[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 16, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D904-D907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
INTERNATIONAL FOOD/AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Speciality Crops, Rural 
Development, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review efforts 
to deliver international food aid and provide foreign agricultural 
development assistance. Testimony was heard from Michael W. Yost, 
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; James Kunder, Acting 
Deputy Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, 
Department of State; and public witnesses.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs approved for full Committee action the State, 
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations for Fiscal Year 
2009.
INCREASING HEALTHCARE VALUE
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Getting Better Value in 
Health Care. Testimony was heard from Peter Orszag, Director, CBO; and 
public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 2851, Mitchell's Law; H.R. 6432, Animal Drug User 
Fee Amendments of 2008; and H.R. 6433, Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act 
of 2008.
MONETARY POLICY AND STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing on Monetary Policy and 
the State of the Economy. Testimony was heard from Ben S. Bernanke, 
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Ordered reported as amended, the 
following bills: H.R. 3202, Foreign

[[Page D905]]

Service Overseas Pay Equity Act of 2007; and H.R. 6328, To develop a 
policy to address the critical needs of Iragi refugees.
  The Committee favorably considered the following measures and, by 
unanimous consent, approved a request of the Chairman that they be 
placed on the Suspension Calendar: H.R. 6456, amended, To provide for 
extensions of certain authorities of the Department of State and for 
other purposes; H. Res. 937, amended, Expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives that the emergency communications services provided 
by the American Red Cross are vital resources for military service 
members and their families; H. Res. 1008, amended, Condemning the 
persecution of Baha'is in Iran; H. Res. 1069, amended, Condemning the 
use of television programming by Hamas to indoctrinate hatred, 
violence, and anti-Semitism toward Israel in young Palestinian 
children; H. Res. 1159, Recognizing the historical significance of the 
United States sloop-of-war Constellation as a surviving witness to the 
horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and a leading participant in 
America's effort to end the practice; H. Res. 1254, amended, Supporting 
the values and goals of the ``Joint Action Plan Between the Government 
of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Government of the United 
States of America to Eliminate Racial and Ethic Discrimination and 
Promote Equality,'' signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and 
the Brazilian Minister of Racial Integration Edson Santos on March 13, 
2008; H.R. 1266, amended, Congratulating Albania and Croatia on being 
invited to begin accession talks with the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization and expressing support for continuing to enlarge the 
alliance; H. Res. 1279, Recognizing the Special Olympics' 40th 
anniversary; H. Res. 1290, amended, Joining the Office of the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in observance of World Refugee 
Day and calling on the United States Government, international 
organizations, and aid groups to take immediate steps to secure 
urgently needed humanitarian relief for the more than 2,000,000 people 
displaced by genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan; H.R. 1307, 
Commemorating the Kingdom of Bhutan's participation in the 2008 
Smithsonian Folklife Festival and commending the people and the 
Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan for their commitment to holding 
elections and broadening political participation; H. Con. Res. 344, 
amended, Recognizing that we are facing a global food crisis; H. Con. 
Res. 361, Commemorating Irena Sendler, a woman whose bravery saved the 
lives of thousands during the Holocaust and remembering her legacy of 
courage, selflessness, and hope; and H. Con. Res. 371, amended, 
Strongly supporting an immediate and just restitution of, or 
compensation for, property illegally confiscated during the last 
century by Nazi and Communist regimes.
VISA WAIVER PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and 
Global Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled ``Implementing the 9/11 
Act Mandates for Enhancing the Visa Waiver Program.'' Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland 
Security: Richard C. Barth, Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy 
Development; and Robert Mocny, Director, US-VISIT Program; Stephen A. 
Edson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Visa Services, Bureau of Consular 
Affairs, Department of State; and public witnesses.
BIOSURVEILLANCE IMPLANTION
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, 
Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology held a hearing entitled ``One 
Year Later--Implementing the Biosurveillance Requirements of the `9/11 
Act.' '' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Robert Hooks, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for WMD and BioDefense, Office of Health Affairs; Eric Myers, 
Director, National Biosurveillance Integration Center, Office of Health 
Affairs; William Jenkins, Jr., Director, Homeland Security and Justice 
Issues; and Jeffrey Stieffel, Director, BioWatch, Office of Health 
Affairs; William Jenkins, Jr., Director, Homeland Security and Justice 
Issues, GAO; and Frances Downes, Director, State Public Health 
Laboratory, Department of Community Health, State of Michigan; and a 
public witness.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported, as amended, the following 
bills: H.R. 5546, Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008; H.R. 4854, False 
Claims Act Correction Act of 2007; H.R. 4081, PACT Act; H.R. 6083, To 
authorize funding for the National Advocacy Center; and H.R. 6034, To 
amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for relief to 
surviving spouses and children.
U.S. PAROLE COMMISSION REAUTHORIZATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on the Reauthorization of the U.S. 
Parole Commission. Testimony was heard from Eleanor Holmes Norton, 
Delegate, District of Columbia; Edward F. Reilly, Jr., Chairman, United 
States Parole Commission, Department of Justice; and public witnesses.

[[Page D906]]


MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 160, amended, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield 
Protection Act; H.R. 4828, amended, Palo Alto Battlefield National 
Historic Site Boundary Expansion Act of 2007; H.R. 5751, Walnut Canyon 
Study Act of 2008; H.R. 6176, To authorize the expansion of the Fort 
Davis National Historic Site in Fort Davis, Texas, and for other 
purposes; H.R. 2933, amended, Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 
2007; H.R. 3299, amended, To provide for a boundary adjustment and land 
conveyances involving Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado, to correct 
the effects of an erroneous land survey that resulted in approximately 
7 acres of the Crystal Lakes Subdivision, Ninth Filing, encroaching on 
National Forest System land; H.R. 3336, amended, Camp Hale Historic 
District Study Act; H.R. 3849, amended, Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance 
Act; H.R. 3437, amended, Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Act of 2007; H.R. 
2535, Tule River Tribe Water Development Act; H.R. 5293, amended, 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights 
Settlement Act; and H.R. 5350, amended, To authorize the Secretary of 
Commerce to sell or exchange certain National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration property located in Norfolk, Virginia, and for other 
purposes.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 1865, amended, To amend title 31, United 
States Code, to allow certain local tax debt to be collected through 
the reduction of Federal tax refunds; H.R. 5235, amended, Ronald Reagan 
Centennial Commission Act; H.R. 6073, To provide that Federal employees 
their pay by electronic funds transfer shall be given the option of 
receiving their pay stubs electronically; H.R. 6113, amended, To amend 
title 44, United States Code, to require each agency to include a 
contact telephone number in its collection of information; H.R. 6322, 
Public Charters School Home Rule Act of 2008; H.R. 6388, amended, 
Government Accountability Improvement Act of 2008; H.R. 6500, amended, 
Thrift Savings Enhancement Act; H. Res. 732, amended, To support the 
designation of National Estate Planning Awareness Week; H. Con. Res. 
364, Recognizing the Significance of National Caribbean-American 
Heritage Month; H. Res. 1128, To express support for the goals and 
ideals of National Carriage Driving Month; H. Res. 1143, Supporting the 
goals and ideals of the Apple Crunch and the Nations's domestic apple 
industry; H. Res. 1202, Supporting the goals and ideals of a National 
Guard Youth Challenge Day; H. Res. 1262, Expressing the sense of the 
House of Representatives that the Secretary of Commerce should use all 
reasonable measures to ensure that every person is counted in the 2010 
decennial census; H. Res. 1311, Expressing support for the designation 
of National GEAR UP Day on July 22, 2008; H.R. 5932, To designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2801 Manhattan 
Boulevard in Harvey, Louisiana, as the ``Harry Lee Post Office 
Building;'' H.R. 6168, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 112 South 5th Street in Saint Charles, 
Missouri, as the ``Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office 
Building;'' H.R. 6169, To designate the facility of the United States 
Postal Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, 
as the ``Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office Building;'' H.R. 6198, 
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 1700 Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, as the ``Reverend Earl Abel 
Post Officer Building;'' H.R. 6208, To designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 1100 Town and Country Commons 
in Chesterfield, Missouri, as the ``Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos 
Post Office Building;'' H.R. 6226, To designate the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 300 East 3rd Street, Jamestown, 
New York, as the ``Stan Lundine Post Office Building;'' H.R. 6229, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 
2523 7th Avenue East in North Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the ``Mayor 
William Bill' Sandberg Post Office Building;'' H.R. 6338, To designate 
the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4233 West 
Hillsboro Boulevard in Coconut Creek, Florida, as the ``Army SPC Daniel 
Agami Post Office Building;'' and H.R. 6437, To designate the facility 
of the United States Postal Service located at 200 North Texas Avenue 
in Odessa, Texas as the ``Corporal Alfred Mac Wilson Post Office.''
RETIRED-DISABLED VETS RETROACTIVE PAY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing on Examining Contractor Performance and 
Government Management of Retroactive Pay for Retired Veterans with 
Disabilities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Zack E. Gaddy, Director, Finance and Accounting 
Service; and Gordon Heddell, Acting Inspector General; and public 
witnesses.

[[Page D907]]


PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND RULES-MEASURE 
CONCERNING DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by record vote of 9-3, a rule providing 
that it shall be in order at any time on the legislative day of 
Thursday, July 17, 2008, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the 
House suspend the rules relating to a measure concerning the domestic 
production of oil and natural gas.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Science and Technology: Ordered reported the following 
bills: H.R. 3957, amended, Water Use Efficiency and Conservation 
Research Act; H.R. 2339, Produced Water Utilization Act of 2007; and 
H.R. 6323, amended, To establish a research, development, 
demonstration, and commercial application program to promote research 
of appropriate technologies for heavy duty plug-in hybrid vehicles, and 
for other purposes.
VETERANS AMPUTEES SMALL PROSTHETIC PRACTICES
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology 
held a hearing on Ensuring Continuity of Care for Veteran Amputees: The 
Role of Small Prosthetic Practices. Testimony was heard from Frederick 
Downs, Jr., Chief Prosthetics and Clinical Logistics Officer, Office of 
Prosthetics and Clinical Logistics, Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
public witnesses
COAST GUARD ICEBREAKING
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Coast Guard 
Icebreaking. Testimony was heard from Representative Stupak; ADM Thad 
Allen, USCG, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland 
Security; Arden L. Bement, Director, NSF; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAMS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on Improving Roadway Safety: 
Assessing the Effectiveness of the NHTSA's Highway Traffic Safety 
Programs. Testimony was heard from Jim Ports, Deputy Administrator, 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of 
Transportation; Katherine A. Siggerud, Director, Physical 
Infrastructure Issues, GAO; Christopher J. Murphy, Director, Office of 
Traffic Safety, State of California; and public witnesses.
VETERANS' MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported the following bills: 
H.R. 4255, amended, United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Program 
Act of 2007; H.R. 6225, Injunctive Relief for Veterans Act of 2008; 
H.R. 6221, amended, Veteran-Owned Small Business Protection and 
Clarification Act of 2008; H.R. 6445, amended, To amend title 38, 
United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 
collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically 
disabled; H.R. 1527, amended, Rural Veterans Access to Care Act; H.R. 
2192, amended, To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an 
Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans Affairs; and H.R. 674, To 
amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the provision of law 
requiring termination of the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans as 
of December 31, 2009.

Joint Meetings
RACISM IN OSCE
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine racism in the 21st century, focusing on 
understanding global challenges and implementing solutions, addressing 
non-violent and violent forms of racial and ethnic discrimination in 
the 56 North American and European countries that make up the 
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) region, 
including racist and xenophobic political platforms, worrying increases 
in hate crimes, and inequalities in housing, education, employment, and 
the justice system, after receiving testimony from Anastasia Crickley, 
OSCE Chair-in-Office Personal Representative on Combating Racism, 
Xenophobia, and Discrimination Against Christians and Members of Other 
Religions, Maynooth, Ireland; Gay McDougall, United Nations, 
Washington, D.C.; and John Payton, National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Educational 
Fund, New York, New York.