[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 105 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D859-D860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
PERFORMANCE OF U.S. MILITARY SERVICEMEMBERS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the performance of U.S. 
military servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: COL Michael 
Linnington, USA, Former Brigade Commander, and CPT Patrick Costello, 
USA, Former ADA, both with the 101st Airborne Division; LTC Bryan P. 
McCoy, USMC, Former Commander, and CPT Morgan Savage, USMC, Former 
Company Commander, both with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment; 
and LTC Jeffrey A. Springman, USA, Former Commander, 3-29 Field 
Artillery Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK AND CURRENT FISCAL ISSUES
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on The Economic Outlook and 
Current Fiscal Issues. Testimony was heard from Alan Greenspan, 
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System.
UPDATE OF THE BUDGET AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Update of the Budget and 
Economic Outlook. Testimony was heard from Douglas J. Holtz-Eakin, 
Director, CBO.
``LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN A DIGITAL AGE''
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Law Enforcement Access to 
Communications Systems in a Digital Age.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Justice: Laura Parsky, Deputy 
Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division; and Marcus Thomas, 
Deputy Assistant Director, Investigative Technologies Division, FBI; 
Julius P. Knapp, Deputy Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology, 
FCC; and public witnesses.
``PROTECTING OUR FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE: PREPARATION AND VIGILANCE''
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Protecting 
our Financial Infrastructure: Preparation and Vigilance.'' Testimony 
was heard from Mark W. Olson, member, Board of Governors, Federal 
Reserve System; Wayne Abernathy, Assistant Secretary, Financial 
Institutions, Department of the

[[Page D860]]

Treasury; Robert Liscouski, Assistant Secretary, Infrastructure 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
``TRUTH REVEALED: NEW SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES REGARDING MERCURY IN 
MEDICINE AND AUTISM''
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Human Rights and 
Wellness held a hearing entitled ``Truth Revealed: New Scientific 
Discoveries Regarding Mercury in Medicine and Autism.'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: William Egan, Acting Director, Office of Vaccines 
Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, FDA; 
and Melinda Wharton, M.D., Acting Deputy Director, National 
Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and 
public witnesses.
``ASSESSING SEPTEMBER 11TH HEALTH CARE EFFECTS''
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``Assessing September 11th Health Care Effects.'' Testimony was heard 
from John Howard, M.D., Director, National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
Department of Health and Human Services; the following officials of the 
GAO: Janet Heinrich, Director, Health Care-Public Health Issues; and 
Robert Robertson, Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security; 
and public witnesses.
PROJECT SAFECOM
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Technology, Information 
Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census held a hearing 
entitled ``Project SAFECOM: More Time. More Money. More Communication? 
What Progress Have We Made in Achieving Interoperable Communication 
Between Local, State, and Federal First Responders?'' Testimony was 
heard from William O. Jenkins, Jr., Director, Homeland Security and 
Justice Issues, GAO; the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: David Boyd, SAFECOM Program Manager, Wireless Public 
Safety Interoperable Communications Program, Science and Technology 
Directorate; and Timothy L. Beres, Associate Director, State and Local 
Program Management Division, Office of State and Local Government 
Coordination and Preparedness; John Muleta, Chief, Wireless Bureau, 
FCC; Tom Worden, Chief, Telecommunications Branch, Office of Emergency 
Services, State of California; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
4571, amended, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004; H.R. 1787, amended, 
Good Samaritan Volunteer Firefighter Assistance Act of 2003; H.R. 1084, 
amended, Volunteer Pilot Organization Protection Act; H.R. 3369, 
Nonprofit Athletic Organization Protection Act of 2003; H.R. 3369, 
Nonprofit Athletic Organization Protection Act of 2003; H.R. 4661, 
amended, Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act of 2004; H.R. 4077, 
amended, Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2004; H.R. 1775, To 
amend title 36, United States Code, to designate the oak tree as the 
national tree of the United States; and H.R. 4319, amended, Title 46 
Codification Act of 2004.
BRIEFING--FAY REPORT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on the Fay Report. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.