[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 7, 2007)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D280-D283] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings FINANCING RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research held a hearing to review the financial structure of renewable energy resources. Testimony was heard from Thomas C. Dorr, Under Secretary, Rural Development, USDA; Andy Karsner, Assistant Secretary, Department of Energy; Kathleen McGinty, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection, State of Pennsylvania; and public witnesses. COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies held a hearing on Economic and Statistics Administration/Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Commerce: Cynthia A. Glassman, Under Secretary, Economic Affairs, Economics and [[Page D281]] Statistics Administration; Charles Louis Kincannon, Director, Census Bureau; Steve Landefeld, Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Economic Development Administration/Minority Business Development Agency. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Commerce: Sandy K. Baruah, Assistant Secretary, Economic Development; and Ronald Langston, National Director, Minority Business Development Agency. DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on Walter Reed Infrastructure. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of the Army: GEN Peter Schoomaker, USA, Chief of Staff; GEN Richard Cosy, USA, Vice Chief of Staff; and GEN Kevin C. Kiley, USA, Army Surgeon General. FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, and General Government held a hearing on Ensuring the Integrity of Elections. Testimony was heard from Donetta L. Davidson, Chair, Election Assistance Commission; Randolph C. Hite, Director, Information Technology Architecture and Systems, GAO, and public witnesses. MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans' Affairs and Related Agencies held a hearing on Pacific Command. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: ADM William J. Fallon, USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; GEN Burwell B. Bell, III, USAF, Commander, United Nations Command, Commander, Republic of Korea-United States Combined Fores Command and Commander, United States Forces Korea. NATIONAL DEFENSE BUDGET REQUEST--PACIFIC COMMAND AND FORCES KOREA Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: ADM William J. Fallon, USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; and GEN Burwell B. Bell, III, USAF, Commander, United Nations Command, Commander, Republic of Korea--United States Combined Forces Command and Commander, United States Forces Korea. AIR LIFT AMD AERIAL REFUELING PROGRAMS Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces held a hearing on Air Force and Army airlift and aerial refueling fixed-wing aircraft programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: LTG C.H. Chandler, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements; LTG Donald J. Hoffman, USAF, Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant of the Air Force, Acquisition and MG Thomas P. Kane, USAF, Director, Strategic Plans, Requirements, and Programs, Air Mobility Command, all with the U.S. Air Force; and LTG Mark Curran, USA, Deputy Commander, Training and Doctrine Command; and MG (Select) Jeffrey Sorenson, USA, Deputy, Systems Command Management, Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), both with the U.S. Army; William Solis, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management and Michael Sullivan, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, both with the GAO; and Christopher Bolkcom, Specialist in National Defense, CRS, Library of Congress. CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing entitled ``Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. FUTURE OF RADIO Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Digital Future of the United States: Part II--The Future of Radio.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. GULF COAST HURRICANE HOUSING RELIEF ACT Committee on Financial Institutions: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 1227, Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007. LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN REMITTANCES Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and International Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing entitled ``The Role of Remittances in Leveraging Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. [[Page D282]] SOUTH ASIA OVERVIEW Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia held a hearing on A Regional Overview of South Asia. Testimony was heard from Richard A. Boucher, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Department of State. ELECTION DECEPTION AND IRREGULARITIES Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on ``Protecting the Right to Vote: Election Deception and Irregularities in Recent Federal Elections.'' Testimony was heard from Senators Obama and Cardin; Representatives Loretta Sanchez, Bilbray, King of Iowa, and Emanuel; and public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 162, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 2007; H.R. 249, To restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros; H.R. 285, amended, Steel Industry National Historic Site Act; H.R. 309, amended, To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a demonstration program to facilitate landscape restoration programs within certain units of the National Park System established by law to preserve and interpret resources associated with American history; H.R. 319, amended, Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area Act; H.R. 865, Copper Valley Native Allotment Resolution Act of 2007; and H.R. 886, Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2007. COMMITTEE FUNDING RESOLUTION Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote of 9 to 3, a closed rule, providing for consideration of H. Res. 202, Providing for the expenses of certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Tenth Congress. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on House Administration. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the resolution. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on House Administration now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in the report accompanying the resolution, shall be considered as adopted. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit which may not contain instructions. Testimony was heard from Representatives Hastings of Washington, Issa and King of Iowa. ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing on the Department of Energy Fiscal Year 2008 Research and Development Budget Proposal, Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Energy: Ray Orbach, Under Secretary, Science; Alexander Karsner, Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Thomas D. Shope, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary; Dennis Spurgeon, Assistant Secretary, Nuclear Energy; and Kevin Kolevar, Director Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS INNOVATION Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Advancing the Innovation Agenda: The Perspective of the Technology and Telecommunications Industry.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. TRANSIT AND RAIL SECURITY Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a joint hearing on Transit and Rail Security. Testimony was heard from Norman J. Rabkin, Homeland Security and Justice, GAO; Fred Weiderhold, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK); and public witnesses. GREAT LAKES AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing on the impact of Aquatic Invasive Species on the Great Lakes. Testimony was heard from Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Water, EPA; and public witnesses. PERFORMANCE REVIEW Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a hearing on Performance Review of Services. Testimony was heard from Charles S. Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, Department of Labor; and the following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Keith M. Wilson, Director, Education Service; Bill Borom, Deputy Director, Vocal Rehabilitation and Employment; and Keith Pedigo, Director, Loan Guaranty Service. ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures held a hearing on the Alternative Minimum Tax. Testimony was heard from the [[Page D283]] following officials of the Department of the Treasury: Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary, Tax Policy; and Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, IRS; and public witnesses. HOT SPOTS BRIEFING Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to receive a briefing on Hot Spots. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.