[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D277-D279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
ANIMAS-LA PLATA PROJECT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development concluded a hearing to examine the cost estimate to 
complete the Bureau of Reclamation's Animas-La Plata Project designed 
to divert, pump, store, and convey water from the Animas River at 
Durango, Colorado to provide water for both Indian and non-Indian 
municipal and industrial uses in Colorado and New Mexico, after 
receiving testimony from Bennett W. Raley, Assistant Secretary for 
Water and Science, and William E. Rinne, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of 
Reclamation, both of the Department of the Interior; Howard Richards, 
Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ignacio, Colorado; Selwyn Whiteskunk, Ute 
Mountain Ute Tribe, Towaoc, Colorado; Richard K. (Mike) Griswold, 
Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District, Durango, Colorado; and L. 
Randy Kirkpatrick, San Juan Water Commission, Farmington, New Mexico.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense concluded a 
hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2005 for 
the Department of the Air Force, after receiving testimony from James 
G. Roche, Secretary of the Air Force; and General John P. Jumper, USAF, 
Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces concluded 
a hearing to examine the proposed Defense Authorization Request for 
fiscal year 2005, focusing on strategic forces and capabilities, after 
receiving testimony from Linton F. Brooks, Under Secretary of Energy 
for Nuclear Security and Administrator, National Nuclear Security 
Administration; and Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr., USN, Commander, United 
States Strategic Command.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Airland concluded a 
hearing to examine the Defense Authorization request for fiscal year 
2005 and future years defense program, focusing on Navy and Air Force 
aviation programs, after receiving testimony from John J. Young, Jr., 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and 
Acquisition; Marvin R. Sambur, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 
Acquisition; Vice Admiral John B. Nathman, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations for Warfare Requirements and Programs; Lieutenant General 
Michael A. Hough, USMC, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters, 
U.S. Marine Corps; and Lieutenant General Ronald E. Keys, USAF, Deputy 
Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air 
Force.
REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL REGULATION
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on 
Housing and Transportation concluded a hearing to examine the current 
status of the real estate appraisal industry, and its Federal and State 
oversight and regulation, focusing on certain private entities as 
outlined in Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, 
and Enforcement Act of 1989, that establish uniform rules for real 
estate appraisals and set minimum criteria for certifying appraisers, 
after receiving testimony from David G. Wood, Director, Financial 
Markets and Community Investment, General Accounting Office; Steven D. 
Fritts, Associate Director Risk Management/Examination Support, 
Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection, Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, on behalf of Federal Financial Institutions 
Examination Council; David S. Bunton, The Appraisal Foundation, 
Washington, D.C.; Charles Clark, Georgia Real Estate Commission, 
Atlanta, on behalf of Georgia Real Estate Appraisers Board; Alan E. 
Hummel, Iowa Residential Appraisal Company, Des Moines, on behalf of 
Appraisal Institute; and

[[Page D278]]

Eugene G. Kaczkowski, American Appraisal Associates, Inc., Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin, on behalf of American Society of Appraisers.
MARITIME SECURITY
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the state of maritime security, focusing on the 
impact of security efforts on maritime commerce, and the additional 
measures that may be needed to further enhance maritime transportation 
security, after receiving testimony from Admiral Thomas H. Collins, 
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner, U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection, Admiral David M. Stone, USN (Ret), 
Acting Administrator, Transportation Security Administration, all of 
the Department of Homeland Security; Christopher Koch, World Shipping 
Council, and James J. Carafano, Heritage Foundation, both of 
Washington, D.C.; Gary P. LaGrange, Board of Commissioners of the Port 
of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana; and Mike Mitre, International 
Longshore and Warehouse Union, Wilmington, California.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following business items:
  S. 1910, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out an 
inventory and management program for forests derived from public domain 
land;
  H.R. 620, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
supplemental funding and other services that are necessary to assist 
the State of California or local educational agencies in California in 
providing educational services for students attending schools located 
within the Park, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  The nomination of Sue Ellen Wooldridge, of Virginia, to be Solicitor 
of the Department of the Interior.
PUBLIC LANDS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands 
and Forests concluded a hearing to examine S. 433, to provide for 
enhanced collaborative forest stewardship management within the 
Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests in Idaho, S. 2180, to direct 
the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange certain lands in the Arapaho 
and Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and H.R. 1964, 
to assist the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and 
Pennsylvania in conserving priority lands and natural resources in the 
Highlands region, after receiving testimony from Senator Corzine; 
Representative Frelinghuysen; David Tenny, Deputy Under Secretary of 
Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment; Robert W. McIntosh, 
Associate Regional Director for Planning and Partnerships, Northeast 
Region, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; Thomas A. 
Gilbert, Highlands Coalition, Titusville, New Jersey; Bonner R. Cohen, 
National Center for Public Policy Research, Washington, D.C.; Rick 
Johnson, Idaho Conservation League, Boise; and Susie Borowicz, Elk 
City, Idaho.
NATURAL GAS SUPPLY
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee concluded an 
oversight hearing to examine the environmental impacts of the United 
States natural gas supply, focusing on the price outlook, and pipeline 
projects, after receiving testimony from Rhode Island Governor Donald 
L. Carcieri, Providence; Marjorie West, Sheridan, Wyoming, on behalf of 
the Powder River Basin Resource Council and the Western Organization of 
Resource Councils; Joel Bluestein, Energy and Environmental Analysis, 
Inc., Arlington, Virginia; Dennis M. Bailey, PPG Industries, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Michael C. Caskey, Fidelity Exploration and 
Production Company, and George Handley, Eclipse Exploration 
Corporation, both of Denver, Colorado; Stephen H.M. Bloch, Southern 
Utah Wilderness Alliance, Salt Lake City; and Bob Drake, Oklahoma City, 
Oklahoma, on behalf of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the American Farm 
Bureau Federation.
CREDIT COUNSELING INDUSTRY
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations concluded a hearing to examine the role and tax-exempt 
status of not-for-profit credit counseling agencies, focusing on cases 
of misconduct among credit card counseling agencies and their not-for-
profit service providers and what solutions may be available to repair 
the industry, after receiving testimony from Mark W. Everson, 
Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury; 
Thomas B. Leary, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission; Chris Viale, 
Cambridge Credit Counseling Corporation, Agawam, Massachusetts; Matthew 
Case, AmeriDebt, Inc., and Andris Pukke, Debtworks, Inc., both of 
Germantown, Maryland; Cuba M. Craig, American Financial Solutions, 
Seattle, Washington; James Kroening, FamilyMeans Consumer Credit 
Counseling Service, Stillwater, Minnesota; Michael Malesardi, Ballenger 
Group, LLC, Frederick, Maryland; Bernaldo Dancel, Ascend One 
Corporation/Amerix Corporation, Columbia, Maryland; Raymond Schuck, 
Lima, Ohio; John Pohlman, East Granby, Connecticut; Jolanta Troy, 
Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Johnpaul Allen, New Market, Maryland.

[[Page D279]]


INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY ACT AMENDMENTS
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
S. 1529, to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to include 
provisions relating to the payment and administration of gaming fees, 
after receiving testimony from George T. Skibine, Acting Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy and Economic 
Development; and Philip N. Hogen, National Indian Gaming Commission, 
and Ernest L. Stevens, Jr. and Mark Van Norman, both of the National 
Indian Gaming Association, all of Washington, D.C.
NOMINATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nomination of Paul S. Diamond, to be United States District Judge 
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, after the nominee, who was 
introduced by Senators Specter and Santorum, testified and answered 
questions in his own behalf.