[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 147 (Tuesday, November 8, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1169-D1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
NATIONAL PANDEMIC FLU PREPAREDNESS PLAN ASSESSMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Held a hearing entitled ``Assessing 
the National Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan.'' Testimony was heard from 
Michael O. Levitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
HOMELAND SECURITY INFORMATION SHARING--FEDERAL SUPPORT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment held a hearing 
entitled ``Federal Support for Homeland Security Information Sharing: 
The Role of the Information Sharing Program Manager.'' Testimony was 
heard from John Russack, Information Sharing Program Manager, Office of 
the Director of National Intelligence; former Representative Lee 
Hamilton, State of Indiana; and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing on The Voting Rights Act: Section 203--Bilingual 
Election Requirements, Part I. Testimony was heard from Brad Schlozman, 
Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of 
Justice; Rebecca Vigil-Giron, Secretary of State, New Mexico; and 
public witnesses.
COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held a 
hearing on H.R. 3552, Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 
2005. Testimony was heard from Benjamin Tuggle, Acting Special 
Assistant to the Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.
CONFERENCE REPORT--ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL 
YEAR 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 2419, making 
appropriations for energy and water development for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2006, and against its consideration. The rule 
provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Hobson and Visclosky.
CONFERENCE REPORT--SCIENCE, THE DEPARTMENTS OF STATE, JUSTICE, AND 
COMMERCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted by voice vote, a rule waiving all points of 
order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 2862, making 
appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and 
Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2006, and against its consideration. The rule provides that the 
conference report shall be considered as read. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Wolf and Mollohan.

[[Page D1170]]


SECURE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND COURT PROTECTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 1751, Secure Access to Justice and 
Court Protection Act of 2005, equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. 
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 the Judiciary now printed in the bill 
shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
and shall be considered as read. 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 made in order may be offered 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 
amendment printed in the report. Finally, the rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representatives King of Iowa, Gohmert, 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, McCarthy, and Cuellar.
SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment, 
and Government Programs held a hearing entitled ``The Small Business 
Innovation Research Program--Open Doors to New Technology.'' Testimony 
was heard from Calvin Jenkins, Acting Associate Deputy Administrator, 
Government Contracting and Business Development, SBA; Frank Ramos, 
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Defense; James Decker, Principal Deputy 
Director, Office of Science, Department of Energy; Norka Ruiz Bravo, 
M.D., Deputy Director, Extramural Research, NIH, Department of Health 
and Human Services; Colien Hefferan, Administrator, Cooperative State 
Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA; and Joseph Hennessey, 
Senior Advisor, Industrial Innovation Program, Small Business 
Innovation Research, NSF.