[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D644-D646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREIGN OPERATIONS/ TRANSPORTATION-TREASURY-HUD APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL 
YEAR 2006; SUBALLOCATIONS OF BUDGET ALLOCATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the following 
appropriations for Fiscal Year 2006: the Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Programs; and the Departments of Transportation, 
Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of 
Columbia, and Independent Agencies.
  The Committee also approved revised 302(b) Suballocations of Budget 
Allocations for Fiscal Year 2006.
MARINE CORPS FORCE PROTECTION
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing to review Marine Corps 
force protection. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the U.S. Marine Corps, Department of the Navy: GEN William L. Nyland, 
USMC, Assistant Commandant; and BG William D. Catto, USMC, Commanding 
General, Marine Corps Systems Command.
U.N. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The United Nations Oil-For-
Food Program: A Review of the 661 Sanctions Committee.'' Testimony was 
heard from Thomas A. Schweich, Chief of Staff, United States Mission to 
the United Nations, Department of State.
FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Authorizing the 
President's Vision: Making Permanent The Faith-Based and Community 
Initiative--H.R. 1054, Tools for Community Initiatives Act.'' Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Green of Wisconsin and Scott of 
Virginia; David Kuo, former Deputy Director of the White House Faith-
Based Initiative; Bobby Polito, former Director, Center for Faith-Based 
Community Initiatives, Department of Health and Human Services; and 
public witnesses.
IRAG RECONSTRUCTION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``The Development Fund for Irag: U.S. Management of Irag Oil Proceeds 
and Compliance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1483.'' Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., Special Inspector General, Irag Reconstruction; 
William Reed, Director, Defense Contract Audit Agency; COL Emmett H. Du 
Bose, Jr., Deputy Commander and Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Department of the Army; Joseph A. Benkert, Defense 
Reconstruction Support Office, Office of the Secretary; David Norquist, 
Under Deputy Secretary (Financial Management); and public witnesses.
OPEN-SOURCE INFORMATION--EFFECTIVE USE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment held a hearing 
entitled ``Using Open-Source Information Effectively.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
NUCLEAR MATERIAL DETECTION TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear 
and Biological Attack and the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Science, and Technology held a joint hearing entitled ``Detecting 
Nuclear Weapons and Radiological Materials: How Effective Is Available 
Technology?'' Testimony was heard from Gene Aloise, Director, Natural 
Resources and Environment, GAO; Vayl Oxford, Acting Director, Domestic 
Nuclear Detection Office, Department of Homeland Security; Michael K. 
Evenson, Acting Director, Combat Support Directorate, DTRA, Department 
of Defense; David Huizenga, Assistant Deputy Administrator, 
International Materials Protection and Cooperation, National Nuclear 
Security Administration, Department of Energy; Richard L. Wagner, Jr., 
Senior Staff Member, Los Alamos National Laboratory; and Bethann 
Ronney, Manager, Port Security, Port Authority of New York and New 
Jersey; and a public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe and 
Emerging Threats approved for full Committee action the following 
measures: H. Res. 326, amended, Calling on free and fair parliamentary 
elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan; H. Res. 328, amended, 
Recognizing the 25th anniversary of the workers' strikes in Poland in 
1980 that led to the

[[Page D645]]

establishment of the Solidarity Trade Union; and H. Con. Res. 155, 
Urging the Government of the Republic of Albania to ensure that the 
parliamentary elections to be held on July 3, 2005, are conducted in 
accordance with international standards for free and fair elections.
BRIEFING--MIDDLE EAST DEMOCRACY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia held a briefing on Democracy in the Middle East: 
Toward an Inter-Arab Democratic Charter. The Subcommittee was briefed 
by A. A. El-Eryani, former Prime Minister of Yemen.
OVERSIGHT--MUSIC LICENSING REFORM; FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held an oversight hearing on Copyright Office 
Views on Music Licensing Reform. Testimony was heard from Marybeth 
Peters, Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on H.R. 1229, Federal Consent 
Decree Fairness Act. Testimony was heard from Representative Blunt; 
David Goetz, Commissioner, Department of Finance and Administration, 
State of Tennessee; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT AND EMPLOYER SANCTIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims held an oversight hearing on the Lack of Worksite 
Enforcement and Employer Sanctions. Testimony was heard from Richard M. 
Stana, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
1 hour of general debate on H.R. 2985, making appropriations for the 
Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, to be 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points 
of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the 
bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives points of order 
against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations or legislative 
provisions in an appropriations bill). The rule makes in order only 
those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the 
resolution. The rule provides that the amendments printed in the report 
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, shall not be subject 
to amendment, and shall not be subject to a 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 the report. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Jo Ann Davis of 
Virginia, Flake, Baird and Tierney.
VETERAN'S ACCESS TO CAPITAL
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing on Veteran's Access to Capital. Testimony was 
heard from Bill Elmore, Associate Administrator, Office of Veterans 
Business Development, SBA; Patrica Kerr, Veterans Ombudsman, State of 
Missouri; and public witnesses.
UNION SALTING
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, 
and Government Programs held a hearing entitled ``Union Salting--
Organizing Against Small Business.'' Testimony was heard from 
Representative King of Iowa; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--DEEPWATER IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on 
Deepwater Implementation. Testimony was heard from VADM Thad W. Allen, 
USCG, Chief of Staff, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland 
Security.
OVERSIGHT--JUDICIARY'S SPACE NEEDS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held an 
oversight hearing on The Judiciary's Ability to Pay for Current and 
Future Space Needs. Testimony was heard from Mark Goldstein, Director, 
Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO; F. Joseph Moravec, Commissioner, 
Public Buildings Service, GSA; the following officials of the Judicial 
Conference of the United States: Jane R. Roth, Judge, U.S. Court of 
Appeals, Third Circuit, Chairman Security and Facilities; and Leonidas 
Ralph Mecham, Director, Administrative Office of the United States 
Courts, Secretary to the Judicial Conference.

[[Page D646]]


VETERANS MEDICAL CARE REVENUE ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2005
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations approved for full Committee action H.R. 2988, Veterans 
Medical Care Revenue Enhancement Act of 2005.
SOCIAL SECURITY--PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued 
hearings on Protecting and Strengthening Social Security. Testimony was 
heard from Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, CBO; and public witnesses.
  Hearings continue June 23.