[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 121 (Wednesday, August 5, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D981-D982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
(Committees not listed did not meet)
AUTISM RESEARCH
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, Education, and Related Agencies concluded a hearing to 
examine autism research, treatments and interventions, after receiving 
testimony from Thomas R. Insel, Director, National Institute of Mental 
Health, and Chair, Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, 
Department of Health and Human Services; Geraldine Dawson, Autism 
Speaks, Charlotte, North Carolina; Josh Cobbs, Iowa Autism Council, 
Sioux City; Nicole Akins Boyd, Mississippi Autism Task Force, Oxford; 
David H. Miller, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale; and 
Dana Halvorson, BEAT--Biological Education for Autism Treatments, 
Ankeny, Iowa.
CREDIT RATING AGENCIES REGULATIONS
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Committee concluded a 
hearing to examine proposals to enhance the regulation of credit rating 
agencies, after receiving testimony from Michael S. Barr, Assistant 
Secretary for the Treasury for Financial Institutions; and John C. 
Coffee, Jr., Columbia University Law School, Lawrence J. White, New 
York University Stern School of Business, Stephen W. Joynt, Fitch 
Ratings, James H. Gellert, Rapid Ratings International, Inc., and Mark 
Froeba, PF2 Securities Evaluations, Inc, all of New York, New York.
NOMINATIONS
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee concluded 
a hearing to examine the nominations of Dennis F. Hightower, of the 
District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce, and Robert S. 
Adler, of North Carolina, and Anne M. Northup, of Kentucky, who was 
introduced by Senator McConnell, both to be a Commissioner of the 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, after the nominees testified and 
answered questions in their own behalf.
BUSINESS MEETING
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered 
favorably reported the following business items:
  S. 1078, to authorize a comprehensive national cooperative geospatial 
imagery mapping program through the United States Geological Survey, to 
promote use of the program for education, workforce training and 
development, and applied research, and

[[Page D982]]

to support Federal, State, tribal, and local government programs, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 30, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit 
manipulation of caller identification information;
  S. 251, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to permit targeted 
interference with mobile radio services within prison facilities, with 
an amendment in the nature of a substitute;
  S. 952, to develop and promote a comprehensive plan for a national 
strategy to address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia through baseline 
research, forecasting and monitoring, and mitigation and control while 
helping communities detect, control, and mitigate coastal and Great 
Lakes harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events, with an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute; and
  The nominations of Christopher P. Bertram, of the District of 
Columbia, and Susan L. Kurland, of Illinois, both to be an Assistant 
Secretary, and Daniel R. Elliott III, of Ohio, to be a Member of the 
Surface Transportation Board, all of the Department of Transportation, 
Patricia D. Cahill, of Missouri, to be a Member of the Board of 
Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Christopher A. 
Hart, of Colorado, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety 
Board, Dennis F. Hightower, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy 
Secretary of Commerce, and Robert S. Adler, of North Carolina, and Anne 
M. Northup, of Kentucky, both to be a Commissioner of the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission, and a routine list in the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration.
NOMINATION
Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to 
examine the nomination of David C. Jacobson, of Illinois, to be 
Ambassador to Canada, Department of State, after the nominee, who was 
introduced by Senator Durbin, testified and answered questions in his 
own behalf.
NOMINATION
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Committee 
concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Kelvin J. Cochran, to 
be Administrator, United States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, after the nominee, 
who was introduced by Senator Landrieu, testified and answered 
questions in his own behalf.
FEDERAL ACQUISITION WORKFORCE
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee 
on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the 
District of Columbia concluded a hearing to examine S. 736, to provide 
for improvements in the Federal hiring process, after receiving 
testimony from Jeffrey D. Zients, Deputy Director for Management, 
Office of Management and Budget; Nancy H. Kichak, Associate Director 
for Strategic Human Resources Policy, Office of Personnel Management; 
David A. Drabkin, Acting Chief Acquisition Officer, General Services 
Administration; Elaine C. Duke, Under Secretary of Homeland Security 
for Management; William P. McNally, Assistant Administrator for 
Procurement, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; John R. 
Bashista, Deputy Director, Office of Procurement and Assistance 
Management, Department of Energy; and Deidre A. Lee, Professional 
Services Council, Washington, D.C.