[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 11, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D269-D273]
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 the Research, Education and Economic budget request. 
Testimony was heard from Gale A. Buchanan, Under Secretary, Research, 
Education and Economics, USDA.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science 
and Related Agencies, on OJP/COPS/OVW. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Justice: Jeffrey Sedgwick, 
Acting Associate Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs; Carl R. 
Peed, Director, Community Oriented Policing Services; and Cindy Dyer, 
Director, Office on Violence Against Women.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Secretary of Commerce. 
Testimony was heard from Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Air Force Posture. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Air Force: Michael W. Wynn, Secretary, and GEN T. 
Michael Moseley, USAF, Chief of Staff.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on DOE--Energy and Conservation, Fossil 
Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Energy: C.H. 
Albright, Jr., Under Secretary; Alexander Karsner, Assistant Secretary, 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; James Slutz, Acting Principal 
Deputy, Assistant Secretary, Fossil Energy; and Kevin Kolevar, 
Director, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, and 
General Government held a hearing on Consumer Product Safety 
Commission. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Consumer Product Safety Commission: Nancy Nord, Acting Chair; and 
Thomas H. Moore, Commissioner.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Citizenship and Immigration Services: Strengthening legal 
immigration and improving refugee processing. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Service, Department of Homeland Security; Emilio Gonzales, Director; 
Jonathan Scharfen, Deputy Director; and Timothy Rosado, Acting Chief 
Financial Officer.

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  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Homeland Security Grants: 
Supporting a National Preparedness and Response System. Testimony was 
heard from David Paulison, Administrator, FEMA, Department of Homeland 
Security; William O. Jenkins, Jr., Director, Homeland Security and 
Justice Issues, GAO; and a public witness.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on National Endowment for the 
Humanities. Testimony was heard from Bruce Cole, Chairman, National 
Endowment for the Humanities, National Foundation on the Arts and the 
Humanities.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Implications 
of a Weakening Economy for Training and Employment Services. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS' AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans' Affairs and Related Agencies held a hearing on Navy Budget. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: ADM Gary Roughead, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and GEN 
James T. Conway, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations 
and Related Programs held a hearing on HIV/AIDS and Global Health 
Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of State: Ambassador Mark R. Dybul, U.S. Global AIDS 
Coordinator; and Kent Hill, Assistant Administrator, Global Health, 
U.S. Agency for International Development.
TACTICAL AVIATION PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces and 
the Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces held a joint 
hearing on Department of the Navy and Air Force Tactical Aviation 
Programs. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Sullivan, Director, 
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO; and the following official of 
the Department of Defense: John J. Young, Jr., Under Secretary, 
Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; and the following officials of 
the Department of the Navy: William Balderson, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Naval Air Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary, 
Research, Development and Acquisition; RADM Allen G. Myers, USN, 
Director, Air Warfare Division (OPNAV 88), Headquarters, U.S. Navy; LTG 
George J. Trautman, USMC, Deputy Commandant, Aviation, Headquarters, 
U.S. Marine Corps; LTG Daniel J. Darnall, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans and Requirements, 
Headquarters, U.S. Air Force; and LTG Donald J. Hoffman, USAF, Military 
Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, 
Acquisition.
FY 08 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION'S PRESIDENTIAL SIGNING STATEMENT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the Impact of the Administration's 
signing statement on the Department of Defense's implementation of the 
Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. Testimony was 
heard from Gary L. Kepplinger, General Counsel, GAO; T.J. Halstead, 
Legislative Attorney, American Law Division, CRS, Library of Congress; 
and public witnesses.
MILITARY READINESS--GOVERNMENT'S ROLE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on Inherently Governmental--What is the Proper Role of Government? 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: P. Jackson Bell, Deputy Under Secretary, Logistics and 
Materiel Readiness, and Shay Assad, Director, Defense Procurement and 
Acquisition Policy; and David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS BUDGET
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing on After School 
Programs: How the Bush Administration's Budget Impacts Children and 
Families. Testimony was heard from Theresa Kough, Education Associate, 
Department of Education, State of Delaware; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Committee action, as amended, the following bills: H.R. 1108, 
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and to mark up the 
following bills: H.R. 1198, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention 
Act of 2007; H.R. 2464, Wakefield Act; H.R. 1237, Cytology Proficiency 
Improvement Act of 2007; H.R. 3701, Keeping Seniors Safe From Falls Act 
of 2007; H.R.

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2063, Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2007; H.R. 3825, 
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007; and H.R. 1418, 
Reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act.
COMMUNICATIONS MARKETPLACE--ROLE OF PRIVATE EQUITY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing entitled ``The Role of Private Equity 
in the Communications Marketplace.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
HUD BUDGET
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on the oversight of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, including the Department's 
budget request for fiscal year 2009 and oversight of emergency 
spending. Testimony was heard from Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development.
COIN MODERNIZATION AND TAXPAYER SAVINGS ACT OF 2008
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on International Monetary 
Policy, Trade and Technology held a hearing on H.R. 5512, Coin 
Modernization and Taxpayer Savings Act of 2008. Testimony was heard 
from Edmund C. Moy, Director, U.S. Mint, Department of the Treasury; 
Jay W. Johnson, former Representative from Wisconsin, and former 
Director of the Mint; and public witnesses.
U.S.-IRAQI REFUGEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East, and South 
Asia, and the Subcommittee on Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight 
held a joint hearing on Neglected Responsibilities: the U.S. Response 
to the Iraqi Refugee Crisis. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of State: James B. Foley, Senior 
Coordinator, Iraqi Refugee Issues; Lawrence Butler, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; Stephen A. Edson, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Visa Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs; and 
Greg Gottlieb, Senior Deputy Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, 
Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International 
Development; and Lori Scialabba, Special Adviser to the Secretary of 
Homeland Security for Iraqi Refugees, Department of Homeland Security.
NET NEUTRALITY/INTERNET FREE SPEECH
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Competition Policy and 
Antitrust Laws held a hearing on Net Neutrality and Free Speech on the 
Internet. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CORPORATE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on Deferred Prosecution: Should 
Corporate Settlement Agreements Be Without Guidelines? Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Pallone and Pascrell; David E. Nahmias, U.S. 
Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, Department of Justice; 
and public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY LAW ENFORCEMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on Department of Homeland Security Law 
Enforcement Operations. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Dana A. Brown, 
Director, Federal Air Marshal Service, Assistant Administrator, 
Transportation Security Administration; Jeffrey D. Self, Chief, 
Southwest Border Division, Office of Border Patrol; Raymond R. Parmer, 
Deputy Director, Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement; Michael Stenger, Assistant Director, Office of 
Investigations, U.S. Secret Service; and RADM Wayne Justice, USCG, 
Assistant Commandant, Capability and Director of Response, U.S. Coast 
Guard.
OVERSIGHT--GETTING ROYALTIES RIGHT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Resources 
held an oversight hearing on Getting Royalties Right: Recent 
Recommendations for Improving the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty System. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
the Interior: Earl Devaney, Inspector General; David Deal, Vice Chair, 
Royalty Policy Committee; C. Stephen Allred, Assistant Secretary, Land 
and Minerals Management; Randall Luthi, Director, Minerals Management 
Service; and Larry Finfer, Deputy Director, Office of Policy Analysis; 
Frank Rusco, Acting Director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; 
Linda Stiff, Acting Commissioner, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and 
Dennis Roller, Royalty Audit Section Manager, Office of the State 
Auditor, North Dakota.
ANIMAL PROTECTION MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held a hearing on the following measures: H.R. 2964, Captive 
Primate Safety Act; and a measure To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 
1981 to extend its protection to bears illegally harvested for their 
viscera in the same manner as with respect to prohibited wildlife 
species. Testimony was heard from Benito A. Perez, Chief,

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Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the 
Interior; and public witnesses.
D.C. PAROLE, SUPERVISED RELEASE AND REVOCATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia held a hearing 
on Advancements and Continual Challenges in the Parole, Supervised 
Release and Revocation of D.C. Code Offenders. Testimony was heard from 
Chief Issac Fulwood, Commissioner, U.S. Parole Commission, Department 
of Justice; Avis E. Buchanan, Director, Public Defender Service, 
District of Columbia; Rufus King, Chief Judge, D.C. Superior Court; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Organization and Procurement approved for full 
Committee action the following bills: H.R. 752, amended, Federal 
Electronic Equipment Donation Act of 2007; H.R. 3033, amended, 
Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act of 2007; H.R. 3928, 
Government Contractor Accountability Act of 2007; and H.R. 4881, 
amended, Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2007.
FEDERAL AGENCY USE OF COMMERCIAL INFORMATION RESELLERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census and National Archives held a hearing on 
Privacy: The Use of Commercial Information Resellers by Federal 
Agencies, Testimony was heard from Karen S. Evans, Administrator, 
Office of E-Government and Information Technology, OMB; Linda D. 
Koontz, Director, Information Management Issues, GAO; Hugo Teufel III, 
Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security; and public 
witnesses.
U.S.-LATIN AMERICAN ENERGY COOPERATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on National Security and 
Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities on Energy Cooperation. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a structured rule. The rule 
provides four hours of general debate on H. Con. Res. 312, the 
Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2009, equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on the Budget and one hour on the subject of economic goals and 
policies to be equally divided and controlled by Representative Maloney 
of New York and Representative Saxton of New Jersey. The rule waives 
all points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution 
and provides that the concurrent resolution shall be considered as 
read.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report. The amendments made in order may be offered only in 
the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member 
designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be 
debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not be subject 
to amendment. All points of order against the amendments are waived 
except that the adoption of an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
shall constitute the conclusion of consideration of the concurrent 
resolution for amendment. The rule permits the Chairman of the Budget 
Committee to offer amendments in the House to achieve mathematical 
consistency. The rule provides that the concurrent resolution shall not 
be subject to a demand for division of the question of its adoption. 
The rule provides that the Chair may postpone further consideration of 
the concurrent resolution to a time designated by the Speaker. Finally, 
the rule provides for a motion to take the Senate concurrent resolution 
on the budget from the table, strike all after the resolving clause, 
and to insert in lieu thereof the provisions of House Concurrent 
Resolution 312 as adopted by the House. Testimony was heard by Chairman 
Spratt and Representatives Scott of Virginia, Lee, Ryan of Wisconsin, 
Brady of Texas, and Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida.
NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on the Transfer of Nanotechnology 
Initiative Research Outcomes for Commercial and Public Benefit. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2009
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held a hearing on the NIST's Fiscal year 2009 Budget 
Request: What Are the Right Technology Investments to Promote U.S. 
Innovation and Competitiveness. Testimony was heard from James Turner, 
Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
Department of Commerce; and public witnesses.

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SOUTHEASTERN U.S. WATER MANAGEMENT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Comprehensive Watershed 
Management and Planning: Drought-related Issues in the Southeastern 
United States. Testimony was heard from Representatives Lewis of 
Georgia, Boyd of Florida and Johnson of Georgia; from the following 
officials of the Department of the Interior: Jess D. Weaver, Regional 
Executive, Southeast Asia, U.S. Geological Survey; and Sam D. Hamilton, 
Regional Director, Southeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; BG 
Joseph Schroedel, USA, Commander, South Atlantic Division, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army; J. John Feldt, Hydrologist-
In-Charge, National Weather Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; 
Robert J. Hunter, Commissioner, Department of Watershed Management, 
Atlanta, Georgia; and public witnesses.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE/CO-MORBID DISORDERS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on Substance Abuse/Co-morbid Disorders: Comprehensive Solutions to a 
Complex Problem. Testimony was heard from Antonette Zeiss, Associate 
Chief Consultant, Mental Health Services, Veterans Health 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; representatives of 
veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
MEDICARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's annual report on Medicare 
payment policies. Testimony was heard from Glen M. Hackman, Chairman, 
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
BRIEFING--ADVANCED R&D BUDGET
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Advanced R&D Budget. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.


                             Joint Meetings

  No joint committee meetings were held.