[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 11, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D479-D482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Subcommittee on 
Forestry, Conservation, and Rural Revitalization concluded an oversight 
hearing to examine the implementation conservation programs of the 2002 
Farm Bill, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program 
(EQIP), the Ground and Surface Water Conservation Program, the Wetlands 
Reserve Program, the Grassland Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat 
Incentives Program, and the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, 
after receiving testimony from Bruce I. Knight, Chief, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, and James R. Little, Administrator, 
Farm Service Agency, both of the Department of Agriculture; Al 
Christopherson, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Pennock, on behalf of the 
American Farm Bureau Federation; John K. Hansen, Nebraska Farmers 
Union, Lincoln, on behalf of the National Farmers Union; Bill Wilson, 
Haskell County Conservation District, Kinta, Oklahoma, on behalf of the 
National Association of Conservation Districts; Gordon Gallup, Idaho 
Grain Producers, Ririe, on behalf of the National Association of Wheat 
Growers,

[[Page D480]]

and other organizations; Jeffrey W. Nelson, Ducks Unlimited, Bismarck, 
North Dakota, on behalf of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, 
and other organizations; David Petty, Eldora, Iowa, on behalf of the 
National Cattlemen's Beef Association; and Francis Thicke, Fairfield, 
Iowa, on behalf of the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
IRAQI PRISONERS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee resumed hearings to examine 
allegations of mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, receiving testimony 
from Major General Antonio M. Taguba, USA, Deputy Commanding General 
for Support, Coalition Forces Land Component Command; Lieutenant 
General Lance L. Smith, USAF, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command; 
Stephen A. Cambone, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence; 
Lieutenant General Keith B. Alexander, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, 
U.S. Army; Major General Ronald L. Burgess, Jr., USA, Director for 
Intelligence, J-2, The Joint Staff; and Major General Thomas J. Romig, 
USA, Judge Advocate General.
SMOKING IN MOVIES
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the impact of smoking in the movies on children, 
focusing on tobacco litigation and the 1998 Master Settlement 
Agreement, after receiving testimony from Maryland State Attorney 
General J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Baltimore; Jack Valenti, Motion Picture 
Association of America, Washington, D.C.; Madeline A. Dalton, Dartmouth 
Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire; LeVar Burton, Directors Guild 
of America, Los Angeles, California; Stanton Glantz, University of 
California School of Medicine, San Francisco; and C. Steven Yerrid, 
Bank of America, Tampa, Florida.
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the impacts and costs of the 2003 fire season, 
focusing on the problems faced last year and what problems agencies and 
the land they oversee may face next season, including aerial fire 
fighting assests and crew, and overhead availability, after receiving 
testimony from Mark Rey, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural 
Resources and Environment; and P. Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary of 
the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget.
AIDS AND HUNGER
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the deadly intersection of AIDS and hunger, focusing on 
overseeing international food assistance and the implementation of the 
United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria 
Act of 2003, after receiving testimony from James T. Morris, Executive 
Director, World Food Program, United Nations, New York, New York; 
Randall L. Tobias, Global AIDS Coordinator, Department of State; and 
Andrew S. Natsios, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International 
Development.
DIPLOMA MILLS
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Committee held a hearing to examine 
allegations relevant to the issuance of bogus degrees, focusing on tax 
payer dollars subsidizing diploma mills, and the development of a 
government-wide policy to identify and discourage the use of bogus 
degrees, receiving testimony from Representative Tom Davis; Robert J. 
Cramer, Managing Director, and Paul DeSaulniers, Senior Special Agent, 
both of the Office of Special Investigations, General Accounting 
Office; Alan Contreras, Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of 
Degree Authorization, Eugene; and Laurie Gerald, Aliso Viejo, 
California.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Subcommittee on 
Aging held a hearing to examine breakthroughs in Alzheimer's Disease 
(AD) research, focusing on risk factors for developing AD, developing 
safe, effective preventions and treatments for AD, and ``The Maintain 
Your Brain'' campaign, receiving testimony from Richard J. Hodes, 
Director, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 
Department of Health and Human Services; John C. Morris, Washington 
University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Peter V. Rabins, 
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and 
Stephen McConnell, Alzheimer's Association, Washington, D.C.
  Hearing recessed subject to the call of the chair.
BIO-TERRORISM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and 
Homeland Security concluded a hearing to examine rapid bio-terrorism 
detection and response, focusing on point-of-care diagnostic devices, 
forensic work, emergency room facilities, and the medical care system's 
capability and capacity to respond to future terrorist attacks in the 
United States, after receiving testimony from Paul S. Keim, Northern 
Arizona University, Flagstaff, and Jeffrey Trent, Phoenix, Arizona, 
both of the Translational Genomics Research Institute; Harvey W. 
Meislin, University of Arizona Health Science Center, Tucson; and David 
A. Relman, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.

[[Page D481]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Measures Introduced: 13 public bills, H.R. 4322-4340; and 4 
resolutions, H. Con. Res. 420, and H. Res. 636-638, were introduced. 
                                                         Pages H2814-15
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H2815-16
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 3879, to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal 
year 2005, to amend various laws administered by the Coast Guard, 
amended (H. Rept. 108-482);
  H. Res. 637, providing for consideration of H.R. 4275, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the 10-percent 
individual income tax rate bracket (H. Rept. 108-483); and
  H. Res. 638, providing for consideration of H.R. 4279, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the disposition of unused 
health benefits in cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements; 
for consideration of H.R. 4280, to improve patient access to health 
care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the 
excessive burden the liability system places on the health care 
delivery system; and for consideration of H.R. 4281, to amend title I 
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to improve 
access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with respect 
to medical care for their employees (H. Rept. 108-484).
Pages H2814
Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed 
Representative Pence to act as Speaker Pro Tempore for today. 
                                                             Page H2735
Recess: The House recessed at 1:11 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2739
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures:
Tomochichi United States Courthouse Designation Act: H.R. 2523, to 
designate the United States courthouse located at 125 Bull Street in 
Savannah, Georgia, as the ``Tomochichi United States Courthouse''; 
                                                         Pages H2741-42
  Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the D.C. Special 
Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run: H. Con. Res. 389, authorizing the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for the D.C. Special Olympics Law 
Enforcement Torch Run;
  Page H2743
  Mary Ann Collura Post Office Building Redesignation Act: H.R. 3939, 
to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 14-24 Abbott Road in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, as the ``Mary Ann 
Collura Post Office Building'';
  Pages H2746-49
  Dr. Miguel A. Nevarez Post Office Building Designation Act: H.R. 
4299, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 410 South Jackson Road in Edinburg, Texas, as the ``Dr. 
Miguel A. Nevarez Post Office Building'', by a yea-and-nay vote of 405 
yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 153;
  Pages H2749-51, H2774-75
  Supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day: H. 
Res. 622, supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial 
Day, by a yea-and-nay vote of 404 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll 
No. 154;
  Pages H2751-52, H2775
  Recognizing and honoring the tenth anniversary of Vietnam Human 
Rights Day: H. Res. 613, recognizing and honoring the tenth anniversary 
of Vietnam Human Rights Day; and
  Pages H2752-55
  Recognizing 50 years of relations between the United States 
Government and the European Union: H. Res. 577, amended, recognizing 50 
years of relations between the United States Government and the 
European Union, by a yea-and-nay vote of 397 yeas to 7 nays, Roll No. 
155.
  Pages H2758-61, H2775-76
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House postponed further 
proceedings on the following measures which were debated today under 
suspension of the rules:
  Sense of the House regarding the military postal system: H. Res. 608, 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
Department of Defense should rectify deficiencies in the military 
postal system to ensure that members of the Armed Forces stationed 
overseas are able to receive and send mail in a timely manner as well 
as receive and send election ballots in time to be counted in the 2004 
elections;
  Pages H2743-46
  Recognizing the contributions of people of Indian origin to the 
United States: H. Con. Res. 352, recognizing the contributions of 
people of Indian origin to the United States and the benefits of 
working together with India towards promoting peace, prosperity, and 
freedom among all countries of the world;
  Pages H2755-57
  Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to 
release Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly: H. Con. Res. 378, amended, 
calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of

[[Page D482]]

Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Father Thaddeus 
Nguyen Van Ly;
  Pages H2761-65
  Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act 
of 1944: H.J. Res. 91, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the 
Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944; and
  Pages H2766-69
  Recognizing those who contributed to the war effort during World War 
II and celebrating the completion of the National World War II 
Memorial: H. Con. Res. 409, recognizing with humble gratitude the more 
than 16,000,000 veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces 
during World War II and the Americans who supported the war effort on 
the home front and celebrating the completion of the National World War 
II Memorial on the National Mall in the District of Columbia. 
                                                         Pages H2769-74
Recess: The House recessed at 5:55 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m. 
                                                             Page H2774
Budget Resolution for FY 2005--Motion to Instruct Conferees: 
Representative Pomeroy announced his intention to offer a motion to 
instruct conferees on S. Con. Res. 95, original concurrent resolution 
setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government 
for fiscal year 2005 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for 
fiscal years 2006 through 2009.
  Page H2776
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004--Motion to Instruct 
Conferees: Representative George Miller (CA) announced his intention to 
offer a motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 2660, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2004.
  Page H2783
Presidential Message: Read a letter from the President wherein he 
transmitted notification of his issuance of an Executive Order 
declaring a national emergency with respect to the Government of 
Syria--referred to the Committee on International Relations (H. Doc. 
108-184).
  Pages H2776-77
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes developed during the 
proceedings of today and appear on pages H2774-75, H2775, and H2775-76. 
There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 12:30 p.m and adjourned at 11:48 p.m.