[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 20, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D800-D802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
IRAQ SURVEY GROUP
Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to receive 
a briefing regarding the activities of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) in 
Iraq from Major General Keith W. Dayton, USA, former Commander of the 
ISG.
COMMITTEE MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nominations of Juan Carlos Zarate, of 
California, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Stuart Levey, 
of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement, and 
Carin M. Barth, of Texas, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development.
MONETARY POLICY REPORT
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded 
an oversight hearing to examine the Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report 
of the

[[Page D801]]

Federal Reserve, after receiving testimony from Alan Greenspan, 
Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine S. 2590, to provide a conservation royalty from 
Outer Continental Shelf revenues to establish the Coastal Impact 
Assistance Program, to provide assistance to States under the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, to ensure adequate funding for 
conserving and restoring wildlife, to assist local governments in 
improving local park and recreation systems, after receiving testimony 
from P. Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, 
Management, and Budget; Scott A. Angelle, Louisiana Department of 
Natural Resources, Baton Rouge; Charles Jordan, Conservation Fund, 
Portland, Oregon; and John Baughman, International Association of Fish 
and Wildlife Agencies, Henry L. Diamond, Americans for Our Heritage and 
Recreation, Nancie G. Marzulla, Defenders of Property Rights, and 
Daniel M. Clifton, Americans for Tax Reform, all of Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Finance: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S. 2677, to implement the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement;
  H.R. 982, to clarify the tax treatment of bonds and other obligations 
issued by the Government of American Samoa; and
  The nominations of Patrick P. O'Carroll, Jr., of Maryland, to be 
Inspector General, Social Security Administration, and Paul Jones, of 
Colorado, and Charles L. Kolbe, of Iowa, both to be Members of the 
Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board, and Timothy S. Bitsberger, of 
Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary, all of the Department of 
the Treasury.
MIDDLE EAST ROAD MAP TO PEACE
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine detours and disengagements regarding the Israeli-Palestinian 
peace process, focusing on world-wide terrorist recruitment efforts, 
the economic impact of the infitada, Israel's plan for unilateral 
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, after receiving testimony from David M. 
Satterfield, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near 
Eastern Affairs; and Dennis Ross, Washington Institute for Near East 
Policy, Abdel Monem Said Aly, Brookings Institution, and Aaron David 
Miller, Seeds of Peace, all of Washington, D.C.
FEDERAL WORKFORCE
Committee on Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of 
Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of 
Columbia concluded a hearing to examine governmentwide workforce 
flexibilities available to federal agencies, focusing on those enacted 
in the Homeland Security Act, specifically their implementation, use by 
agencies, and training and education related to using the new 
flexibilities, after receiving testimony from Clay Johnson III, Deputy 
Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget; Dan G. Blair, 
Deputy Director, Office of Personnel Management; J. Christopher Mihm, 
Managing Director, Strategic Issues, Government Accountability Office; 
Ed Sontag, Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for 
Administration and Management; Joanne W. Simms, Deputy Assistant 
Attorney General for Human Resources and Administration, and Chief 
Human Capital Officer, Department of Justice; and Vicki A. Novak, 
Assistant Administrator for Human Resources, and Chief Human Capital 
Officer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Subcommittee on 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services concluded a hearing to 
examine performance and outcome measurement in substance abuse and 
mental health programs, focusing on the mission of the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration to build resilience and 
facilitate recovery, after receiving testimony from Charles G. Curie, 
Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services; A. Thomas 
McLellan, Treatment Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 
Howard H. Goldman, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 
Baltimore; Gary Q. Tester, Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug 
Addiction Services, Columbus; and Marsha Medalie, Riverside Community 
Care, Dedham, Massachusetts.
NEZ PERCE-SNAKE RIVER WATER RIGHTS ACT
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
S. 2605, to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the heads of other 
Federal agencies to carry out an agreement resolving major issues 
relating to the adjudication of water rights in the Snake River Basin, 
Idaho, after receiving testimony from Senator Craig; Michael D. Olsen, 
Counselor to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian 
Affairs; Anthony D. Johnson, Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, 
Lapwai, Idaho; Michael Bogert, Office of Idaho Governor Kempthorne, 
Boise; Roger D.

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Ling, Ling, Robinson, and Walker, Rupert, Idaho, on behalf of the 
Federal Claims Coalition Upper Snake River Water Users; and James S. 
Riley, Intermountain Forest Association, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following business items:
  S.J. Res. 4, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States authorizing Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the 
flag of the United States;
  S. Res. 401, designating the week of November 7 through November 13, 
2004, as ``National Veterans Awareness Week'' to emphasize the need to 
develop educational programs regarding the contributions of veterans to 
the country;
  S. Con. Res. 109, commending the United States Institute of Peace on 
the occasion of its 20th anniversary and recognizing the Institute for 
its contribution to international conflict resolution;
  S. Res. 404, designating August 9, 2004, as ``Smokey Bear's 60th 
Anniversary'';
  S. Res. 407, designating October 15, 2004, as ``National Mammography 
Day''; and
  The nominations of David W. McKeague, of Michigan, to be United 
States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, Richard A. Griffin, of 
Michigan, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, 
Virginia Maria Hernandez Covington, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of Florida, Michael H. Schneider, Sr., of 
Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of 
Texas, and Robert Clark Corrente, of Rhode Island, to be United States 
Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported 
the following business items:
  S. 1153, to amend title 38, United States Code, to permit medicare-
eligible veterans to receive an out-patient medication benefit, to 
provide that certain veterans who receive such benefit are not 
otherwise eligible for medical care and services from the Department of 
Veterans Affairs;
  S. 2483, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2004, the rates of 
compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the 
rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of 
certain disabled veterans;
  S. 2484, to amend title 38, United States Code, to simplify and 
improve pay provisions for physicians and dentists, to authorize 
alternate work schedules and executive pay for nurses, with amendments;
  S. 2485, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and 
enhance the authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating 
to the management and disposal of real property and facilities, with 
amendments; and
  S. 2486, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve and 
enhance education, housing, employment, medical, and other benefits for 
veterans and to improve and extend certain authorities relating to the 
administration or benefits for veterans, with amendments.
INTELLIGENCE REFORM
  Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine reform and reorganization of the intelligence community of 
the United States, focusing on the report of the 9/11 Commission, 
and prospective legislation to create a Director of National 
Intelligence, after receiving testimony from Senator Feinstein; and 
Lieutenant General William E. Odom, USA (Ret.), Hudson Institute, 
John J. Hamre, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and 
James R. Woolsey, Booz Allen Hamilton, all of Washington, D.C.