[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 27, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D222-D223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Secure Border Initiative. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: W. Ralph 
Basham, Commissioner, Customs and Border Patrol; Gregory Giddens, 
Manager, SBInet Program Manager; David Aguilar, Chief, U.S. Border 
Patrol; and Jayson Ahern, Assistant Commissioner, Field Operations; and 
the following officials of GAO: Richard Stana, Director, Homeland 
Security Justice Issues; and Randolph Hite, Director, Information 
Technology Architect and Systems Issues.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Interior Context. Testimony was 
heard from Tracy Mehan, former Assistant Administrator, Water, Water 
Quality, EPA; and public witnesses.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services. Testimony was heard from 
Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on the Architect of the Capitol: Long-Range Requirements. 
Testimony was heard from Stephen Ayers, Acting Architect of the 
Capitol; Anna Franz, Director, Planning and Project Management; and 
Frank Tiscione, Superintendent of House Office Buildings.
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Healthy Families and 
Communities held a hearing on Strengthening Communities: An Overview of 
Service and Volunteering in America. Testimony was heard from David 
Eisner, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--MINERAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT BUDGET
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held an oversight hearing to review the proposed fiscal year 
2008 budget for the Minerals Management Services, the Bureau of Land 
Management, Energy and Minerals programs, the Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement, the Minerals and Geology Program of the 
Forest Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey, except for the 
activities and programs of the Water Resources Division. Testimony was 
heard from the

[[Page D223]]

following officials of the Department of the Interior: R.M. Johnnie 
Burton, Director, Minerals Management Service; Mark Myers, Director, 
U.S. Geological Survey; Jim Hughes, Acting Director, Bureau of Land 
Management; and Brent Wahlquist, Acting Director, Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation Enforcement; and Frederick Norbury, Associate Deputy 
Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Forest Service, USDA.
OVERSIGHT--NOAA-U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE BUDGET
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, 
and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 budget 
request for NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Testimony was 
heard from VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.) Under 
Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce; and H. Dale Hall, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior.
OVERSIGHT--OFFICE OF INSULAR AFFAIRS BUDGET
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs held an 
oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 budget request for the 
Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs. Testimony was 
heard from David B. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Insular Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; and the following Governors: Togiola T. A. 
Tulafono, American Samoa; and Felix Perez Camacho, Guam.
OVERSIGHT--BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND FOREST SERVICE BUDGETS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held an oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 
Budget Request for the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest 
Service. Testimony was heard from Abigail Kimbell, Chief, Forest 
Service, USDA; and Jim Hughes, Acting Director, Bureau of Land 
Management, Department of the Interior.
NATIONAL SECURITY FOREIGN INVESTMENT REFORM AND STRENGTHENED 
TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, an open rule with a 
preprinting requirement. The rule provides one hour of general debate 
on H.R. 556. National Security Foreign Investment Reform and 
Strengthened Transparency Act of 2007, equally divided and controlled 
by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on 
Financial Services. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill except for clause 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The 
rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment. The rule provides that the committee amendment in the nature 
of a substitute shall be considered for amendment by section and that 
each section shall be considered as read.
  The rule also makes in order only those amendments to the amendment 
in the nature of a substitute that are pre-printed in the Congressional 
Record or are pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. The rule 
provides that each amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be 
offered only by the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, 
and that each amendment shall be considered as read. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or with instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Frank, Representatives Maloney of NY, and Paul.

Joint Meetings
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded joint hearings with 
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative 
presentation of the Disabled American Veterans, after receiving 
testimony from Bradley S. Barton, Disabled American Veterans, Cold 
Spring, Kentucky.