[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 21, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D383-D385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense concluded a 
hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2005 for 
the Missile Defense Agency, after receiving testimony from Lieutenant 
General Ronald T. Kadish, USAF, Director, Missile Defense Agency, 
Department of Defense.
APPROPRIATIONS: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal 
year 2005 for foreign assistance, including counterterrorism programs, 
after receiving testimony from Ambassador J. Cofer Black, Coordinator 
for Counterterrorism, Department of State; and Andrew S. Natsios, 
Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the nominations of Romolo A. Bernardi, of New York, 
to be Deputy Secretary, who was introduced by Senator Schumer and 
Representative Walsh, Dennis C. Shea, of Virginia, to be Assistant 
Secretary for Policy Development and Research, who was introduced by 
Senator Warner and former Senator Dole, and Cathy M. MacFarlane, of 
Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary

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for Public Policy, who was introduced by Senator Warner, all of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
RECREATION FEE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands 
and Forests concluded an oversight hearing to examine the 
implementation of the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program by the 
Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, and on policies related 
to the program, after receiving testimony from P. Lynn Scarlett, 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management, and Budget; 
Mark Rey, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and 
Environment; Carl Wilgus, Idaho Department of Commerce, Boise, on 
behalf of the Western States Tourism Policy Council; Ted Anderson, 
Skagit County Board of Commissioners of Mount Vernon, Washington, on 
behalf of the National Association of Counties and the Washington State 
Association of Counties; Sue Bray, Good Sam Club, Ventura, California, 
on behalf of the American Recreation Coalition; Robert Raney, Montana 
State Parks Foundation, Livingston; and Edwin Phillips, Americans for 
Forest Access, Big Bear City, California.
NAFTA
Committee on Foreign Relations: on Tuesday, April 20, Subcommittee on 
International Economic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion concluded a 
hearing to examine a ten year perspective and implications for the 
future regarding NAFTA, focusing on the economic impact on the economy, 
impact on Mexico's economy and politics and the implications for 
relations with Mexico, commerce's role in enhancing economic 
opportunities for exporters, and NAFTA's next decade and the need to 
focus on economic competitiveness in a global economy, after receiving 
testimony from Grant D. Aldonas, Under Secretary of Commerce for 
International Trade; E. Anthony Wayne, Assistant Secretary of State for 
Economic and Business Affairs; A. Ellen Terpstra, Administrator, 
Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of Agriculture; Hector V. 
Barreto, Administrator, Small Business Administration; and Franklin J. 
Vargo, National Association of Manufacturers, C. Fred Bergsten, 
Institute for International Economics, and Thea Lee, AFL-CIO, all of 
Washington, D.C.
IRAQ TRANSITION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee continued hearings to examine 
the current state of society in Iraq, focusing on preparations for a 
transition to Iraqi sovereignty on June 30 and what steps are required 
to fill out a comprehensive transition plan, after receiving testimony 
from Kenneth M. Pollack and Michael E. O'Hanlon, both of the Brookings 
Institution, and General George A. Joulwan (Ret.), former NATO SACEAUR, 
all of Washington, D.C.; Michael Sheehan, New York Police Department, 
New York, New York; and Ahmed S. Hashim, United States Naval War 
College, Newport, Rhode Island.
  Committee will meet again tomorrow.
STOCK OPTIONS ACCOUNTING POLICY
Committee on Governmental Affairs: on Tuesday, April 20, Subcommittee 
on Financial Management, the Budget, and International Security 
concluded an oversight hearing to examine supporting and strengthening 
the independence of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, focusing 
on the importance of FASB's independence in setting financial reporting 
and accounting standards, evaluating FASB's proposal to require 
mandatory expensing of stock options, and determining the economic and 
accounting/financial reporting impact of expensing stock options, after 
receiving testimony from Senators Boxer and Enzi; Robert H. Herz, 
Financial Accounting Standards Board, Norwalk, Connecticut; Paul A. 
Volcker, International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation, 
London, United Kingdom, former Chairman, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System; Jack T. Ciesielski, R.G. Associates, Inc., 
Baltimore, Maryland; James K. Glassman, American Enterprise Institute, 
and Damon Silvers, AFL-CIO, both of Washington, D.C.; Donald P. Delves, 
Delves Group, Chicago, Illinois; and Mark G. Heesen, National Venture 
Capital Association, Arlington, Virginia.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following bills:
  S. 344, expressing the policy of the United States regarding the 
United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a 
process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian 
governing entity, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  S. 1721, to amend the Indian Land Consolidation Act to improve 
provisions relating to probate of trust and restricted land, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
FEDERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT PROCESS REFORM ACT
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
S. 297, to provide reforms and resources to the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs to improve the Federal acknowledgment process, after receiving 
testimony from Aurene Martin, Principal Deputy

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Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs; Edward Roybal 
II, Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe, Las 
Cruces, New Mexico; Neal McCaleb, Chickasaw Nation Industries, Edmond, 
Oklahoma, former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian 
Affairs; and Kevin Gover, Arizona State University College of Law, 
Tempe.