[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D217-D219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Science Education. 
Testimony was heard public witnesses.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Where are We Today: Today's 
Assessment of ``The Gathering Storm.'' Testimony was heard from a 
public witness.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Global Mobility. Testimony was heard from GEN Duncan McNabb, Commander, 
Transportation Command; Gen Arthur Lichte, Commander, Air Mobility 
Command; and MG Randy Fullhart, Director, Global Reach Programs.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations 
and Related Agencies held a hearing on the Rule of Civilian and 
Military Agencies in the Advancement of America's Diplomatic and 
Development Objectives. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMBATING PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on combating piracy on the 
high seas. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
Department of Defense: VADM William Gortney, USN, Commander, U.S. Naval 
Forces Central Command; and Daniel W. Pike, Principal Director, 
(Acting) Office of African Affairs; and Ambassador Stephen Mull, Acting 
Under Secretary, International Security and Arms Control, Department of 
State.
CAN DOD TRAVELERS BOOK A TRIP?
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Can DOD Travelers Book A Trip? Defense 
Travel System Update Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense: Pam Mitchell, Director Defense Travel 
Management Office; and David Fisher, Director, Business Transformation 
Agency; Asif Khan, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, GAO; 
and a public witness.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT FISCAL YEAR 2010 BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Treasury Department Fiscal 
Year 2010 Budget. Testimony was heard from Timothy F. Geitner, 
Secretary of the Treasury.
CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE USED AND SUBPRIME CAR MARKET
  Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade 
and Consumer Protection held a hearing on Consumer Protection in the 
Used and Subprime Car Market. Testimony was heard from Eileen 
Harrington, Acting Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC; 
James H, Burch, II, Acting Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 
Department of Justice; and public witnesses.
ROLE OF OFFSETS IN CLIMATE LEGISLATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on the role of offsets in climate 
legislation. Testimony was heard from John Stephenson, Director, 
Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; and public witnesses.
PERSPECTIVES ON SYSTEMIC RISK
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Perspectives on Systemic Risk,'' Testimony was heard from Orice 
Williams, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, GAO; 
and public witnesses.

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ROLE FOR CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT IN WAR
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on the Role for Congress 
and the President in War: The Recommendations of the National War 
Powers Commission. Testimony was heard from the following former 
Secretaries of State; Warren M. Christopher, James A. Baker, III; and 
Lee Hamilton, also former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign 
Affairs.
PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST--A WAY FORWARD FOR THE HOMELAND SECURITY WORKFORCE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, 
Investigations and Oversight held a hearing entitled ``Putting People 
First: A Way Forward for the Homeland Security Workforce.'' Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR PRIVATE IMMIGRATION AND CLAIMS BILLS; OTHER 
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS; APPROVED REQUESTS FOR DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law, Adopted Rules of 
Procedure and Statement of Policy for Private Immigration bills; 
Adopted Rules of Procedure for Private Claims bills; Continued the 
Subcommittee's Policy on the Granting Federal Charters; and approved 
requests to the Department of Homeland Security, Departmental Reports 
on the Beneficies of certain private Immigration bills; and reported 
certain private relief bills.
ENERGY OUTLOOKS--ROLE OF FEDERAL ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE RESOURCES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources held an oversight hearing entitled ``Energy Outlooks, and the 
Role of Federal Onshore and Offshore Resources in Meeting Future Energy 
Demand.'' Howard K. Gruenspecht, Acting Administrator, Energy 
Information Administration, Department of Energy; Brenda Pierce, 
Program Coordinator, Energy Resources Program, U.S. Geological Survey; 
and a public witness.
STATUS OF THE 2010 CENSUS
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census, and National Archives held a hearing Status 
of 2010 Census Operations. Testimony was heard from Thomas Mesenbourg, 
Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce; the 
following officials of the GAO: Robert Goldenkoff, Director, Strategic 
Issues, and David Powner, Director, Information Technology; and a 
public witness.
WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(A) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO 
CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED FROM THE COMMITTEE ON 
RULES
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a rule waiving 
clause 6(a) of rule XIII (requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a 
rule on the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee) against 
certain resolutions reported from the Rules Committee. The rule applies 
the waiver to any resolution reported on the legislative day of March 
6, 2009, providing for consideration or disposition of any measure 
making appropriations for the fiscal year 2009, and for other purposes.
COST MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN NASA'S ACQUISITIONS AND PROGRAMS
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on Cost Management Issues in NASA's 
Acquisitions and Programs. Testimony was heard from Christopher 
Scolese, Acting Administrator, NASA; Cristina T. Chaplain, Director, 
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO; and a public witness.
FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT; AND THE WATER QUALITY INVESTMENT ACT
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported, as 
amended, the following bills: H.R. 915, FAA Reauthorization Act; and 
1262, Water Quality Investment Act.
 BRIEFING--HOT SPOTS UPDATE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, 
Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence met in executive 
session to receive a briefing entitled ``Hot Spots Update.'' The 
Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.

Joint Meetings
VETERANS' ORGANIZATIONS LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATIONS
Joint Hearing: Committee on Veterans' Affairs concluded a joint hearing 
with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine legislative 
presentations of certain veterans' organizations, after receiving 
testimony from Norman Jones, Jr., Blinded Veterans Association, Patrick 
Campbell, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Ira Novoselsky, 
Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, Randy L. Pleva, 
Sr., Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Dawn Halfaker, Wounded Warrior 
Project, all of Washington, D.C.; Charles A. Stenger, American

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Ex-Prisoners of War, Bastrop, Louisiana; and Kathryn A. Witt, Gold Star 
Wives of America, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona.