[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D485-D487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
NSA
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense/Select 
Intelligence Oversight Panel, executive, on the National Security 
Agency. Testimony was heard from Keith B. Alexander, Director, NSA.
SECTION 8 HOUSING PROGRAM CHALLENGES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on 
Department of Housing and Urban Development-Status of Project-Based 
Section 8 Program. Testimony was heard from Brian Montgomery, Assistant 
Secretary, Housing, Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing 
and Urban Development; and public witnesses.
RESERVES' DENTAL SERVICES READINESS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on challenges associated with achieving 
full dental readiness in the reserve component. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: COL Gary 
Martin, DDS, USAF, Chief, Dental Care Branch TRICARE Management 
Activity; COL Mark Bodenheim, DDS, USA, Chief, Reserve Component 
Mobilization and Demobilization Operations, U.S. Army Dental Command; 
CPT Kerry Krause, DDS, USN, Reserve Affairs Officer, U.S. Navy Dental 
Corps; COL Deborah L. Hart, DDS, USAF, Mobilization Assistant to the 
Air Force Assistant Surgeon General, Dental Services, Office of the 
Surgeon General, U.S. Air Force; and COL David B. Sproat, M.D., USA, 
Chief Surgeon, Army National Guard.
IMPROVING WORKPLACE SAFETY
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 
held a hearing on Improving Workplace Safety: Strengthening OSHA 
Enforcement of Multi-Site Employers. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
HEALTH MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 1343, amended, Health 
Centers Renewal Act of 2007; H.R. 5669, Poison Center Support, 
Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008; H.R. 1553, amended, Conquer 
Childhood Cancer Act of 2007; and H.R. 3112, amended, Prenatally 
Diagnosed Condition Awareness Act of 2007.
NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION ACT; EMERGENCY MORTGAGE LOAN MODIFICATION 
ACT; COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 5818, Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008; and 
H.R. 5579. Emergency Mortgage Loan Modification Act of 2008.

[[Page D486]]


  The Committee also approved pending Committee business.
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE REFORM
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on Foreign Assistance 
Reform in the Next Administration: Challenges and Solutions. Testimony 
was heard from former Representative Jim T. Kolbe of Arizona; and 
public witnesses.
U.S.-SOUTH KOREA STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and 
the Global Environment held a hearing on A New Beginning for the U.S.-
South Korea Strategic Alliance. Testimony was heard from Alexander A. 
Arvizu, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific 
Affairs, Department of State.
NATO OUTLOOK
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe held a hearing on 
the Bucharest Summit and the Way Forward for NATO. Testimony was heard 
from Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian 
Affairs, Department of State; and Daniel P. Fata, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, European and NATO Policy, Department of Defense.
HOMELAND SECURITY REFORM
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Moving Beyond 
the First Five Years: Improving the Functionality, Governance, and 
Accountability of the Department of Homeland Security.'' Testimony was 
heard from Paul A. Schneider, Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of 
Homeland Security.
OVERSIGHT--FBI
Committee on the Judiciary: Held an oversight hearing on the FBI. 
Testimony was heard from Robert S. Mueller, Director, FBI, Department 
of Justice.
ALASKA PENINSULA REFUGE/KING COVE SAFE ACCESS ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported H.R. 2801, Izembek and 
Alaska Peninsula Refuge and Wilderness Enhancement and King Cove Safe 
Access Act.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans approved for full Committee action, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 21, Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy 
for the 21st Century Act; H.R. 5618, National Sea Grant College Program 
Amendments Act of 2008.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power 
approved for full Committee action, as amended, the following bills: 
H.R. 2649, To make amendments to the Reclamation Project Authorization 
and Adjustment Act of 1992; H.R. 3323, Goleta Water Distribution System 
Conveyance Act of 2007; and H.R. 4841, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians 
Settlement Act.
DOMESTIC ABSTINENCE-ONLY PROGRAMS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on 
Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Assessing the Evidence. Testimony 
was heard from Senator Brownback, Representative Capps, Charles 
Keckler, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Policy, Administration for 
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services; Marcia 
Crosse, Director, Healthcare, GAO; 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 
H.R. 5811, Electronic Communications Preservation Act. Testimony was 
heard from Linda D. Koontz, Director, Information Management Issues, 
GAO; the following officials of the National Archives and Records 
Administration: Gary Stern, General Counsel; and Paul Wester, Jr., 
Director, Modern Records Program; and a public witness.
NUCLEAR POWER--OPPORTUNITIES/CHALLENGES
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on Opportunities 
and Challenges for Nuclear Power. Testimony was heard from John 
Grossenbacher, Director, Idaho National Laboratory, Department of 
Energy; and public witnesses.
SBA'S WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulations, Health Care 
and Trade held a hearing entitled ``Minority and Hispanic Participation 
in the Federal Workforce and the Impact on the Small Business 
Community.'' Testimony was heard from Daryl Hairston, Deputy Associate 
Administrator, Office of Management and Administration, SBA; Nancy 
Kachik, Associate Director, Strategic Human Resources Policy, OPM; 
George Stalcup, Director, Strategic Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.

[[Page D487]]


NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Aviation held a hearing on the Reauthorization of the National 
Transportation Safety Board. Testimony was heard from Mark V. Rosenker, 
Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board and Gerald Dillingham, 
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO.
RAIL CAPACITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Railroad, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing on Rail 
Capacity. Testimony was heard from Alexander Kummant, President and 
CEO, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK); and public 
witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 5684, 
amended, Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2008; H.R. 4884, 
amended, Helping Our Veterans to Keep Their Homes Act of 2008; 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 
servicemember during the one-year period following the servicemember's 
period of military service; H.R. 4889, amended, The Guard and Reserved 
Are Fighting Too Act of 2008; H.R. 3681, Veterans Benefits Awareness 
Act of 2007; H.R. 3889, amended, 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. 5664, amended, 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.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Health approved for full 
Committee action the following bills: H.R. 2790, amended, To amend 
title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director of 
Physician Assistant Services within the office of the under Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs for Health; H.R. 3819, Veterans Emergency Care 
Fairness Act of 2007; H.R. 5729, Spina Bifida Health Care Program 
Expansion Act; H.R. 5554, amended, Veterans Substance Use Disorders 
Prevention and Treatment Act of 2008; and H.R. 5856, Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Authorization and Lease Act of 2008.
CLEARING--DISABILITY BACKLOG
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Clearing the Disability 
Backlog. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner, SSA; 
Sylvester J. Schieber, Chairman, Social Security Advisory Board; and 
public witnesses.
FY 2009 BUDGET--HUMAN CAPITAL
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Fiscal Year 2009 Budget-Human Capital. Testimony was 
heard from departmental witnesses.