[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 116 (Thursday, July 19, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1014-D1017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FARM BILL EXTENSION ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 2419, Farm 
Bill Extension Act of 2007.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS FY 2008
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Bill, Fiscal Year 2008.
MINE RESISTANT AMBUSH PROTECTED VEHICLE (MRAP) VEHICLE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary 
Forces and the Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces held a joint hearing 
on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: John Young, Director, Defense Research and Engineering, MRAP 
Task Force; BG Michael Brogan, USMC, Commander, Marine Corps Systems 
Command; LTG John Castelaw, USMC, Deputy Commander, Programs and 
Resources; and LTG Stephen M. Speakes, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, Army 
G-8.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Committee action, as amended, the following bills:1 H.R. 20, 
Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act; 
H.R. 2295, ALS Registry Act; and H.R. 507, Vision Care for Kids Act of 
2007.
NATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND ACT OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on H.R. 2895, National 
Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from 
Brian Montgomery, Assistant Secretary, Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development; and public 
witnesses.

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BEYOND IRAQ: ENVISIONING A NEW U.S. POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Beyond Iraq: 
Envisioning a New U.S. Policy in the Middle East. Testimony was heard 
from a public witness.
PRIVATE SECTOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency 
Communications, Preparedness, and Response held a hearing entitled 
``Leveraging the Private Sector To Strengthen Emergency Preparedness 
and Response.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Alfonso Martinez-Fonts, Assistant 
Secretary, Private Sector Office; and Marko Bourne, Director, Policy 
and Program Analysis, FEMA; and public witnesses.
CREDIT CARD INTERCHANGE FEES
Committee on the Judiciary: Antitrust Task Force held a hearing on 
Credit Card Interchange Fees. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
RNC DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law met and rejected the Executive Privilege claims 
asserted by White House Counsel in response to the subpoena for the 
production of documents issued to Joshua Bolten, White House Chief of 
Staff, or appropriate custodian of records.
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT PRACTICES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights, and Civil Liberties held a joint oversight hearing on Law 
Enforcement Confidential Informant Practices. Testimony was heard from 
Wayne M. Murphy, Assistant Director, Directorate of Intelligence, FBI, 
Department of Judiciary; 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. 783, Mesa 
Verdi National Park Boundary Expansion Act of 2007; H.R. 1266, 
Butterfield Overland Trail Study Act; and H.R. 1674, Battle of Camden 
Study Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Spratt, Boozman and 
Salazar; Bill Shaddox, Acting Associate Director, Park Planning, 
Facilities and Lands, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; FEMA TRAILERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 1520, Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial 
Commemoration Act of 2007; H.R. 1389, Star-Spangled Banner and War of 
1812 Bicentennial Commission Act; H.R. 1664, To authorize grants for 
contributions toward the establishment of the Woodrow Wilson 
Presidential Library; H.R. 3034, To designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 127 South Elm Street in 
Gardner, Kansas, as the ``Private First Class Shane R. Austin Post 
Office''; H.R. 2654, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, South 
Dakota, as the ``Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building''; H.R. 1384, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
118 Minner Street in Bakersfield, California, as the ``Buck Owens Post 
Office''; H. Res. 471, Congratulating the National Hockey League 
Champions, the Anaheim Ducks, on their victory in the 2007 Stanley Cup 
Finals; H. Res. 488, Congratulating the Detroit Tigers for winning the 
2006 American League Pennant and for bringing the City of Detroit and 
the State of Michigan their first trip to the World Series in 22 years; 
H. Res. 442, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
a National Youth Sports Week should be established; H. Con. Res. 143, 
Honoring the 50th anniversary of Stan Hywet & Gardens; H.R. 2688, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
103 South Getty Street in Uvalde, Texas, as the ``Dolph S. Briscoe, Jr. 
Postal Office Building''; H.R. 2467, To designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey 
City, New Jersey, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office Building''; 
H.R. 2765, To designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 44 North Main Street in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, 
as the ``Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas Post Office''; H. Res. 
519, Honoring the life and accomplishments of renowned artist Tom Lea 
on the 100th anniversary of his birth; H.R. 2825, To designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 326 South Main 
Street in Princeton, Illinois, as the ``Owen Lovejoy Princeton Post 
Office Building''; H.R. 954, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 365 West 125th Street in New York, New 
York, as the ``Percy Sutton Post Office Building''; H. Con. Res. 165, 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Teen Driver Safety Week; H. 
Res. 490, Honoring the 2007 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs; H.R. 3052, 
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 954

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Wheeling Avenue in Cambridge, Ohio, as the ``John Herschel Glenn, Jr. 
Post Office Building''; H.R. 2587, To designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 555 South 3rd Street Lobby in 
Memphis, Tennessee, as the `` Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office''; H. 
Res. 551, Acknowledging the progress made and yet to be made to rebuild 
the Gulf Coast region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; H. Res. 501, 
Commending Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros for reaching 3,000 base 
hits as a Major League Baseball player and for his outstanding service 
to baseball and the Houston, Texas, region; H.R. 553, Mourning the 
passing of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, and celebrating her 
life and contributions to the people of the United States; and H. Res. 
345, Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of New 
York.
  The Committee also held a hearing on FEMA Trailers. Testimony was 
heard from R. David Paulison, Administrator, FEMA, Department of 
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
POSTAL SERVICE CONTRACTING
Committee on Oversight and Government: Subcommittee on Federal Work 
Force, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia held a hearing on 
Inquiring Minds Want To Know: What Is the Postal Service Contracting 
Out? Testimony was heard from Representative Sires; from the following 
officials of the U.S. Postal Service: Alan C. Kessler, Vice Chairman, 
Board of Governors; John E. Potter, Postmaster General/CEO; and David 
Williams, Inspector General; and public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 10 to 0, an open rule 
providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3074) making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. The rule provides for 1 
hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The rule waives points of order 
against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of 
rule XXI. During consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chairman 
of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority recognition to 
Members who have printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. 
The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 
Finally, the rule permits the Chair to postpone further consideration 
of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Olver and Knollenberg.
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER OVERSIGHT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment and the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a 
joint hearing on Tracking the Storm at the National Hurricane Center. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of NOAA, Department of 
Commerce: VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, (Ret.), Under Secretary, 
Administrator; Bill Proenza, Director, National Hurricane Center; and 
Robert M. Atlas, Director, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological 
Laboratory; and public witnesses.
SBA TRADE PROGRAMS ACT; MICROLOAN AMENDMENTS AND MODERNIZATION ACT
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 2992, SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007; and H.R. 
3020, Microloan Amendments and Modernization Act.
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Concluded hearings on 
the Status of the Nation's Waters, including Wetlands, Under the 
Jurisdiction of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Testimony was 
heard from Carol M. Browner, former Administrator, EPA, and public 
witnesses.
FEDERAL ENERGY CONSERVATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Federal Leadership by Example on Energy Conservation: No 
Cost Quick and Easy Steps for Immediate Results. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Lipinski; David L. Winstead, Commissioner, Public 
Buildings Service, GSA; Phil Grone, Deputy Under Secretary 
(Installations and Environment), Department of Defense; and a public 
witness.
VET CENTERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on Vet Centers. Testimony was heard from Alfonso R. Batres, Chief 
Readjustment Counseling Officer, Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans 
organizations; and a public witness.
FOSTER CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Income Security and Family 
Support held a hearing on

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Health Care for Children in Foster Care. Testimony was heard from Erin 
Sullivan-Sutton, Director, Chief Safety and Permanency, Department of 
Human Services, State of Minnesota; and public witnesses.
FISA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on FISA. Testimony was heard from Alberto Gonzales, The 
Attorney General, Department of Justice.