[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 26, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D831-D833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FDA FISCAL YEAR 2006 APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on FDA Fiscal Year 2006 Appropriations. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Health and Human 
Services: Lester M. Crawford, D.V.M., Commissioner, and Kathleen D. 
Heuer, Associate Commissioner of Management, both with the FDA; and 
Lester Cash, Director, Division of Budget Policy, Execution and Review, 
Acting Assistant Secretary, Budget.
WEST BANK/GAZA ASSISTANCE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Agencies held a hearing on West Bank/Gaza 
Assistance. Testimony was heard from James Wolfensohn, Quartet Special 
Envoy for Gaza Disengagement; the following officials of the Department 
of State: David C. Welch, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern 
Affairs; and James Bever, Mission Director, West Bank/Gaza Operations, 
U.S. Agency for International Development; and LTG William E. Ward, 
Deputy Commander, USA, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Europe, Coordinate 
for Security, Department of Defense.
MENTAL HEALTH
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on mental health. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: William Winkenwerder, Jr., 
M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs; LTG Kevin C. Kiley, USA, 
Surgeon General; VADM Donald C. Arthur, USN, Surgeon General; LTG 
George P. Taylor, Jr., USAF, Surgeon General, Department of the Air 
Force; COL Virgil J. Patterson, USA, Chief, Soldier and Family Support 
Branch, Army Medical Department Center and School;

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CAPT Kristiaan C. Hughes, USA, C Company, 1/46 IN, Fort Knox, Kentucky; 
and Specialist Stephanie Stretch, 233rd Military Police Company, 
Illinois Army National Guard; Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Under Secretary 
of Health, Department of Veterans' Affairs; and a public witness.
FIGHTING METH IN AMERICA'S HEARTLAND
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy, and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Fighting Meth in 
America's Heartland: Assessing the Impact on Local Law Enforcement and 
Child Welfare Agencies.'' Testimony was heard from Scott Burns, Deputy 
Director, State and Local Affairs, Office of National Drug Control 
Policy; Joseph Rannazzisi, Deputy Chief, Office of Enforcement, DEA, 
Department of Justice; Freida S. Baker, Deputy Director, Family and 
Children's Services, Department of Human Resources, State of Alabama; 
and public witnesses.
DOE/ESE SECURITY
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security, 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``DOE/ESE Security: How Ready is the Protective Force?'' Testimony was 
heard from Eugene E. Aloise, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, GAO; the following officials of the Department of Energy: 
Gregory H. Friedman, Inspector General; Glenn S. Podonsky, Director, 
Office of Security and Safety Performance Assurance; and Robert Walsh, 
Security Manager, Office of Energy, Science and Environment; Lawrence 
Brede, Wackenhut DOE Operations; and a public witness.
LONDON ATTACKS
  Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency 
Preparedness, Science, and Technology held a hearing entitled ``The 
London Attacks: Training to Respond in a Mass Transit Environment.'' 
Testimony was heard from Tim Beres, Director, Preparedness Programs 
Division, Office for Domestic Preparedness, Office of State and 
Local Government Coordination and Preparedness, Department of 
Homeland Security; Robert Jamison, Deputy Administrator, Federal 
Transit Administration Department of Transportation; Polly Hanson, 
Chief of Metro Police, Washington Metro Area Transit Authority; Paul 
Lennon, Director, Intelligence and Emergency Preparedness 
Management, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority; 
William A. Morange, Deputy Executive Director/Director of Security, 
New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and a public 
witness.
BANKRUPTCY ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT OF 2005 
IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing entitled ``Implementation 
of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 
2005.'' Testimony was heard from Clifford J. White, III, Acting 
Director, Executive Office for United States Trustees; A. Thomas Small, 
United States Bankruptcy Judge, Eastern District of North Carolina, on 
behalf of the Judicial Conference of the United States; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held an 
oversight hearing on the Implementation of the National Trails System 
Act. Testimony was heard from Chris Jarvi, Associate Director, 
Partnerships, Interpretation and Education, Volunteers and Outdoor 
Recreation, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and 
public witnesses.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing two 
hours of debate in the House on H.R. 3045, to implement the Dominican 
Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Ways and Means. The rule waives all points of order 
against the bill and against its consideration. The rule provides that, 
notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the Chair may 
postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the 
Speaker in consonance with section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974. The 
rule provides that a motion to proceed to consideration of the bill 
under section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 shall be in order only in 
offered by the Majority Leader or his designee. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Shaw and Cardin.
HELP EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE, LOW-COST, TIMELY HEALTHCARE (HEALTH) ACT OF 
2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing two 
hours of debate in the House on H.R. 5, to improve patient access to 
health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the 
excessive burden the liability system places on the health care 
delivery system, equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader 
and the Minority Leader or their designees. The rule waives

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all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule 
provides that, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, 
the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time 
designated by the Speaker. The rule provides one motion to recommit. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Smith of Texas, Shadegg, 
Berman, Jackson-Lee of Texas, Costello, Baird, Emanuel, Berry, Davis of 
Tennessee and Lipinski.
UNITED STATES TRADE RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 9 to 4, a closed rule 
providing one hour of debate in the House on H.R. 3283, to enhance 
resources to enforce United States trade rights, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Ways and Means. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution shall be considered as adopted. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives English, Cardin, and Ryan of Ohio.
HONORING PROTECTORS OF THE CAPITOL--PASSENGERS AND CREW OF FLIGHT 93
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Honoring the Protectors of the Capitol: The Passengers and 
Crew of Flight 93. Testimony was heard from Brent Glass, member, Flight 
93 Memorial Advisory Commission, Director, National Museum of American 
History, Smithsonian Institution; Hamilton Peterson, President, 
Families of Flight 93; and public witnesses.
RESULTS--FUTURE IMAGERY ARCHITECTURE RED TEAM REVIEW
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Technical 
and Tactical Intelligence met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
the results of the Future Imagery Architecture Red Team Review. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ENERGY POLICY ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on 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.
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2361, making 
appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006.
APPROPRIATIONS: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2985, making 
appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006.