[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 44 (Thursday, April 1, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D339-D342]
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 on Commerce, Justice, State, 
Judiciary and Related Agencies held a hearing on Broadcasting Board of 
Governors. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Broadcasting Board of Governors: Kenneth Tomlinson, Chairman; and 
Norman Pattiz, member of the Board.
  The Subcommittee held a hearing on Department of State International 
Organizations. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of State: Ambassador John D. Negroponte, U. S. Permanent 
Representative to the United Nations; and Kim Holmes, Assistant 
Secretary.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Legal Services 
Corporation. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Legal Services Corporation: Helanine Barnett; President; and Frank B. 
Strickland, Chairman.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on District of Columbia held 
a hearing on Public Defender Services, Court Services, and Offender 
Supervision. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
District of Columbia: Ronald S. Sullivan, Director, Public Defender 
Services; and Paul A. Quander, Jr., Director, Court Services and 
Offender Supervision.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on U.S. Agency for 
International Development. Testimony was heard from Andrew S. Natsios, 
Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of 
State.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection. 
Testimony was heard from LTG Frank Libutti, Under Secretary, 
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, Department of 
Homeland Security.
INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior held a hearing on 
the National Endowment for the Arts and on the National Endowment for 
the Humanities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities: Dana Gioia, 
Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts; and Bruce Cole, Chairman, 
National Endowment for the Humanities.
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 Workforce 
Preparation and Training. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Education: Susan K. Sclafani, Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education; and Sally Stroup, 
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, 
Independent Agencies held a hearing on the Executive Office of the 
President. Testimony was heard from Tim Campen, Assistant to the 
President and Director of Office of Administration.

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VA, HUD AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies held a hearing on the NSF. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the NSF: Arden L. Bement, Acting Director; and 
Warren M. Washington, Chairman.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEM AND 
FORCE PROTECTION INITIATIVES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense 
Authorization budget request--Future Combat System and Force Protection 
Initiatives. Testimony was heard from Paul L. Francis, Director, 
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO; the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: LTG Joseph L. Yakovac, Jr., USA, Military 
Deputy and Director, Army Acquisition Corps, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), and LTG Benjamin S. 
Griffin, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G8 (programming, materiel 
integration, and management), both with the Department of the Army; and 
LTG Edward Hanlon, Jr., USMC, Deputy Commandant, Combat Development, 
U.S. Marine Corps.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST--CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
STOCKPILE DESTRUCTION PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities, hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 National 
Defense Authorization budget request--Destructions of the U.S. Chemical 
Weapons Stockpile--Program and Status. Testimony was heard from Raymond 
J. Decker, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, GAO; the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Dale E. Klein, 
Assistant to the Secretary, Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense 
Programs; Claude Bolton, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, 
Technology and Logistics); Pat Wakefield, Deputy Assistant Secretary 
(Chemical Demilitarization and Counterproliferation); and Mike Parker, 
Director, U.S. Army Chemical Material Agency; Craig Conklin, Chief, 
Nuclear and Chemical Hazards Branch Preparedness Division, Emergency 
Preparedness and Response Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; 
Patrick J. Meehan, M.D., Deputy Director, Program National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Department of Health 
and Human Services.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY BUDGET PRIORITIES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Held a hearing entitled ``FY 2005 
Budget Priorities for the Department of Energy.'' Testimony was heard 
from Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy.
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health continued 
hearings entitled ``Inter-governmental Transfers: Violations of the 
Federal-State Medicaid Partnership or Legitimate State Budget Tool?'' 
Testimony was heard from Dennis G. Smith, Director, Center for Medicaid 
and State Operations, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and Barbara Edwards, Deputy 
Director, Office of Medicaid, Department of Job and Family Services, 
State of Ohio.
SATELLITE HOME VIEWER IMPROVEMENT REAUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on the Satellite Home Viewer 
Improvement Reauthorization Act of 2004. Testimony was heard from 
Eloise Gore, Assistant Division Chief, Media Bureau's Policy Division, 
FCC; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of 
the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.'' Testimony was heard 
from John D. Hawke, Jr., Comptroller of the Currency.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 3737, amended, Administrative Law Judges Pay Reform Act 
of 2004; H.R. 3751, amended, to require the Office of Personnel and 
Management study and present options under which dental and vision 
benefits could be made available to Federal employees and other 
appropriate classes of individuals; H.R. 4012, to amend the District of 
Columbia College Access Act of 1999 to permanently authorize the public 
school and private school tuition assistance programs established under 
the Act; H.R. 1822, to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 3751 West 6th Street in Los Angeles, 
California, as the ``Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office''; H.R. 3939, to 
redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
14-24 Abbot Road in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, as the `` Mary Ann Collura 
Post Office Buidling''; H.R. 3942, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 7 Commercial Boulevard in 
Middletown, Rhode Island, as

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the ``Rhode Island Veterans Post Office Building''; H.R. 4037, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
475 Kell Farm Drive in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as the `` Richard G. 
Wilson Processing and Distribution Facility''; H. Res. 399, Honoring 
the life and legacy of Melvin Jones and recognizing the contributions 
of Lions Clubs International; H. Res. 578, Supporting the goals and 
ideals of Financial Literacy Month; and S. Con. Res. 97, Recognizing 
the 91st annual meeting of the Garden Club of America.
``AFGHANISTAN: ARE THE BRITISH COUNTERNARCOTICS EFFORTS GOING WOBBLY?''
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources, hearing entitled ``Afghanistan: Are the 
British Counternarcotics Efforts Going Wobbly?'' Testimony was heard 
from Robert Charles, Assistant Secretary, International Narcotics and 
Law Enforcement Affairs, Department of State.
MARIJUANA AND MEDICINE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Marijuana and 
Medicine: The Need for a Science-Based Approach.'' Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Health and Human 
Services: Nora D. Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 
NIH; and Robert J. Meyer, M.D., Director, Office of Drug Evaluation II, 
Center for Evaluation and Research, FDA; Patricia Good, Chief, Liaison 
and Policy Section, Office of Diversion Control, DEA, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
AFRICA--FIGHTING TERRORISM
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa held a 
hearing on Fighting Terrorism in Africa. Testimony was heard from Karl 
Wycoff, Associate Coordinator, Press, Policy and Plans, Office of the 
Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Department of State, and public 
witnesses.
AL-QAEDA--THREAT TO U.S. AND ALLIES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights held a hearing on Al-
Qaeda: The Threat to the United States and Its Allies. Testimony was 
heard from Ambassador-at-Large J. Cofer Black, Coordinator for 
Counterterrorism, Department of State.
IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT--PRESCRIBE OATH OF RENUNCIATION AND 
ALLEGIANCE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims held a hearing on H.R. 3191, to prescribe the oath 
of renunciation and allegiance for purposes of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Ryun of 
Kansas; Alfonso Aguilar, Chief, Office of Citizenship, U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security; and public 
witnesses.
LUMBEE RECOGNITION ACT
Committee on Resources: Held a hearing on H.R. 898, Lumbee Recognition 
Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives McIntyre and Burr; 
Michael Olsen, Counselor to the Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
GREEN CHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2004
Committee on Science: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3970, Green 
Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2004.
LUNAR SCIENCE AND RESOURCES: FUTURE OPTIONS
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space held a hearing on Lunar 
Science and Resources: Future Options. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--AIRPORT DEREGULATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on Airport Deregulation. Testimony 
was heard from Jeffrey N. Shane, Under Secretary, Policy, Department of 
Transportation; James E. Bennett, President and CEO, Metropolitan 
Washington Airports Authority; Bonnie Allin, President and CEO, Tucson 
Airport Authority, Tucson, Arizona; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--REPORT VA'S VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICE 
TASK FORCE
Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held an 
oversight hearing to receive the report of the VA Vocational 
Rehabilitation and Employment Service Task Force. Testimony was heard 
from Dorcas R. Hardy, Chairman, Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment Service Task Force, Department of Veterans Affairs.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2004 ANNUAL REPORTS
Committee on Ways and Means: Continued hearings on the Board of 
Trustees 2004 Annual Reports. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department 
of Health and Human Services: Leslie V. Norwalk, Acting Deputy 
Administrator; and Jeff Flick, San Francisco Regional Administrator.
MEDICARE DISCOUNT DRUG CARD
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
The Medicare Discount Drug Card. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Foley; Michael McMullan, Deputy Director, Center for 
Beneficiary Choices, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
COUNTERNARCOTICS BUDGET
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the Counternarcotics Budget. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Intelligence Community Language Capabilities. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
PENSION FUNDING EQUITY ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 3108, to amend the 
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to temporarily replace the 30-year Treasury rate 
with a rate based on long-term corporate bonds for certain pension plan 
funding requirements and other provisions.