[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D388-D391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
STATE OF THE FARM ECONOMY
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and 
Risk Management held a hearing to review the state of the farm economy.

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Testimony was heard from Joe Glauber, Chief Economist, USDA; Howard K. 
Gruenspecht, Acting Administrator, Energy Information Administration, 
Department of Energy; Jason R. Henderson, Vice President and Branch 
Executive, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; and public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, 
Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Legal Services 
Corporation; and on Justice Reinvestment. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Legal Services Corporation: Helaine Barnett, 
President; and Lillian BeVier, Vice Chair, Board of Directors; Jerry 
Madden, Vice-Chair, House Corrections Committee, House of 
Representatives, Texas; Roger Werholtz, Secretary, Department of 
Corrections, Kansas; and a public witness.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Shipbuilding Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of the Navy: Allison Stiller, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, for Ships; and VADM Barry McCullough, USN, Deputy Chief, 
Naval Operations for Resources.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Cargo and Container Security: Keeping a Lid on Threats. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: Jayson Ahern, Acting Commissioner; and Thomas 
Winkowski, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, both 
with Customs and Border Protection; and Charles Gallaway, Acting 
Director, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Wildfire Suppression. Testimony was 
heard from Robin M. Nazzaro, Director, Natural Resources and 
Environment, GAO; Hank Kashdan, Associate Chief, U.S. Forest Service, 
USDA; Pam Haze, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget and Business, 
Department of the Interior; and a public witness.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on Pathways to 
Health Reform: Implementing the National Strategy to Reduce Healthcare-
Associated Infections. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Health and Human Services: Don Wright, M.D., 
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Health; Richard Besser, M.D., 
Acting Director, CDC; and Carolyn Clancy, Director, Agency for 
Healthcare and Quality; and public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION, HUD APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
and Urban Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on The 
Future of High Speed Rail, Intercity Passenger Rail and Amtrak. 
Testimony was heard from Susan Fleming, Director, Physical 
Infrastructure, GAO; Joe Boardman, President and CEO, Amtrak; Jolene M. 
Molitoris, Director, Department of Transportation, Ohio; and a public 
witness.
MEASURING VALUE AND EFFICIENCY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Defense Acquisition Reform 
Panel held a hearing on Measuring Value and Efficiency: How to Assess 
the Performance of the Defense Acquisition System. Testimony was heard 
from David G. Ahern, Director, Portfolio Systems Acquisition, Office of 
the Under Secretary, Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics, 
Department of Defense; and Mike J. Sullivan, Director, Acquisitions and 
Sourcing Management, GAO.
COORDINATING CONTRACT SUPPORT ON THE BATTLEFIELD
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Coordinating Contract Support on the 
Battlefield: Defense, State and U.S. AID. Testimony was heard from Gary 
Motsek, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary, Program Support, Department 
of Defense; the following officials of the Department of State: William 
Moser, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Logistics Management; and Maureen A. 
Shauket, Senior Procurement Executive Director, Office of Acquisition 
and Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development; and John 
Hutton, Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, GAO.
NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM--THE WAY FORWARD
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing 
on the National Security Personnel System--the Way Forward. Testimony 
was heard from Brad Bunn, Program Executive Officer, National Security 
Personnel System, Department of

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Defense; Brenda Farrell, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, 
GAO; John L. Crum, Director, Office of Policy and Evaluation, U.S. 
Merit Systems Protection Board, and a public witness.
CREDIT CARDHOLDER'S BILL OF RIGHTS ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions 
and Consumer Credit began mark up of H.R. 627, Credit Cardholders' Bill 
of Rights Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.
FUTURE OF FUSION CENTERS
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, 
Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment held a hearing 
entitled ``The Future of Fusion Centers: Potential Promise and 
Dangers.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Homeland Security: Robert Riegle, Director, State and 
Local Program Office, Office of Intelligence and Analysis; and David 
Gersten, Acting Deputy Officer, Programs and Compliance; John Bateman, 
Assistant Commander, Bureau of Information Analysis, Department of 
Public Safety, State of Texas; and public witnesses.
MANAGING ASBESTOS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AT THE SMITHSONIAN
Committee on House Administration: Held a hearing on Management of 
Asbestos and Hazardous Materials at the Smithsonian Institution. 
Testimony was heard from G. Wayne Clough, Secretary, the Smithsonian 
Institution.
U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION AUDIT REVIEW AND AGENCY SPENDING
Committee on House Administration: Subcommittee on Elections held a 
hearing on 2008 Audit Review and Agency Spending by the Election 
Assistance Commission. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission: Curtis Crider, Inspector 
General; Gineen Beach, Chairwoman; Gracia Hillman, Vice-Chairwoman; 
Donetta Davidson, Commissioner; and Thomas Wilkey, Executive Director.
TAXPAYER PROTECTION LEGISLATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on Proposals to Fight Fraud 
and Protect Taxpayers, including the following measures: H.R. 1748, 
Fight Fraud Act of 2009; H.R. 1292, To amend title I, of the Omnibus 
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to establish a National 
White Collar Crime Center grants program for purposes of improving the 
identification, investigation, and prosecution of certain criminal 
conspiracies and activities and terrorist conspiracies and activities; 
H.R. 1667, War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2009; the False Claims 
Corrections Act; the Financial Crimes Resources Act of 2009; the Money 
Laundering Correction Act of 2009; and H.R. 78, Stop Mortgage Fraud 
Act. Testimony was heard from Representatives Cummings, Abercrombie and 
Biggert; the following officials of the Department of Justice: Rita 
Glavin, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division; and John 
Pistole, Deputy Director, FBI; Jonathan Mintz, Department of Consumer 
Affairs, New York City; and public witnesses.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Natural Resources: Held an oversight hearing on Supreme 
Court decision Carcieri v. Salazar Ramifications to Indian Tribes. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for further consideration of H. Con. Res. 85, the concurrent 
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2010. The rule makes in order 
only those amendments printed in the report. Each amendment may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by 
a Member designated, and shall be considered as read. Each amendment is 
debatable for 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent. The rule waives all points of order against 
the amendments printed in the report. The adoption of any amendment in 
the nature of a substitute shall constitute the completion of 
consideration of the concurrent resolution for amendment. The rule also 
permits the chair of the Committee on the Budget to offer amendments to 
achieve mathematical consistency. Finally, the rule provides that it 
shall be in order, after adoption of H. Con. Res. 85, for the Speaker 
to take from the table S. Con. Res. 13 and to consider S. Con. Res. 13 
in the House without intervention of any point of order. It shall be in 
order to move without intervention of any point of order to strike all 
after the resolving clause of S. Con. Res. 13 and insert in lieu 
thereof the provisions of H. Con. Res. 85 as passed by the House. If 
the motion and Senate concurrent resolution are adopted, it shall be in 
order to move that the House insist on its amendment and request a 
conference with the Senate. Testimony was heard from Chairman Spratt, 
Representatives Scott (VA), Woolsey, Lee, Watson, Ryan (WI), Jordan, 
Tiahrt, Kline (MN), and Cassidy.

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NETWORKING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on Networking and 
Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2009. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
IRS OVERSIGHT
Committee on Small Business: Held a hearing on IRS Oversight: Are Tax 
Compliance Costs Slowing the Economic Recovery? Testimony was heard 
from Donald Shulman, Commissioner, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and 
a public witness.
CIVIL RIGHT SERVICES AND DIVERSITY INITIATIVES IN THE COAST GUARD
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast 
Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on Civil Rights 
Services and Diversity Initiatives in the Coast Guard. Testimony was 
heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department 
of Homeland Security: Terri Dickerson, Director, Coast Guard Office of 
Civil Rights; and RADM Jody A. Breckenridge, USCG, Assistant 
Commandant, Human Resources.
HEALTH REFORM IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Committee on Ways and Means: Held a hearing on Health Reform in the 
21st Century: Reforming the Health Care Delivery System. Testimony was 
heard from Glenn M. Hackbarth, Chairman, Medicare Payment Advisory 
Commission; and public witnesses.
BRIEFINGS--NORTH KOREA UPDATE; AND AFGHANISTAN
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on North Korea update. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
  The Committee also met in executive session to receive a briefing on 
Afghanistan. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses.
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY--MANAGEMENT ISSUES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on 
Intelligence Community Management held a hearing on Management Issues 
in the Intelligence Community. Testimony was heard from Ed Maguire, 
Inspector General, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.