[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D391-D392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
APPROPRIATIONS: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
concluded a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal 
year 2009 for the Department of Agriculture, after receiving testimony 
from Ed Schafer, Secretary, Chuck Conner, Deputy Secretary, Joseph 
Glauber, Chief Economist, and W. Scott Steele, Budget Officer, all of 
the Department of Agriculture.
IRAQ
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the situation in Iraq and progress made by the government of Iraq in 
meeting benchmarks and achieving reconciliation, after receiving 
testimony from Ryan C. Crocker, United States Ambassador to Iraq, 
Department of State; and General David H. Petraeus, USA, Commanding 
General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Department of Defense.
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on SeaPower concluded a 
hearing to examine the defense authorization request for fiscal year 
2009 on Navy force structure requirements and programs to meet those 
requirements, and the future years defense program, after receiving 
testimony from Allison Stiller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ship 
Programs, and Vice Admiral Barry McCullough, Deputy Chief of Naval 
Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources, both of the 
Department of the Navy, and Lieutenant General James F. Amos, Deputy 
Commandant of the Marine Corps for Combat Development and Integration, 
all of the Department of Defense.
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine legislation to reauthorize the Federal Trade 
Commission, after receiving testimony from William Kovacic, Chairman, 
and Pamela Jones Harbour, Jon Leibowitz, and J. Thomas Rosch, all 
Commissioners, all of the Federal Trade Commission.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
an oversight hearing to examine the transition to digital television, 
focusing on consumers, broadcasters, and converter boxes, after 
receiving testimony from Kevin J. Martin, Chairman, Federal 
Communications Commission; and Meredith A. Baker, Acting Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration.
WATER BILLS
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and 
Power concluded a hearing to examine S. 2259 and H.R. 813, bills to 
amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities 
Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the 
Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, to authorize the 
Secretary to participate in the Lower Chino Dairy Area desalination 
demonstration and reclamation project, H.R. 31, to amend the 
Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Elsinore 
Valley Municipal Water District Wildomar Service Area Recycled Water 
Distribution Facilities and Alberhill Wastewater Treatment and 
Reclamation Facility Projects, H.R. 716, to amend the Reclamation 
Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Santa Rosa Urban Water 
Reuse Plan, H.R. 786, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the Los Angeles County Water Supply

[[Page D392]]

Augmentation Demonstration Project, H.R. 1140, to authorize the 
Secretary, in cooperation with the City of San Juan Capistrano, 
California, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
an advanced water treatment plant facility and recycled water system, 
H.R. 1503, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study 
and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Avra Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration 
Project, H.R. 1725, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the Rancho California Water District Southern Riverside 
County Recycled Non-Potable Distribution Facilities and 
Demineralization Desalination Recycled Water Treatment and Reclamation 
Facility Project, H.R. 1737, to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
permanent facilities for the GREAT project to reclaim, reuse, and treat 
impaired waters in the area of Oxnard, California, and H.R. 2614, to 
amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities 
Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in 
certain water projects in California, after receiving testimony from 
Kris Polly, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of 
the Interior.
IRAN COUNTER-PROLIFERATION ACT
Committee on Finance: Committee concluded a hearing to examine S. 970, 
to impose sanctions on Iran and on other countries for assisting Iran 
in developing a nuclear program, after receiving testimony from Philip 
H. Gordon, Brookings Institution, Danielle Pletka, American Enterprise 
Institute for Public Policy Research, and William A. Reinsch, National 
Foreign Trade Council and USA*Engage, all of Washington, D.C.; and Orde 
F. Kittrie, Arizona State University, Tempe.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of Barbara McConnell Barrett, of Arizona, to be 
Ambassador to the Republic of Finland, Yousif Boutrous Ghafari, of 
Michigan, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, Frank Charles 
Urbancic, Jr., of Indiana, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, 
Nancy E. McEldowney, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
Bulgaria, and Kurt Douglas Volker, of Pennsylvania, to be United States 
Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization, with the rank and status of Ambassador, after the 
nominees testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
IRAQ
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine Iraq after the troop surge, after receiving testimony from Ryan 
C. Crocker, United States Ambassador to Iraq, Department of State; and 
General David H. Petraeus, USA, Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq, 
Department of Defense.
AMERICA'S SYSTEM OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution concluded 
a hearing to examine the adequacy of representation in capital cases, 
after receiving testimony from Carolyn Engel Temin, Senior Judge, Court 
of Common Pleas of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, 
Philadelphia; Michael S. Greco, Kirkpatrick and Lockhart, Preston, 
Gates, Ellis, LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, on behalf of the American Bar 
Association; Bryan A. Stevenson, New York University School of Law, 
Montgomery, Alabama; and Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Jenner and Block, 
LLP, Washington, D.C.
INTELLIGENCE
Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on 
intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the 
intelligence community.
  Committee recessed subject to the call.