[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 167 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1454-D1456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
S-MINER ACT
Committee on Education and Labor: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
2768, Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 
2007.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION (PART III)
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and The Internet, to continued hearings entitled ``Status of the DTV 
Transition--Part 3.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 3873, Section 515 Rural Housing Property Transfer Improvement Act 
of 2007; H.R. 3959, amended, To amend the National Flood Insurance Act 
of 1968 to provide for the phase-in of actuarial rates for certain pre-
FIRM properties; H.R. 3965, amended, Mark-to-Mark Extension and 
Enhancement Act of 2007; and H.R. 3703, To amend section 5112(p)(1)(A) 
of title 31, United States Code, to allow an exception for the $1 coin 
dispensing capability requirement for certain vending machines.

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NON-ABORTION FAMILY PLANNING AID
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on The Mexico City Policy/
Global Gag Rule: Its Impact on Family Planning and Reproductive Health. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
STATE DEPARTMENT'S INSPECTOR GENERAL
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight held a hearing on the 
Activities of the Department of State's Office of the Inspector 
General. Testimony was heard from David M. Walker, Comptroller General, 
GAO.
HOMELAND SECURITY FAILURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Homeland 
Security: TWIC Failures: TWIC Examined.'' Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Edmond S. 
Hawley, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration; and ADM 
Brian Salerno, USCG, Director, Inspection and Compliance, U.S. Coast 
Guard; Cathy Berrick, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, GAO; 
Bethann Rooney, Manager, Port Security, Port Commerce Department, Port 
Authority of New York and New Jersey; and public witnesses.
NUCLEAR FORENSICS AND ATTRIBUTION ACT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology approved for full Committee 
action, as amended, H.R. 2631, Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act.
CYBERSECURITY ELEMENTS-SECTOR SPECIFIC PLANS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology and the Subcommittee on 
Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection held a joint 
hearing entitled ``Enhancing and Implementing the Cybersecurity 
Elements of the Sector Specific Plans.'' Testimony was heard from Greg 
Garcia, Assistant Secretary, Office of Cyber Security and 
Telecommunication, Department of Homeland Security; David Powner, 
Director, Information Technology Management Issues, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROGRAMS REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on Combating Modern Slavery: 
Reauthorization of Anti-Trafficking Programs. Testimony was heard from 
Laurence Rothenberg, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal 
Policy, Department of Justice; Marcy Forman, Director, Office of 
Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of 
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
IZEMBEK AND ALASKA PENINSULA WILDLIFE REFUGES
Committee on Natural Resources: Held a hearing on H.R. 2801, Izembek 
and Alaska Peninsula Wildlife Refuges and Wilderness Enhancement and 
King Cove Safe Access Act. Testimony was heard from H. Dale Hall, 
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; 
Dick Mylius, Director, Division of Mining, Land and Water, Department 
of Natural Resources, State of Alaska; and public witnesses.
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT HEALTH EXEMPTIONS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on Oil and 
Gas Development: Exemptions in Health and Environmental Protections. 
Testimony was heard from Robert Anderson, Deputy Assistant Director, 
Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection, Bureau of Land Management, 
Department of the Interior; Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant 
Administrator, Water, EPA; and public witnesses.
NASA'S AVIATION SAFETY
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on Aviation Safety: 
Can NASA Do More To Protect the Public? Testimony was heard from 
Michael Griffin, Administrator, NASA; and public witnesses.
NANOTECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT/SAFETY IMPACTS
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on Research on Environmental and 
Safety Impacts of Nanotechnology: Current Status of Planning and 
Implementation under the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER COMPETITION
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing entitled ``Competitive Bidding for Durable 
Medical Equipment: Will Small Suppliers Be Able To Compete?'' Testimony 
was heard from Laurence D. Wilson, Director, Chronic Care Policy Group, 
Center for Medicare Management, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 3999, National Highway Bridge Reconstruction 
and Inspection Act of 2007; H.R. 3495, amended, Kids in Disasters Well-
being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007; H.R. 3986, John F. Kennedy 
Center Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 2537, amended, Beach 
Protection Act of 2007; H.R. 3985, Over-the-Road Bus Transportation 
Accessibility Act of 2007; H.R. 3315, To provide that the great hall of 
the Capital Visitor Center shall be known as the Emancipation Hall; 
H.R. 3712, To designate the Federal building and United States 
courthouse located at 1716 Spielbusch Avenue in Toledo Ohio, as the 
``James M. And Thomas W. L. Ashley Customs Building and United States 
Courthouse;'' H. Res. 661, Honoring the accomplishments of Barrington 
Antonio Irving, the youngest pilot and first person of African descent 
ever to fly solo around the world; and H. Res. 772, Recognizing the 
American Highway Users Alliance on the occasion of its 75th 
anniversary.
  The Committee also approved U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Survey 
Resolutions.
U.S.-PERU TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported H.R. 3688, United States-
Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act.
BRIEFINGS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive briefings on the following: Hot Spots; DNI Personnel; and the 
CIA. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.