[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 145 (Thursday, October 16, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1127-D1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS: INTELLIGENCE
Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to receive 
a briefing to discuss the intelligence provisions of S. 1689, making 
emergency supplemental appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan security 
and reconstruction for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 
(pending on Senate Calendar) from members of the intelligence 
community.
HOUSING GSE'S
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee held a 
hearing to examine proposals for improving the regulation of the 
Housing government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), focusing on essential 
elements and proposals of regulatory reform, resolution of accounting 
issues, funding of new oversight offices, receiving testimony from John 
W. Snow, Secretary of the Treasury; Mel Martinez, Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development; Franklin D. Raines, Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer, Fannie Mae; George D. Gould, Presiding Director, Freddie Mac; 
and Norman B. Rice, President and

[[Page D1128]]

Chief Executive Officer, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle.
  Hearings continue on Thursday, October 23.
AFGHANISTAN
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing on the 
pursuit of security and democracy in Afghanistan, focusing on providing 
adequate resources and support to the Afghan government, and related 
provisions of S. 1689, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq 
and Afghanistan Security and Reconstruction Act 2004, (pending on 
Senate Calendar), after receiving testimony from William B. Taylor, 
Jr., Coordinator for Afghanistan, Department of State; Peter W. Rodman, 
Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs, and Brig. 
General Gary L. North, Deputy J-5 for Political and Military Affairs, 
The Joint Staff, both of the Department of Defense; Peter Tomsen, 
McLean, Virginia, former United States Special Envoy and Ambassador on 
Afghanistan; and William J. Durch, Henry L. Stimson Center, The Future 
of Peace Operations Project, and Nancy Lindborg, Mercy Corps, both of 
Washington, D.C.
U.S.-EUROPEAN UNION COOPERATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on European Affairs 
concluded a hearing to examine United States-European Union Cooperation 
on regulatory affairs, focusing on non-tariff barriers, the history of 
transatlantic regulatory cooperation, innovative and informal 
approaches, and global growth, after receiving testimony from Charles 
P. Ries, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau 
of European and Eurasian Affairs; Eric Stewart, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Europe; Gerard Depayre, European Commission 
to the United States, Stuart E. Eizenstat, European-American Business 
Council, Gary Litman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Thomas L. Farmer, 
American Bankers' Association, all of Washington, D.C.
HIGHER EDUCATION ACT AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee 
concluded a hearing on access to postsecondary education in relation to 
reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, focusing on the relationship 
among quality, efficiency, and access to higher education, after 
receiving testimony from George W. Waldner, York College of 
Pennsylvania, York; Jamie P. Merisotis, Institute for Higher Education 
Policy, Washington, D.C.; Shane Hollett, Ohio College Access Network, 
Cleveland; and Troy Lambert, University of Maryland, College Park.
INDIAN WATER RIGHTS
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' management of the Missouri 
River, focusing on the effects of the Master Manual (a guide used by 
the Corps to operate the six dams on the mainstream of the Missouri 
River) on the effect on federally-reserved Indian water rights, after 
receiving testimony from Senator Daschle; George S. Dunlop, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Policy and Legislation; Brigadier 
General William T. Grisoli, Commander and Division Engineer, 
Northwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; John Yellow Bird 
Steele, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge, South Dakota; and Michael 
Claymore, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Fort Yates, North Dakota.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 1691, to establish commissions to review the facts and 
circumstances surrounding injustices suffered by European Americans, 
European Latin Americans, and Jewish refugees during World War II; and
  The nominations George W. Miller, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the 
United States Court of Federal Claims, and Deborah Ann Spagnoli, of 
California, to be a Commissioner of the United States Parole 
Commission, Department of Justice.
  Also committee began markup of S. 1545, to amend the Illegal 
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to permit 
States to determine State residency for higher education purposes and 
to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of 
certain alien students who are long-term United States residents, but 
did not complete action thereon, and recessed subject to call.
LITIGATIONS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight 
and the Courts concluded a hearing on S. 1428, to prohibit civil 
liability actions from being brought or continued against food 
manufacturers, marketers, distributors, advertisers, sellers, and trade 
associations for damages or injunctive relief for claims of injury 
resulting from a person's weight gain, obesity, or any health condition 
related to weight gain or obesity, after receiving testimony from 
Senator McConnell; Victor E. Schwartz, Shook, Hardy, and Bacon, LLP, 
Washington, D.C.; Russel

[[Page D1129]]

L. Sutter, Tillinghast-Towers Perrin, St. Louis, Missouri; Wayne 
Reaves, Manna Enterprises, Inc., Anniston, Alabama, on behalf of the 
National Restaurant Association; and Gerard J. Musante, Structure 
House, Residential Weight Loss and Life Style Change Clinic, Durham, 
North Carolina.