[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 17, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D245-D248]
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 Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the USDA: J.B. Penn, Under Secretary, 
Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; James R. Little, Administrator, 
Farm Service Agency; A. Ellen Terpstra, Administrator, Foreign 
Agricultural Service; Ross J. Davidson, Jr., Administrator, Risk 
Management Agency; 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 held a hearing on the Supreme Court. 
Testimony was heard from U.S. Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy 
and Clarence Thomas.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the FBI. Testimony was heard 
from Robert S. Mueller, III, Director, FBI, Department of Justice.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
the Navy/Marine Corps Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Navy: Gordon R. England, 
Secretary; ADM. Vernon E. Clark, USNm Chief, Naval Operations; and GEN 
Michael W. Hagee, USMC, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Navy/Marine Corps Acquisition. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Navy: John J. Young, Jr., Assistant 
Secretary, Research, Development and Acquisition; and VADM John B. 
Nathan, Deputy Chief, Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and 
Programs.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on Science, Nuclear Energy and Renewable 
Energy. Testimony was heard from Robert Card, Under Secretary, Energy, 
Science and Environment, Department of Energy.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Testimony was 
heard from Michael Garcia, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the U.S. Geological Survey. Testimony was heard from Charles G. Groat, 
Director, U.S. Geological Survey, 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 Older 
American Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Health and Human Services: Josefina G. Carbonell, 
Assistant Secretary, Aging; Richard Hodes, M.D., Director, National 
Institute on Aging; and David Dye, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Employment and Training; and David Eisner, CEO, Corporation for 
National and Community Service.

[[Page D246]]


TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, 
and Independent Agencies held a hearing on the FAA. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Transportation: 
Marion C. Blakey, Administrator, FAA; and Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector 
General.
VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. 
Testimony was heard from Judge Donald Ivers, U.S. Court of Appeals for 
Veterans Claims.
  The Subcommittee held a hearing on Community Development Financial 
Institutions. Testimony was heard from Wayne Abernathy, Assistant 
Secretary, Financial Institutions, Department of the Treasury.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on U.S. Interagency Council on 
Homelessness. Testimony was heard from Phillip Mangano, Executive 
Director, Interagency Council on Homelessness.
COMBATING PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
  Committee on Armed Services: Ordered reported the following measures: 
H.R. 3966, amended, To amend title 10, United States Code, and the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the ability of the Department 
of Defense to establish and maintain Senior Reserve Officer Training 
Corps units at institutions of higher education, to improve the ability 
of students to participate in Senior ROTC programs, and to ensure that 
institutions of higher education provide military recruiters entry to 
campuses and access to students that is at least equal in quality and 
scope to that provided to any other employer; S. 2057, To require the 
Secretary of Defense to reimburse members of the United States Armed 
Forces for certain transportation expenses by the members in connection 
with leave under the Central Command Rest and Recuperation Leave 
Program before the program was expanded to include domestic travel; 
H.R. 3104, To provide for the establishment of campaign medals to be 
awarded to members of the Armed Forces who participate in Operation 
Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom; and H. Con. Res. 374, 
amended, Expressing the sense of Congress that the Secretary of 
Defense, Federal banking agencies, the National Credit Union 
Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission should work to 
mitigate the financial hardships experienced by members of the reserve 
component as a result of being called to active duty.
  The Committee also held a hearing on Combating the Proliferation of 
Weapons of Mass Destruction. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--TRANSPORTATION COMMAND'S 
AIRLIFT AND SEALIFT PROGRAMS
  Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Projection Forces held a 
hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization budget 
request--the U.S. Transportation Command's (USTRANSCOM) Airlift and 
Sealift Programs. Testimony was heard from GEN John W. Handy, USAF, 
Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Department of Defense.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--UNMANNED COMBAT AIR 
VEHICLE AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE 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--Department of Defense Unmanned Combat Air 
Vehicle (UCAV) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Programs. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Glen Lamartin, Director, Defense Systems, Office of the Secretary; MG 
James D. Thurman, USA, Director, Army Aviation Task Force; and LTG 
Walter E. Buchanan, III, USAF, Commander, Central Command Air Forces 
and Commander, 9th Air Force; and the following officials of the GAO: 
Neal Curtin, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management; and Paul L. 
Francis, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION; SPENDING CONTROL ACT
Committee on the Budget: Ordered reported the following measures: the 
Concurrent Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2005; and H.R. 3973, 
amended, Spending Control Act of 2004.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FEDERAL CONSOLIDATION LOANS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing entitled 
``Fiscal Responsibility and Federal Consolidation Loans: Examining Cost 
Implications for Taxpayers, Students, and Borrowers.'' Testimony was 
heard from Cornelia M. Ashby, Director, Education, Workforce and Income 
Security, GAO; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 27, amended, Small Public

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Housing Authority Act; H.R. 1914, Jamestown 400th Anniversary 
Commemorative Coin Act of 2003; H.R. 2131, To award a congressional 
gold medal to President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain; H.R. 2768, John 
Marshall Commemorative Coin Act; and H.R. 3277, Marine Corps 230th 
Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service and 
Agency Organization approved for full Committee action, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 3737, Administrative Law Judges Pay Reform Act of 
2004; and H.R. 3751, To require that the Office of Personnel Management 
study and present options under which dental and vision benefits could 
be made available to Federal employees and retirees and other 
appropriate classes of individuals.
WORLD RADIO CONFERENCES--U.S. PREPARATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing on U.S. 
Preparation for the World Radio Conferences: Too little, too late? 
Testimony was heard from Jeffrey N. Shane, Under Secretary, 
Transportation Policy, Department of Transportation; William Readdy, 
Associate Administrator, Space Flight, NASA; Michael Gallagher, Acting 
Assistant Secretary, Communications and Information, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of 
Commerce; Kathleen Abernathy, Commission, FCC; Ambassador David Gross, 
U.S. Coordinator, International Communications and Information Policy, 
Department of State; Lin Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary, NII 
(Networks and Information Integration), Department of Defense; and 
public witnesses.
U.S. AND ASIA: CONTINUITY, INSTABILITY AND TRANSITION
Committee International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific 
held a hearing on the United States and Asia: Continuity, Instability, 
and Transition, Testimony was heard from public wintesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; CURRENT SITUATION IN SERBIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe approved 
for full Committee action the following measures: H. Res. 543, House 
Commission For Assisting Democratic Parliaments Resolution; and H. Res. 
558, amended, Welcoming the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, 
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO).
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Current Situation in 
Serbia. Testimony was heard from D. Kathleen Stephens, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Department of 
State; Daniel Serwer, Director, Balkans Initiative, U.S. Institute of 
Peace; and a public witness.
DESIGNATION OF FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS REFORM ACT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Humans Rights approved for full 
Committee action H.R. 3978, Designation of Foreign Terrorist 
Organizations Reform Act.
EXAMINE NEW APPRAISAL OFFICER
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held a hearing to examine how the Department of Interior's 
new Appraisal Officer is functioning and how land exchanges are being 
evaluated. Testimony was heard from Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary, 
Policy, Management, and Budget, Department of the Interior.
FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY RELIEF ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice, vote, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 1375, Financial Services 
Regulatory Relief Act of 2003, equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial 
Services. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of 
the bill (except those arising under provisions of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 other than section 302(f), prohibiting consideration 
of legislation providing new budget authority in excess of a 
committee's 302(a) allocation of such authority). The rule provides 
that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on the Judiciary now 
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment, and shall be considered as read. The rule waives 
all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute (except those arising under provisions of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 other than section 302(f), prohibiting consideration 
of legislation providing new budget authority in excess of a 
committee's 302(a) allocation of such authority). The rule makes in 
order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that the amendments 
printed in the report may be considered only in the order printed in 
the report, may be offered only by

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a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall 
be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in the report. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Oxley, and 
Representatives Leach, Kelly, Gillmor, Frank of Massachusetts, Waters, 
Jackson-Lee of Texas and Weiner.
GREEN CHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on H.R. 3970, Green Chemistry 
Research and Development Act of 2004. Testimony was heard from Arden 
Bement, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
Department of Commerce and Acting Director, NSF; Paul Gilman, Assistant 
Administrator, Research and Development, EPA; and public witnesses.
COMPUTER-ASSISTED PASSENGER PRESCREENING SYSTEM STATUS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on the Status of the Computer-
Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II). Testimony was heard 
from David M. Stone, Acting Administrator, Transportation Security 
Administration, Department of Homeland Security; Norman J. Rabkin, 
Managing Director, Homeland Security and Justice Division, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS--INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing to examine the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Information Technology program. Testimony was heard from Linda 
Koontz Director, Information Management Issues, GAO: James C. Reardon, 
Chief Information Officer, Military Health System, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary (Health Affairs), Department of Defense; Robert N. 
McFarland, Assistant Secretary, Information and Technology; Department 
of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
HIGHWAY REAUTHORIZATION TAX ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3971, 
Highway Reauthorization Tax Act of 2004.
NATIONAL GEO-SPATIAL AGENCY PROGRAM BUDGET; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on National Geo-spatial Agency Program Budget. Testimony 
was heard from departmental witnessers.
  The Committee also met in executive session to consider Committee 
business.
BORDER AND TRANSPORTATION SECURITY BUDGET PROPOSAL
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Infrastructure 
and Border Security held a hearing entitled ``The Department of 
Homeland Security's Border and Transportation Security (BTS) Budget 
Proposal.'' Testimony was heard from Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary, 
Border and Transportation Security, Department of Homeland Security.