[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1122-D1123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOOD, CONSERVATION, AND ENERGY ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Ordered reported H.R. 6849, amended, To amend 
the commodity provisions for the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 to permit producers to aggregate base acres and reconstitute farms 
to avoid the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter-cyclical 
payments, or average crop revenue election payments when the sum of the 
base acres of a farm is 10 acres or less.
LESSONS FOR COUNTERING AL QA'IDA AND THE WAY AHEAD
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on Lessons for Countering al 
Qa'ida and the Way Ahead. Testimony was heard from John Arquilla, 
Senior Fellow, Professor, Department of Defense Analysis, Naval 
Postgraduate School; and public witnesses.
AMERICA'S NEED FOR HEALTH REFORM
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
entitled ``America's Need for Health Reform. Testimony was heard from 
Jon S. Corzine, Governor, State of New Jersey, and public witnesses.
SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AT THE EPA
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``Science Under Siege: 
Scientific Integrity at the Environmental Protection Agency.'' 
Testimony was heard from John B. Stephenson, Director, Natural 
Resources and Environment, GAO; the following officials of EPA: Marcus 
Peacock, Deputy Administrator; and George Gray, Assistant 
Administrator, Department of Environmental Protection; and public 
witnesses.
AUCTION RATE SECURITY MARKET--PROBLEMS AND POTENTIAL RESOLUTIONS
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Auction Rate 
Securities Market: A Review of Problems and Potential Resolutions.'' 
Testimony was heard from Linda Thomsen, Director, SEC; and public 
witnesses.
FAMILIES TORN APART; HUMAN RIGHT--U.S. RESTRICTIONS ON CUBAN--AMERICAN 
TRAVEL
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight held a hearing on Families 
Torn Apart: Human Rights and U.S. Restrictions on Cuban-American 
Travel. Testimony was heard from Representatives Emerson, LaHood and 
McCotter; and public witnesses.
MANAGEMENT MISSTEPS AND MISSED BENCHMARKS
Committee on Homeland Security: Concluded hearings entitled 
``Management, Missteps, and Missed Benchmarks: Why the Virtual Fence 
Has Not Become a Realty.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CELL TAX FAIRNESS ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 5793; Cell Tax Fairness Act 
of 2008. Testimony was heard from Gail W. Mahoney, Commissioner, 
Jackson County, Michigan; and James Clayborne, State Senator, State of 
Illinois; and public witnesses.
STATE SECRET PROTECTION ACT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights and Civil Liberties ordered reported H.R. 5607, amended, State 
Secret Protection Act of 2008, 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on the Department of Justice, Office 
of Justice Programs Oversight. Testimony was heard from Jeffrey 
Sedgewick, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice 
Programs, Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
INVESTIGATIONS ON FEDERAL OIL AND GAS ROYALTY COLLECTIONS
Committee on Natural Resources: Held an oversight hearing on Recent 
Interior Department Inspector General Investigations on Federal Oil and 
Gas Royalty Collections. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of the Interior: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary 
of the Interior; and Earl Devaney, Inspector General.
FEDERAL COURT OPTIONS FOR AMERICAN SAMOA
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs held an 
oversight hearing on the Federal Court Options for American Samoa. 
Testimony was heard from Stephen Sander, Acting Director, Office of 
Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; William Jenkins, Jr., 
Director, Homeland Security and Justice, GAO; and the following 
officials of American Samoa: Lolo M. Moliga, President of the Senate 
and Savali T. Ale, Speaker of the House.

[[Page D1123]]


GAMING TAX CODE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing on Gaming the Tax Code: Public Subsidies, Private 
Profits, and Big League Sports in New York. Testimony was heard from 
Stephen Larson, Associate Chief Counsel, Financial Institutions and 
Products, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses.
ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on the Role of Social Sciences in 
Public Health. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
MAKING HEALTH CARE REFORM WORK FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing entitled ``(Making Health 
Care Reform Work for Small Business.'' Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on Transportation Planning. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN U.S. WATERS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Emerging Contaminants in 
U.S. Waters. Testimony was heard from Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy; 
Benjamin Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Water, EPA; and Matthew 
Larsen, Associate Director, Water, U.S. Geological Survey; and public 
witnesses.
EFFECTIVENESS OF VA'S TRAINING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND 
ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on Examining the Effectiveness of 
the Veterans Benefits Administration Training, Performance Management 
and Accountability. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Veterans' Affairs; Veterans Benefits Administration: 
Michael Walcoff, Deputy Under Secretary, Benefits; Dorothy MacKay, 
Director, Employee Development and Training; and Bradley Mayes, 
Director, Compensation and Pension Service; Daniel Bertoni, Director, 
Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
POLICY OPTIONS TO PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE
Committee on Ways and Means: Continued hearings on Policy Options to 
Prevent Climate Change. Testimony was heard from Peter Orszag, 
Director, COB; Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City, New York; and 
public witnesses.
CYBER SECURITY
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a hearing on Cyber Security. Testimony was heard from departmental 
witnesses.
RUSSIA
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis, and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Russia. Testimony was heard from 
departmental witnesses.
GREEN ROADS TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``The Green Road to Economic Recovery.'' Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.