[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 39 (Thursday, March 25, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D292-D295]
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 Rural Development. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the USDA: Gilbert G. Gonzalez, Acting Under Secretary, 
Rural Development; Hilda Gay Legg, Administrator, Rural Utilities 
Service; Authur A. Garcia, Administrator, Rural Housing Service; John 
Rosso, Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service; Luis Luna, 
Deputy Administrator, Community Development; and Dennis Kaplan, 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 SBA. Testimony was 
heard from Hector Barreto, Administrator, SBA.
  The Subcommittee held a hearing on the U.S. Trade Representative. 
Testimony was heard from Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, U.S. Trade 
Representative.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the EEOC. Testimony was heard 
from Cari M. Dominguez, Chairwoman, EEOC.

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ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development met in executive session to hold a hearing on the National 
Nuclear Security Administration. Testimony was heard from Linton F. 
Brooks, Under Secretary, Nuclear Security and Administrator, National 
Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. Testimony was heard 
from Robert Bonner, Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the United States Citizenship 
and Immigration Services. Testimony was heard from Eduardo Aguirre, 
Director, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the National Park Service. Testimony was heard from Fran Mainella, 
Director, National Park 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 the Child 
Development Research and Programs. Testimony was heard from Grover J. 
Whitehurst, Director, Institute of Education Sciences, Department of 
Education; and the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: G. Reid Lyon, Chief, Child Development and Behavior 
Branch, National Institutes of Health; and Wade F. Horn, Assistant 
Secretary, Administration for Children and Families.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction held 
a hearing on European Command. Testimony was heard from GEN. James L. 
Jones, Jr., USMC, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander, U.S. 
European Command
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury 
and Independent Agencies held a hearing on Highway Safety Programs. 
Testimony was heard from Jeffrey W. Runge, Administrator, National 
Highway Safety Administration, Department of Transportation.
VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
2005 BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE PROCESS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Process. Testimony was heard 
from Raymond F. DuBois, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary, Installations and 
Environment, Department of Defense; and Barry W. Holman, Director, 
Defense Capabilities and Management, GAO.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST--MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization budget 
request--Missile Defense Programs. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: LTG Ronald T. Kadish, 
USAF, Director, Missile Defense Agency; LTG Larry J. Dodgen, USA, 
Commander, Space and Missile Defense Command; and Thomas P. Christie, 
Director, Operational Test and Evaluation.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--NAVY AND AIR FORCE 
TACTICAL WEAPON ACQUISITION 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 the Navy and Department of 
the Air Force Tactical Weapon Acquisition Programs. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the GAO: Allen Li, Director, 
Acquisition Sourcing Management--(F/A-22); and Mike Sullivan, Director, 
Acquisition Sourcing Management--(Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)); and the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: John J. Young, Jr., 
Assistant Secretary (Research, Development and Acquisition); VADM John 
B. Nathan, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements 
and Programs (N7); and LTG Michael A. Hough, USMC, Deputy Commandant 
for Aviation, U.S. Marine Corps, all with the Department of the Navy; 
Marvin R. Sambur, Assistant Secretary (Acquisition) and LTG Ronald E. 
Keys, USAF, Deputy Chief of

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Staff, Air and Space Operations, both with the Department of the Air 
Force.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--DOD SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS
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 
Science and Technology Policy and Programs. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Ronald M. Sega, 
Director, Defense Research and Engineering; Anthony J. Teter, Director, 
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; Thomas H. Killion, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Research and Technology, Department of the Army; 
RADM Jay M. Cohen, USN, Chief, Naval Research, Department of the Navy; 
and James B. Engle, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Science, Technology and 
Engineering), Department of the Air Force.
DOE'S YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT; ALTER NUCLEAR WASTE TRUST FUND
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``A Review of the Department of 
Energy's Yucca Mountain Project,'' and Proposed Legislation to Alter 
the Nuclear Waste Trust Fund (H.R. 3429 and H.R. 3981).'' Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Gibbons, Berkley and Porter; Robert G. Card, 
Under Secretary, Energy, Science, and Environment, Department of 
Energy; Nils J. Diaz, Chairman, NRC; David J. Duquette, member, U.S. 
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board; and public witnesses.
``NIH: RE-ENGINEERING CLINICAL RESEARCH''
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``NIH: Re-engineering Clinical Research.'' Testimony was heard 
from Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director, NIH, Department of Health and 
Human Services; and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM STATUS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on the state of the 
international financial system. Testimony was heard from John W. Snow, 
Secretary of the Treasury.
D.C. COLLEGE ACCESS ACT REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Maintaining a 
Level Playing Field for D.C. Graduates: Legislation to Reauthorize the 
D.C. College Access Act.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the District of Columbia: Anthony A. Williams, Mayor; 
Kelly Valentine, Acting Director, Tuition Assistance Grants Program; 
and Argelia Rodriquez, Executive Director, College Access Program; and 
public witnesses.
DEVELOPMENTS IN BURMA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific and the Subcommittee on International Terrorism, 
Nonproliferation and Human Rights held a joint hearing on Developments 
in Burma. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of State: Lorne Craner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; and Matthew P. Daley, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs; and 
public witnesses.
RESOLUTION REGARDING APPROPRIATE ROLE OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS IN THE 
INTERPRETATION OF AMERICAN LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held a 
hearing on H. Res. 568, Expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that Judicial determinations regarding the meaning of 
the laws of the United States should not be based on judgments, laws, 
or pronouncements of foreign institutions unless such foreign 
judgments, laws, or pronouncements inform an understanding of the 
original meaning of the laws of the United States, and the Appropriate 
Role of Foreign Judgments in the Interpretation of American Law. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
``PROGRESS IN CONSOLIDATING TERRORISM WATCHLISTS--THE TERRORIST 
SCREENING CENTER''
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security and the Subcommittee on Intelligence and 
Counterterorism of the Select Committee on Homeland Security held a 
joint oversight hearing entitled ``Progress in Consolidating Terrorism 
Watchlists--The Terrorist Screening Center (TSC).'' Testimony was heard 
from Donna A. Bucella, Director, Terrorist Screening Center 
(Administered by FBI); Charlie Bartoldus, Director, National Targeting 
Center, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; 
James W. McMahon, Director, Office of Public Security, State of New 
York; and a public witness.
MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 3378, Marine Turtle 
Conservation Act of

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2003. Testimony was heard from Marshall Jones, Deputy Director, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; Rebecca Lent, 
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Fisheries, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Commmittee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1517, Land 
Reinvestment Act; H.R. 2663, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent 
Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National 
Park System; and H.R. 3874, To convey for public purposes certain 
Federal lands in Riverside County, California, that have been 
identified for disposal. Testimony was heard from Representatives Bono 
and Graves; Robert Lamb, Special Advisor to the Assistant Secretary, 
Policy, Management and Budget, Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS ACT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and 
Standards approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 3598, 
Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2003.
SPIKE IN METAL PRICES
Committee on Small Business: Continued hearings entitled ``Spike in 
Metal Prices--Part II.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation and the Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a joint hearing on Ballast Water 
Management: New International Standards and National Invasive Species 
Act Reauthorization. Testimony was heard from RADM Thomas H. Gilmour, 
USCG, Assistant Commandant, Marine Safety, Security and Environmental 
Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; and 
public witnesses.
JOINT MILITARY INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM AND TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE AND 
RELATED ACTIVITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Joint Military Intelligence Program and Tactical 
Intelligence and Related Activities. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATED
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Intelligence Updated. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS' 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 S. John Sisler, AMVETS, Lanham, Maryland; F. 
Paul Dallas, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Arlington, Texas; Edward 
Chow, Jr., Vietnam Veterans of America, Silver Spring, Maryland; 
Colonel Robert F. Norton, USA (Ret.), Military Officers Association of 
America, Alexandria, Virginia; and Joey Strickland, National 
Association of State Directors of Veterans' Affairs, Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana.