[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 89 (Wednesday, June 29, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D703-D706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
GUANTANAMO BAY--DETAINEE OPERATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on detainee operations at 
Guantanamo Bay. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: BG Jay Hood, USA, Commander; CSM Anthony Mendez, 
USA, Joint Detention Group; and CDR Cary Ostergaard, USN, Detainee 
Hospital Commander, all with the Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces and the Subcommittee on Projection Forces held a joint hearing 
on Small Business Technologies. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the U.S. Naval Academy, Department of the Navy: Dolores M. 
Etter, Distinguished Chair in Science and Technology, Electrical 
Engineering Department; and ENS Bradford L. Bonney, USN, Electrical 
Engineering Department.
PENSION PROTECTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Began markup of H.R. 2830, 
Pension Protection Act of 2005.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 2491, International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 
2005; H.R. 1065, amended, United States Boxing Commission Act; and H.R. 
3084, Drug Free Sports Act.
CREDIT RATING AGENCY DUOPOLY
Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Legislative Solutions for the Rating Agency Duopoly.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
NEXT GENERATION INTERNET IPv6
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``To Lead or To 
Follow: The Next Generation Internet and the Transition to IPv6.'' 
Testimony was heard from Karen Evans, Administrator, Electronic 
Government and Information Technology, OMB; the following officials of 
the GAO: David Powner, Director, Information Technology Management 
Issues; and Keith Rhodes, Chief Technologist and Director, Center for 
Technology and Engineering; George G. Wauer, Director, Architecture and 
Interoperability, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Networks and 
Information Integration and Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
NARCO-TERRORIST HIGH SEAS ENFORCEMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Interrupting 
Narco-terrorist Threats on the High Seas: Do We Have Enough Wind in Our 
Sails?'' Testimony was heard from Ralph Utley, Acting United States 
Interdiction Coordinator, Office of National Drug Control Policy; the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: ADM Dennis 
Sirois, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard; 
and Charles E. Stallworth II, Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of 
Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; ADM 
Jeffrey J. Hathaway, Director, Joint Interagency Task Force

[[Page D704]]

South, Department of Defense; and Thomas M. Harrigan, Chief of 
Enforcement Operations, DEA, Department of Justice.
NEXT GENERATION OF NUCLEAR POWER
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``The Next Generation of Nuclear Power.'' 
Testimony was heard from Robert Shane Johnson, Acting Director, Nuclear 
Energy, Science and Technology, Department of Energy; and public 
witnesses.
YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and 
Agency Organization held a hearing entitled ``Yucca Mountain Project: 
Digging for the Truth.'' Testimony was heard from Joseph Hevesi, 
Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior; and W. 
John Arthur III, Deputy Director, Office of Repository Development, 
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Department of Energy.
AIR PASSENGER PRE-SCREENING
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Economic Security, 
Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity held a hearing entitled `` 
Improving Pre-Screening of Aviation Passengers against Terrorist and 
Other Watch Lists.'' Testimony was heard from Justin Oberman, Assistant 
Administrator, Secure Flight and Registered Traveler, Department of 
Homeland Security; former Representative John B. Anderson, State of 
Illinois; and public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT--MISSION-BASED BUDGETING
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, 
Integration, and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``Transforming the 
Department of Homeland Security Through Mission-based Budgeting.'' 
Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the 
United States, GAO; and public witnesses.
527 REFORM ACT OF 2005
Committee on House Administration: Ordered reported, as amended, 
without recommendation H.R. 513, 527 Reform Act of 2005.
GLOBAL WATER CRISIS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on The Global 
Water Crisis: Evaluating U.S. Strategies to Enhance Access to Safe 
Water and Sanitation. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of State: John F. Turner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau 
of Oceans and International Environmental Scientific Affairs; and 
Jackee Schafer, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Economic 
Growth, Agriculture and Trade, U.S. Agency for International 
Development; and public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held a briefing on this subject. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by Vanessa Tobin, Chief, Water Environment 
Sanitation Section, United Nations Children's Fund; and Olav Kjorven, 
Director, Energy and Environment Group, Bureau for Development Policy, 
United Nations Development Program.
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS; IRAQ'S TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia approved for full Committee action the following 
measures: H. Con. Res. 187, amended, Expressing the sense of Congress 
concerning Uzbekistan; and H. Res. 343, Commending the State of Kuwait 
for granting women certain important political rights.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Iraq's Transition to 
Democracy. Testimony was heard from Richard Jones, Senior Advisor to 
the Secretary and Coordinator for Iraq, Department of State.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Western 
Hemisphere approved for full Committee action the following measures: 
H.R. 611, amended, Haiti Economic and Infrastructure Reconstruction 
Act; H.R. 953, Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the 
Americas Act of 2005; and H. Con. Res. 175, Acknowledging African 
descendants of the transatlantic slave trade in all of the Americas 
with an emphasis on descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean, 
recognizing the injustices suffered by these African descendants, and 
recommending that the United States and the international community 
work to improve the situation of Afro-descendant communities in Latin 
America and the Caribbean.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
184, amended, Controlled Substances Export Reform Act of 2005; H.R. 
869, to amend the Controlled Substances Act to lift the patient 
limitation on prescribing drug addiction treatments by medical 
practitioners in group practices; H.R. 3020, United States Parole 
Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005; 
and H.R. 1442, amended, To complete the codification of title 46, 
United States Code ``Shipping,'' as positive law.

[[Page D705]]


WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 2864, Water Resources Development 
Act of 2005, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 
The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. 
The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure now 
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment. The rule waives all points of order against the 
committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 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 considered 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 from 
Representatives Duncan, Flake, Oberstar, Eddie Bernice Johnson of 
Texas, Blumenauer and Stupak.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule providing that 
suspensions will be in order at any time on the legislative day of 
Thursday, June 30, 2005. The rule provides that the Speaker or his 
designee shall consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on any 
suspension considered under the rule. The rule provides that it shall 
be in order, any rule of the House to the contrary notwithstanding, to 
consider concurrent resolutions providing for adjournment of the House 
and Senate during the month of July.
U.S. NANOTECHNOLOGY
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Research held a hearing on 
Nanotechnology: Where Does the U.S. Stand? Testimony was heard from 
Floyd Kvamme, Co-Chair, President's Council of Advisors on Science and 
Technology; and public witnesses.
NASA AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Space approved for full Committee 
action, as amended, H.R. 3070, National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2005.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, 
Agriculture and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Different 
Applications for Genetically Modified Crops.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--MARITIME TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on the 
Implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security: RADM Craig E. Bone, USCG, Director, 
Port Security, U.S. Coast Guard; and Robert Jacksta, Executive 
Director, Border Security and Facilitation, Office of Field Operations, 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
OVERSIGHT--VETERANS TRANSITION PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held an oversight hearing on the Transition Assistance Program and the 
Disabled Transition Assistance Program. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: MG Ronald G. Young, 
Director, National Guard Bureau Joint Staff; and Craig W. Duehring, 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Reserve Affairs; Judith Caden, 
Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service, Veterans 
Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; John M. 
McWilliam, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Operations and Management, 
Veterans' Employment and Training Service, Department of Labor; Cynthia 
Bascetta, Director, Veterans' Health and Benefits Issues, GAO; a 
representative of a veterans' organization; and a public witness.
PRISON INMATES TAX FRAUD
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
to Examine Tax Fraud Committed by Prison Inmates. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Davis of Florida, Keller and Feeney; the following 
officials of the Department of the Treasury: Nancy J. Jardini, Chief, 
Criminal Investigation, IRS; and J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector 
General for Tax Administration; John M.

[[Page D706]]

Moriarty, Inspector General, Department of Criminal Justice, State of 
Texas; and Jeff Bentley, Criminal Investigator, Department of 
Corrections, State of South Carolina; and a public witness.

Joint Meetings
UZBEKISTAN CRISIS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission concluded a hearing to examine the ongoing crisis in 
Uzbekistan and its implications for the United States, after receiving 
testimony from Muhammed Salih, ERK Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, and 
Galima Bukharbaeva, Institute for War and Peace Reporting, both of 
Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Holly Cartner, Human Rights Watch, and Robert 
Templer, International Crisis Group, both of Washington, D.C.; and 
Marcus Bensmann, Neue Zuercher Zeitung, Germany.