[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 57 (Thursday, April 29, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D429-D431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing and Related Programs held a hearing on Security Assistance 
Budget Request. Testimony was heard from Richard L. Armitage, Deputy 
Secretary, Department of State; and Paul D. Wolfowitz, Deputy 
Secretary, Department of Defense.
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 Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Research and Services. Testimony was heard from 
Charles G. Curiem, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration, NIH, Department of Health and Human Services.
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, 
and Independent Agencies held a hearing on the Federal Highway 
Administration (Environmental Streamlining). Testimony was heard from 
Mary Peters, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Department 
of Transportation.
AFGHANISTAN: SECURITY AND RECONSTRUCTION
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Afghanistan: Security 
and Reconstruction. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Peter Rodman, Assistant Secretary, 
International Security Affairs; and LTG Walter Sharp, USA, Director, 
Strategic Plans and Policy, The Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Ambassador 
William Taylor, Coordinator for Afghanistan, Department of State.
DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SYSTEM--REFORM AND STRENGTHEN
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing entitled ``Examining Long-Term 
Solutions to Reform and Strengthen the Defined Benefit Pension 
System.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SPYWARE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Spyware: What You Don't 
Know Can Hurt You.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the FTC: Mozelle W. Thompson, Commissioner; and J. Howard Beales 
III, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection; and public witnesses.
ULTRADEEP WATER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Ultradeep Water Research and 
Development: What Are the Benefits?'' Testimony was heard from 
Representatives DeLay and Sandlin; Howard Gruenspecht, Deputy 
Administrator, Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy; 
and public witnesses.
TRANSFORMING THE NATIONAL GUARD: RESOURCING FOR READINESS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Transforming 
the National Guard: Resourcing for Readiness.'' Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Paul McHale, 
Assistant Secretary, Homeland Security; Thomas F. Hall, Assistant 
Secretary, Reserve Affairs; LTG H. Steven Blum, USA, Chief, National 
Guard Bureau; and MG John A. Love, USAF, Special Assistant to Combatant 
Commander for National Guard Affairs, U.S. Northern Command; Janet A. 
St. Laurent, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, GAO; and 
the following Adjutant Generals: Wayne Marty, USA, State of Texas; MG 
Timothy J. Lowenberg, USAF, State of Washington; and MG Bruce Tuxill, 
USAF, State of Maryland.
DIVERSITY VISA PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Diversity 
Visa Program, and Its Susceptibility to Fraud and Abuse.'' Testimony 
was heard from Anne W. Patterson, Deputy Inspector General, Department 
of State; and public witnesses.

[[Page D430]]


OVERSIGHT--INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION 
MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, 
Wildlife and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the International 
Aspects of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and Management. Testimony was 
heard from David A. Balton, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ocean and 
Fisheries, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs, Department of State; William T. Hogarth, Assistant 
Administrator, Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce; Kenneth B. Stansell, Assistant Director, 
International Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of 
the Interior; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3638, Redwood 
National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2003; H.R. 3932, To amend 
Public Law 99-338 to authorize the continued use of certain lands 
within the Sequoia National Park by portions of an existing 
hydroelectric project; and S. 144, Noxious Weed Control Act of 2003. 
Testimony was heard from Senator Craig; the following officials of the 
Department of the Interior: Don Murphy, Deputy Director, National Park 
Service; and Scott Cameron, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Performance and 
Management; Brenda Waters, Noxious Weed Coordinator, Department of 
Agriculture, State of Idaho; and public witnesses.
CONTINUITY OF CONGRESS--INCAPACITATION OF MEMBERS AND THE QUORUM 
REQUIREMENT
Committee on Rules: Held a hearing to address mass incapacitation of 
Members and the quorum requirement in the context of the Continuity of 
Congress. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Office of the Parliamentarian: Charles W. Johnson, III, 
Parliamentarian; John Sullivan and Tom Duncan, both Deputy 
Parliamentarians; RADM John Eisold, M.D., USN, Attending Physician to 
Congress and Rear Admiral, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy; and Walter 
Dellinger, former Acting Solicitor General of the United States.
FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE--WOULD IT HELP OR HINDER SMALL BUSINESS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment and 
Government Programs held a hearing on Would an Increase in the Federal 
Minimum Wage Help or Hinder Small Business? Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
THE CAPE TOWN TREATY AND THE COMMERCIAL AVIATION MANPADS DEFENSE ACT; 
OVERSIGHT--THE CAPE TOWN TREATY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 
4226, The Cape Town Treaty Implementation Act of 2004; and H.R. 4056, 
Commercial Aviation MANPADS Defense Act of 2004.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on 
The Cape Town Treaty. Testimony was heard from Karan K. Bhatia, 
Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs, Department of 
Transportation.
VETERANS LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Benefits held a hearing 
on the following measures: H.R. 348, Prisoners of War Benefits Act of 
2003; H.R. 843, Injured Veterans Benefits Eligibility Act of 2003; H.R. 
1735, To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum 
amount of a home loan guarantee available to a veteran; H.R. 2206, 
Prisoner of War/Missing in Action National Memorial Act; H.R. 2612, 
Veterans Adapted Housing Expansion Act of 2003; H.R. 4065, Veterans 
Housing Affordability Act of 2004; H.R. 3936, To amend title 38, United 
States Code, to authorize the principal office of the United States 
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to be at any location in the 
Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, rather than only in the District 
of Columbia, and expressing the sense of Congress that a dedicated 
Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center should be provided for that 
Court and those it serves and should be located, if feasible, at a site 
owned by the United States that is part of or proximate to the Pentagon 
Reservation; H.R. 4172, to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
codify certain additional diseases as establishing a presumption of 
service-connection when occurring in veterans exposed to ionizing 
radiation during active military, naval, or air service; H.R. 4173, To 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to contract for a report on 
employment placement, retention, and advancement of recently separated 
servicemembers; and a measure to create an open period for certain 
active duty servicemembers to elect to participate in the program of 
basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Calvert, Michaud, Ginny Brown-Waite of 
Florida, Davis of California and Reyes; Kenneth B. Kramer, Chief Judge, 
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; Robert Epley, Associate 
Deputy

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Under Secretary, Policy and Program Management, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; William Carr, Acting 
Deputy Under Secretary, Military Personnel Policy, Department of 
Defense; and representatives of veterans organizations.
SSI PROGRAM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on the Supplemental Security Income Program. Testimony was 
heard from Jo Anne B. Barnhart, Commissioner, SSA.
TRADE WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA; AFOA ACCELERATION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
trade with sub-Saharan Africa and H.R. 4103, AGOA Acceleration Act of 
2004. Testimony was heard from Representative Royce; and public 
witnesses.