[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 14, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D836-D838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
DAIRY INDUSTRY'S ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Committee on Agriculture: Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry 
held a hearing to review the economic conditions facing the dairy 
industry. Testimony was heard from Representatives Courtney and Welch; 
James Miller, Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, 
USDA; and public witnesses.
SEC OVERSIGHT
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Capital Markets, 
Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises held a hearing entitled 
``SEC Oversight: Current State and Agenda.'' Testimony was heard from 
Mary L. Schapiro, Chairman, SEC.
BIOLOGICS/BIOSIMILARS INNOVATION
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Competition 
Policy held a hearing on Biologics and Biosimilars: Balancing 
Incentives for Innovation. Testimony was heard from Representative 
Eshoo; and public witnesses.
MANDATORY SENTENCING MINIMUMS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and 
Homeland Security held a hearing on Mandatory Minimums and Unintended 
Consequences, including consideration of the following bills: H.R. 
2934, Common Sense in Sentencing Act of 2009; H.R. 834, Ramos and 
Compean Justice Act of 2009; and H.R. 1466, Major Drug Trafficking 
Prosecution Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from Julia E. Carnes, 
Chair, Criminal Law Committee, Judicial Conference of the United 
States; and public witnesses.
D.C. METRORAIL CRASH; WMATA FUNDING
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Federal 
Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia held an 
oversight hearing entitled ``Back on Track: WMATA Red Line Metrorail 
Accident and Continual Funding Challenges.'' Testimony was heard from 
Peter M. Rogoff, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, 
Department of Transportation; Deborah A. P. Hersman, member, National 
Transportation Safety Board; Eric Madison, Chairman, Tri-State 
Oversight Committee of the Transportation Planner Mass Transit 
Administration, Department of Transportation, District of Columbia; 
former Representative Thomas M. Davis III, of Virginia; the following 
officials of the WMATA, John B. Catoe, General Manager; and Jim Graham, 
Chairman, Board of Directors; and public witnesses.

[[Page D837]]


AFGHAN ECONOMY PROMOTION
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on National 
Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled ``U.S. Promotion 
of the Afghan Economy: Impediments and Opportunities.'' Testimony was 
heard from Jeremy Pam, Visiting Research Scholar, Sustainable 
Development, U.S. Institute of Peace; and public witnesses.
THE ``ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010''
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a record vote of 7 to 4, a structured 
rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water 
Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. The rule 
provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order against 
consideration of the bill except those arising under clauses 9 or 10 of 
rule XXI. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read 
through page 63, line 12. The rule waives points of order against 
provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI. 
The rule makes in order (1) the amendments printed in part A of the 
report of the Committee on Rules; (2) not to exceed one of the 
amendments printed in part B of the report if offered by Representative 
Campbell of California or his designee; (3) not to exceed six of the 
amendments printed in part C of the report if offered by Representative 
Flake of Arizona or his designee; and (4) not to exceed three of the 
amendments printed in part D of the report if offered by Representative 
Hensarling of Texas or his designee. The rule provides that each such 
amendment 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 10 minutes equally divided 
and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not be 
subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the 
Committee of the Whole. All points of order against such amendments are 
waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule 
provides that for those amendments reported from the Committee of the 
Whole, the question of their adoption shall be put to the House en gros 
and without demand for division of the question. The rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. The rule provides that 
after disposition of the amendments specified in the first section of 
the rule, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Appropriations or their designees each may offer one pro forma 
amendment to the bill for the purpose of debate, which shall be 
controlled by the proponent. The rule provides that the Chair may 
entertain a motion that the Committee rise only if offered by the Chair 
of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee and that the Chair 
may not entertain a motion to strike out the enacting words of the bill 
(as described in clause 9 of rule XVIII). The rule provides that during 
consideration of the bill, the Chair may reduce to two minutes the 
minimum time for electronic voting. Finally, the rule lays House 
Resolution 618 on the table. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Pastor; Cardoza; Arcuri; Costa; Davis of Tennessee; Frelinghuysen; 
Wamp; Gingrey; Nunes; Kingston of Georgia and Deal of Georgia.
THE ``FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
2010''
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a record vote of 7 to 4, a structured 
rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3170, the Financial Service 
and General Government Appropriations Act, 2010. The rule provides one 
hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and 
ranking minority member of the committee on Appropriations. The rule 
waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except 
those arising under clauses 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that 
the bill shall be considered as read through page 145, line 11. The 
rule waives points of order against provisions in the bill for failure 
to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule makes in order the 
amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules. The rule 
provides that each such amendment 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 10 
minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an 
opponent, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the 
question in the House or in the Committee on the Whole. All points of 
order against such amendments are waived except those arising under 
clause 9 or 10 or rule XXI. The rule provides that for those amendments 
reported from the Committee of the Whole, the question of their 
adoption shall be put to the House en gros and without demand for 
division of the question. The rule provides one motion to recommit with 
or without instructions. The rule provides that after disposition of 
the amendments specified in the first section of the rule, the chair 
and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their 
designees each may offer one pro forma amendment to the bill for the 
purpose of debate, which shall be controlled by the proponent. The rule 
provides that

[[Page D838]]

the Chair may entertain a motion that the Committee rise only if 
offered by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee 
and that the Chair may not entertain a motion to strike out the 
enacting words of the bill (as described in clause 9 of rule XVIII). 
Finally, the rule provides that during consideration of the bill, the 
Chair may reduce to two minutes the minimum time for electronic voting. 
Testimony was heard from Chairman Serrano; Representatives Inslee; 
Davis of Tennessee; Emerson; Tiahrt; LaTourette; Frelinghuysen; 
Sessions; Gingrey; Brady of Texas; Walden; Pence; King of Iowa; Jordan 
of Ohio and Lee of New York.
WIND AND SOLAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Energy and 
Environment held a hearing on New Roadmaps for Wind and Solar Research 
and Development. Testimony was heard from John Saintcross, Program 
Manager, Energy and Environmental Markets, Energy Research and 
Development Authority, State of New York; and public witnesses.
DEFENSE--VA ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD INTEROPERABILITY
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations held a hearing on Examining the Progress of Electronic 
Health Record Interoperability Between VA and DOD. Testimony was heard 
from Valerie C. Melvin, Director, Information Management and Human 
Capital Issues, GAO; RADM Gregory Timberlake, USN, Acting Director, 
Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Interagency 
Program Office; the following officials of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs: Douglas E. Rosendale, Director, Joint Interoperability 
Ventures, Office of Health Administration, Veterans Health 
Administration; and Roger W. Baker, Assistant Secretary, Information 
and Technology; and Mary Ann Rockey, Deputy Chief Information Officer, 
Military Health System, Department of Defense.

Joint Meetings
 No joint committee meetings were held.