[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 57 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D417-D420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FARM AND FOREIGN AGRICULTURE SERVICES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services. Testimony was heard 
from Mark E. Keenum, Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural 
Service, USDA.
NOAA; EEOC
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science 
and Related Agencies held a hearing on NOAA. Testimony was heard from 
Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Administrator, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the EEOC. Testimony was heard 
from Naomi C. Earp, Chair, EEOC.
DOE--NUCLEAR ENERGY AND NUCLEAR WASTE
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development held a hearing on the Department of Energy--Nuclear Energy 
and Nuclear Waste. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Energy: Dennis R. Spurgeon, Assistant Secretary, 
Nuclear Energy; and Edward F. Sproat III, Director, Office of Civilian 
Nuclear Waste.

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SBA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on Small Business Administration. 
Testimony was heard from Steven C. Preston, Administrator, SBA
DHS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on the Secretary of Department of Homeland Security. Testimony 
was heard from Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security.
GAO
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a 
hearing on the Government Accountability Office. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the GAO: Gene Dodaro, Acting 
Comptroller General; and Sallyanne Harper, Chief Administrative 
Officer.
EUROPEAN COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans' Affairs and Related Agencies held a hearing on the European 
Command. Testimony was heard from GEN Bantz J. Craddock, USA, 
Commander, U.S. European Command, Department of Defense.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs held a hearing on U.S. Policy and Program in Iraq. 
Testimony was heard from Ryan Crocker, Ambassador to Iraq, Department 
of State.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing U.S. Treasury International 
Assistance Programs and on U.S. Contributions to International 
Financial Institutions. Testimony was heard from Henry M. Paulson, Jr., 
Secretary of the Treasury.
CONTINGENCY CONTRACTING; IMPLEMENTING A CALL FOR REFORM
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Contingency Contracting: 
Implementing a Call for Urgent Reform. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: John J. Young, Jr., 
Under Secretary, Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics; Jeffrey P. 
Parsons, Executive Director Army Contracting Command; and Jacques S. 
Gansler, Chairman, Army Commission on Army Acquisition and Program 
Management in Expeditionary Operations.
ARMY ACQUISITION PROGRAMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces held a 
hearing on Army acquisition programs. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense; LTG Stephen M. 
Speakes, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8; LTG N. Ross Thompson III, 
USA, Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army 
(Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), both with the Department of 
the Army; and Mary Ugone, Office of the Inspector General, Deputy 
Inspector General, Auditing; and the following officials of the GAO: 
Paul Francis, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management; and Janet 
St. Laurent, Managing Director, Defense Capabilities and Management.
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT ANNIVERSARY
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Workplace Protections 
held a hearing on the 15th Anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act: 
Achievements and Next Steps. Testimony was heard from Victoria Lipnic, 
Assistant Secretary, Employment Standards, Department of Labor; former 
Representative Pat Schroeder of Colorado; and public witnesses.
REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Strengths and Weaknesses of 
Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Existing Clean Air Act 
Authorities. Testimony was heard from Robert J. Meyers, Principal 
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office for Air and Radiation, EPA; and 
public witnesses.
HOUSING STABILIZATION AND HOMEOWNERSHIP RETENTION
Committee on Financial Services: Concluded hearings entitled ``Using 
FHA for Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention.'' Testimony 
was heard from Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland; and the following 
Mayors: Adrian M. Fenty, District of Columbia; Thomas M. Menino, 
Boston; and Oscar B. Goodman, Las Vegas; and public witnesses.
WAR POWERS AND THE CONSTITUTION
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight held a hearing on War Power 
for the 21st Century: The Constitutional Perspective. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
CRISIS IN THE ANDES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere 
held a hearing on the Crisis in

[[Page D419]]

the Andes: The Border Dispute Between Columbia and Ecuador, and 
Implications for the Region. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held a briefing on this subject. The 
Subcommittee was briefed by Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General, 
OAS.
REAUTHORIZATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF DNA INITIATIVES OF THE JUSTICE FOR 
ALL ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on the Reauthorization and Improvement 
of DNA Initiatives of the Justice for All Act of 2004. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Maloney of New York; and Reichert; David 
Hagy, Director, National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice 
Programs, Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Held a hearing on the following bills: 
H.R. 5541, Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act; and 
H.R. 5648, Emergency Wildland Fire Response Act of 2008. Testimony was 
heard from Representative Dicks; Janet Napolitano, Governor of Arizona; 
Jack Ward Thomas, former Chief, Forest Service, USDA; and public 
witnesses.
INVESTIGATION OF INTERNET SALES OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on Investigation into the 
Sale of Sensitive, In-Demand Military Equipment and Supplies on the 
Internet. Testimony was heard from Gregory D. Kutz, Managing Director, 
Forensic Audits and Special Investigations, GAO; the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Charles W. Beardall, Deputy 
Inspector General, Investigations; Alan F. Estevez, Principal Assistant 
Deputy Under Secretary (Logistics and Materiel Readiness); and Sarah H. 
Finnecum, Director, Supply and Maintenance Directorate, U.S. Army G-4 
(Logistics); and public witnesses.
SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE TAX CODE
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``Modernizing the 
Tax Code: Updating the Internal Revenue Code to Help Small Businesses 
Stimulate the Economy.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COSCO BUSAN AND MARINE CASUALTY INVESTIGATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Cosco Busan and 
Marine Casualty Investigation. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: RADM Brian Salerno, 
USCG, Assistant Commandant, Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship, 
U.S. Coast Guard; and Anne Richards, Inspector General, Audits.
OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on the Old Post Office Building: The General Services 
Administration's Plans for Future Use. Testimony heard from David 
Winstead, Commissioner, Public Building Service, GSA.
VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS
Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs, hearing on Veterans Disability Benefits Claims 
Modernization Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from William P. Greene, 
Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; Bradley G. 
Mayes, Director, Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and representatives of 
veterans organizations.
EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Income Security and Family 
Support held a hearing on extending unemployment insurance. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
BRIEFING--COLOMBIA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Colombia. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
FY 2009 BUDGET--CYBER INITIATIVE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on FY 2009 Budget--Cyber Initiative. Testimony was heard 
from departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
DISPLACEMENT OF IRAQI CITIZENS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the Organization for Security and Co-operation in 
Europe (OSCE) countries and refugees from Iraq, focusing on the impact 
of the displacement of Iraqi citizens on Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, 
and other surrounding countries in the region, after receiving 
testimony

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from James Foley, Senior Coordinator for Iraqi Refugees, Department of 
State; Lori Scialabba, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland 
Security for Iraqi Refugees; Michael Gabaudan, United Nations High 
Commissioner for Refugees, Washington, D.C.; Noel Saleh, Arab Community 
Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), Detroit, Michigan; 
and Mayor Anders Lago, Sodertalje, Sweden.