[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 30 (Thursday, March 9, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D217-D221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                      CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM AHEAD

                Week of March 13 through March 18, 2006

                             Senate Chamber

  On Monday, at 10 a.m., Senate will begin consideration of the budget 
resolution, if available. At 11:30 a.m., Senate will begin a period of 
morning business until 1:30 p.m.; following which, Senate will continue 
consideration of the budget resolution. Also, at 5:30 p.m., Senate will 
begin consideration of the nomination of Leo Maury Gordon, of New 
Jersey, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International 
Trade, and vote immediately on the confirmation of the nomination.
  During the balance of the week, Senate may consider any other cleared 
legislative and executive business, including the debt-limit.


                           Senate Committees

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
  Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: March 14, to 
hold hearings to examine the nominations of Boyd Kevin Rutherford, 
of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary, Gale A. Buchanan, of 
Georgia, to be Under Secretary for Research, Education, and 
Economics, Marc L. Kesselman, of Tennessee, to be General Counsel, 
and Linda Avery Strachan, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary, 
all of the Department of Agriculture, 10 a.m., SR-328A.
  Committee on Appropriations: March 14, Subcommittee on 
Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies, to hold 
hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 
for the Food and Drug Administration, 10 a.m., SD-192.
  March 14, Subcommittee on Energy and Water, to hold hearings to 
examine an overview of the proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 
2007 for the Office of Science, the Energy Supply and Conservation 
account, and the Fossil Energy Research and Development account 
within the Department of Energy, 2:30 p.m., SD-138.
  March 14, Subcommittee on District of Columbia, to hold hearings 
to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 for the 
D.C. Courts, D.C. Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 
and the D.C. Public Defender Service, 3 p.m., SD-192.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, to hold hearings to 
examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 for the the 
Secretary of the Senate, Architect of the Capitol, and the Capitol 
Visitor Center, 10:30 a.m., SD-138.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' 
Affairs and Related Agencies, to hold hearings to examine proposed 
budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 for military construction, 
2:30 p.m., SD-138.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, to hold 
hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 
for the Forest Service, 9:30 a.m., SD-124.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and 
Related Agencies, to hold hearings to examine proposed budget 
estimates for fiscal year 2007 for Farm and Foreign Agricultural 
Services, Research, Education, and Economics, Rural Development, and 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, 10 a.m., SD-192.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Energy and Water, to hold hearings to 
examine National Nuclear Security Administration budget, 2:30 p.m., 
SD-124.
  Committee on Armed Services: March 13, to hold a closed briefing 
on an update from the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat 
Organization, 3 p.m., SR-222.
  March 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine military 
strategy and operational requirements in review of the Defense 
Authorization Request for fiscal year 2007 and the future years 
defense program, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
  March 14, Subcommittee on Personnel, to hold hearings to examine 
health benefits and programs in review of the defense authorization 
request for fiscal year 2007, 2:30 p.m., SR-325.
  March 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the Joint 
Strike Fighter F-136 Alternate Engine Program in review of the 
defense authorization request for fiscal year 2007 and the future 
years defense program, 2:30 p.m., SH-216.

[[Page D218]]


  March 15, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, to 
hold hearings to examine ground forces readiness in review of the 
defense authorization request for fiscal year 2007, 9:30 a.m., SR-
222.
  March 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the Joint 
Strike Fighter F136 Alternative Engine Program in review of the 
defense authorization request for fiscal year 2007 and the future 
years defense program, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
  March 16, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine military 
strategy and operational requirements in review of the defense 
authorization request for fiscal year 2007 and the future years 
defense program; to be followed by a closed session in SH-219, 9:30 
a.m., SH-216.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, to hold hearings to 
examine Global Strike Plans and programs in review of the defense 
authorization request for fiscal year 2007, 3:30 p.m., SR-222.
  Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: March 14, to 
hold hearings to examine the nominations of James S. Simpson, of New 
York, to be Federal Transit Administrator, Department of 
Transportation, and Robert M. Couch, of Alabama, to be President, 
Government National Mortgage Association, 10 a.m., SD-538.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: March 14, to 
hold hearings to examine wireless issues spectrum reform, 10 a.m., 
SD-106.
  March 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine Wall Street 
perspective on telecom, 2:30 p.m., SD-106.
  March 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine innovation 
and competitiveness legislation, 2:30 p.m., SD-562.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction, to 
hold hearings to examine impacts on aviation regarding volcanic 
hazards, 10 a.m., SD-562.
  March 16, Full Committee, business meeting to consider pending 
calendar business, 3 p.m., SD-562.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: March 14, Subcommittee 
on National Parks, to hold hearings to examine the President's 
proposed budget request for fiscal year 2007 for the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior, 2:30 p.m., SD-366.
  March 15, Full Committee, business meeting to consider pending 
calendar business, 11:30 a.m., SD-366.
  Committee on Environment and Public Works: March 16, to hold 
hearings to examine the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration's 
strategy to restore and protect the Great Lakes, 9:30 a.m., SD-628.
  Committee on Finance: March 14, to hold hearings to examine 
administrative challenges facing the Social Security Administration, 
10 a.m., SD-215.
  March 16, Subcommittee on International Trade, to hold hearings to 
examine Cuno and competitiveness, 9:30 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: March 14, to hold hearings to 
examine a status report on United Nations reform, 9:30 a.m., SD-419.
  March 14, Full Committee, business meeting to consider Protocol 
Amending the Convention Between the Government of the United States 
of America and the Government of the French Republic for the 
Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion 
with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital, signed at Paris on 
August 31, 1994 (Treaty Doc. 109-04), Convention between the 
Government of the United States of America and the Government of 
Bangladesh for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention 
of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income signed at Dhaka on 
September 26, 2004 with an exchange of notes enclosed (Treaty Doc. 
109-05), Protocol Amending the Convention Between the United States 
of America and the French Republic for the Avoidance of Double 
Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes 
on Estates, Inheritances, and Gifts signed at Washington on November 
24, 1978 (Treaty Doc. 109-07), and Protocol Amending the Convention 
Between the Government of the United States of America and the 
Government of Sweden for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the 
Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income signed 
at Washington on September 30, 2005 (Treaty Doc. 109-08), 2:15 p.m., 
S-116, Capitol.
  March 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine Post-
Palestinian election challenges in the Middle East, 9:30 a.m., SD-
419.
  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: March 15, 
business meeting to consider S. 1955, to amend title I of the 
Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health 
Service Act to expand health care access and reduce costs through 
the creation of small business health plans and through 
modernization of the health insurance marketplace, 9 a.m., SD-430.
  March 16, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine 
reauthorization of Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 
Preparedness and Response Act relating to enhancing public health 
and medical preparedness, 10:30 a.m., SD-430.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: March 14, 
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold hearings to 
examine Federal contractors with unpaid tax debt, focusing on the 
extent to which contractors are tax delinquent and what can be done 
about it, 9:30 a.m., SD-342.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the 
Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold hearings to 
examine the progress of the programs on the Government 
Accountability Office's high-risk list, including whether a proposal 
to create a Chief Management Officer at the Department of Homeland 
Security and Department of Defense would foster a culture of 
accountability necessary for improved high-risk program performance, 
2:30 p.m., SD-342.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government 
Information, and International Security, to hold hearings to examine 
understanding the obligation of Funds Transparency Act, focusing on 
the need for earmark reform and legislation that would be an 
important step toward achieving such reform, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.

[[Page D219]]


  Committee on Indian Affairs: March 15, to hold hearings to examine 
S. 1899, to amend the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence 
Prevention Act to identify and remove barriers to reducing child 
abuse, to provide for examinations of certain children, 9:30 a.m., 
SR-485.
  Committee on the Judiciary: March 14, to hold hearings to examine 
consolidation in the oil and gas industry, 10:30 a.m., SD-226.
  March 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine judicial and 
executive nominations, 2 p.m., SD-226.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and 
Consumer Rights, to hold hearings to examine hospital group 
purchasing, focusing on if the industry's reforms are sufficient to 
ensure competition, 2:30 p.m., SD-226.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs: March 16, to hold hearings to 
examine the homeless programs administered by the VA, 10 a.m., SR-
418.
  Special Committee on Aging: March 15, to hold hearings to examine 
eliminating retirement income disparity for women, 10 a.m., SD-106.


                            House Committees

  Committee on Agriculture, March 15, Subcommittee on General Farm 
Commodities and Risk Management, hearing to review the Federal Crop 
Insurance System, 2:30 p.m., 1300 Longworth.
  Committee on Appropriations, March 14, hearing on the House of 
Representatives, Office of Compliance and the Architect of the 
Capitol, 10 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
  March 14, Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, Treasury, 
and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of 
Columbia, and Independent Agencies, on the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 9:30 a.m., 2358 Rayburn.
  March 14, Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life, and Veterans 
Affairs, and Related Agencies, on Central Command, 1:30 p.m., 143 
Capitol.
  March 14, Subcommittee on Science, The Departments of State, 
Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations, on the 
Attorney General, 2 p.m., 2359 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, on Marketing and 
Regulatory Programs, 9:30 a.m., 2362A Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and 
Related Agencies, on DOE, Nuclear Waste Disposal, 10 a.m., 2362B 
Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and 
Related Programs, on USAID Programs, 10 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related 
Agencies, on Fish and Wildlife Service, 10 a.m., B-308 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education and Related Agencies, on Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 9 a.m., 2358 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Science, the Departments of State, 
Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies, on SBA, 10 a.m., H-309 
Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration and Related Agencies, on Food and Nutrition 
Service, 9:30 a.m., 2362A Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Defense, executive, on Navy/Marine Corps 
Budget and Acquisition Overview, 10 a.m., H-140 Capitol.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Department of Homeland Security, on 
Secure Border Initiative/Immigration Customs and Enforcement/Customs 
Border Protection, 10 a.m., 2359 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and 
Related Agencies, on DOE, Energy Supply and Conservation, 10 a.m., 
2362B Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related 
Agencies, on Smithsonian, 10 a.m., B-308 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education, and Related Agencies, on NIH, 10 a.m., 2358 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Science, the Departments of State, 
Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies, on SEC, 2 p.m., H-309 
Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, and Housing 
and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and 
Independent Agencies, on the Federal Judiciary, 9:30 a.m., 2358 
Rayburn.
  Committee on Armed Services, March 14, hearing on the Department 
of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review, 2 p.m., and to mark up H. 
Res. 685, Requesting the President and directing the Secretary of 
State and the Secretary of Defense provide to the House of 
Representatives certain documents in their possession relating to 
any entity with which the United States has contracted for public 
relations purposes concerning Iraq, 5:30 p.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  March 15, hearing on the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense 
Authorization Budget Request for the U.S. Central Command, 10 a.m., 
2118 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee in Military Personnel, hearing on the 
Military Resale and Morale, Welfare Morale, Welfare and Recreation 
Overview, 2 p.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Projection Forces, hearing on the Navy's 
Fiscal Year 2007 Shipbuilding Acquisition Strategy and How it 
Supports the Navy's Long-Range Fleet Plan, 3 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and 
Capabilities, hearing on Implementing the Global War on Terror 
strategy: Overcoming Interagency Problems, 5 p.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  March 16, full Committee, hearing on the Fiscal Year 2007 National 
Defense Authorization Budget Request for the U.S. Southern Command, 
9 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, hearing on Fiscal Year 
2007 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for space 
activities, 1 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, hearing on 
the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Budget Request 
for the Department of the

[[Page D220]]

Navy and the Department of the Air Force Aviation Acquisition 
Programs, 2 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Budget, March 16, Hearing on the Key Budget 
Process Reforms, 10 a.m., 210 Cannon.
  Committee on Education and the Workforce, March 16, Subcommittee 
on Workforce Protections, hearing entitled ``Mine Safety and Health: 
A Congressional Perspective,'' 10:30 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  Committee on Energy and Commerce, March 15, Subcommittee on Energy 
and Air Quality, hearing on Status of the Yucca Mountain Project, 2 
p.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Health, hearing entitled ``What's the 
Cost? Proposals to Provide Consumers With Better Information About 
Healthcare Service Costs,'' 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  Committee on Financial Services, March 14, hearing entitled 
``Review of the Rudman Report on Fannie Mae, 2 p.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  March 16, full Committee, oversight hearing of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, including the Department's budget 
request for fiscal year 2007, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  Committee on Government Reform, March 14, Subcommittee on National 
Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, hearing 
entitled ``Drowning in a Sea of Faux Secrets: Policies on Handling 
of Classified and Sensitive Information,'' 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Energy and Resources, hearing entitled 
``Strengthening the Nation's Water Infrastructure: The Army Corps of 
Engineers' Planning Priorities,'' 2 p.m., 2203 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency 
Organization, hearing entitled ``Improving the Quality of Healthcare 
in the FEHBP,'' 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance and 
Accountability, hearing entitled ``OMB's Financial Management Line 
of Business Initiative Too Much Too Soon?'' 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, hearing entitled 
``Taking on Water: The National Park Service's Stalled Rulemaking 
Effort on Personal Watercraft,'' 10 a.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  March 16, full Committee, hearing entitled ``Leave No Computer 
System Behind: A Review of the 2006 Federal Computer Security 
Scorecards,'' 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on Homeland Security, March 16, to continue mark up of 
H.R. 4439, Transportation Security Administration Reorganization Act 
of 2005, 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
  Committee on International Relations, March 15, hearing on the 
Status of Reform and Fraud Investigations at the United Nations, 
10:30 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and 
International Operations and the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging 
Threats, joint hearing on the Northern Ireland Peace Process: 
Policing Advances and Remaining Challenges, 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, hearing on Unrest 
in South Asia: Recent Developments in Nepal and Sri Lanka, 2 p.m., 
2200 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and 
International Operations, hearing on Monitoring Respect for Human 
Rights Around the World: A Review of the Country Reports on Human 
Rights Practices for 2005, 2 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, to mark up the 
following resolutions: H. Con. Res. 328, Condemning the anti-
democratic actions of Venezuelan President Hugh Chavez and 
expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should 
strongly support the aspirations of the democratic forces in 
Venezuela; H. Con. Res. 338, Expressing the sense of Congress 
regarding the activities of Islamist terrorist organizations in the 
Western Hemisphere; and H. Con. Res. 353, Commending the people of 
the Republic of Haiti for holding democratic elections on February 
7, 2006, and congratulating President-elect Rene Garcia Preval on 
his victory in these elections, 2:30 p.m., 2200 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Judiciary, March 14, Subcommittee on Commercial 
and Administrative Law, hearing on H.R. 3509, Workplace Goods Job 
Growth and Competitiveness Act of 2005, 1 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, 
oversight hearing on United States v. Booker: One Year Later--Chaos 
or Status Quo? 10:30 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  Committee on Resources, March 15, hearing on H.R. 4857, To better 
inform consumers regarding costs associated with compliance for 
protecting endangered and threatened species under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, 11 a.m.; and a hearing on H.R. 4893, To amend 
section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to restrict off-
reservation gaming, 2 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, oversight 
hearing on the Department of the Interior and United States Forest 
Service Budgets for Fiscal Year 2007 Energy and Mineral Programs, 10 
a.m., 1334 Longworth.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans, oversight hearing 
on the Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the National 
Wildlife Refuge System, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
  March 16, Subcommittee on National Parks, oversight hearing 
entitled ``National Park Service business strategies, including the 
development and implementation of National Park Service business 
plans,'' 2 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
  Committee on Rules, March 15, Subcommittee on the Legislative and 
Budget Process, hearing on H.R. 4890, Legislative Line Item Veto Act 
of 2006, 10 a.m., H-313 Capitol.
  Committee on Science, March 15, Subcommittee on Research, hearing 
on Undergraduate Science, Math and Engineering Education: What's 
Working? 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Small Business, March 15, hearing on the issues 
confronting the Small Business Administration in the upcoming fiscal 
years, 2 p.m., 2360 Rayburn.

[[Page D221]]


  March 15, Subcommittee on Rural Enterprise, Agriculture and 
Technology, hearing entitled ``The Missouri River and its Spring 
Rise: Science or Science Fiction? 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight, hearing 
on the State of Small Business Security in a Cyber Economy, 2 p.m., 
2360 Rayburn.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, March 15, 
Subcommittee on Railroads, hearing on Implementation of the Recently 
Expanded Rail Infrastructure Loan Program, 2 p.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines, 
oversight hearing on Pipeline Safety, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, March 15, oversight hearing on 
education benefits for the total military force, 10:30 a.m., 334 
Cannon.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial 
Affairs, oversight hearing on the accuracy of benefits information 
provided to, and the quality of service received by, individuals 
calling into the Veterans Benefits Administration, 2 p.m., 334 
Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, March 15, Subcommittee on Health, 
Hearing on Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals, 3 p.m., 1100 Longworth.
  March 15, Subcommittee on Human Resources, hearing regarding new 
research on unemployment benefit recipients, 2 p.m., B-318 Rayburn.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, hearing on the 
use of tax preferred bond financing, 10:30 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
  March 16, Subcommittee on Social Security, to continue hearings on 
Social Security number high-risk issues, 10 a.m., B-318 Rayburn.