[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D716-D718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
PHTHALATES AND BISPHENOL-A CONSUMER SAFETY
Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Safety of Phthalates and 
Bisphenol-A in Everyday Consumer Products.'' Testimony was heard from 
Michael A. Babich, Chemist, Consumer Product Safety Commission; the 
following officials of the Department of Health and Human Services: 
John R. Bucher, Associate Director, National Toxicology Programs, 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH; and Norris 
Alderson, Associate Commissioner, Science, FDA; L. Earl Gray, Research 
Biologist, EPA; and public witnesses.
DIGITAL TV TRANSITION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet, hearing entitled ``Status of the DTV Transition: 252 
Days and Counting.'' Testimony was heard from Kevin J. Martin, 
Chairman, FCC; Bernadette McGuire-Rivera, Associate Administrator, 
Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of 
Commerce; Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, 
GAO; and public witnesses.
INSURANCE INFORMATION ACT OF 2008
Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing on H.R. 
5840, Insurance Information Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from 
Jeremiah O. Norton, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of the 
Treasury; Brian P. Kennedy, member, House of Representatives, State of 
Rhode Island; Michael T. McRaith, Director, Division of Insurance, 
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, State of Illinois; 
and public witnesses.
DIPLOMATIC ASSURANCE AND RENDITION TO TORTURE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight held a hearing on Diplomatic 
Assurances and Rendition to Torture: The Perspective of the State 
Department's Legal Adviser. Testimony was heard from John B. Bellinger 
III, Legal Adviser, Department of State.
FAIRNESS IN NURSING HOME ARBITRATION ACT OF 2008
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 6126, Fairness in Nursing 
Home Arbitration

[[Page D717]]

Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM; COMBATING GANGS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security approved for full Committee action H.R. 3546, To 
authorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program at 
fiscal year 2006 levels through 2012.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Addressing Gangs: What's 
Effective? What's Not? Testimony was heard from Kevin O'Connor, 
Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice; Frank Straub, 
Commissioner, Department of Public Safety, White Plains, New York; John 
Buckovich, Police Department, Richmond, Virginia; and public witnesses.
ELECTRONIC EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION SYSTEMS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law held a hearing on 
Electronic Employment Verification Systems: Impact on U.S. Workers. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives Calvert, Shuler, Sam Johnson 
of Texas; and Giffords; Jonathan Scharfen, Acting Director, U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Service, Department of Homeland Security; 
and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--COAL COMBUSTION WASTE
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held an oversight hearing on How Should the Federal 
Government Address the Health and Environmental Risks of Coal 
Combustion Waste? Testimony was heard from Shari Wilson, Secretary of 
the Environment, State of Maryland; and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL WHALING
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held an oversight hearing on the annual International Whaling 
Commission meeting to be held in Santiago, Chile from June 23-27. 
Testimony was heard from William T. Hogarth, U.S. Commissioner, 
International Whaling Commission; and public witnesses.
U.S.-MICRONESIA FREE ASSOCIATION
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs held an 
oversight hearing on the Implementation of the Compact of Free 
Association Amendments Act of 2003 between the United States and the 
Federated States of Micronesia. Testimony was heard from Tom Bussanich, 
Director, Budget Grants Management Division, Office of Insular Affairs, 
Department of the Interior; Glyn T. Davies, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of 
State; David B. Gootnick, Director, International Affairs and Trade, 
GAO; and Fabian Nimea, Director, Office of Statistics, Budget and 
Economic Management, Official Development Assistance and Compact 
Management, Federated States of Micronesia.
FEDERAL HIRING OF EX-OFFENDERS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia held a hearing 
entitled ``An Examination of Federal Employment Practices/Policies on 
Hiring Ex-offenders.'' Testimony was heard from Nancy Kichak, Associate 
Director, OPM; MG Thomas P. Bostick, USA, U.S. Army Recruiting Command; 
Brent Orrrell, Acting Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training 
Administration, Department of Labor; and public witnesses.
NASA AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a record vote of 9-4, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 6063, the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008. The rule provides 1 
hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Science and Technology. 
The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The rule provides that the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on 
Science and Technology now printed in the bill shall be considered as 
an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered 
as read. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute except for clause 10 of Rule XXI.
  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, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of 
order against the amendments except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI 
are waived. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Finally, the rule provides that, notwithstanding the 
operation of the previous question, the Chair may postpone further 
consideration of the bill to a time designated by

[[Page D718]]

the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Udall of Colorado, Jackson-Lee of 
Texas, Yarmuth, Hall of Texas, Rohrabacher and Gingrey.
COMMERCIAL TRUCK HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on Hybrid Technologies for Medium- to Heavy-
Duty Commercial Trucks. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FINANCING INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Held a hearing on 
Financing Infrastructure Investments. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives DeLauro, Blumenauer, Ellison and Calvert; and public 
witnesses.
HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES/REFORM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Addressing Disparities in Health and Healthcare. Testimony was heard 
from the following Representatives: Solis; Moran of Kansas, Christensen 
and Bordallo, and public witnesses.
BRIEFING--CHINA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on China. The Committee was briefed by departmental 
witnesses.