[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 27 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D186-D188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the USDA: William T. Hawks, Under Secretary, Marketing and 
Regulatory Programs; Bobby R. Accord, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service; A.J. Yates, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 
Service; and Donna Reifschneider, Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers 
and Stockyards Administration.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development 
held a hearing on the Bureau of Reclamation. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Interior: Gale A. Norton, 
Secretary; and John W. Keys III, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Secretary of Homeland Security. Testimony was heard from Tom 
Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security.
INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies 
held a hearing on the Fish and Wildlife Service. Testimony was heard from 
Steven A. Williams, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the 
Interior.
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 Secretary of 
Health and Human Services. Testimony was heard from Tommy G. Thompson, 
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs, HUD and 
Independent Agencies held a hearing on the EPA. Testimony was heard from 
Michael Leavitt, Administrator, EPA.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION 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 Department of the Army 
and the Department of the Navy. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Army: Geoffrey G. Prosch, Acting 
Assistant Secretary, Installations and Environment; Maj. Gen. Larry J. Lust, 
USA, Assistant Chief of Staff, Installation Management; Maj. Gen. Walter 
Pudlowski, USA, Special Assistant to the Director, Army National Guard; and 
Brig. Gen. Gary M. Profit, USA, Deputy Chief, Army Reserve; and the 
following officials of the Department of the Navy: H.T. Johnson, Assistant 
Secretary, Installations and Environment; Rear Adm. Christopher Weaver, USN, 
Commander, Navy Installations; and Brig. Gen. Willie J. Williams, USMC, 
Assistant Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics (Facilities), 
Commandant of the Marine Corps (LF).
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--AVIATION INDUSTRIAL BASE AND 
DOD ROTORCRAFT INVESTMENT PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces 
held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization budget 
request--Aviation Industrial Base and Department of Defense Rotorcraft 
Investment Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Al Shaffer, Director, Plans and Programs for the 
Director, Defense Research and Engineering, Office of the Secretary; Maj. 
Gen. James D. Thurman, USA, Director, Army Aviation Task Force; Tom Laux, 
Program Executive Officer (Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault, and Special 
Missions), Department of the Navy; Rear Adm. Andy Winns, USN, Deputy N78 
Aviation Requirements Officer for Helicopters, U.S. Navy; and Brig. Gen. 
Samuel T. Helland, USMC, Assistant Deputy Commandant, Aviation, U.S. Marine 
Corps; Joseph H. Bogosian, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Transportation and 
Machinery, Department of Commerce; and a public witness.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST--DOD HOMELAND DEFENSE AND HOMELAND 
SECURITY MISSIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National 
Defense Authorization Budget Request--Department of Defense Responsibilities 
in Homeland Defense and Homeland Security Missions. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Paul McHale, Assistant 
Secretary (Homeland Defense); Lt.. Gen. H. Steven Blum, USA, Chief, National 
Guard Bureau; and Maj. Gen. John A. Love, USAF, Special Assistant to the 
Commander, Northern Command, National Guard Matters.

[[Page D187]]


CHILD NUTRITION AND IMPROVEMENT INTEGRITY ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education Reform 
approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 3873, Child Nutrition 
Improvement and Integrity Act.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Prescription Drug Monitoring: Strategies to Promote Treatment and 
Deter Prescription Drug Abuse.'' Testimony was heard from Representative 
Rogers of Kentucky; Marcia Crosse, Director, HealthCare/Public Health and 
Military Health Care Issues; James W. Holsinger, M.D., Secretary, Health and 
Family Services, State of Kentucky; and public witnesses.
SECURITY DOE NUCLEAR FACILITIES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``A Review of Security DOE Nuclear 
Facilities and the Implementation of the Revised Design Basis Threat.'' 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Energy: Glenn S. Podonsky, Director, Office of Security and Safety 
Performance Assurance; Herbert Richardson, Principal Deputy Inspector 
General; and William J. Brumley, Manager, Y-12 Sit Office, National Nuclear 
Security Administration; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FDIC
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the FDIC: Donald E. Powell, Chairman; and Gaston L. Gianni, Jr., Inspector 
General; and Jeanette M. Franzel, Director, Financial Management and 
Assurance, GAO.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
3059, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 304 West Michigan Street in Stuttgart, Arkansas, as the ``Lloyd L. Burke 
Post Office;'' H.R. 3723, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Vaughn 
Gross Post Office Building;'' and H.R. 3855, To designate the facility of 
the United States Postal Service located at 607 Pershing Drive in Laclede, 
Missouri, as the ``General John J . Pershing Post Office.''
US-VISIT PROGRAM--GOALS AND CHALLENGES
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``America's New 
Welcome Mat: A Look at the Goals and Challenges of the US-VISIT Program.'' 
Testimony was heard from Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary, Border and 
Transportation Security, Department of Homeland Security; Maura Harty, 
Assistant Secretary, Consular Affairs, Department of State; and public 
witnesses.
U.S. GOVERNMENT STRATEGY FOR FIGHTING HIV/AIDS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on The United States 
Government Strategy for Fighting HIV/AIDS: Implementation of Public Law 108-
25. Testimony was heard from Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, Coordinator for 
HIV/AIDS, Department of State.
OVERSIGHT--ALIEN REMOVAL UNDER OPERATION PREDATOR
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, 
and Claims held an oversight hearing on Alien Removal Under ``Operation 
Predator.'' Testimony was heard from Michael J. Garcia, Assistant Secretary, 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; and 
John Walsh, host of ``America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back.''
OVERSIGHT--U.S. COAST GUARD AND FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION REQUESTS; COAST 
GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast Guard 
and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on the U.S. Coast 
Guard and Federal Maritime Commission Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Requests, and 
H.R. 3879, Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of 
Homeland Security: Adm. Thomas H. Collins, Commandant; and Master Chief 
Petty Officer, Franklin A. Welch; and Steven R. Blust, Chairman, Federal 
Maritime Commission.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES; DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL
Committee on Ways and Means: Approved the Committee's Budget Views and 
Estimates for Fiscal Year 2005 for submission to the Committee on the 
Budget.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2005 
Budget for the Department of Labor. Testimony was heard from Elaine L. Chao, 
Secretary of Labor.
TERROR THREATS; DETAINEE INFORMATION UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to hold 
a hearing on Terror Threats. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.
  The Committee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on Detainee 
Information Update. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

[[Page D188]]


DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S INFORMATION ANALYSIS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 
PROTECTION BUDGET PROPOSAL
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence and 
Counterterrorism and the Subcommittee on Infrastructure and Border Security 
held a joint hearing entitled ``The Department of Homeland Security's 
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Budget Proposal for 
Fiscal Year 2005.'' Testimony was heard from Frank Libutti, Under Secretary, 
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.
Joint Meetings
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATIONS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine 
legislative presentations of certain veterans organizations, after receiving 
testimony from Al Silvano, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Springfield, 
Virginia; Joseph L. Fox, Sr., Paralyzed Veterans of America, Paul Bernstein, 
Jewish War Veterans, and Neil Appleby, Blinded Veterans Association, all of 
Washington, D.C.; and H. Gene Overstreet, Non Commissioned Officers 
Association, San Antonio, Texas.
F