[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 125 (Wednesday, August 1, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1112-D1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
CAPITOL POWER PLANT UTILITY TUNNELS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on Capitol Power Plant Utility Tunnels. Testimony was heard from 
Terrell Dorn, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO;

[[Page D1113]]

Peter Eveleth, General Counsel, Office of Compliance; the following 
officials of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol: Stephen T. Ayers, 
Acting Architect; and Paul McMahon, Project Executive; and John Thayer, 
former Supervisor, Utility Tunnels Maintenance Crew, Office of the Architect 
of the Capitol.
ARMY-GUARD-RESERVE RECRUITING AND RETENTION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on active Army, Army Guard and Army Reserve recruiting and 
retention. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Michael L. Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; LTG Michael D. Rochelle, USA, Deputy 
Chief of Staff, G-1, Headquarters, U.S. Army; LTG Clyde A. Vaughan, USA, 
Director, Army National Guard; and MG Thomas P. Bostick, USA, Commanding 
General, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky.
POST-KATRINA HEALTH CARE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings on Post-Katrina Health Care in the New 
Orleans Region: Progress and Continuing Concerns--Part II. Testimony was 
heard from Elizabeth Richter, Acting Director, Center for Medicare 
Management, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Health 
and Human Services; Frederick P. Cerise, M.D., Secretary, Department of 
Health and Hospitals, State of Louisiana; Robert L. Neary, Executive-In-
Charge, Officer of Construction and Facilities Management, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; Ray Nagin, Mayor, New Orleans, State of Louisiana; and 
public witnesses.
TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE REVISION AND EXTENSION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 2761, 
Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act of 2007.
THAILAND-FIJI COUP-RELATED SANCTIONS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the 
Global Environment held a hearing on the Impact of Coup-Related Sanctions on 
Thailand and Fiji: Helpful or Harmful to U.S. Relations? Testimony was heard 
from Representative Kirk; and the following officials of the Bureau of East 
Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State: Eric G. John, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Southeast Asia, and Glyn T. Davies, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
SOUTH ASIA POLITICAL CRISES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia 
held a hearing on Political Crises in South Asia: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri 
Lanka and Nepal. Testimony was heard from Representative Pallone; and the 
following officials of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, 
Department of State: Steven R. Mann, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary; 
and John A. Gastright, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 1413, To direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security 
(Transportation Security Administration) to address vulnerabilities in 
aviation security by carrying out a pilot program to screen airport workers 
with access to secure and sterile areas of airports; H.R. 1717, To amend the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a National Bio and Agro-defense 
Facility; and H.R. 1955, Homegrown Terrorism, Prevention Act of 2007.
TSA FEDERAL ACQUISITION EXEMPTION
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, 
and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``Playing by Its Own Rules: TSA's 
Exemption from the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and How it Impacts 
Partnerships with the Private Sector.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Elaine Duke, 
Chief Procurement Officer; and Rick Gunderson, Assistant Administrator, 
Acquisition, Transportation Security Administration; and public witnesses.
SMITHSONIAN TRANSITION
Committee on House Administration: Held an oversight hearing on The 
Smithsonian in Transition. Testimony was heard from Representative Matsui; 
the following officials of the Smithsonian Institution: Cristian Samper, 
Acting Secretary; and A. Sprightley Ryan, Inspector General; and Charles 
Bowsher, Chairman, Independent Review Committee, and former Comptroller 
General of the United States.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, the following bills: H.R. 400, 
as amended, War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2007; H.R. 2102, as amended, 
Free Flow of Information Act, and H.R. 3013, Attorney-client Privilege 
Protection Act of 2007.
  Committee recessed subject to call.
PAT TILLMAN FRATRICIDE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on the Tillman 
Fratricide: What the Leadership of the Defense Department Knew. Testimony 
was heard from former Secretary of Defense: Donald H. Rumsfeld; and the 
following officials of the Department of the Army: GEN Richard Myers, USA, 
former Chair, Joint Chiefs of Staff; GEN John P. Abizaid, former Commander, 
U.S. Central Command; and GEN Bryan Douglas Brown, USA,

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former Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command.
CONFERENCE REPORT--21ST CENTURY COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules. Granted, by a voice vote, a rule providing for the 
consideration of the conference report to accompany the bill H.R. 2272 to 
invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve the 
competitiveness of the United States. The rule waives all points of order 
against the conference report and against its consideration. The rule also 
provides that the conference report be considered as read. Testimony was 
heard by Chairman Gordon.
THE ENSURING MILITARY READINESS THROUGH STABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY 
DEPLOYMENT POLICY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules. Granted, by a vote of 7 to 2, a closed rule. The rule 
provides one hour of debate on H.R. 3159, Ensuring Military Readiness 
Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act of 2007, equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Armed Services. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 
XXI. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Armed Services now printed in the bill shall 
be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as 
read. The rule waives all points of order against the provisions in the 
bill, as amended. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Finally, the rule provides that the Chair may postpone further 
consideration of the bill to a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony was 
heard by Chairman Skelton, Representatives Hunter, Tauscher, Sestak, Wolf, 
Shays, Castle, Gerlach, McCaul, and Dent.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a rule authorizing the Speaker 
to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules at any time through 
the legislative day of Friday, August 3, 2007 on the following measures:
  (1) The bill (H.R. 3087) to require the President, in coordination with 
the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
and other senior military leaders, to develop and transmit to Congress a 
comprehensive strategy for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces in 
Iraq; and
  (2) A bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to 
establish a procedure for authorizing certain electronic surveillance.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED 
AGENCIES PROGRAMS, FY 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 4, a structured rule. The 
rule provides for further consideration of the bill (H.R. 3161) making 
appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. The rule provides that the bill 
shall be considered as read and that no further debate on any pending 
amendment shall be in order. The rule provides for further general debate 
not to exceed 30 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule 
provides that the amendments printed in part A of the Rules Committee report 
shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the 
Whole. No further amendment shall be in order except those prined in part B 
of the Rules Committee report. The rule provides that each amendment printed 
in part B of the report 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. The rule 
waives all points of order against such amendments except for clauses 9 and 
10 of Rule XXI. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions.
  The rule further provides that after the motion that the Committee rise 
has been rejected on a legislative day, the chair may entertain another such 
motion on that day only if offered by the Chairman of the Committee on 
Appropriations or the Majority Leader. It also provides that after a motion 
to strike out the enacting words of the bill has been rejected, the Chair 
may not entertain another such motion during further consideration of the 
bill. Testimony was heard by Representative Kingston.
DOE'S SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LABORATORY SUPPORT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight, and the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment continued joint 
hearings on the Department of Energy's Support for the Savannah River 
Ecology Laboratory (SREL), Part II. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Clay Sell, Deputy Secretary; Jeff 
Allison, Manager, Savannah River Site; Paul Gilbertson, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Engineering and Technology, Office of Environmental Management; 
and Yvette Colazzo, Assistant Manager, Closure Project, Savannah River 
Operations Office; and public witnesses.

[[Page D1115]]


PAYING SMALL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulation, Health Care and 
Trade held a hearing entitled ``Ensuring Prompt Payment for Small Health 
Care Providers.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Economic 
Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management approved for full 
Committee action the following measures: H.R. 3246, Regional Economic and 
Infrastructure Development Act of 2007; H.R. 3224, Dam Rehabilitation and 
Repair Act of 2007; H.R. 3247, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Recovery 
Facilitation Act of 2007; H.R. 3068, Federal Protective Service Guard 
Contracting Reform Act of 2007; H.R. 2671, To designate the United States 
courthouse located at 301 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida, as the ``C. 
Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse;'' and H.R. 2728, To designate the 
station of the United States Border Patrol located at 25762 Madison Avenue 
in Murrieta, California, as the ``Theodore L. Newton, Jr. and George F. 
Azrak Border Patrol Station.''
MEASURING POVERTY IN AMERICA
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Income Security and Family 
Support held a hearing on Measuring Poverty in America. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
AVIATION TAXES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures held a 
hearing on Aviation Taxes. Testimony was heard from Representatives Oberstar 
and Mica; Marion C. Blakey, Administrator, FAA, Department of 
Transportation; Joseph Kile, Assistant Director Microeconomic Studies 
Division, CBO; Gerald L. Dillingham, Director, Physical Infrastructure 
Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--SIGINT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human 
Intelligence Analysis and Counterintelligence and the Subcommittee on 
Technical and Tactical Intelligence met in executive session to receive a 
joint briefing on SIGINT. The Subcommittees were briefed by departmental 
witnesses.
F