[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 10, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1064-D1067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
AFGHANISTAN--IRAQ SECURITY AND STABILITY
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Security and Stability 
in Afghanistan and Iraq: Developments in U.S. Strategy and Operations 
and the Way Ahead. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Robert M. Gates, Secretary; ADM Michael G. 
Mullen, USN, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Ambassador Eric S. 
Edelman, Under Secretary, Policy; and VADM James A. Winnefeld, Jr., 
USN, Director, Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
MILITARY FOREIGN LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on transforming the U.S. military's 
foreign language, cultural awareness, and regional expertise 
capabilities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Gail H. McGinn, Deputy Under Secretary (Plans). 
Office of the Under Secretary, (Personnel and Readiness); BG Gary 
Patton, USA, Senior Language Authority, Office of the Chairman, Joint 
Chiefs of Staff/J-1; BG; R. M. Lake, USMC, Director of Intelligence, 
U.S. Marine Corps; RADM Daniel P. Holloway, USN, Director, Military 
Personnel Plans and Policy Division (OPNAV N13), U.S. Navy; Joseph M. 
McDade, Jr., Director, Force Development (HAF/AID), Deputy Chief of 
Staff, Manpower and Personnel, U.S. Air Force; and BG Richard Longo, 
USA, Director, Training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, 
U.S. Army.
SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic and 
International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology held a hearing 
entitled ``Sovereign Wealth Funds: New Challenges from a Changing 
Landscape.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
VIRTUAL FENCE OVERSIGHT
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled 
``Mismanagement, Missteps and Missed Benchmarks: Why the Virtual Fence 
Has Not Become A Reality.'' Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of 
Homeland Security; W. Ralph Bashman, Commissioner; and Jayson P. Ahern, 
Deputy Commissioner; and the following officials of the GAO: Richard 
Stana, Director, Homeland Security and Justice; and Randolph C. Hite, 
Director, IT Architecture and Systems Issues.
TASK FORCE ON ANTITRUST AND COMPETITION
Committee on the Judiciary: Approved a resolution establishing the Task 
Force on Antitrust and Competition.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY RIDGE COMPLEX ESTABLISHMENT ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and 
Oceans held a hearing and an oversight hearing on H.R. 6479, San 
Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Establishment Act. 
Testimony was heard from Representative Stark; Eric Alvarez, Realty 
Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior; Peyton Robertson, Director, Chesapeake Bay 
Office, NOAA, Department of Commerce; COL Dionysios Anninos, District 
Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, Department of 
the Army; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the 
following: H.R. 6842, amended, National Capital Security and Safety 
Act; H. Con. Res. 223, Honoring professional surveyors and recognizing 
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. 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

[[Page D1065]]

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; 
H. Res. 1418, Congratulating 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. 
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.''
MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held an oversight hearing on Sexual 
Assault in the Military--Part 2. Testimony was heard from Kaye Whitley, 
Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, Department of 
Defense; and Brenda S. Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and 
Management, GAO.
DEVELOPING NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on the Foundation for Developing New Energy 
Technologies: Basic Energy Research in the DOE Office of Science. 
Testimony was heard from Patricia Dehmer, Deputy Director, Science, 
Office of Science, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
COAST GUARD PERSONNEL DIVERSITY
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Diversity in the 
Coast Guard, including Recruitment, Promotion, and Retention of 
Minority Personnel. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security: ADM Jody A. 
Breckinridge, USCG, Director, Strategic Transportation Team and 
Assistant Commandant for Human Resources; and Commander Master Chief 
Kevin D. Isherwood, Command Master Chief for Chief of Staff.
AMERICA'S ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHALLENGES
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``Investing in the Future: R & D Needs To Meet 
America's Energy and Climate Challenges.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
GEORGIA
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine Russia, Georgia, and the return of power politics, 
after receiving testimony from Matthew J. Bryza, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; David Bakradze, 
Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia and former Foreign Minister, 
Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; Paul Saunders, Nixon Center, Washington, 
D.C.; and Paul A. Goble, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy in Baku, Baku, 
Azerbaijan.


                    COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THURSDAY,

                           SEPTEMBER 11, 2008

        (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)


                                 Senate

  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: business meeting to 
consider pending calendar business, 12 noon, SD-366.
  Committee on Environment and Public Works: to hold a briefing to 
examine the state of science and potential issues associated with 
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Sewage Sludge Program, 10 
a.m., SD-406.
  Committee on Foreign Relations: 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: 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 a.m., SD-106.
  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.

[[Page D1066]]


  Committee on Indian Affairs: 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 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, 10:30 a.m., SD-628.
  Committee on the Judiciary: 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, 2 p.m., SD-562.
  Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: 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: 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: to hold hearings to examine 1-800-
MEDICARE Information (1-800-633-4227), 10 a.m., SR-325.


                                 House

  Committee on Agriculture, hearing to review dramatic movements in 
agriculture and energy commodity markets, 1 p.m., 1300 Longworth.
  Committee on Education and Labor, 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, 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.
  Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, hearing entitled 
``Protecting the Electric Grid from Cyber-Security Threats,'' 11 
a.m., 2322 Rayburn.
  Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law, hearing on the continuing investigation into the 
U.S. Attorneys Controversy and Related Matters, 12 p.m., 2237 
Rayburn.
  Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, 
hearing on H.R. 6845, Fair Copyright in Research Works Act, 1 p.m., 
2141 Rayburn.
  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, 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, 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 Science and Technology, hearing on the Next 
Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues, 10 a.m., 
2318 Rayburn.

[[Page D1067]]


  Committee on Small Business, hearing on Examining Expiring Tax 
Incentives and the Needs of Small Businesses,'' 10 a.m., 1539 
Longworth.
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic 
Opportunity, oversight hearing on GI Bill Implementation, 1 p.m., 
340 Cannon.
  Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health, hearing on 
reforming Medicare's physician payment system, 10 a.m., 1100 
Longworth.
  Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, hearing on 
Challenges Facing American Workers, 12 p.m., B-318 Rayburn.
  Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on 
Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence, 
executive, briefing, on Hot Spots, 12:30 p.m., H-405 Capitol.


                             Joint Meetings

  Joint Hearing: 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.