[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1306-D1308]
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: Sub committee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Food Aid Programs. Testimony was heard from Thomas Melito, 
Director, International Affairs and Trade, GAO; Mark Keenum, Under 
Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; Jim Kunder, 
Acting Deputy Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, 
Department of State; Josette Sheeran, Executive Director, United 
Nations World Food Programme; and public witnesses.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPETITION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled `` Digital Future of the 
United States: Part VI: The Future of Telecommunications Competition.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FINANCIAL SYSTEM SYSTEMIC RISKS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Systemic 
Risk: Examining Regulators' Ability to React to Threats in the 
Financial System.'' Testimony was heard from. public witnesses.
CREDIT-BASED INSURANCE SCORES
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Credit-Based Insurance Scores: 
Are They Fair?'' Testimony was heard from J. Thomas Rosch, 
Commissioner, FTC; J. P. Schmidt, Commissioner of Insurance, State of 
Hawaii; Mike Kreidler, Commissioner of Insurance, State of Washington; 
and public witnesses.
ETHIOPIA DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, and Global Health 
held a hearing on Ethiopia and the State of Democracy: Effects on Human 
Rights and Humanitarian Conditions in the Ogaden and Somalia. Testimony 
was heard from Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African 
Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
LEVERAGING REMITTANCES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere held a 
hearing on Leveraging Remittances for Families and Communities. 
Testimony was heard from Paul J. Bonicelli, Assistant Administrator, 
Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for 
International Development, Department of State; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--CONTESTED ELECTION--13TH DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Committee on House Administration: Election Task Force received a 
briefing on the Status of the Investigation into FL-13 Congressional 
District Contested Election. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the GAO: Nabajyoti Barkakati, Senior Level Technologist, 
Center for Technology and Engineering Applied Research and Methods; 
Gloria Jarmon, Congressional Relations; and Jan Montgomery, Office of 
the General Counsel.

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U.S. TRUSTEE PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on the United States Trustee Program: 
Watchdog or Attack Dog? Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts: A. 
Jay Cristol, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida; and 
Eugene R. Wedoff, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois; 
Clifford J. White, III, Director, Executive Office for United States 
Trustees, Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL GANG CRIME PREVENTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on Gang Crime Prevention and the Need 
to Foster Innovative Solutions at the Federal Level. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Schiff, Cummings, Baca, Lampson, McNerney, 
Dent and Reichert; Richard Roper, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of 
Texas; and public witnesses.
HARDROCK MINING AND MINING AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held a hearing on H.R. 2262, Hardrock Mining and Reclamation 
Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Jim Hanlon, Director, Office of 
Wastewater Management, EPA; Tony L. Ferguson, Director, Minerals 
Geology Management, Forest Service, USDA; Greg Lind, State Senator, 
Montana; Salvatore Lazarri, Specialist in Public Finance, Resources, 
Science and Industry Division, Congressional Research Service, Library 
of Congress; and public witnesses.
BLACKWATER USA'S IRAQ MISSION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on Private 
Security Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of State: Ambassador M. 
Satterfield, Special Adviser, Coordinator for Irag; Ambassador Richard 
J. Griffin, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and 
Director, Office of Foreign Missions; and William H. Moser, Assistant 
Secretary, Logistics Management; and Erik Prince, Chairman and CEO, 
Blackwater, USA.
MORTGAGE FORGIVENESS DEBT RELIEF ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a closed rule 
providing one hour of debate on H.R. 3648, to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude discharges of indebtedness on principal 
residences from gross income, and for other purposes, equally divided 
and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means.
  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 
considers as adopted the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute, modified by the amendment printed in the committee report, 
and considers the bill, as amended, as read. The rule waives all points 
of order against provisions in the bill, as amended. The rule provides 
one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Finally, the rule 
permits the Chair, during consideration of the bill, to postpone 
further consideration of it to a time designated by the Speaker. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Blumenauer.
REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a closed rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 3246, to amend title 40, United 
States Code, to provide a comprehensive regional approach to economic 
and infrastructure development in the most severely economically 
distressed regions in the Nation, equally divided and controlled by the 
chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure. 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 Transportation and 
Infrastructure, modified by the amendment printed in the Rules 
Committee report, shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, 
shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against provisions in the bill, as amended.
  The rule provides one motion to recommit H.R. 3246 with or without 
instructions. Finally, notwithstanding the operation of the previous 
question, during consideration of H.R. 3246, the Chair may postpone 
further consideration until a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Oberstar.
THE IMPROVING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule providing 
one hour of general debate on H.R. 928, to amend the Inspector General 
Act of 1978 to enhance the independence of the Inspectors

[[Page D1308]]

General, to create a Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and 
Efficiency, and for other purposes, equally divided and controlled by 
the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform. 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 Oversight and Government Reform 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 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 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. Finally, 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 from Representatives Towns of New York and Tom 
Davis of Virginia.
MEJA EXPANSION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 8 to 4, a structured rule 
providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 2740, to require 
accountability for contractors and contract personnel under Federal 
contracts, and for other purposes, 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 shall be considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of further 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. Such amendments may 
be offered only in the order printed in the report, only offered 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 a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in the report except 
those arising under clause 9 or 10 or 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 Representatives Cohen, Filner, 
Schakowsky, Forbes and Brown-Waite of Florida.
NANOTECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on Nanotechnology Education. Testimony 
was heard from David Ucko, Deputy Division Director, Education and 
Human Resources Division on Research Learning, NSF; and public 
witnesses.
FIRE ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held a hearing on the United States Fire Administration 
Reauthorization: Addressing the Priorities of the Nation's Fire 
Service. Testimony was heard from Gregory B. Cade, Fire Administrator, 
U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security; Shyam-
Sunder, Director, Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce; and 
public witnesses.
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on The Federal Safe Routes to 
School Program. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--IRAN
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Iran. The Committee was briefed by departmental 
witnesses.
CIA ACTIVITY
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met 
in executive session to hold hearing on CIA Activity, Part I. 
Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.