[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 100 (Thursday, July 21, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D799-D801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
RENEWABLE FUELS STANDARD REVIEW USDA'S ROLE
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to Review Agriculture's Role 
in a Renewable Fuels Standard. Testimony was heard from Keith Collins, 
Chief Economist, USDA; Tim Pawlenty, Governor, State of Minnesota; and 
public witnesses.

[[Page D800]]


U.S. COAST GUARD DEEPWATER PROGRAM
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on U.S. Coast Guard Deepwater Program, Part II. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department 
of Homeland Security: ADM Thomas H. Collins, Commandant; and ADM 
Patrick Stillman, Deepwater Program Manager.
COUNTER TERRORISM TECHNOLOGY SHARING
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities and the Subcommittee on Emergency 
Preparedness, Science and Technology of the Committee on Homeland 
Security held a joint hearing on counter terrorism technology sharing. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Sue Payton, Deputy Under Secretary, Advanced Systems and 
Concepts; Peter F. Verga, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Homeland Defense; and Tony Tether, Director, Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency; and John Kubricky, Acting Director, Homeland Security 
Advanced Research Projects Agency and Director, Systems Engineering and 
Development, Department of Homeland Security.
COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Continued markup of H.R. 609, 
College Access and Opportunity Act.
  Will continue tomorrow.
CREDIT CARD DATA PROCESSING
Committee on Financial Service: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Credit Card Data Processing: 
How Secure Is It?'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CONTROLLING RESTRICTED AIRSPACE
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Controlling 
Restricted Airspace: An Examination of the Management and Coordination 
of Our National Air Defense.'' Testimony was heard from Davi M. 
D'Agostino, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, GAO; the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Paul McHale, 
Assistant Secretary, Homeland Defense; and MG Marvin S. Mayes, USAF, 
Commander, 1st Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace 
Defense Command Region; and Robert A. Sturgell, Deputy Administrator, 
FAA, Department of Transportation.
DARFUR PEACE AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT;
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations approved for full Committee 
action, as amended, H.R. 3127, Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 
2005.
CHINA HUMAN RIGHTS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations and the Subcommittee on 
Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing on Falun Gong and 
China's Continuing War on Human Rights. Testimony was heard from 
Gretchen Berkel, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau 
for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Department of State; and public 
witnesses.
ELECTRONIC DUCK STAMP ACT; JUNIOR DUCK STAMP REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held a 
hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1494, Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 
2005; and H.R. 3179, Junior Duck Stamp Reauthorization Amendments Act 
of 2005. Testimony was heard from Paul R. Schmidt, Assistant Director, 
Migratory Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the 
Interior; and public witnesses.
U.S. COMPETITIVENESS
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on U.S. Competitiveness: The 
Innovation Challenge. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--RAILROAD GRADE CROSSING SAFETY ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held an oversight hearing on Railroad Grade Crossing Safety 
Issues. Testimony was heard from Senator Vitter; Representative 
Kucinich; the following officials of the Department of Transportation: 
Joseph Boardman, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration; and 
Kenneth M. Mead, Inspector General; Mark V. Rosenker, Acting Chairman, 
National Transportation Safety Board; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--VETERANS HEALTH CARE BUDGET AMENDMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held an oversight hearing on the 
amendment the Administration submitted to Congress for the Department 
of Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2006 budget, requesting an additional 
$1.977 billion for higher-than-expected veterans' health care needs. 
Testimony was heard from

[[Page D801]]

Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Under Secretary, Health, Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
MEDICARE--PHYSICIAN VALUE-BASED PURCHASING
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Value-Based Purchasing for Physicians under Medicare. Testimony was 
heard from Mark McClellan, M.D., Administrator, Centers for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services; and 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ENERGY POLICY ACT
Conferees continued in evening session to resolve the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 6, to ensure jobs 
for our future with secure, affordable, and reliable energy.


                            NEW PUBLIC LAWS

   (For last listing of Public Laws, see Daily Digest, p. D 758-759)
  H.R. 3332, to provide an extension of highway, highway safety, motor 
carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway 
Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century. Signed on July 20, 2005 (Public Law 
109-35)


                     COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY,

                             JULY 22, 2005

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Karen P. Hughes, of Texas, to be Under Secretary of 
State for Public Diplomacy, with the rank of Ambassador, Josette 
Sheeran Shiner, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of State for 
Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, Kristen Silverberg, of 
Texas, to be Assistant Secretary of State for International 
Organization Affairs, and Jendayi Elizabeth Frazer, of Virginia, to 
be Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, 10 a.m., SD-
419.


                                 House

  Committee on Education and the Workforce, to continue markup of 
H.R. 690, College Access and Opportunity Act, 9:30 a.m., 2175 
Rayburn.