[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 24, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D309-D311]
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 Federal Law 
Enforcement Response to U.S.-Mexico Border Violence. Testimony was 
heard from. The following officials of the Department of Justice: 
Bill Newell, Special Agent in Charge, Phoenix Division, Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Joseph Arabit, 
Special Agent in Charge, El Paso, Drug Enforcement Administration; 
Phil Gordon, Mayor, Phoenix, Arizona; and a public witness.
SECURITY DEVELOPMENT--PACIFIC COMMAND, EUROPEAN COMMAND AND FORCE KOREA
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on security development in 
the areas of responsibility of the U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. European 
Command, and U.S. Forces Korea. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: ADM Timothy J. Keating, USN, 
Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; GEN Bantz J. Craddoxck, USA, 
Commander, U.S. European Command, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe; 
and GEN Walter L. Sharp, USA, Commander, United Nations Command, 
Commander, United Nations Command, Commander, Republic of Korea-U.S. 
Combined Forces Command, Commander, U.S. Forces Korea.
DEFENSE HEALTH IT
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel and the 
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities held 
a joint hearing on Department of Defense Health Information Technology: 
AHTLA is ``Intolerable,'' Where Do We Go From Here? Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: LTG Eric 
Schoomaker, USA, Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command, The 
Surgeon General, U.S. Army; LTC Hon S. Pak, USA, Chief Medical 
Information Officer, U.S. Army; RADM Thomas R. Cullison, USN, Deputy 
Surgeon General, U.S. Navy; MG Charles Bruce Green, USAF, Deputy 
Surgeon General, U.S. Air Force; LTC Donald Kowalewski, USAF, Internal 
Medicine Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General, U.S. Air Force; 
S. Ward Casscells, M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs; Charles 
Campbell, Chief Informant Officer, Military Health System; COL Claude 
Hines, Jr., Program Manager, Defense Health Information Management 
Systems; Tommy J. Morris, Acting Director, Office of Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Force, Health Protection and Readines Programs; and Tim 
Harp, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Command, Control, Computers, 
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Information 
Technology Acquisition.
RETIREMENT INVESTMENT ADVISERS
Committee on Education and Labor: Subcommittee on Health, Employment, 
Labor and Pensions held a hearing on Retirement Security: The 
Importance of an Independent Investment Adviser. Testimony was heard 
from Charles Jeszeck, Assistant Director, Education, Workforce and 
Income Security Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.

[[Page D310]]


FTC CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION
Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Consumer Credit and Debt: The 
Role of the Federal Trade Commission in Protecting the Public. 
Testimony was heard from Jon Leibowitz, Chairman, FTC; and public 
witnesses.
HEALTHCARE ACCESS
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on Making Health Care Work for American families: Improving Access to 
Care. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
AIG--FEDERAL OVERSIGHT
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Oversight of 
the Federal Government's Intervention at American International 
Group.'' Testimony was heard from Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the 
Treasury; Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal 
Reserve System; and William C. Dudley, President and CEO, Federal 
Reserve Bank of New York.
LEBANON UPDATE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on the Middle East and South 
Asia held a hearing on Update on Lebanon. Testimony was heard from 
Jeffrey D. Feltman, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Eastern 
Affairs, Department of State and former Ambassador to Lebanon.
MILITARY MEDICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 1478, Carmelo Rodriguez 
Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Hinchey; and public witnesses.
OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral 
Resources and the Subcommittee on Insular Affair, Oceans and Wildlife 
held a joint oversight hearing entitled ``Energy Development on the 
Outer Continental Shelf and the Future of our Oceans.'' Testimony was 
heard from Ian A. Bowles, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and 
Environmental Affairs, State of Massachusetts; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 689, To 
interchange the administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal lands 
between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management; H.R. 
1078, Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman 
Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act; and H.R. 1275, Utah 
Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Herger, Matheson, Arcuri, Edwards of Maryland; and 
Kratovil; Michael Nedd, Acting Deputy Director, Bureau of Land 
Management, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL LAND ASSISTANCE, MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT (FLAME) ACT
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by a non-record vote, a 
structured rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1404, the ``Federal 
Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act.''
  The rule provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Natural Resources.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the bill 
shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order 
against provisions in the bill.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the report. 
The amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed 
in this report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this 
report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time 
specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent 
and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be 
subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in 
the Committee of the Whole. All points of order against the amendments 
except for clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI are waived. The rule provides 
one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was 
heard from Chairman Rahall and Representatives Minnick, Connolly of 
Virginia, Lujan, Hastings of Washington, and Goodlatte.
OMNIBUS PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT ACT--CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENTS
Committee on Rules: The Committee granted, by a non-record vote, a rule 
making in order a motion by the Chair of the Committee on Natural 
Resources to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 146, the Omnibus 
Public Land Management Act of 2009.
  The rule waives all points of order against the motion except clause 
10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the Senate amendments and the 
motion shall be considered as read. The rule provides one hour of 
debate on the motion equally divided and

[[Page D311]]

controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Natural Resources. Testimony was heard from Chairman Rahall and 
Representatives Hastings of Washington, Bishop of Utah and Radanovich.
FEDERAL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing to Examine Federal Vehicle Technology 
Research and Development Programs. Testimony was heard from Steven 
Chalk, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, Department of Energy; and public witnesses.
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Research and 
Science Education held a hearing on Coordination of International 
Science Partnerships. Testimony was heard from Jon Strauss, Chairman, 
Task Force on International Science, National Science Board, NSF; and 
public witnesses.
COAST GUARD ACQUISITION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Overview of Coast 
Guard Acquisition Policies and Programs. Testimony was heard from RADM 
Gary Blote, USCG, Assistant Commandant, Acquisition, U.S. Coast Guard, 
Department of Homeland Security, and John P. Hutton, Director, 
Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the Nexus between Engaged in 
Combat with the Enemy and PTSD in an Era of Changing Warfare Tactics. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: RADM David J. Smith, USN, Joint Staff Surgeon; COL Robert 
Ireland, Program Director, Mental Health Policy, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs; Bradley G. Mayes, Director, 
Compensation and Pension Service; Antonette Zeiss, Deputy Chief 
Officer, Mental Health Services; and Maureen Murdoch, M.D., Core 
Investigator, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, all with the Veterans Health 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; representatives of 
veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BACKLOG
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security and the 
Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support held a joint hearing 
on Eliminating the Social Security Disability Backlog. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the SSA: Michael J. Astrue, 
Commissioner; and Patrick O'Carroll, Inspector General; Dan Bertoni, 
Director, Disability Issues for the Education, Workforce and Income 
Security Team, GAO; and public witnesses.
CLIMATE LEGISLATION TRADE ASPECTS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
Trade Aspects of Climate Change Legislation. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
SRP BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on SRP. The Committee was briefed by departmental 
witnesses.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.