[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 15, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D892-D894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
U.S. DEFENSE GRAND STRATEGY
Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on A New U.S. Grand Strategy. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
LABOR'S WAGE/HOUR LAWS ENFORCEMENT
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Is the Department 
of Labor Effectively Enforcing Our Wage and Hour Laws? Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the GAO: Gregory D. Kutz, 
Managing Director, Forensic Audits and Special Investigations; and 
Anne-Marie Lasowski, Acting Director, Education, Workforce and Income 
Security Issues; Alexandria Passantino, Acting Administrator, Wage and 
Hour Division, Department of Labor; and a public witness.
PERMANENT NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air 
Quality held a hearing entitled ``Next Steps Toward Permanent Nuclear 
Waste Disposal.'' Testimony was heard from. Representative Berkley; 
from the following officials of the Department of Energy: Edward F. 
Sproat, III, Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management; 
and B. John Garrick, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review 
Board; Michael F. Weber, Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, NRC; Robert J. Meyers, Principal Deputy Assistant 
Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, EPA; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency 
Communications, Preparedness and Response held a hearing entitled 
``Assessing the Framework and Coordination of the National Emergency 
Communications Plan.'' Testimony was heard following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Robert D. Jamison, Under Secretary, 
National Protection and Programs Directorate; and Chris Essid, 
Director, Office of Emergency Communications; and public witnesses.
AIR CARGO SECURITY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 
and Infrastructure held a hearing entitled ``The Next Step in Aviation 
Security--Cargo Security: Is DHS Implementing the Requirements of the 
9/11 Law Effectively?'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: John P. Shammon, 
Assistant Administrator, Transportation Sector Network Management, 
Transportation Security Administration; and James Tuttle, Director, 
Explosives Division, Directorate for Science and Technology; Cathleen 
Berrick, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, GAO; and 
public witnesses.
INTERNET COMPETITION
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Competition Policy and 
Antitrust Laws held a hearing on Competition on the Internet. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved for full Committee action the following 
bills: H.R. 6126, Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008; 
H.R. 5312, Automobile Arbitration Fairness Act of 2008; and H.R. 3010, 
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007.
ADMINISTRATION INTERROGATION RULES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights and Civil Liberties continued hearings on From the Department of 
Justice to Guantanamo Bay: Administration Lawyers and Administration 
Interrogation Rules, Part IV. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 6064, 
National Silver Alert Act; H.R. 5898, Silver Alert Grant Program Act of 
2008; and H.R. 423, Kristen's Act Reauthorization of 2007. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Doggett, Bilirakis and Myrick.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 2297, 
Arizona National Scenic Trail Act; H.R. 2299, Southern Nevada Limited 
Transition Area Act; H.R. 5335, To amend the

[[Page D893]]

National Trails System Act to provide for the inclusion of new trails 
segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with the Trail of 
Tears National Historic Trail, and for other purposes; H.R. 5671, To 
amend the laws establishing the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National 
Recreation Area and the Columbia River National Gorge National Scenic 
Area, units of the National Forest System derived from the public 
domain, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to retain and utilize 
special use permit fees collected by the Secretary in connection with 
the operation of marinas in the recreation area and the operation of 
the Multnomah Fall Lodge in the scenic area, and for other purposes; 
H.R. 5853, Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act; 
H.R. 6159, Deafy Glade Land Exchange Act; H.R. 6176, To authorize the 
expansion of the Fort Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, 
Texas, and for other purposes; and H.R. 6305, To clarify the 
authorization for the use of certain National Park Service properties 
within Golden Gate National Parks and San Francisco Maritime National 
Historic Park, and for other purposes. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Herger, Blumenauer, Rodriguez, Giffords, Heller of 
Nevada, and Tsongas, Daniel N. Wenk, Deputy Director, National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior; Chuck Myers, Associate Deputy 
Chief, Forest Service, USDA; James B. Gibson, Mayor, Henderson, Nevada; 
John M. Vasquez, Supervisor, Board of Supervisors, Solano County, 
California; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 3437, 
amended, Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Act of 2007; H.R. 2535, Tule 
River Tribe Water Development Act; and H.R. 5293, amended, Shoshone-
Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement 
Act.
PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS HOME RULE ACT; DC COURT , OFFENDER SUPERVISION, 
PAROLE, AND PUBLIC DEFENDER EMPLOYEES EQUITY ACT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia approved for 
full Committee action H.R. 6322, Public Charter Schools Home Rule Act 
of 2008.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on H.R. 5600, District of 
Columbia Court, Offender Supervision, Parole, and Public Defender 
Employees Equity Act of 2008. Testimony was heard from Linda Springer, 
Director, OPM; and from the following officials of the District of 
Columbia: Ann Wicks, Executive Officer, Superior Court; Paul Quander, 
Director, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency; and Avis E. 
Buchanan, Director, Public Defender Service.
AFRICOM; RATIONALES, ROLE, AND PROGRESS ON THE EVE OF OPERATIONS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on AFRICOM: Rationales, 
Roles, and Progress on the Eve of Operations. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the Department of Defense: Theresa Whelan, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary, African Affairs, Office of the Secretary; 
Ambassador Mary C. Yates, Deputy to the Commander, Civil-Military 
Activities; and MG Michael A. Snodgrass, USAF, Chief of Staff, both 
with U.S. Africa Command; John Pendleton, Director, Force Structure and 
Defense Planning Issues, GAO; and Lauren Ploch, Analyst in African 
Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, CRS, Library of 
Congress.
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FISCAL YEAR 2009
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 5959, the ``Intelligence 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.'' The rule provides for 1 hour 
of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and 
Ranking Minority Member of the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except those arising under clause 9 of rule XXI. The rule provides that 
the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 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 committee 
amendment.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the report 
of the Committee on Rules and waives all points of order against such 
amendments except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The 
amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in 
the Rules Committee 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 this 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.
  The rule provides one motion to recommit with or without 
instructions. Finally, the rule permits the

[[Page D894]]

Chair, during consideration of the bill in the House, to postpone 
further consideration until a time designated by the Speaker. Testimony 
was heard from Chairman Reyes and Representatives Holt, Hinchey, 
Harman, Lee, Hoekstra, Shays, Castle and Kirk.
NATIONAL HIGHWAY BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION ACT OF 2008
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 3999, the ``National Highway Bridge 
Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2007.'' The rule provides for 1 
hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure.
  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 printed in 
part A of the Rules Committee report shall be an original bill for the 
purpose of amendment. The rule provides that the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute printed in part A of the report shall be 
considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute except those arising under 
clause 10 of rule XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those further amendments printed in part 
B of the 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. The rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments except those arising under 
clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI.
  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 to a time 
designated by the Speaker. Testimony was heard from Chairman Oberstar 
and Representatives Loebsack, Mica, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Poe, 
Miller of Michigan, Shays, and Conaway.
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS/UNIVERSITIES--INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE ROLE
Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on the Role of Non-Governmental 
Organizations and Universities in International Science and Technology 
Cooperation. Testimony was heard from Michael Clegg, Foreign Secretary, 
National Academy of Science; and public witnesses.
NIST-BOULDER'S LOW-LEVEL PLUTONIUM SPILL
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Technology and 
Innovation held an oversight hearing on Low-Level Plutonium Spill at 
NIST-Boulder; Contamination of Lab and Personnel. Testimony was heard 
from James Turner, Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Department of Commerce; and the following officials of the 
NRC: Charles Miller, Director, Office of Federal and State Materials 
and Environmental Management Programs; and Elmo Collins, Regional 
Administrator, Region IV Office; and Kenneth Rogers former 
Commissioner, NRC.
VETERANS-MEDIA OUTREACH
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Veterans Media Outreach to Veterans. 
Testimony was heard from Lisette M. Mondello, Assistant Secretary, 
Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs; 
and public witnesses.
STATE COVERAGE INITIATIVES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
State Coverage Initiatives. Testimony was heard from JudyAnn Bigby, 
M.D., Secretary of Health and Human Services, State of Massachusetts; 
and public witnesses.
BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing from Ambassador Christopher R. Hill, Assistant 
Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of 
State.

Joint Meetings
GUANTANAMO BAY DETAINEES
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the Supreme Court's recent decision in Boumediene 
v. Bush, focusing on foreign terrorism suspects held at the Guantanamo 
Bay detention facility, after receiving testimony from Matthew C. 
Waxman, Columbia Law School, New York, New York; and Gabor Rona, Human 
Rights First, and Jeremy Shapiro, Brookings Institution, both of 
Washington, D.C.