[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 15, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D243-D246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense concluded a hearing to 
examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 for the Department of 
the Navy, after receiving testimony from David C. Winter, Secretary of the 
Navy; Admiral Michael G. Mullen, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and General 
Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps.
APPROPRIATIONS: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch concluded a 
hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2007 for the 
Secretary of the Senate, and Architect of the Capitol, including an update 
on the progress of the Capitol Visitor Center, after receiving testimony 
from Emily Reynolds, Secretary of the Senate; Alan Hantman, Architect, 
Steven Ayers, Acting Chief Operating Officer, and Robert C. Hixon, Jr., 
Capitol Visitor Center Project Executive, all of the Office of the Architect 
of the Capitol; and Bernard Ungar, Director, Physical Infrastructure, and 
Terrell Dorn, both of Government Accountability Office.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management 
Support concluded a hearing to examine the proposed defense authorization 
request for fiscal year 2007, focusing on ground forces readiness, after 
receiving testimony from Lieutenant General James J. Lovelace, Jr., USA, 
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, United States Army; 
Lieutenant General Jan C. Huly, USMC, Deputy Commandant, Plans, Policies, 
and Operations, United States Marine Corps; Lieutenant General John R. 
Vines, USA, Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps; and Lieutenant General 
John F. Sattler, Commander, United States Marine Corps Forces Central 
Command, Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
proposed defense authorization request for fiscal year 2007 and the future 
years defense program, focusing on the Joint Strike Fighter F136 Alternate 
Engine Program, after receiving testimony from Gordon England, Deputy 
Secretary of Defense; Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN, Vice Chief of Naval 
Operations; General John D.W. Corley, USAF, Vice Chief of Staff, United 
States Air Force; General Robert Magnus, USMC, Assistant Commandant of the 
Marine Corps; and Rear Admiral Steven L. Enewold, USN, Program Executive 
Officer, Joint Strike Fighter Program, United States Navy.
INNOVATION AND COMPETITIVENESS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine proposed legislation to provide a national innovation 
initiative, and related proposals for assuring America's leadership and 
competitiveness in the 21st century, after receiving testimony from Senators 
Baucus and Lieberman; Deborah L. Wince-Smith, Council on Competitiveness, 
Washington, D.C.; Craig R. Barrett, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, 
California; John E. Kelly III, IBM Corporation, Somers, New York; and Norman 
Augustine, Bethesda, Maryland.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following business items:
  S. 476, to authorize the Boy Scouts of America to exchange certain land in 
the State of Utah acquired under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, 
with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 1829, to repeal certain sections of the Act of May 26, 1936, pertaining 
to the Virgin Islands;
  S. 1830, to amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003, 
with amendments;
  H.R. 562, to authorize the Government of Ukraine to establish a memorial 
on Federal land in the District of Columbia to honor the victims of the man-
made famine that occurred in Ukraine in 1932-1933;
  H.R. 3443, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain water 
distribution facilities to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District; 
and
  The nominations of Raymond L. Orbach, to be Under Secretary for Science, 
Alexander A. Karsner, to be Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, and Dennis R. Spurgeon, to be Assistant Secretary for 
Nuclear Energy, all of the Department of Energy, and David Longly Bernhardt, 
to be Solicitor of the Department of the Interior.

[[Page D244]]


THE MIDDLE EAST
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
Post-Palestinian election challenges in the Middle East, focusing on Hamas, 
a designated terrorist organization, which was victorious in the Palestinian 
Legislative Council elections in January 2006, after receiving testimony 
from Lieutenant General Keith W. Dayton, U.S. Security Coordinator, 
Department of State; and James D. Wolfensohn, Quartet Special Envoy for Gaza 
Disengagement, Dennis Ross, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and 
Robert Malley, International Crisis Group, all of Washington, D.C.
GAO HIGH-RISK LIST
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on 
Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District 
of Columbia concluded a hearing 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, after receiving 
testimony from David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, 
Government Accountability Office; and Clay Johnson III, Deputy Director for 
Management, Office of Management and Budget.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered 
favorably reported 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, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute.
INDIAN CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing 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, after receiving testimony from William P. 
Ragsdale, Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; 
Robert McSwain, Deputy Director, and Jon Perez, Director, Division of 
Behavioral Health, both of Indian Health Service, Department of Health and 
Human Services; James H. Burrus, Jr., Acting Assistant Director, Criminal 
Investigative Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of 
Justice; Ron Suppah, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of 
Oregon, Warm Springs; Terry L. Cross, National Indian Child Welfare 
Association, Portland, Oregon; and Paul D. Steele, Morehead State University 
Center for Justice Studies, Morehead, Kentucky.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee resumed markup of proposed legislation 
providing for comprehensive immigration reform, but did not complete action 
thereon, and will meet again on Thursday, March 16.
HOSPITAL GROUP PURCHASING
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy 
and Consumer Rights concluded a hearing to examine hospital group 
purchasing, focusing on whether the industry's reforms are sufficient to 
ensure competition, after receiving testimony from Richard J. Bednar, 
Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative, and Mark B. Leahey, Medical 
Device Manufacturers Association, both of Washington, D.C.; S. Prakash 
Sethi, City University of New York Baruch College, New York, New York; and 
Mina Ubbing, Fairfield Medical Center, Lancaster, Ohio.
GENDER RETIREMENT DISPARITY
Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
eliminating retirement income disparity for women, focusing on the financial 
security of America's women, after receiving testimony from Jean Chatzky, 
Money Magazine, Briarcliff Manor, New York; Cindy Hounsell, Women's 
Institute for a Secure Retirement, Barbara B. Kennelly, National Committee 
To Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Jack L. VanDerhei, Employee 
Benefit Research Institute, and Karyne Jones, The National Caucus and Center 
on Black Aged, Inc., all of Washington, D.C.; Sara C. Hart, CNF Service 
Company, Portland, Oregon; and Lynn Rollins, New York, New York.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee met in closed session to receive 
a briefing on certain intelligence matters from officials of the 
intelligence community.

[[Page D245]]




                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 12 public bills, H.R. 4960-
4971; and 2 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 358 and H. Res. 728, were 
introduced.
  Pages H1058-59
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages H1059-60
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 1176, to provide immunity for nonprofit athletic organizations 
in lawsuits arising from claims of ordinary negligence relating to the 
passage, adoption, or failure to adopt rules of play for athletic 
competitions and practices (H. Rept. 109-393); and
  H.R. 1871, to provide liability protection to nonprofit volunteer 
pilot organizations flying for public benefit and to the pilots and 
staff of such organizations, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-394). 
                                                             Page H1058
Chaplain: The prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Rev. Larry R. 
Hayward, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Alexandria, Virginia.
                                                              Page H977
Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules 
and pass the following measures which were debated on Tuesday, March 
14th:
  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: H. Con. Res. 190, to 
express 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, by a yea-and-nay vote 
of 411 yeas to 1 nay with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 42; and 
                                                          Pages H991-92
  Amending the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to 
modify temporarily certain rates of duty, to make other technical 
amendments to the trade laws: H.R. 4944, to amend the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States to modify temporarily certain rates of 
duty, to make other technical amendments to the trade laws, by a yea-
and-nay vote of 412 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 44.
  Pages H1008-09
Recess: The House recessed at 12:49 p.m. for the purpose of receiving 
Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of 
Liberia. The House reconvened at 3:44 p.m., and agreed that the 
proceedings had during the Joint Meeting be printed in the Record. The 
House will resume consideration of H.R. 4939 following the Joint 
Meeting.
  Pages H995, H998
Joint Meeting to receive Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 
President of the Republic of Liberia: The House and Senate met in a 
joint session to receive Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 
President of the Republic of Liberia. She was escorted into the Chamber 
by a committee comprised of Representatives Boehner, Putnam, Boozman, 
Fortenberry, Leach, Ros-Lehtinen, Royce, Smith of New Jersey, Wilson of 
South Carolina, Flake, Pelosi, Clyburn, Lewis of Georgia, Payne, 
Waters, Watt, Kennedy, Kilpatrick, Lee and Watson; and Senators Frist, 
Stevens, Lugar, Martinez, Durbin, Feingold, and Reed.
  Pages H995-98
Recess: The House recessed at 3:45 p.m., and reconvened at 4:44 p.m. 
                                                              Page H998
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War 
on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006: The House began consideration 
of H.R. 4939, to make emergency supplemental appropriations for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. Further consideration will 
continue tomorrow, March 16th. 
                          Pages H992-95, H999-H1008, H1009-25, H1026-47
Agreed to:
  Millender-McDonald amendment that decreases and increases funding 
relating to the Defense Health Program;
Page H1013
  Shays amendment that designates funding for the Community Action 
Program;
Pages H1016-17
  Kirk amendment that increases funding for the DEA;
Page H1022
  Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment which pertains to section 3013, 
regarding funds appropriated relating to the consequences of Hurricane 
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season as pertains to expenses 
as a result of legally voting in any officially designated election of 
the Gulf Coast region.
Page H1046
Rejected:
  Gilchrest amendment that strikes section 3011 (by a recorded vote of 
38 ayes to 377 noes, Roll No. 43); and
Pages H1002-05, H1008
  Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment that strikes and inserts certain 
language regarding the disallowance of requirement waivers as it 
relates to low and moderate incomes;
Pages H1044-45

[[Page D246]]

Withdrawn:
  Souder amendment (no. 1 printed in the Congressional Record of March 
14) that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that sought to change 
language in the following areas relating to ``Drug Interdiction and 
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', after the dollar amount, reduce 
funding. In the item relating to ``International Narcotics and Law 
Enforcement'', after the dollar amount, increase funding; 
                                                         Pages H1013-14
  Engel amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to increase funding to the Bilateral Economic Assistance; 
                                                         Pages H1014-16
  Garrett amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that 
sought to strike lines relating to Department of State's Democracy 
Fund, reduces funding for the Diplomatic and Consular Programs, and 
strikes language in the bill relating to Educational and Cultural 
Exchange Programs;
Page H1017
  Hinojosa amendment (no. 3 printed in the Congressional Record of 
March 14) that was offered and subsequently withdrawn which sought to 
designate funding for the United States Section of the International 
Boundary Water Commission, United States and Mexico;
Page H1024
  Melancon amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn which 
sought to insert a new title, entitled,''Title IV--Louisiana Hurricanes 
Agricultural Disaster Relief'';
Pages H1039-43
  Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment that was offered and subsequently 
withdrawn that sought to increase reconstruction funding; and 
                                                         Pages H1043-44
  Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment that was offered and subsequently 
withdrawn that sought to insert language regarding disaster loans and 
the SBA.
Pages H1046-47
Point of Order sustained against:
  Sabo amendment that sought to amend the Defense Production Act by 
inserting a new section 3011A;
Pages H1005-08
  Salazar amendment (no. 2 printed in the Congressional Record of March 
14) that sought to increase funding for Department of Veterans Affairs, 
Departmental Administration, General Operating Expenses; 
                                                         Pages H1021-22
  Brady amendment that sought to insert language pertaining to data 
used be the most timely and accurate data available relating to damages 
from such hurricanes;
Page H1036
  Brady amendment that sought to increase funding for the long-term 
recovery of areas that are housing victims of Hurricane Katrina; 
                                                         Pages H1036-37
  Brady amendment that sought to increase funding for the recovery, 
rebuilding, and relief of the State of Texas from the consequences of 
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes;
Pages H1037-38
  Brady amendment that sought funding under the heading ``Department of 
Housing and Urban Development'' Community Development Fund; and 
                                                         Pages H1038-39
  Conaway amendment that sought to insert language regarding the 
funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Page H1047
  Agreed by unanimous consent that no amendments may be in order during 
further consideration of H.R. 4939 except those contained in a list 
which was submitted to the desk. Agreed to without objection. 
                                                             Page H1025
  H. Res. 725, providing for consideration of the bill was agreed to by 
a recorded vote of 218 ayes to 200 noes, Roll No. 41, after agreeing to 
order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 224 yeas to 192 
nays, Roll No. 40.
Pages H980-91
Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House completed debate on the 
following measure under suspension of the rules. Further consideration 
of the measure will resume tomorrow, March 16th:
  Making available funds included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 
for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for fiscal year 2006: 
S. 2320, to make available funds included in the Deficit Reduction Act 
of 2005 for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for fiscal 
year 2006.
  Pages H1047-51
Tax Relief Act of 2005--Motion to Instruct Conferees: The House began 
consideration of the Tanner motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4297, 
to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 201(b) of the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006. Further 
consideration will resume tomorrow, March 16th.
  Pages H1051-55
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes and two recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H990, 
H990-91, H991, H1008, and H1008-09. There were no quorum calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 11:53 p.m.