[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D424-D426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Department of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies continue 
appropriation hearings. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RETIREE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing on Challenges to Employer Efforts to 
Preserve Retiree Health Care Benefits. Testimony was heard from Leslie 
Silverman, Commissioner, EEOC; and public witnesses.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Dominican Republic-Central 
America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Testimony was heard from Regina 
L. Vargo, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Americas; and 
public witnesses.
COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing 
entitled ``Combating Trafficking in Persons: Status Report on Domestic 
and International Developments.'' Testimony was heard from John Miller, 
Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.

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RE-EXAMINATION--FEDERAL AGENCIES' CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Who's 
Watching the COOP? A Re-Examination of Federal Agencies' Continuity of 
Operations Plans.'' Testimony was heard from Reynold N. Hoover, 
Director, Office of National Security Coordination, FEMA, Department of 
Homeland Security; Marta Brito Perez, Associate Director, OPM; Linda 
Koontz, Director, Information Management, GAO; and public witnesses.
NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``The Role of Nuclear Power Generation in a 
Comprehensive National Energy Policy.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
NORTH KOREAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific and the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and 
International Operations held a joint hearing on The North Korean Human 
Rights Act of 2004: Issues and Implementation. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of State: Joseph E. DeTrani, 
Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks; Arthur E. Dewey, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and Gretchen 
A. Birkle, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; and public witnesses.
NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW CONFERENCE
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism and Nonproliferation held a hearing on Previewing the Nuclear 
Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference. Testimony was heard from 
Stephen G. Rademaker, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
U.N. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on The Role of BNP-Paribas SA (Banque 
National de Paris) in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
PATENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property continued oversight hearings entitled ``Committee 
Print Regarding Patent Quality Improvement,'' (Part 2). Testimony was 
heard from Jon W. Dudas, Under Secretary, Intellectual Property and 
Director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--USA PATRIOT ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held an oversight hearing on the Implementation of 
the USA PATRIOT Act: Sections of the Act that Address Foreign 
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) (Part 2)--Section 206: Roving 
Surveillance Authority Under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 
of 1978; and Section 215: Access to Records and Other Items Under the 
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Testimony was heard from James 
A. Baker, Counsel, Intelligence Policy, Department of Justice; Kenneth 
L. Wainstein, Interim U.S. Attorney, District of Columbia; Robert S. 
Khuzami, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York; 
and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--USA PATRIOT ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held an oversight hearing on the Implementation of 
the USA PATRIOT Act: Section 218, Foreign Intelligence Information 
(``The Wall''). Testimony was heard from Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. 
Attorney, Northern District of Illinois, Department of Justice; and 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--AMERICA'S MINING INDUSTRY
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing entitled ``Improving the Competitiveness of 
America's Mining Industry.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 
2006
  Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all 
points of order against the conference report on H. Con. Res. 95, 
establishing the congressional budget for the United States 
Government for fiscal year 2006, revising appropriate budgetary 
levels for fiscal year 2005, and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
levels for fiscal years 2007 through 2010, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. The rule provides one hour of debate in the 
House equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Budget. Section 2 of the 
resolution establishes a separate order for the 109th Congress 
creating a point of order in the Committee of the Whole against a 
motion to rise and report a general appropriations bill if the bill,

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as amended, is found in breach of its 302(b) allocation. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Nussle.
NASA EARTH SCIENCE
  Committee on Science: Held a hearing on NASA Earth Science. 
Testimony was heard from Alphonso V. Diaz, Associate Administrator, 
Science Mission Directorate, NASA; and public witnesses.
REDUCE UNNECESSARY REGULATORY BURDEN ON MANUFACTURERS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing on the Administration's Program To Reduce 
Unnecessary Regulatory Burden on Manufacturers--A Promise To Be Kept? 
Testimony was heard from John D. Graham, Administrator, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB; Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy, SBA; Stephanie Daigle, Acting Associate 
Administrator, Policy, Economics, and Innovation, EPA; Veronica Vargas 
Stidvent, Assistant Secretary, Policy, Department of Labor; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NEW TECHNOLOGIES--RAIL SAFETY AND SECURITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held an oversight hearing on New Technologies for Rail Safety 
and Security. Testimony was heard from Jo Strang, Deputy Associate 
Administrator, Railroad Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 
Department of Transportation; Bob Chipkevich, Director, Railroads, 
Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Investigation Department, National 
Transportation Safety Board; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE ACTIVITY UPDATE; BRIEFING ON GLOBAL 
UPDATES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a Briefing on Oversight Subcommittee Activity Update. Testimony 
was heard from departmental witnesses.
  The Committee also met in executive session to receive a Briefing on 
Global Updates. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
MEDICAL LIABILITY REFORM
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
medical liability reform, after receiving testimony from Mark B. 
McClellan, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services.
CONCURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H. Con. Res. 95, establishing 
the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal 
year 2006, revising appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2005, 
and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2007 
through 2010.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 1268, making emergency supplemental 
appropriations for defense, the global war on terror, and tsunami 
relief, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, but did not 
complete action thereon, and recessed subject to the call.