[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6035]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NOTICES OF HEARINGS/MEETINGS


                permanent subcommittee on investigations

  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the 
information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent 
Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs will hold a field hearing in St. Paul, MN 
entitled ``Tax Related Financial Products Can Be Costly,'' regarding 
the Subcommittee's investigations into tax-related financial products. 
These bank products include refund anticipation loans (RALs), refund 
anticipation checks (RACs) and refund transfers that are offered by tax 
preparers such an H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. Also included are 
products offered solely by the tax preparation companies such as tax 
preparation guarantees. The Subcommittee field hearing will examine 
these products' costs, the extent to which these products are fairly 
marketed, and whether the costs of these products are fully disclosed. 
Additionally, the Subcommittee will examine the refunds, incentives and 
rebates that are paid by banks to tax preparers for selling these 
products and the ethical implications that can be presented from a 
client service perspective.
  The Subcommittee hearing is scheduled for Friday, April 15, 2005, at 
1 p.m. in ``The Reading Room'' of the James J. Hill Reference Library 
at 80 West 4th Street in St. Paul, Minnesota. For further information, 
please contact Raymond V. Shepherd, III, Staff Director and Chief 
Counsel to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, at 224-3721.


                Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the 
information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been 
scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  The hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 26, 2005, at 2:30 p.m. in 
Room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
  The purpose of the hearing is to review the preparedness of the 
Departments of Agriculture and the Interior for the 2005 wildfire 
season, including the agencies' assessment of the risk of fires by 
region, the status of and contracting for aerial fire suppression 
assets, and other information needed to better understand the agencies' 
ability to deal with the upcoming fire season.
  Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may 
testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written 
testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their 
testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United 
States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150.
  For further information, please contact Frank Gladics at (202) 224-
2878 or Amy Millet at (202) 224-8276.

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