[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 107 (Thursday, July 16, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D857-D859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FOOD SAFETY
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review current issues in 
food safety. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
USDA: Jerold Mande, Deputy Under Secretary, Food Safety; and Cindy 
Smith, Acting Administrator, Marketing and Regulatory Programs; Mike 
Taylor, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, FDA, Department of Health 
and Human Services; and public witnesses.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FY 2009
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense met in executive 
session and approved for full Committee action the Defense 
appropriations for fiscal year 2010.
PROSECUTING LAW OF WAR VIOLATIONS
Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on Prosecuting Law of War 
Violations: Reforming the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Testimony 
was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: 
VADM Bruce E. MacDonald, USN, The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy; 
LTG Jack L. Rives, USAF, The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Air Force; 
LTG Scott C. Black, USA, The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army; and BG 
James C. Walker, USMC, Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant, U.S. 
Marine Corps.
MANAGING SERVICES CONTRACTS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Defense Acquisition Reform 
Panel held a hearing on Managing Services Contracts: What Works and 
What Doesn't? Testimony was heard from the following officials of the 
Department of Defense: BG Wendy Masiello, USAF, Air Force Program 
Executive Officer, Combat and Mission Support, U.S. Air Force; Jeffrey 
P. Parsons, Executive Director, Army Contracting Command, U.S. Army 
Materiel Command, U.S. Army; and Jerome F. Punderson, Naval Sea Systems 
Command, U.S. Navy.
OVERSIGHT--ELECTROMAGNETIC AIRCRAFT LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary 
Forces held an oversight hearing for the Electromagnetic Aircraft 
Launch Systems (EMALS). Testimony was heard from the following 
officials of the U.S. Navy: VADM David Architzel, USN, Principal 
Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development, and 
Acquisition; CAPT. Brian Antonio, FORD Class Program Manager; and CAPT 
Randy Mahr, EMALS Program Manager (PMA 251).
NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT BUDGETING
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Budgeting for Nuclear Waste 
Management. Testimony was heard from Christopher A. Kouts, Acting 
Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Department 
of Energy; Michael F. Hertz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil 
Division, Department of Justice; and Kim P. Cawley, Unit Chief, Natural 
and Physical Resources Cost Estimates Unit, CBO.
AMERICA'S AFFORDABLE HEALTH CHOICES ACT OF 2009
  Committee on Education and Labor: Continued markup of H.R. 3200, 
America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.
AMERICA'S AFFORDABLE HEALTH CHOICES ACT OF 2009
  Committee on Energy and Commerce: Began markup of H.R. 3200, 
America's Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.

[[Page D858]]


FINANCIAL REGULATIONS CONSUMER ADVOCATES' PERSPECTIVES
Committee on Financial Services: Held a hearing entitled ``Community 
and Consumer Advocates' Perspectives on the Obama Administration's 
Financial Regulatory Reform Proposals.'' Testimony was heard from 
public witnesses.
FEDERAL RESERVE'S CONSUMER PROTECTION ROLE
Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary 
Policy and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Regulatory 
Restructuring: Safeguarding Consumer Protection and the Role of the 
Federal Reserve.'' Testimony was heard from Elizabeth A. Duke, 
Governor, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System; and public 
witnesses.
CHINESE INTERROGATION VS. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT--UIGHURS AT 
GUANTANAMO
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International 
Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, hearing on Chinese 
Interrogation vs. Congressional Oversight: The Uighurs at Guantanamo. 
Testimony was heard from Allan Liotta, Principal Director, Detainee 
Affairs, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
COMBATING BORDER VIOLENCE
Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and 
Global Counterterrorism held a hearing entitled ``Combating Border 
Violence: The Role of Interagency Coordination in Investigations.'' 
Testimony was heard from Kumar Kibble, Deputy Director, Office of 
Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of 
Homeland Security; and the following officials of the Department of 
Justice: Anthony Placido, Assistant Administrator, Intelligence, Drug 
Enforcement Administration; and Bill McMahon, Deputy Assistant 
Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
BANK OF AMERICA AND MERRILL LYNCH--PRIVATE DEAL TO FEDERAL BAILOUT
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Subcommittee on 
Domestic Policy, continued joint hearings entitled `` Bank of America 
and Merrill Lynch: How Did a Private Deal Turn Into a Federal Bailout? 
Part III.'' Testimony was heard from Henry Paulson, former Secretary of 
the Treasury.
RESTORE OUR AMERICAN MUSTANGS ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 1018, the Restore Our American 
Mustangs Act. The rule provides one hour of general debate in the House 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Natural Resources. The rule waives all points of 
order against consideration of the bill except for clauses 9 and 10 of 
rule XXI. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by 
the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be 
considered as adopted. The rule waives all points of order against 
provisions of the bill, as amended. The rule provides that the bill, as 
amended, shall be considered as read. The rule makes in order the 
amendment printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules if 
offered by Rep. Rahall or his designee, which shall be considered as 
read, and shall be separately debatable for 10 minutes equally divided 
and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. The rule also makes in 
order the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part B of 
the report, if offered by Representative Hastings of Washington or his 
designee, which shall be separately debatable for 30 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 
except for clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides one motion 
to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from 
Chairman Rahall and Representative Hastings of Washington.
FAA AVIATION WEATHER SERVICES
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing on Providing Aviation Weather Services to the 
FAA. Testimony was heard from David Powner, Director, Information 
Technology Management Issues, GAO; Jack Hayes, Assistant Administrator, 
National Weather Service, NOAA, Department of Commerce; and Richard 
Day, Senior Vice President, Operations, FAA, Department of 
Transportation.
SPACE RELEVANCE
Committee on Science and Technolgy: Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics held a hearing on Enhancing the Relevance of Space to 
Address National Needs. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
HIGHWAY BILL--SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS
Committee on Small Business: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight held a hearing entitled ``The Upcoming Highway Bill and 
Ensuring It Meets the Needs of Small Businesses.'' Testimony was heard 
from public witnesses.

[[Page D859]]


GREEN BUILDINGS
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management held a 
hearing on Green Buildings Offer Multiple Benefits: Cost Savings, Clean 
Environment and Jobs. Testimony was heard from Kevin Kampschroer, 
Acting Director, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, 
GSA; Drury Crawley, Lead Mechanical Engineer, Office of Building 
Technologies, Department of Energy; Ray Uhalde, Senior Advisor, 
Department of Labor; and a public witness.
LONG-TERM SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on 
Highways and Transit held a hearing on The Importance of a Long-Term 
Surface Transportation Authorization in Sustaining Economic Recovery. 
Testimony was heard from Roy Kienitz, Under Secretary, Policy, 
Department of Transportation; Carlos Braceras, Deputy Director, 
Department of Transportation, State of Utah; and public witnesses.
WOMEN VETERANS ISSUES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Disability Assistance 
and the Subcommittee on Memorial Affairs and Health held a joint 
hearing on Eliminating the Gaps: Examining Women Veterans' Issues. 
Testimony was heard from Randall V. Williamson, Director, Health Care, 
GAO; the following officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs: 
Bradley G. Mayes, Director, Compensation and Pension Service; and 
Lawrence Deyton, M.D., Chief, Public Health and Environmental Hazards 
Office, both with the Veterans Health Administration; and Irene 
Trowell-Harris, RN, Director, Center of Women Veterans; and public 
witnesses.
VA STATE APPROVING AGENCIES
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a hearing on State Approving Agencies. Testimony was heard from 
Representative Timothy H. Bishop of New York; Keith M. Wilson, 
Director, Office of Education Service, Veterans Benefits 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; representatives of 
veterans organizations; and public witnesses.
AMERICA'S AFFORDABLE HEALTH CHOICES ACT OF 2009
Committee on Ways and Means: Began markup of H.R. 3200, America's 
Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.

Joint Meetings
REGIONAL IMPACT OF IRAN CRISIS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Commission concluded 
a hearing to examine the impact of the Iran crisis on its OSCE 
neighbors, after receiving testimony from David Kramer, former 
Assistant Secretary of State; Stephen Blank, United States Army War 
College, Department of Defense; and Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House, 
Washington, D.C.