[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 8, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D197-D200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING
Committee on Appropriations: Committee continued hearings to examine 
the proposed supplemental funding request for additional resources to 
assist the Gulf Coast region in its recovery from hurricanes in the 
Gulf of Mexico in 2005, receiving testimony from Michael Chertoff, 
Secretary of Homeland Security; Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development; and John Paul Woodley, Assistant Secretary of 
the Army, Civil Works.
  Hearings will continue tomorrow.

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DC FLAT TAX
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on District of Columbia 
concluded a hearing to examine potential effects of a flat Federal 
income tax in the District of Columbia, after receiving testimony from 
former Representative Richard K. Army, FreedomWorks, Daniel J. 
Mitchell, Heritage Foundation, Stephen J. Entin, Institute for Research 
on the Economics of Taxation, and Chris Edwards, Cato Institute, all of 
Washington, D.C.
DOD QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded open and closed 
hearings to examine the Department of Defense quadrennial defense 
review, after receiving testimony from Gordon England, Deputy 
Secretary, and Christopher Ryan Henry, Principal Deputy Under Secretary 
for Policy, both of the Department of Defense; and Admiral Edmund P. 
Giambastiani, Jr., USN, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Subcommittee on 
International Trade and Finance concluded a hearing to examine the 
proposed reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank of the United 
States, focusing on a new claims reconsideration procedure at the Bank, 
and technology upgrades, after receiving testimony from James H. 
Lambright, Chairman and President (Acting), Export-Import Bank of the 
United States; Gerald F. Rama, PNC Bank, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 
behalf of the Bankers' Association for Finance and Trade; Al Merritt, 
MD International, Inc., Miami, Florida; and John Matthews, Boeing 
Capital Corporation, Seattle, Washington, on behalf of sundry 
organizations.
2007: BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Committee met to mark up a proposed concurrent 
resolution setting forth the fiscal year 2007 budget for the Federal 
Government, but did not complete consideration thereon, and will meet 
again tomorrow.
PIRACY AND COUNTERFEITING IN CHINA
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Trade, Tourism, and Economic Development concluded a hearing to examine 
impacts of piracy and counterfeiting of American goods and intellectual 
property in China, after receiving testimony from Chris Israel, 
Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement, 
Department of Commerce; Franklin J. Vargo, National Association of 
Manufacturers, Washington, D.C.; Andy York, Leupold and Stevens, Inc., 
Beaverton, Oregon; and William P. Alford, Harvard Law School, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following measures:
  S. 1131, to authorize the exchange of certain Federal land within the 
State of Idaho, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1288, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
cooperative agreements to protect natural resources of units of the 
National Park System through collaborative efforts on land inside and 
outside of units of the National Park System, with amendments;
  S. 1346, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study 
of maritime sites in the State of Michigan, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
  S. 1378, to amend the National Historic Preservation Act to provide 
appropriation authorization and improve the operations of the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation, with amendments;
  S. 1913, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease a 
portion of the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center for use as a 
visitor center for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and for other 
purposes, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1970, to amend the National Trails System Act to update the 
feasibility and suitability study originally prepared for the Trail of 
Tears National Historic Trail and provide for the inclusion of new 
trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with that 
trail, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2197, to improve the global competitiveness of the United States 
in science and energy technology, to strengthen basic research programs 
at the Department of Energy, and to provide support for mathematics and 
science education at all levels through the resources available through 
the Department of Energy, including at the National Laboratories, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 2253, to require the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 
Area of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing;
  S. Con. Res. 60, designating the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 
Kansas City, Missouri, as America's National Negro Leagues Baseball 
Museum, with amendments;
  S.J. Res. 28, approving the location of the commemorative work in the 
District of Columbia honoring former President Dwight D. Eisenhower;

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  H.R. 318, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the 
suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located 
on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System;
  H.R. 326, to amend the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Act of 
2000 to adjust the boundary of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage 
Area;
  H.R. 409, to provide for the exchange of land within the Sierra 
National Forest, California, with an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute;
  H.R. 1129, to authorize the exchange of certain land in the State of 
Colorado, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  H.R. 1728, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the 
suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial Heritage 
Area in the State of Missouri as a unit of the National Park System; 
and
  H.R. 2107, to amend Public Law 104-329 to modify authorities for the 
use of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Maintenance Fund.
  Also, committee announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Energy: Senators Alexander (Chairman), Burr, 
Martinez, Talent, Allen, Bunning, Murkowski, Craig, Thomas, Burns, 
Dorgan, Akaka, Johnson, Landrieu, Feinstein, Cantwell, Salazar, and 
Menendez.
  Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests: Senators Craig (Chairman), 
Burns, Thomas, Talent, Smith, Alexander, Murkowski, Allen, Wyden, 
Akaka, Dorgan, Johnson, Landrieu, Feinstein, and Cantwell.
  Subcommittee on National Parks: Senators Thomas (Chairman), 
Alexander, Allen, Burr, Martinez, Smith, Akaka, Wyden, Landrieu, 
Salazar, and Menendez.
  Subcommittee on Water and Power: Senators Murkowski (Chairman), 
Smith, Craig, Burr, Martinez, Burns, Bunning, Talent, Johnson, Dorgan, 
Wyden, Feinstein, Cantwell, Salazar, and Menendez.
HEALTH CARE TAX POLICY
Committee on Finance: Committee held a hearing to examine the health 
care tax policy of the United States, focusing on health savings 
accounts, employer-provided health care, and consumer-centric health 
plans, receiving testimony from Paul H. O'Neill, former Secretary of 
the Treasury; Leonard E. Burman, Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.; and 
Robert W. Lane, Deere and Company, Moline, Illinois, on behalf of the 
Business Roundtable.
  Hearing recessed subject to the call.
NOMINATIONS:
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Richard T. Miller, of Texas, to be U.S. 
Representative on the Economic and Social Council of the United 
Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and to be U.S. Alternate 
Representative to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United 
Nations during his tenure of service as U.S. Representative on the 
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and John A. Simon, 
of Maryland, to be Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation, after the nominees testified and answered 
questions in their own behalf.
SERVICEMEMBERS' PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, 
Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs concluded a hearing to examine the 
impact of the American Servicemembers' Protection Act on Latin America, 
after receiving testimony from Peter DeShazo, Center for Strategic and 
International Studies, Adam Isacson, Center for International Policy, 
and Ruth Wedgewood, Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of 
Advanced and International Studies, all of Washington, D.C.
HURRICANE KATRINA
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine Hurricane Katrina response issues, 
focusing on recommendations for reform, after receiving testimony from 
Senator Mikulski; David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United 
States, Government Accountability Office; Richard L. Skinner, Inspector 
General, Department of Homeland Security; Bruce P. Baughman, Alabama 
State Emergency Management Agency, Montgomery, on behalf of the 
National Emergency Management Association; Frank J. Cilluffo, George 
Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute, Washington, 
D.C.; and Herman B. Leonard, Harvard University, Cambridge, 
Massachusetts.
CRIME VICTIMS FUND RESCISSION
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee 
on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and 
International Security concluded a hearing to examine the proposed 
rescission of Crime Victims Fund balances relative to the President's 
budget request for fiscal year 2007, after receiving testimony from 
Paul R. Corts, Assistant Attorney General for Administration, 
Department of Justice; Ed Meese, The Heritage Foundation, and Steve 
Derene, National Association of

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VOCA Assistance Administrators, both of Washington, D.C.; and Marsha 
Kimble, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 1902, to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize funding 
for the establishment of a program on children and the media within the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the role and impact 
of electronic media in the development of children; and,
  The nominations of Michell C. Clark, of Virginia, to be Assistant 
Secretary for Management, Department of Education, Jean B. Elshtain, of 
Tennessee, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities, 
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., of South Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary 
of Labor, Allen C. Guelzo, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the 
National Council on the Humanities, Arlene Holen, of the District of 
Columbia, to be a Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review 
Commission, George Perdue, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Board of 
Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation, Anne-
Imelda Radice, of Vermont, to be Director of the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services, Craig T. Ramey, of West Virginia, to be a Member 
of the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences, 
Sarah M. Singleton, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, Richard Stickler, of West 
Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and 
Health, Kent D. Talbert, of Virginia, to be General Counsel, Department 
of Education, Horace A. Thompson, of Mississippi, to be a Member of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and certain 
nominations in the Public Health Service.
INDIAN GAMING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
S. 2078, to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to clarify the 
authority of the National Indian Gaming Commission to regulate class 
III gaming, to limit the lands eligible for gaming, after receiving 
testimony from Philip N. Hogen, Chairman, National Indian Gaming 
Commission; Paul A. Bullis, Arizona Department of Gaming, Phoenix; Ron 
His Horse Is Thunder, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Fort Yates, North 
Dakota; and Norman H. DesRosiers, Viejas Tribal Government Gaming 
Commission, Alpine, California.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee began markup of proposed 
legislative providing for comprehensive immigration reform, but did not 
complete action thereon, and will meet again.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to 
receive a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of 
the intelligence community.