[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D233-D235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Economic Development 
Administration and on NASA. Testimony was heard from Sandy K. Baruah, 
Assistant Secretary, Economic Development, Department of Commerce; and 
Michael D. Griffin, Administrator, NASA.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on U.S. Central Command. Testimony was heard 
from ADM William Fallon, USN, Combatant Commander, Department of 
Defense.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on Department of the Treasury. 
Testimony was heard from Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Secretary of the 
Treasury.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Coast Guard 2009 Budget Impact on Maritime Safety, Security, 
and Environment. Testimony was heard from ADM Thad Allen, USCG, 
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security; and the 
following officials of GAO: Steve Caldwell, Assistant Director, and 
John Hutton, Assistant Director.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Expanding 
Health Care Access. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Health Issues and 
Opportunities at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/Fiscal 
Year 2009 Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of Department of Health and Human Services: Elias Zerhouni, 
M.D., Director, NIH; Julie Gerberling, M.D., Director, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention; Terry Cline, M.D., Administrator, 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and Carolyn 
Clancy, Administrator, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on Library of Congress. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Library of Congress: James Billington, Librarian of 
Congress; Jo Ann Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer; Deanna Marcum, 
Associate Librarian; Rubens Medina, Law Librarian, Marybeth Peters, 
Register, Copyright Office; Daniel Mulhollan, Director, CRS; and Kurt 
Cylke, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped.

[[Page D234]]


U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND; U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2009 
National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the U.S. Central 
Command and the U.S. Special Operations. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of the Navy: ADM William Fallon, 
USN, Commander, U.S. Central Command; and ADM Eric T. Olson, USN, 
Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command.
DEFENSE SPACE ACTIVITIES BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, hearing 
on Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authorization Budget Request and 
Status for Space Activities. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Gary Payton, Deputy Under 
Secretary; and GEN Robert Kehler, USAF, Commander, Air Force Space 
Command, both with the Department of the Air Force; and Scott Large, 
Director, National Reconnaissance Office.
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND; U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Treats and Capabilities held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2009 National 
Defense Authorization Budget Request from U.S. Special Operations 
Command and U.S. Northern Command. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: ADM Eric Olson, USN, 
Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command; and GEN Victor E. Renuart, 
Jr., USAF, Commander, NORAD/U.S. Northern Command.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2009.
Committee on the Budget: Ordered reported, as amended, the Concurrent 
Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2009.
 CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Climate Change: Competitiveness and 
Prospects for Engaging Developing Countries.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
MENDELL SUBPOENA
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investments approved the issuance of a subpoena ad testificadum to 
Steven E. Mendell, President of Hallmark/Westland Meat Company, for 
testimony regarding the circumstances surrounding his company's recent 
recall of over 143 million pounds of beef products after the USDA 
determined the products were unfit for human consumption.
COMPETITION--SPORTS PROGRAMMING MARKETPLACE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``Competition in the Sports 
Programming Marketplace.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN U.S. ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology, and the 
Subcommittee on Capital Markets Insurance and Government Sponsored 
Enterprises held a joint hearing entitled `` Foreign Government 
Investment in the U.S. Economy and Financial Sector.'' Testimony was 
heard from David McCormick, Under Secretary, International Affairs, 
Department of the Treasury; Ethiopis Tafara, Director, Office of 
International Affairs, SEC; Scott Alvarez, General Counsel, Federal 
Reserve Board; and public witnesses.
CUBA OUTLOOK
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a hearing on With Castro Stepping Down, What's Next for Cuba and 
the Western Hemisphere? Testimony was heard from Thomas A. Shannon, 
Jr., Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
NUCLEAR SMUGGLING DETECTION
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity and Science and Technology held a hearing entitled 
``Nuclear Smuggling Detection: Recent Tests of Advanced Spectroscopic 
Portal Monitors.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Homeland Security: Vayl Oxford, Director, Domestic 
Nuclear Detection Office; and Elaine C. Duke, Deputy Under Secretary, 
Management; and a public witness.
TASK FORCE ON COMPETITION AND ANTI-TRUST LAWS; OVERSIGHT--DEPARTMENT OF 
HOMELAND SECURITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Adopted a resolution establishing the Task 
Force on Competition Policy and Antitrust Laws.
  The Committee also held an oversight hearing on the Department of 
Homeland Security. Testimony was heard from Michael Chertoff, Secretary 
of Homeland Security.

[[Page D235]]


OVERSIGHT--ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
Committee on Natural Resources: Held an oversight hearing entitled 
``Poaching American Security: Impacts of Illegal Wildlife Trade.'' 
Testimony was heard from Claudia A. McMurray, Assistant Secretary, 
Oceans, Environment and Science, Department of State; Benito Perez, 
Chief, Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security, and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on Oversight of Ballistic 
Missile Defense (Part I): Threats, Realities, and Tradeoffs. Testimony 
was heard from Steven A. Hildreth, Specialist in National Defense, 
Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division, CRS, Library of Congress; 
and public witnesses.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET REQUEST OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on the Department of Energy Fiscal Year 2009 
Research and Development Budget Request. Testimony was heard from Steve 
Isakowitz, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy; Mark E. 
Gaffigan, Acting Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team, GAO; 
and a public witness.
SBA'S SMALL BUSINESS CAPITAL PROGRAM
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Finance and Tax held a 
hearing on Improving the SBA's Access to Capital Programs for our 
Nation's Small Businesses. Testimony was heard from Eric Zarnikow, 
Associate Administrator, Capital Access, SBA; and public witnesses.
INVESTMENT IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing on 
Investment in the Rail Industry. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Transportation: Joseph Boardman, 
Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration; Charles D. Nottingham, 
Chairman; Francis P. Mulvey, Vice Chairman; and W. Douglas Buttrey, 
Board Member, all with the Surface Transportation Board; and public 
witnesses.
TAX TREATMENT OF DERIVATIVES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures 
held a hearing on Tax Treatment of Derivatives. Testimony was heard 
from Michael J. Desmond, Tax Legislative Counsel, Department of the 
Treasury; and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--FISA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on FISA Part II. The Committee was briefed by public 
witnesses.
BRIEFING--FBI INTELLIGENCE REFORMS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive, 
session to receive a briefing on FBI Intelligence Reforms. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses.