[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 151 (Tuesday, November 15, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1211-D1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOREST SERVICE LITIGATION
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review recent litigation on 
Forest Service firefighting and forest health efforts. Testimony was 
heard from Mark Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and 
Environment, USDA; and public witnesses.
METHAMPHETAMINE EPIDEMIC ELIMINATION ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
3889, Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act.
TRADE IN SERVICES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing on 
Increasing Efficiency and Economic Growth Through Trade in Financial 
Services. Testimony was heard from Christine Bliss, Acting Assistant 
U.S. Trade Representative, Services and Investment; Clay Lowery, 
Assistant Secretary, International Affairs, Department of the Treasury; 
and public witnesses.
GULF WAR VETERANS ACT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on National Security. 
Emerging Threats and International Relations held a hearing entitled 
``Examining VA Implementation of the Persian Gulf War Veterans Act of 
1998.'' Testimony was heard from James P. O'Callaghan, M.D., Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health, Department of Health and Human Services; Susan 
Mather, M.D., Chief Officer, Public Health and Environmental Hazards, 
Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses.

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HOMELAND SECURITY INTERESTS--ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, Integration 
and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``CBP and ICE: Does the Current 
Organizational Structure Best Serve U.S. Homeland Security Interests? 
Part 2'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Robert L. Ashbaugh, Assistant 
Inspector General, Inspections and Special Reviews; and Stewart Baker, 
Assistant Secretary, Policy.
RESOLUTION--SENSE OF CONGRESS--RUSSIAN FEDERATION--PROTECT ALL 
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES; INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations approved for full Committee 
action H. Con. Res. 190, Expressing the sense of the Congress that the 
Russian Federation should fully protect the freedoms of all religious 
communities without distinction, whether registered and unregistered, 
as stipulated by the Russian Constitution and international standards.
  The Subcommittee also held a held a hearing on In Defense of Human 
Dignity: The 2005 International Religious Freedom Report. Testimony was 
heard from John V. Hanford III, Ambassador-at-Large, Office of 
International Religious Freedom, Department of State; Michael 
Cromartie, Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; 
and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia approved for full Committee action the following 
measures: H. Con. Res. 284, amended, Expressing the sense of Congress 
with respect to the 2005 presidential and parliamentary elections in 
Egypt; H. Res. 438, amended, Urging member states of the United Nations 
to stop supporting resolutions that unfairly castigate Israel and to 
promote within the United Nations General Assembly more balanced and 
constructive approaches to resolving conflict in the Middle East; H. 
Con. Res. 275, Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the education 
curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and H. Res. 535, Honoring 
the life, legacy, and example of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin 
on the tenth anniversary of his death.
OVERSIGHT--VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution held an 
oversight hearing on the Voting Rights Act: Sections 6 and 8--Federal 
Examiner and Observer Programs. Testimony was heard from Nancy Randa, 
Associate Director, Talent Services, Human Resources Products and 
Services Division, OPM; Barry Weinberg, former Deputy Chief and Acting 
Chief, Voting Section, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice; 
and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--FEDERAL JURISDICTION CLARIFICATION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held an oversight hearing on Federal Jurisdiction 
Clarification Act. Testimony was heard from Janet C. Hall, Judge, U.S. 
District Court for the District of Connecticut; and public witnesses.
U.S. BOXING COMMISSION ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by voice vote, a structured 
rule providing 1 hour of general debate on H. R. 1065, United States 
Boxing Commission Act, with 40 minutes equally divided and controlled 
by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce, and 20 minutes 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 in lieu of the amendments recommended by the 
Committees on Energy and Commerce and the Judiciary now printed in the 
bill, the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part A of 
the Rules Committee report shall be considered as the original bill for 
the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule 
waives all points of order against the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute printed in part A of the Rules Committee report. The rule 
makes in order only those amendments printed in part B of the Rules 
Committee report, which 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 amendments 
printed in part B of the Rules Committee report. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Stearns and Rush.
AMTRAK--CURRENT GOVERNANCE ISSUES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held a hearing on Current Governance Issues at Amtrak. 
Testimony was heard

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from Jeffrey A. Rosen, General Counsel, Department of Transportation; 
the following officials of AMTRAK: David M. Laney, Chairman of the 
Board; and David Hughes, Acting President and CEO; and David Gunn, 
former President and CEO, AMTRAK.
BUDGET RECONCILIATION--TAXES
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 4297, 
To provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 201(b) of the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS: LABOR/HHS/EDUCATION
Conferees met on Monday, November 14, 2005, to resolve the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 3010, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2006, but did not complete action thereon, and recessed 
subject to the call.