[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 14, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D914-D916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FBI TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Science, The Departments 
of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
FBI Transformation Efforts. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Justice: Glenn A. Fine, Inspector 
General; and Robert Mueller, Director, FBI; Randolph C. Hite, Director, 
Information Technology, GAO; the following officials of the CRS, 
Library of Congress: Alfred Cumming, Specialist in Intelligence and 
National Security Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division; and Todd 
Masse, Specialist in Domestic Intelligence and Counterterrorism, 
Domestic Social Policy Division; and Dick L. Thornburgh, former U.S. 
Attorney General.
QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Quadrennial Defense 
Review: Goals and Principles. Testimony was heard from Dov S. Zakheim, 
former Under Secretary (Comptroller), Department of Defense; and public 
witnesses.
HURRICANE KATRINA--FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS' RESPONSE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a

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hearing entitled ``Hurricane Katrina: The Financial Institutions' 
Response.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NATURAL GAS CRISIS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``Meeting America's Natural Gas Demand: Are We 
in a Crisis?'' Testimony was heard from Rebecca Watson, Assistant 
Secretary, Land and Minerals, Department of Labor; Guy Caruso, 
Administrator, Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy; 
and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Ordered adversely reported the 
following measures: H. Res. 375, Requesting the President and directing 
the Secretary of State to transmit to the House of Representatives not 
later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution 
all information in the possession of the President and the Secretary of 
State relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom 
between January 1, 2002, and October 16, 2002, relating to the policy 
of the United States with respect to Iraq; H. Res. 408, Requesting the 
President and directing the Secretary of Defense to transmit to the 
House of Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the 
adoption of this resolution all documents in the possession of the 
President and Secretary of Defense relating to communications with 
officials of the United Kingdom relating to the policy of the United 
States with respect to Iraq; and H. Res. 419, Directing the Secretary 
of State to transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 
days after the date of the adoption of this resolution documents in the 
possession of the Secretary of State relating to the disclosure of the 
identity and employment of Ms. Valerie Plame.
U.S. FOREIGN AID PROGRAMS TO EUROPE
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing on U.S. Foreign Aid Programs to Europe. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
State: Thomas C. Adams, Coordinator, U.S. Assistance to Europe and 
Eurasia, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; and Drew W. Luten 
III, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Europe and 
Eurasia, U.S. Agency for International Development.
RESOLUTION--DIRECTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO TRANSMIT TO THE HOUSE 
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF THE IDENTITY OF VALERIE PLAME
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered adversely reported H. Res. 420, 
Directing the Attorney General to transmit to the House of 
Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption 
of this resolution documents in the possession of the Attorney General 
relating to the disclosure of the identity and employment of Ms. 
Valerie Plame.
COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted a modified open rule 
providing 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 889, Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation 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 provides that the bill shall be 
considered for amendment under the five-minute rule and that it shall 
be read by title. The rule makes in order only those amendments to the 
bill that are pre-printed in the Congressional Record or are pro forma 
amendments for the purpose of debate. The rule provides that each 
amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be offered only by 
the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, and that each 
amendment shall be considered as read. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions. Finally, the rule allows the 
Speaker to entertain a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, 
H.R. 3768 on the legislative day of Thursday, September 15, 2005. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Young.
SELECT BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE PREPARATION FOR AND 
RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted a closed rule providing 1 
hour of debate on H. Res. 437, To establish the Select Bipartisan 
Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane 
Katrina in the House equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules. The rule waives all 
points

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of order against consideration of the resolution. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit which may not contain instructions.
SELECT BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE PREPARATION FOR AND 
RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA
Committee on Rules: Ordered reported H. Res. 437, To establish the 
Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and 
Response to Hurricane Katrina.
OVERSIGHT VETERANS MATTERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held an oversight hearing regarding the 
Department of Veterans Affairs information technology infrastructure 
reorganization, and proposed legislation to enhance the role of the 
Chief Information Officer. Testimony was heard from Linda Koontz, 
Director, Information Management Issues, GAO; from the following 
officials of the Department of Veterans' Affairs: Gordon H. Mansfield, 
Deputy Secretary; Richard A. Wannemacher, Jr., Acting Under Secretary, 
Memorial Affairs, National Cemetery Administration; Robert N. 
McFarland, Assistant Secretary, Information Technology and Chief 
Information Officer; and Pedro Cadenas, Associate Deputy Secretary, 
Cyber and Information Security; Jeff Seifert, Analyst in Information, 
Science and Technology Policy, Resources, Science, and Industry 
Division, CRS. Library of Congress; and a public witness.
EFFECTS OF UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the Effects of Unauthorized Disclosures of Classified 
Information. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.