[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 91 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D772-D773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
OVERSIGHT--CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION PROGRAM
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held an oversight hearing on the Chesapeake Bay 
Restoration Program. Testimony was heard from Benjamin H. Grumbles, 
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; and Anu K. Mittal, 
Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, GAO.
MEDICAL LIABILITY SOLUTIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Innovative Solutions to Medical Liability.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
SECURITY CLEARANCE INVESTIGATIONS--FOREIGN INFLUENCE FACTORS
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Can You Clear 
Me Now?: Weighing `Foreign Influence' Factors in Security Clearance 
Investigations.'' Testimony was heard from Robert Andrews, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Counterintelligence and Security, Department of Defense; J. 
William Leonard, Director, Information Security and Oversight Office, 
National Archives and Records Administration; and public witnesses.
NEW YORK 9/11 ASSISTANCE FRAUD
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, 
Integration, and Oversight, to continued hearings entitled ``Federal 9/
11 Assistance to New York: Lessons Learned in Fraud Detection, 
Prevention, and Control.'' Part 2, ``Recovery.'' Testimony was heard 
from Ruth Ritzema, Special Agent in Charge for New York, Office of 
Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Eric 
Thorson, Inspector General, SBA; Douglas Small, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Employment and Training, Department of Labor; Leroy Frazer, 
Bureau Chief, Special Prosecutions Bureau, District Attorney's Office, 
New York County; and public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee concluded hearings on this subject, focusing on Part 
3, ``Rebuilding.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Transportation: Bernard Cohen, Lower Manhattan 
Recovery Office, Federal Transit Administration; and Todd J. Zinser, 
Acting Inspector General; Michael Nestor, Director, Office of 
Investigations, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and a public 
witness.
VENEZUELA AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism and Nonproliferation held a hearing on Venezuela: Terrorism 
Hub of South America? Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of State: Frank C. Urbancic, Jr., Principal Deputy 
Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism; and 
Charles Shapiro, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 
Western Hemisphere Affairs.
OVERSIGHT--ABANDONED MINE LANDS
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 
held an oversight hearing on Opportunities for Good Samaritan Cleanup 
of Hard Rock Abandoned Mine Lands. Testimony was heard from Brent 
Fewell, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; Joseph 
Pizarchik, Director, Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, Department of 
Environmental Protection, State of Pennsylvania; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WORKING RANCHES/OPEN SPACES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
an oversight hearing on Working Ranches, Healthy Range and Maintaining 
Open Space, focusing on the importance of federal grazing programs and 
working ranches to the landscape. Testimony was heard from Joel 
Holtrop, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; 
the following officials of the Department of the Interior: Ed Shepard, 
Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning, Bureau of Land 
Management; and Kenneth McDermond, Deputy Manager, California-Nevada 
Operations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;

[[Page D773]]

Anette Rink, Laboratory Supervisor, Animal Disease and Food Safety 
Laboratory, State of Nevada; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 383, Ice Age Floods National Geologic 
Trail Designation Act of 2005; H.R. 4581, Easement Owners Fair 
Compensation Claims Act of 2005; and H.R. 5132, River Raisin National 
Battlefield Study Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Dingell 
and Akin; Christopher Jarvi, Associate Director, Partnerships, 
Interpretation and Education, Volunteers, and Outdoor Recreation, 
National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
SMALL MANUFACTURERS REGULATORY REFORM
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and 
Oversight held a hearing entitled ``An Update on Administration Action 
To Reduce Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens on America's Small 
Manufacturers.'' Testimony was heard from Steve Aitken, Acting 
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB; 
Richard D. Otis, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator, Policy, 
Economics, and Innovation, EPA; Veronica Vargas Stidvent, Assistant 
Secretary, Policy, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION ACT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
3082, Veteran-Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2005.
MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT OF PHYSICIAN-ADMINISTERED DRUGS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Medicare reimbursement of physician-administered drugs. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Health and 
Human Services: Herb B. Kuhn, Director, Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services; and Robert A. Vito, Regional Inspector General, 
Evaluations and Inspections; Bruce Steinwald, Director, Health Care, 
Economic and Payment Issues, GAO; and Mark Miller, Executive Director, 
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; and public witnesses.
TAX ADVICE PATENTING ADVICE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures 
held a hearing on issues relating to the patenting of tax advice. 
Testimony was heard from James Toupin, General Counsel, U.S. Patent and 
Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; Mark Everson, Commissioner, 
IRS, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES/HOTSPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Global Updates/Hotspots. The Committee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.