[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 71 (Wednesday, June 7, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D590-D591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FY 2007
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session and approved for full Committee action the Defense 
appropriations for Fiscal Year 2007.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FY 2007
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved for 
full Committee action the Department of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations for Fiscal 
Year 2007.
BOUTIQUE FUEL REDUCTION ACT OF 2006
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Held a hearing on the Boutique Fuel 
Reduction Act of 2006. Testimony was heard from Karen A. Harbert, 
Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy and International Affairs, 
Department of Energy; Robert J. Meyers, Associate Assistant 
Administrator, Air and Radiation, EPA; and public witnesses.
HURRICANE SEASON FUEL SUPPLY ISSUES
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``Keeping the Fuel Flowing from the Gulf: Are 
We Prepared for the Hurricane Season?'' Testimony was heard from GEN 
David L. Johnson, USAF (ret.) Director, National Weather Service, NOAA, 
Department of Commerce; ADM Thomas Barrett, USCG (ret.) Administrator, 
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of 
Transportation; Guy Caruso, Administrator, Energy Information 
Administration, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
GSA FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Finance, and Accountability held a hearing entitled ``Financial 
Management Challenges at the General Services Administration.'' 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the GSA: Kathleen 
Turco, Chief Financial Officer; and Eugene L. Waszily, Jr., Assistant 
Inspector General, Auditing.
BRIEFING--RECENT GRANT AWARDS TO STATES AND URBAN AREAS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Science, and Technology meet in executive session to receive a briefing 
on the recently announced grant awards to States and urban areas under 
the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Urban Area Security 
Initiative, and the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by Tracy Henke, Assistant Secretary, Grants 
and Training, Department of Homeland Security.
SYRIA ACCOUNTABILITY/LEBANESE SOVEREIGNTY
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on the Middle East 
and Central Asia held a hearing on Syria Accountability and Lebanese 
Sovereignty Restoration Act Two Years Later: Next Steps for U.S. 
Policy. Testimony was heard from Representative Engel; Theodore 
Kattouf, former Ambassador to Syria; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
4019, amended, To amend title 4 of the United States Code to clarify 
the treatment of self-employment for purposes of the limitation on 
State taxation of retirement income; H.R. 1595, Guam World War II 
Loyalty Recognition Act; and H.R. 2840, amended, Federal Agency 
Protection of Privacy Act of 2005. The Committee also began markup of 
H.R. 2389, Pledge Protection Act of 2005.
COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY, PROMOTION, AND ENHANCEMENT ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 3, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 5252, Communications 
Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the bill shall be 
considered as read. The rule makes in order only those amendments 
printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution. The 
rule provides that the amendments made in order 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 
amendments, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the

[[Page D591]]

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. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Barton of Texas and Representatives Upton, Sensenbrenner, Tom 
Davis of Virginia, Gutknecht, Peterson of Pennsylvania, Dingell, 
Markey, Rush, Stupak, Doyle, Solis, Gonzalez, Baldwin, Conyers, 
Hinchey, and Bean.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCE, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS 
ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule providing one 
hour of general debate on H.R. 5522, making appropriations for foreign 
operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill. Under the rules of the House the bill shall 
be read for amendment by paragraph. The rule waives all points of order 
against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations or legislative 
provisions in an appropriations bill), except as specified in the 
resolution. The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in 
recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the 
Congressional Record. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit 
with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Kolbe and Lowey.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 5356, Early Career Research Act; H.R. 5358, Science and 
Mathematics Education for Competitiveness Act; and H.R. 5136, National 
Integrated Drought Information System Act of 2006.
INTERNET CONTRACTING BARRIERS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Contracting the 
Internet: Does ICANN create a barrier to small business?'' Testimony 
was heard from former Representative Richard A. White of the State of 
Washington; and public witnesses.
HOUSE TRAVEL RULES--RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGES
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct: Held a hearing regarding 
possible changes to House rules governing gifts of travel (including 
any transportation, lodging and meals during such travel) from private 
sources. Testimony was heard from John Engler, former Governor of 
Michigan and President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers; 
Bradley Gordon, Director, Legislation, American Israel Political Action 
Committee; Chellie Pingree, President and CEO, Common Cause; Rev. W. 
Douglas Tanner, President, Faith and Politics Institute; and Michael 
Franc, Vice President, Heritage Foundation
OVERSIGHT--IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETEA: LU
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways, Transit and Pipelines held an oversight hearing on 
Implementation of SAFETEA: LU. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: Richard Capka, 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration; Sandra Bushue, Acting 
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration; Jacqueline Glassman, 
Acting Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; 
John H. Hill, Acting Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration; and Ashok G. Kaveeshwar, Administrator, Research and 
Innovative Technology Administration.
OVERSIGHT--REVIEW VA'S MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held an oversight hearing to review the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research program. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs: Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Under Secretary, Health; 
and Joel Kupersmith, M.D., Chief Research and Development Officer; and 
representatives of veterans organizations.
BRIEFING--TARGET ANALYSIS AS A NEW CAREER TRACK
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Target Analysis as a New Career Track; 
Direct Analytical Support to Operations. The Subcommittee was briefed 
by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT
Conferees met on Tuesday, June 6, 2006, and agreed to file a conference 
report on the differences between the Senate and House passed versions 
of H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2006.