[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D232-D236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FARM BILL--SPECIALTY AND ORGANIC CROPS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic 
Agriculture held a hearing to review the proposals of the Department of 
Agriculture for the 2007 Farm Bill with respect to specialty crops and 
organic agriculture. Testimony was heard from Chuck Conner, Deputy 
Secretary of Agriculture.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on FDA. Testimony was heard from the Department of Health and 
Human Services: Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., Commissioner, FDA; John 
R. Dyer, Deputy Commissioner, Operations and Chief Operating Officer; 
and Norris W. Cochran, Director, Division of Discretionary Programs, 
Office of
Budget.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the National Science 
Board. Testimony was heard from Steven C. Beering, Chairman, National 
Science Board.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Science Funding. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.

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ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Energy Outlook--the 
Next Decade. Testimony was heard from Guy Caruso, Administrator, Energy 
Information Agency, Department of Energy; Jim Wells, Director, Natural 
Resources and Environment, GAO; and public witnesses.
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on Consumer Issues. Testimony was 
heard from Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman, FTC; Nancy Nord, Acting 
Chairman, Consumer Product Safety Commission; and public witnesses.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies concluded hearings on the EPA. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the EPA: Stephen L. Johnson, 
Administrator; Marcus C. Peacock, Deputy Administrator; Lyon Gray, 
Chief Financial Officer; Roger R. Martella, Acting General Counsel; 
Bill Roderick, Acting Inspector General; Judith E. Ayers, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of International Affairs; William Wehrum, 
Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation; George Gray, 
Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development; Benjamin 
H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water; Granta Y. 
Nakayama, Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance; James B. Gulliford, Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances; Susan Bodine, Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response; Molly 
O'Neill, Assistant Administrator, Office of Environmental Information; 
and Luis A. Luna, Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and 
Resource Management.
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 Health 
Resources and Services Administration. Testimony was heard from 
Elizabeth M. Duke, Administrator, Health Resources and Services 
Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Fiscal Year 
2007 Supplemental Request. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Tina W. Jones, Under Secretary, 
Comptroller; and MG Brian I. Geehan, Director, Logistics, Central 
Command.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Transportation and Housing: Trends and Challenges over the Next Decade. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NATIONAL DEFENSE BUDGET REQUEST--DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 
National Defense Budget Request from the Department of the Air Force. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Air Force: Michael W. Wynne, Secretary; and GEN T. Michael Moseley, 
USAF, Chief of Staff.
RESERVISTS G.I. BILL--IMPACT OF CHANGES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on the impact of changes to the Reserve Montgomery G.I. Bill. 
Testimony was heard from Michael L. Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense; and Keith 
Wilson, Director of Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs.
LONG TERM ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Fiscal Challenges and the 
Economy in the Long Term. Testimony was heard from Ben S. Bernanke, 
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System.
IMPROVING HEAD START
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing on Improving Head 
Start for America's Children. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.

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NCAA COACHING AND LEADERSHIP DIVERSITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``The Lack of Diversity in 
Leadership Positions in NCAA Collegiate Sports.'' Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``A Review of the Administration's 
Energy Proposal for the Transportation Sector.'' Testimony was heard 
from Nicole Nason, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Department of Transportation; and Edward P. Lazear, 
Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers.
CALLER ID MANIPULATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
251, Truth in Caller ID Act of 2007.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on this 
measure. Testimony was heard from Kris Montieth, Chief, Enforcement 
Bureau, FCC; and public witnesses.
KATRINA INSURANCE ISSUES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Insurance Claims Payment 
Processes in the Gulf Coast after the 2005 Hurricanes.'' Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Taylor, Jefferson and Jindal; David 
Maurstad, Director and Federal Insurance Administrator, Mitigation 
Division, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security; Jim Hood, Attorney 
General, State of Mississippi; and a public witness.
IRAQ AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Iraq and U.S. Foreign 
Policy. Testimony was heard from Richard C. Holbrooke, former U.S. 
Ambassador to the United Nations; and a public witness.
NORTH KOREA: THE FEBRUARY 13TH AGREEMENT
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on North Korea: The 
February 13th Agreement. Testimony was heard from Christopher R. Hill, 
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 
Department of State.
FEMA REFORM
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency 
Communication, Preparedness, and Response and the Subcommittee on 
Management, Investigations, and Oversight held a joint hearing entitled 
``Reforming FEMA: Are We Making Progress?'' Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: R. 
David Paulison, Under Secretary, Federal Emergency Management, FEMA; 
George Foresman, Under Secretary, Preparedness; and Matt Jadacki, 
Deputy Inspector General.
COMMITTEE FUNDING
Committee on House Administration: Met to consider Committee funding 
requests for the following Committees: Foreign Affairs; Judiciary; 
Financial Services; Homeland Security; Transportation and 
Infrastructure; Armed Services; Education and the Workforce; Oversight 
and Government Reform; Rules; Ways and Means; Small Business; Veterans' 
Affairs; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture, Science and Technology; 
Budget; Intelligence; Standards; and Natural Resources.
JUDICIAL DISCLOSURE RESPONSIBILITY ACT; ESTABLISHED ANTITRUST TASK 
FORCE
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported H.R. 1130, Judicial 
Disclosure Responsibility Act.
  The Committee also approved the following: a resolution establishing 
the Antitrust Task Force; and other pending Committee business.
COMPETITION AND THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL MUSIC
Committee on the Judiciary: Antitrust Task Force held a hearing on 
Competition and the Future of Digital Music. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--EVOLVING WEST
Committee on Natural Resources: Held an oversight hearing on the 
Evolving West. Testimony was heard from Representatives Walden of 
Oregon, Nunes, Herger and Rehberg; Governor Brian Schweitzer of 
Montana; former Representative Pat Williams of Montana; and public 
witnesses.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES; MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; PRESIDENTIAL 
LIBRARY FUNDING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H. Res. 180, Honoring the life and achievements of 
Leo T. McCarthy and expressing profound sorrow on his death; H. Res. 
162, Recognizing the contributions of the Negro Baseball Leagues and 
their players; and H.

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Con. Res. 62, Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Children 
and Families Day, in order to encourage adults in the United States to 
support and listen to children and to help children throughout the 
Nation achieve their hopes and dreams.
  The Committee approved Budget Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 
2008 for submission to the Committee on the Budget.
  The Committee also held a hearing entitled ``Reforming the 
Presidential Library Funding Disclosure Process.'' Testimony was heard 
from Sharon Fawcett, Assistant Archivist for Presidential Libraries, 
National Archives and Records Administration; and public witnesses.
9/11 FIRST RESPONDER HEALTH
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Organization, and Procurement held a hearing 
entitled ``9/11 Health Effects: Federal Monitoring and Treatment of 
Residents and Responders.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: John 
Agwunobi, M.D., Assistant Secretary of Health and Chair of HHS
9/11 Task Force; and John Howard, M.D., Director, National Institute 
for Occupational Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 
Federal 9/11 Health Coordinator; the following officials of the City of 
New York: Linda I. Gibbs, Deputy Mayor, Health and Human Services; and 
Edward Skyler, Deputy Mayor, Administration; and public witnesses.
EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 3, a structured rule. 
The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 800, Employee Free 
Choice Act, equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking 
Minority Member of the Committee on Education and Labor. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except for 
clause 9 and 10 in Rule XXI. The rule provides that the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education 
and Labor now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original 
bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution. The rule provides that 
the amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed 
in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the 
report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time 
specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be 
subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the 
Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendments printed in the report except for clause 10 of Rule XXI. 
Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman George Miller of CA, 
Representatives Andrews, McKeon, Kline, Price of GA, Boustany, Foxx, 
Davis of TN, Shays and Musgrave.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science and Technology: Ordered reported the following 
bills: H.R. 85, amended, Energy Technology Transfer Act; H.R. 1068, To 
amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991; H.R. 1126, To 
reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology 
Competitiveness Act of 1988; and H.R. 363, amended, Sowing the Seeds 
through Science and Engineering Research Act.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES
Committee on Small Business: Approved Budget Views and Estimates for 
Fiscal Year 2008 for submission to the Committee on the Budget.
VA INFORMATION AND SECURITY MANAGEMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Information and Security Management at 
the Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Gordon 
Mansfield, Deputy Secretary; Robert Howard, Assistant Secretary, 
Information and Technology; James Bagian, M.D., Chief Patient Safety 
Officer; Maureen Regan, Counselor for the Inspector General; and 
Arnaldo Claudio, Oversight and Compliance Representative; Greg 
Wilshusen, Director, Information Technology Security Issues, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
BUDGET VIEWS AND ESTIMATES; ENERGY AND TAX POLICY
Committee on Ways and Means: Approved Budget Views and Estimates for 
Fiscal Year 2008 for submission to the Committee on the Budget.
  The Committee also held a hearing on Energy and Tax Policy, focusing 
on climate change. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST FISCAL YEAR 2007
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Fiscal Year 2007 Supplemental Request. Testimony was 
heard from departmental witnesses.

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Joint Meetings
INCOME INSTABILITY
  Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
meeting the challenge of income instability, after receiving 
testimony from Peter Orszag, Director, Congressional Budget Office; 
Lael Brainard, Brookings Institution, and Bradley R. Schiller, 
American University, both of Washington, D.C.; Maurice Emsellem, 
National Employment Law Project, Oakland, California; and Lily 
Batchelder, New York University School of Law, New York, New York.