[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 101 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D858-D861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered unfavorably reported H.R. 503, 
amended, the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, 
transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, 
selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for 
human consumption; and H.R. 3849, PIC and POPs Conventions and the 
LRTAP POPs Protocol Implementation Act.
  Prior to this action, the Committee held a hearing on these measures. 
Testimony was heard from the following members of Congress: John E. 
Sweeney; and Don Sherwood; former Congressman Charles W. Stenholm; and 
public witnesses.
REVIEW CONSERVATION ISSUES
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural 
Development, and Research held a hearing to review Conservation Issues. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the USDA: Mark E. 
Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment; and Teresa C. 
Lasseter, Administrator, Farm Service Agency; and public witnesses.
BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Border Security and Immigration Enforcement, Testimony was 
heard from Secretary Michael Chertoff, Homeland Security.
CENSUS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Science, the Departments 
of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
the Census. Testimony was heard from Charles L. Kincannon, Bureau of 
the Census, Department of Commerce; and Brenda Farrell, Acting 
Director, Strategic Issues, GAO.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Held a hearing on No Child 
Left Behind: Can Growth Models Ensure Improved Education for All 
Students. Testimony was heard from Marlene S. Shaul, Director, 
Workforce and Income Security Issues, GAO; Joel I. Klein, Chancellor, 
New York City Department of Education; and public witnesses.
EFFICIENT CARE FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health continued 
hearings on How to Build a Payment System that Provides Quality, 
Efficient Care for Medicare Beneficiaries. Testimony was heard from 
Mark B. McClellan, MD, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.
PIPELINE SAFETY MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing on the following: Pipeline Safety Improvement 
Act Reauthorization; and H.R. 5872, Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 
2006. Testimony was heard from

[[Page D859]]

Thomas J. Barrett, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Administration, Department of Transportation; and Donald L. Mason, 
Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission, State of Ohio.
CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENTS IMPLICATIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings entitled ``Questions Surrounding the 
`Hockey Stick' Temperature Studies: Implications for Climate Change 
Assessments.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HOLOCAUST ART ASSETS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing 
entitled ``Review of the Repatriation of Holocaust Art Assets in the 
United States.'' Testimony was heard from Stuart Eizenstat, 
Presidential Advisory, Commission on Holocaust Assets in the U.S.; 
Catherine A. Lillie, Director, Holocaust Claims Processing Office, New 
York State Banking Department; and public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION BUREAUCRACY
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Code Yellow: 
Is The DHS Acquisition Bureaucracy a Formula for Disaster?'' Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland 
Security: David M. Zavada, CPA, Assistant Inspector General, Office of 
Audits; Elaine Duke, Chief Procurement Officer, Customs and Border 
Protection; and Richard Gunderson, Acting Assistant Administrator, 
Office of Acquisition, Transportation Security Administration; Michael 
J. Sullivan, Director, Acquisition Sourcing and Management, GAO; and a 
public witness.
ROYALTY RELIEF AND PRICE THRESHOLDS
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``Royalty Relief and Price Thresholds III.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CHEMICAL FACILITY ANTI-TERRORISM ACT
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported
  H.R. 5695, Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN LATINO COMMUNITY ACT OF 2005; 
OVERSIGHT--LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Committee on House Administration: Ordered reported H.R. 2134, amended, 
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the 
American Latino Community Act of 2005.
  The Committee also held an oversight hearing on the Library of 
Congress. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Library of Congress: James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress; Deanna 
Marcum, Associate Librarian, Library Sciences; Laura Campbell, 
Associate Librarian, Strategic Initiatives; and JoAnn Jenkins, Chief of 
State; and a public witness.
MICROENTERPRISE PROGRAM
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Human 
Rights and International Operations held a hearing to Review the 
Progress and Charting the Path Ahead: the Microenterprise Results and 
Accountability Act of 2004. Testimony was heard from Jacqueline E. 
Schafer, Assistant Administrator, Bureau of Economic Growth, 
Agriculture and Trade, U.S. Agency for International Development, and 
public witnesses.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION FOR ASSISTANCE TO A FREE CUBA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on the Report of the Commission for 
Assistance to a Free Cuba. Testimony was heard from Caleb C. McCarry, 
Cuba Transition Coordinator, Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, 
Department of State.
PROTECTION FOR FASHION DESIGN; ESTABLISH PILOT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE 
ENHANCEMENT OF EXPERTISE IN PATENT CASES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property ordered reported H.R. 5418, To establish a pilot 
program in certain United States district courts to encourage 
enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on H.R. 5055, To amend title 17, 
United States Code, to provide protection for fashion design Testimony 
is heard from public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WHETHER ATTEMPTED IMPLEMENTATION OF SENATE IMMIGRATION BILL 
WILL RESULT IN A NATIONAL SECURITY NIGHTMARE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims held an oversight hearing on Whether Attempted 
Implementation of the Senate Immigration Bill Will Result in an 
Administrative and National Security Nightmare, Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.

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PRIVATE CLAIMS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Border 
Security and Claims ordered reported the following bills: H. Res. 201, 
Referring the bill (H.R. 1329) entitled ``A bill for the relief of 
Adela and Darryl Bailor'' to the chief judge of the United States Court 
of Federal Claims for a report thereon; H.R. 1211, For the relief of 
Ana Maria Moncayo-Gigax; and H.R. 1180, amended, For the relief of 
certain aliens who were aboard the Golden Venture.
OVERSIGHT--ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held an 
oversight hearing to Examine Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation and 
Management. Testimony was heard from William T. Hogarth, Director, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held 
a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 5760, Giant Sequoia National 
Monument Transition Act of 2006; H.R. 5149, Eastern Sierra Rural 
Heritage and Economic Enhancement Act; H.R. 4784, Eugene Land 
Conveyance Act; H.R. 4235, Browns Canyon Wilderness Act; H.R. 2718, 
Idaho Land Enhancement Act; H.R. 2039, and S. 225, Federal Land 
Recreational Visitor Protection Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from 
the following Members of Congress Butch Otter; Joel Hefley; and Buck 
McKeon; David Tenny, Deputy Under Secretary, Natural Resources and 
Environment, USDA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 630, To authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to convey certain Federal lands to the City of Yuma, Arizona, 
in exchange for certain lands owned by the City of Yuma, Arizona; H.R. 
5666, Southern Idaho Bureau of Reclamation Act of 2006; H.R. 5796, To 
direct the Secretary of the Interior to exclude and defer from the 
pooled reimbursable costs of the Central Valley Project the 
reimbursable capital costs of the unused capacity of the Folsom South 
Canal, Auburn-Folsom South Unit, Central Valley Project, and S. 895, 
Rural Water Supply Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from William E. 
Rinne, Acting Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the 
Interior; Curtis M. Anderson, Deputy Administrator, rural Development 
Utilities Programs, USDA; and public witnesses.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED BY THE RULES 
COMMITTEE
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 for the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any special rule reported on the legislative day of July 28, 
2006, providing for consideration or disposition of any of the 
following measures: (1) a conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 
2830) to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the pension funding rules, 
and for other purposes; (2) a bill to amend the Internal Revenue code 
of 1986 to increase the unified credit against the estate tax to an 
exclusion equivalent of $5,000,000, to repeal the sunset provision for 
the estate and generation-skipping taxes, and to extend expiring 
provisions, and for other purposes; and (3) a bill to provide economic 
security for all Americans, and for other purposes.
UNDERSEA RESEARCH/OCEAN EXPLORATION
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and 
Standards held a hearing on Undersea Research and Ocean Exploration: 
H.R. 3835, National Ocean Exploration Program Act. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of NOAA: Rich Spinrad, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research; and Andrew 
Shepard, Director, Undersea Research Center; and a public witness.
EMERGENCY CARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health, held a hearing on 
Emergency Care. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES/HOTSPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a briefing on Global Updates/Hotspots. The Committee was briefed 
by departmental witnesses.
FISA LEGISLATION
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Held a hearing on FISA 
legislation. Testimony was heard from the following Members of 
Congress: Joe Wilson; John Conyers, Jr.; Jeff Flake; and Adam B. 
Schiff.
U.S.-RUSSIAN STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Policy met in executive

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session to hold a hearing on U.S.-Russian Strategic Considerations. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
ENERGY AND THE IRANIAN ECONOMY
Joint Economic Committee: On Tuesday, July 25, 2006, committee 
concluded a hearing to examine energy and the Iranian economy, after 
receiving testimony from Paul E. Simons, Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
State for Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities, Bureau of Economic and 
Business Affairs; Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Eastern 
Affairs, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; and Ilan 
Berman, American Foreign Policy Council, Andrew Davenport, Conflict 
Securities Advisory Group, and Jeffrey J. Schott, Institute for 
International Economics, all of Washington, D.C.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN RUSSIA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
Commission concluded a hearing to examine ways the United States 
Government can fulfill its commitment to promote human rights and 
democratic governance in Russia while preserving a relationship with 
Moscow, after receiving testimony from Felice D. Gaer, U.S. Commission 
on International Religious Freedom; Carl Gershman, National Endowment 
for Democracy; Tom Melia, Freedom House; and Fritz W. Ermarth, all of 
Washington, D.C.; and Nikolas K. Gvosdev, National Interest, Shrub Oak, 
New York.


                     COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY,

                             JULY 28, 2006

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: 
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government 
Information, and International Security, to hold hearings to examine 
recovery and reconstitution of critical networks relating to cyber 
security, focusing on immediate steps that Department of Homeland 
Security and the private sector can take to formalize a partnership 
and to ensure effective response and recovery to major cyber network 
disruption, 9:30 a.m., SD-342.


                                 House

  No meetings are scheduled.