[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D805-D807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
ENERGY MARKETS TRADING
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review trading in energy 
markets. Testimony was heard from Walter Lukken, Acting Chairman, CFTC.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND HOMELAND APPROPRIATIONS; 
BUDGET ALLOCATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Ordered reported the following: Report on 
the Suballocation of Budget Allocations, Fiscal Year 2009; Report on 
the Revised Suballocation of Budget Allocations, Fiscal Year 2008; and 
as amended, the Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009: Military 
Construction, Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Homeland 
Security.
CLASSIFIED APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Intelligence Oversight Panel met in 
executive session and approved Recommendations for Classified 
Appropriations.
SAFE COMMISSION ACT--LONG-TERM FISCAL CHALLENGE
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on H.R. 3654, SAFE Commission 
Act, and the Long-Term Fiscal Challenge. Testimony was heard from David 
M. Walker, former Comptroller General, GAO; and public witnesses.
IS OSHA FAILING TO ADEQUATELY ENFORCE CONSTRUCTION SAFETY RULES
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Is OSHA Failing to 
Adequately Enforce Construction Safety Rules? Testimony was heard from 
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary, Occupational Safety and 
Health, Department of Labor; Robert LiMandri, Acting Building 
Commissioner, New York City; and public witnesses.
HEALTH EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on H.R. 3014, Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007. Testimony 
was heard from Representative Clyburn; the following officials of the 
Department of Health and Human Services: John Ruffin, Director, 
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH; and 
Garth Graham, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary, Minority Heath, Office 
of Public Health and Science, Office of the Assistant Secretary, 
Health; and public witnesses.
UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUTURE
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Telecommunications 
and the Internet held a hearing on The Future of Universal Service: To 
Whom, By Whom, For What, and How Much? Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Financial Services: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 3329, Homes for Heroes Act of 2007; H.R. 6309, 
Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2008; H.R. 4461, Community Building 
Code Administration Grant Act of 2007; and H.R. 4049, Money Service 
Business Act of 2007.
  Will continue markup tomorrow.
BUSINESS ACTIVITY TAX SIMPLIFICATION ACT OF 2008
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 5267, Business Activity Tax 
Simplification Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Boucher and Goodlatte; R. Bruce Johnson, Commissioner, Tax Commission, 
State of Utah; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL SECURITY LETTERS REFORM ACT OF 2007; SUBPOENA
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution approved 
for full Committee action H.R. 3189, National Security Letters Reform 
Act of 2007.
  The Subcommittee also approved a resolution authorizing the Chairman 
to issue a subpoena to compel the testimony of Douglas Feith.
ONLINE PHARMACIES AND THE PROBLEM OF INTERNET DRUG ABUSE
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on Online Pharmacies and the Problem 
of Internet Drug Abuse. Testimony was heard from Joseph T. Rannazzisi, 
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office

[[Page D806]]

of Diversion Control. Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of 
Justice; and public witnesses.
WILDLIFE WITHOUT BORDERS AUTHORIZATION ACT; OVERSIGHT--CHANGING 
CLIMATE--IMPACT ON WILDLIFE AND OCEANS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans oversight hearing on Planning for a Changing Climate and its 
Impacts on Wildlife and Oceans; and a hearing on H.R. 4455, Wildlife 
Without Borders Authorization Act. Testimony was heard from Margaret 
Davidson, Director, Coastal Services Center, NOAA, Department of 
Commerce; the following officials of the Department of the Interior; 
Dan Ashe, Science Advisor to the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service; and Kaush Arha, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife 
and Parks; David K. Whitehurst, Director, Wildlife Division, Department 
of Game and Inland Fisheries, State of Virginia; Tony Bruello, Deputy 
Secretary, Climate Change and Energy, Resources Agency, State of 
California; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--IMPACTS OF INVASIVE QUAGGA MUSSELS
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power held an 
oversight hearing on The Silent Invasion: Finding Solutions to Minimize 
the Impacts of Invasive Quagga Mussels on Water Rates, Water 
Infrastructure and the Environment. Testimony was heard from Karl 
Wirkus, Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
AEY CONTRACTS EXAMINATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held a hearing on 
Examination of AEY Contracts with the U.S. Government. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: BGN 
William N. Phillips, USA, Commanding General, Picatinny Arsenal, 
Commander, Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command; 
Jeffery P. Pasons, Executive Director, Army Contracting Command 
(Provisional) U.S. Army Materiel Command; and Mitchell Howell, 
Executive Director, Ground Systems and Munitions Division, Defense 
Contract Management Agency; and Stephen D. Mull, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Department of State.
OVERSIGHT--COALITION SUPPORT FUNDS FOR PAKISTAN
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on Oversight of Coalition 
Support Funds for Pakistan. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the GAO: Charles Michael Johnson, Jr., Director, 
International Affairs and Trade; and Steve Sebastian, Director, 
Financial Management and Assurance Team; the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: MG Bobby Wilkes (Ret.), Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, South Asia, Office of the Secretary; and John P. Roth, 
Deputy Comptroller (Program/Budget), Office of the Under Secretary 
(Comptroller); and Ambassador Stephen D. Mull, Acting Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau for Political-Military Affairs, Department of State.
ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a record vote of 9 to 3, a closed rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 6275, the ``Alternative Minimum Tax 
Relief Act of 2008.'' The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally 
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on Ways and Means.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule 
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 
by the Committee on Ways and Means shall be considered as adopted and 
the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. The rule waives all 
points of order against provisions of the bill, as amended.
  The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Finally, notwithstanding the operation of the previous 
question, the Chair may postpone further consideration until a time 
designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Neal and Brady of Texas.
ADA RESTORATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by a non-record vote, a 
closed rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3195, the ``ADA 
Restoration Act of 2007.'' The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, 
with 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and Labor and 20 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
  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 
Education and Labor now printed in the bill shall be considered as 
adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All 
points of order against provisions of the bill, as amended, are waived.

[[Page D807]]


  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 the Speaker. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman George Miller of California; and 
Chairman Conyers
LAND CLAIMS--BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY AND SAULT STE. MARINE TRIBE OF 
CHIPPEWA INDIANS
Committee on Rules: Committee granted, by a non-record vote, a closed 
rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2176, to provide for and 
approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Bay Mills Indian 
Community. The rule provides 1 hour of debate in the House, with 40 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, and 20 minutes 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except for clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. In lieu of the amendment in 
the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural 
Resources now printed in the bill, the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute printed in the Rules Committee report shall be considered as 
adopted. The rule waives all points of order against provisions of the 
bill, as amended, and provides that the bill, as amended, shall be 
considered as read. The rule provides one motion to recommit with or 
without instructions. Finally, the rule provides that the Chair may 
postpone further consideration of the bill to a time designated by the 
Speaker. Testimony was heard from Chairmen Rahall and Conyers; and 
Representatives Stupak, Berkley, Miller of Michigan and Campbell of 
California.
AMERICAN DECLINE OR RENEWAL
Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight continued hearings on American Decline or Renewal? Part 2--
the Past and Future of Skilled Work. Testimony was heard from Paul 
Brubaker, Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology 
Administration, Department of Transportation; Randall Iwasaki, Chief 
Deputy Director, Department of Transportation, State of California; and 
public witnesses.
EFFICIENT ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held a hearing on Sustainable, Energy-Efficient Road 
Infrastructure. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit, hearing on Connecting Communities: The Role of 
the Surface Transportation Network in Moving People and Freight. 
Testimony was heard from Jim Lynch, Director and CEO, Department of 
Transportation, State of Montana; H. B. Limehouse, Jr., Secretary, 
Department of Transportation, State of South Carolina; and public 
witnesses.
COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING
Committee on Transportation: Subcommittee on Water Resources, and 
Environment held a hearing on Comprehensive Watershed Management and 
Planning. Testimony was heard from Steven L. Stockton, Director, Civil 
Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army; and public 
witnesses.
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES--VA/DOD COOPERATION AND REINTEGRATION
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on VA/DOD Cooperation and Reintegration 
of National Guard and Reserves. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Army: COL Corinne Ritter, USA 
Director, Army Reserve Surgeon Office Forward, U.S. Army Reserve; and 
SMA Janet Salotti, USA (Ret.). Chief of Reintegration, Office of Joint 
Manpower and Personnel, National Guard Bureau; MG Marianne Mathewson-
Chapman, USA (Ret.), National Guard and Reserve Coordinator, Office of 
Outreach to Guard and Reserve Families, Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and representatives of veterans 
organizations.
PROTECTING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on Protecting Social Security Beneficiaries from Predatory 
Lending and Other Harmful Financial Institution Practices. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the SSA: Patrick P. 
O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector General; and Marianna LaCanfora, Assistant 
Deputy Commissioner, Retirement and Disability Policy; Gary Grippo, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fiscal Operations, Department of the 
Treasury; Steve Fritts, Associate Director, Risk Management Policy and 
Examination Support Branch, Division of Supervision and Consumer 
Protection, FDIC; and public witnesses.