[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 145 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1283-D1285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
VIRGINIA RIDGE AND VALLEY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review H.R. 1011, Virginia 
Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Joel Holtrop, 
Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, USDA; and 
public witnesses.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 20, amended, Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research 
and Care Act; H.R. 2295, amended, ALS Registry Act; H.R. 507, amended, 
Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007; H.R. 1727, amended, Christopher and 
Dana Reeve Paralysis Act; H.R. 970, Dextromethorphan Distribution Act 
of 2007; H.R. 814, amended, Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act; 
H.R. 1699, amended, Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act; 
H.R. 2474, amended, Product Safety Civil Penalties Improvement Act; and 
H.R. 1721, amended, Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
SEC PROXY ACCESS PROPOSALS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``SEC Proxy 
Access Proposals: Implications for Investors.'' Testimony was heard 
from Donald Kirshbaum, Principal Investment Officer, Policy, Office of 
the Treasurer, State of Connecticut; and public witnesses.
CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``The Role of Credit Rating Agencies in the Structured Finance 
Market.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
INTELLIGENCE FUSION CENTERS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk held a hearing entitled ``The 
Way Forward with Fusion Centers: Challenges and Strategies for 
Change.'' Testimony was heard from Ellen Larence, Director, Homeland 
Security and Justice, GAO; Jack Tomarchio, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security; 
Michael Mines, Deputy Assistant Director, Directorate of Intelligence, 
FBI, Department of Justice; the following officials of the 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress: Todd Masse, 
Specialist, Domestic Intelligence and Counterterrorism; and John 
Rollins, Specialist, Terrorism, International Crime, Intelligence, and 
Homeland Security; and Norman Beasley, Coordinator for Counter 
Terrorism, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Arizona.
SUNSHINE IN THE COURTROOM ACT OF 2007
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on H.R. 2128, Sunshine in 
the Courtroom Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Representative Poe; 
Judge Nancy Gertner, U.S. District Court, Massachusetts; Judge John R. 
Tunheim, District Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota and 
Chair, Committee on Court Administration, Judicial Conference of the 
United States; John Richter, U.S. Attorney, Western District of 
Oklahoma, Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing entitled ``Aquatic Nuisance Species 
and Activities of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.'' Testimony 
was heard from Mamie Parker, Assistant Director, Fisheries and Habitat 
Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the 
Interior; Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans 
and Atmosphere, NOAA, Department of Commerce; Larry Riley, Assistant 
Director for Wildlife, Department of Game and Fish, Arizona; and public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 830, 
Denali National Park and Alaska Railroad Land Exchange Act of 2007; 
H.R. 2094, To provide for certain administrative and support services 
for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission; and H.R. 3111, Port 
Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Enhancement Act of 2007. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Young of Alaska, George Miller 
of California and Moore of Kansas; Bill Shaddox, Acting Associate 
Director, Park Planning, Facilities and Lands, National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
CLIMATE CHANGE'S NATIONAL SECURITY IMPACT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing on the National Security Implications of 
Climate Change. Testimony was heard from Kent H. Butts, Director, 
National Security Issues, Center for Strategic Leadership, U.S. Army 
War College, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS FUNDING
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on small business programs 
funding levels. Testimony was heard from Jovita Carranza, Deputy 
Administrator, SBA; and public witnesses.
KENNEDY CENTER REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on

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the John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization. Testimony was heard from 
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing 
Arts.
VA GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on VA Grant and Per Diem Program. Testimony was heard from Daniel 
Bertoni, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, 
GAO; Peter Dougherty, Director, Homeless Veterans Programs, Department 
of Veterans Affairs; and George Basher, Chair, U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans and Director, 
Division of Veterans' Affairs, State of New York; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--CIA ACTIVITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis, and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Overview On CIA Activities. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses.
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION; INTERIM REPORT; VOTING IN THE HOUSE
Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 
2007: Met for organizational purposes.
  The Committee approved an Interim Report, required by H. Res. 611, 
Raising a question of the privileges of the House, to be filed with the 
House of Representatives by September 30, 2007.
  The Committee also held a hearing on voting in the House of 
Representatives. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Office of the Clerk: Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk; and Russell Gore, 
Legislative Counsel to the Clerk.