[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1180-D1183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
NATURAL GAS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies and the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development,

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and Related Agencies held a joint hearing on Natural Gas. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Energy: Guy 
Caruso, Director, Energy Information Administration; and David K. 
Garman, Under Secretary, Energy Science and Environment; P. Lynn 
Scarlett, Assistant Secretary, Policy, OMB, and public witnesses.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY'S PRIME VENDOR PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Defense Logistics 
Agency's Prime Vendor Program. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Kenneth J. Krieg, Under 
Secretary, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; and VADM Keith W. 
Lippert, USN, Director, Defense Logistics Agency.
REGIONAL POWERS' THREATS TO U.S. INTERESTS
Committee on Armed Services: Regional Powers Panel held a hearing on 
regional powers' threats to the United States' interests. Testimony was 
heard from the following former officials of the Department of the 
Navy: VADM Albert H. Konetzni, Jr., USN (ret.), former Deputy and Chief 
of Staff, Atlantic Fleet and former Commander Submarine Force, Pacific 
Fleet; and RADM James F. Sigler, USN (ret.), former Deputy Commander-
in-Chief, Pacific Fleet and Former Director, Plans and Policy, U.S. 
Central Command.
INTERNET PROTOCOL AND
BROADBAND SERVICES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on a proposal to create a statutory 
framework for Internet Protocol and Broadband Services. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
FINANCIAL DATA PROTECTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing on H.R. 3997, Financial Data 
Protection Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from Julie Brill, Assistant 
Attorney General, State of Vermont; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES APPEALS COURT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and 
Agency Organization held a hearing entitled ``Justice Delayed Is 
Justice Denied: A Case for a Federal Employees Appeals Court.'' 
Testimony was heard from Neil A. McPhie, Chairman, Merit Systems 
Protection Board; Dale Cabaniss, Chairman, Federal Labor Relations 
Authority; and Cari Dominguez, Chair, EEOC; and a public witness.
RESPONDING TO CATASTROPHIC EVENTS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Science, and Technology and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Unconventional Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed 
Services held a joint hearing entitled ``Responding to Catastrophic 
Events: the Role of the Military and National Guard in Disaster 
Response.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Michael P. Jackson, Deputy Secretary; 
and ADM Thomas H. Collins, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard; and the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Paul McHale, 
Assistant Secretary, Homeland Defense; MG Richard J. Rowe, Jr., USA, 
Director of Operations, U.S. Northern Command; and LTG H. Steven Blum, 
USA, Chief, National Guard Bureau.
REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO WHITE HOUSE 
IRAQ GROUP
Committee on International Relations: Ordered adversely reported H. 
Res. 505, Requesting the President of the United States and directing 
the Secretary of State to provide to the House of Representatives 
certain documents in their possession relating to the White House Iraq 
Group.
GERMANY AFTER THE ELECTION
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Europe and 
Emerging Threats held a hearing on Germany After the Election: 
Implications for Germany, Europe and U.S.-German Relations. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
ILLICIT DRUG TRANSIT ZONE IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on the Illicit Drug Transit Zone in Central 
America. Testimony was heard from RADM Jeffrey J. Hathaway, USCG, 
Director, Joint Interagency Task Force South, U.S. Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security; Michael A. Braun, Chief of Operations, 
DEA, Department of the Judiciary; and Jonathan D. Farrar, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement, Department of State.
  The Subcommittee also held a briefing on this subject. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by VADM Guillermo E. Barrera, Chief of Naval 
Operations, National Navy of Colombia.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
3889, amended, Methamphetamine Epidermic Elimination Act of 2005; H.R. 
2791, United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2005; 
and H.R. 3729, amended, To provide emergency authority to delay or toll 
judicial proceedings in United States district and circuit courts.
OVERSIGHT--VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing on The Voting Rights Act: Section 5--Judicial 
Evolution of the Retrogression Standard. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held an oversight hearing on the Voting Rights 
Act: Section 203--Bilingual Election Requirements, Part II. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
OFF-RESERVATION INDIAN GAMING
Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on the Second 
Discussion Draft of Legislation Off-Reservation Indian Gaming. 
Testimony was heard from Mary Kay Papen, member, Senate, State of New 
Mexico; Steven J. Rauschenberger, member, Senate, State of Illinois; 
and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 3626, Arthur V. Watkins Dam Enlargement 
Act of 2005; H.R. 3967, Pactola Reservoir Reallocation Authorization 
Act of 2005; and 4195, Southern Oregon Bureau of Reclamation Repayment 
Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from Jack Garner, Acting Deputy 
Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior; Jim 
Shaw, Mayor, Rapid City, South Dakota; and a public witness.
DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing two 
hours of debate in the House on H.R. 4241, Deficit Reduction Act of 
2005, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Budget. The rule waives all 
points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides 
that the amendment printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying 
the resolution shall be considered as adopted. The rule waives all 
points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 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. Testimony was heard from Chairman Nussle and 
Representatives Emerson, Moran of Kansas, Flake, Allen, and Moore of 
Wisconsin.
REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE 
COASTAL REGIONS OF THE U.S.
Committee on Science: Ordered adversely reported H. Res. 515, Of 
Inquiry requesting the President of the United States to provide to the 
House of Representatives certain documents in his possession relating 
to the anticipated effects of climate change on the coastal regions of 
the United States.
PENSION PROTECTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 2830, 
Pension Protection Act of 2005.
UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES; PROGRESS OF THE DNI
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, executive, hearing entitled 
``Unauthorized Disclosures.'' Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.
  The Committee also met in executive session to hold a hearing 
entitled ``Progress of the Director of National Intelligence.'' 
Testimony was heard from John D. Negroponte, Director of National 
Intelligence.
HURRICANE KATRINA--PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE BY STATE OF ALABAMA
Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and 
Response to Hurricane Katrina: Held a hearing entitled ``Hurricane 
Katrina: Preparedness and Response by the State of Alabama.'' Testimony 
was heard from Michael Bolch, Federal Coordinating Officer, FEMA, 
Department of Homeland Security; and the following officials of the 
State of Alabama: Bob Riley, Governor; Bruce Baughman, Director, 
Emergency Management Agency; Jim Walker, Director, Department of 
Homeland Security; Walter Dickerson, Director, Mobile County Emergency 
Management Agency; and Leigh Anne Ryals, Director, Baldwin County 
Emergency Management Agency.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS: TRANSPORTATION/TREASURY/HUD
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate- and House-
passed versions of H.R. 3058, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the 
Judiciary, District of Columbia, and

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independent agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, but 
did not complete action thereon, and will meet again on Thursday, 
November 10.