[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D405-D407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FEDERAL FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review Federal food safety 
systems. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science 
and Related Agencies continued appropriation hearings. Testimony was 
heard from Members of Congress, and public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session to hold a hearing on Missile Defense Agency Overview. Testimony 
was heard from LTG Patrick O'Reilly, USA, Director, Missile Defense 
Agency, Department of Defense.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a 
hearing on Immigration Enforcement and Citizenship Verification. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: Michael Aytes, Acting Deputy Director, Citizenship 
and Immigration Services; David Venturella, Executive Director, Secure 
Communities, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Marcy Forman, 
Director, Office of Investigations, Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement.

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INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on Minerals Management Service Oversight. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of the 
Interior: Mary Kendall, Acting Inspector General; and Walter Cruickshank, 
Deputy Director, Minerals Management Service; and Frank Rusco, Director, 
Natural Resources and Environment, GAO.
NEW STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the New Strategy for 
Afghanistan and Pakistan and developments in U.S. Central Command and 
Special Operations Command. Testimony was heard from the following officials 
of the Department of Defense: Michele Flournoy, Under Secretary, Policy; GEN 
David H. Petraeus, USA, Commander, U.S. Central Command; and ADM Eric Olson, 
USN, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command.
POW/MIA RECOVERY IMPROVEMENTS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on improving recovery and full accounting of POW/MIA personnel from 
all past conflicts. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: Charles A. Ray, Deputy Assistant Secretary, POW/
Missing Personnel Affairs; and RADM Donna L. Crisp, USN, Commander, Joint 
POW/MIA Accounting Command; and public witnesses.
NEW AGE OF IRREGULAR WARFARE
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional 
Threats and Capabilities held a hearing on Terrorism and the New Age of 
Irregular Warfare: Challenges and Opportunities. Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications, 
Technology, and the Internet held a hearing on Oversight of the American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Broadband. Testimony was heard from David 
Villano, Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Program, Rural 
Development, USDA; Scott Deutchman, Acting Senior Legal Advisor, FCC; Mark 
Seifert, Senior Policy Advisor, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration; Department of Commerce; Rachelle Chong, Commissioner, 
California Public Utilities Commission; and public witnesses.
MAKING HEALTH CARE WORK FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on 
Making Health Care Work for American Families: Saving Money, Saving Lives. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CREDIT CARD HOLDERS' BILL OF RIGHTS ACT; PAYDAY LOAN REFORM ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and 
Consumer Credit approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 617, 
Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on H.R. 1214, Payday Loan Reform Act 
of 2009. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
SOUTH PACIFIC TUNA TREATY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the 
Global Environment held a hearing on the South Pacific Tuna Treaty: Next 
Steps for Renewal. Testimony was heard from William Gibbons-Fly, Director, 
Office of Marine Conservation, Bureau of Oceans and International 
Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State.
U.S. STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia 
held a hearing on U.S. Strategy for Afghanistan: Achieving Peace and 
Stability in the Graveyard of Empires. Testimony was heard from public 
witnesses.
EXPORT CONTROLS AND SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation 
and Trade held a hearing on Export Controls and Satellite Technology. 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY POLICYMAKING
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing entitled ``Homeland Security 
Policymaking: HSC at a Crossroads and Presidential Study Directive.'' 
Testimony was heard from the following former Homeland Security and 
Counterrorism Advisors to the President: Kenneth L. Wainstein; and Frances 
Fragos Townsend; and public witnesses.
CONSUMER DEBT
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative 
Law held a hearing on Consumer Debt: Are Credit Cards Bankrupting Americans? 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
STATE AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, 
Refugees, Border Security and International Law, and the Subcommittee on 
Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held a joint hearing on the 
Public Safety and Civil Rights Implications of State and Local Enforcement 
of Federal Immigration Laws. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
PUBLIC LANDS SERVICES CORPS ACT
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and 
Public Lands held a hearing

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on H.R. 1612, Public Lands Services Corps Act of 2009. Testimony was heard 
from Will Shafroth, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 
Department of the Interior; Hank Kashdan, Associate Chief, U.S. Forest 
Service, USDA; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; COLLAPSE AND FEDERAL RESCUE OF AIG
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H. Res. 214, Recognizing the efforts of the countless volunteers 
who helped the Commonwealth of Kentucky recover from the ice storm of 
January 2009; H. Res. 254, amended, Recognizing the designation of March 
2009 as Irish American Heritage Month and honoring the significance of Irish 
Americans in the history and progress of the United States; H.R. 1516, To 
designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 37926 Church 
Street in Dade City, FL, as the ``Sergeant Marcus Mathes Post Office;'' H.R. 
1595, To designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 3245 
Latta Road in Rochester, NY, as the ``Brian K. Schramm Post Office 
Building;'' and a resolution Honoring the Life and Achievements of John Hope 
Franklin.
  The Committee also held a hearing on the Collapse and Federal Rescue of 
AIG and What it Means for the U.S. Economy. Testimony was heard from Maurice 
R. Greenberg, former CEO, American International Group (AIG).
MODERNIZING THE SBA'S ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Rural Development, 
Entrepreneurship and Trade held a hearing on Legislative Initiatives to 
Modernize the SBA's Entrepreneurial Development Programs. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Ordered reported the 
following measures: H.R. 1665, Coast Guard Acquisition Reform Act of 2009; 
H.R. 1746, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act of 2009; H.R. 1747, Great Lakes 
Icebreaker Replacement Act; H.R. 1178, as amended, To direct the Comptroller 
General of the United States to conduct a study on the use of Civil Air 
Patrol personnel and resources to support homeland security missions; H. 
Res. 313, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Works Week; and 
H. Res. 269, Supporting the goals of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a 
hearing on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Programs. Testimony was 
heard from John McWilliam, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment 
and Training Service, Department of Labor; Ruth Fanning, Director, Office of 
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, Veterans Benefits Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; 
and a public witness.
SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to hold 
a briefing on Signals Intelligence. The Committee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT BRIEFING
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human 
Intelligence, Analysis, and Counterintelligence met in executive session to 
hold a briefing on Global Deployment. The Subcommittee was briefed by 
departmental witnesses.
Joint Meetings
WESTERN BALKANS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Commission concluded a 
hearing to examine the Western Balkans, focusing on challenges for United 
States and European engagement, after receiving testimony from Paddy 
Ashdown, former High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, London, United 
Kingdom; Ivo Banac, Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, New Haven, 
Connecticut; Ivana Howard, National Endowment for Democracy, Sarajevo, 
Bosnia and Herzegovina; and James Lyon, Democratization Policy Council, 
Belgrade, Serbia.
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