[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 16, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D132-D134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; OVERSIGHT PLAN; BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Agriculture: Met for organizational purposes.
  The Committee approved the following: an Oversight Plan for the 109th 
Congress; and Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2006 for 
submission to the Committee on the Budget.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Secretary of Agriculture. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Force Protection. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Benjamin P. Riley 
III, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary (Protection) and Chairman, 
Combating Terrorism Technology Task Force; LTG. David F. Melcher, USA, 
Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of the Army; and LTG. James N. 
Mattis, USMC, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat and Development 
Command and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development, HQMC.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Programs held a hearing on Secretary of State. 
Testimony was heard from Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the 
Social Security Administration. Testimony was heard from Jo Anne B. 
Barnhart, Commissioner of Social Security.
MILITARY QUALITY OF LIFE, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Quality of 
Life. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Sgt. Major, Kenneth O. Preston, USA; Master 
Chief Petty Officer, Terry D. Scott, USN; Sgt. Major John L. Estrada, 
USMC; and Chief Master Sgt. Gerald R. Murray, USAF.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the Fiscal Year 2006 
National Defense budget request. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary; 
and GEN Richard B. Myers, USAF, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  Hearings continue tomorrow.
HOMELAND SECURITY NEEDS
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on National and Homeland 
Security: Meeting the Needs. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
JOB TRAINING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2005
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Began mark up of H.R. 27, Job 
Training Improvement Act of 2005.
  Will continue tomorrow.
SPY ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and 
Consumer Protection approved for full Committee action, as amended, 
H.R. 29, Spy Act.
ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality continued hearings entitled ``Energy Policy Act of 2005: 
Ensuring Jobs for Our Future with Secure and Reliable Energy.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
``TERRORIST RESPONSE TO IMPROVED U.S. FINANCIAL DEFENSES''
Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Terrorist Responses to 
Improved U.S. Financial Defenses.'' Testimony was heard from Juan C. 
Zarate, Assistant Secretary, Terrorist Financing, Department of the 
Treasury; and public witnesses.
SAFE DRUG ABUSE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy, and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Is There Such a 
Thing as Safe Drug Abuse?'' Testimony was heard

[[Page D133]]

from Peter L. Beilenson, M.D., Commissioner, Department of Health, 
Baltimore, Maryland; and public witnesses.
OMB MANAGEMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Finance, and Accountability held a hearing entitled ``Improving 
Internal Controls--A Review of Changes to OMB Circular A-123.'' 
Testimony was heard from Christopher B. Burnham, Acting Under 
Secretary, Management, Assistant Secretary, Resource Management, and 
Chief Financial Officer, Department of State; John P. Higgins, Jr., 
Inspector General, Department of Education; Otto J. Wolff, Chief 
Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary, Administration, Department 
of Commerce; and Jeffrey C. Steinhoff, Managing Director, Financial 
Management and Assurance, GAO.
DHS--BUILDING INFORMATION ANALYSIS CAPABILITY
Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment held a hearing 
entitled: ``The Proposed Fiscal Year 2006: Building the Information 
Analysis Capability of DHS.'' Testimony was heard from Patrick Hughes, 
Acting Under Secretary, Information Analysis and Infrastructure 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD IRAN: NEXT STEPS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on United States 
Policy Toward Iran: Next Steps. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
COMMEMORATIVE RESOLUTION; TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe and 
Emerging Threats approved for full Committee action H. Res. 108, 
Commemorating the life of the late Zurab Zhvania, Prime Minister of the 
Republic of Georgia.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on An Overview of Transatlantic 
Relations Prior to President Bush's Visit to Europe. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
IRAN STATE-SPONSORED TERROR
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia and the Subcommittee on International Terrorism and 
Nonproliferation held a joint hearing on Iran: A Quarter-Century of 
State-Sponsored Terror. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INDIAN TRUST FUND LAWSUIT STATUS
Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on the Status of the 
Indian Trust Fund Lawsuit, Cobell v. Norton. Testimony was heard from 
Jim Cason, Acting Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, Department of 
the Interior; and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--PAPER INDUSTRY ENERGY COSTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
and the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held a joint 
oversight hearing on the Impact of High Energy Costs on the 
Competitiveness of America's Pulp and Paper Industry. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
FEDERAL R&D BUDGET OVERVIEW
Committee on Science: Held a hearing An Overview of the Federal R&D 
Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. Testimony was heard from John Marburger 
III, Director, Office of Science and Technology; Samuel Bodman, 
Secretary of Energy; Arden Bement Director, NSF; Charles McQueary, 
Under Secretary, Science and Technology, Department of Homeland 
Security; and Theodore Kassinger, Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES; OVERSIGHT PLAN
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Approved the following: 
Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2006 for submission to the 
Committee on the Budget; and an Oversight Plan for the 109th Congress.
OVERSIGHT--AGENCIES BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES FISCAL YEAR 2006: EPA AND 
NOAA
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources held an oversight hearing on the following Agency Budgets and 
Priorities for Fiscal Year 2006: EPA; and the NOAA. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the EPA: Benjamin H. Grumbles, 
Assistant Administrator, Water; and Thomas P. Dunne, Deputy Assistant 
Administrator, Solid Waste and Emergency Response; and Richard W. 
Spinrad, Assistant Administrator, National Ocean Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. Testimony was heard from 
R. James

[[Page D134]]

Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans 
organizations; and public witnesses.
THREATS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
continue hearings on Threats. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.