an oversight hearing on Contributions of 
Ports and Inland Waterways to the Nation's Intermodal Transportation 
System. Testimony was heard from Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of 
Transportation; and the following officials of the Department of the 
Army: John Paul Woodley, Assistant Secretary (Civil

[[Page D1013]]

Works); and Robert B. Flowers, Chief, Corps of Engineers.
COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
consider pending Committee business.
JOINT INQUIRY RECOMMENDATIONS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
consider recommendations from the Joint Inquiry.
POWER BLACKOUTS IMPLICATIONS--NATION'S CYBERSECURITY AND CRITICAL 
INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Science, and Research and the Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Border 
Security concluded joint hearings entitled ``Implications of Power 
Blackouts for the Nation's Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure 
Protection: The Electric Grid, Critical Interdependencies, 
Vulnerabilities, and Readiness.'' Testimony was heard from Robert 
Liscouski, Assistant Secretary, Infrastructure Protection Directorate, 
Department of Homeland Security; Denise Swink, Acting Director, Office 
of Energy Assurance, Department of Energy; Robert F. Dacey, Director, 
Information Security, GAO; and Col. Michael McDaniel, Assistant 
Adjutant General, Homeland Security, State of Michigan.

Joint Meetings
CHECHNYA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
on Tuesday, September 16, 2003, Commission concluded a hearing to 
examine the current situation and future of Chechnya, after receiving 
testimony from Steven Pifer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for 
European and Eurasian Affairs; Lord Frank Judd, Member of the British 
House of Lords, London, United Kingdom, former Co-Chairman, Council of 
Europe-Duma Parliamentary Working Group on Chechnya; and Robert Bruce 
Ware, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; and Anna Politkovskaya, 
Moscow, Russia.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2555, making 
appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2004.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2657, making 
appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2004.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees met in closed session and agreed to file a conference report 
on the differences between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 
2658, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2004.