[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1216-D1218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN CONTRACTOR MEDICAL BENEFITS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the benefits and medical care for 
Federal and U.S. contractor employees deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Testimony was heard from Patricia S. Bradshaw, Deputy Under Secretary, 
Civilian Personnel Policy, Department of Defense; Shelby Hallmark, 
Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department of 
Labor; and Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and 
Management Team, GAO.
JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Healthy Families and 
Communities held a hearing on the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention Act. Testimony was heard from Deborah Kooperstein, 
Administrative Judge, Southhampton, New York; Kim Berkeley Clark, 
Administrative Judge, Family Division (Domestic Relations and Juvenile 
Court) 5th Judiciary District of Pennsylvania (Allegheny County) 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Janet Garcia, Deputy Director, Office for 
Children, Youth and Families, State of Arizona; Andrea Wiesman, 
Director, Health Services, Youth Rehabilitation Services, District of 
Columbia; Anne Marie Ambrose, Director, Child Welfare and Juvenile 
Services, Department of Public Welfare, State of Pennsylvania; and a 
public witness.
MILITARY FAMILIES MEDICAL LEAVE COVERAGE
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 
held a hearing on the Family and Medical Leave Act: Extending Coverage 
to Military Families Left at Home. Testimony was heard

[[Page D1217]]

from Senators Dodd and Clinton; Representative Issa; and public 
witnesses.
MONITORING 9/11 HEALTH EFFECTS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``Answering the Call: Medical Monitoring and Treatment of 9/11 
Health Effects.'' Testimony was heard from John Howard, M.D., Director, 
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Department of 
Health and Human Services; Cynthia Bascetta, Director, Health Care 
Issues, GAO; James Melius, M.D., Laborers' Health and Safety Fund, New 
York; Edward Slyler, Deputy Mayor, Administration, City of New York; 
and public witnesses.
NUCLEAR TERRORISM PREVENTION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Nuclear Terrorism Prevention: 
Status Report on the Federal Government's Assessment of New Radiation 
Detection Monitors.'' Testimony was heard from Gene Aloise, Director, 
Natural Resources and Environment Division, GAO; the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Vayl Oxford, 
Director, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office; and Dave Huizenga, 
Assistant Deputy Administrator, Office of International Material 
Protection and Cooperation, National Nuclear Security Administration; 
and Paul A. Schneider, Under Secretary, Management.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 2868, To eliminate the exemption from State regulation for certain 
securities designated by national securities; H.R. 2787, amended, CJ's 
Home Protection Act of 2007; and H.R. 3526, To include all banking 
agencies within the existing regulatory authority under the Federal 
Trade Commission Act with respect to depository institutions.
  The Committee also approved pending Committee business.
U.S.-SAUDI ARABIA RELATIONS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing on U.S. Relations with Saudi Arabia: Oil, Anxiety, 
and Ambivalence. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEW
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``The Grades 
Are In--Is the Department of Homeland Security Measuring Up?'' 
Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; and 
Paul A. Schneider, Under Secretary, Management, Department of Homeland 
Security.
WARRANTLESS SURVEILLANCE AND THE FISA ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on Warrantless Surveillance 
and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: The Role of Checks and 
Balances in Protecting Americans' Privacy Rights (Part II). Testimony 
was heard from Michael McConnell, Director, National Intelligence; and 
Kenneth Wainstein, Assistant Attorney General, National Security, 
Department of Justice.
STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT MANAGEMENT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held an oversight hearing entitled ``Management of the 
Statue of Liberty National Monument.'' Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Weiner and Sires; Daniel N. Wenk, Deputy Director, 
National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2733, Trinity River Restoration 
Fund Act of 12007; and H.R. 2085, McGee Creek Project Pipeline and 
Associated Facilities Conveyance Act. Testimony was heard from Robert 
Johnson, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the 
Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 2780, amended, To amend 
section 8339(p) of title 5, United States Code, to clarify the method 
for computing certain annuities under the Civil Service Retirement 
System which are based on part-time service; H.R. 1236, amended, To 
make permanent the authority of the United States Postal Service to 
issue a special postage stamp to support breast cancer research; H.R. 
2414, amended, Metropolitan Police Department and Fire Service Act of 
2007; H.R. 3551, To reauthorize the Merit Systems Protection Board and 
the Office of Special Counsel, to modify the procedures of the Merit 
Systems Protection Board and the Office of Special Counsel; and H.R. 
1110, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal 
civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a 
pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental 
premiums.

[[Page D1218]]


TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE REVISION AND EXTENSION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 3, a structured rule. 
The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 2761.Terrorism Risk 
Insurance Revision and Extension 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 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 Financial Services, modified by the 
amendment printed in Part A of the Rules Committee report, shall be 
considered as adopted. The bill as amended 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 provisions in the 
bill as amended.
  The rule makes in order only those further amendments printed in Part 
B of the Rules Committee report. The further amendments made in order 
in Part B 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 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. Finally, the rule provides that the Chair 
may postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by 
the Speaker.
SAME DAY CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED FROM THE RULES 
COMMITTEE
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a rule waiving clause 
6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on 
the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against certain 
resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies the 
waiver to any resolution reported through the legislative day of 
Wednesday, September 19, 2007, that provides for consideration of a 
bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and 
extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs and for medical 
devices, to enhance the post market authorities of the Food and Drug 
Administration with respect to the safety of drugs, and for other 
purposes.
VA ASSESSMENT
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held a hearing on the state of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Testimony was heard from R. James 
Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported the following bills: H.R. 
3375, amended, To amend the trade adjustment assistance program under 
the Trade Act of 1974 for 3 months; H.R. 3640, Federal Aviation 
Administration Extension Act of 2007; and H.R. 3539, amended, Airport 
and Airway Trust Fund Financing Act of 2007.
FISA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Held a hearing on FISA. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--BIOLOGICAL THREATS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on current efforts against biological threats. The 
Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.