[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D594-D597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CROP INSURANCE INDUSTRY
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing to review the crop insurance industry. 
Testimony was heard from. The following officials of the USDA: Keith 
Collins, Chief Economist; and Eldon Gould, Administrator, Risk 
Management Agency; and public witnesses.
RURAL BROADBAND PROGRAMS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural 
Development, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing on review of rural 
broadband programs operated by the USDA's Rural Utilities Service. 
Testimony was heard from James Andrew, Rural Utilities Service, USDA; 
and public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Health Personnel Overview. Testimony was heard from David S. C. Chu, 
Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Preventative Medicine and 
Cancers Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Ellen Embry, Deputy Assistant Secretary, 
Force Health Protection and Readiness and Director, Deployment Health 
Support; BG Michael B. Cates, USA, Commander, U.S. Army Center for 
Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine; BG Theresa Casey, M.D., 
USAF, Assistant Surgeon General for Modernization; RADM David Smith, 
USN, Deputy Chief of Staff for Health Care Operations; and COL Janet 
Harris, Director, Congressionally Director Medical Research Program; 
and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch 
continued appropriations hearings. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
FINANCING COLLEGE EDUCATION.
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Higher Education, 
Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness held a hearing on Paying For a 
College Education: Barriers and Solutions for Students and Families.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Achieving--At Long Last--Appliance 
Efficiency Standards.'' Testimony was heard from Alexander A. Karsner, 
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department 
of Energy; Arthur H. Rosenfeld, Commissioner, Energy Commission, State 
of California; and public witnesses.
HEART DISEASE EDUCATION, ANALYSIS RESEARCH, AND TREATMENT FOR WOMEN ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on H.R. 1014, Heart Disease Education, Analysis Research, and Treatment 
for Women Act. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION RESEARCH
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and 
Care Act. Testimony was heard from Catherine Roca, M.D. Chief, Women's 
Programs, National Institutes of Mental Health, Department of Health 
and Human Services; and public witnesses.
U.S. CHINA RELATIONS FUTURE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on the Future of 
Political, Economic and Security Relations with China. Testimony was 
heard from John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary, Department of State.
FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``The Direction 
and Viability of the Federal Protective Service.'' Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: 
James L. Taylor, Deputy Inspector General; and Gary Schenkel, Director, 
Federal Protective Service; and public witnesses.
SUBPOENA ISSUANCE; BANKRUPTCY ABUSE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved a resolution authorizing the Chairman to 
issue a subpoena to James Comey for testimony and related documents at 
a hearing before the Committee regarding

[[Page D595]]

the circumstances surrounding recent terminations of U.S. Attorney's, 
representatives to Congress regarding those circumstances, and related 
matters.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the Second Anniversary of the 
Enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection 
Act of 2005: Are Consumers Really Being Protected Under the Act. 
Testimony was heard from Yvonne D. Jones, Director, Financial Markets 
and Community Investment, GAO; and public witnesses.
INTERNET SPYWAVE PREVENTION ACT; SECURING AIRCRAFT COCKPITS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 1525, Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act of 2007; and 
H.R. 1615, Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act of 2007.
  Prior to this action, the Subcommittee held a hearing on these 
measures. Testimony was heard from Representatives Zoe Lofgren of 
California, Goodlatte, and Keller.
POINT SYSTEMS FOR SELECTING IMMIGRANTS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law held a hearing on An 
Examination of Point Systems as a Method for Selecting Immigrants. 
Testimony was heard from Senator Sessions; the following Foreign Law 
Specialists, Law Library of Congress: Clare Feikert; Stephen F. Clarke, 
Senior Foreign Law Specialist; and Lisa White; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FUTURE OF FOSSIL FUELS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources and the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public 
Lands held a joint oversight hearing on The Future of Fossil Fuels: 
Geological and Terrestrial Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide. Testimony 
was heard from Patrick Leahy, Associate Director, U.S. Geological 
Survey, Department of the Interior; Carl Bauer, Executive Director, 
National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--WINDS TURBINES WILDLIFE IMPACTS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing on Gone with Wind: Impacts of Wind 
Turbines on Birds and Bats. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Mollohan; Dale Hall, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; FDA CHALLENGES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 1873, amended, Small Business Fairness in 
Contracting Act; H.R. 2080, To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule 
Act to conform the District charter to revisions made by the Council of 
the District of Columbia relating to public education; H.R. 2081, 
amended, To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to increase 
the salary of the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia; 
H.R. 1617, To designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 561 Kingsland Avenue in University City, Missouri, 
as the ``Harriett F. Woods Post Office Building;'' H.R. 2025, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
11033 South State Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Willye B. White 
Post Office Building;'' H. Res. 53, Recognizing the life of Lamar Hunt 
and his outstanding contributions to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 
National Football League, and the United States; H.R. 1722, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
601 Banyan Trail in Boca Raton, Florida, as the ``Leonard W. Herman 
Post Office;'' H. Con. Res. 105, Supporting the goals and ideals of a 
National Suffragists Day to promote awareness of the importance of the 
women suffragists who worked for the right of women to vote in the 
United States; H. Res. 307, Expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that public servants should be commended for their 
dedication and continued service to the National during Public Service 
Recognition Week, May 7 through 13, 2007; H.R. 1335, To designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 508 East Main 
Street in Seneca, South Carolina, as the ``S/Sgt Lewis G. Watkins Post 
Office Building;'' H.R. 1260, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 6301 Highway 58 in Harrison, 
Tennessee, as the ``Claude Ramsey Post Office;'' H. Con. Res. 117, 
Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown; and 
H. Res. 291, Supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial 
Day.
  The Committee also held a hearing on FDA's Critical Mission and 
Challenges for the Future. Testimony was heard from Andrew C. Von 
Eschenbach, M.D., Commissioner, FDA, Department of Health and Human 
Services; and the following former Commissioners of the FDA: Donald 
Kennedy; Frank Young, M.D., and David Kessler, M.D.

[[Page D596]]


IMPROVING HEAD START ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a structured rule. The 
rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 1429, Improving Head 
Start Act of 2007, 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 clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The rule provides that the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on 
Education and Labor shall be considered as an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. The rule waives 
all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rules XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in this report 
and provides that they may be offered only in the order printed in this 
report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this report, 
shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified 
in this 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 a 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. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Finally, the rule provides that, notwithstanding the 
operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further 
consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman George Miller of California; and 
Representatives Kildee, Welch of Vermont, Kennedy, Carnahan, Shuler, 
McKeon, Castle, Fortuno, Mica, Putnam and Porter.
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND MANUFACTURING STIMULATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a structured rule. The 
rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 1868, Technology 
Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, equally divided 
and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Science and Technology. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill except clauses 9 and 10 of Rule 
XXI. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Science and Technology now printed in 
the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment and shall be considered as read. All points of order against 
the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived except 
clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in this report. 
The amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed 
in this report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this 
report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time 
specified in this 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 a division of the question in the House 
or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against the 
amendments except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI are waived. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. The rule 
provides that, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, 
the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time 
designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Representatives Wu, 
Hall of Texas, and Manzullo.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, an open rule with a 
preprinting requirement. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on 
H.R. 1867, National Science Foundation Act of 2007, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Science and Technology.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except those arising under clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The rule makes 
in order the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Committee on Science and Technology as an original bill for the purpose 
of amendment. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment 
in the nature of a substitute except clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The 
rule provides that notwithstanding clause 11 of rule XVIII, no 
amendment to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute 
shall be in order except those printed in the portion of the 
Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule 
XVIII and except pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. Each 
amendment so printed may be offered only by the Member who caused it to 
be printed or his designee and shall be considered as read. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Finally 
the rule provides that, notwithstanding the operation of the previous 
question, the Chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to a 
time designated by the Speaker. Testimony

[[Page D597]]

was heard from Representatives Baird, Hall of Texas and Weldon of 
Florida.
SSA's DISABILITY CLAIMS BACKLOG
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing to examine the SSA's ability to hire Administrative Law Judges 
to address the growing disability claims backlog. Testimony was heard 
from Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner, SSA; and Linda M. Springer, 
Director, OPM.