[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 131 (Thursday, September 6, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1167-D1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
IRAQ REPORT AND OUTLOOK
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the report of the 
Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq. Testimony was 
heard from the following members of the Independent Commission on the 
Security Forces of Iraq: GEN James Jones, USMC (Ret.), Chairman; John 
Hamre; GEN George Joulwan, USA (Ret.) and Chief Charles H. Ramsey.
SECTION 202 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing on H.R. 2930, Section 202 Supportive Housing 
for the Elderly Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from John Garvin, 
Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for the Office Housing/Acting 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Multi-Family Housing, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development; and public witnesses.

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HOMEOWNERS' DEFENSE ACT OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity and the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and 
Government Sponsored Enterprises held a joint hearing on H.R. 3355, 
Homeowners' Defense Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Phillip 
Swagel, Assistant Secretary, Economic Policy, Department of the 
Treasury; Matthew Patrick, member, House of Representatives, State of 
Massachusetts; and public witnesses.
BEYOND SEPTEMBER REPORT: WHAT'S NEXT FOR IRAQ?
Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services held a 
joint hearing on Beyond the September Report: What's Next for Iraq? 
Testimony was heard from William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense; 
MG John Batiste, USA, (Ret.); and GEN John M. Keane, USA, (Ret.).
DOMESTIC USE OF SPY TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Turning Spy 
Satellites on the Homeland: the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Implications of the National Applications Office.'' Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: 
Charles Allen, Chief Intelligence Officer, Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis; Daniel W. Sutherland, Officer, Civil Rights and Civil 
Liberties; and Hugo Teufel, Chief Privacy Officer; and public 
witnesses.
CHAPTER 11 FAIRNESS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on American Workers in Crisis: Does 
the Chapter 11 Business Bankruptcy Law Treat Employees and Retirees 
Fairly? Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RESTORE HABEAS CORPUS FOR INDIVIDUALS DETAINED AT GUANTANAMO BAY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights, and Civil Liberties approved for full Committee action H.R. 
2826, To amend titles 28 and 10, United States Code, to restore habeas 
corpus for individuals detained by the United States at Naval Station, 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and for other purposes.
CONCEALED FIREARMS CARRY AUTHORITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on the Implementation of the ``Law 
Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-277) and 
Additional Legislative Efforts Aimed at Expanding the Authority to 
Carry Concealed Firearms. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law held a hearing on H.R. 
1645, Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy 
Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Representatives Flake, Baca, 
LaHood, and Bilbray; Corey Stewart, Chairman At-Large, Prince William 
County Board of Supervisors, State of Virginia; and public witnesses.
WILDLIFE PROTECTION MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1464, Great Cats and 
Rare Canids Act of 2007; H.R. 1771, Crane Conservation Act of 2007; and 
H.R. 1913, Great Cats Conservation Act of 2007. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Udall of New Mexico and Baldwin; Todd Willens, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.
PATENT REFORM ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 4, a structured rule 
providing 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 1908, Patent Reform Act of 
2007, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. 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 the 
Judiciary, 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 committee amendment in the 
nature of a substitute except those arising under clause 10 of rule 
XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report accompanying the resolution. Such amendments may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by 
the 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

[[Page D1169]]

rule waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the 
report except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Finally, 
the rule permits the Chair, during consideration of the bill in the 
House, to postpone further consideration of the bill to a time 
designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Chairman Conyers 
and Representatives Berman, Jackson-Lee of Texas, Michaud, Smith of 
Texas, Issa, and Manzullo.
CONFERENCE REPORT--COLLEGE COST REDUCTION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 3, a rule providing for 
the consideration of the conference report to accompany the bill H.R. 
2669 to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 601 of the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2008. The 
resolution waives all points of order against the conference report and 
its consideration. The resolution considers the conference report as 
read. Testimony was heard from Chairman Miller of California and 
Representative McKeon.
NASA ASTRONAUT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on NASA's Astronaut Health Care System--
Results of an Independent Review. Testimony was heard from COL Richard 
E. Backmann, Jr., USAF, Chair, NASA Astronaut Health Care System 
Review; and the following officials of NASA: Michael Griffin, 
Administrator; Richard S. Williams, M.D., Chief, Health and Medical 
Officer; Bryan O'Connor, Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance; and Ellen 
Ochoa, Director, Flight Crew Operations.
SBA'S INVESTMENT AND SURETY BOND PROGRAMS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on the Small Business 
Administration's Investment and Surety Bond Programs. Testimony was 
heard from Steven C. Preston, Administrator, SBA; and public witnesses.
VETERANS PREFERENCE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on Veterans Preference. Testimony was heard from Neil 
A.G. McPhie, Chairman, Merit Systems Protection Board; Patricia S. 
Bradshaw, Deputy Under Secretary, Defense for Civilian Personnel 
Policy, Department of Defense; Boyd K. Rutherford, Assistant Secretary, 
Administration, USDA; Anita R. Hanson, Outreach Group Manager, OPM; 
John McWilliam, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and 
Training Service, Department of Labor; Willie Hensley, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Human Resources Management, Department of Veterans Affairs; 
representatives of veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
TAX CODE FAIRNESS
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Fair and Equitable Tax 
Policy for American's Working Families. Testimony was heard from Peter 
R. Orszag, Director, CBO; Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former Director, CBO; 
Eugene Steuerle, former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Tax Analysis, 
Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
FISA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). 
Testimony was heard from LTG Keith B. Alexander, USA, Director, NSA, 
Department of Defense; and the following officials of the Department of 
Justice: Robert S. Mueller III, Director, FBI; and Kenneth Wainstein, 
Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division.
FUTURE OF COAL UNDER CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``The Future of Coal Under Carbon Capture and 
Storage.'' Testimony was heard from Dave Freudenthal, Governor of 
Wyoming; and public witnesses.