[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 11, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D957-D960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES; TRANSPORTATION, HUD, AND 
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following appropriations for fiscal year

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2008: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related 
Agencies; and Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
Related Agencies.
GLOBAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on global security 
assessment. Testimony was heard from Thomas Fingar, Deputy Director, 
National Intelligence, Analysis, Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence; and Robert Cardillo, Deputy Director, Analysis, Defense 
Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense.
GLOBAL WAR AGAINST TERRORISTS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on Strategic Communications and 
Comparative Ideas: Winning the Hearts and Minds in the Global War 
Against Terrorists. Testimony was heard from Linton Wells II, 
Distinguished Research Fellow Force Transformation Chair; Frank Kramer, 
former Assistant Secretary, International Security Policy, Department 
of Defense; and public witnesses.
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 
held a hearing on H.R. 1338, Paycheck Fairness Act. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
WIRELESS INNOVATION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on Wireless Innovation and Consumer 
Protection. Testimony was heard from Tony Clark, Commissioner, Public 
Service Commission, State of North Dakota; and public witnesses.
HEDGE FUNDS RISKS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on Hedge Funds and 
Systemic Risk: Perspectives of The President's Working Group on 
Financial Markets. Testimony was heard from Kevin M. Warsh, member, 
Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; Robert Steel, Under 
Secretary, Domestic Finance, Department of the Treasury; Jim Overdahl, 
Chief Economist, CFTC; and Erik R. Sirri, Director, Division of Market 
Regulation, SEC.
BANK CUSTOMER OVERDRAFT PROTECTION
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a structured rule. The 
rule provides 1 hour of a hearing entitled ``Overdraft Protection: Fair 
Practices for Consumers.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EFFECTS OF PASSPORT DELAYS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Passport Delays: 
Affecting Security and Disrupting Free Travel and Trade. Testimony was 
heard from Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular 
Affairs, Department of State; and Paul Rosenzweig, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Policy and Counselor to the Under Secretary, Policy, 
Department of Homeland Security.
KYOTO PROTOCOL UPDATE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and 
the Global Environment held a hearing on the Kyoto Protocol: An Update. 
Testimony was heard from Harlan Watson, Special Representative and 
Senior Climate Negotiator, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environment and Scientific Affairs, Department of State; and public 
witnesses.
PRESIDENTIAL CLEMENCY--USE AND ABUSE
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on the Use and Misuse of 
Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials. Testimony 
was heard from Rogert C. Adams, Office of the Pardon Attorney, 
Department of Justice; former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Held a hearing on the following 
measures: S. 375, To waive application of the Indian Self-Determination 
and Education Assistance Act to a specific parcel of real property 
transferred by the United States to 2 Indian tribes in the State of 
Oregon; H.R. 1696, To amend the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama and 
Coushatta Indian Tribes of Texas Restoration Act to allow the Ysleta 
del Sur Pueblo tribe to determine blood quantum requirement for 
membership in that Tribe; H.R. 2863, To authorize the Coquille Indian 
Tribe of the State of Oregon to convey land and interests in land owned 
by the Tribe; and a measure To authorize the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of 
Indians of the State of Michigan to convey land and interest in land 
owned by the Tribe. Testimony was heard from Representative Reyes; 
Michael R. Smith, Deputy Bureau Director, Field Operations, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
SMALL INVESTOR HEDGE FUND RISKS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing on After Blackstone: Should Small Investors Be 
Exposed to Risks of Hedge Funds? Testimony was heard from

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Andrew Donahue, Director, Division of Investment Management, SEC; and 
public witnesses.
SECTION 8 VOUCHER REFORM 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. 1851, Section 8 Voucher 
Reform Act of 2007, 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 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 and shall be considered as 
read. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute except for clause 10 of Rule XXI. The rule makes 
in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report 
accompanying the resolution. The further 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 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 
Chairman Frank and Representatives Rush, Biggert and Chabot.
RESPONSIBLE REDEPLOYMENT FROM IRAQ ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a closed rule. The rule 
provides 4 hours of debate on H.R. 2956, Responsible Redeployment from 
Iraq Act, with 3 hours equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services and 1 
hour equally divided and controlled by the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs.
  The rule waives all points of order against the bill and its 
consideration except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. 
The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule permits the Chair, 
during consideration of the bill, to postpone further consideration of 
it to a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Skelton and Representatives Wolf, Shays and English of 
Pennsylvania.
GREEN CHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007
Committee on Science and Technology: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
2850, Green Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2007.
GREEN REVOLUTION--SMALL BUSINESSES AT THE FOREFRONT
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on Small Businesses at the 
Forefront of the Green Revolution: What More Needs to Be Done to Keep 
Them Here. Testimony was heard from the following Mayors: Marty Blum, 
Santa Barbara, California; and Adrian Fenty, District of Columbia; and 
public witnesses.
HIGH RISK MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on Motor Carrier Safety: The 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Oversight of High Risk 
Carriers. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Transportation: John H. Hill, Administrator, Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration; and Calvin L. Scovel III, 
Inspector General; Deborah A. P. Hersman, member, National 
Transportation Safety Board; Susan A. Fleming, Director, Physical 
Infrastructure Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
AMTRAK CAPITAL NEEDS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing on Amtrak 
Capital Needs. Testimony was heard from Alexander Kummant, President 
and CEO, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK).
VETERANS' HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007
Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 2874, Veterans' Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2007.
BRIEFING--HOT SPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Hot Spots. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
FISA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on FISA. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.

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