[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 61 (Tuesday, April 17, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D507-D510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY
Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry 
held a hearing to review the market structure of the livestock 
industry. Testimony was heard from James E. Link, Administrator, Grain 
Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administrator, USDA; and public 
witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Army Force Posture/Acquisition Overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: GEN Richard Cody, 
USA, Vice Chief of Staff; and Claude Bolton, Assistant Secretary, 
Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.
  The Subcommittee also met in executive session to hold a hearing on 
U.S. Central Command. Testimony was heard from ADM William Fallon, USN, 
Commander, U.S. Central Command, Department of Defense.
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on the FCC. Testimony was heard from 
Kevin J. Martin, Chairman, FCC.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Indian Health Service. Testimony was 
heard from Charles W. Grim, M.D., Director, Indian Health Service, 
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 Central 
Command. Testimony was heard from ADM William J. Fallon, USN, 
Commander, Central Command, Department of Defense.
TRANSPORTATION, HUD, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Federal 
Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Transportation: 
Richard Kapka, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration; and James 
Simpson, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG USER FEE ACT REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.'' 
Testimony was

[[Page D508]]

heard from Teresa M. Mullin, M.D., Assistant Commissioner, Planning, 
FDA, Department of Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
RISING MORTGAGE FORECLOSURES POSSIBLE RESPONSES
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Possible 
Responses to Rising Mortgage Foreclosures.'' Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Kaptur and Turner; Sheila C. Bair, Chairman, FDIC; 
Brian Montgomery, Assistant Secretary, Housing, Federal Housing 
Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Daniel H. 
Mudd, President and CEO, Fannie Mae; Richard F. Syron, Chairman and 
CEO, Freddie Mac; and public witnesses.
KOSOVA--OUTLOOK FOR INDEPENDENCE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on the Outlook for the 
Independence of Kosova. Testimony was heard from R. Nicholas Burns, 
Under Secretary, Political Affairs, Department of State.
U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations and Human Rights and the Subcommittee on Europe held a 
joint hearing on Extraordinary Rendition in the U.S. Counterterrorism 
Policy: The Impact on Transatlantic Relations. Testimony was heard from 
the Michael F. Scheuer, former Chief, Bin Laden Unit, CIA; and a public 
witness.
  The Subcommittees also held a joint briefing on this subject. They 
were briefed by the following Members of the European Parliament: 
Jonathan Evans, Chairman, European Parliament Delegation for Relations 
with the United States; Claudio Fava; and Baroness Sarah Ludford, Vice-
Chairman, Temporary Committee on the Alleged Use of European Countries 
by the CIA for the Transportation and Illegal Detention of Prisoners.
SECURE HANDLING OF AMMONIUM NITRATE ACT
Committee on Homeland Security: Began mark up of H.R. 1680, Secure 
Handling of Ammonium Nitrate Act of 2007.
  Committee recessed subject to the call of the Chair.
OVERSIGHT--BANKRUPTCY CASES AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held an oversight hearing on Executive Compensation 
in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Cases: How Much Is Too Much? Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT OF 2007
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on H.R. 1592, Local Law Enforcement 
Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Mark 
Shurtleff, Attorney General, State of Utah; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--IMPLEMENTING OIL/GAS ENERGY POLICY
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held an oversight hearing on Implementation of Title III, the 
Oil and Gas provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Testimony was 
heard from Abraham Haspel, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Department of 
the Interior; Senator Curtis Bramble, Majority Leader, Senate, State of 
Utah; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--CLIMATE CHANGE AND WILDLIFE/OCEANS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing on Wildlife and Oceans in a Changing 
Climate. Testimony was heard from C. Mark Eakin, Coordinator, NOAA 
Coral Reef Watch, NOAA Satellite Oceanography and Climate, Department 
of Commerce; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 554, 
Paleontological Resources Preservation Act; H.R. 986, Eightmile Wild 
and Scenic River Act; H. R. 1100, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic 
Site Boundary Revision; and H.R. 1285, Snoqualmie Pass Land Conveyance 
Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives McGovern, Courtney and 
Hastings of Washington; Sue Masica, Chief of Staff, National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior; Frederick Norbury, Associate 
Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service, USDA; and public 
witnesses.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia held a hearing 
on the U.S. Postal Service: 101. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the U.S. Postal Service: John E. Potter, Postmaster 
General/CEO; James C. Miller, III, Chairman, Board of Governors; and 
David C. Williams, Inspector General; Dan G. Blair, Chairman, Postal 
Regulatory Commission; Katherine A. Siggerud, Director, Physical 
Infrastructure Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.

[[Page D509]]


OVERSIGHT--WALTER REED
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Security, and 
Foreign Affairs continued hearings on Is This Any Way to Treat Our 
Troops--Follow-up on Corrective Measures Taken at Walter Reed and Other 
Medical Facilities Caring for Wounded Soldiers. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Michael L. 
Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under Secretary (Personnel and Readiness); 
MG Gale S. Pollack, USA, Army Surgeon General (Acting) and Commander, 
U.S. Army Medical Command; and MG Eric Schoomaker, USA, Commander, 
Walter Reed Army Medical Center; and the following officials of the 
Independent Review Group: Togo D. West, Jr., former Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and former Secretary of the Army; Jack Marsh, former 
Secretary of the Army; Arnold Fisher; Lawrence Holland, Senior Enlisted 
Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs; and Charles 
Roadman, former Air Force Surgeon General.
SHAREHOLDER VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule with a 
preprinting requirements. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on 
H.R. 1257, Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act, 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 clauses 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 also provides that each section of the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments to the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute that have been pre-printed in the Congressional 
Record on or before Tuesday, April 17, 2007 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 without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Frank and Representative Bachus.
RECOVERY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule. The rule 
provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 1361, RECOVERY Act, equally 
divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of 
the Committee on Small Business. The rule waives all points of order 
against consideration of the bill except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rule 
XXI. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Small Business, modified by the 
amendment printed in Part A of the Rules Committee report, shall be 
considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. 
The bill as amended shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of further amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule 
waives all points of order against provisions in the bill as amended, 
and provides that no further amendments shall be in order except those 
amendments printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report accompanying 
the resolution.
  The rule provides that such further amendments made in order in Part 
B 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 clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Chairwoman Velazquez and Representative Chabot.
CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on the State of 
Climate Change Science 2007: The Findings of the Fourth Assessment 
Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Working Group 
II: Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE CONTRACTING
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on Public-Private Partnerships: 
Innovating Contracting. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: James Ray, Acting Deputy 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration; and David B. Horner, 
Chief Counsel, Federal Transit Administration; John Njord, Director, 
Department of Transportation, State of Utah; and public witnesses.

[[Page D510]]


ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION AND WATER QUALITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Nonpoint Source Pollution: 
Atmospheric Deposition and Water Quality. Testimony was heard from 
Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; 
Arleen O'Donnell, Acting Commissioner, Department of Environmental 
Protection, State of Massachusetts; and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 67, 
Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2007; H.R. 1435, Department of 
Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2007; H.R. 1444, To 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make interim benefit 
payments under certain remanded claims; and H.R. 1490, To provide for a 
presumption of service-connectedness for certain claims for benefits 
under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives McIntyre, Baca, Donnelly, and 
Upton; Ronald R. Aument, Deputy Under Secretary, Benefits, Department 
of Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; and 
public witnesses.
PERSONNEL AND SECURITY
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Personnel and Security. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.