[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 157 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1371-D1372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following:
  An original bill to authorize State and local governments to divest 
assets in companies conduct business operations in Sudan, to prohibit 
United States Government contracts with such companies;
  An original bill entitled ``Terrorism Risk Insurance Program 
Reauthorization Act of 2007''; and
  An original bill to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, 
to restore the financial solvency of the flood insurance fund.
CONSUMER WIRELESS ISSUES
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine consumer wireless telephone issues, including S. 
2033, to provide for greater disclosure to, and empowerment of, 
consumers who have entered into a contract for cellular telephone 
service, after receiving testimony from Minnesota Attorney General Lori 
Swanson, Saint Paul; Patrick Pearlman, West Virginia Public Service 
Commission, Charleston; Chris Murray, Consumers Union, on behalf of the 
Consumer Federation of America and Free Press, and Lowell C. McAdam, 
Verizon Wireless, both of Washington, D.C.; Michael Higgins, Jr., 
Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Goldthwaite, Texas, on 
behalf of sundry organizations; and Jerry Ellig, George Mason 
University Mercatus Center, Arlington, Virginia.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the digital television transition, focusing on 
government and industry perspectives, after receiving testimony from 
Jonathan S. Adelstein, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission; 
John M.R. Kneuer, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
and Information, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration; and John Gieselman, DIRECTV, Inc., John Lawson, 
Association of Public Television Stations, Kyle McSlarrow, National 
Cable and Telecommunications Association, Marc A. Pearl, Consumer 
Electronics Retailers Coalition, and David K. Rehr, National 
Association of Broadcasters, all of Washington, D.C.
FEDERAL SUPERFUND PROGRAM
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Superfund 
and Environmental Health concluded an oversight to examine the federal 
Superfund Program and its activities to protect public health, after 
receiving testimony from Susan Parker Bodine, Assistant Administrator, 
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Environmental Protection 
Agency; Lenny Siegel, Center for Public Environmental Oversight, 
Mountain View, California; Michael W. Steinberg, Morgan, Lewis and 
Bockius, LLP, Washington, D.C., on behalf of the Superfund Settlements 
Project; Bradley M. Campbell, Bradley M. Campbell, LLC and Minotaur 
Consulting, LLC, Trenton, New Jersey; J. Winston Porter, Waste Policy 
Center (WPC), Leesburg, Virginia; and Rena Steinzor, University of 
Maryland School of Law, Baltimore.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Daniel V. Speckhard, of Wisconsin, to be 
Ambassador to Greece, who was introduced by Senator Feingold; Thomas F. 
Stephenson, of California, to be Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic; 
and Vincent Obsitnik, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Slovak 
Republic, after the nominees testified and answered questions in their 
own behalf.
DHS CONTRACTORS
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the Department of Homeland Security, 
focusing on contractors and the work of the government, the types of 
professional and management support services the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS) has contracted for and the circumstances that drove its 
contracting decisions, and DHS's consideration and management of risk 
when contracting for such services, including S. 680, to ensure proper 
oversight and accountability in Federal contracting, after receiving 
testimony from John P. Hutton, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing 
Management, Government Accountability Office; Elaine C. Duke, Chief 
Procurement Officer, Department of Homeland Security; and Steven L. 
Schooner, George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.

[[Page D1372]]


NOMINATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee began consideration of the 
nomination of Michael B. Mukasey, of New York, to be Attorney General, 
who was introduced by Senators Schumer and Lieberman, after the nominee 
testified and answered questions in his own behalf, but did not 
complete action thereon.
  Hearing will next convene on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10 a.m.
VA/DOD COLLABORATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded an oversight 
hearing to examine Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of 
Defense collaboration, focusing on the report of the President's 
Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, the report 
of the Veterans Disability Benefit Commission, and other related 
reports, after receiving testimony from former Senator Bob Dole, and 
Donna E. Shalala, both Co-Chair, President's Commission on Care for 
America's Returning Wounded Warriors; Lieutenant General James Terry 
Scott, USA (Ret.), Veterans Disability Benefits Commission; Rear 
Admiral Patrick W. Dunne, USN (Ret.), Assistant Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs for Policy and Planning; Colonel Peter Duffy, USARNG (Ret.), 
National Guard Association of the United States, Togo D. West, Jr., 
Independent Review Group, and Gerald T. Manar, Veterans of Foreign Wars 
of the United States, on behalf of the Independent Budget, all of 
Washington, D.C; Meredith Beck, Wounded Warrior Project, Jacksonville, 
Florida; Colonel Steve Strobridge, USAF (Ret.), Military Officers 
Association of America, Alexandria, Virginia; and Ariana Del Negro, 
Waialua, Hawaii.