[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1049-D1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
G.I. BILL FOR SELECTED RESERVE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel and the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs held a joint hearing on the Montgomery G.I. Bill for Members of 
the Selected Reserve. Testimony was heard from Senator Lincoln; Michael 
Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness, 
Department of Defense; Keith Wilson, Education Service Director, 
Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses.

[[Page D1050]]


IRREGULAR WARFARE ROADMAP
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on the Irregular Warfare 
Roadmap. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Mario Mancuso, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Special Operations and Combating Terrorism, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary, Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict; VADM Eric 
Olson, USN, Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Forces Command; and BG O.G. 
Mannon, USAF, Deputy Director, Special Operations, Joint Staff.
EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Education 
Reform held a hearing on Perspectives on Early Childhood Home 
Visitation Programs. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 5782, Pipeline Safety and Improvement Act of 
2006; and H.R. 5472, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early 
Detection Program Reauthorization Act of 2006.
INTERNET SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings entitled ``Sexual Exploitation of 
Children Over the Internet: Follow-up Issues to the Masha Allen 
Adoption.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CATASTROPHIC TERRORISM RISK
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises, and the Subcommittee 
on Oversight and Investigations held a joint hearing entitled 
``Protecting Americans From Catastrophic Terrorism Risk.'' Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
REBALANCING THE CARBON CYCLE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held a hearing entitled ``Rebalancing the Carbon Cycle.'' Testimony was 
heard from John B. Stephenson, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, GAO; the following officials of the Department of Energy: 
Roger C. Dahlman, Co-Chair, Interagency Carbon Cycle Working Group, 
Climate Change Science Program; and Stephen D. Eule, Director, U.S. 
Climate Change Technology Program; and public witnesses.
OPEN GOVERNMENT ACT; BANKS IN REAL ESTATE
Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, 
Finance and Accountability approved for full Committee action, as 
amended, H.R. 867, OPEN Government Act of 2005.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing entitled ``Banks in Real Estate: 
A Review of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's December 
2005 Rulings.'' Testimony was heard from Julie L. Williams, Chief 
Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of the 
Treasury; and public witnesses.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE HOUSE
Committee on House Administration: Held a hearing on the IT Assessment: 
A Ten-Year Vision for Information Technology in the House. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the House of Representatives: 
Jim Cornell, Inspector General; Wilson S. Livingood, Sergeant at Arms; 
Karen L. Haas, Clerk; Pope Borrow, Legislative Counsel and James M. 
Eagen, Chief Administrative Officer; and public witnesses.
U.S.-REPUBLIC OF KOREA RELATIONS
Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the United 
States-Republic of Korea Relations: An Alliance at Risk? Testimony was 
heard from Christopher R. Hill, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East 
Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State; Richard P. Lawless, 
Deputy Under Secretary, International Security Affairs-Asia Pacific, 
Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 4997, Physicians for Underserved Areas Act; and H.R. 5219, 
Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2006.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule providing that 
suspensions will be in order at any time through the legislative day of 
September 29, 2006. The rule provides that the Speaker or his designee 
will consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on any suspension 
considered under the rule.

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WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO THE 
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 from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any special rule reported on the legislative day of September 
28, 2006, providing for consideration or disposition of any of the 
following measures: (1) a bill to authorize trial by military 
commission for violations of the law or war, and for other purposes; 
(2) a bill to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978; 
(3) a conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 5441) making 
appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes. Finally, the 
rule provides that House Resolutions 654 and 767 are laid upon the 
table.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a closed rule providing 1 
hour of debate in the House on H.R. 4772, to simplify and expedite 
access to the Federal courts for injured parties whose rights and 
privileges under the United States Constitution have been deprived by 
final actions of Federal agencies or other government officials or 
entities acting under color of State law, and for other purposes, 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides that the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute as reported by the Committee on 
the Judiciary shall be considered as adopted. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
ADVANCING PORT SECURITY AND COMMERCE
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Advancing 
Security and Commerce at Our Nation's Ports: The Goals Are Not Mutually 
Exclusive.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: ADM Brian Salerno, USCG, Assistant 
Commandant, Inspection and Compliance, U.S. Coast Guard; and Steve 
Sadler, Director, Maritime and Surface Credentialing, Transportation 
Security Administration; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FINANCING OPTIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held an oversight hearing on Next Generation Air 
Transportation System Financing Options. Testimony was heard from 
Gerald L. Dillingham, Director, Civil Aviation Issues, GAO; Donald B. 
Marron, Acting Director, CBO; R. John Hansman, Chairman, FAA's 
Research, Engineering and Development Advisory Committee; and a public 
witness.
OVERSIGHT--VA PENSION PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held an oversight hearing on the administration of 
the VA Pension Program. Testimony was heard from Jack McCoy, Associate 
Deputy Secretary, Policy and Program Management, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
HEALTH OPPORTUNITY PATIENT EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 2006
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 6134, 
Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006.
DNI'S PERSPECTIVE ON STATE OF INTELLIGENCE REFORM
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the DNI's Perspective on State of Intelligence 
Reform. Testimony was heard from John D. Negroponte, Director of 
National Intelligence.

Joint Meetings
SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
On Tuesday, September 26, 2006, Commission concluded a hearing to 
examine the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its impact on United 
States interests in Central Asia, after receiving testimony from 
Richard Boucher, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central 
Asian Affairs; Steven Blank, U.S. Army War College; and Martha Olcott, 
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Sean R. Roberts, 
Georgetown University, both of Washington, D.C.