[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 84 (Thursday, June 17, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D640-D642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
IRAQI SECURITY FORCES
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on training of Iraqi 
security forces. Testimony was heard

[[Page D641]]

from LTG David H. Petraeus, USA, Chief, Office of Security Transition--
Iraq. Department of Defense.
U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE--IMPACT OF DEFENSE TRADE OFFSETS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the impact of defense 
trade offsets on the U.S. defense industrial base. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
SAFEGUARD AGAINST PRIVACY INVASIONS ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 2929, Safeguard Against Privacy Invasions Act.
E-RATE PROGRAM PROBLEMS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Problems with the E-rate 
Program: Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Concerns in the Wiring of Our Nation's 
Schools to the Internet.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the FCC: H. Walker Feaster III, Inspector General; Carol 
E. Mattey, Deputy Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau; and Jane E. Mago, 
Chief, Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis; the following 
officials of the Commonwealth of Puerto: Manuel Diaz Saldana, 
Comptroller; and Cesar A. Rey Hernandez, Secretary, Department of 
Education
U.S.-EU REGULATORY DIALOGUE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing 
entitled, ``The U.S.-EU Regulatory Dialogue: The Private Sector 
Perspective.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
WAR AGAINST DRUGS AND THUGS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``The War 
Against Drugs and Thugs: A Status Report on Plan Colombia Successes and 
Remaining Challenges.'' Testimony was heard from John P. Walters, 
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy; the following 
officials of the Department of State: Roger F. Noriega, Assistant 
Secretary, Western Hemisphere Affairs; and Robert B. Charles, Assistant 
Secretary, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Thomas W. O'Connell, 
Assistant Secretary, Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict; and 
GEN James T. Hill, USA, Commander, U.S. Southern Command; Karen P. 
Tandy, Administrator, DEA, Department of Justice; Luis Alberto Moreno, 
Ambassador to the United States, Republic of Colombia; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION--HELP AMERICAN VOTE ACT 
IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on House Administration: Held an oversight hearing on the 
Election Assistance Commission and Implementation of the Help America 
Vote Act. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Election Assistance Commission: DeForest B. Soaries, Jr., Chairman; 
Gracia Hillman, Vice Chair; Paul DeGregorio and Ray Martinez, both 
Commissioners.
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS; EGYPT-U.S. ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
Committee on International Relations: Favorably considered and adopted 
a motion urging the Chairman to request that the following measures be 
considered on the Suspension Calendar: H. Res. 642, amended, House 
Commission for Assisting Democratic Parliaments Resolution; and H. Con. 
Res. 410, Recognizing the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the 
Constitution of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and recognizing 
the Marshall Islands as a staunch ally of the United States, committed 
to principles of democracy and freedom for the Pacific region and 
throughout the world.
  The Committee also held a hearing on ``United States Economic 
Assistance to Egypt: Does It Advance Reform?'' Testimony was heard from 
David B. Gootnick, Director, International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe approved 
for full Committee action the following measures: H. Con. Res. 415, 
Urging the Government of Ukraine to ensure a democratic, transparent, 
and fair election process for the presidential election on October 31, 
2004; and H. Res. 652, Urging the Government of the Republic of Belarus 
to ensure a democratic, transparent, and fair election process for its 
parliamentary elections in the fall of 2004.
FAMILY MOVIE ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held a hearing H.R. 4586, Family Movie Act of 
2004. Testimony was heard from Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights, 
Library of Congress; and public witnesses.

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OVERSIGHT--DETRIMENTAL IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION BACKLOG
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims held an oversight hearing entitled ``Families and 
Businesses in Limbo: The Detrimental Impact of the Immigration 
Backlog.'' Testimony was heard from Eduardo Aguirre, Director, Bureau 
of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland 
Security.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3102, To utilize the expertise 
of New Mexico State University, the University of Arizona, and Northern 
Arizona University in conducting studies under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 in connection with grazing allotments 
and range and continuing range analysis for National Forest System 
lands in New Mexico and Arizona; H.R. 3427, Craig Recreation Land 
Purchase Act; H.R. 4494, Grey Towers National Historic Site Act of 
2004; and S. 2003, To clarify the intent of Congress with respect to 
the continued use of established commercial outfitter hunting camps on 
the Salmon River. Testimony was heard from Representative Sherwood; 
Mark Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, USDA; and 
public witnesses.
EXAMINE RULE X--ORGANIZATION OF COMMITTEES
Committee on Rules: Subcommittee on Technology and the House concluded 
hearings to examine Rule X, the Organization of Committees, including 
its current legislative impact, arrangement, and effectiveness. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Goss, Sensenbrenner, 
Goodlatte, Stenholm, Barton of Texas, Dingell, Manzullo, Young of 
Alaska and Oberstar.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S ENFORCEMENT AGAINST SMALL BUSINESSES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing on Department of Labor's Enforcement Against 
Small Businesses. Testimony was heard from Robert Varnell, Deputy 
Solicitor, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
DVA--EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE AND MISMANAGEMENT IN 
PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on efforts to identify 
and eliminate fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in programs 
administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: 
Gordon H. Mansfield, Deputy Secretary; and Richard J. Griffin, 
Inspector General; McCoy Williams, Director, Financial Management and 
Assurance Team, GAO.
HEALTH CARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Health Care Information Technology. Testimony was heard from David 
Brailer, M.D., National Health Information Technology Coordinator, 
Department of Health and Human Services; Robert M. Kolodner, M.D., 
Acting Chief Health Informatics Officer and Deputy Chief Information 
Officer for Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public 
witnesses.
FAILURE TO PROTECT CHILD SAFETY
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Human Resources held a 
hearing on Failure to Protect Child Safety. Testimony was heard from 
Christopher J. McCabe, Secretary, Department of Human Resources, State 
of Maryland; the following officials of the City of Baltimore: Floyd 
Blair, Interim Director, Department of Social Services; and Peter 
Beilenson, M.D., Commissioner of Health; and a public witness.
CUSTOMS BUDGET AUTHORIZATIONS AND OTHER CUSTOMS ISSUES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
Customs Budget Authorizations and Other Customs Issues. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland 
Security: Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection; and Michael J. Garcia, Assistant Secretary, U.S. 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--COUNTERNARCOTICS: AFGHANISTAN
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Human 
Intelligence, Analysis, and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Counternarcotics: Afghanistan. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy and National Security met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Intelligence Update. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.