[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 30 (Thursday, March 9, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D214-D217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the USDA: J.B. Penn, Under Secretary, 
Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; A. Ellen Terpstra, 
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service; Teresa Lasseter, 
Administrator, Farm Service Agency; Eldon Gould, Administrator, Risk 
Management Agency; and Dennis Kaplan, Budget Office.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Army Budget and Acquisition. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of the Army: 
Francis J. Harvey, Secretary; and GEN Peter J. Schoomaker, USA, Chief 
of Staff.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Homeland 
Security held a hearing on United States Coast Guard. Testimony was 
heard from ADM Thomas H. Collins, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Department of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on the Department of Education. Testimony was heard from 
Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on DOE, Environment 
Management. Testimony was heard from James Rispoli, Assistant 
Secretary, Environmental Management, Department of Energy.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Programs held a hearing on HIV/AIDS Programs. 
Testimony was heard from Mark Dybul, M.D., Deputy U.S. Global AIDS 
Coordinator and Chief Medical Officer, Department of State.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on the Forest Service. Testimony was 
heard from Dale Bosworth, Chief, Forest Service, USDA.
SCIENCE, THE DEPARTMENTS OF STATE, JUSTICE, AND COMMERCE, AND RELATED 
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Science, the Departments 
of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
the Secretary of State. Testimony was heard from Condoleezza Rice, 
Secretary of State.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND AND 
U.S. FORCES KOREA
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2007 
National Defense Authorization Budget Request for the U.S. Pacific 
Command and U.S. Forces Korea. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: ADM William J. Fallon, 
Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; and GEN B.B. Bell, USA, Commander, 
United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY 
AND BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization budget 
request for the Missile Defense Agency and Ballistic Missile Defense 
Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: LTG Trey Obering, USAF, Director, Missile 
Defense Agency; LTG Larry J. Dodgen, USA, Commander, U.S. Army Space 
and Missile Defense Command; David W. Duma, Operational Test and 
Evaluation; and Peter Flory, Assistant Secretary, International 
Security Affairs.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BUDGET REQUEST DOD MAJOR ROTORCRAFT 
PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces held a hearing on Fiscal year 2007 National Defense 
Authorization Act Budget Request for the Department of Defense

[[Page D215]]

major rotorcraft programs. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Tony Melita, Defense Systems, 
Director, Land Warfare, Office of the Secretary; BG Stephen Mundt, USA, 
Director of Aviation, U.S. Army; Thomas Laux, Program Executive Officer 
for Air, ASW, Assault and Special Mission Programs, Naval Air Systems 
Command; LTG John G. Castellaw, USMC, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, 
U.S. Marine Corps; and MG Stanley Gorenc, USAF, Director, Operational 
Capability Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air and Space 
Operations, U.S. Air Force.
DOE'S FISCAL YEAR BUDGET PROPOSAL
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Held a hearing entitled ``Department 
of Energy's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Proposal.'' Testimony was heard 
from Samuel W. Bodman, Secretary of Energy.
GULF COAST REGION--FEDERAL ROLE IN FACILITATING RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM 
BUILDING EFFORTS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``The Federal Role in Facilitating 
Recovery and Long-term Rebuilding Efforts in the Gulf Coast Region.'' 
Testimony was heard from Donald E. Powell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf 
Coast Rebuilding, Department of Homeland Security.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; REGULATION OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Committee on Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 4855, to amend the District of Columbia College Access 
Act of 1999 to reauthorize for 5 additional years the public and 
private school tuition assistance programs established under the Act; 
S. 1736, To provide for the participation of employees in the judicial 
branch in the Federal leave transfer program for disasters and 
emergencies; H.R. 4674, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 110 North Chestnut Street in Olathe, Kansas, 
as the ``Governor John Anderson, Jr. Post Office Building;'' H.R. 4688, 
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 1 Boyden Street in Badin, North Carolina, as the ``Mayor John 
Thompson `Tom' Garrison Memorial Post Office;'' H.R. 4786, To designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 535 Wood 
Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as the ``H. Gordon Payrow Post 
Office Building;'' H.R. 4805, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service at 105 North Quincy Street in Clinton, Illinois, 
as the ``Gene Vance Post Office Building;'' H. Res. 85, Supporting the 
goals and ideals of National ``MPS Day;'' H. Res. 517, amended, 
Recognizing the life of Wellington Timothy Mara and his outstanding 
contributions to the New York Giants Football Club, the National 
Football League, and the United States; and H. Res. 556, Expressing the 
sense of the House of Representatives that a National Methamphetamine 
Prevention Week should be established to increase awareness of 
methamphetamine and to educate the public on ways to help prevent the 
use of that damaging narcotic.
  The Committee approved a Committee Report on the National Drug 
Control Strategy for 2006 and the National Drug Control Budget for 
Fiscal Year 2007.
  The Committee also held a hearing entitled ``The Regulation of 
Dietary Supplements: A Review of Consumer Safeguards.'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: Robert E. Brackett, M.D., Director, Center for Food 
Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA; and Paul M. Coates, M.D., Director, 
Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH; C. Lee Peeler, Deputy, Bureau of 
Consumer Protection, FTC; and public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION REORGANIZATION ACT OF 2005
Committee on Homeland Security: Began mark up of H.R. 4439, 
Transportation Security Administration Reorganization Act of 2005.
  Will continue March 16.
ONLINE FREEDOM OF SPEECH ACT
Committee on House Administration: Ordered reported H.R. 1606, Online 
Freedom of Speech Act.
AFGHANISTAN: PROGRESS REPORT
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Middle East and 
Central Asia and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held 
a joint hearing on Afghanistan: Progress Report. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of State: James R. 
Kunder, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Asia and the Near East; and 
Thomas A. Schweich, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; and Maureen E. 
Quinn, Coordinator for Afghanistan, Bureau of South and Central Asian 
Affairs; and RADM Robert T. Moeller, USA, Director, Plans and Policy, 
U.S. Central Command, Department of Defense.

[[Page D216]]


AFGHANISTAN: IS THE AID GETTING THROUGH?
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Afghanistan: Is the Aid Getting 
Through? Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
STATE/FEDERAL NOTARY RECOGNITION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held a hearing on H.R. 1458, To require any 
Federal or State court to recognize any notarization made by a notary 
public licensed by a State other than the State where the court is 
located when such notarization occurs in or affects interstate 
commerce. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE/NOAA BUDGET
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held an 
oversight hearing on the FY '07 Budget Request of the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
Testimony was heard from H. Dale Hall, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of the Interior; and VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, 
Jr., USN (Ret.), Under Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the following measures: H.R. 1370, Federal Land Asset 
Inventory Reform Act; H.R. 1644, Puerto Rico Karst Conservation Act; 
H.R. 2110, Colorado Northern Front Range Mountain Backdrop Protection 
Study Act; H.R. 4382, Southern Nevada Readiness Center Act; H.R. 4789, 
To require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain public land 
located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the Wells 
Hydroelectric Project of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas 
County, Washington, to the utility district; and S. 56, Rio Grand 
Natural Area Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hastings of 
Washington and Porter; Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief, National Forest 
System, Forest Service, USDA; Tom Lonnie, Assistant Director, Minerals, 
Realty, and Resource Protection, Bureau of Land Management, Department 
of the Interior; and public witnesses.
LOBBYING REFORM--REFORMING GIFT AND TRAVEL RULES
Committee on Rules: Continued hearings on lobby reform entitled ``Lobby 
Reform: Reforming the Gift and Travel Rules.'' Testimony was heard from 
former Representative Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma; Robert Hynes, former 
Minority Counsel, House Committee on Rules; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL ENERGY RESEARCH
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Should Congress Establish 
``ARPA-E,'' The Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy? Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
SBA FINANCE PROGRAMS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Tax, Finance and Exports 
held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Small Business 
Administration's Finance Programs.'' Testimony was heard from Michael 
Hager, Associate Deputy Administrator, Office of Capital Access, SBA; 
and public witnesses.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS OF U.S. PORTS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on Foreign 
Operations of U.S. Port Facilities. Testimony was heard from Stewart A. 
Baker, Assistant Secretary, Policy, Department of Homeland Security; 
and public witnesses.
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT/TRAINING
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held an oversight hearing on the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment Service contract services and its coordination with the 
Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service. 
Testimony was heard from Charles S. Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, 
Veterans' Employment and Training Service, Department of Labor; July 
Caden, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and a 
representative of a veterans organization.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Background on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance 
Act (FISA). Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
FREEDOM IN BELARUS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission concluded a hearing to examine the complete absence of 
political freedom in Belarus and the implications this has on its 
upcoming elections, after receiving testimony from David J. Kramer, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

[[Page D217]]

for European Affairs; and Stephen B. Nix, International Republican 
Institute, Rodger Potocki, National Endowment for Democracy, Iryna 
Vidanava, Students' Thought, Celeste A. Wallander, Center for Strategic 
and International Studies, and Patrick Merloe, all of Washington, D.C.