[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 93 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D732-D734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies approved for full Committee 
action the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related 
Agencies appropriations for fiscal year 2005.
DOD TRADE OFFSETS IMPLICATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the economic, 
technology, vocational and skills implications of the Department of 
Defense trade offsets. Testimony was heard from Katherine V. Schinasi, 
Managing Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
FASB PROPOSALS ON STOCK OPTION EXPENSING
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``FASB Proposals on Stock 
Option Expensing.'' Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, 
Comptroller General, GAO; Robert H. Herz, Chairman, Financial 
Accounting Standards Board; and public witnesses.
UN's OIL FOR FOOD PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``United Nations Oil for Food 
Program.'' Testimony was heard from Representative Flake; Joseph A. 
Christoff, Director, International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
DIGESTIVE DISEASES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Assessing Digestive Diseases Research and Treatment 
Opportunities.'' Testimony was heard from Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., 
Director, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; POST 9/11 WORLD TELEWORK OPPORTUNITIES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 4380, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 4737 Mile Stretch Drive in Holiday, Florida, 
as the ``Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith Post Office Building;'' 
H.R. 4381, To designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 2811 Springdale Avenue in Springdale, Arkansas, as 
the ``Harvey and Bernice Jones Post Office Building;'' H.R. 4442, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
1050 North Hills Boulevard in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Guardians of 
Freedom Memorial Post Office Building'' and to authorize the 
installation of a plaque at such site; H.

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Res. 646, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
there should be established a National Community Health Center Week to 
raise awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, 
public housing, and homeless health centers; H. Res. 684, Honoring 
David Scott Tidmarsh, the 2004 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion; 
and H. Res. 702, Honoring former President Gerald R. Ford on the 
occasion of his 91st birthday and extending the best wishes of the 
House of Representatives to former President Ford and his family.
  The Committee also held a hearing entitled ``Beneficial or Critical? 
The Heightened Need for Telework Opportunities in the Post-9/11 
World.'' Testimony was heard from Kay Coles James, Director, OPM; 
Stephen A. Perry, Administrator, GSA; Pamela J. Gardiner, Acting 
Inspector General, Tax Administration, Department of the Treasury; 
Scott J. Cameron, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Performance, 
Accountability, and Human Resources, Department of the Interior; J. 
Christopher Mihm, Director, Strategic Issues, GAO; and a public 
witness.
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Human Rights and 
Wellness held a hearing entitled ``Trafficking in Persons: The Federal 
Government's Approach to Eradicate This Worldwide Problem.'' Testimony 
was heard from John Miller, Director, Office to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking in Persons, Department of State; Deborah Daniels, Assistant 
Attorney General, Office of Victims in Crimes, Office of Justice 
Programs, Department of Justice; Christopher Gersten, Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families, 
Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
FAMILY MOVIE ACT OF 2004
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 4586, Family Movie Act of 2004.
ENERGY AND MINERALS WORKFORCE
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Aging of the Energy and 
Minerals Workforce: A Crisis in the Making?'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and 
Public Lands approved for full Committee action the following bills: 
H.R. 1630, amended, Petrified Forest National Park Expansion Act of 
2003; H.R. 2457, amended, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument 
Preservation and Education Act; H.R. 3954, amended, Rancho El Cajon 
Boundary Reconciliation Act; and S. 1576, Harpers Ferry National 
Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2003.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 3391, amended, Provo 
River Project Transfer Act; H.R. 4459, Llagas Reclamation Groundwater 
Remediation Initiative; and H.R. 4606, Southern California Groundwater 
Remediation Act.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the following bills: S. 943, 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract with the city of 
Cheyenne, Wyoming, for storage of the city's water in the Kendrick 
Project, Wyoming; H.R. 4588, Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources 
Conservation and Improvement Act of 2004; and H.R. 4650, Witchita 
Project Equus Beds Division Authorization Act of 2004. Testimony was 
heard from Mark A. Limbaugh, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS 
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 1 
hour of general debate on H.R. 4766, making appropriations for 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, equally 
divided and controlled between the chairman and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill. Under the rules of the House the 
bill shall be read for amendment by paragraph. The rule waives points 
of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with 
clause 2 of rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations or 
legislative provisions in an appropriations bill), except as specified 
in the resolution. The rule provides that the amendment printed in the 
Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution may be offered only 
by a Member designated in the report and only at the appropriate point 
in the reading of the bill, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject 
to amendment. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment 
printed in the report. The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority 
in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their

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amendments in the Congressional Record. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Bonilla.
WATER SUPPLY, RELIABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified closed rule 
providing 1 hour of debate in the House on H.R. 2828, Water Supply, 
Reliability, and Environmental Improvement Act, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Resources. The rule waives all points of order against consideration 
of the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on Resources now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as adopted. The rule waives all points of 
order against the bill, as amended. The rule provides for consideration 
of the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution, if offered by 
Representative Calvert of California or his designee, which shall be 
considered as read, and shall be separately debatable for 20 minutes 
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. The 
rule waives all points of order against the amendment in the nature of 
a substitute printed in the report. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Pombo and Representative Calvert.
WORKFORCE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Tax, Finance and Exports 
held a hearing entitled ``H.R. 1818, Workforce Health Improvement 
Program Act of 2003: Healthy Employees; Healthy Bottom Line.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION AIR SPACE CONTROL
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on National Capitol Region Air Space 
Control: A Review of the Issues Surrounding the June 9, 2004 flight of 
``N24SP.'' Testimony was heard from Linda Schuessler, Vice President, 
System Operations Services, Air Traffic Organization, FAA, Department 
of Transportation; and Jonathan Fleming, Chief Operating Officer, 
Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland 
Security.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
784, Water Quality Investment Act of 2003; H.R. 4470, To amend the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the authorization of 
appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program 
from fiscal year 2005 to 2010; H.R. 4688, To amend the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Program; and 
H.R. 4731, To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to 
reauthorize the National Estuary Program. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Camp and Vitter; and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEDICAL FACILITIES MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2004
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Committee action H.R. 4768, Veterans Medical Facilities Management 
Act of 2004.
U.S.-AUSTRALIA FREE TRADE IMPLEMENTATION ACT; CUSTOMS BORDER SECURITY 
AND TRADE AGENCIES AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
4759, United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act; 
and H.R. 4418, amended, Customs Border Security and Trade Agencies 
Authorization Act of 2004.
STRENGTHENING HOMELAND SECURITY
Select Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled 
``Practice Makes Perfect: Strengthening Homeland Security by Exercising 
Terrorism Scenarios.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Homeland Security: C. Suzanne Mencer, Executive 
Director, Office of State and Local Government Coordination and 
Preparedness; and Corey D. Gruber, Associate Director, Office for 
Domestic Preparedness; Thomas O. Mefferd, Director, DuPage County 
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, State of 
Illinois; and Clark Kimerer, Deputy Chief of Operations, Seattle Police 
Department, State of Washington.