[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D608-D611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
LOW CARBON FUEL STANDARDS PROPOSALS
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review low carbon fuel 
standard proposals. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a 
hearing on FDA. Testimony was heard from John M. Sharfstein, M.D., 
Acting Commissioner, FDA, Department of Health and Human Services.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense held a hearing on 
Defense Health Program. Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the Department of Defense: Ellen Embrey, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, Force Health Readiness and Protection; LTG Eric Shoomaker, 
Army Surgeon General, and Commander, U.S. Army Medical Command; VADM 
Adam M. Robinson, Surgeon General, U.S. Navy; LTG James G. Roudebush, 
USAF, Surgeon General, U.S. Air Force; and the following officials of 
the Joint Task Force Capital Region Medicine: VADM John M. Mateczun, 
USN., and BG Philip Volope, Deputy Commander, USA.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Nuclear Security 
Administration (NNSA): Nuclear Nonproliferation and Weapons. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Energy: 
Thomas P. A`Agostino, Under Secretary, Nuclear Security and 
Administrator of NNSA; A. Garrett Harencak, Principal Assistant Deputy 
Administrator, Military Application; and Kenneth Baker, Principal 
Assistant Deputy Administrator, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation.
FINANCIAL SERVICES, GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES 
APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services, 
General Government and Related Agencies held a hearing on Treasury 
Department. Testimony was heard from Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the 
Treasury.

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INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies held a hearing on the U.S. Geological Survey. 
Testimony was heard from Suzette Kimball, Acting Director, U.S. 
Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget 
Request for Army Acquisition, Reset, and Modernization Programs. 
Testimony was heard from Department of Defense: David G. Ahern, 
Director, Portfolio Systems Acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary, 
Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics; LTG N. Ross Thompson, III, USA, 
Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, Acquisition, Logistics and 
Technology, U.S. Army; and LTG Stephen M. Speakes, USA, Deputy Chief of 
Staff , G-8, U.S. Army.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Military Personnel held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget 
Request on Military Personnel Overview. Testimony was heard from the 
following officials of the Department of Defense: Gail H. McGinn, 
Acting Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; LTG Michael D. 
Rochelle, USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1; VADM Mark E. Ferguson, III, 
USN, Chief of Navel Personnel, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Total 
Force; LTG Ronald S. Coleman, USMC, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and 
Reserve Affairs, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; and LTG Richard Y. 
Newton, III, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Personnel, 
Headquarters, U.S. Air Force.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a 
hearing on Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget 
Request for National Security Space and Missile Defense Programs. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of 
Defense: GEN C. Robert Kehler, USAF, Commander, Air Force Space 
Command; and LTG Patrick J. O`Reilly, USA, Director, Missile Defense 
Agency.
STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the State of the Economy. 
Testimony was heard from Douglas Elmendorf, Director, CBO.
INCREASING STUDENT AID THROUGH LOAN REFORM
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Increasing Student 
Aid Through Loan Reform. Testimony was heard from Robert Shireman, 
Deputy Under Secretary, Department of Education; John F. Remondi, Vice 
Chairman and Chief Financial Officer Sallie Mae; and public witnesses.
AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 
2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.
OVERSIGHT--MUNICIPAL FINANCE
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Legislative 
Proposals to Improve the Efficiency and Oversight of Municipal 
Finance.'' Testimony was heard from Martha Mahan Haines, Chief, Office 
of Municipal Securities, SEC; Bill Apgar, Senior Advisor to the 
Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development; David W. 
Wilcox, Deputy Director, Division of Research and Statistics, Board of 
Governors, Federal Reserve System; Thomas C. Leppert, Mayor, Dallas, 
Texas; and public witnesses.
SECTION 8 VOUCHER REFORM ACT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Housing and Community 
Opportunity held a hearing entitled ``The Section 8 Voucher Reform 
Act.'' Testimony was heard from Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development.
PIRACY
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and 
Global Counterterrorism met in executive session to hold a briefing on 
piracy. Testimony was heard from departmental witnesses.
MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTING OBSTACLES AND POTENTIAL SOLUTION
Committee on House Administration: Held a hearing on Military and 
Overseas Voting: Obstacles and Potential Solutions. Testimony was heard 
from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Gail McGinn, 
Acting Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness; and CAPT Patricia 
Garcia, USAF, Voting Assistance Officer, U.S. Air Force; Rokey Suleman, 
General Registrar, Fairfax County, Virginia; and Jessie Jane Duff, 
Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.).

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RAMIFICATIONS OF AUTO INDUSTRY BANKRUPTCIES
Committee on the Judiciary: Held a hearing on Ramifications of Auto 
Industry Bankruptcies. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FEDERAL COCAINE SENTENCING UNFAIRNESS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a held a hearing on Unfairness in Federal 
Cocaine Sentencing: Is it time to Crack the 100 to 1 Disparity? 
including discussion of the following bills: H.R. 1459, Fairness in 
Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009; H.R. 1466, Major Drug Trafficking 
Prosecution Act of 2009; H.R. 265, Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine 
Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2009; H.R. 2178, Crack-Cocaine Equitable 
Sentencing Act of 2009; and H.R. 18, Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty 
Equalization Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Rangel, Jackson-Lee of Texas; Bartlett and Waters; Lanny A. Breuer, 
Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice; 
Ricardo H. Hinojosa, U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of 
Texas and Acting Chair, U.S. Sentencing Commission; and public 
witnesses.
OVERSIGHT--FUTURE OF FOREST ECONOMY
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests 
and Public Lands held an oversight hearing on the Future of the Forest 
Economy. Testimony was heard from Representative Herger; Randy Moore, 
Regional Forester, Forest Service, USDA; Steve Wilensky, Calaveras 
County District 2 Supervisor, San Andreas, California; and public 
witnesses.
STAKEHOLDERS' VIEWS ON THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on 
Information Policy, Census, and National Archives held a hearing 
entitled ``Stakeholders' Views on the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA).'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 2200, the ``Transportation Security 
Administration Authorization Act.'' The rule provides one hour of 
general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security.
  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill 
except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule 
provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 
by the Committee on Homeland Security shall be considered as an 
original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as 
read. The rule waives all points of order against the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute except those arising under clause 10 of rule 
XXI.
  The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the report 
of the Committee on Rules. The amendments made in order may be offered 
only in the order printed in the Committee 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 this 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 those arising under 
clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI are waived. Finally, the rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard 
from Chairman Thompson of Mississippi and Representatives Snyder, 
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Dent, Souder, Daniel E. Lungren of California, 
Bachus, Mich and Hastings of Washington.
SMALL BIOFUELS AND FAMILY FARMERS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Regulations and Healthcare 
held a hearing entitled ``Impacts of Outstanding Regulatory Policy on 
Small Biofuels Producers and Family Farmers.'' Testimony was heard from 
Cheryl Cook, Deputy Under Secretary, Rural Development, USDA; Margo 
Oge, Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Office of Air 
and Radiation, EPA; and public witnesses.
VETERANS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 1522, 
United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act; H.R. 1982, Veterans 
Entitlement to Service (VETS) Act of 2009, and H.R. 2270, Benefits for 
Qualified World War II Veterans Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from 
Representatives Lowey and Kilpatrick, of Michigan; and Bradely G. 
Mayes, Director, Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on the following

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bills: H.R. 1037, Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 
2009; H.R. 1098, Veterans Worker Retraining Act of 2009; H.R. 1168, 
Veterans Retraining Act of 2009; H.R. 1172, To direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships 
to veterans and their survivors; H.R. 1821, Equity for Injured Veterans 
Act of 2009; H.R. 1879, National Guard Employment Protection Act of 
2009; and H.R. 2180, To amend title 38, United States Code, to waive 
housing loan fees for certain veterans with service-connected 
disabilities called to active service. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Coffman; Keith M. Wilson, Director, Office Education 
Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and John C. McWilliam, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Veterans' 
Employment and Training Service, Department of Labor.
TAX-EXEMPT AND TAXABLE GOVERNMENT BONDS ISSUES
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures 
held a hearing on issues involving tax-exempt and taxable government 
bonds. Testimony was heard from Alan Krueger, Assistant Secretary, 
Economic Policy, Department of the Treasury; Patrick McCoy, Director of 
Finance, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York State; and 
public witnesses.
BRIEFING--EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
hold a briefing on Executive Overview. Testimony was heard from Michael 
Morrell, Director of Intelligence, CIA.

Joint Meetings
  No joint committee meetings were held.