[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 12, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D492-D494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative held a hearing 
on the Library of Congress; the Architect of the Capitol; and the 
Capitol Visitor Center. Testimony was heard from James H. Billington, 
The Librarian of Congress; and Alan M. Hantman, Architect of the 
Capitol.
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury 
and Independent Agencies held a hearing on Election Assistance 
Commission. Testimony was heard from Deforest B. Soaries, Chairman, 
Election Assistance Commission.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Armed Services: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
4323, To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide rapid 
acquisition authority to the Secretary of Defense to respond to combat 
emergencies; H.R. 4322, To provide for the establishment of the 
headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security in the District of 
Columbia, to require the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over 
the Nebraska Avenue Naval Complex; and H.R. 4200, amended, National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005.
COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on H.R. 4283, 
College Access and Opportunity Act of 2004. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
DIGITAL MEDIA CONSUMERS' RIGHTS ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on H.R. 107, Digital Media 
Consumers' Rights Act of 2003. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Boucher and Doolittle; and public witnesses.
NIH ETHICS CONCERNS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``NIH Ethics Concerns: 
Consulting Arrangements and Outside Awards.'' Testimony was heard from 
Elias Zerhouni, M.D., Director, NIH, Department of Health and Human 
Services; and the following officials of the National Academy of 
Sciences: Bruce Alberts, President; and Norman R. Augustine, Co-Chair, 
Blue Ribbon Panel on Conflict of Interest Policies.
STOCK OPTION ACCOUNTING REFORM ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises approved for full 
Committee action, as amended, H.R. 3574, Stock Option Accounting Reform 
Act.
COMMUNITY-BASED BANKS REGULATORY RELIEF
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``Cutting Through the Red 
Tape: Regulatory Relief for America's Community-Based Banks.'' 
Testimony was heard from Wayne A. Abernathy, Assistant Secretary, 
Financial Institutions, Department of the Treasury; John M. Reich, Vice 
Chairman, FDIC; and public witnesses.
DC CIVIL COMMITMENT MODERNIZATION ACT; POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND 
ENHANCEMENT ACT; PAPERWORK AND REGULATORY IMPROVEMENTS ACT
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 4302, District of Columbia Civil Commitment 
Modernization Act of 2004;

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and H. Res. 612, amended, Recognizing and honoring the firefighters, 
police, public servants, civilians, and private businesses who 
responded to the devastating fire in Richmond, Virginia, on March 26, 
2004; H.R. 4341, Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act; and H.R. 
2432, amended, Paperwork and Regulatory Improvements Act of 2003.
EXPLORING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES--KASHMIR AND DISPUTED TERRITORIES
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Human Rights and 
Wellness held a hearing entitled ``Decades of Terror: Exploring Human 
Rights Abuses in Kashmir and the Disputed Territories.'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of State: Michael 
Kozak, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights and Labor; and Don Camp, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
South Asian Affairs; and public witnesses.
UN CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on The United 
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Testimony was heard from 
William H. Taft, IV, Legal Advisor, Department of State; ADM Michael G. 
Mullen, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Department of the Navy; 
and public witnesses.
UKRAINE'S FUTURE AND U.S. INTERESTS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe held a 
hearing on Ukraine's Future and United States Interests. Testimony was 
heard from Steven Pifer, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European 
and Eurasian Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia approved for full Committee action, as amended, the 
following measures: H. Con. Res. 319, Expressing the grave concern of 
Congress regarding the continuing repression of the religious freedom 
and human rights of the Iranian Baha i community by the Government of 
Iran; H. Con. Res. 363, Expressing the grave concern of Congress 
regarding the continuing gross violations of human rights and civil 
liberties of the Syrian people by the Government of the Syrian Arab 
Republic; H. Res. 615, Expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives in support of full membership of Israel in the Western 
European and Others Group (WEOG) at the United Nations; and H. Res. 
617, Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization 
for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD).
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Con. Res. 414, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of 
Education; H.R. 3754, amended, Fraudulent Online Identity Sanctions 
Act; H.R. 1731, amended, Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act; S. 
1301, amended, Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2003; and H.R. 1678, 
amended, Anti-Hoax Terrorism Act of 2003.
  The Committee began markup of H.R. 2179, Securities Fraud Deterrence 
and Investor Restitution Act of 2003.
  The Committee also approved private relief bills.
OVERSIGHT--REORGANIZATION OF TRUST MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on the current 
reorganization of trust management at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and 
the Office of the Special Trustee. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Interior: Aurene Martin, 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; and Ross O. 
Swimmer, Special Trustee for American Indians; and public witnesses.
ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on H.R. 4107, Assistance to 
Firefighters Grant Reauthorization Act of 2004. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Pascrell; the following officials of the Department 
of Homeland Security: R. David Paulison, Administrator, U.S. Fire 
Administration, Emergency and Preparedness Response Directorate; and 
Andrew Mitchell, Deputy Director, Office of Domestic Preparedness, 
Border and Transportation Security Directorate; and public witnesses.
WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Women's 
Entrepreneurship: Successes and Challenges.'' Testimony was heard from 
Melanie Sabelhaus, Deputy Administrator, SBA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following: a Fiscal Year 2005 Capital Investment and Leasing Program 
resolution; H.R. 3428, To designate a portion of the United States 
courthouse located at 2100 Jamieson Avenue, in Alexandria, Virginia, as 
the ``Justin W. Williams United States Attorney's Building''; H.R. 
3734, To designate the Federal building at Fifth and Richardson Avenues 
in Roswell, New Mexico, as the ``Joe Skeen Federal Building''; H.R. 
3742, To designate

[[Page D494]]

the United States courthouse and post office building located at 93 
Atocha Street in Ponce, Puerto Rico, as the ``Luis A. Ferre United 
States Courthouse and Post Office Building''; H.R. 3884, To designate 
the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 615 East 
Houston Street in San Antonio, Texas, as the ``Hipolito F. Garcia 
Federal Building and United States Courthouse''; H.R. 4056, amended, 
Commercial Aviation MANPADS Defense Act of 2004; H.R. 4226, amended, 
Cape Town Treaty Implementation Act of 2004; H.R. 4251, amended, 
Maritime Transportation Amendments of 2004; a resolution on National 
Transportation Week; and H. Con. Res. 420, Applauding the men and women 
who keep America moving and recognizing National Transportation Week.
BRIEFING ON IRAQI PRISONER SITUATION UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Iraqi Prisoner Situation Update. The Committee 
was briefed by departmental witnesses.
ALIGNING CIA HUMINT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Human 
Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive session 
to hold a hearing on Aligning CIA HUMINT. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S PROGRESS IN ENHANCING SECURITY
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Infrastructure 
and Border Security held a hearing entitled ``The Transportation 
Security Administration's Progress in Enhancing Security.'' Testimony 
was heard from Stephen J. McHale, Deputy Administrator, Transportation 
Security Administrator, Department of Homeland Security.