[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 31, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D119-D122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the roles of Federal food assistance programs in 
family economic security and nutrition, focusing on payment errors and 
trafficking that have declined despite increased program participation, 
after receiving testimony from Sigurd R. Nilsen, Director, Education, 
Workforce, and Income Security Issues, Government Accountability 
Office; Robert Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 
Washington, D.C.; Robert Dostis, Vermont Campaign to End Childhood 
Hunger, Burlington; Bill Bolling, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta, 
Georgia; Luanne Francis, Kingsley House, New Orleans, Louisiana; 
Melinda Newport, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, Oklahoma; Frank Kubik, Focus: 
Hope, Detroit, Michigan; and Rhonda Stewart, Hamilton, Ohio.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee ordered 
favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 57) authorizing 
expenditures by the Committee and adopted its rules of procedure for 
the 110th Congress.

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IRAQ
Committee on Armed Services: Committee met in closed session to receive 
a briefing regarding the Iraq ``surge'' plan from Eric S. Edelman, 
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Barbara J. Stephenson, Deputy 
Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Coordinator for Iraq, 
Department of State; and Lieutenant General Douglas E. Lute, USA, 
Director for Operations, J-3, and Rear Admiral David J. Dorsett, USN, 
Director for Intelligence, J-2, both of The Joint Staff.
CONTRACTING
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management 
Support concluded hearings to examine abusive practices in Department 
of Defense contracting for services and inter-agency contracting, after 
receiving testimony from Marcia G. Madsen, Chair, Jonathan L. Etherton, 
and James A. (Ty) Hughes, both a Member, all of the Acquisition 
Advisory Panel; Paul A. Denett, Administrator, Office of Federal 
Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget; and Shay Assad, 
Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Office of the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
U.S.-CHINA
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the Department of the Treasury's report to Congress 
on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policy (IEERP) and the 
U.S.-China strategic economic dialogue, after receiving testimony from 
Henry M. Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury; and Richard L. Trumka, 
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations 
(AFL-CIO), Michael Campbell, Arch Chemicals, Inc., National Association 
of Manufacturers, Albert Keidel, Carnegie Endowment for International 
Peace, and C. Fred Bergsten, Peterson Institute for International 
Economics, all of Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported an original resolution (S. Res. 56) authorizing 
expenditures by the Committee.
  Also, committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress 
and announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Financial Institutions: Senators Johnson (Chairman), 
Tester, Menendez, Akaka, Reed, Schumer, Bayh, Carper, Hagel, Bennett, 
Allard, Sununu, Bunning, Crapo, and Dole.
  Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development: 
Senators Schumer (Chairman), Akaka, Casey, Reed, Carper, Brown, Tester, 
Menendez, Crapo, Dole, Martinez, Allard, Enzi, Hagel, and Sununu.
  Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment: Senators Reed 
(Chairman), Menendez, Johnson, Schumer, Bayh, Casey, Akaka, Tester, 
Allard, Enzi, Sununu, Bennett, Hagel, Bunning, and Crapo.
  Subcommittee on Security and International Trade and Finance: 
Senators Bayh (Chairman), Brown, Johnson, Casey, Dodd, Martinez, Enzi, 
Dole, and Bennett.
  Subcommittee on Economic Policy: Senators Carper (Chairman), Brown, 
and Bunning.
FISCAL CHALLENGES
Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
solutions to long-term fiscal challenges, after receiving testimony 
from Robert L. Bixby, The Concord Coalition, Arlington, Virginia; and 
Joseph J. Minarik, The Committee for Economic Development, Jason 
Furman, The Brookings Institution, and Stuart M. Butler, The Heritage 
Foundation, all of Washington, D.C.
PROMOTING TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine economic and security concerns relating to 
promoting travel to America, after receiving testimony from Stevan 
Porter, InterContinental Hotels Group, Atlanta, Georgia, on behalf of 
the Discover America Partnership; Jay Rasulo, Walt Disney Parks and 
Resorts, Burbank, California, on behalf of the Travel Industry 
Association and the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board; Jonathan M. 
Tisch, Loews Hotels, New York, New York, on behalf of the Travel 
Business Roundtable and the Travel Industry Association; and James C. 
May, Air Transport Association, Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the following bills:
  S. 202, to provide for the conveyance of certain Forest Service land 
to the city of Coffman Cove, Alaska;
  S. 216, to provide for the exchange of certain Federal land in the 
Santa Fe National Forest and certain non-Federal land in the Pecos 
National Historical Park in the State of New Mexico;
  S. 220, to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of 
Reclamation within the A & B Irrigation District in the State of Idaho;
  S. 232, to make permanent the authorization for watershed restoration 
and enhancement agreements;
  S. 235, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain 
buildings and lands of the Yakima

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Project, Washington, to the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District;
  S. 240, to reauthorize and amend the National Geologic Mapping Act of 
1992;
  S. 241, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
cooperative agreements to protect natural resources of units of the 
National Park System through collaborative efforts on land inside and 
outside of units of the National Park System;
  S. 245, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate the 
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home in Hope, Arkansas, 
as a National Historic Site and unit of the National Park System;
  S. 255, to provide assistance to the State of New Mexico for the 
development of comprehensive State water plans;
  S. 260, to establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National 
Conservation Area, with an amendment;
  S. 262, to rename the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation 
Area in the State of Idaho as the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of 
Prey National Conservation Area in honor of the late Morley Nelson, an 
international authority on birds of prey, who was instrumental in the 
establishment of this National Conservation Area;
  S. 263, to amend the Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996 to 
reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the 
Deschutes River Conservancy;
  S. 264, to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to participate in the 
rehabilitation of the Wallowa Lake Dam in Oregon, with an amendment in 
the nature of a substitute;
  S. 265, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct a water resource feasibility 
study for the Little Butte/Bear Creek Subbasins in Oregon;
  S. 266, to provide for the modification of an amendatory repayment 
contract between the Secretary of the Interior and the North Unit 
Irrigation District;
  S. 268, to designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail;
  S. 275, to establish the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in 
the State of New Mexico, with amendments;
  S. 277, to modify the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to 
include certain land within the GT Park Subdivision;
  S. 283, to amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 
2003;
  S. 320, to provide for the protection of paleontological resources on 
Federal lands;
  H.R. 57, to repeal certain sections of the Act of May 26, 1936, 
pertaining to the Virgin Islands; and
  S. 200, to require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey, to 
conduct a study on groundwater resources in the State of Alaska.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Environment and Public Works: On January 17, 2007, 
Committee announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight, 
and Children's Health Protection: Senators Boxer (Chairman), Lieberman, 
Carper, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Alexander, Craig, Bond, and Thomas.
  Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Senators Baucus 
(Chairman), Carper, Clinton, Cardin, Sanders, Isakson, Warner, 
Voinovich, and Vitter.
  Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global 
Warming and Wildlife Protection: Senators Lieberman (Chairman), Baucus, 
Lautenberg, Sanders, Warner, Thomas, and Isakson.
  Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety: Senators Carpers 
(Chairman), Lieberman, Clinton, Sanders, Voinovich, Isakson, and 
Alexander.
  Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health: Senators Clinton 
(Chairman), Baucus, Lautenberg, Cardin, Craig, Vitter, and Bond.
  Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and 
Water Quality: Senators Lautenberg (Chairman), Cardin, Klobuchar, 
Whitehouse, Vitter, Bond, and Voinovich.
  Senators Boxer and Inhofe are ex officio members of each of the 
Subcommittees.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Finance: Committee ordered favorably reported an original 
resolution (S. Res. 59) authorizing expenditures by the Committee.
  Also, committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Michael 
J. Astrue, of Massachusetts, to be Commissioner of Social Security, and 
Dean A. Pinkert, of Virginia, and Irving A. Williamson, of New York, 
each to be a Member of the United States International Trade 
Commission.
IRAQ
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee continued hearings to examine 
securing America's interests in Iraq, focusing on the remaining options 
in Iraq in the strategic context, receiving testimony from Henry A. 
Kissinger, Kissinger McLarty Associates, New York, New York, and 
Madeleine K. Albright, The Albright Group LLC, Washington, D.C., both a 
former Secretary of State.
  Hearings to continue on Thursday, February 1.

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BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 358, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic 
information with respect to health insurance and employment, with an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute; and
  An original resolution (S. Res. 54) authorizing expenditures by the 
Committee.
  Also, committee adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th Congress 
and announced the following subcommittee assignments:
  Subcommittee on Children and Families: Senators Dodd (Chairman), 
Bingaman, Murray, Reed, Clinton, Obama, Sanders, Alexander, Gregg, 
Murkowski, Hatch, Roberts, and Allard.
  Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety: Senators Murray 
(Chairman), Dodd, Harkin, Mikulski, Clinton, Obama, Brown, Isakson, 
Burr, Murkowski, Roberts, Allard, and Coburn.
  Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging: Mikulski (Chairman), Harkin, 
Bingaman, Reed, Sanders, Brown, Burr, Gregg, Alexander, Isakson, and 
Hatch.
  Senators Kennedy and Enzi are ex officio members of each of the 
Subcommittees.
IRAQ STUDY GROUP REPORT
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the Iraq Study Group report, focusing on recommendations for 
improvements to Iraq's police and criminal justice system, including S. 
119, to prohibit profiteering and fraud relating to military action, 
relief, and reconstruction efforts, after receiving testimony from 
former Representative Lee H. Hamilton, Co-Chair, and Edwin Meese III, 
Member, both of the Iraq Study Group.
US-VISIT PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and 
Homeland Security concluded a hearing to examine challenges and 
strategies for securing the border of the United States, focusing on 
the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology 
(US-VISIT) program, and strategic, operational, and technological 
challenges at land ports of entry, after receiving testimony from 
Richard C. Barth, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development, and 
Robert A. Mocny, Acting Director, US-VISIT, both of the Department of 
Homeland Security; Richard M. Stana, Director, Homeland Security and 
Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office; Phillip J. Bond, 
Information Technology Association of America, Arlington, Virginia; and 
C. Stewart Verdery, Jr., Monument Policy Group, LLC, Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Rules and Administration: Committee ordered favorably 
reported an original resolution (S. Res. 63) authorizing expenditures 
by the Committee and adopted its rules of procedure for the 110th 
Congress.
SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS FEDERAL PROCUREMENT AND ASSISTANCE
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded 
an oversight hearing to examine Federal small business assistance 
programs for veterans and reservists, after receiving testimony from 
Linda Bithell Oliver, Acting Director, Office of Small Business 
Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, 
Technology, and Logistics; Scott F. Denniston, Director, Office of 
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the Center for 
Veterans Enterprise, Department of Veterans Affairs; William D. Elmore, 
Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development, U.S. Small 
Business Administration; Louis J. Celli, Jr., Northeast Veteran's 
Business Resource Center, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts; Captain Ann S. 
Yahner, USN (Ret.), Penobscot Bay Media, LLC, Camden, Maine; Bob 
Hesser, HI Tech Services, Inc., and Allied Technical Services Group, 
LLC, Herndon, Virginia; and Ted Daywalt, VetJobs, Marietta, Georgia.
MEDICARE PART D
Special Committee on Aging: Committee concluded a hearing to examine if 
Medicare Part D is working for Low Income Subsidy (LIS) eligible 
beneficiaries, after receiving testimony from S. Lawrence Kocot, Senior 
Advisor to the Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services; Beatrice Disman, New 
York Regional Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security 
Administration; and Howard Bedlin, National Council on Aging, and Ellen 
Leitzer, Health Assistance Partnership, both of Washington, D.C.