[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 133 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1049-D1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
IRAQ--U.S. POLICY AND OPERATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on United States policy and 
operations in Iraq. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary; Gen. John 
Abizaid, USA, Commander, U.S. Central Command and Gen. John M. Keane, 
USA, Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; and Ambassador L. Bremer III, 
Presidential Envoy to Iraq and Administrator of the Coalition 
Provisional Authority.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 3076, amended,

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Graduate Opportunities in Higher Education Act of 2003; H.R. 3077, 
amended, International Studies in Higher Education Act of 2003; and H. 
Con. Res. 282, honoring the life of Johnny Cash.
FREDDIE MAC: ACCOUNTING STANDARDS ISSUES RAISED BY DOTY REPORT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Freddie Mac: Accounting 
Standards Issues Raised in the Doty Report.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
SECONDARY MORTGAGE MARKET ENTERPRISES REGULATORY IMPROVEMENT ACT; 
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSALS ON GSE REGULATION
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on the following: H.R. 
2575, Secondary Mortgage Market Enterprises Regulatory Improvement Act; 
and the Administration's proposals on GSE regulation. Testimony was 
heard from Armando Falcon, Jr., Director Office of Federal Housing 
Enterprise Oversight, Department of Housing and Urban Development; the 
following officials of the Federal Housing Finance Board: John T. 
Korsmo, Chairman; David H. Hehman, President and CEO, Federal Home Loan 
Bank of Cincinnati; and Dean Schultz, President and CEO, Federal Home 
Loan Bank of San Francisco; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 1151, to provide that transit pass transportation fringe 
benefits be made available to all qualified Federal employees in the 
National Capital Region; to allow passenger carriers which are owned or 
leased by the Government to be used to transport Government employees 
between their place of employment and mass transit facilities; H.R. 
1231, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal 
civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a 
pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental 
premiums; H.R. 3054, District of Columbia Military Retirement Equity 
Act of 2003; H. Con. Res. 273, recognizing and congratulating the East 
Boynton Beach, Florida, Little League team as the 2003 United States 
Little League Champions; and H.R. 3159, Government Network Security Act 
of 2003.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 3145, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to reauthorize 
the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
  The Committee adversely reported H. Res. 364, of inquiry requesting 
the President to transmit to the House of Representatives not later 
than 14 days after the date of adoption of this resolution the report 
prepared for the Joint Chiefs of Staff entitled ``Operation Iraqi 
Freedom Strategic Lessons Learned:'' and documents in his possession on 
the reconstruction and security of post-war Iraq.
  The Committee also approved a motion urging the Chairman to request 
that the following measures be considered on the Suspension Calendar: 
H. Con. Res. 274, commending the National Endowment for Democracy for 
its contributions to democratic development around the world on the 
occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the National 
Endowment for Democracy; H.R. 2264, Congo Basin Forest Partnership Act 
of 2003; H. Res. 372, expressing the condolences of the House of 
Representatives in response to the murder of Swedish Foreign Minister 
Anna Lindh; and H. Res. 356, expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives regarding the man-made famine that occurred in Ukraine 
1932-1933.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD IRAQ
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on U.S. Policy 
Toward Iraq. Testimony was heard from Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III, 
Presidential Envoy to Iraq and Administrator of the Coalition 
Provisional Authority.
TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY--IMPACT ON FEDERAL MINERALS AND ENERGY
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Toxic Release Inventory and 
its Impact on Federal Minerals and Energy.'' Testimony was heard from 
Kim Nelson, Assistant Administrator, EPA; and public witnesses.
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT AMENDMENTS; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 2693, Marine Mammal Protection Act Amendments of 1203.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
154, to exclude certain properties from the John H. Chafee Coastal 
Barrier Resources System; H.R. 2501, to clarify the boundaries of 
Coastal Barrier Resources System Cape Fear Unit NC-07P; H.R. 2619, to 
provide for the expansion of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge; 
H.R. 2623, Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act; and 
H.R. 3056, to clarify the boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coast 
Barrier Resources

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System Cedar Keys Unit P25 on Otherwise Protected Area P25P. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Paul, Bachus, McIntyre and Case; Clint 
Riley, Special Assistant to the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
WATER SUPPLY, RELIABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power approved for 
full Committee action H.R. 2828, Water Supply, Reliability, and 
Environmental Improvement Act.
KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON: REMOVING BARRIERS TO TECHNOLOGY TO PREVENT 
BLACKOUTS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on Keeping 
the Lights on: Removing Barriers to Technology to Prevent Blackouts. 
Testimony was heard from James W. Glotfelty, Director, Office of 
Electric Transmission and Distribution, Department of Energy; and 
public witnesses.
FUTURE OF RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, 
Agriculture and Technology held a hearing entitled ``The Future of 
Rural Telecommunications: Is the Universal Service Fund Sustainable?'' 
Testimony was heard from Kathleen Abernathy, Commissioner, FCC; and 
public witnesses.
VA'S LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the Department of Veterans Affairs' Life Insurance Program, 
Testimony was heard from Thomas M. Lastowka, Director, VA Regional 
Office and Insurance Center, Veterans Benefits Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; Col. Virginia S. Penrod, USAF, 
Director, Compensation, Military Personnel Policy, Department of 
Defense; and representatives of veterans organizations.
SSA'S MANAGEMENT--OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on the SSA's Management of the Office of Hearings and Appeals. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the SSA: Jo Anne B. 
Barnhart, Commissioner; and James G. Huse, Jr., Inspector General; Syl 
Scheiber, member, Social Security Advisory Board; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Intelligence Update. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.
INFORMATION ANALYSIS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION AND THE TERRORIST 
THREAT INTEGRATION CENTER
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism 
and Homeland Security met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection and the Terrorist 
Threat Integration Center. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.