[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 97 (Wednesday, July 14, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D767-D769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the following 
appropriations for fiscal year 2005: Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education and Related Agencies; and the District of Columbia.
VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
Reform approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 4496, 
Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act.
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY FUTURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Radio Frequency 
Identification (REID) Technology: What the Future Holds for Commerce, 
Security, and the Consumer.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENAS--E-RATE PROGRAM INVESTIGATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations approved a motion authorizing the issuance of a subpoena 
ad testificandum to each of the following individuals: William Holman; 
Judy Green; George Marchelos; and Thomas J. Burger, in connection with 
its investigation of the E-Rate Program.
MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING DISTRIBUTORS AND CONSUMER CHOICE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Competition and Consumer 
Choice in the MVPD Marketplace--Including an Examination of Proposals 
to Expand Consumer Choice, Such as A La Carte and Themed-Tiered 
Offerings.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
USDA'S EXPANDED CATTLE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Government Reform and the Committee on Agriculture: held a 
joint hearing entitled ``A Review of USDA's Expanded BSE Cattle 
Surveillance Program.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the USDA: Ann M. Veneman, Secretary; and Phyllis K. Fong, 
Inspector General; and public witnesses.
IMPROVING IG FUNCTIONALITY AND INDEPENDENCE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Efficiency 
and Financial Management held a hearing entitled ``Improving IG 
Functionality and Independence--A Review of Legislative Ideas.'' 
Testimony was heard from Gaston L. Gianni, Jr., Inspector General, 
FDIC; Barry R. Snyder, Inspector General, Federal Reserve Board, 
Federal Reserve System; and J. Russell George, Inspector General, 
Corporation for National and Community Service.
HEALTH INFORMATICS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held a hearing 
entitled ``Health Informatics: What is the Prescription for Success in 
Intergovernmental Information Sharing

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and Emergency Response?'' Testimony was heard from Karen S. Evans, 
Administrator, E-Government and Information Technology, OMB; David A. 
Power, Director, Information Technology Management Issues, GAO; Claire 
V. Broome, M.D., Senior Advisor to the Director for Integrated Health 
Information Systems, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
Department of Health and Human Services; former Speaker of the House of 
Representatives Newt Gingrich of Georgia; and public witnesses.
ISLAM IN ASIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Islam in Asia. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MARRIAGE PROTECTION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 3313, 
Marriage Protection Act of 2003.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Res. 431, Honoring the achievements of Siegfried and Roy, recognizing 
the impact of their efforts on the conservation of endangered species 
both domestically and worldwide, and wishing Roy Horn a full and speedy 
recovery; H.R. 1630, amended, Petrified Forest National Park Expansion 
Act of 2003; H.R. 2129, amended, Taunton, Massachusetts Special 
Resources Study Act; H.R. 2400, To amend the Organic Act of Guam for 
the purposes of clarifying the local judicial structure of Guam; H.R. 
2457, amended, Castillo De San Marcos National Monument Preservation 
and Education Act; H.R. 2960, To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water 
recycling and desalinization project; H.R. 3056, amended, To clarify 
the boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coast Barrier Resources System 
Cedar Keys Unit P25 on Otherwise Protected Area P25P; H.R. 3257, 
amended, Western Reserve Heritage Area Study Act; H.R. 3334, amended, 
Riverside-Corona Feeder Authorization Act; H.R. 3427, amended, Craig 
Recreation Land Purchase Act; H.R. 3479, amended, Brown Tree Snake 
Control and Eradication Act of 2003; H.R. 3589, amended, To create the 
Office of Chief Financial Officer of the Government of the Virgin 
Islands; H.R. 3597, amended, To authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a feasibility 
study on the Alder Creek water storage and conservation project in El 
Dorado County, California; H.R. 3954, amended, Rancho El Cajon Boundary 
Reconciliation Act; H.R. 4010, National Geologic Mapping 
Reauthorization Act of 2004; H.R. 4027, amended, To authorize the 
Secretary of Commerce to make available to the University of Miami 
property under the administrative jurisdiction of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration on Virginia Key, Florida, for use by the 
University for a Marine Life Science Center; H.R. 4045, amended, To 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a feasibility study 
with respect to the Mokelumne River; H.R. 4170, amended, Department of 
the Interior Volunteer Recruitment Act of 2004; H.R. 4459, Llagas 
Reclamation Groundwater Remediation Initiative; H.R. 4481, amended, 
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Boundary Adjustment Act of 2004; 
H.R. 4492, amended, To amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands 
Management Act of 1966 to extend the authorization for certain national 
heritage areas; H.R. 4494, amended, Grey Towers National Historic Site 
Act of 2004; H.R. 4508, To amend the National Parks and Recreation Act 
of 1978 to require the Secretary to permit continued use and occupancy 
of certain privately owned cabins in the Mineral King Valley in the 
Sequoia National Park; H.R. 4606, amended, Southern California 
Groundwater Remediation Act; H.R. 4617, amended, To amend the Small 
Tracts Act to facilitate the exchange of small tracts of land; H.R. 
4625, Soda Ash Royalty Reduction Act of 2004; S. 943, To authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to enter into 1 or more contracts with the 
city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the storage of the city's water in the 
Kendrick Project, Wyoming; S. 1003, To clarify the intent of Congress 
with respect to the continued use of established commercial outfitter 
hunting camps on the Salmon River; S. 1537, To direct the Secretary of 
Agriculture to convey to the New Hope Cemetery Association certain land 
in the State of Arkansas for use as a cemetery; S. 1576, Harpers Ferry 
National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2003; and S. 1721, 
American Indian Probate Reform Act of 2003.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2005
  Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing 
1 hour of general debate on H.R. 4818, making appropriations for 
foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, equally divided and 
controlled by 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 authorizes the Chair to

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accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their 
amendments in the Congressional Record. Finally, the rule provides 
one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
TRADE FAIRNESS
  Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on Trade Fairness: How 
We Can Make Our Trade Laws Work for America's Small Businesses, 
including discussion of H.R. 3716, to amend title VII of the Tariff 
Act of 1930 to provide that the provisions relating to 
countervailing duties apply to nonmarket countries. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives English and Davis of Alabama; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--IN-LINE EXPLOSIVE DETECTION SYSTEMS
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on In-Line Explosive Detection 
Systems: Financing and Deployment. Testimony was heard from Randy 
Null, Acting Assistant Administrator, Aviation Operations, 
Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland 
Security; and public witnesses.
U.S.-MOROCCO FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
  Committee on Ways and Means: Approved the draft implementing 
proposal on the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act.
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM--CRITICAL NEED FOR INTERROGATION
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on The Critical Need for Interrogation in 
the Global War on Terrorism. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.


                             Joint Meetings

COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2443, to authorize 
appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2004, and to amend 
various laws administered by the Coast Guard.
APPROPRIATIONS--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 4613, making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2005.