[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 17, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D498-D500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HIGH SCHOOL REFORM
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing entitled 
``High School Reform: Examining State and Local Efforts.'' Testimony 
was heard from the following Governors: W. Mitt Romney, Massachusetts; 
and Thomas Vilsack, Iowa.
EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH CARE
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing entitled ``Examining Pay-for-
Performance Measures and Other Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health 
Care.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DRUG TESTING PROGRAMS SUBVERSION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Subversion of Drug Testing 
Programs.'' Testimony was heard from Robert Cramer, Office of Special 
Investigations, GAO; Robert Stephenson, Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human 
Services; and public witnesses.
  In refusing to give testimony at this hearing, the following 
individuals: Dennis Catalano, President, Puck Technology; Michael 
Fichera, Health Choice of New York, Inc.; and Matt Stephens, President, 
Spectrum Labs, invoked Fifth Amendment privileges.
STATE AND LOCAL HOUSING FLEXIBILITY ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing on H.R. 1999, State and Local Housing 
Flexibility Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from Rudy Monteil, 
Executive Director, Housing Authority, Los Angeles, California; Renee 
Glover, Chief Executive Officer, Housing Authority, Atlanta, Georgia; 
Daniel Nackerman, Executive Director, Housing Authority, County of San 
Bernardino, California; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL FOOD INSPECTION PROGRAM; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and 
Agency Organization approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 994, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow 
Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums 
on a pretax basis

[[Page D499]]

and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums; H.R. 1283, 
To provide that transit pass transportation fringe benefits be made 
available to all qualified Federal employees in the National Capital 
Region; to allow passenger carriers which are owned or leased by the 
Government to be used to transport Government employees between their 
place of employment and mass transit facilities; and H.R. 1765, 
Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service Act of 
2005.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing entitled ``Question: What Is 
More Scrambled Than an Egg? Answer: the Federal Food Inspection 
Program.'' Testimony was heard from Robert A. Robinson, Managing 
Director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; Robert E. Brackett, 
Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA, Department 
of Health and Human Services; Merle Pierson, Acting Under Secretary, 
Food Safety, USDA; Jim Jones, Director, Pesticide Programs, EPA; and 
Richard V. Cano, Acting Director, Seafood Inspection Program, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
MIDDLE EAST--FOSTERING DEMOCRACY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``Fostering Democracy in the Middle East: Defeating Terrorism with 
Ballots?'' Testimony was heard from Mona Yacoubian, Special Adviser, 
Muslim World Initiative, United States Institute of Peace; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT IN CHINA
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held an oversight hearing on Intellectual 
Property Theft in China. Testimony was heard from Victoria Espinel, 
Acting Assistant, U.S. Trade for Intellectual Property; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT IN RUSSIA
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, Internet, and 
Intellectual Property also held an oversight hearing on Intellectual 
Property Theft in Russia. Testimony was heard from Victoria Espinel, 
Acting Assistant, U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property; 
and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FY 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
for the consideration of H.R. 1817, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2006 for the Department of Homeland Security, and for other 
purposes. The rule provides for one hour of general debate equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Homeland Security. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that in lieu of 
the amendments recommended by the Committees of Homeland Security, 
Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary now printed in the bill, the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part A of the Rules 
Committee report shall be considered as the original bill for the 
purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
printed in part A of the Rules Committee report.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in part B of 
the Rules Committee report, which may be offered only in the order 
printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in 
the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject to amendment or 
demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of 
the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against the amendments 
printed in part B of the Rules Committee report. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Cox, Representatives Shays, Souder, Ehlers, 
Manzullo, Kennedy of Minnesota, Wamp, Thompson of Mississippi, Loretta 
Sanchez of California, Markey, Lowey, Norton, Jackson-Lee of Texas, 
Meek of Florida, Oberstar, Costello, Slaughter, Engel, Waters, Eddie 
Bernice Johnson of Texas, Maloney, Menendez, Stupak, Cummings, Kennedy 
of Rhode Island, Ford, Inslee, McCarthy of New York, Reyes, Israel, 
Lynch, Ruppersberger, Barrow, and Higgins.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 50, 
amended, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act; H.R. 
2364, amended, to establish a Science and Technology Scholarship 
Program to award scholarships to recruit and prepare students for 
careers in the National Weather Service and in Administration marine 
research, atmospheric research and satellite programs; H.R. 426, 
amended, Remote Sensing Applications Act of 2005; and H.R. 1022, George 
E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act.

[[Page D500]]


SOCIAL SECURITY--PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on Protecting and Strengthening Social Security. Testimony was 
heard from Joanne B. Barnhart, Commissioner, SSA; Barbara D. Bovbjerg, 
Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
WTO's FUTURE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the Future of the World Trade Organization. Testimony was heard from 
Peter F. Allgeier, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative; and public 
witnesses.