[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 141 (Monday, September 8, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1042-D1046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                    COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY,

                           SEPTEMBER 9, 2008

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Armed Services: to hold hearings to examine the 
current situation in Georgia and implications for United States 
policy; to be followed by a closed session in SVC-217, 9:30 a.m., 
SD-106.
  Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: to hold hearings 
to examine strengthening the ability of public transportation to 
reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign oil, 10 a.m., 
SD-538.
  Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, to hold oversight hearings to 
examine the Economic Development Administration, Department of 
Commerce, 10 a.m., SD-406.
  Committee on Finance: to hold hearings to examine improving health 
care quality, focusing on an integral step toward health care 
reform, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: to hold 
hearings to examine the nomination of Ruth Y. Goldway, of 
California, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory 
Commission, 3:15 p.m., SD-342.
  Committee on the Judiciary: to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Clark Waddoups, to be United States District Judge 
for the District of Utah, Michael M. Anello, to be United States 
District Judge for the Southern District of California, Mary Stenson 
Scriven, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District 
of Florida, Christine M. Arguello, to be United States District 
Judge for the District of Colorado, Philip A. Brimmer, to be United 
States District Judge for the District of Colorado, and Gregory G. 
Garre, of Maryland, to be Solicitor General of the United States, 10 
a.m., SD-562.
  Full Committee, to hold oversight hearings to examine the 
Department of Justice, focusing on protecting the right to vote and 
preparations for the 2008 general election, 2:15 p.m., SD-562.


                      CONGRESSIONAL PROGRAM AHEAD

             Week of September 9 through September 13, 2008

                             Senate Chamber

  On Tuesday, at approximately, 11 a.m., Senate will continue 
consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 3001, 
National Defense Authorization Act.
  During the balance of the week, Senate may consider any cleared 
legislative and executive business.


                           Senate Committees

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
  Committee on Appropriations: September 10, Subcommittee on 
Defense, business meeting to mark up Department of Defense 
appropriations for fiscal year 2009, 10 a.m., SD-192.

[[Page D1043]]


  Committee on Armed Services: September 9, to hold hearings to 
examine the current situation in Georgia and implications for United 
States policy; to be followed by a closed session in SVC-217, 9:30 
a.m., SD-106.
  Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: September 9, to 
hold hearings to examine strengthening the ability of public 
transportation to reduce the dependence of the United States on 
foreign oil, 10 a.m., SD-538.
  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: September 10, 
to hold hearings to examine ways to improve consumer protection in 
the prepaid calling card market, 10 a.m., SR-253.
  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: September 11, business 
meeting to consider pending calendar business, 12 noon, SD-366.
  Committee on Environment and Public Works: September 9, 
Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to hold oversight 
hearings to examine the Economic Development Administration, 
Department of Commerce, 10 a.m., SD-406.
  September 10, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine 
improving the Federal Bridge Program, focusing on an assessment of 
S. 3338, to amend title 23, United States Code, to improve the 
safety of Federal-aid highway bridges, to strengthen bridge 
inspection standards and processes, to increase investment in the 
reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges on the National 
Highway System, and H.R. 3999, to amend title 23, United States 
Code, to improve the safety of Federal-aid highway bridges, to 
strengthen bridge inspection standards and processes, to increase 
investment in the reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges 
on the National Highway System, 10 a.m., SD-406.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, 
Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality, to hold hearings to 
examine the quality and environmental impacts of bottled water, 3 
p.m., SD-406.
  Committee on Finance: September 9, to hold hearings to examine 
improving health care quality, focusing on an integral step toward 
health care reform, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  September 10, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 
3038, to amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to 
extend the adoption incentives program, to authorize States to 
establish a relative guardianship program, to promote the adoption 
of children with special needs, S. 1070, to amend the Social 
Security Act to enhance the social security of the Nation by 
ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to 
prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, 
neglect, and exploitation, and S. 1577, to amend titles XVIII and 
XIX of the Social Security Act to require screening, including 
national criminal history background checks, of direct patient 
access employees of skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, 
and other long-term care facilities and providers, and to provide 
for nationwide expansion of the pilot program for national and State 
background checks on direct patient access employees of long-term 
care facilities or providers, 10 a.m., SD-215.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: September 10, to hold hearings to 
examine protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the 
Accession of the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Croatia 
adopted at Brussels on July 9, 2008, and signed that day on behalf 
of the United States and the other Parties to the North Atlantic 
Treaty (Treaty Doc. 110-20), 10:30 a.m., SD-419.
  September 10, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Sung Y. Kim, of California, for the rank of 
Ambassador during his tenure of service as Special Envoy for the Six 
Party Talks, C. Steven McGann, of New York, to be Ambassador to the 
Republic of the Fiji Islands, and to serve concurrently and without 
additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of Nauru, the 
Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Kiribati, and Carol 
Ann Rodley, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of 
Cambodia, 2 p.m., SD-419.
  September 11, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Brian H. Hook, of Iowa, to be an Assistant Secretary 
of State (International Organization Affairs), Gregori Lebedev, of 
Virginia, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of 
America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United 
Nations, during his tenure of service as Representative of the 
United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management 
and Reform, Gregori Lebedev, of Virginia, to be Representative of 
the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. 
Management and Reform, with the rank of Ambassador, and Matthew A. 
Reynolds, of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Secretary of State 
(Legislative Affairs), 9 a.m., SD-419.
  Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: September 
9, to hold hearings to examine the nomination of Ruth Y. Goldway, of 
California, to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory 
Commission, 3:15 p.m., SD-342.
  September 10, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine audits 
at the Defense Contract Audit Agency, 10 a.m., SD-342.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, 
the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, to hold 
hearings to examine managing the challenges of the federal 
government transition, focusing on assessing the readiness and 
planning for the transition and identifying critical needs for the 
new Administration to address, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.
  September 11, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold 
hearings to examine dividend tax abuse, focusing on ways that 
offshore entities avoid taxes on United States stock dividends, 9:30 
a.m., SD-106.
  September 11, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine the 
nominations of Carol Waller Pope, of the District of Columbia, and 
Thomas M. Beck, of Virginia, both to be a Member of the Federal 
Labor Relations Authority, 2:30 p.m., SD-342.
  Committee on Indian Affairs: September 11, to hold hearings to 
examine S. 3128, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
a loan to the White Mountain Apache Tribe for use in planning, 
engineering, and designing a certain water system project, S. 3355, 
to authorize the Crow Tribe of Indians water rights settlement, and 
S. 3381, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting

[[Page D1044]]

through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to develop water 
infrastructure in the Rio Grande Basin, and to approve the 
settlement of the water rights claims of the Pueblos of Nambe, 
Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, and Taos, 9:30 a.m., SD-628.
  Committee on the Judiciary: September 9, to hold hearings to 
examine the nominations of Clark Waddoups, to be United States 
District Judge for the District of Utah, Michael M. Anello, to be 
United States District Judge for the Southern District of 
California, Mary Stenson Scriven, to be United States District Judge 
for the Middle District of Florida, Christine M. Arguello, to be 
United States District Judge for the District of Colorado, Philip A. 
Brimmer, to be United States District Judge for the District of 
Colorado, and Gregory G. Garre, of Maryland, to be Solicitor General 
of the United States, 10 a.m., SD-562.
  September 9, Full Committee, to hold oversight hearings to examine 
the Department of Justice, focusing on protecting the right to vote 
and preparations for the 2008 general election, 2:15 p.m., SD-562.
  September 10, Full Committee, to hold hearings to examine new 
strategies for combating violent crime, focusing on drawing lessons 
from recent experience, 10 a.m., SD-562.
  September 11, Full Committee, business meeting to consider S. 
2746, to amend section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code 
(commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act) to provide 
that statutory exemptions to the disclosure requirements of that Act 
shall specifically cite to the provision of that Act authorizing 
such exemptions, to ensure an open and deliberative process in 
Congress by providing for related legislative proposals to 
explicitly state such required citations, S. 2838, to amend chapter 
1 of title 9 of United States Code with respect to arbitration, S. 
3136, to encourage the entry of felony warrants into the NCIC 
database by States and provide additional resources for extradition, 
S. 1276, to establish a grant program to facilitate the creation of 
methamphetamine precursor electronic logbook systems, S. 3197, to 
amend title 11, United States Code, to exempt for a limited period, 
from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under 
chapter 7, qualifying members of reserve components of the Armed 
Forces and members of the National Guard who, after September 11, 
2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense 
activity for not less than 90 days, S. 3325, to enhance remedies for 
violations of intellectual property laws, S. 3296, to extend the 
authority of the United States Supreme Court Police to protect court 
officials off the Supreme Court Grounds and change the title of the 
Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice, S. 2052, to allow for 
certiorari review of certain cases denied relief or review by the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, H.R. 5235, to 
establish the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission, S. 3166, to amend 
the Immigration and Nationality Act to impose criminal penalties on 
individuals who assist aliens who have engaged in genocide, torture, 
or extrajudicial killings to enter the United States, and the 
nominations of Jeffrey Leigh Sedgwick, of Massachusetts, to be an 
Assistant Attorney General, J. Patrick Rowan, of Maryland, to be an 
Assistant Attorney General, and William B. Carr, Jr., of 
Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing 
Commission, 10 a.m., SD-562.
  Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: September 11, to 
hold hearings to examine business start-up hurdles in underserved 
communities access to venture capital and entrepreneurship training, 
10 a.m., SR-428A.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs: September 11, to hold joint 
hearings with the House Committee on Veterans Affairs to examine the 
legislative presentation of the American Legion, 9:30 a.m., 345, 
Cannon Building.
  Special Committee on Aging: September 11, to hold hearings to 
examine 1-800-MEDICARE Information (1-800-633-4227), 10:30 a.m., SR-
325.


                            House Committees

  Committee on Agriculture, September 11, hearing to review dramatic 
movements in agriculture and energy commodity markets, 10:30 a.m., 
1300 Longworth.
  Committee on Armed Services, September 10, full Committee hearing 
on Security and Stability in Afghanistan and Iraq: Developments in 
U.S. Strategy and Operations and the Way Ahead, 9 a.m., 2118 
Rayburn.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, 
hearing on transforming the U.S. military's foreign language, 
cultural awareness, and regional expertise capabilities, 2:30 p.m., 
2212 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Budget, September 9, hearing on a Weakened 
Economy: How to Respond?, 2 p.m., 210 Cannon.
  Committee on Education and Labor, September 9, Subcommittee on 
Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, hearing on 
Challenges Facing Bureau of Indian Education Schools in Improving 
Student Achievement, 10 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, 
hearing on Examining the Role of Museums and Libraries in 
Strengthening Communities, 10 a.m., 2175 Rayburn.
  Committee on Energy and Commerce, September 9, Subcommittee on 
Health, hearing entitled ``NIH Reform Act of 2006: Progress, 
Challenges and Next Steps,'' 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Commerce Trade, and Consumer 
Protection, hearing on the Economic and Security Concerns in Tourism 
and Commerce, including the following bills: H.R. 3232, Travel 
Promotion Act of 2007; and H.R. 1776, Call Center Consumer's Right 
to Know Act, 11 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, hearing 
entitled ``Protecting the Electric Grid from Cyber-Security 
Threats,'' 11 a.m., 2322 Rayburn.
  Committee on Financial Services, September 10, Subcommittee on 
Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, 
hearing entitled ``Sovereign Wealth Funds: New Challenges from a 
Changing Landscape,'' 2 p.m., 2128 Rayburn.
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, September 9, hearing on U.S.-Russia 
Relations in the Aftermath of the Georgia Crisis, 1:30 p.m., 2172 
Rayburn.

[[Page D1045]]


  Committee on Homeland Security, September 9, Subcommittee on 
Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, hearing 
entitled ``Ensuring America's Security: Cleaning Up the Nation's 
Watchlists,'' 2 p.m., 311 Cannon.
  September 10, full Committee, hearing entitled ``Mismanagement, 
Missteps and Missed Benchmarks: Why the Virtual Fence Has Not Become 
A Reality,'' 10 a.m., 311 Cannon.
  Committee on the Judiciary, September 9, hearing on Competition in 
the Package Delivery Industry, 2 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  September 10, to mark up the following: Reauthorizing Antitrust 
Task Force, H.R. 6598, Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008; 
H.R. 4780, To enact title 51, United States Code, ``National and 
Commercial Space Programs,'' as positive law; H.R. 6020, To amend 
the Immigration and Nationality Act to protect the well-being of 
soldiers and their families, and for other purposes; H.R. 5882, To 
recapture employment-based immigrant visas lost to bureaucratic 
delays and to prevent losses of family-and employment-based 
immigrant visas in the future; H.R. 5924, Emergency Nursing Supply 
Relief Act; H.R. 5950, Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008; and 
to consider a resolution and report recommending to the House of 
Representatives that Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey be cited 
for contempt of Congress, 10:15 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Commerce and Administrative Law, 
hearing on the continuing investigation into the U.S. Attorneys 
Controversy and Related Matters, 12 p.m., 2237 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and 
Intellectual Property, hearing on the Fair Copyright in Research 
Works Act, 1 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland 
Security, hearing on H.R. 4300, Juvenile Justice Accountability and 
Improvement Act of 2007, 2 p.m., 2237 Rayburn.
  Committee on Natural Resources, September 10, Subcommittee on 
Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, hearing and oversight hearing on 
H.R. 6479, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex 
Establishment Act, 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.
  September 11, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public 
Lands, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3114, National Womens's 
Rights History Project Act; H.R. 4162, San Bernardino Biomass Use 
Facilitation Act; H.R. 6156, Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel 
Wild Heritage Act; H.R. 6233, To reinstate the Interim Management 
Strategy governing off-road vehicle use in the Cape Hatteras 
National Seashore, North Carolina, pending the issuance of a final 
rule for off-road vehicle use by the National Park Service; H.R. 
6290, Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2008; H.R. 6291, 
Oregon Treasures Act of 2008; H.R. 6470, River Basin National 
Battlefield Act; H.R. 6553, To clarify the authority of the 
Secretary of Agriculture regarding additional recreational uses of 
National Forest System lands subject to ski area permits; and H.R. 
6628,Connell Lake Watershed Protection and Recreation Act, 10 a.m., 
1334 Longworth.
  Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, September 9, hearing 
on the Impact of Proposed Legislation on the District of Columbia's 
Gun Laws, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  September 10, full Committee, to consider the following: the 
National Capital Security and Safety Act; H. Con. Res. 223, Honoring 
professional surveyors and recognize their contributions to society; 
H. Con. Res. 351, Honoring the 225th Anniversary of the Continental 
Congress meeting in Nassau Hall, Princeton, New Jersey in 1783; H. 
Con. Res. 376, Congratulating the 2007-2008 National Basketball 
Association World Champions, the Boston Celtics, on an outstanding 
and historic season; H. Con. Res. 378, Expressing support for the 
designation of September 6, 2008, as Louisa Swain Day; H. Con. Res. 
386, Recognizing and celebrating the 232nd Anniversary of the 
signing of the Declaration of Independence; H. Res. 1000, To 
commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh as the 
culmination of the Forbes Campaign across Pennsylvania and the 
significance this event played in the making of America, in the 
settlement of the Continent, and in spreading the ideals of freedom 
and democracy throughout the world; H.R. 1356, Celebrating the 221st 
anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States 
of America, and for other purposes; a resolution to congratulate 
Michael Phelps, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic champion swimmer, on 
winning eight gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and becoming 
one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history; H.R. 6199, To 
designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 245 North Main Street in New City, New York as the ``Kenneth 
Peter Zebrowski Post Office Building;'' H. R. 6489, To designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 501 4th 
Street in Lake Oswego, Oregon, as the ``Judie Hammerstad Post Office 
Building;'' H.R. 6681, To designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 300 Vine Street in New Lenox, 
Illinois, as the ``Jacob M. Lowell Post Office Building;'' and H.R. 
6772, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service 
located at 1717 Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the 
``CeeCee Ross Lyles Post Office Building,'' 1 p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  September 10, Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign 
Affairs, an Oversight hearing on Sexual Assault in the Military--
Part 2, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service 
and the District of Columbia, hearing on H.R. 4272, To amend chapter 
15 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for an additional, 
limited exception to the provision prohibiting a State or local 
officer or employee from being a candidate for elective office, 2 
p.m., 2154 Rayburn.
  Committee on Rules, September 9, to consider H.R. 3667, Missisquoi 
and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2008, 2:30 p.m., 
H-313 Capitol.
  Committee on Science and Technology, September 9, Subcommittee on 
Investigation and Oversight, hearing on Biobanking: How the Lack of 
a Coherent Policy Allowed

[[Page D1046]]

the Veterans Administration to Destroy an Irreplaceable Collection 
of Legionella Samples, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, hearing on 
the Foundation for Developing New Energy Technologies: Basic Energy 
Research in the DOE Office of Science, 2 p.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  September 11, full Committee, hearing on the Next Generation Air 
Transportation System: Status and Issues, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
  Committee on Small Business, September 11, hearing on Examining 
Expiring Tax Incentives and the Needs of Small Businesses, 10 a.m., 
1539 Longworth.
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, September 9, 
hearing on H.R. 6707, Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety 
Act, 11 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Coast Guard, including Recruitment, 
Promotion, and Retention of Minority Personnel, hearing on Diversity 
in the Coast Guard, including Recruitment, Promotion, and Retention 
of Minority Personnel, 2 p.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public 
Buildings, and Emergency Management, hearing on FEMA's National 
Housing Strategy: Housing Citizens in a Post-Disaster Period, 10 
a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
  September 12, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public 
Buildings, and Emergency Management, hearing on the Role of the 
Federal Government in Small Business Disaster Recovery, 10 a.m., 
2167 Rayburn.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, September 9, Subcommittee on 
Health, hearing on the following bills: H.R. 3051, Heroes at Home 
Act of 2007; H.R. 6153, Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and 
Retention Act of 2008; and H.R. 6629, Veterans Health Equity Act of 
2008, 10 a.m., 340 Cannon.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, oversight 
hearing of GI Bill Implementation, 1 p.m., 340 Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, September 11, Subcommittee on Health, 
hearing on reforming Medicare's physician payment system, 10 a.m., 
1100 Longworth.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, 
hearing on Challenges facing American Workers, 12 p.m., B-318 
Rayburn.
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, September 9, 
executive, hearing on Intelligence Operations and Al-Qaeda, 1 p.m., 
H-405 Capitol.
  September 10, Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management, 
executive, briefing on DOD: Personnel Security and Research Center, 
2 p.m., H-405 Capitol.
  September 11, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, 
Analysis and Counterintelligence, executive, briefing, on Hot Spots, 
8:45 a.m., and executive, hearing on Russia, 11 a.m., H-405 Capitol.
  Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, 
September 10, hearing entitled ``Investing in the Future: R & D 
needs to meet America's Energy and Climate Challenges,'' 10 a.m., 
2175 Rayburn.


                             Joint Meetings

  Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: September 10, to 
hold hearings to examine Russia, Georgia, and the return of power 
politics, 1:30 p.m., HROB-2325.
  Joint Hearing: September 11, Senate Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs, to hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative presentation of the 
American Legion, 9:30 a.m., 345, Cannon Building.