[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 55 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D440-D443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
HONEY BEE DECLINE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic 
Agriculture held a hearing to review colony collapse disorder in honey 
bee colonies across the United States. Testimony was heard from Caird 
E. Rexroad, Associate Administrator, Agriculture Research Service, 
USDA; and public witnesses.
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 Food Safety and Inspection Service. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the USDA: Richard Raymond, Under Secretary, 
Food Safety; David Goldman, Acting Administrator, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service; and W. Scott Steele, Budget Officer.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science 
and Related Agencies held a hearing on Commission on Civil Rights/Legal 
Services Corporation/State Justice Institute. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Legal Services Corporation: Helaine M. 
Barnett, President and Frank B. Strickland, Chairman, Board of 
Directors; Kevin Linskey, Executive Director, State Justice Institute; 
and Kenneth L. Marcus, Staff Director, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on International Trade 
Commission. Testimony was heard from Daniel Pearson, Chairman, 
International Trade Commission.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Secretary of Defense. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense: Robert Gates, Secretary; and GEN Peter 
Pace, USMC, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Weapons Activities 
Oversight. Testimony was heard from former Senator Sam Nunn of

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Georgia and Co-Chairman and CEO, Nuclear Threat Initiative; William 
Perry, former Secretary of Defense; GEN James E. Cartright, USA, 
Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Department of Defense; and a public 
witness.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Department of Energy: Weapons 
Activities/and Naval Reactors. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Thomas D'Agostino, Acting 
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration; and ADM 
Kirkland Donald, USN, Deputy Administrator, Naval Reactors.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, 
General Government, and Related Agencies held a hearing on IRS. 
Testimony was heard from Mark W. Everson, Commissioner, IRS, Department 
of the Treasury.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on 
Bioterrorism Preparedness and the Role of Department of Homeland 
Security Chief Medical Officer. Testimony was heard from Keith Rhodes, 
Director, Technology and Engineering, GAO; and the following officials 
of the Department of Homeland Security: John Vitko, Division Head, 
Chemical and Biological Division, Science and Technology; and Tom 
McGinn, Director of Veterinary and Agriculture Security; and a public 
witness.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Bureau of Indian Affairs/Office of 
the Special Trustee. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of the Interior: Jim Cason, Assistant Secretary, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs; and Ross Swimmer, Special Trustee, American 
Indians.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies continued appropriations 
hearings. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on House of Representatives. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the House of Representatives: Lorraine C. 
Miller, Clerk; William Livingood, Sergeant at Arms; and Dan Beard, 
Chief Administrative Officer.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VA, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Air Force 
Budget. Testimony was heard from GEN T. Michael Moseley, USAF, Chief of 
Staff, Department of the Air Force.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations 
and Related Programs continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION, HUD, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Transportation Safety: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration/
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration/Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration/National Transportation Safety Board. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Transportation: Nicole Nason, Administrator, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration; John Hill, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration; and Thomas J. Barrett, Administrator, Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; and Mark V. Rosenkar, 
Board Member, National Transportation Safety Board.
MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT--USE OF GUANTANAMO BAY
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Military Commissions 
Act and the continued use of Guantanamo Bay as a detention facility. 
Testimony was heard from William H. Taft IV, former Legal Adviser, 
Department of State and former Deputy Secretary of Defense; Patrick F. 
Philbin, former Associate Deputy Attorney General, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on overview of morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: Leslye A. Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary, Military Community 
and Family Policy; BG Belinda Pinckney, USA, Commanding General, U.S. 
Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command; RADM Mark A. 
Handley, USN,

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Vice Commander, Navy Installations Command; Michael P. Downs, Director, 
Personal and Family Readiness Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine 
Corps; and Arthur J. Myers, Director, Air Force Services.
NCLB EFFECTS ON DISABLED
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
Elementary and Secondary Education hearing on How NCLB Affects Students 
with Disabilities. Testimony was heard from Rebecca Cort, Deputy 
Commissioner, Office for Vocational and Educational Services for 
Individuals with Disabilities, Department of Education, State of New 
York; and public witnesses.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Climate Change: Lessons Learned from 
Existing Cap and Trade Programs.'' Testimony was heard from Brian 
McLean, Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and 
Radiation, EPA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 1515, to amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
to treat certain communities as metropolitan cities for purposes of the 
community development block grant program; H.R. 1427, amended, Federal 
Housing Finance Reform Act of 2007; H.R. 1675, Preservation Approval 
Process Improvement Act of 2007; and H.R. 1676, Native American Home 
Ownership Opportunity Act of 2007.
U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on the 2007 Country 
Reports on Human Rights Practices and the Promotion of Human Rights in 
U.S. Foreign Policy. Testimony was heard from the following former 
Assistant Secretaries for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Department 
of State: Harold Hongju Koh; and John Shattuck.
SECURE HANDLING OF AMMONIUM NITRATE ACT OF 2007
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity and Science and Technology approved for full Committee 
action H.R. 1680, Secure Handling of Ammonium Nitrate Act of 2007.
VOTER CONFIDENCE INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY ACT OF 2007
Committee on House Administration: Met to discuss the status of H.R. 
811, Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007, which is 
before the Subcommittee on Elections.
DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND VOTER INTIMIDATION PREVENTION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 1281, 
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007.
ENSURING EXECUTIVE BRANCH ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on Ensuring Executive Branch 
Accountability. Testimony was heard from the following former 
Assistants to President Bill Clinton: John Podesta, Chief of Staff; and 
Beth Nolan, Counsel; Noel J. Francisco, former Associate Counsel to 
President George W. Bush; and a public witness.
OVERSIGHT--OCEAN POLICY PRIORITIES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing on ocean policy priorities in the 
United States. Testimony was heard from Mary M. Clackin, Assistant 
Administrator, Program Planning and Integration, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce; and the following Co-Chairs of the Joint Ocean Commission 
Initiative: ADM James D. Watkins, USN (ret.); and former Representative 
Leon Panetta of California.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 189, 
Paterson Great Falls National Park Act of 2007; H.R. 359, Cesar Estrade 
Chavez Study Act; and H.R. 1080, Grand Teton National Park Extension 
Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Representatives Cubin, Pascrell, 
Jr., and Solis; Dan Wenk, Deputy Director, National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 625, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 4230 Maine Avenue in Baldwin Park, 
California, as the ``Atanacio Haro-Marin Post Office;'' H.R. 1124, To 
extend the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999; H.R. 
1402,To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 320 South Lecanto Highway in Lecanto, Florida, as the 
``Sergeant Dennis J. Flanagan Lecanto Post Office Building;'' H.R. 
1425, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at

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4551 East 52nd Street in Odessa, Texas, as the ``Staff Sergeant Marvin 
``Rex'' Young Post Office Building;'' H.R. 988, To designate the 
Facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5757 Tilton 
Avenue in Riverside, California, as the ``Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant 
Post Office;'' H.R. 1434, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 896 Pittsburgh Street in Springdale, 
Pennsylvania, as the ``Rachel Carson Post Office Building;'' H. Con. 
Res. 88, Honoring the life of Ernest Gallo; H. Con. Res. 71, 
Commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the founding of the American 
Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading 
association for the Nation's 1.3 million American citizens of Greek 
Ancestry, and Philhellenes; H. Res. 179, Expressing support for a 
National Foster Parents Day; and H. Res. 273, Supporting the goals and 
ideals of Financial Literacy Month.
  The Committee began consideration of H.R. 401, National Capital 
Transportation Amendments Act of 2007.
  The Committee also approved Oversight Plans for the 110th Congress.
TAXPAYER FUNDED STADIUMS/FACILITIES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing on Build It and They Will Come: Do Taxpayer-
financed Sports Stadiums, Convention Centers and Hotels deliver as 
promised for America's Cities. Testimony was heard from Donald Korb, 
Chief Counsel, IRS, Department of the Treasury.
NSF REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on reauthorizing the National Science 
Foundation, Part 2. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NEXT GENERATION AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on JPDO and the Next Generation Air 
Transportation System: Status and Issues. Testimony was heard from 
Charles Leader, Director, Joint Planning and Development Office, FAA, 
Department of Transportation; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESSES--PATENT REFORM
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``The Importance 
of Patent Reform on Small Businesses.'' Testimony was heard from John 
Doll, Commissioner of Patents, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 
Department of Commerce; and Public witnesses.
FAA'S OVERSIGHT--OUTSOURCED AIR CARRIER MAINTENANCE
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on the FAA's oversight of Outsourced Air 
Carrier Maintenance. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Transportation: Nicholas Sabatini, Associate 
Administrator, Aviation Safety, FAA; Calvin L. Scovel III, Inspector 
General; and public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATIONS
Joint Hearing: Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine 
legislative presentations of certain veterans organizations, after 
receiving testimony from John Garcia, New Mexico Department of 
Veterans' Services, Santa Fe, on behalf of the National Association of 
State Directors of Veterans Affairs; Thomas C. McGriff, AMVETS, Lanham, 
Maryland; Tom Poulter, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Springfield, 
Virginia; Jerry L. Sweeney, Fleet Reserve Association, and Colonel Ana 
R. Smythe, USMC (Ret.), Military Officers Association of America, both 
of Alexandria, Virginia; Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Corbett, USMC (Ret.), 
the Retired Enlisted Association, Aurora, Colorado; Rose Elizabeth Lee, 
Gold Star Wives of America, Arlington, Virginia; and sundry public 
witnesses.