[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1341-D1344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

Committee Meetings
FINANCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENT ACT
Committee on Agriculture: Held a hearing to review the Financial 
Stability Improvement Act discussion draft. Testimony was heard from 
Gary Gensler, Chairman, CFTC; Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner, SEC; and 
Leland A. Strom, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Farm Credit 
Administration.
U.S IRAQ-AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations continued hearings on Afghanistan and Iraq: Perspectives 
on U.S. Strategy, Part III. Testimony was heard from GEN. Wesley Clark, 
USA (ret.), Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and public 
witnesses.

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PERFORMANCE BUDGETING
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on Building an Executive-
Legislative Partnership for Performance Budgeting. Testimony was heard 
from Jeffrey D. Zients, Deputy Director, Management and Chief 
Performance Officer, OMB.
H1N1 SICK LEAVE POLICIES
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Protecting 
Employees, Employers and the Public: H1N1 and Sick Leave Policies. 
Testimony was heard from Anne Schuchat, M.D., Assistant Surgeon 
General, and Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory 
Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services; and public witnesses.
CHEMICAL SAFETY DETERMINATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and 
Consumer Protection held a hearing on Prioritizing Chemicals for Safety 
Determination. Testimony was heard from Stephen Owens, Assistant 
Administrator, Officer of Pollution, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, 
EPA; Eric Sampson, Director, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National 
Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services; and public 
witnesses.
UNIVERSAL SERVICE REFORM ACT
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications, 
Technology and the Internet held a hearing on a discussion draft of the 
Universal Service Reform Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from Ray 
Baum, Commissioner, Public Utility Commission, State of Oregon; and 
public witnesses.
COMMITTEE PRINT--FINANCIAL STABILITY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2009
Committee on Financial Services: Continued consideration of the 
Committee Print of the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009.
  Will continue tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Homeland Security: Ordered reported the following 
measures: H.R. 1517, as amended, To allow certain U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection employees who serve under an overseas limited 
appointment for at least 2 years, and whose service is rated fully 
successful or higher throughout that time, to be converted to a 
permanent appointment in the competitive service; H.R. 2611, as 
amended, To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the 
Securing the Cities Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security, 
and for other purposes; H.R. 3239, as amended, To require the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to 
submit a report on the effects of the Merida Initiative on the border 
security of the United States, and for other purposes; H.R. 3837, as 
amended, Strengthening and Updating Resources and Equipment Act; 
H.R.3963, Criminal Investigative Training Restoration Act; H.R. 3978, 
First Responder Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act; H.R. 3980, 
Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants 
Act; and H. Res. 28, as amended, Expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives that the Transportation Security Administration should, 
in accordance with the congressional mandate provided for in the 
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, 
enhance security against terrorist attack and other security threats to 
our Nation's rail and mass transit lines.
JUDGE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT
Committee on the Judiciary: Task Force on Judicial Impeachment met to 
consider possible impeachment of U.S. District Judge G. Thomas 
Porteous, Jr. Testimony was heard from Alan Baron, Special Impeachment 
Counsel, Committee on the Judiciary; and Attorney Robert Creely.
  Will continue tomorrow.
FINANCIAL REFORM--BANKRUPTCY ANTITRUST LAW
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Courts and Competition 
Policy continued hearings on Too Big to Fail: The Role for Bankruptcy 
and Antitrust Law in Financial Regulation Reform, Part II. Testimony 
was heard from public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks, 
Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 
2889, Oregon Caves National Monument Boundary Adjustment Act of 2009; 
H.R. 3339, FLTFA Reauthorization Act of 2009; H.R. 3444, Pinnacles 
National Park Act; H.R. 3538, Idaho Wilderness Water Resources 
Protection Act; and H.R. 3726, Castle Nugent National Historic Site 
Establishment Act of 2009. Testimony was heard from Representatives 
Farr and Simpson; the following officials of the Department of the 
Interior: Bob Abbey, Director, Bureau of Land Management; and Steven E. 
Whitesell, Associate Director, Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands, 
National Park Service; Lenise Lago, Deputy Regional Forester, Pacific 
Northwest Region, Forest Service, USDA; Robin M. Nazzaro, Director, 
Natural Resources and Environment, GAO; and public witnesses.

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BANK OF AMERICA-MERRILL LYNCH MERGER
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 
IV. `` Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
FIRE GRANTS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a structured rule 
providing for the consideration of H.R. 3791, the ``Fire Grants 
Reauthorization Act of 2009''. The rule provides one hour of general 
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Science and Technology. 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 Science and Technology modified by the 
amendment printed in part A of the Rules Committee report 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 part B of 
the 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 division of the question. The rule 
waives all points of order against the amendments made in order except 
those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions. The rule provides that 
the Chair may entertain a motion that the Committee rise only if 
offered by the chair of the Committee on Science and Technology or a 
designee. Finally, the rule provides that the Chair may not entertain a 
motion to strike out the enacting words of the bill. Testimony was 
heard from Representatives Gordon, Holden, and Smith of Nebraska.
MOLALLA RIVER PROTECTIONS
Committee on Rules: Granted, by a non-record vote, a closed rule 
providing for consideration of H.R. 2781, ``To amend the Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in Oregon, 
as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for 
other purposes''. The rule provides one hour of general debate 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 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 Natural Resources now 
printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as 
amended, shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of 
order against provisions in the bill, as amended. Finally, the rule 
provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony 
was heard from Representatives Grijalva and Hastings of Washington.
SECURITY SCIENCE--ADVANCED RADIATION MONITORS
Committee on Science and Technology: Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight continued hearings on The Science of Security Part II; 
Technical Problems Continue to Hinder Advanced Radiation Monitors. 
Testimony was heard from the following officials of the GAO: Gene 
Aloise, Director, Natural Resources and Environment; and Timothy M. 
Persons, Chief Scientist; the following officials of the Department of 
Homeland Security: Todd Owen, Executive Director, Cargo and Conveyance 
Security, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection; and William Hagan, Acting Deputy Director, Domestic Nuclear 
Detection Office.
U.S. TRADE PREFERENCE PROGRAMS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Trade held a hearing on 
the Operation, Impact and Future of the U.S. Preference Programs. 
Testimony was heard from Representatives McDermott, Linda T. Sanchez of 
California, and Engel; Tim Reif, General Counsel, Office of the U.S. 
Trade Representative; Sandra Polaski, Deputy Under Secretary, Bureau of 
International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor; Mary Ott, Deputy 
Assistant Administrator, Bureau of Economic Growth, U.S. Agency for 
International Development, Department of State; Burnham Philbrook, 
Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; 
Loren Yager, Director, International Affairs and Trade, GAO; and public 
witnesses.
BRIEFING--SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to 
receive a briefing on Significant Activities. The Committee was briefed 
by departmental witnesses.

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Joint Meetings
No joint committee meetings were held.