[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D317-D319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE, JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee Commerce, Justice, State, 
Judiciary and Related Agencies held a hearing on NOAA. Testimony was 
heard from Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Under Secretary and NOAA 
Administrator, Department of Commerce.
  The Subcommittee also continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from Members of Congress.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
U.S. Air Force. Testimony was heard from James G. Roche, Secretary of 
the Air Force.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
U.S. Air Force Acquisition. Testimony was heard from Gen. John P. 
Jumper, USAF, Chief of Staff, Department of the Air Force.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Science and Technology. Testimony was heard from Charles 
McQueary, Under Secretary, Science and Technology, Department of 
Homeland Security.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies continued appropriation 
hearings. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NAVY FORCE STRUCTURE AND SHIP CONSTRUCTION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Projection Forces held a 
hearing on Navy Force Structure and Ship Construction. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of the Navy: John 
J. Young, Assistant Secretary (Research, Development and Acquisition); 
VADM John B. Nathman, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (N-7) 
(Warfare Requirements and Programs); and VADM James C. Dawson, Jr., 
USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (N-8) (Resources, Requirements 
and Assessments); Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in National Defense, 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and a public 
witness.
LOGISTICS: LESSONS FROM OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on Logistics: Lessons from OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and Logistics 
Transformation. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: MG Robert T. Dail, USA, Director, Operations, 
TCJ3, United States Transportation Command; VADM Keith W. Lippert, USN, 
Director, Defense Logistics Agency; LTG Claude V. Christianson, USA, 
Deputy Chief of Staff, G4, Department of the Army; and BG Edward G. 
Usher III, USMC, Assistant Commandant for Installation and Logistics, 
U.S. Marine Corps.
SUBPRIME LENDING
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a joint hearing entitled ``Subprime Lending: Defining 
the Market and Its Customers.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

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``A SYSTEM RUED: INSPECTING FOOD''
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Civil Service and 
Agency Organization held a hearing entitled ``A System Rued: Inspecting 
Food.'' Testimony was heard from Lawrence J. Dyckman, Director, 
National Resources and Environment, GAO; the following officials of the 
USDA: Robert E. Brackett, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied 
Nutrition, FDA; and Merle Pierson, Deputy Under Secretary, Food Safety; 
Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture; and a public witness.
DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Measuring the 
Effectiveness of Drug Addiction Treatment.'' Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: 
Charles Currie, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration; and Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, National 
Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH; and public witnesses.
IMPACT OF HEALTH PROTECTION PROGRAMS ON GUARD AND RESERVE UNITS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``Does the `Total Force' Add Up? The Impact of Health Protection 
Programs on Guard and Reserve Units.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: William Winkenwerder, 
M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs; LTG James B. Peake, M.D., 
The Surgeon General, U.S. Army; Specialist John A. Ramsey, 32nd Army 
Air Missile Defense Command, Florida National Guard; Specialist First 
Class Scott Emde, 20th Special Forces Group, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 
Virginia National Guard; and Specialist Timothi McMichael, U.S. Army 
Reserves, Medical Hold Unit, Fort Knox, Kentucky.
NATION'S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held a hearing 
entitled ``Telecommunication and SCADA: Secure Links or Open Portals to 
the Security of the Nation's Critical Infrastructure.'' Testimony was 
heard from Robert F. Dacey, Director, Information Security Issues, GAO; 
James McDonald, Director, Protective Security Division, Department of 
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
ADMINISTRATION AND NONPROLIFERATION
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the Bush 
Administration and Nonproliferation: A New Strategy Emerges. Testimony 
was heard from John R. Bolton, Under Secretary, Arms Control and 
International Security, Department of State; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing on The Defense of Marriage Act. Testimony was heard 
from John Hanes, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, State of 
Wyoming; Bob Barr, former Representative, State of Georgia; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security approved for full Committee action, as amended, the 
following bills: S. 1301, Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2004; H.R. 
1678, Anti-Hoax Terrorism Act of 2004; H.R. 1731, Identity Theft 
Penalty Enhancement Act; and H.R. 3866, Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 
2004.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on S. 1743, Private Security 
Officer Employment Authorization Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from 
Michael Kirkpatrick, Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Information 
Services Division, FBI, Department of Justice; Jeanine Pirro, District 
Attorney, Westchester County, State of New York; and public witnesses.
ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3796, Abandoned Mine Lands 
Reclamation Reform Act of 2004; and H.R. 3778, Abandoned Mine 
Reclamation Program Extension and Reform Act of 2004. Testimony was 
heard from Jeff Jarrett, Director, Office of Surface Mining, Department 
of the Interior; J. Steven Roberts, Deputy Secretary, Office of Mineral 
Resources Management, Department of Environmental Protection, State of 
Pennsylvania; John A. Masterson, Counsel to the Governor, State of 
Wyoming; Stephen Hohmann, Director, Division of Abandoned Mine Lands, 
Department for Natural Resources, State of Kentucky; William Michael 
Sharpe, Assistant Director, AML Program, Conservation Commission, State 
of Oklahoma; and public witnesses.
PAY PARITY FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H. Res. 581, Expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives

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regarding rates of compensation for civilian employees and members of 
the uniformed services of the United States, in the House equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Government Reform. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit which may not contain instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Davis and Representative Wolf.
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS
Committee on Rules: Heard testimony from Chairman Young of Alaska and 
Representatives Petri, Gilchrest, Quinn, Ehlers, Bachus, LaTourette, 
LoBiondo, Bereuter, Isakson, Graves, Kennedy of Minnesota, Chocola, 
Gerlach, Tancredo, Vitter, Flake, Kirk, Bradley of New Hampshire, 
Oberstar, Lipinski, Menendez, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
Millender-McDonald, Blumenauer, Baird, Carson of Indiana, Davis of 
Tennessee, Waters, Jackson-Lee of Texas, Turner of Texas, Holt, Lynch 
and Schiff, but action was deferred on H.R. 3550, Transportation Equity 
Act: A Legacy for Users.
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS IN MATH AND SCIENCE 
EDUCATION ACT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Research approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, H.R. 4030, Congressional Medal for 
Outstanding Contributions in Math and Science Education Act.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on this 
measure. Testimony was heard from Judith Ramaley, Assistant Director, 
Education and Human Resources Directorate, NSF; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INCONSISTENT REGULATION OF WETLANDS AND OTHER WATERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held an oversight hearing on Inconsistent 
Regulation of Wetlands and Other Waters. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Ose; John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary (Civil 
Works), Department of the Army; Benjamin H. Grumbles, Acting Assistant 
Administrator, Water, EPA; and public witnesses.
DVA--PROVIDING CERTAIN VETERANS WITH PRESCRIPTION-ONLY HEALTH CARE 
BENEFIT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on the Department of Veterans Affairs providing certain veterans with a 
prescription-only health care benefit. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Jonathan B. 
Perlin, M.D., Deputy Under Secretary, Health; Michael A. Valentino, 
Chief Consultant, Pharmacy Benefits Management; and Barbara J. Manning, 
Program Analyst, Policy and Forecasting Service; representatives of 
veterans organizations; and a public witness.
TAX RETURN FILING SEASON AND IRS BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on 2004 Tax Return Filing Season and the IRS Budget for Fiscal Year 
2005. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Treasury: Mark Everson, Commissioner, IRS; and Nancy 
Killefer, Chair, IRS Oversight Board; James R. White, Director, Tax 
Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
COUNTERTERRORISM BUDGET
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Counterterrorism Budget. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL, RADIOLOGICAL THREATS TO THE HOMELAND
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism 
and Homeland Security met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Radiological Threats to the Homeland. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.
HOMELAND CYBERSECURITY AND DHS ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE BUDGET
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, 
Science and Research and Development held a hearing entitled ``Homeland 
Cybersecurity and DHS Enterprise Architecture Budget Hearing for Fiscal 
Year 2005.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Robert Liscouski, Assistant Secretary, 
Infrastructure Protection; and Steven Cooper, Chief, Information 
Officer.