[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 153 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1239-D1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMBATING METHAMPHETAMINES
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
Reform held a hearing on Combating Methamphetamines through Prevention 
and Education. Testimony was heard from Representatives Souder and 
Hooley; Robert Denniston, Director, National Youth Anti-Drug Media 
Campaign, Office of National Drug Control Policy; and public witnesses.
MEDICATE PHYSICIAN PAYMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Medicare Physician Payment: How to Build a More Efficient 
Payment System.'' Testimony was heard from Mark B. McClellan, M.D. 
Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department 
of Health

[[Page D1240]]

and Human Services; Glen Hackbarth, Chairman, Medicare Payment Advisory 
Commission; and public witnesses.
THOROUGHBRED HORSE RACING JOCKEYS AND WORKERS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Thoroughbred Horse Racing 
Jockeys and Workers: Examining On-Track Injury Insurance and Other 
Health and Welfare Issues.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LOUISIANA RECOVERY CORPORATION ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on H.R. 4100, Louisiana 
Recovery Corporation Act. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the State of Louisiana: John T. Schedler, member, State 
Senate; Juan A. LaFonta, member, State House; C. Ray Nagin, Mayor and 
John Batt, member, City Council, both with the City of New Orleans; and 
a public witness.
SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATIONS
Committee on Financial Institutions: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Self-Regulatory Organizations: Exploring the Need for Reform.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Finance and Accountability held a hearing entitled ``15 Years of the 
CFO Act--What is the Current State of Federal Financial Management?'' 
Testimony was heard from Linda Combs, Controller, Office of Federal 
Financial Management, OMB; and Jeffrey C. Steinhoff, Managing Director, 
Financial Management and Assurance, GAO.
BORDER SECURITY AND TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
4312, Border Security and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2005.
TERRORISM RISK ASSESSMENT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment held a hearing 
entitled ``Terrorism Risk Assessment at the Department of Homeland 
Security.'' Testimony was heard from Melissa Smislova, Acting Director, 
Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center and Assistant 
Secretary, Intelligence and Analysis--Chief Intelligence Officer, 
Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
WESTERN SAHARA STATUS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations held a hearing on Getting to 
Yes: Resolving the 30-Year Conflict over the Status of Western Sahara. 
Testimony was heard from Senator Inhofe, Representative Lincoln Diaz-
Balart of Florida; Gordon Gray, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau for 
Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on Democracy in Venezuela. Testimony was 
heard from Thomas A. Shannon, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western 
Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--U.S.-MEXICO BORDER
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security and the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, 
and Claims held a joint oversight hearing on Weak Bilateral Law 
Enforcement Presence at the U.S.-Mexico Border: Territorial Integrity 
and Safety Issues for American Citizens. Testimony was heard from Chris 
Swecker, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigative Division, FBI, 
Department of Justice; the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: William Reid, Acting Assistant Director, Office of 
Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Rey 
Garza, Deputy Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; 
and a public witness.
HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IMPACTS CONSTITUENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security, and Claims continued oversight hearings entitled ``How 
Illegal Immigration Impacts Constituencies: Perspectives from Members 
of Congress, (Part II).''. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Kingston, Blackburn, Carter and Lewis of Georgia
NEPA
Committee on Resources: NEPA Task Force held a hearing on NEPA: Lessons 
Learned and Next Steps. Testimony was heard from James L. Connaughton, 
Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality; and public witnesses.

[[Page D1241]]

OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF NATURAL GAS RELIEF ACT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held a hearing on the Outer Continental Shelf Natural Gas Relief Act. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--COMBAT ILLEGAL DRUG FARMS IN NATIONAL PARKS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held an 
oversight hearing on the National Parks Service's Efforts to Combat the 
Growth of Illegal Drug Farms in National Parks. Testimony was heard 
from Karen Taylor-Goodrich, Associate Director, Visitor and Resource 
Protection, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and 
public witnesses.
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 November 18, 2005, providing for consideration or disposition 
of any of the following measures: (1) A bill or joint resolution 
making general appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2006, any amendment thereto, or any conference report thereon. 
(2) A conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 3199) to extend 
and modify authorities needed to combat terrorism, and for other 
purposes. (3) A bill or joint resolution relating to flood 
insurance. (4) A bill to provide for reconciliation pursuant to 
section 201 of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal 
year 2006.
CONFERENCE REPORT--MILITARY QUALITY OF LIFE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006
  Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all 
points of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 
2528, Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, and against its consideration. 
The rule provides that the conference report shall be considered as 
read. Testimony was heard from Representative Walsh.
CONFERENCE REPORT--TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN 
DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND INDEPENDENT 
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006
  Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all 
points of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 
3058, Departments of Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban 
Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and 
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read.
NANOTECHNOLOGY
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Environmental and Safety 
Impacts of Nanotechnology: What Research is Needed? Testimony was heard 
from David Rejeski, Director, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, 
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, The Smithsonian 
Institution; and public witnesses.
PASSPORTS TO AND FROM CANADA
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on Building a Wall Between 
Friends: Passports to and from Canada? Testimony was heard from 
Representative Slaughter; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES/HOTSPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Updates/Hotspots. The Committee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
APPROPRIATIONS: MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 2528, making 
appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006.