[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 145 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1279-D1281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
nominations of Admiral Gary Roughead, United States Navy, for 
reappointment of the grade of Admiral and to be Chief of Naval 
Operations, General William E. Ward, United States Army, for 
reappointment to the grade of General and to be Commander, United 
States Africa Command, General Kevin P. Chilton, United States Air 
Force, for reappointment to the grade of General and to be Commander, 
United States Strategic Command, Lt. General James N. Mattis, United 
States Marine Corps, to be General and Commander, United States Joint 
Forces Command and Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation, and a 
promotion list of 4,970 in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
  Prior to this action, Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
nominations of Gen. William E. Ward, United States Army, for 
reappointment to the grade of General and to be Commander, United 
States Africa Command, Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, to be General, United 
States Air Force, for reappointment to the grade of General and to be 
Commander, United States Strategic Command, Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis, 
United States Marine Corps, to be General and to be Commander, United 
States Joint Forces Command and Supreme Allied Commander for 
Transformation, and Admiral Gary Roughead, United States Navy, for 
reappointment to the grade of Admiral and to be Chief of Naval 
Operations, who was introduced by Senator Inouye, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
AIRLINE DELAYS AND CONSUMER ISSUES
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on 
Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security concluded a hearing to 
examine congestion and delays impacting travelers, focusing on possible 
solutions, after receiving testimony from Robert A. Sturgell, Acting 
Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, D.J. Gribbin, General 
Counsel, and Calvin L. Scovel, III, Inspector General, all of the 
Department of Transportation; Bob Reding, American Airlines, Fort 
Worth, Texas; Joe Kolshak, Delta Airlines, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia; and 
Zane Rowe, Continental Airlines, Houston, Texas.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following:
   S. 1578, to amend the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and 
Control Act of 1990 to establish vessel ballast water management 
requirements, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
   S. 1889, to amend title 49, United States Code, to improve railroad 
safety by reducing accidents and to prevent railroad fatalities, 
injuries, and hazardous materials releases, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute;
   S. 1965, to protect children from cybercrimes, including crimes by 
online predators, to enhance efforts to identify and eliminate child 
pornography, and to help parents shield their children from material 
that is inappropriate for minors, with amendments;
   S.J. Res. 17, directing the United States to initiate international 
discussions and take necessary steps with other Nations to negotiate an 
agreement for managing migratory and transboundary fish stocks in the 
Arctic Ocean;
   S. Con. Res. 39, supporting the goals and ideals of a world day of 
remembrance for road crash victims; and
  Sundry promotion lists in the United States Coast Guard.
HARD-ROCK MINING
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine hard-rock mining on federal lands, after receiving 
testimony from Jim Butler, Parsons, Behle, and Latimer, Salt Lake City, 
Utah; Dusty Horwitt, Environmental Working Group, Washington, D.C.; 
Timothy R. Snider, Freeport, McMoran, Cooper and Gold, Phoenix, 
Arizona,

[[Page D1280]]

on behalf of the National Mining Association; and John D. Leshy, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
LAND BILLS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National 
Parks concluded a hearing to examine S. 148, to establish the Paterson 
Great Falls National Park in the State of New Jersey, S. 189, to 
decrease the matching funds requirements and authorize additional 
appropriations for Keweenaw National Historical Park in the State of 
Michigan, S. 697, to establish the Steel Industry National Historic 
Site in the State of Pennsylvania, S. 1341, to provide for the exchange 
of certain Bureau of Land Management land in Pima County, Arizona, S. 
128, to amend the Cache La Poudre River Corridor Act to designate a new 
management entity, make certain technical and conforming amendments, 
enhance private property protections, S. 1476, to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to conduct special resources study of the 
Tule Lake Segregation Center in Modoc County, California, to determine 
suitability and feasibility of establishing a unit of the National Park 
System, S. 867 and H.R. 299, bills to adjust the boundary of Lowell 
National Historical Park, S. 1709 and H.R. 1239, bills to amend the 
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998 to provide 
additional staff and oversight of funds to carry out the Act, S. 1808, 
to authorize the exchange of certain land in Denali National Park in 
the State of Alaska, S. 1969, to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the 
suitability and feasibility of designating Estate Grange and other 
sites related to Alexander Hamilton's life on the island of St. Croix 
in the United States Virgin Islands as a unit of the National Park 
System, and S. 1039, to extend the authorization for the Coastal 
Heritage Trail in the State of New Jersey, after receiving testimony 
from Senators Levin and Allard; Representative Pascrell; Daniel N. 
Wenk, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; Tom Brooks, Alaska Railroad, Anchorage; August R. Carlino, 
Steel Industry Heritage Corporation, Homestead, Pennsylvania; and 
Leonard A. Zax, Latham and Watkins LLP, Washington, D.C.
NATIONAL BORDER SECURITY
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
efficacy of national border security, focusing on vulnerabilities at 
unmanned and unmonitored United States border locations, after 
receiving testimony from Gregory D. Kutz, Managing Director, Forensic 
Audits and Special Investigations, Government Accountability Office; 
Ronald Colburn, Deputy Chief of U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; and Kenneth N. 
Luongo, Partnership for Global Security, Washington, D.C.
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (T. Doc. 
103-39), after receiving testimony from John D. Negroponte, Deputy 
Secretary of State; Admiral Patrick M. Walsh, USN, Vice Chief of Naval 
Operations, Department of the Navy, and Gordon England, Deputy 
Secretary, both of the Department of Defense.
MILITARY STRATEGIC AIRLIFT REQUIREMENTS
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee 
on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal 
Services, and International Security concluded a hearing to examine 
cost effective military strategic airlift requirements in the 21st 
century, focusing on how to meet the strategic airlift demands of the 
United States in a cost effective way, after receiving testimony from 
Sue C. Payton, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, 
and General Norton A. Schwartz, Commander, United States Transportation 
Command, both of the Department of Defense; Christopher Bolkcom, 
Specialist in National Defense, Congressional Research Service, Library 
of Congress; and Larry J. McQuien, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, 
Washington, D.C.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following:
  S. 2087, to amend certain laws relating to Native Americans to make 
technical corrections;
  S. 2062, to amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 to reauthorize that Act;
  S. 1347, to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to modify the 
date as of which certain tribal land of the Lytton Rancheria of 
California is deemed to be held in trust and to provide for the conduct 
of certain activities on the land; and
  The nominations of Kristine Mary Miller, of Colorado, Brenda L. 
Kingery, of Texas, Julie E. Kitka, of Alaska, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, of 
Alaska, and Perry R. Eaton, of Alaska, all to be Members of the Board 
of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native 
Culture and Arts Development.

[[Page D1281]]


VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIAN WOMEN
Committee on Indian Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight hearing 
to examine the prevalence of violence against Indian women, after 
receiving testimony from Alexandra Arriaga, Amnesty International 
U.S.A., Washington, D.C.; Tammy M. Young, Alaska Native Women's 
Coalition, Sitka; Karen Artichoker, Sacred Circle National Resource 
Center to End Violence Against Native Women, Rapid City, South Dakota; 
Riyaz A. Kanji, Kanji and Katzen, PLLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Jami 
Rozell, Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
following:
   S.J. Res. 13, granting the consent of Congress to the International 
Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Understanding;
  S. 980, to amend the Controlled Substances Act to address online 
pharmacies, with amendments;
  S. Con. Res. 45, commending the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation for 
its work in aiding children and families affected by child abuse, and 
designating November 2007 as National Courage Month;
  S. Res. 258, recognizing the historical and educational significance 
of the Atlantic Freedom Tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, and 
expressing the sense of the Senate that preserving the legacy of the 
Amistad story is important in promoting multicultural dialogue, 
education, and cooperation; and
  The nomination of James Russell Dedrick, to be United States Attorney 
for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
  Also, Committee began consideration of S. 2035, to maintain the free 
flow of information to the public by providing conditions for the 
federally compelled disclosure of information by certain persons 
connected with the news media, but did not complete action thereon, and 
recessed subject to the call.
GOOGLE-DOUBLECLICK MERGER
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition 
Policy and Consumer Rights concluded a hearing to examine the Google-
DoubleClick merger and the online advertising industry, focusing on the 
risks for competition and privacy, after receiving testimony from David 
Drummond, Google, Mountain View, California; Bradford L. Smith, 
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington; Thomas M. Lenard, Progress 
and Freedom Foundation, and Marc Rotenberg, Electronic Privacy 
Information Center (EPIC), both of Washington, D.C.; and Scott Cleland, 
Precursor, LLC, McLean, Virginia.
NOMINATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nomination of Paul J. Hutter, of Virginia, to be General 
Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs, after the nominee testified 
and answered questions in his own behalf.