[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 21, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D817-D820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE SYSTEM
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing to review the Federal Crop Insurance 
System. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the USDA: 
Keith Collins, Chairman, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation; and Ross 
Davidson, Administrator, Risk Management Agency.
ARMY TRANSFORMATION
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on Army Transformation: 
Implications for the Future, II. Testimony was heard from GEN Peter J. 
Schoomaker, USA, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army.
SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on Small Business Innovation and Technology. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Ordered reported, as amended, 
H.R. 4496, Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act.
METHYL BROMIDE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Methyl Bromide: Update on Achieving 
the Requirements of the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol.'' 
Testimony was heard from Claudia McMurray, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs, Department of State; Jeffrey R. Holmstead, 
Assistant Administrator, Air and Radiation, EPA; the following 
officials of the USDA: Rodney J. Brown, Deputy Under Secretary, 
Research, Education and Economics; and Burleson Smith, Director, Pest 
Management Policy; and public witnesses.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``The Digital Television 
Transition: What We Can Learn from Berlin.'' Testimony was heard from 
Mark Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
MONETARY POLICY AND THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on Monetary Policy and 
the State of the Economy. Testimony was heard from Alan Greenspan, 
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System.
``SHELL GAMES: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTING FOR OIL AND GAS 
RESERVES''
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Shell Games: 
Corporate Governance and Accounting for Oil and Gas Reserves.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 2449, amended, Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission 
Act; H.R. 2528, amended, Hudson-Fulton-Champlain 400th Commemoration 
Commission Act of 2003; H.R. 4324, To amend title 5, United States 
Code, to eliminate the provisions limiting certain election 
opportunities available to individuals participating in the Thrift 
Savings Plan; H.R. 4556, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 1115 South Clinton Avenue in Dunn, North 
Carolina, as the ``General William Carey Lee Post Office Building;'' 
H.R. 4618, To designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 10 West Prospect Street in Nanuet, New York, as the 
``Anthony I. Lombardi Memorial Post Office Building;'' H.R. 4632, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
19504 Linden Boulevard in St. Albans, New York, as the ``Archie Spigner 
Post Office Building;'' H.R. 4657, District of Columbia Retirement 
Protection Improvement Act of 2004; S. 2415, to designate the facility 
of the

[[Page D818]]

United States Postal Service located at 4141 Postmark Drive, Anchorage, 
Alaska as the Robert J. Opinsky Post Office Building;'' H. Res. 695, 
Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to the 
family and friends of Mattie Stepanek on his passing, and honoring the 
life of Mattie Stepanek for his braveness, generosity of spirit, and 
efforts to raise awareness of muscular dystrophy; and H. Res. 717, 
Honoring former President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of 
his 58th birthday.
CIO'S ROLE IN IT INVESTMENT OVERSIGHT AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held a hearing 
entitled ``Where's the CIO? The Role, Responsibility and Challenge for 
Federal Chief Information Officers in IT Investment Oversight and 
Information Management.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the OMB: Clay Johnson, III, Deputy Director, Management; 
and Karen Evans, Administrator, Office of E-Government and Information 
Technology; David Powner, Director, Information Technology Management 
Issues; Kimberly Nelson, Assistant Administrator, Environmental 
Information, and Chief Information Officer, EPA; Steven Cooper, Chief 
Information Officer, Department of Homeland Security; Vance Hitch, 
Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Information Resources Management and 
Chief Information Officer, Department of Justice; Ira Hobbs, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Information Systems and Chief Information Officer, 
Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
HIV/AIDS IN ASIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on HIV/AIDS in Asia. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following measures: H. 
Res. 700, adversely, as amended, Directing the Attorney General to 
transmit to the House of Representatives documents in the possession of 
the Attorney General relating to the treatment of prisoners and 
detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay; H.R. 4646, amended, 
To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for the holding of 
Federal district court in Plattsburgh, New York; H.R. 112, To amend 
title 28, United States Code, to provide for an additional place of 
holding court in the District of Columbia; and H.R. 4586, amended, 
Family Movie Act of 2004.
OVERSIGHT--ADMINISTRATION OF LARGE BUSINESS BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on the Administration of 
Large Business Bankruptcy Reorganizations: Has Competition for Big 
Cases Corrupted the Bankruptcy System? Testimony was heard from Roberta 
A. DeAngelis, Acting United States Trustee--Region 3, Executive Office 
for United States Trustees, U.S. Trustee Program, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; GUAM WAR CLAIMS COMMISSION REPORT
Committee on Resources: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 1662, Sound Science for Endangered Species Act Planning Act 
of 2003; and H.R. 2933, Critical Habitat Reform Act of 2003.
  The Committee also held an oversight hearing on the Guam War Claims 
Commission Report. Testimony was heard from David Cohen, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; 
Mauricio J. Tamargo, Chairman, Guam War Claims Review Commission, 
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, Department of Justice; Kaleo 
Moylan, Lt. Gov., Guam; and former Delegate Ben Garrido Blaz, Guam.
MARRIAGE PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by a vote of 7 to 3, a 
closed rule providing ninety minutes of debate on H.R. 3313, Marriage 
Protection Act of 2004, in the House equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the 
Judiciary. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in 
the bill shall be considered as adopted. The rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representatives Stearns, Nadler and Jackson-
Lee of Texas.
CONFERENCE REPORT--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 
2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 4613, making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2005, and against its consideration. The rule provides 
that the conference report shall be considered as read. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Lewis of California and Murtha.

[[Page D819]]


U.S.-MOROCCO FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing 2 
hours of debate in the House on H.R. 4842, United States-Morocco Free 
Trade Agreement Implementation Act, equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and 
Means. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the 
bill. The rule provides that pursuant to section 151(f)(2) of the Trade 
Act of 1974, the previous question shall be considered as ordered on 
the bill to final passage without intervening motion. Section 2 of the 
resolution provides that during consideration of the bill, 
notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may 
postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the 
Speaker. Testimony w as heard from Representative English.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION REPORTED BY RULES COMMITTEE 
PROVIDING EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY PROGRAMS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a resolution waiving clause 
6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on 
the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any special rule reported on the legislative day of July 22, 
2004, providing for consideration of a bill to provide an extension of 
highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other 
programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a 
law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION REPORTED BY RULES COMMITTEE 
PROVIDING CONSIDERATION OF A CONFERENCE REPORT ACCOMPANYING IRC 
AMENDMENTS--ACCELERATE INCREASE IN REFUNDABILITY OF CHILD TAX CREDIT
Committee on Rules: Committee granted, by voice vote, a resolution 
waiving clause 6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to 
consider a rule on the same day it is reported from the Rules 
Committee) against certain resolutions reported from the Rules 
Committee. The rule applies the waiver to any special rule reported on 
the legislative day of July 22, 2004, providing for consideration or 
disposition of a conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 1308) to 
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to accelerate the increase in 
the refundability of the child tax credit, and for other purposes.
CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Cybersecurity Education--
Meeting the Needs of Technology Workers and Employers. Testimony was 
heard from 2LT David Aparicio, USAF, Electrical Engineer, Air Force 
Research Laboratory Information Directorate, Department of the Air 
Force; and public witnesses.
TAX INCENTIVES FOR HOMELAND SECURITY RELATED EXPENSES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, 
Agriculture and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Tax Incentives for 
Homeland Security Related Expenses.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following bills: H.R. 784, amended, Water Quality Investment Act of 
2003; H.R. 4470, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Act to extend the 
authorization of appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin 
Restoration Program; H.R. 4688, To amend the Federal Water Pollution 
Control Act to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Program; H.R. 4731, To 
amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the 
National Estuary Program; and H.R. 4794, To amend the Tijuana River 
Valley Estuary and Beach Sewage Cleanup Act to extend the authorization 
of appropriations.
  The Committee also approved the following: GSA Investment and Leasing 
Program resolutions; and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Survey 
resolutions.
VETERANS' LEGISLATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 4768, amended, Veterans Medical Facilities Management Act of 2004; 
H.R. 4658, amended, Servicemembers Legal Protection Act of 2004; H.R. 
1318, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in 
Sunnyside, Queens, New York, as the ``Thomas P. Noonan, Jr., Department 
of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic;'' and H.R. 4836, to name the 
Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Amarillo, Texas, as 
the ``Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.''
THIRD PARTY COLLECTIONS PROGRAMS--PATIENT FINANCIAL SERVICES SYSTEM 
IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the VA's progress in its third party 
collections program and

[[Page D820]]

implementation of the Patient Financial Services System. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: Michael L. Staley, Assistant Inspector General, Auditing; 
Robert N. McFarland, Assistant Secretary, Office of Information and 
Technology; Kenneth Ruyle, Chief Business Officer, Veterans Health 
Administration; and Ken Ray, VISN 8 Chief Financial Officer; the 
following officials of the GAO: Cynthia A. Bascetta, Director, Health 
Care--Veterans' Health and Benefits Issues; and McCoy Williams, 
Director, Financial Management and Assurance Team; and public 
witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER PRIVACY AND IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION ACT
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 2971, 
Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 
2004.
BRIEFING--COUNTERNARCOTICS: LATIN AMERICA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Human 
Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive session 
to receive a Briefing: Counternarcotics: Latin America and Southeast 
Asia. The Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
CAUCASUS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission met to receive a briefing on the current state of religious 
freedom in the Caucasus due to recent events in Azerbaijan, Armenia and 
Georgia from Paul Crego, Cataloging Specialist, Library of Congress; 
Eric Rassbach, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Washington, D.C.; 
Andre Carbonneau, Jehovah's Witnesses, Montreal, Canada.