[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1381-D1383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY'S STRUCTURAL CHANGES
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review structural changes 
that are taking place in the agricultural economy and their impacts. 
Testimony was heard from Keith Collins, Chief Economist, USDA; Howard 
Gruenspecht, Deputy Administrator, Energy Information Administration, 
Department of Energy; and a public witness.
PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM OVERSIGHT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on measuring and increasing the 
effectiveness of Provincial Reconstruction Teams. Testimony was heard 
from Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., Special Inspector General, Iraq 
Reconstruction; and Robert Perito, Senior Program Officer, Center for 
Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations, U.S. Institute for Peace.
TAX CODE AND HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Tax Code and Health 
Insurance Coverage. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Education and Labor: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 3796, amended, Early Warning and Health Care for Workers Affected 
by Globalization Act; and H.R. 3685, Employment Non-Discrimination Act 
of 2007.
INTERNATIONAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on International 
Trafficking in Persons: Taking Action to Eliminate Modern Day Slavery. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RENDITION OF TORTURE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight and the Subcommittee on the 
Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the Committee on the 
Judiciary held a joint hearing on Rendition to Torture: The Case of 
Maher Arar. Testimony was heard from Maher Arar; and public witnesses.

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ANTITRUST LAWS AND COMMUNITY PHARMACIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Antitrust and Competition 
Policy, hearing on the Impact of our Antitrust Laws on Community 
Pharmacies and their Patients. Testimony was heard from David Wales, 
Deputy Director, Bureau of Competition, FTC; and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL PIRACY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property held a hearing on International Piracy: The 
Challenges of Protecting Intellectual Property in the 21st Century. 
Testimony was heard from Victoria A. Espinel, Assistant U.S. 
Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation, Office of the 
U.S. Trade Representative; Loren Yager, Director, International Affairs 
and Trade, GAO; and public witnesses.
HARDROCK MINING RECLAMATION ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Began markup of H.R. 2262, Hardrock 
Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007.
  Will continue on October 23.
NORTHERN ROCKIES ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands, hearing on H.R. 1975, Northern Rockies Ecosystem 
Protection Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Maloney, 
Shays, and Rehberg; Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief, National Forest System, 
USDA; Henri Bisson, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
BLACK CARBON AND THE ARCTIC
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on Black 
Carbon and the Arctic. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SECURE IDENTITY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Organization and Procurement held a hearing on 
Technology for Secure Identity Documents. Testimony was heard from 
Kathy Kraninger, Director, Screening Coordination Office, Department of 
Homeland Security; Benjamin M. Brink, Assistant Public Printer, 
Security and Intelligent Documents, GPO; David M. Temoshok, Director, 
Identity Policy and Management, Office of Government-wide Policy, GSA; 
Bonnie Rutledge, Director, Department of Motor Vehicles, State of 
Vermont; and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESS MEASURES
Committee on Small Business: Ordered reported the following bills H.R. 
3866, Small Business Programs Act of 2007; and H.R. 3867, Small 
Business Contracting Program Improvements Act.
CLEAN WATER ACT REVIEW
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Held a hearing on the 
35th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act: Successes and Future 
Challenges Testimony was heard from John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant 
Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, Department of the Army; Benjamin H. 
Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; and public 
witnesses.
UPDATING MONTGOMERY GI BILL
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on Updating the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: James Bombard, Chairman, Veterans' Advisory Committee on 
Education; and Keith M. Wilson, Director, Education, Veterans Benefit 
Administration; the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
Thomas F. Bush, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Reserve Affairs; and 
Curtis L. Gilroy, Director, Accession Policy, Office of the Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; MG Larry Shellito, USA, Adjutant 
General, Minnesota National Guard; representatives of veterans 
organizations; and public witnesses.
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS--RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on Health Care Professionals-Recruitment and Retention. Testimony was 
heard from William F. Feeley, Deputy Under Secretary, Health Operations 
and Management, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; and public 
witnesses.
ENERGY AND GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS FOR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``Energy and Global Warming Solutions for Vulnerable 
Communities.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--VOTING IN THE HOUSE--ROSTRUM AND ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM
Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 
2007: Held a briefing on Voting in the House of Representatives--The 
Rostrum and the

[[Page D1383]]

Electronic Voting System: a Walkthrough by the Clerk of the House. The 
Committee was briefed by Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk of the House.

Joint Meetings
PARLIAMENTARY PERSPECTIVE OF EUROPE'S CHALLENGES
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
hearing to examine a parliamentary perspective of challenges facing 
today's Europe, focusing on the ability of the Organization for 
Security and Cooperation in Europe to meet those challenges, which 
include unresolved conflicts and obstacles to democratic development, 
after receiving testimony from Goran Lennmarker, Parliamentary Assembly 
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Stockholm, 
Sweden.