[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 174 (Friday, November 9, 2007)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1506-D1509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                      CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM AHEAD

             Week of November 12 through November 17, 2007

                             Senate Chamber

  Senate will begin consideration of the nomination of Robert M. Dow, 
Jr., of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern 
District of Illinois, and after a period of debate, vote on 
confirmation of the nomination.
  During the balance of the week Senate will consider any other cleared 
legislative and executive business, including appropriation bills, and 
conference reports, when available.


                           Senate Committees

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
  Committee on Armed Services: November 15, to hold hearings to 
examine the state of the United States Army, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
  Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: November 14, to 
hold hearings to examine shareholder rights and proxy access, 10:30 
a.m., SD-538.
  November 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine sovereign 
wealth fund acquisitions and other foreign government investments in 
the United States, focusing on economic and national security 
implications, 2 p.m., SD-538.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: November 13, 
to hold hearings to examine the accuracy of the Federal Trade 
Commission on the tar and nicotine cigarette rating system, 2:30 
p.m., SR-253.
  November 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine ways to 
improve the Federal Climate Change Research and Information Program, 
10 a.m., SR-253.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related 
Agencies, to hold hearings to examine issues facing the United 
States space program after retirement of the space shuttles, 10 
a.m., SR-253.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: November 13, to hold an 
oversight hearing to examine the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act (Public Law 95-87), focusing on policy issues 30 
years later, 2:30 p.m., SD-366.
  November 14, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the 
Global Nuclear Energy Partnership relating to the United States 
policy on nuclear fuel management, 10 a.m., SD-366.
  November 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine S. 2203, 
to reauthorize the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and 
Decommissioning Fund, 10 a.m., SD-366.
  Committee on Environment and Public Works: November 13, to 
continue hearings to examine S. 2191, to direct the Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to 
decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, 10 a.m., SD-406.

[[Page D1507]]


  Committee on Finance: November 14, to hold hearings to examine the 
federal estate tax, focusing on uncertainty in planning under the 
current law, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: November 13, to hold hearings to 
examine international climate change negotiations, focusing on 
restoring United States leadership, 2:30 p.m., SD-419.
  November 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the anti-
drug package for Mexico and Central America, 2:30 p.m., SD-419.
  Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: November 14, 
business meeting to consider S. 1551, to amend the Public Health 
Service Act with respect to making progress toward the goal of 
eliminating tuberculosis, S. 1858, to amend the Public Health 
Service Act to establish grant programs to provide for education and 
outreach on newborn screening and coordinated followup care once 
newborn screening has been conducted, to reauthorize programs under 
part A of title XI of such Act, S. 911, to amend the Public Health 
Service Act to advance medical research and treatments into 
pediatric cancers, ensure patients and families have access to the 
current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, 
establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and 
promote public awareness of pediatric cancers, S. 1916, to amend the 
Public Health Service Act to modify the program for the sanctuary 
system for surplus chimpanzees by terminating the authority for the 
removal of chimpanzees from the system for research purposes, S. 
1382, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide the 
establishment of an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry, S. 1970, 
to establish a National Commission on Children and Disasters, a 
National Resource Center on Children and Disasters, and an original 
bill entitled, ``Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007'', and any 
pending nominations, 9:30 a.m., SD-430.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, to 
hold joint hearings with the House Committee on Education and Labor 
Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions to examine 
the National Labor Relations Board, focusing on recent decisions and 
the adjudication process, 10 a.m., 2175-RHOB.
  November 15, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine restoring 
Congressional intent and protections under the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (Public Law 101-336), 2 p.m., SD-430.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: November 
13, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal 
Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold hearings to examine 
the human capital needs of a United States Customs and Border 
Protection initiative, focusing on border security, and progress and 
weaknesses in traveler inspections at our Nation's ports of entry, 
10 a.m., SD-342.
  November 14, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 1667, 
to establish a pilot program for the expedited disposal of Federal 
real property, S. 1000, to enhance the Federal Telework Program, 
H.R. 390, to require the establishment of a national database in the 
National Archives to preserve records of servitude, emancipation, 
and post-Civil War reconstruction and to provide grants to State and 
local entities to establish similar local databases, H.R. 3571, to 
amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to permit 
individuals who have served as employees of the Office of Compliance 
to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, or 
General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals appointed 
to such positions to serve one additional term, S. 2174, to 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 175 South Monroe Street in Tiffin, Ohio, as the ``Paul E. Gillmor 
Post Office Building'', H.R. 2089, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 701 Loyola Avenue in New 
Orleans, Louisiana, as the ``Louisiana Armed Services Veterans Post 
Office'', S. 2292, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to 
establish the Office for Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist 
explosive threats, H.R. 3297, to designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 950 West Trenton Avenue in 
Morrisville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Nate DeTample Post Office 
Building'', H.R. 3308, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 216 East Main Street in Atwood, 
Indiana, as the ``Lance Corporal David K. Fribley Post Office'', 
H.R. 3530, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 1400 Highway 41 North in Inverness, Florida, as 
the ``Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Weaver Post Office Building'', 
H.R. 2276, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 203 North Main Street in Vassar, Michigan, as the 
``Corporal Christopher E. Esckelson Post Office Building'', H.R. 
3325, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 235 Mountain Road in Suffield, Connecticut, as the 
``Corporal Stephen R. Bixler Post Office'', S. 2110, to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 427 
North Street in Taft, California, as the ``Larry S. Pierce Post 
Office'', H.R. 3382, to designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 200 North William Street in Goldsboro, 
North Carolina, as the ``Philip A. Baddour, Sr. Post Office'', S. 
2290, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 16731 Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana, California, as the 
``Beatrice E. Watson Post Office Building'', S. 2272, to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service known as the 
Southpark Station in Alexandria, Louisiana, as the John ``Marty'' 
Thiels Southpark Station, in honor and memory of Thiels, a Louisiana 
postal worker who was killed in the line of duty on October 4, 2007, 
H.R. 3446, to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 202 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall, Michigan, 
as the ``Michael W. Schragg Post Office Building'', S. 2150 and H.R. 
3572, bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4320 Blue Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri, as 
the ``Wallace S. Hartsfield Post Office Building'', S. 2107 and H.R. 
3307, bills to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 570 Broadway in Bayonne, New Jersey, as the 
``Dennis P. Collins Post Office Building'', H.R. 3518, to designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1430 
South Highway 29 in Cantonment, Florida, as the ``Charles H. Hendrix 
Post Office

[[Page D1508]]

Building'', and other pending calendar business, 10 a.m., SD-342.
  November 14, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold 
hearings to examine Medicaid providers, focusing on a recent study 
conducted by the Government Accountability Office on unpaid taxes, 
the extent of the problem, and possible solutions, 2:30 p.m., SD-
342.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, 
the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold 
hearings to examine the national level of preparedness of the United 
States to respond following a radiological dispersion device (RDD) 
or ``dirty bomb'' attack, focusing on the coordination with and 
capabilities of Federal, State, and local governments to work 
together, 10 a.m., SD-342.
  November 15, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold 
hearings to examine speculation in the crude oil market, 2:30 p.m., 
SD-342.
  Committee on the Judiciary: November 13, to hold hearings to 
examine the scope of public performance rights, 9:30 a.m., SD-226.
  November 14, Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, to hold 
hearings to examine accountability for human rights violators in the 
United States, 10 a.m., SD-226.
  November 15, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 352, 
to provide for media coverage of Federal court proceedings, S. 2248, 
to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, to 
modernize and streamline the provisions of that Act, S. 344, to 
permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings, S. 1638, to 
adjust the salaries of Federal justices and judges, S. Res. 366, 
designating November 2007 as ``National Methamphetamine Awareness 
Month'', to increase awareness of methamphetamine abuse, S. Res. 
367, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the mass movement for 
Soviet Jewish freedom and the 20th anniversary of the Freedom Sunday 
rally for Soviet Jewry on the National Mall, and the nominations of 
Joseph N. Laplante, to be United States District Judge for the 
District of New Hampshire, Reed Charles O'Connor, to be United 
States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Thomas D. 
Schroeder, to be United States District Judge for the Middle 
District of North Carolina, and Amul R. Thapar, to be United States 
District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 10 a.m., SD-
226.
  Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: November 13, to 
hold an oversight hearing to examine the Small Business 
Administration, focusing on preventing loan fraud and improving 
regulation of lenders, 10 a.m., SR-428A.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs: November 14, business meeting to 
mark up pending legislation; to be immediately followed by a hearing 
to examine the nomination of Michael W. Hager, of Virginia, to be an 
Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Human Resources and 
Management), 9:30 a.m., SD-562.
  Select Committee on Intelligence: November 13, to hold hearings to 
examine congressional oversight, 2:30 p.m., SH-216.
  November 14, Full Committee, meeting of conferees on proposed 
legislation authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the 
intelligence community, 4:30 p.m., S-407, Capitol.
  November 15, Full Committee, to hold closed hearings to examine 
certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219.
  Special Committee on Aging: November 15, to hold hearings to 
examine nursing home transparency and improvement, focusing on 
Federal, State, and industry initiatives to improve nursing home 
transparency, enforcement, and the quality of services in the 
country's 16,000 nursing homes, 1:30 p.m., SD-G50.


                            House Committees

  Committee on Appropriations, November 14, Subcommittee on 
Legislative Branch, hearing on Capitol Visitor Center, 9 a.m., 2359 
Rayburn.
  Committee on Armed Services, November 14, hearing on Africa 
Command, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and 
Capabilities, hearing on strategic communications and countering 
ideological support for terrorism, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  Committee on Education and Labor, November 13, Subcommittee on 
Healthy Families and Community, hearing on LIHEAP: Overview and 
Current Issues, 3 p.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  November 14, full Committee, to mark up the College Opportunity 
and Affordability Act of 2007, 9 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  Committee on Energy and Commerce, November 13, Subcommittee on 
Oversight and Investigations, to continue hearings entitled 
``Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of 
the Nation's Food Supply?--Part IV--Deception in Labeling,'' 11 
a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, November 14, hearing on the Merida 
Initiative: Assessing Plans to Step Up our Security Cooperation with 
Mexico and Central America, 10 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  November 14, Subcommittee on Europe, hearing on U.S.-Greece 
Relations and Regional Issues, 2:30 a.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  November 15, Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human 
Rights, and Oversight, hearing on Diplomatic Assurances on Torture: 
A Case Study of Why Some Are Accepted and Others Rejected, 3 p.m., 
2237 Rayburn.
  Committee on Homeland Security, November 13, Subcommittee on 
Management, Investigations and Oversight, hearing on Examining the 
Department of Homeland Security's Efforts to Recruit, Hire and 
Promote Veterans, 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
  November 14, full Committee, hearing entitled ``Cover Blown--Did 
TSA Tip Off Airport Screeners about Covert Testing?'' 10 a.m., 311 
Cannon.
  November 15, Subcommittee Emergency Communications, Preparedness, 
and Response, hearing entitled ``Leveraging Mutual Aid for Effective 
Emergency Response,'' 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.

[[Page D1509]]


  Committee on the Judiciary, November 14, hearing on Establishing 
Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers, 10 
a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, 
oversight hearing on Protecting the Playroom: Holding Foreign 
Manufacturers Accountable for Defective Products, 9:30 a.m., 2141 
Rayburn.
  Committee on Natural Resources, November 13, Subcommittee on 
National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, hearing on the following 
bills: H.R. 2334, Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness and Indian 
Peaks Wilderness Expansion Act; H.R. 2632, Sabinoso Wilderness Act 
of 2007; H.R. 3287, Tumacacori Highland Wilderness Act of 2007; H.R. 
3513, Copper Salmon Wilderness Act; and H.R. 3682, California Desert 
and Mountain Heritage Act, 2 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
  November 14, full Committee, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
2445, To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to recognize 
Alexander Creek as a Native village; H.R. 3350, Alaska Native 
Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act; H.R. 3351, Native American 
Challenge Demonstration Project Act of 2007; and 3560, Southeast 
Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act, 11 a.m., 1324 
Longworth.
  November 15, full Committee, to mark up the following bills: H.R. 
4074, San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act; H.R. 2176, To 
provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the 
Bay Mills Indian Community; H.R. 4115, To provide for and approve 
the settlement of certain land claims of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe 
of Chippewa Indians; H.R. 123, To authorize appropriations for the 
San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund; H.R. 236, North Bay Water Reuse 
Program Act of 2007; H.R. 2085, McGee Creek Project Pipeline and 
Associated Facilities Conveyance Act; and H.R. 3739, To amend the 
Arizona Water Settlements Act to modify the requirement for the 
statement of findings, 11 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, November 13, 
Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District 
of Columbia, hearing on Opportunities Exist to Improve SES Diversity 
in Legislative Branch Agencies, 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  November 14, full Committee, hearing on Assessing Whistle Blower 
Allegations Against the State Department Inspector General, 10 a.m., 
2154 Rayburn.
  November 14, Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, hearing on the 
Environmental Risks of and Regulatory Response to Dental Mercury 
Amalgam, 2 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  November 14, Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign 
Affairs, to continue hearings on Iran: Reality, Options and 
Consequences, Part 3--Regional and Global Consequences of U.S. 
Military Action in Iran, 2 p.m., 2247 Rayburn.
  November 15, full Committee, hearing on One Year Later: Have TSA 
Airport Security Checkpoints Improved? 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on Rules, November 14, to consider H.R. 3915, Mortgage 
Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007, 2 p.m., H-313 
Capitol.
  Committee on Science and Technology, November 15, Subcommittee on 
Technology and Innovation, hearing on the Next Generation Border and 
Maritime Security Technologies: H.R. 3916, To provide for the next 
generation of border and maritime security technologies, 10 a.m., 
2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Small Business, November 14, hearing on Sarbanes-
Oxley Section 404: New Evidence on the Cost of Small Companies, 1:30 
p.m., 2360 Rayburn.
  November 14, Subcommittee on Urban and Rural Entrepreneurship, 
hearing on Program Harmonization in Rural America--How the Small 
Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture Can Work 
Together to Better Serve Small Businesses, 10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
  November 15, full Committee, hearing on Reducing the Regulatory 
Burden on Small Business: Improving the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
10 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, November 15, 
Subcommittee on Aviation, hearing on Aviation and Airport Holiday 
Travel Preparations, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, November 15, Subcommittee on 
Economic Opportunity, hearing to review Pending MGIB legislation, 1 
p.m., 340 Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, November 14, Subcommittee on Income 
Security and Family Support, hearing on Effects of Gap in Health 
Coverage on Work, Family and Opportunity, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
  November 15, Subcommittee on Health, hearing on Trends in Nursing 
Home Ownership and Quality, 10 a.m., 1100 Longworth.
  Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, 
November 14, hearing entitled ``State Leadership Towards a Low-
Carbon Energy Future,'' 10 a.m., room to be announced.


                             Joint Meetings

  Joint Hearing: November 15, Senate Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace 
Safety, to hold joint hearings with the House Committee on Education 
and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions to 
examine the National Labor Relations Board, focusing on recent 
decisions and the adjudication process, 10 a.m., 2175-RHOB.
  Joint Hearing: November 14, Senate Select Committee on 
Intelligence, meeting of conferees on proposed legislation 
authorizing funds for fiscal year 2008 for the intelligence 
community, 4:30 p.m., S-407, Capitol.