[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 35 (Thursday, March 18, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D252-D255]
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 Agency and Related Agencies held a hearing 
on Food Safety and Inspection Service. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the USDA: Elsa A. Murano, Under Secretary, Food 
Safety; Barbara J. Masters, Acting Administrator, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service; and Stephen J. 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 Patent and 
Trademark Office. Testimony was heard from Jon Dudas, Director, U.S. 
Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on State and Local Law 
Enforcement Assistance. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Justice: Deborah J. Daniels, Assistant 
Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs; and Carl R. Peed, 
Director, Community Oriented Policing Services.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on International HIV/AIDS 
Assistance Request. Testimony was heard from Ambassador Randall Tobias, 
Global AIDS Coordinator.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Office of Domestic Preparedness. Testimony was heard from 
Suzanne Mencer, Director, Office for Domestic Preparedness, Department 
of Homeland Security.

[[Page D253]]


INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
Oversight: Presidio Trust. Testimony was heard from Craig Middleton, 
Executive Director, Presidio Trust, and a public witness.
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 the 
Department of Education. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Education: Gene Hickok, Acting Deputy 
Secretary; and Ray Simon, Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary 
Education.
DEPARTMENT--REDESIGNATION
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on H.R. 1741, To 
redesignate the position of the Secretary of the Navy as the Secretary 
of the Navy and the Marine Corps. Testimony was heard from William S. 
Dudley, Director, Naval History, Naval Historical Center, Department of 
the Navy; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--TRAINING TRANSFORMATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and the 
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities held 
a joint hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization 
budget request--Training Transformation--Examination of the Joint 
National Training Capability. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Paul W. Mayberry, Deputy Under 
Secretary (Readiness); MG Gordon Nash, USMC, Commander, Joint 
Warfighting Center, and Director, Joint Training, U.S. Joint Command, 
RADM David T. Hart, Jr., USN, Director, Fleet Readiness Division, and 
Michael P. Bailey, Technical Director, Technology Division, Training 
and Education Command, U.S. Marine Corps, all with the Department of 
the Navy; BG Louis W. Weber, USA, Director of Training, Training 
Directorate (DAMO-TR), Department of the Army; and BG Norman R. Seip, 
USAF, Deputy Director, Operations and Training, Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Air and Space, Department of the Air Force.
DOE'S ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on the Department of Energy's Atomic Energy Defense Activities 
Budget. Testimony was heard from. The following officials of the 
Department of Energy: Ambassador Linton Brooks, Administrator, National 
Nuclear Security Administration; and Jessie Hill Roberson, Assistant 
Secretary, Environmental Management.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Total Force held a hearing 
on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization Budget Request 
on Defense Health Programs--Current and Future Issues. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
William Winkenwerder, Jr., M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs; 
Ltg. James B. Peake, M.D.,USA, Surgeon General of the Army; VAdm. 
Michael L. Cowan, M.D., USN, Surgeon General of the Navy; and Ltg. 
George P. Taylor, Jr., M.D., USMC, Surgeon General of the Air Force; 
and public witnesses.
DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS--REFORM AND STRENGTHEN
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing entitled ``Reforming and 
Strengthening Defined Benefit Plans: Examining the Health of the 
Multiemployer Pension System.'' Testimony was heard from Barbara 
Bovbjerg. Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Reauthorization of the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.'' Testimony was heard 
from Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., Administrator, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, Department of Transportation; and public 
witnesses.
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Inter-governmental Transfers: Violations of the Federal-
State Medicaid Partnership or Legitimate State Budget Tool?'' Testimony 
was heard from George Reeb, Assistant Inspector General, Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Audits, Office of Inspector General, Department 
of Health and Human Services; Kathryn G. Allen, Director, Health Care--
Medicaid and Private Health Insurance Issues, GAO; and a public 
witness.

[[Page D254]]


SUCCESSFUL HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTING THROUGH HOUSING COUNSELING
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``Successful Homeownership and 
Renting through Housing Counseling.'' Testimony was heard from John 
Weicher, Assistant Secretary, Housing/Federal Housing Commissioner, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development; and public witnesses.
THE HUNT FOR SADDAM'S MONEY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Hunt for Saddam's Money: 
U.S. and Foreign Efforts to Recover Iraq's Stolen Money.'' Testimony 
was heard from Juan Zarate, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Executive 
Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, Department of the 
Treasury; Paul E. Simons, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy, Sanctions 
and Commodities, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of 
State; and the following officials of the GAO: Joseph A. Christoff, 
Director, International Affairs and Trade; and Davi M. D'Agostino, 
Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE; INTERNET PHARMACY CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT; 
COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported H.R. 3917, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
695 Marconi Boulevard in Copiague, New York, as the ``Maxine S. Postal 
United States Post Office.''
  The Committee held a hearing entitled ``A Prescription for Safety: 
The Need for H.R. 3880, Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act.'' 
Testimony was heard from William Hubbard, Associate Commissioner, 
Policy and Planning, FDA, USDA; and public witnesses.
  The Committee also approved pending Committee business.
U.S. RUSSIA RELATIONS--PUTIN'S SECOND TERM
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on U.S.--Russia 
Relations in Putin's Second Term. Testimony was heard from A. Elizabeth 
Jones, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--US VISIT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims, oversight hearing on US VISIT: A Down Payment on 
Homeland Security. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Homeland Security: Robert M. Jacksta, Executive 
Director, Border Security and Facilitation, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection; Robert A. Mocny, Deputy Director, US VISIT Office; and 
Alfonso Martinez-Fonts, Jr., Special Assistant to the Secretary for 
Private Sector; and Randolph C. Hite, Director, Information Technology 
Architecture and Systems Issues, GAO.
ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 3883, To reauthorize the 
Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act. Testimony was heard from John 
H. Dunnigan, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; W. P. Jensen, Deputy 
Secretary, Department of Natural Resources, State of Maryland; and 
public witnesses.
PRESIDENTIAL AWARDEES FOR EXCELLENCE IN MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHING
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on The Presidential Awardees for 
Excellence in Math and Science Teaching: A Lesson Plan for Success. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SPACE TRANSPORTATION--NASA AND DOD COOPERATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a 
hearing on NASA-Department of Defense Cooperation in Space 
Transportation. Testimony was heard from Craig Steidle, Associate 
Administrator, Office of Exploration Systems, NASA; the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Robert Dickman, Deputy for 
Military Space, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force; and Ron 
Sega, Director, Defense Research and Engineering and Chief Technical 
Adviser to the Secretary; and a public witness.
HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment and 
Government Programs held a hearing entitled ``The Benefits of Health 
Savings Accounts.'' Testimony was heard from Representative Crane; and 
public witnesses.
BUDGET REQUESTS--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on

[[Page D255]]

the Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland 
Security's Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, the Office 
of Domestic Preparedness, and First Responder Funding. Testimony was 
heard from Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary, Emergency Preparedness 
and Response, Department of Homeland Security.
HEALTH QUALITY INITIATIVES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Health Quality Initiatives. Testimony was heard from Carolyn Clancy, 
M.D., Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Department 
of Health and Human Services; Glenn M. Hackbarth, Chairman, Medicare 
Payment Advisory Commission; and public witnesses.
SSA'S MANAGEMENT--TICKET TO WORK PROGRAM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on the SSA's Management of the Ticket to Work Program. 
Testimony was heard from Martin H. Gerry, Deputy Commissioner, 
Disability and Income Security Programs, SSA; Troy R. Justesen, Acting 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitation Services, Department of Education; and public witnesses.
FASTER AND SMARTER FUNDING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ACT
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 3266, Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2003.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Joint Hearings: Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and the House 
Committee on Veterans Affairs concluded joint hearings to examine the 
legislative presentations of the Air Force Sergeants Association, 
Retired Enlisted Association, Gold Star Wives of America, and Fleet 
Reserve Association, after receiving testimony from CMSgt. Jim Lekovic, 
USAF (Ret.), Air Force Sergeants Association, Suitland, Maryland; Msgt. 
David L. Washington, USAF (Ret.), Retired Enlisted Association, Aurora, 
Colorado; Rachel Clinkscale, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., 
Arlington, Virginia; and Joseph L. Barnes, Fleet Reserve Association, 
Alexandria, Virginia.