[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D493-D494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ENERGY AS A WEAPON: U.S. POLICY IMPLICATIONS
  Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Energy and 
Resources and the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging 
Threats and International Relations held a joint hearing entitled 
``Energy as a Weapon: Implications for U.S. Policy.'' Testimony was 
heard from Karen Harbert, Assistant Secretary, Policy and 
International Affairs, Department of Energy; Paul Simons, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Energy, Sanctions, and Commodity Policy, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
JUDGES--PAY AND BENEFITS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and 
Agency Organization held a hearing entitled ``Fair and Balanced? The 
Status of Pay and Benefits for Non-Article III Judges.'' Testimony was 
heard from Nancy Kichak, Associate Director, Division for Strategic 
Human Resources Policy, OPM; William Cowan, Deputy Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy; 
Ronald G. Bernoski, Administrative Law Judge, SSA; and public 
witnesses.
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA STRATEGY
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Are We 
Ready?: Implementing the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.'' 
Testimony was heard from Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., Acting Under 
Secretary, Science and Technology and Chief Medical Officer, Department 
of Homeland Security; John Agwonobi, M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health, 
Department of Health and Human Services; John Clifford, D.V.D., Deputy 
Administrator, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service, USDA; and Peter F. Verga, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Homeland 
Defense, Department of Defense.
MEDICAL OUTREACH AND U.S. DIPLOMACY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Relations held a hearing on Medical 
Outreach: An Instrument of U.S. Diplomacy. Testimony was heard from 
Cheryl Austein-Casnoff, Associate Administrator, Office of Health 
Information Technology, Health Resources and Services Administration, 
Department of Health and Human Services; the following officials of the 
Department of State. Ralph Braibanti, Director, Office of Space and 
Advanced Technology, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental 
and Scientific Affairs, and Richard Greene, Director, Office of Health, 
Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency 
for International Development; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--COPYRIGHT ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property, oversight hearing on Section 115 Reform Act 
(SIRA) of 2006. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL, DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007
Committee on Rules: Testimony heard; action deferred.

[[Page D494]]


BUDGET RESOLUTION, FY 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving clause 6(a) 
of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the 
same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any resolution reported on the legislative day of May 17, 
2006, providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. 
Res. 376) establishing the congressional budget for the United States 
Government for fiscal year 2007 and setting forth appropriate budgetary 
levels for fiscal years 2008 through 2011, or addressing budget 
enforcement or priorities.
FOREST EMERGENCY RECOVERY AND RESEARCH ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 4200, Forest Emergency Recovery and 
Research Act, with 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Resources, 20 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that in lieu of 
the amendment recommended by the Committee on Resources now printed in 
the bill, the amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the 
text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the 
Congressional Record and numbered 1 pursuant to clause 8 of rule XVIII, 
shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. The rule 
waives all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a 
substitute printed in the Congressional Record.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that 
the amendments printed in the report accompanying the resolution 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 the report. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions.