[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D190-D193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
USDA FARM BILL PROPOSALS
  Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review the proposals 
of the USDA for the 2007 Farm bill. Testimony was heard from Mike 
Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture.
  Prior to the hearing, the Committee met for organizational purposes.
  The Committee approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress.
FY 2008 NATIONAL DEFENSE BUDGET REQUEST--DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
  Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 
2008 National Defense Budget request from the Department of the 
Army. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Army: Francis J. Harvey, Secretary; and GEN Peter 
Schoomaker, USA, Chief of Staff.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND AND THE GLOBAL TERROR THREAT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on the challenges for the 
Special Operations Command (SOCOM) posed by the global terrorist 
threat. Testimony was heard from Jarret Brachman, Director of Research, 
Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy, Department of the 
Army; and public witnesses.
MEMBERS DAY
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Members Day. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Peterson of Minnesota, Goodlatte, Cardoza, 
Dicks, Carson, Ehlers, Holt, Boyda of Kansas, Buchanan, Larsen of 
Washington, Wolf, Hayes, Higgins, Turner, Christensen, Filner, 
Oberstar, Honda, Altmire, Walz of Minnesota, Ellsworth, Boozman, Watson 
and Bishop of Utah.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; OVERSIGHT PLAN
Committee on Education and Labor: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 800, Employee Free Choice Act; and H.R. 493, as amended, Genetic 
Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007.
  The Committee approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress.
UNINSURED CHILDREN
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Covering the Uninsured Through the Eyes of a Child.'' 
Testimony was

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heard from Chris L. Peterson, Specialist in Social Legislation, 
Domestic Social Policy Division, CRS, Library of Congress; and public 
witnesses.
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PROCESS--NEXT STEPS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing on Next Steps in Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE--UNDERSTANDING BUDGET AND STRATEGIC 
AGENDA
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity, Preparedness, and Response Threats, Cybersecurity, and 
Science and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Understanding the 
Budget and Strategic Agenda of the Science and Technology 
Directorate.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: ADM Jay Cohen, Under Secretary, 
Science and Technology; and Richard Williams, Chief Financial Officer 
for Science and Technology.
DHS INTELLIGENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUDGET--FISCAL YEAR 2008
Committe on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment, hearing entitled 
``The President's Proposed FY 2008 Budget for the Department of 
Homeland Security: The Office of Intelligence and Analysis.'' Testimony 
was heard from Charles E. Allen, Chief Intelligence Officer, Office of 
Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security.
PROPOSED IMMIGRATION FEE INCREASE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law held a hearing on 
Proposed Immigration Fee Increase. Testimony was heard from Emilio T. 
Gonzalez, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 
Department of Homeland Security.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH REFORM ACT; WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ENHANCEMENT ACT; 
OVERSIGHT PLAN
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported, as 
amended, the following bills: H.R. 984, Executive Branch Reform Act of 
2007; and H.R. 985, Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007.
  The Committee also approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUIREMENTS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census, and National Archives held a hearing on The 
State of FOIA: Assessing Agency Efforts to Meet FOIA Requirements. 
Testimony was heard from Linda Koontz, Director, Information 
Management, GAO; Melanie Ann Pustay, Acting Director, Office of 
Information and Privacy, Department of Justice.
CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 4, a rule providing that 
the bill (H.R. 976) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
provide tax relief for small businesses, and for other purposes, may be 
considered under suspension of the rules at any time on the legislative 
day of Friday, February 16, 2007.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET; OVERSIGHT PLAN
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on the 
Administration's FY 2008 Research and Development Budget Proposal. 
Testimony was heard from John H. Murburger, III, Director, Office of 
Science and Technology.
  The Committee also approved an Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress.
SBA'S RESPONSE TO 2005 GULF COAST HURRICANES
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``The Small 
Business Administration's Response to the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes.'' 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Melancon and Baker; Steven 
Preston, Administrator, SBA; William Shear, Director, Financial Markets 
and Community Investment, GAO; Bryan McDonald, Director, Governor's 
Office of Recovery and Renewal, State of Mississippi; and public 
witnesses.
FAA'S BUDGET
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2008 Federal 
Aviation Administration's Budget. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Transportation: Marion C. 
Blakey, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration; and Calvin L. 
Scovel, III, Inspector General; and Gerald Dillingham, Director, 
Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO.
AGENCY BUDGET AND PRIORITIES FISCAL YEAR 2008
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and the Environment

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held a hearing entitled ``Agency Budgets and Priorities for FY 2008.'' 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Army: John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary, Civil Works; and 
LTG Carl A. Strock, USA, Chief of Engineers, Corps of Engineers; 
Collister Johnson, Jr., Administrator, Saint Lawrence Seaway 
Development Corporation; Tom Kilgore, Chief Executive Officer, TVA; and 
Arlen Lancaster, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH BUDGET
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on Department of Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2008 Health Budget. 
Testimony was heard from Michael J. Kussman, M.D., Acting Under 
Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; and public 
witnesses.
U.S. TRADE AGENDA
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on the direction and 
content of U.S. Trade Agenda. Testimony was heard from Susan C. Schwab, 
U.S. Trade Representative.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BACKLOGS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on Social Security Administration (SSA) disability claims 
backlogs. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner, 
SSA; Sylvester J. Schieber, Chairman, Social Security Advisory Board; 
and public witnesses.


           COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine the 
current and future readiness of the Army and Marine Corps; there is 
a possibility of a closed session in SR-222 following the open 
session, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee 
on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security, to hold hearings to 
examine the Administration's proposal to reauthorize the Federal 
Aviation Administration (Part 1), 9:30 a.m., SR-253.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold hearings to 
examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2008 
for the Department of the Interior, 9:30 a.m., SD-366.
  Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine the 
Administration trade agenda for 2007, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Ryan C. Crocker, of Washington, to be Ambassador to 
the Republic of Iraq, and William B. Wood, of New York, to be 
Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 9:15 a.m., SD-
628.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: business 
meeting to consider S. 4, to make the United States more secure by 
implementing unfinished recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to 
fight the war on terror more effectively, to improve homeland 
security, S. 343, to extend the District of Columbia College Access 
Act of 1999, S. 457, to extend the date on which the National 
Security Personnel System will first apply to certain defense 
laboratories, a proposed bill to preserve existing judgeships on the 
Superior Court of the District of Columbia, S. 550, to preserve 
existing judgeships on the Superior Court of the District of 
Columbia, S. 171, to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 301 Commerce Street in Commerce, Oklahoma, 
as the ``Mickey Mantle Post Office Building'', S. 194 and H.R. 49, 
bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 1300 North Frontage Road West in Vail, Colorado, as the 
``Gerald R. Ford, Jr. Post Office Building'', S. 219 and H.R. 335, 
bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the ``Gale 
W. McGee Post Office'', S. 303, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 324 Main Street in 
Grambling, Louisiana, shall be known and designated as the ``Coach 
Eddie Robinson Post Office Building'', S. 412 and H.R. 521, bills to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 2633 11th Street in Rock Island, Illinois, as the ``Lane Evans 
Post Office Building'', H.R. 433, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 1700 Main Street in Little 
Rock, Arkansas, as the ``Scipio A. Jones Post Office Building'', 
H.R. 514, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 16150 Aviation Loop Drive in Brooksville, 
Florida, as the ``Sergeant Lea Robert Mills Brooksville Aviation 
Branch Post Office'', and H.R. 577, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 3903 South Congress Avenue 
in Austin, Texas, as the ``Sergeant Henry Ybarra III Post Office 
Building'', 9 a.m., SD-342.
  Committee on Indian Affairs: to hold an oversight hearing to 
examine the President's budget request for fiscal year 2008 for 
tribal programs, 9:30 a.m., SR-485.
  Committee on the Judiciary: business meeting to consider the 
nomination of Beryl A. Howell, of the District of Columbia, and 
Dabney Langhorne Friedrich, of Virginia, both to be a Member of the 
United States Sentencing Commission, S. 316, to prohibit brand name 
drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the 
entry of a generic drug into the market, S. 236, to require reports 
to Congress on Federal agency use of data mining, S. 378, to amend 
title 18, United States Code, to protect judges, prosecutors, 
witnesses, victims, and their family members, S. 442, to provide for 
loan repayment for prosecutors and public defenders, S. Res. 41, 
honoring and the life and recognizing the accomplishments of Tom 
Mooney, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, S. Res. 47, 
honoring the life and achievements of George C. Springer, Sr., the 
Northeast regional

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director and a former vice president of the American Federation of 
Teachers, S. Res. 49, recognizing and celebrating the 50th 
anniversary of the entry of Alaska into the Union as the 49th State, 
S. Res. 53, congratulating Illinois State University as it marks its 
sesquicentennial, and S. Res. 69, recognizing the African-American 
spiritual as a national treasure, 10 a.m., S-216, Capitol.
  Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold closed hearings to 
examine certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219.
  Special Committee on Aging: to hold hearings to examine those 
Americans born between 1946 and 1964 (baby boomers), focusing on the 
federal budget and senior citizens, 10 a.m., SD-562.


                                 House

  Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, on 
Secretary of Agriculture, 10 a.m., 2362A Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Defense, on Defense Fiscal Year 2007 Supplemental 
Request, 10 a.m., 2359 Rayburn, and on Fiscal Year 2007 Supplemental 
Requests for Iraq and Afghan Security Forces Fund, 1:30 p.m., H-140 
Capitol.
  Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Coast Guard Iraq Operations, 
Port Security and Deepwater, 10 a.m., 2362B Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and 
Related Agencies, (Panel) Overview on America's Workers and 
Education for the 21st Century, 9:30 a.m., 2212 Rayburn, and (Panel 
II) Overview on Health Care Access and the Aging of America, 2 p.m., 
2359 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans' Affairs, and 
Related Agencies, on Long-Term Health Care Challenges, 10 a.m., 2358 
Rayburn, and on Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, 1 p.m., 2358 
Rayburn.
  Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Military Personnel, 
hearing on overview of recruiting and retention, 2 p.m., 2212 
Rayburn.
  Committee on the Budget, hearing on the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Priorities, 2 p.m., 210 Cannon.
  Committee on Financial Services, hearing on Monetary Policy and 
the State of the Economy, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, to mark up the following: H. Res. 
98, Honoring the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang 
de Mabior and reaffirming the continued commitment of the House of 
Representatives to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of 
Sudan; H.R. 957, To amend the Iran Sanctions Act to expand and 
clarify the entities against which sanctions may be imposed; H.R. 
987, NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of 2007; H.R. 1003, To amend the 
Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize 
the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy; H. Res. 
107, Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli 
soldiers held captive by Hamas and Hezbollah; H. Res. 149, 
Supporting the goals of International Women's Day; and H. Res. 64, 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges 
against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, 9:45 
a.m; followed by a hearing on Afghanistan on the Brink: Where Do We 
Go From Here? 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, 
hearing on Protecting the Human Rights of Comfort Women, 1:30 p.m., 
2172 Rayburn.
  Committee on Homeland Security, Committee, hearing entitled 
``Lessons Learned and Grading Goals: The Department of Homeland 
Security of 2007,'' 9 a.m., 311 Cannon.
  Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet 
and Intellectual Property, oversight hearing on American Innovation 
at Risk: The Case for Patent Reform, 2 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, hearing 
entitled ``Making Communities Safer: Youth Violence and Gang 
Interventions that Work,'' 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, hearing entitled 
``Iraq Reconstruction: An Overview,'' 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Archives, 
hearing entitled ``The State FOIA: Assessing Agency Efforts to Meet 
FOIA Requirements,'' 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Technology 
and Innovation, hearing on The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology's Role in Supporting Economic Competitiveness in the 21st 
Century, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, hearing entitled ``The 
Development of Short Sea Shipping in the United States,'' 10 a.m., 
2167 Rayburn.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, hearing on Filipino Veterans, 10 
a.m., 334 Cannon.
  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, VA Inspector 
General--Budget and Best Practices, 3 p.m., 334 Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade, hearing on the 
U.S.-China trade relationship, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, executive, briefing on 
Hot-Spots, 11:30 a.m.; and, executive, hearing on Iran's Involvement 
in Iraq, 2:30 p.m., H-405 Capitol.