[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 26, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D389-D392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing to review the Federal Crop Insurance 
Program. Testimony was heard from John Hoeven, Governor, State of North 
Dakota; and public witnesses.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Oversight of Reform 
of the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex. Testimony was heard from Clay Sell, 
Deputy Secretary, Department of Energy; Gene Aloise, Director, National 
Resources and Environment, GAO; David Klein, Assistant to the 
Secretary, Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs, 
Department of Defense; and a public witness.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Programs held a hearing on USAID. Testimony was 
heard from Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, Administrator, U.S. Agency of 
International Development, Department of State.
SCIENCE, THE DEPARTMENTS OF STATE, JUSTICE, AND COMMERCE, AND RELATED 
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Science, the Departments 
of State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Testimony was 
heard from Carl J. Truscott, Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives, Department of Justice.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel 
approved for full Committee action

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H.R. 5122, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces approved 
for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 5122, National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land 
Forces approved for full Committee action H.R. 5122, National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007.
GULF COAST RECOVERY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing entitled 
``Gulf Coast Recovery: Facing Challenges and Coming Back Stronger in 
Education.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY, PROMOTION, AND ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act.
AMERICA's CAPITAL MARKETS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``America's Capital Markets: Maintaining Our Lead in the 21st 
Century.'' Testimony was heard from former Speaker of the House of 
Representatives Newt Gingrich of Georgia; and public witnesses.
TITLE INSURANCE: COST AND COMPETITION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``Title Insurance: Cost and 
Competition.'' Testimony was heard from Orice M. Williams, Director, 
Financial Markets and Community Investment, GAO; Gary M. Cunningham, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Regulatory Affairs and Manufactured 
Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development; and public 
witnesses.
TRANSIT ZONE OPERATIONS
Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug 
Policy and Human Resources held a hearing entitled ``Transit Zone 
Operations: Can We Sustain Record Seizures and Declining Resources.'' 
Testimony was heard from James F. X. O'Gara, Deputy Director, Supply 
Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy; RADM Jeffrey 
Hathaway, USN, Director, Joint Interagency Task Force--South, 
Department of Defense; Michael Braun, Director, Operations, DEA, 
Department of Justice; the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: RADM Wayne Justice, USCG, Assistant Commandant, 
Enforcement and Incident Management, U.S. Coast Guard; and MG Michael 
Kostelnick, USAF (ret.), Assistant Commissioner, Customs and Border 
Protection; and a public witness.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT THRIFT SAVINGS ACT; REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and 
Agency Organization held a hearing ``Adding a Real Estate Investment 
Trust (REIT) Index Option to the Thrift Savings Plan: Considering the 
Views and Advisory Role of the Employee Thrift Advisory Council 
(ETAC).'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board: Gary A. Amelio, Executive 
Director; and Thomas J. Trabucco, Director, External Affairs; and 
public witnesses.
SAFE PORT ACT
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
4954, SAFE Port Act.
IRAQ: UPDATE ON U.S. POLICY
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on Iraq: Update on 
U.S. Policy. Testimony was heard from James Jeffrey, Senior Advisor to 
the Secretary and Coordinator for Iraq, Department of State; and the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Peter W. Rodman, 
Assistant Secretary, International Security Affairs; and BG Michael D. 
Jones, USA, Deputy Director, Politico-Military Affairs (Middle East), 
J-5, The Joint Staff.
ENDANGERED CHILDREN OF NORTHERN UGANDA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations held a hearing on the 
Endangered Children of Northern Uganda. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of State: Jeffrey Krilla, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; and 
Leonard Rogers, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, U.S. Agency for 
International Development; and and public witnesses.
U.S. POLICY IN CENTRAL ASIA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia continued hearings

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on U.S. Policy in Central Asia: Balancing Priorities (Part II). 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
State: Richard A. Boucher, Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asian 
Affairs; and Drew W. Luten, Acting Assistant Administrator, Bureau for 
Europe and Eurasia, U.S. Agency for International Development; James 
McDougal, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Defense; and public 
witnesses.
U.S.-MEXICO RELATIONS
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on U.S.-Mexico Relations. Testimony was heard 
from Elizabeth A. Whitaker, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Mexico, Canada, 
and Public Diplomacy, Department of State; John M. Melle, Deputy 
Assistant Trade Representative, North America, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative; Audrey Adams, Deputy Assistant 
Commissioner, Office of International Affairs, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on the Department of 
Justice: Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Civil Division, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, Executive Office for United 
States Trustees, and Office of the Solicitor General. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Justice: 
Michael Battle, Director, Executive Office for United States Attorneys; 
Peter D. Keisler, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division; Sue Ellen 
Woolridge, Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division; and Clifford White, Acting Director, Executive 
Office for United States Trustees.
MISCELLANEOUS WATER MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 1711, New Mexico Water Planning Assistance 
Act; H.R. 4750, Lower Republican River Basin Study Act; and S. 166, 
Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization Act of 2005. Testimony was 
heard from Larry Todd, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
LOBBYING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 9 to 2, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 4975, to provide greater 
transparency with respect to lobbying activities, and for other 
purposes, equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the 
Minority Leader, or their designees. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that in lieu 
of the amendments recommended by the Committees on the Judiciary, 
Rules, and Government Reform now printed in the bill, the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of the Rules 
Committee Print dated April 21, 2006, modified by the amendment printed 
in part A of the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution 
shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the 
Whole. The rule provides that the bill, as amended, shall be considered 
as the original bill for purpose of further amendment, and shall be 
considered as read. The rule makes in order only those amendments 
printed in part B of the Rules Committee report, which may be offered 
only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a 
Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in part B of the 
Rules Committee report. The rule provides one motion to recommit with 
or without instructions.
  The rule provides that in the engrossment of H.R. 4975, the Clerk 
shall add the text of H.R. 513, as passed by the House, as new matter 
at the end of H.R. 4975 and shall make appropriate conforming changes. 
The rule provides that after the passage of H.R. 4975, it shall be in 
order to take from the Speaker's table S. 2349 and to consider the 
Senate bill in the House. The rule waives all points of order againt 
consideration of the Senate bill. The rule provides that it shall be in 
order to move to strike all after the enacting clause of the Senate 
bill and to insert in lieu thereof the provisions of H.R. 4975 as 
passed by the House. The rule waives all points of order against that 
motion. Finally, the rule provides that if that motion is adopted and 
the Senate bill, as amended, is passed, it then shall be in order to 
move that the House insist on its amendment to the Senate bill and 
request a conference thereon. Testimony was heard from Chairman Tom 
Davis of Virginia and Representatives Daniel E. Lungren of California, 
King of Iowa, Gohmert, Shays, Leach, Hefley, Castle, Wicker, Shadegg, 
Kirk, Garrett of New Jersey, Conyers, Jackson-Lee of Texas, Waters, 
Meehan, Van Hollen, Waxman, Obey, George Miller of California, Doggett, 
Sherman, Bordallo, Emanuel, and Bean.

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CUTTING THE TRADE DEFICIT
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Cutting Our 
Trade Deficit: Can the U.S. Muster Its Diverse Trade Promotion 
Operations to Make an Impact?'' Testimony was heard from Representative 
Mica; Franklin Lavin, Under Secretary, International Trade, Department 
of Commerce; Loren Yager, Director, International Affairs and Trade, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--U.S. RAIL CAPACITY CRUNCH
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held an oversight hearing on the U.S. Rail Capacity Crunch. 
Testimony was heard from Joseph Boardman, Administrator, Federal 
Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation; Frank 
Busalacchi, Secretary, Department of Transportation, State of 
Wisconsin; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--CORPORATE COMMITMENT TO HIRING VETERANS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held an oversight hearing on Corporate 
Commitment to Hiring Veterans. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.