[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 173 (Thursday, November 8, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1501-D1503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
MRAP VEHICLE PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary 
Forces and Air and Land Forces held a hearing on the Joint Mine 
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: John Young, 
Acting Under Secretary, Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, 
Director, MRAP, Task Force; Bill Greenwalt, Deputy Under Secretary, 
Industrial Policy; and CAPT Cloyes R. Hoover, USN, Commanding Officer, 
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston; and public 
witnesses.
SECURING RETIREMENT COVERAGE
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Health, Employment, 
Labor and Pensions held a hearing on Securing Retirement Coverage for 
Future Generations. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ACT OF 2007
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Environment and 
Hazardous Materials approved for full Committee action H.R. 1747, Safe 
Drinking Water for Healthy Communities Act of 2007.
HOUSING ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007; JUBILEE ACT FOR 
RESPONSIBLE LENDING AND EXPANDED DEBT CANCELLATION OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
4051, Housing Assistance Authorization Act of H.R. 2007.
  The Committee also held a hearing on H.R. 2634, Jubilee Act for 
Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
LEBANON ON THE BRINK
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing on Lebanon on the Brink. Testimony was heard from 
C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, 
Department of State.
TERRORIST WATCH LIST
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``The Progress 
and Pitfalls of the Terrorist Watch List.'' Testimony was heard from 
Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General, Department of Justice; Eileen 
Larence, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO; Leonard 
C. Boyle, Director, Terrorist Screening Center; and Kathleen Kraninger, 
Director, Screening Coordination Office, Department of Homeland 
Security.
OVERSIGHT--EFFECTIVENESS OF ENHANCED INTERROGATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights, and Civil Liberties held an oversight hearing on Torture and 
the Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment of Detainees: The 
Effectiveness and Consequences of ``Enhanced'' Interrogation. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
PRISON REFORM ACT REVIEW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on Review of the Prison Reform Act: A 
Decade of Reform or an Increase in Prison and Abuses?; and H.R. 1889, 
Private Prison Information Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Holden; Ryan Bounds, Deputy Assistant Attorney General 
and Chief of Staff, Office of Legal Policy, Department of Justice; and 
public witnesses.
SAVE AMERICA COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law held a hearing on H.R. 
750, Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Kilpatrick, Lee, Reyes and Boyda of Kansas; 
and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE ACT OF 2007
Committee on Natural Resources: Held a hearing on H.R. 3994, Department 
of the Interior Tribal Self-Governance Act of 2007. Testimony was heard 
from Jim Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior; 
and public witnesses.

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MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; EPA NEW POWER PLANT APPROVAL
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 3179, Local Preparedness Acquisition Act; H.R. 
2414, Metropolitan Police Department and Fire Service Act of 2007; H.R. 
4108, To amend, section 3328 of title 5, United States Code, relating 
to Selective Service registration; H.R. 3974, To designate the facility 
of the United States Postal Service located at 797 Sam Bass Road in 
Round Rock, Texas, as the ``Marine Corps Corporal Steven P. Gill Post 
Office Building;'' H.R. 4009, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 567 West Nepessing Street in Lapeer, 
Michigan, as the ``Turrill Post Office Building;'' H. Con. Res 211, 
Supporting the goals and ideals of World Diabetes Day;'' H. Con. Res. 
215, amended, Supporting the designation of a week as ``National 
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator 
Awareness Week;'' H. Res. 695, amended, Expressing the support for 
designation of a ``National Fire Fighter Appreciation Day;'' to honor 
and celebrate the fire fighters of the United States; H. Res. 785, 
Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of Robstown, Texas; S. Con. Res. 45, 
Commending the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation for its work in aiding 
children and families affected by child abuse, and designating November 
2007 as National Courage Month; and H. Res. 808, Commemorating the 50th 
Anniversary of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
  The Committee also held a hearing on EPA Approval of New Power 
Plants: Failure to Address Global Warming Pollutants. Testimony was 
heard from Stephen L. Johnson, Administrator, EPA; Ron Curry, 
Secretary, Department of Environment, State of New Mexico; and public 
witnesses.
TEMPORARY TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a vote of 6 to 3, a structured rule 
providing 1 hour of debate in the House, H.R. 3996, Temporary Tax 
Relief Act of 2007, 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 
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 
by the Committee on Ways and Means now printed in the bill shall be 
considered as adopted and 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 makes in order a substitute amendment if offered by Rep. 
McCrery (R-LA) or his designee. The rule provides that the substitute 
amendment shall be considered as read and shall be debatable for one 
hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. 
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 Chairman Rangel and Representatives 
Neal of Massachusetts; McCrery, Brady of Texas and Ryan of Wisconsin.
NASA'S NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS SURVEY PROGRAM
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)--Status of the 
Survey Program and Review of NASA's Report to Congress. Testimony was 
heard from Luis G. Fortuno, Resident Commissioner, Puerto Rico; the 
following officials of the NASA: James Green, Director, Planetary 
Science Division; and Scott Pace, Associate Administrator, Program 
Analysis and Evaluation; and public witnesses.
MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulations, Health Care 
and Trade, hearing entitled ``Medicare Reimbursement Cuts: The 
Potential Impact on Solo and Small Group Medical Practices.'' Testimony 
was heard from Representative Burgess; and public witnesses.
21ST CENTURY WATER COMMISSION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Twenty-First Century Water 
Commission Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Representative Linder; 
Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; 
and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the following: H.R. 3047, 
Veterans Claims Processing Innovation Act of 2007; H.R. 3249, Veterans 
Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2007; H.R. 3286, To amend title 38, 
United States Code, to reduce the period of time for which a veteran 
must be totally disabled before the veteran's survivors are eligible 
for the benefits provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death; 
H.R.

[[Page D1503]]

3415, To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the placement 
in a national cemetery of memorial markers for the purpose of 
commemorating servicemembers or other persons whose remains are 
interred in an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery; H.R. 
1137, To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase to $2,000 the 
amount of the Medal of Honor special pension under that title and to 
provide for payment of that pension to the surviving spouse of a 
deceased Medal of Honor recipient; H.R. 3954, Providing Military Honors 
for our Nation's Heroes Act; H.R. 3286, To amend title 38, United 
States Code, to reduce the period of time for which a veteran must be 
totally disabled before the veteran's survivors are eligible for the 
benefits provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for survivors of 
certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death; and H.R. 
4084, Veterans Quality of Life Study Act of 2007. Testimony was heard 
from Representative Langevin; Bradley G. Mayes, Director, Compensation 
and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs; and representatives of veterans organizations.

Joint Meetings
CURRENT ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the 
current economic outlook, focusing on developments in financial 
markets, after receiving testimony from Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman, 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
HEAD START ACT
Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences between 
the Senate and House passed versions of H.R. 1429, to reauthorize the 
Head Start Act, to improve program quality, to expand access.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine outstanding issues relating to the 1992-1995 
conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on violent ethic 
cleansing, and how they shape politics, society, and economic 
development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, after receiving testimony from 
Raffi Gregorian, Office of the High Representative, Douglas Davidson, 
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Adam Boys, International Commission on 
Missing Persons, all of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Diane 
Orentlicher, American University, Washington, D.C.