[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1259-D1261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Safety of Imported Foods. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the FDA, Department of Health and Human 
Services: David Acheson, M.D., Assistant Commissioner, Food Protection; 
and Stephen Soloman, D.V.M., Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Regional Operations; the former officials of the FDA: Benjamin England, 
Counsel to the Associate Commissioner, Regulatory Affairs; and Carl R. 
Nielsen, Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs' Division of Import 
Operations and Policy; and public witnesses.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch 
appropriations held a hearing on Capitol Visitor Center. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Office of the Architect: 
Stephen Ayers Acting Architect; Ken Lauziere, Fire Marshal; and Bernie 
Ungar, Project Executive, Capitol Visitor Center; and Terry Dorn, 
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO.
FROM IMUS TO INDUSTRY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``From Imus to Industry: 
The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images.'' Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 3521, Public Housing Asset Management Improvement 
Act of 2007; and H.R. 2930, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the 
Elderly Act of 2007.
  The Committee also began mark up of H.R. 3355, Homeowners' Defense 
Act of 2007.
  Will continue tomorrow.
PEPFAR REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on PEPFAR Reauthorization: 
From Emergency to Sustainability. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
APEC 2007: ADVANCING U.S. EXPORT TO ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the 
Global Environment held a hearing on APEC 2007: Advancing U.S. Exports 
to the Asia-Pacific Region. Testimony was head from Patricia Haslach, 
Senior Official, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Bureau of 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs; Department of State; and Wendy Cutler, 
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Japan, Korea and APEC Affairs; and 
a public witness.
COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
2830, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007.
OVERSIGHT--ANTITRUST AGENCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Antitrust and Competition 
Policy held an oversight hearing on Antitrust Agencies: Department of 
Justice Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission Bureau of 
Competition. Testimony was heard from Deborah

[[Page D1260]]

Platt Majoras, Chairman, FTC; and Thomas O. Barnett, Assistant Attorney 
General, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice.
MORTGAGE MESS--STRAIGHTENING OUT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on Straightening Out the Mortgage 
Mess: How Can We Protect Home Ownership and Provide Relief to Consumers 
in Financial Distress? Testimony was heard from Judge Marilyn Morgan, 
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, State of 
California; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--EMPLOYMENT SECTION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights and Civil Liberties held an oversight hearing on the Employment 
Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. 
Testimony was heard from Asheesh Agarwal, Deputy Assistant Attorney 
General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law approved for full 
Committee action the following bills: H.R. 2405, Proud to Be an 
American Citizen Act; H.R. 2884, amended, Kendell Frederick Citizenship 
Assistance Act; H.R. 1512, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act 
to provide for compensation to States incarcerating undocumented aliens 
charged with a felony or two or more misdemeanors; and H.R. 1312, Arts 
Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing on the following bills: H.R. 123, To authorize appropriations 
for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund; H.R. 2498, To provide for a 
study regarding development of a comprehensive integrated regional 
water management plan that would address four general areas of regional 
water planning in both the San Joaquin River Hydrologic Region and the 
Tulare Lake Hydrologic Region, inclusive of Kern, Tulare, Kings, 
Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties, 
California, and to provide that such plan be the guide by which those 
counties use as a mechanism to address and solve long-term water needs 
in a sustainable and equitable manner; and H.R. 2535, Tule River Tribe 
Water Development Act. Testimony was heard from Robert Quint, Acting 
Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of 
the Interior; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing on Will NIEHS' new priorities protect public 
health? Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
ORGAN DONATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census and National Archives held a hearing on 
Organ Donation: Utilizing Public Policy and Technology to Strengthen 
Organ Donor Programs. Testimony was heard from James Burdick, M.D., 
Director, Division of Transplantation, Department of Health and Human 
Services; and public witnesses.
POPCORN WORKERS LUNG DISEASE PREVENTION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 7 to 3, with one member 
voting present, a structured rule providing 1 hour of general debate on 
H.R. 2693, Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act, equally divided 
and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Education and Labor. 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 Education and Labor now printed in the 
bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of 
amendment and shall be considered as read. All points of order against 
the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived except 
clause 10 of Rule XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report. The 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 this 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 fro m 
Chairman Miller and Representatives Woolsey, and Wilson of South 
Carolina.

[[Page D1261]]


CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a closed rule providing 1 
hour of general debate on H.J. Res. 52, Making continuing 
appropriations for the fiscal year 2008, in the House equally divided 
and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order 
against the joint resolution and against its consideration except 
clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The rule also provides that the joint 
resolution shall be considered as read. The rule provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions. The rule provides that the Chair 
may postpone further consideration of the joint resolution to a time 
designated by the Speaker and tables House Resolution 659. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Obey.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on Revisiting the Industrial Technologies 
Program (ITP): Achieving Industrial Efficiency. Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.
ENERGY CHALLENGE--SOCIAL SCIENCES CONTRIBUTION
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on the Contribution of the Social 
Sciences to the Energy Challenge. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
EMANCIPATION HALL--CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on H.R. 3515, To provide that the great hall of the Capitol 
Visitor Center shall be known as Emancipation Hall. Testimony was heard 
from Representatives Jackson of Illinois and Wamp.
RAIL COMPETITION AND SERVICE
Committee on Transportation: Subcommittee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure held a hearing Rail Competition and Service. Testimony 
was heard from Senator Dorgan; the following officials of the Surface 
Transportation Board, Department of Transportation: Charles D. 
Nottingham, Chairman; W. Douglas Buttrey, Vice Chairman; and Francis P. 
Mulvey, Board Member; Kenneth C. Clayton, Associate Administrator, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA; JayEtta Z. Hecker, Director, 
Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
BOARD OF VA ADJUDICATION PROCESS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the Board of Veterans' Appeals 
Adjudication Process and the Appeals Management Center. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: Arnold Russo, Director, Appeals Management Center; and James 
P. Terry, Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
VA POLYTRAUMA REHAB CENTERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers: 
Management Issues. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs: Elizabeth J. Freeman, Director, VA 
Palo Alto Health Care System; and William F. Feeley, Deputy Under 
Secretary, Health, Operations and Management.
DRAFT IMPLEMENTING PROPOSAL ON U.S.-PERU TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT
Committee on Ways and Means: Approved the draft implementing proposal 
on the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.
EXAMINE WHETHER CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS SERVE NEEDS OF DIVERSE 
COMMUNITIES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
to Examine Whether Charitable Organizations Serve the Needs of Diverse 
Communities. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.