[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 28 (Thursday, March 10, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D220-D223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
METHYL BROMIDE USE EXEMPTION
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural 
Development and Research held a hearing to access the Methyl Bromide 
Critical Use Exemption (CUE) process under the Montreal Protocol. 
Testimony was heard from Claudia McMurray, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
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 the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer 
Services. Testimony was heard from Eric Bost, Under Secretary, Food, 
Nutrition and Consumer Services, USDA.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Navy/Marine Corps Posture. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Navy: Gordon R. England, Secretary; 
ADM. Vernon Clark, USN. Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen. Michael W. 
Hagee, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
Navy/Marine Corps Acquisition. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Navy: John J. Young, Assistant 
Secretary; and VADM Joseph A. Sestak, Jr., USN, Deputy Chief, Naval 
Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs (N6/N7); and BG William 
Catto, USMC, Commanding General, Marine Corps Systems Command.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Department of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on the Secretary of Education. Testimony was heard from 
Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies met in executive session to hold a 
hearing on Department of Energy-National Nuclear Security 
Administration. Testimony was heard from Linton F. Brooks, Under 
Secretary, Nuclear Security and Administrator, National Nuclear 
Security Administrator, Department of Energy.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on The Department of Homeland 
Security held a hearing on the U.S. Coast Guard. Testimony was heard 
from ADM Thomas Collin, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department 
of Homeland Security.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement. Testimony was heard from Michael Garcia, Secretary, 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on the National Endowment for the Arts. 
Testimony was heard from Dana Gioia, Chairman, National Endowment for 
the Arts.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the National Endowment for 
the Humanities. Testimony was heard from Bruce Cole, Chairman, National 
Endowment for the Humanities.
MILITARY QUALITY OF LIFE, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life, 
and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the 
European Command Gen. James L. Jones, Jr., USMC, Supreme Allied 
Commander, Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command, Department of 
Defense.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Pacific Command. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Navy: ADM William J. Fallon, USN, Commander, U.S.

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Pacific Command; and Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, Commander, Republic of 
Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, and Commander, U.S. Forces 
Korea.
DEPARTMENTS OF STATE, JUSTICE, AND COMMERCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Science, The Departments 
of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
NOAA. Testimony was heard from VADM. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN 
(Ret), Under Secretary, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Armed Services: Continued hearings on the Fiscal Year 2006 
National Defense Authorization budget request. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Donald R. 
Rumsfeld, Secretary; and GEN Richard B. Myers, USAF, Chairman, Joint 
Chiefs of Staff.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Armed Servcies: Subcommittee on Projection Forces held a 
hearing on the Fiscal Year 2006 National Defense Authorization budget 
request--The Navy's Future Fleet: Assessing the Strength of Today's 
Navy for Tomorrow. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of the Navy: John J. Young, Jr., Assistant Secretary, 
Research, Development and Acquisition; VADM Joseph A. Sestak, Jr., USN, 
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs; 
VADM Lewis W. Crenshaw, Jr., USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, 
Resources, Requirements and Assessments; LTG Robert Magnus, USMC, 
Deputy Commandant, Programs and Resources, U.S. Marine Corps; and LTG 
James N. Mattis, USMC, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat 
Development Command; and Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in National 
Defense, CRS, Library of Congress.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2006 
National Defense Authorization budget request--Defense Science and 
Technology in support of the War on Terrorism, and Beyond. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Ronald M. Sega, Director, Defense Research and Engineering; James A. 
Tegnelia, Director, Defense Threat Reduction Agency; Anthony J. Tether, 
Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; Thomas H. Killion, 
Assistant Secretary of the Army, Research and Technology; RADM Jay M. 
Cohen, USN, Chief of Naval Research; and James B. Engle, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Science, Technology and 
Engineering.
RECREATIONAL MARINE EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 2005
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Workforce 
Protections approved for full Committee action H.R. 940, Recreational 
Marine Employment Act of 2005.
STEROIDS IN SPORTS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection and the Subcommittee on Health held a joint hearing 
entitled ``Steroids in Sports: Cheating the System and Gambling Your 
Health.'' Testimony was heard from Representative Ryun (KS); and public 
witnesses.
YUCCA MOUNTAIN REPOSITORY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Funding Options for the Yucca 
Mountain Repository Program.'' Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Berkley and Porter; Theodore J. Garrish, Deputy Director, Office of 
Strategy and Program Development, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste 
Management, Department of Energy; and a public witness.
DIGITAL TV TRANSITION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Preparing Consumers for the 
End of the Digital Television Transition.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--RURAL HOUSING SERVICE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held an oversight hearing of the Rural Housing Service, 
including the Service's budget request for fiscal year 2006.'' 
Testimony was heard from Russell T. Davis, Administrator, Rural Housing 
Service, USDA; and William B. Shear, Director, GAO.
FANNIE MAE MORTGAGE REPURCHASES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Due Diligence in Mortgage 
Repurchases and Fannie: The First Beneficial Case.'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development: Kenneth M. Donohue, Sr., Inspector General; John P. 
Kennedy,

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Associate General Counsel, Office of Finance and Regulatory Compliance; 
and Alfred M. Pollard, General Counsel, Office of Federal Housing 
Enterprise; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 185, Program Assessment and Results Act; and S. 384, To 
extend the existence of the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial 
Government Records Interagency Working Group for 2 years.
DRUG CONTROL BUDGET
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``FY 2006 Drug 
Control Budget and the Byrne Grant, HIDTA, and Other Law Enforcement 
Programs: Are We Jeopardizing Federal, State and Local Cooperation?'' 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Justice: Tracy A. Henke, Associate Deputy Attorney General, Office of 
Justice Programs; and Catherine M. O'Neil, Associate Deputy Attorney 
General and Director of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces; 
John Horton, Associate Deputy Director, State and Local Affairs, Office 
of National Drug Control Policy; and public witnesses.
COMMITTEE FUNDING
Committee on House Administration: Met to consider funding requests for 
the following Committees: International Relations; Judiciary; Budget; 
Financial Services; Small Business; Rules; Agriculture; and Armed 
Services.
KOREAN PENINSULA: SIX PARTY TALKS AND THE NUCLEAR ISSUE
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on The Korean 
Peninsula: Six Party Talks and the Nuclear Issue. Testimony was heard 
from the following former officials of the Department of State: William 
J. Perry, Secretary of Defense; and James R. Lilley, Ambassador to the 
Republic of Korea.
TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations approved for full Committee 
action, as amended, the following measures: H.R. 972, Trafficking 
Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005; and H. Con. Res. 88, 
Remembering the victims of the genocide that occurred in 1994 in Rwanda 
and pledging to work to ensure that such an atrocity does not take 
place again.
INDONESIA IN TRANSITION
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific held a hearing on Indonesia in Transition: Recent Developments 
and Implications for U.S. Policy. Testimony was heard from Marie 
Huhtala, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific 
Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
ELIMINATING TERRORIST SANCTUARIES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism and Nonproliferation held a hearing on Eliminating Terrorist 
Sanctuaries: The Role of Security Assistance. Testimony was heard from 
William P. Pope, Acting Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for 
Counterterrorism, Department of State; and RADM Hamlin B. Tallent, USN, 
Director of Operations, U.S. European Command, Department of Defense.
OVERSIGHT--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE--CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights 
Division: A Review of the Civil Rights Division for the Purpose of the 
Reauthorization of the U.S. Department of Justice. Testimony was heard 
from Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights 
Division, Department of Justice.
OVERSIGHT--INTERIOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims held an oversight hearing entitled ``Interior 
Immigration Enforcement Resources.'' Testimony was heard from Paul 
Martin, Deputy Inspector General, Department of Justice; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INTERIOR BUDGET FY 2006--ENERGY AND MINERAL PROGRAMS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Interior Budget for FY 2006 in 
Energy and Mineral Programs.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Interior: Johnnie Burton, Director, 
Minerals Management Service; Jeff Jarret, Director, Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; Charles G. Groat, Director, U.S. 
Geological Survey; and Jim Hughes, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land 
Management.
OVERSIGHT--FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND NOAA BUDGET REQUEST FY 2006
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held an 
oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year

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2006 Budget Request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and NOAA. 
Testimony was heard from VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., (Ret.), 
Under Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA, Department of Commerce; 
and Steven A. Williams, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior.
OVERSIGHT--AGENCY BUDGET BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held an oversight hearing on Agency Budgets 
and Priorities for Fiscal Year 2006, with emphasis on U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, the TVA, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Saint 
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Testimony was heard from from 
the following officials of the Department of the Army: John Paul 
Woodley, Jr., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (Civil Works); and 
LTG Carl A. Strock, USA, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; Glenn L. McCullough, Jr., Chairman, TVA; Albert S. Jacquez, 
Administrator, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, 
Department of Transportation; and a public witness.
BUDGET BRIEFING AND HEARING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
continue hearings on the Budget. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.
  Prior to the hearing, the Committee met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on the Budget. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
MIDDLE EAST DEMOCRACY
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
On Wednesday, March 9, 2005, Commission concluded a hearing to examine 
the Russian-Syrian connection and threats to democracy in the Middle 
East and the great OSCE region, after receiving testimony from Senator 
Sam Brownback; Representatives Christopher H. Smith and Benjamin L. 
Cardin; Walid Phares, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, on 
behalf of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; Farid N. 
Ghadry, Reform Party of Syria, Ilan Berman, American Foreign Policy 
Council, and Steven Emerson, The Investigative Project, all of 
Washington, D.C.; and Entifadh K. Qanbar, United Iraqi Alliance, 
Baghdad, Iraq.
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATIONS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine 
legislative presentations of certain veterans organizations, after 
receiving testimony from Robert N. Lichtenberger, Military Order of the 
Purple Heart, Springfield, Virginia; Randy L. Pleva, Sr., Paralyzed 
Veterans of America, Louis Abramson, Jewish War Veterans, and Neil 
Appleby, Blinded Veterans Association, all of Washington, D.C.; and H. 
Gene Overstreet, Non-Commissioned Officers Association, San Antonio, 
Texas.