[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D385-D386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the nominations of Kathleen A. Merrigan, of 
Massachusetts, to be Deputy Secretary, who was introduced by Senator 
Leahy, Joe Leonard, Jr., of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, who was introduced by Representative 
Kilpatrick, and James W. Miller, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for 
Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, who was introduced by Senator 
Conrad, all of the Department of Agriculture, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES OF WAR
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs concluded a hearing to examine assistance for 
civilian casualties of war, after receiving testimony from Dirk 
Dijkerman, Acting Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, 
Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International 
Development; Ca Va Tran, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped, 
McLean, VA; John W. Chromy, CHF International, Washington, DC; Erica 
Gaston, Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), New Orleans, 
LA; and Jonathan Tracy, National Institute of Military Justice, Falls 
Church, VA.
U.S. POLICY TOWARD AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN
Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan, after receiving testimony 
from Michele A. Flournoy, Under Secretary for Policy, General David H. 
Petraeus, USA, Commander, U.S. Central Command, and Admiral Eric T. 
Olson, USN, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, all of the 
Department of Defense.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Armed Services: Committee ordered favorably reported the 
nominations of Ashton B. Carter, of Massachusetts, to be Under 
Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, and James N. 
Miller, Jr., of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Secretary for Policy, both 
of the Department of Defense.
  Also, committee ordered favorably reported 3,952 nominations in the 
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD OVERSIGHT
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Subcommittee on Clean Air 
and Nuclear Safety concluded an oversight hearing to examine the 
Environmental Protection Agency's renewable fuel standard, after 
receiving testimony from Charles T. Drevna, National Petrochemical and 
Refiners Association, on behalf of National Marine Manufacturers 
Association and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, A. Blakeman Early, 
American Lung Association, and Michael McAdams, Advanced Biofuels 
Association, all of Washington, DC; Kelly J. Tiller, University of 
Tennessee, Knoxville; and Nathanael Greene, Natural Resources Defense 
Council, New York, NY.

[[Page D386]]


BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Environment and Public Works: Committee ordered favorably 
reported the nomination of Thomas L. Strickland, of Colorado, to be 
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Department of the 
Interior.
USAID IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on International 
Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs and International 
Environmental Protection concluded a hearing to examine United States 
Agency for International Development (USAID) in the 21st Century, after 
receiving testimony from Andrew Natsios, The Walsh School of Foreign 
Service, and Carol Lancaster, Mortara Center for International Studies, 
both of Georgetown University, and Steven Radelet, Center for Global 
Development, all of Washington, DC.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
ordered favorably reported the following items:
  H.R. 35, to amend chapter 22 of title 44, U.S. Code, popularly known 
as the Presidential Records Act, to establish procedures for the 
consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against 
disclosure of Presidential records, with an amendment in the nature of 
a substitute;
  S. 615, to provide additional personnel authorities for the Special 
Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction;
  S. 507, to provide for retirement equity for Federal employees in 
nonforeign areas outside the 48 contiguous States and the District of 
Columbia, with an amendment;
  S. 713, to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency to quickly and fairly address the abundance of 
surplus manufactures housing units stored by the Federal Government 
around the country at taxpayer expense, with an amendment;
  S. 574, to enhance citizen access to Government information and 
services by establishing that Government documents issued to the public 
must be written clearly, with an amendment;
  S. Res. 87, expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants 
should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the 
Nation during Public Service Recognition Week, May 4 through 10, 2009; 
and
  The nominations of Jane Holl Lute, of New York, to be Deputy 
Secretary of Homeland Security, and John Berry, of the District of 
Columbia, to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a hearing to examine 
the nominations of David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to be U.S. Circuit 
Judge for the Seventh Circuit, who was introduced by Senators Lugar and 
Bayh, Ronald H. Weich, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant 
Attorney General, Department of Justice, who was introduced by Senator 
Reid, and R. Gil Kerlikowske, of Washington, to be Director of National 
Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, who was 
introduced by Senators Cantwell and Murray, after the nominees 
testified and answered questions in their own behalf.
NOMINATION
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine the nomination of Karen Gordon Mills, of Maine, to 
be Administrator of the Small Business Administration, after the 
nominee, who was introduced by Senator Snowe, testified and answered 
questions in her own behalf.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the nomination of Karen Gordon Mills, of Maine, to 
be Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nominations of W. Scott Gould, of the District of Columbia, 
to be Deputy Secretary, who was introduced by Senator Reed, and Ladda 
Tammy Duckworth, of Illinois, to be Assistant Secretary for Public and 
Intergovernmental Affairs, who was introduced by Senator Durbin, both 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, after the nominees testified and 
answered questions in their own behalf.