[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D125-D127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Natural Resources and Environment. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the USDA: Mark E. Rey, Under Secretary, 
Natural Resources and Environment; Bruce I. Knight, Chief, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service; Wade Daniel Runnels, Director, Budget 
Planning and Analysis Division, Natural Resources Conservation; and 
Stephen B. Dewhurst, Budget Officer.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, 
Judiciary and Related Agencies began fiscal year 2005 appropriation 
hearings. Testimony was heard from Donald L. Evans, Secretary of 
Commerce.
INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior and Related 
Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Worker 
Protection Agencies. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Labor: Arnold Levine, Deputy Under Secretary, 
International Labor Affairs; Ann Combs, Assistant Secretary, Employee 
Benefits Security Administration; Victoria Lipnic, Assistant Secretary, 
Employment Standards Administration; David Lauriski, Assistant 
Secretary, Mine Safety and Health Administration; and John Henshaw, 
Assistant Secretary, OSHA.
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury 
and Independent Agencies held a hearing on the U.S. Postal Service. 
Testimony was heard from John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO, 
U.S. Postal Service.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--AIR FORCE
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 
National Defense Authorization budget request for the Department of the 
Air Force. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Air Force: James G. Roche, Secretary; and Gen. John 
P. Jumper, USAF, Chief of Staff.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization budget request--
Military Construction Budget Request for the Programs of the Office of 
the Secretary of Defense, the Defense Agencies, and the Reserve 
Components of the Department of the Air Force. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Raymond F. 
DuBois, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary, Installations and Environment; 
Nelson F. Gibbs, Assistant Secretary, Air Force, Installations, 
Environment, and Logistics; Maj. Gen. Dean Fox, USAF, The Air Force 
Civil Engineer; Brig. Gen. David A. Brubaker, USAF, Deputy Director, 
Air National Guard; and Brig. Gen. William A. Rajczak, USAF, Deputy to 
the Chief, Air Force Reserve.
DOD TRANSFORMATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities

[[Page D126]]

held a hearing on the Department of Defense Transformation. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Vice Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski, USN (ret.), Director, Office of Force 
Transformation, Office of the Secretary; Maj. Gen. John M. Curran, USA, 
Director, Futures Center, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; Rear 
Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff, USN, Director, Warfare Integration (OPNAV N7F); 
Lt. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and 
Programs (AF/XP); Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon, USMC, Deputy Commandant, 
Combat Development, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development 
Command; and Lt. Gen. Robert W. Wagner, USA, Deputy Commander, U.S. 
Joint Forces Command.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET PRIORITIES
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Department of Health and 
Human Services Budget Priorities Fiscal Year 2005. Testimony was heard 
from Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services; and a 
public witness.
BROADCAST DECENCY ENFORCEMENT ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet continued hearings on H.R. 3717, Broadcast Decency 
Enforcement Act of 2004. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 3733, to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 410 Huston Street in Altamont, Kansas, as the 
``Myron C. George Post Office;'' H.R. 3797, 2004 District of Columbia 
Omnibus Authorization Act; H.J. Res. 87, Honoring the life and legacy 
of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and recognizing his 
contributions on the anniversary of the date of his birth; H. Con. Res. 
328, Recognizing and honoring the United States Armed Forces and 
supporting the designation of a National Military Appreciation Month; 
H. Res. 433, Honoring the life and legacy of Luis A. Ferre; and H. Res. 
475, Congratulating the San Jose Earthquakes for winning the 2003 Major 
League Soccer Cup.
  The Committee also approved Committee's Budget Views and Estimates 
for Fiscal Year 2005 for submission to the Committee on the Budget.
CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT TELECOM PLAN
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Will 
`Network' Work? A Review of Whether a Centralized Government Telecom 
Plan Jibes with an Ever-Evolving Market.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the GSA: Stephen Perry, Administrator; and 
Sandra Bates, Commissioner, Federal Technology Service; Linda Koontz, 
Director, Information Management Issues, GAO; Drew Ladner, Chief 
Information Officer, Department of the Treasury; Melvin J. Bryson, 
Director, Information Technology, Administrative Office of the U.S. 
Courts; and public witnesses.
AFGHANISTAN--EFFORTS TO STEM FLOW OF HEROIN
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Afghanistan: Law 
Enforcement Interdiction Efforts in Transshipment Countries to Stem the 
Flow of Heroin.'' Testimony was heard from Robert Charles, Assistant 
Secretary, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, 
Department of State; and Karen Tandy, Administrator, DEA, Department of 
Justice.
U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on U.S. Foreign 
Assistance After September 11th: Major Changes, Competing Purposes and 
Different Standards--Is There an Overall Strategy? Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH AND AMENDMENTS ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 1856, Harmful Algal Bloom 
and Hypoxia Research and Amendments Act of 2003. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Ehlers; Richard W. Spinrad, Assistant 
Administrator, National Ocean Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; 
and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--BUDGET FOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND BUREAU OF LAND 
MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held an oversight hearing to examine the Fiscal Year 2005 
Budget for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management and 
Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Maintenance Backlogs. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Fran 
Mainella, Director, National Park Service; and

[[Page D127]]

Kathleen Clarke, Director, Bureau of Land Management.
``UNION SALTING OF SMALL BUSINESS WORKSITES''
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment and 
Government Programs held a hearing entitled ``Union Salting of Small 
Business Worksites.'' Testimony was heard from Representative DeMint; 
and public witnesses.
AGENCY BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Agency Budgets and 
Priorities for Fiscal Year 2005. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Army: John Paul Woodley, Jr., 
Assistant Secretary (Civil Works); and LTG. Robert B. Flowers, USA, 
Chief of Engineers, Corps of Engineers; the following officials of the 
EPA: Marianne Lamont Horinko, Assistant Administrator, Solid Waste and 
Emergency Response; and Benjamin H. Grumbles, Acting Assistant 
Administrator, Water; Glenn L. McCullough, Jr., Chairman TVA; Arturo Q. 
Duran, Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission; 
Albert S. Jacquez, Administrator, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation; Thomas A. Weber, Associate Chief, Natural Resources 
Conservation Service, USDA; and Richard Spinrad, Assistant 
Administrator, National Ocean Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
SOCIAL SECURITY DELIVERY PLAN FOR 2005
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on the Social Security Service Delivery Plan for 2005. 
Testimony was heard from Joanne B. Barnhart, Commissioner, SSA.
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.
IC LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on IC Language Capabilities. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.