[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 48 (Thursday, March 19, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D291-D294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
COMMERCE, JUSTICE AND SCIENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Climate Satellite 
Requirements and NASA and NOAA Programs. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
AFRICOM. Testimony was heard from GEN William E. Ward, USA, Commander, 
U.S. Africa Command.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Military Personnel-Navy/
Marine Corps. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of the Navy: Barney Barnum, Acting Assistant Secretary, 
Manpower and Reserve Affairs; and VADM Mark Ferguson, USN, Chief of 
Naval Personnel, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (N-1), and LTG Ronald 
S. Coleman, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, U.S. 
Marine Corps.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, and 
General Government held a hearing on The Judiciary Fiscal Year 2010 
Budget. Testimony was heard from Judge Julia Gibbons, Chair, U.S. 
Judicial Conference Budget Committee; and James Duff, Director, 
Administrative Office of the Courts.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Biometric Identification. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Kathleen 
Kraninger, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Policy, Screening Coordination 
Office; and Bob Moeny, Director, U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status 
Indicator Technology.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Council on Environmental Quality. 
Testimony was heard from Nancy H. Sutley, Chair, Council on 
Environmental Quality.

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MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Pacific 
Command. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: ADM Timothy J. Keating USN, U.S. Navy Commander, 
U.S. Pacific Command; and GEN Walter Sharp, USA, Commander, Republic of 
North Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, and Commander United 
States Forced Korea.
TRANSPORTATION, HUD APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies continued on Livable 
Communities, Transit Oriented Development & Incorporating Green 
Building Practices into Federal Housing and Transportation Policy. 
Testimony was heard from Grace Crunican, Director, Department of 
Transportation, Seattle, Washington; and public witnesses.
PROJECT ON NATIONAL SECURITY REFORM
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on the Project on National Security 
Reform: Commentary and Alternative Views. Testimony was heard from 
Walter Oleszek, Senior Specialist in American National Government, CRS, 
Library of Congress; and public witnesses.
IMPROVING ON EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing on Improving Early 
Childhood Development Policies and Practices. Testimony was heard from 
Harriet Dichter, Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development and 
Early Learning, State of Pennsylvania; Lillian Lowery, Secretary, 
Department of Education, State of Delaware; and public witnesses.
SALMONELLA OUTBREAK--PROTECTING THE NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing entitled ``The Salmonella Outbreak: The 
Role of Industry in Protecting the Nation's Food Supply.'' Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
CREDIT LEGISLATION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 627, 
Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009; and H.R. 1456, Consumer 
Overdraft Protection Fair Practice Act of 2009. Testimony was heard 
from the Sandra F. Braunstein, Director, Division of Consumer and 
Community Affairs, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; Montrice 
Yakimov, Managing Director, Compliance and Consumer Protection, Office 
of Thrift Supervision, Department of the Treasury; Sheila Albin, 
Associate General Counsel, National Credit Union Administration; and 
public witnesses.
EXAMINING THE HOME AFFORDABLE PROGRAM
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``Examining the Home Affordable 
Program.'' Testimony was heard from Vance Morris, Director, Office of 
Single Family Asset Management, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development; Patrick J. Lawler, Chief, Economist, Federal Housing 
Finance Agency; and public witnesses.
TAIWAN RELATIONS ANNIVERSARY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, The Pacific and the 
Global Environment approved for full Committee action, as amended, H. 
Con. Res. 55, Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations 
Act.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: RECENT TRENDS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and 
Global Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled ``Human Trafficking: 
Recent Trends.'' Testimony was heard from Kumar Kibble, Deputy 
Director, Office of Investigations, Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE 2008 ELECTION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights, and Civil Liberties held a hearing on Lessons Learned From the 
2008 Election. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
TREATMENT OF REFUGEES DURING WWII
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law held a hearing on the 
Treatment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent, European Americans, 
and Jewish Refugees During World War II. Testimony was heard from 
Daniel Masterson,

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Professor of Latin American History, U.S. Naval Academy; and public 
witnesses.
ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING ENFORCEMENT ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans 
and Wildlife held a hearing on H.R. 1080, Illegal, Unreported, and 
Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from 
Rebecca Lent, Director, Office of International Affairs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; William 
Gibbons-Fly, Director, Office of Marine Conservation, Department of 
State; RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of 
Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
RESTORING THE FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS WORKFORCE
Committee on the Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests and Public Lands held an oversight hearing on Restoring the 
Federal Public Lands Workforce. Testimony was heard from Hank Kashdan, 
Associate Chief, Forest Service, USDA; Daniel N. Wenk, Acting Director, 
National Park Service, Department of the Interior; and public 
witnesses.
PREVENTING STIMULUS WASTE AND FRAUD
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Held an oversight hearing 
on Prevention Stimulus Waste and Fraud: Who are the Watchdogs? 
Testimony was heard from Earl E. Devaney, Chairman, Recovery Act 
Accountability and Transparency Board; and public witnesses.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN RECOVERY ACT SCIENCE FUNDING
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing on Follow the Money: Accountability and 
Transparency in Recovery Act Science Funding. Testimony was heard from 
the following officials of the NSF: Cora Marrett, Senior Accountability 
Office; and Tim Cross, Interim Inspector General; Ronald R. Spoehel, 
Chief Financial Officer, NASA; the following officials of the 
Department of Commerce: Ellen Herbst, Senior Official for Recovery 
Implementation; and Todd Zinser, Inspector General; the following 
officials of the Department of Energy: Matthew Rogers, Senior Advisor 
to the Secretary; Gregory H. Friedman, Inspector General; and Patricia 
Dalton, Managing Director, Natural Resources and Environment Division, 
GAO; and a public witness.
EFFORTS TO ADDRESS URBAN STORMWATER RUNOFF
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on the Efforts to Address 
Urban Stormwater Runoff. Testimony was heard from Mike Shapiro, Acting 
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water, EPA; the following Mayors: 
Tom Leppert, Dallas, Texas; Mark Funkhouser, Kansas City, Missouri and 
Tom Barrett, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 228, To 
direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship 
program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of 
visual impairment and orientation and mobility; H.R. 466, Wounded 
Veteran Job Security Act; H.R. 1088, Mandatory Veteran Specialist 
Training Act of 2009; H.R. 1089, as amended, Veterans Employment Rights 
Realignment Act of 2009; and H.R. 1171, Homeless Veterans Reintegration 
Program Reauthorization Act of 2009.
CLOSING HEALTH GAPS OF VETERANS IN RURAL AREAS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health approved for 
full Commission action, as amended, H.R. 1377, To amend title 38, 
United States Code, to expand veterans eligibility for reimbursement by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished in 
a non-Department facility.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on Closing the Health Gap of 
Veterans in Rural Areas: Discussion of Funding and Resources 
Coordination. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs: Adam 
Darkins, M.D., Chief Consultant, Office of Care Coordination; and Kara 
Hawthorne, Director, Office of Rural Health; and public witnesses.
TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing 
on Troubled Asset Relief Program (TSRP) and Oversight of Federal 
Borrowing and the Use of Federal Monies. Testimony was heard from Neil 
Barofsky, Special Inspector General, Office of the Special Inspector 
General, Troubled Asset Relief Program; and Gene L. Dodaro, Acting 
Comptroller General, GAO.

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BRIEFING--SECURITY CLEARANCES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Community Management met in executive session to receive a 
briefing on Security Clearances. The Subcommittee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
CONSTRUCTING A GREEN TRANSPORTATION POLICY
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: Held a 
hearing entitled ``Constructing a Green Transportation Policy: Transit 
Modes and Infrastructure.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.