[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1062-D1065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
EPA PESTICIDE PROGRAM REVIEW
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural 
Development, and Research held a hearing to review the EPA pesticide 
program. Testimony was heard from James B. Gulliford, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, 
EPA; and public witnesses.
SECURITY GUARD UNIONIZATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations held a hearing entitled ``Examining Whether 
Combining Guards and Other Employees in Bargaining Units Would Weaken 
National Security.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MEDICARE PHYSICIAN PAYMENTS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Medicare Physician Payments: 2007 and Beyond.'' Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
HEWLETT-PACKARD PRETEXTING SCANDAL
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Hewlett-Packard's Pretexting 
Scandal.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Hewlett-Packard Company: Mark Hurd, President, Chief Executive Officer, 
and Chairman of the Board; and Fred Adler, IT Security Investigations; 
Patricia Dunn, former Chairman of the Board, Hewlett-Packard Company; 
Larry W. Sonsini, Chairman, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.
  In refusing to give testimony at this hearing, the following 
individuals: Ann Baskins; Kevin T. Hunsaker; Anthony Gentilucci, Ronald 
DeLia; Joe Depante, Cassandra Selvage; Darren Brost, Valerie Preston, 
Bryan Wagner and Charles Kelly, invoked Fifth Amendment privileges.
IMPROVING FINANCIAL LITERACY/PRIVATE SECTOR COORDINATION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``Improving Financial 
Literacy: Working Together To Develop Private Sector Coordination and 
Solutions.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTING
Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Acquisition 
Under Duress: Reconstruction Contracting in Iraq.'' Testimony was heard 
from

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Katherine Schinasi, Managing Director, Acquisition and Sourcing 
Management, GAO; Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., Inspector General, Special 
Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction; the following officials of 
the Department of State: Ambassador David Satterfield, Senior Advisor 
to the Secretary for Iraq; and James Bever, Deputy Assistant 
Administrator for Iraq, Bureau for Asia and the Near East, U.S. Agency 
for International Development; the following officials of the 
Department of the Army: Tina Ballard, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Policy and Procurement; and Joseph Tyler, Chief, Programs Integration 
Division, Military Programs Directorate, Corps of Engineers; and public 
witnesses.
TRANSIT SECURITY TRAINING
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Economic Security, 
Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity held a hearing entitled 
``Front-Line Defense: Security Training for Mass Transit and Rail 
Employees.'' Testimony was heard from John Sammon, Assistant 
Administrator, Transportation Sector Network Management, Transportation 
Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security; the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: Terry Rosapep, Deputy 
Associate Administrator, Office of Program Management, Federal Transit 
Administration; and William Fagan, Director of Security, Federal 
Railroad Administration; Chief Polly Hanson, Metro Transit Police 
Department, Washington Metro Area Transit Authority; and public 
witnesses.
ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES
Committee on House Administration: Held a hearing on Electronic Voting 
Machines: Verification, Security, and Paper Trails. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
U.S. FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION PROGRAMS IN AFRICA
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global 
Human Rights and International Operations held a hearing on The Role of 
Faith-Based Organizations in United States Programming in Africa. 
Testimony was heard from Terri Hasdorff, Director, Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives Office, U.S. Agency for International 
Development, Department of State; and public witnesses.
HEZBOLLAH'S GLOBAL REACH
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Terrorism and Nonproliferation and the Subcommittee on Middle East and 
Central Asia held a joint hearing on Hezbollah's Global Reach. 
Testimony was heard from Frank C. Urbancic, Jr., Principal Deputy 
Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Department 
of State; John Kavanagh, Section Chief, International Terrorism 
Operations Section II, Counterterrorism Division, FBI, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR HAITI
Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Western 
Hemisphere held a hearing on Moving Forward in Haiti: How the U.S. and 
the International Community Can Help. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of State: Patrick D. Duddy, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs; and 
Adolfo A. Franco, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and 
the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International Development; and a public 
witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held a hearing 
on the following bills: H.R. 1344, Lower Farmington River and Salmon 
Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act; H.R. 4529, Kalaupapa Memorial 
Act of 2005; H.R. 5195, Journey Through Hollowed Ground National 
Heritage Area Designation Act of 2006; H.R. 5466, Captain John Smith 
Chesapeake National Historic Designation Act; H.R. 5665, American Falls 
Reservoir District Number 2 Conveyance Act; and H.R. 5817, Bainbridge 
Island Japanese American Monument Act of 2006. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Case, Wolf, Bartlett of Maryland; Jo Ann Davis of 
Virginia; and Simpson; Dan Wenk, Acting Associate Director, Park 
Planning, Facilities, and Land, National Park Service, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.
ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted a closed rule providing 90 minutes of 
debate in the House on H.R. 5825, Electronic Surveillance Modernization 
Act, with 60 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary, and 30 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The 
rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The 
rule provides that in lieu of the amendments in the nature of a 
substitute as reported by the Committee on the Judiciary and the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the amendment in the nature 
of a substitute printed in the report of the Committee on Rules 
accompanying the resolution shall be considered as adopted. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Finally, 
the rule provides that, notwithstanding the operation of

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the previous question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of 
the bill to a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Lungren of California, Flake, Franks of Arizona, 
Gohmert, Hoekstra, Wilson of New Mexico, Schiff and Ruppersberger.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007--CONFERENCE REPORT
MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT OF 2006
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2006
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a rule waiving all points 
of order against the conference report to accompany H.R. 5441, making 
appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal 
year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes, and against its 
consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. Testimony was heard from Chairman Rogers of 
Kentucky and Representative Sabo.
  The rule provides for consideration of S. 3930 to authorize trial by 
military commission for violations of the law of war, and for other 
purposes, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate in 
the House, with 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed 
Services, and 20 minutes 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 one motion to recommit S. 3930.
  The rule provides for consideration of 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, under 
a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate in the House 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 H.R. 4772 with or without instructions.
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 
29, 2006.
CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Science: Held a hearing on Implementing the Vision for 
Space Exploration: Development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle. 
Testimony was heard from Scott J. Horowitz, Associate Administrator, 
Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, NASA and Allen Li, Director, 
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO.
OVERSIGHT--AMTRAK PLANS AND MANAGEMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads held an oversight hearing on New Hands on the Amtrak 
Throttle. Testimony was heard from Alexander Kummant, President and 
Chief Executive Officer, AMTRAK.
OVERSIGHT--FORCE AND VETERAN HEALTH EMERGING TRENDS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held an 
oversight hearing on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and 
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Emerging trends in force and veteran 
health. Testimony was heard from Gerald Cross, M.D., Acting Principal 
Deputy Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: COL Elspeth Cameron 
Ritchie, M.D., USA, Psychiatry Consultant to the U.S. Army Surgeon 
General; and COL Charles W. Hoge, M.D., USA, Chief of Psychiatry and 
Behavior Sciences, Division of Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army 
Institute of Research; and representatives of veterans organizations.
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.

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Joint Meetings
COMBATING CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission): 
On Wednesday, September 27, 2006, Commission concluded a hearing to 
examine Federal efforts to protect children from commercial sexual 
exploitation, focusing on international initiatives to combat child 
pornography and trafficking, and related provisions of Public Law 106-
386, entitled ``The Trafficking Victims Protection Act'', after 
receiving testimony from James Plitt, Unit Chief, Cyber Crimes Center, 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland 
Security; James E. Finch, Assistant Director, Cyber Division, Federal 
Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice; Linda Smith, Shared 
Hope International, Vancouver, Washington; Carol Smolenski, ECPAT-USA, 
Brooklyn, New York; Mohamed Mattar, Johns Hopkins University Paul H. 
Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, D.C.; and 
Ernie Allen, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, 
Alexandria, Virginia.