[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1207-D1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
U.S. CHEMICAL WEAPONS STOCKPILE DESTRUCTION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on Destruction of the U.S. 
Chemical Weapons Stockpile--Program Status and Issues. Testimony was 
heard from Henry L. Hinton, Jr., Managing Director, Defense 
Capabilities Management, GAO; the following officials of the Department 
of Defense: Patrick Wakefield, Deputy Assistant to the Secretary 
(Chemical Demilitarization and Counterproliferation); Claude M. Bolton, 
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and 
Technology); and Michael A. Parker, Director, U.S. Army Chemical 
Materials Agency; and Craig Conklin, Chief, Nuclear and Chemical 
Hazards Branch Preparedness Division, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Division, Department of Homeland Security.
ENERGY EMPLOYEES WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections held a hearing on ``Energy Employees Workers' Compensation: 
Examining the Department of Labor's Role in Helping Workers with 
Energy-Related Occupational Illnesses and Diseases.'' Testimony was 
heard from Shelby Hallmark, Director, Office of Workers' Compensation 
Programs, Employment Standards Administration, Department of Labor; 
John Howard, M.D., Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety 
and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and a public witness.
E-COMMERCE--ONLINE WINE SALES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``E-Commerce: The Case of 
Online Wine Sales and Direct Shipment.'' Testimony was heard from Todd 
Zywicki, Director, Office of Policy Planning, FTC; and public 
witnesses.
REVIEWING U.S. CAPITAL MARKET STRUCTURE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Reviewing U.S. Capital Market Structure: Promoting Competition in a 
Changing Trading Environment.'' Testimony was heard from William H. 
Donaldson, Chairman, SEC; and public witnesses.
SERVING THE UNDERSERVED IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Serving the 
Underserved in the 21st Century: The Need for a Stronger, More 
Responsive Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.'' Testimony was 
heard from Vice Adm. Richard H. Carmona, M.D., Surgeon General, 
Department of Health and

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Human Services; C. Everett Koop, M.D., former Surgeon General; and 
Julius B. Richmond, M.D., and former Surgeon General; and a public 
witness.
PRIVATE RELIEF BILLS; PROSPECTS FOR AMERICAN WORKERS: IMMIGRATION'S 
IMPACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims approved for full Committee action private relief 
bills.
  The Committee also held an oversight hearing on ``The Prospects for 
American Workers: Immigration's Impact.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--GAO REPORT--OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES ON FEDERAL LANDS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the GAO report 
entitled ``Opportunities to Improve the Management and Oversight of Oil 
and Gas Activities on Federal Lands.'' Testimony was heard from Barry 
T. Hill, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; and David 
Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Department 
of the Interior.
OVERSIGHT--INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION--CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC TUNAS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the upcoming 18th 
Regular Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas. Testimony was heard from William T. Hogarth, Assistant 
Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce; the following officials of the U.S. 
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas 
(ICCAT): Glenn R. Delaney, Commercial Commissioner; and Robert G. 
Hayes, Recreational Commissioner; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 142, amended, to amend 
the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland 
Empire regional water recycling project, to authorize the Secretary to 
carry out a program to assist agencies in projects to construct 
regional brine lines in California, and to authorize the Secretary to 
participate in the Lower Chino Dairy Area desalination demonstration 
and reclamation project; H.R. 1156, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater 
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to increase the ceiling on the 
Federal share of the costs of phase I of the Orange County, California, 
Regional Water Reclamation Project; H.R. 2960, to amend the Reclamation 
Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Brownsville Public 
Utility Board water recycling and desalinization project; and H.R. 
2991, Inland Empire Regional Water Recycling Initiative.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the following: H.R. 3334, 
Riverside-Corona Feeder Authorization Act; the Provo River Project 
Transfer Act; and S. 212, High Plains Aquifer Hydrogeologic 
Characterization, Mapping, Modeling and Monitoring Act. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of the Interior: 
John Keys III, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation; and Robert Hirsch, 
Assistant Director, Water Resources, U.S. Geological Survey; and public 
witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 3289, making 
emergency supplemental appropriations for defense and for the 
reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2004, and against its consideration. The rule provides 
that the conference report shall be considered as read. Testimony was 
heard from Chairman Young and Representative Obey.
SPACE WEATHER
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards held a hearing on ``What is Space Weather and Who Should 
Forecast It?'' Testimony was heard from Ernest Hildner, Director, Space 
Environment Center, NOAA, Department of Commerce; John M. Grunfeld, 
Chief Scientist, NASA; Col. L. Benson, Jr., USAF, Air Force Weather 
Agency, Department of the Air Force; and public witnesses.
MATH SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Research held a hearing on 
Implementation of the Math Science Partnership Program: Views from the 
Field. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM)--IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing on the impact of unsolicited commercial e-mail 
(spam) on

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small businesses. Testimony was heard from J. Howard Beales III, 
Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FAA'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MODERNIZATION PROGRAM STATUS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on The Status of the Federal 
Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Control Modernization Programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Transportation: Kenneth R. Mead, Inspector General; and Charles Keegan, 
Associate Administrator, FAA; Gerald Dillingham, Director, Civil 
Aviation Issues, GAO; and a public witness.
U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC RELATIONS
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on United States-China 
Economic Relations and China's Role in the Global Economy. Testimony 
was heard from John B. Taylor, Under Secretary, International Affairs, 
Department of the Treasury; N. Gregory Mankiw, Chairman, Council of 
Economic Advisers; Ambassador Josette Shiner, Deputy U.S. Trade 
Representative; Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, CBO; Loren Yager, 
Director, Office of International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and Robert 
Rogowsky, Director, Office of Operations, U.S. International Trade 
Commission.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
SECURING FREEDOM AND THE NATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Held a hearing entitled 
``Securing Freedom and the Nation: Collecting Intelligence Under the 
Law, Constitutional and Public Policy Consideration.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 2886, Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability 
Act.
STRENGTH THROUGH KNOWLEDGE
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Science, and Research and Development held a hearing entitled 
``Strength Through Knowledge: Homeland Security Science and Technology; 
Setting and Steering a Strong Course.'' Testimony was heard from Parney 
C. Albright, Assistant Secretary, Plans, Programs and Budgets, 
Department of Homeland Security.

Joint Meetings
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees on Wednesday, October 30, 2003, agreed to file a conference 
report on the differences between the Senate and House passed versions 
of H.R. 3289, making emergency supplemental appropriations for defense 
and for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2004.