[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 77 (Tuesday, May 19, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D580-D583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, 
General Government and Related Agencies held a hearing on the IRS. 
Testimony was

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heard from Douglas Shulman, Commissioner, IRS, Department of the 
Treasury.
  The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the National Archives. 
Testimony was heard from Adrienne Thomas, Acting Archivist, National 
Archives and Records Administration.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriatons: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on the EPA. Testimony was heard from 
Lisa Jackson, Administrator, EPA.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, 
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Department of 
Defense Overview. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of Defense: Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary 
(Comptroller); and Wayne Arny, Deputy Under Secretary (Installations 
and Environment).
AIR FORCE BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2010 
National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of 
the Air Force. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense: Michael B. Donley, Secretary; 
and GEN Norman A. Schwartz, USAF, Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force.
DEFENSE ACQUISITION METRICS
Committee on Armed Services: Defense Acquisition Panel held a hearing 
on Measuring Performance: Developing Good Acquisition Metrics. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: David P. Fitch, Director, AT&L Leadership Center of 
Excellence, Defense Acquisition University; and Daniel A. Nussbaum, 
Visiting Professor, Department of Operations Research, Naval 
Postgraduate School; and a public witness.
NAVY AVIATION BUDGET
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower, and 
Expeditionary Forces held a hearing on Fiscal Year 2010 National 
Defense Authorization Budget Request for the Department of the Navy 
Aviation Programs. Testimony was heard from the following officials of 
the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense: VADM David 
Architzel, USN, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, 
Research, Development and Acquisition; and LTG George J. Trautman, 
USMC, Deputy Commander, Marine Corps Aviation Programs, U.S. Marine 
Corps.
SCHOOLS USE OF SECLUSION AND RESTRAINT
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Examining the 
Abusive and Deadly Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Schools. Testimony 
was heard from Greg D. Kutz, Managing Director, Forensic Audits and 
Special Investigations, GAO; and public witnesses.
AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT OF 2009
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Continued markup of H.R. 2454, 
American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.
WESTERN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CAPITAL LOSS/CORRUPTION
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Capital 
Loss, Corruption and the Role of Western Financial Institutions.'' 
Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CREDIT RATING AGENCY REGULATION
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``Approaches to Improving Credit Rating Agency Regulation.'' Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY'S RIGHTWING EXTREMISM ASSESSMENT
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported, as amended, H. Res. 
404, Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit to the 
House of Representatives, not later than 14 days after the date of the 
adoption of this resolution, copies of documents relating to the 
Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Assessment titled, 
``Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling 
Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.''
CARMELO RODRIGUEZ MILITARY MEDICAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2009
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and 
Administrative Law approved for full Committee action, as amended, H.R. 
1478, Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009.
RAILROAD ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2009
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Competition 
Policy held a hearing on H.R. 233,

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Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Alexander; and public witnesses.
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS/GUAM
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans 
and Wildlife held an oversight hearing on Implementation of Public Law 
110-229 to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. 
Testimony was heard from Felix P. Camacho, Governor of Guam; Benigno 
Repeki Fitial, Governor, Northern Mariana Islands; Benjamin J.F. Cruz, 
Vice Speaker, Guam Legislature; David Gootnick, Director, International 
Affairs and Trade, GAO; Nikolao Pula, Acting Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; 
Richard C. Barth, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Policy, 
Department of Homeland Security; and public witnesses.
NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL BUDGET/POLICIES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Domestic 
Policy held a hearing entitled ``ONDCP's Fiscal Year 2010 National Drug 
Control Budget and the Priorities, Objectives, and Policies of the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy under the New Administration.'' 
Testimony was heard from Gil Kerlikowske, Director, Office of National 
Drug Control Policy; and public witnesses.
FEDERAL INFORMATION SECURITY
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Government Management, Organization, and Procurement held a hearing 
entitled ``The State of Federal Information Security.'' Testimony was 
heard from Vivek Kundra, Chief Information Officer, OMB; Gregory 
Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues, GAO; the following 
officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Jacquelyn Patillo, 
Acting Chief Information Officer; and Margaret Graves, Acting Chief 
Information Officer; and a public witness.
AFGHAN/PAKISTAN'S CIVILIAN SURGE
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs, held a hearing on Afghanistan and 
Pakistan: Resourcing the Civilian Surge. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of State: Paul Jones, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia Bureau; James A. Bever, 
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Asia and Near East Bureau, U.S. Agency 
for International Development; and Ambassador John Herbst, Coordinator, 
Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization; David S. Sedney, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary, Central Asian Affairs, Department of Defense; and 
Michael Michener, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
JOB CREATION THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACT OF 2009
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule. 
The rule provides one hour of general debate on H.R. 2352, the Job 
Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, equally divided and 
controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Small Business. 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 amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 
by the Committee on Small Business now printed in the bill shall be 
considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall 
be considered as read. The rule waves all points of order against the 
amendment in the nature of a substitute except for clause 10 of rule 
XXI. The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules 
Committee report. The amendments made in order may be offered only in 
the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member 
designated in the 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 by Chairwoman Velazquez and 
Representatives Cardoza, Pingree, Polis (CO), Watson (CA), Davis (AL), 
Klein (FL), Boccieri, and Graves.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 627, THE 
CREDIT CARDHOLDERS' BILL OF RIGHTS ACT OF 2009
Committee on Rules. Granted, by a non-record vote, a rule providing for 
consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 627, the Credit 
Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009. The rule makes in order a 
motion by the Chairman of the Committee on Financial Services to concur 
in the Senate amendment. The rule waives all points of order against 
the motion except clause 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the 
Senate amendment and the motion shall be considered as read. The rule 
provides one hour of debate on the motion equally divided and 
controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
on Financial Services. The rule provides that the question of adoption 
of the motion shall be divided for a separate vote on concurring in

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section 512 of the Senate amendment. The rule further provides that if 
either portion of the divided question fails of adoption, then the 
House shall be considered to have made no disposition of the Senate 
amendment. The rule provides that House Resolution 450 is laid on the 
table. Testimony was heard by Chairman Frank (MA), and Representative 
Bachus.
NASA BUDGET REQUEST
Committee on Science and Technology: Held a hearing on NASA's Fiscal 
Year 2010 Budget Request. Testimony was heard from Christopher Scolese, 
Acting Administrator, NASA.
SCIENCE OF INSOLVENCY
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing on the Science of Insolvency. Testimony was 
heard from public witnesses.
LEVEE SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment held a hearing on Recommendations of the 
National Committee on Levee Safety. Testimony was heard from Eric 
Halpin, Special Assistant, Dam and Levee Safety, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
VA MEDICAL CARE
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing 
on VA Medical Care: The Crown Jewel and Best Kept Secret. Testimony was 
heard from Paul J. Hutter, Chief Officer, Legislative, Regulatory, and 
Intergovernmental Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Department 
of Veterans Affairs; representatives of veterans organizations; and 
public witnesses.
GULF WAR ILLNESS RESEARCH
Committee on Veterans Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Gulf War Illness Research: Is Enough 
Being Done? Testimony was heard from R. Craig Postlewaite, DVM, Deputy 
Director, Force Readiness and Health Assurance, Force Health Protection 
and Readiness Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Health 
Affairs, Department of Defense; Lawrence Deyton, M.D., Chief Public 
Health and Environmental Hazards Officer, Veterans Health 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Robert D. Walpole, 
former Special Assistant, Gulf War Illness Issues, Office of the 
Assistant Director, Central Intelligence, CIA; representatives of 
veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
SSA'S EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR DISABILITY BENEFICIARIES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a 
hearing on Social Security Administration's (SSA's) employment support 
programs for disability beneficiaries. Testimony was heard from Sue 
Suter, Associate Commissioner, Employment Support Programs, SSA; and 
public witnesses.
BRIEFING--OVERHEAD ARCHITECTURE
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Overhead Architecture. The Committee was briefed 
by Betty Sapp, Acting Director, National Reconnaissance Office.

Joint Meetings
WEAPON SYSTEMS ACQUISITION REFORM ACT
  Conferees agreed to file a conference report on the differences 
between the Senate and House passed versions of S. 454, to improve the 
organization and procedures of the Department of Defense for the 
acquisition of major weapon systems.