[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 105 (Thursday, July 28, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D855-D857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FINANCING IRAQI INSURGENCY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities and the Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations of the Committee on Financial Services held a joint 
hearing on the financing of the Iraqi insurgency. Testimony was heard 
from Daniel Glaser, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Terrorist Financing and 
Financial Crimes, Department of the Treasury; and the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: James Roberts, Acting Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Special Operations and Combating Terrorism; and 
Caleb Temple, Director, Operations, Joint Intelligence Task Force for 
Combating Terrorism, Defense Intelligence Agency.
DATA SECURITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Data Security: The 
Discussion Draft of Data Protection Legislation.'' Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
D.C. METRO--GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Keeping Metro 
on Track: The Federal Government's Role in Balancing Investment with 
Accountability at Washington's Transit Agency.'' Testimony was heard 
from Katherine Siggerud, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO; 
the following officials of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
Authority: Dana Kauffman, Chairman of the Board; and Richard White, 
Chief Executive Officer; and public witnesses.
RESOLUTION--COMMENDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND 
EMPLOYEES FOR DEDICATED SERVICE IN WAR AGAINST TERRORISM
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported H. Res. 398, 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the employees 
of the Department of Homeland Security, their partners at all levels of 
government, and the millions of law enforcement agents and emergency 
response providers nationwide should be commended for their dedicated 
service on the Nation's front lines in the war against terrorism.

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AVIATION SCREENING WORKFORCE--IMPROVING MANAGEMENT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Economic Security, 
Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity held a hearing entitled 
``Improving Management of the Aviation Screening Workforce.'' Testimony 
was heard from Thomas Blank, Acting Deputy Administrator, 
Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland 
Security; James Bennett, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; John Martin, Director, San 
Francisco International Airport; William DeCota, Director, Aviation, 
New York-New Jersey Port Authority; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL BIODEFENSE STRATEGY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear 
and Biological Attack, hearing entitled ``Implementing the National 
Biodefense Strategy. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Health and Human Services: Julie Gerberding, M.D., 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Anthony 
Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious 
Diseases, NIH; BG Eric B. Schoomaker, USA, Commanding General, U.S. 
Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Department of Defense; and 
John Vitko, Jr., Director, Biological Countermeasure Portfolio, Science 
and Technolgy Directorate, Department of Homeland Security.
ASSESSING HANDICAP ACCESS TO HOUSE COMPLEX
Committee on House Administration: Held a hearing on Accessibility of 
the House Complex for Persons with Special Needs. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Langevin; Chief Terrence Gainer, U.S. Capitol 
Police; James M. Eagen, III, Chief Administrative Officer, House of 
Representatives; Alan Hantman, Architect of the Capitol; and public 
witnesses.
LEBANON DEMOCRACY
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Lebanon Reborn? 
Defining National Priorities and Prospects for Democratic Renewal in 
the Wake of March 14, 2005. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of State: C. David Welch, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; and James R. Kunder, 
Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Asia and the Near East, U.S. Agency 
for International Development; and public witnesses.
CHINA'S INFLUENCE ON AFRICA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations, hearing on China's Influence 
in Africa. Testimony was heard from Michael Ranneberger, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State; 
Carolyn Bartholomew, Commissioner, U.S.-China Economic and Security 
Review Commission; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MINING COMMUNITIES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals held an 
oversight hearing on Sustainable Development Opportunities in Mining 
Communities, Part II. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WESTSIDE REGIONAL DRAINAGE PLAN
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on Implementation of the Westside Regional Drainage 
Plan as a Way to Improve San Joaquin River Water Quality. Testimony was 
heard from John Keyes, III, Commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 3, to authorize 
funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit 
programs, and for other purposes, and against its consideration. The 
rule provides that the conference report be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Young of Alaska Representatives Petri 
and Oberstar.
HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY SAFETY, MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY, TRANSIT, AND OTHER 
PROGRAMS EXTENSION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing ten 
minutes of debate in the House on H.R. 3514, to provide an extension of 
administrative expenses for 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, 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 the 
bill and against its consideration. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit.

[[Page D857]]


SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED BY THE RULES 
COMMITTEE
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving clause 6(a) 
of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the 
same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any special rule reported on the legislative day of July 29, 
2005, providing for consideration or disposition of any measure related 
to funding for transportation programs.
CONFERENCE REPORT--TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 3 and against 
its consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall 
be considered as read. The rule provides that the Clerk shall not 
transmit to the Senate a message that it has adopted the conference 
report to accompany H.R. 3 until the House has received a message that 
the Senate has agreed to House Concurrent Resolution 226 as adopted by 
the House.
TAX REFORM/MEMBERS PROPOSALS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures 
held a hearing on Member Proposals for Tax Reform. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Neal, English of Pennsylvania, Linder, Emanuel, 
Kucinich, Bishop of New York, and Burgess.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a Briefing on Global Updates. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
DNI STATUS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Oversight 
held a hearing on DNI Status. Testimony was heard from LTG Michael V. 
Hayden, USAF, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence.

Joint Meetings
ALTERNATIVE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
alternative automotive technologies to develop energy efficient 
vehicles, after receiving testimony from David K. Garman, Secretary of 
Energy; Mark Chernoby, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Auburn Hills, 
Michigan; Mary Ann Wright, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan; Tom 
Stricker, Toyota Motor North America, Inc., Torrance, California; and 
Joe Loper, Alliance to Save Energy, Washington, DC.