[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 60 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D448-D451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
SEC
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and 
General Government held a hearing on the SEC. Testimony was heard from 
Christopher Cox, Chairman, SEC.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agency Agencies held a hearing on Special 
Operations Command. Testimony was heard from ADM Eric T. Olson, USN, 
Commander, Special Operations Command, Department of Defense.
NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the National Industrial 
Security Program: Addressing the Implications of Globalization and 
Foreign Ownership for the Defense Industrial Base. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense; Troy 
Sullivan, Deputy Under Secretary, Counterintelligence and Security; 
Kathleen Watson, Director, Defense Security Service; and William 
Schneider, Chairman, Defense Science Board; and Ann Calvaresi-Barr, 
Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO.
GROUND FORCE READINESS SHORTFALLS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air Land Forces and the 
Subcommittee on Readiness held a joint hearing on H. Res. 834, 
Regarding the readiness decline of the Army, Marine Corps, National 
Guard, and Reserves, and the implications for national security. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
RETIREMENT PLAN DISCLOSURE RULES
Committee on Education and Labor: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
3185, 401(k) Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act of 2007.
PROTECTING THE MEDICAID SAFETY NET ACT OF 2008
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008.
REFORM INSURANCE REGULATIONS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Examining Proposals to Reform Insurance Regulation.'' Testimony was 
heard from David G. Nelson, Assistant Secretary, Financial 
Institutions, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
FORECLOSURE PREVENTION AND SOUND MORTGAGE SERVICING ACT OF 2008
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing on H.R. 5679, Foreclosure Prevention and 
Sound Mortgage Servicing Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from Laura A. 
Maggiano, Deputy Director, Office of Single Family Asset Management, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development; Judy Caden, Director, Loan 
Guaranty Service, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public witnesses.
WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and 
Global Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled ``Moving Beyond the 
First Five Years: Ensuring Successful Implementation of the Western 
Hemisphere Travel Initiative.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Kathleen Kraninger, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Policy Screening Coordination Office; and 
Robert Jacksta, Executive Director, Traveler Security and Facilitation, 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Derwood Staeben, Senior Advisor, 
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, Department of State; Liz Luce, 
Director, Department of Licensing, State of Washington; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--NON-AGRICULTURAL FOREIGN WORKERS PROGRAM
Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law held an oversight 
hearing on the H-2b Program. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Stupak, Bishop of New York and Gilchrest; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--DRIFTNET FISHING MORATORIUM; SHARK CONSERVATION ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing on the implementation of the Illegal, 
Unregulated and Unreported fishing provisions of the High Seas Driftnet 
Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and a hearing on H.R. 5741 Shark 
Conservation Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from David A. Balton, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Oceans and Fisheries, Bureau of Oceans, 
Environment and Science, Department of State; Rebecca Lent, Director, 
Office of International Affairs, NOAA, Department of Commerce; CAPT 
Michael Giglio, USCG,. Chief,

[[Page D449]]

Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland 
Security; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--INDIAN WATER RIGHTS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on Indian Water Rights Settlements. Testimony was 
heard from Michael Bogert, Chairman, Working Group on Indian Water 
Rights, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 4791, amended, Federal Agency Data Protection 
Act; H.R. 5712, amended, Close the Contractor Fraud Loophole Act; H.R. 
5781, Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act; H. Res. 49, Expressing 
the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be 
established a National Letter Carriers Appreciation Day; H. Res. 127, 
Recognizing and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the entry of Alaska 
in the Union as the 49th State; H. Res. 1073, Expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives that public servants should be commended 
for their dedication and continued service to the Nation during Public 
Service Recognition Week, May 5 through 11, 2008; H. Res. 1091, 
amended, Honoring the life, achievements, and contributions of Charlton 
Heston and extending its deepest sympathies to the family of Charlton 
Heston for the loss of such a generous man, husband, and father; and 
H.R. 5477, To designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 120 South Del Mar Avenue in San Gabriel, California, 
as the ``Chi Mui Post Office Building.''
  The Committee also held a hearing on Healthcare Associated 
Infections: A Preventable Epidemic. Testimony was heard from Cynthia 
Bascetta, Director, Health Care Issues, GAO; Don Wright, M.D., 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Health, Department of Health and 
Human Services; and public witnesses.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRESERVATION ACT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census and National Archives held a hearing on the 
Electronic Communications Preservation Act. Testimony was heard from 
Linda Koontz, Director, Information Management, GAO; the following 
officials of the National Archives and Records Administration: Paul M. 
Webster, Jr., Director, Modern Records Program; and Sharon K. Fawcett, 
Assistant Archivist for Presidential Libraries; and public witnesses.
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs continued hearings on What Are the 
Prospects, What Are the Costs?: Oversight Missile Defense (Part 11). 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE AMENDMENTS ACT
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on the National 
Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008. Testimony was heard 
from Floyd E. Kvamme, Co-Chair, President's Council of Advisors on 
Science and Technology; and public witnesses.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION ACT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 5789, 
Science and Technology Innovation Act of 2008.
SMALL BUSINESSES FEDERAL CONTRACT ACCESS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology 
held a hearing on the obstacles that small businesses currently face in 
securing federal contracts. Testimony was heard from Fay E. Ott, 
Associate Administrator, Contracting, SBA; and public witnesses.
CLEAN WATER RESTORATION ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Held a hearing on the 
Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from John Paul 
Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, Department 
of the Army; Arlen Lancaster, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, USDA; Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Water, 
EPA; John C. Cruden, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice; Joan Card, Director, 
Water Quality Division, Department of Environmental Quality, Arizona; 
James M. Tierney, Assistant Commissioner, Water Resources, Department 
of Environmental Conservation, New York; and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, 
hearing on the following bills: H.R. 4883, To amend the Servicemembers 
Civil Relief Act to provide for a limitation on the sale, foreclosure, 
or seizure of property owned by a servicmember during the one-year 
period following the servicemember's period of military service; H.R.

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4884, Helping Our Veterans to Keep Their Homes Act of 2008; H.R. 4889, 
Guard and Reserves Are Fighting Too Act of 2008; H.R. 4539, Department 
of Veterans Affairs Loan Guaranty Cost Reduction Act of 2007; H.R. 
3646, To direct the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs and the Secretary of 
Labor to conduct a joint study on the fields of employment for which 
the greatest need for employees exists in various geographic areas; 
H.R. 5664, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update at least once every six years 
the plans and specifications for specially adapted housing furnished to 
veterans by the Secretary; H.R. 3798, National Guard Employment 
Protection Act of 2007; H.R. 3681, Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 
2007; H.R. 3393, Reservist Access to Justice Act of 2007; H.R. 3889, To 
amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to conduct a longitudinal study of the vocational 
rehabilitation programs administered by the Secretary; and H.R. 5684, 
Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Filner, Buyer, Rodriguez, Stearns, Hayes, Davis of 
Alabama, Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania and Yarmuth; Charles S. 
Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training 
Service, Department of Labor; the following officials of the Department 
of Defense Thomas L. Bush, Principal Director, Manpower and Personnel; 
and Curtis L. Gilroy, Director, Accession Policy, Office of the Under 
Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; Keith Pedigo, Associate Deputy 
Under Secretary, Policy and Program Management, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and representatives of veterans organizations.
EMERGENCY EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ACT OF 2008
Committee on Ways and Means: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 5749, 
Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008.
BRIEFING--BUDGET HUMINT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Fiscal Year 2009 Budget-HUMINT. The Committee was 
briefed by departmental witnesses.
BRIEFING--HOT SPOTS
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis, and Counter-Intelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing on Hot Spots. The Subcommittee was 
briefed by GEN Michael Hayden, USAF, Director, CIA; and LTG Michael 
Maples, USA, Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of 
Defense.
GREEN CAPITAL SEEDING INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE ECONOMY
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``Green Capital: Seeding Innovation and the Future 
Economy.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
FARM BILL EXTENSION ACT
Conferees met to resolve the differences between the Senate and House 
passed versions of H.R. 2419, to provide for the continuation of 
agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, but did not complete 
action thereon, and recessed subject to the call and will meet again on 
Thursday, April 17, 2008.


            COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, 
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, to hold 
hearings to examine the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) 
safety and modernization performance, 10 a.m., SD-138.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water 
and Power, to hold hearings to examine the United States Bureau of 
Reclamation, focusing on issues associated with aging water resource 
infrastructure, 2 p.m., SD-366.
  Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine the nominations 
of David Gustafson, of Virginia, Richard T. Morrison, of Virginia, 
to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court, and Elizabeth Crewson 
Paris, of the District of Columbia, all to be a Judge of the United 
States Tax Court, and Eric M. Thorson, of Virginia, to be Inspector 
General, and Edwin Eck, of Montana, to be a Member of the Internal 
Revenue Service Oversight Board, both of the Department of the 
Treasury, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Ad Hoc 
Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and 
Integration, to hold hearings to examine fusion centers, focusing on 
a recent progress report, 2 p.m., SD-342.
  Committee on Indian Affairs: to hold hearings to examine the 
National Indian Gaming Commission, 10:30 a.m., SD-562.
  Select Committee on Intelligence: to hold closed hearings to 
examine certain intelligence matters, 2:30 p.m., SH-219.


                                 House

  Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Military Personnel, 
hearing on Military Resale and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) 
overview, 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, hearing on the Fiscal Year 2009 
National Defense Authorization Budget

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Request for Missile Defense Program, 1 p.m., 2212 Rayburn.
  Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Financial 
Institutions and Consumer Credit, hearing on H.R. 5244, Credit 
Cardholders' Bill of Rights, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Middle East and 
South Asia and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and 
Trade, joint hearing on Between Feckless and Reckless: U.S. Policy 
Options to Prevent a Nuclear Iran, 1 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 5464, A 
Child is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act; H.R. 2352, School 
Safety Enhancements Act of 2007; H.R. 1783, Elder Justice Act, and 
H.R. 5352, Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2008, 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  Committee on Natural Resources, to mark up the following bills: 
H.R. 5541, Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act; 
H.R. 3522, to ratify a conveyance of a portion of the Jicarilla 
Apache Reservation to Rio Arriba County, State of New Mexico, 
pursuant to the settlement of litigation between the Jicarilla 
Apache Nation and Rio Arriba County, State of New Mexico, to 
authorize issuance of a patent for said lands, and to change the 
exterior boundary of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation accordingly, 
and for other purposes; S. 2457, To provide for extensions of leases 
of certain land by Mashantucket Pequot (Western Tribe); H.R. 1575, 
Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Reafirmation Act; and 
H.R. 3490, Tuolumne Me-Wuk Land Transfer Act of 2007, 2 p.m., 1324 
Longworth,
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on 
Domestic Policy, hearing on After the Beef Recall: Exploring Greater 
Transparency in the Meat Industry, 1 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on Small Business, hearing on Maintaining Public Lands 
for Hunting, Fishing, Ranching and Small Businesses, 9:30 a.m., and 
a markup of a measure Reauthorizing the Small Business Innovation 
Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, 1 p.m., 
1539 Longworth.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, 
hearing on First in a Series: Greening Washington and the National 
Capital Region, 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.


                             Joint Meetings

  Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: to hold hearings 
to examine Armenia and the United States, focusing on Organization 
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSEC) negotiations on 
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia's qualifications for assistance from 
the Millennium Challenge Account, 2 p.m., B-318, Rayburn Building.
  Conference: meeting of conferees on H.R. 2419, to provide for the 
continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, Time 
to be announced, SH-216.