[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D245-D247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Food Safety and Inspection Service. Testimony was heard from 
Mark Keenum, Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service, 
USDA.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science 
and Related Agencies continued hearing on NASA. Testimony was heard 
from Michael D. Griffin, Administrator, NASA.
SELECT INTELLIGENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Select Intelligence Oversight Panel met in 
executive session to hold a hearing on National Intelligence Program 
Budget. Testimony was heard from Donald Kerr, Principal Deputy 
Director, National Intelligence, Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on U.S. Corps of 
Engineers. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Army: John Paul Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary, 
Civil Works; and LTG Robert Van Antwerp, Chief of Engineers.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Department of Energy--
Environmental Management Legacy Management. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Energy: Jim Rispoli, 
Assistant Secretary, Environmental Management; and Michael Owen, 
Director, Office of Legacy Management.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on OMB. Testimony was heard from Jim 
Nussle, Director, OMB.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Border Security Programs and Operations--Challenges and 
Priorities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: W. Ralph Basham, Commissioner, U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection; and Robert Mocny, Director, U.S.-Visitor 
and Immigration Status Indicator Technology; and Richard Stana, 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on National Park Service. Testimony was 
heard from Mary A. Bomar, Director, National Park Service, Department 
of the Interior.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Secretary of 
Labor, Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Overview. Testimony was heard from 
Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor.
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on GPO. Testimony was heard from Robert Tapella, Public 
Printer, GPO.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS' AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans' Affairs, and Related

[[Page D246]]

Agencies met in executive session to hold a hearing on Central Command. 
Testimony was heard from ADM William J. Fallon, USN, Commander, U.S. 
Central Command, Department of Defense.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Department of Veterans' 
Affairs-Medical Care. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Kussman, 
Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2008 Emergency 
Supplemental Request for State, Foreign Operations and Related 
Programs. Testimony was heard from John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary 
of State.
TRANSPORTATION, HUD APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on FAA-
Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request. Testimony was heard from Robert 
Sturgell, Acting Administrator, FAA, Department of Transportation.
NAVY BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2009 
National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of 
the Navy. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Navy: Donald C. Winter, Secretary; ADM Gary Roughead, 
USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and GEN James J. Conway, USMC, 
Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps.
FAMILY SMOKING PREVENTION AND TOBACCO CONTROL ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health began 
consideration of H.R. 1108, Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco 
Control Act.
CREDIT UNION REGULATORY RELIEF
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``The Need for 
Credit Union Regulatory Relief and Improvements.'' Testimony was heard 
from JoAnn M. Johnson, Chairman, National Credit Union Administration; 
and public witnesses.
CHEMICAL FACILITY ANTI-TERRORISM ACT
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008.
AUTOMOBILE ARBITRATION FAIRNESS ACT OF 2008
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 5312, Automobile Arbitration 
Fairness Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
PRIORITIZING RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATION FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACT 
OF 2007
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts, The Internet, and 
Intellectual Property approved full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
4279, Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property 
Act of 2007.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 877, Adams 
National Historical Park Boundary Addition Act; H.R. 1423, Dorothy 
Buell Memorial Visitor Center Lease Act; H.R. 1693, National Liberty 
Memorial Act; H.R. 2675, HALE Scouts Act; H.R. 3651, Utah National 
Guard Readiness Act; and H.R. 3734, Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of 
Prey National Conservation Area Act. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Simpson; Katherine H. Stevenson, Acting Assistant 
Director, Business Services, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior; Gregory C. Smith, Director of Lands, Forest Service, USDA; 
and public witnesses.
FEDERAL WORKFORCE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia held a hearing 
on Investing in the Future of the Federal Workforce: Paid Parental 
Leave Improves Recruitment and Retention. Testimony was heard from 
Daniel Beard, Chief Administrative Officer, House of Representatives; 
Nancy Kichak, Associate Director, Strategic Human Resources, OPM; and 
public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY R&D BUDGET
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held a hearing on the Department of Homeland Security's R&D 
Budget Priorities for Fiscal Year 2009. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Jay M. 
Cohen, Under Secretary, Science and Technology; Vayl Oxford, Director, 
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office; and George Ryan, Director, Testing 
and Evaluation Standards, Science and Technology Directorate.

[[Page D247]]


FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Are New 
Procurement Methods Beneficial to Small Business Contractors?'' 
Testimony was heard from Paul Dennett, Administrator, Office of Federal 
Procurement Policy, OMB; Jim Williams, Commissioner, Federal 
Acquisition Services, GSA; Deputy Commanding GEN Ron Johnson, USA, 
Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army; and public witnesses.
SMALL/MINORITY BUSINESS FEDERAL CONTRACTS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Doing Business with the Government: The Record and Goals for 
Small, Minority, and Disadvantaged Businesses. Testimony was heard from 
Stephen Ayers, Acting Architect of the Capitol; Terrie Rouse, Chief 
Executive Officer for Visitor Services, Capital Visitor Center; Michael 
J. Rigas, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Small Business 
Utilization, GSA; Roger Mosier, Vice President, John F. Kennedy Center 
for the Performing Arts; Albert Sligh, Director, Office of Management, 
FEMA, Department of Homeland Security; Era Marshall, Director, Office 
of Equal Employment and Minority Affairs, Smithsonian Institution; and 
public witnesses.
BRIEFING--INTELLIGENCE BUDGET OVERVIEW
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a briefing on Intelligence Budget Overview--DNI. The Committee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.
ECONOMY ADRIFT--ANSWER RENEWABLE ENERGY
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``Blowing in the Wind: Renewable Energy as the Answer 
to an Economy Adrift.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
FUTURE OF THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE
Joint Economic Committee: Committee concluded a joint hearing with the 
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on 
Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia to 
examine investing in the future of the federal workforce, focusing on 
paid parental leave to improve recruitment and retention, after 
receiving testimony from Daniel P. Beard, Chief Administrative Officer, 
United States House of Representatives; Nancy H. Kichak, Associate 
Director for Strategic Human Resources Policy, Office of Personnel 
Management; Jane Waldfogel, Columbia University, New York, New York; 
and Sharyn Tejani, National Partnership for Women and Families, Vicky 
Lovell, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Colleen M. Kelley, 
National Treasury Employees Union, Mary Jean Burke, American Federation 
of Government Employees (AFL-CIO), and Amy S. Costantino, all of 
Washington, D.C.


                            NEW PUBLIC LAWS

      (For last listing of Public Laws, see Daily Digest, p. D207)
  S. 2571, to make technical corrections to the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Signed on March 6, 2008. (Public Law 
110-193)


                     COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY,

                             MARCH 7, 2008

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  No meetings/hearings scheduled.


                                 House

  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, hearing on 
``Executive Compensation II: CEO Pay and the Mortgage Crisis,'' 10 
a.m., 2154 Rayburn.


                             Joint Meetings

  Joint Economic Committee: to hold hearings to examine the current 
employment situation of 2008, 9:30 a.m., SD-628.