[House Report 109-29]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                                  Union Calendar No. 13
109th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     109-29
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            OVERSIGHT PLANS

                                FOR ALL

                            HOUSE COMMITTEES

                   with accompanying recommendations

                               __________

                                 by the

                     COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

               (Required by House Rule X, Clause 2(d)(2))

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

                                     


                                     

 March 31, 2005.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed


For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov  Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; (202) 512ï¿½091800  
Fax: (202) 512ï¿½092250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402ï¿½090001

                     COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

                     TOM DAVIS, Virginia, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut       HENRY A. WAXMAN, California
DAN BURTON, Indiana                  TOM LANTOS, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         MAJOR R. OWENS, New York
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York             EDOLPHUS TOWNS, New York
JOHN L. MICA, Florida                PAUL E. KANJORSKI, Pennsylvania
GIL GUTKNECHT, Minnesota             CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York
MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana              ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland
STEVEN C. LaTOURETTE, Ohio           DENNIS J. KUCINICH, Ohio
TODD RUSSELL PLATTS, Pennsylvania    DANNY K. DAVIS, Illinois
CHRIS CANNON, Utah                   WM. LACY CLAY, Missouri
JOHN J. DUNCAN, Jr., Tennessee       DIANE E. WATSON, California
CANDICE S. MILLER, Michigan          STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts
MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio              CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland
DARRELL E. ISSA, California          LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida           C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER, Maryland
JON C. PORTER, Nevada                BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
KENNY MARCHANT, Texas                ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of 
LYNN A. WESTMORELAND, Georgia            Columbia
PATRICK T. McHENRY, North Carolina               ------
CHARLES W. DENT, Pennsylvania        BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont 
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina            (Independent)
------ ------

                    Melissa Wojciak, Staff Director
       David Marin, Deputy Staff Director/Communications Director
                     Keith Ausbrook, Chief Counsel
               Rob Borden, Senior Counsel/Parliamentarian
                       Teresa Austin, Chief Clerk
          Phil Barnett, Minority Chief of Staff/Chief Counsel




                            C O N T E N T S

                               __________
                                                                   Page
Recommendations..................................................     1
Agriculture......................................................    21
Appropriations...................................................    30
Armed Services...................................................    39
Budget...........................................................    55
Education and the Workforce......................................    60
Energy and Commerce..............................................    65
Financial Services...............................................    73
Government Reform................................................    99
Homeland Security................................................   132
House Administration.............................................   145
International Relations..........................................   153
Judiciary........................................................   175
Resources........................................................   199
Rules............................................................   220
Science..........................................................   246
Small Business...................................................   253
Transportation and Infrastructure................................   263
Veterans' Affairs................................................   279
Ways and Means...................................................   289

                                 Views

Additional views of Hon. Henry A. Waxman, Hon. Tom Lantos, Hon. 
  Major R. Owens, Hon. Elijah E. Cummings, Hon. Danny K. Davis, 
  Hon. Brian Higgins, and Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton.............   298

                                 (iii)

  
?

                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                  House of Representatives,
                                    Washington, DC, March 31, 2005.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker:
    In accordance with Rule X(2)(d)(2) of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, I respectfully submit the oversight 
plans of each committee together with recommendations to ensure 
the most effective coordination of such plans and otherwise 
achieve the objectives of the House Rules.
                                               Tom Davis, Chairman.

                                  (v)

                                     
                                                  Union Calendar No. 13
109th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                     109-29

======================================================================

 
      OVERSIGHT PLANS FOR ALL HOUSE COMMITTEES WITH ACCOMPANYING 
                            RECOMMENDATIONS

                                _______
                                

 March 31, 2005.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Tom Davis, from the Committee on Government Reform submitted the 
                               following

                                 REPORT



                   OVERSIGHT IN THE 109TH CONGRESS

                            RECOMMENDATIONS

                                 OF THE

                     COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

    Pursuant to House Rule X, clause 2(d)(2), the Committee on 
Government Reform reports to the House the oversight plans 
submitted by each standing committee, along with the 
committee's recommendations for ensuring the most effective 
coordination of such plans.
    Congressional oversight, as envisioned by the House 
leadership, is ultimately about the rule of law. Federal law 
authorizes the Federal Government to spend taxpayer funds to 
accomplish certain defined missions. While much oversight is 
designed to ensure that substantive public policy objectives 
set forth in congressional enactments are achieved, Congress 
has also recognized through the enactment of specific Federal 
statutes that sound management practices will ensure that the 
substantive objectives are achieved in a cost effective manner. 
The Constitution's systems of checks and balances obligates the 
Congress to oversee the implementation of all of its 
enactments.
    Through such oversight, Congress can first determine 
whether the executive branch is carrying out Congress's 
intentions. Congress can determine whether the congressional 
enactment is having the desired effect. And finally, Congress 
can ensure that government programs are achieving their goals 
efficiently and cost-effectively. Fraud, waste and 
mismanagement can be serious impediments to full accomplishment 
of the government's mission. Congressional oversight 
establishes the record for corrective action and reforms that 
ensure the executive carries out the law to the benefit of the 
public in a cost effective manner and that both the taxpayers 
and the beneficiaries of Federal programs are not deprived of 
the public benefits that Congress intended.
    Improving the performance of the Federal Government has 
taken on renewed importance in the wake of the terrorist 
attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent military 
actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Federal Government suffers 
from a variety of management problems that undermine its 
ability to deliver the performance results American taxpayers 
expect and deserve. These problems affect virtually every area 
of the government. They include critical computer security 
weaknesses, pervasive financial management troubles, and the 
inability to demonstrate what most Federal programs accomplish.
    Additionally, the government wastes billions and billions 
of dollars each year due to improper or erroneous payments. The 
chart below illustrates seven programs which alone account for 
95 percent of the $45.1 billion in improper payments in fiscal 
year 2004 according to the Office of Management and Budget. 
Overpayments are clearly unacceptable. In addition to wasting 
taxpayer dollars, they drain much needed resources from 
programs that benefit the American people.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Program                     Amount        Percent of Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medicare..........................              $21.7              48.1%
Earned Income Tax Credit..........        8.7 to 10.6               21.5
Unemployment Insurance............                3.9                8.6
Supplemental Security Income......                2.6                5.8
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability                1.7                3.8
 Insurance........................
Public Housing/Rental Assistance..                1.7                3.8
Food Stamps.......................                1.6                3.5
  Subtotal........................               42.9               95.1
Other Measured Programs...........                2.2                4.9
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.............................              $45.1             100.0%
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Management problems do not need to persist. In many cases, 
solving these problems does not require new laws or major 
infusions of money. It does require strong leadership at the 
highest level of government. It also requires a sustained 
commitment by Congress to focus on the problem and to hold 
people accountable until the mission is accomplished.
    The Committee on Government Reform urges the committees to 
use all available resources to supplement their own efforts to 
conduct oversight. Those resources include the services and 
reports of the Government Accountability Office, the 
Congressional Research Service, and agency Inspectors General. 
For example, in January 2005, GAO updated its ``High Risk 
Series,'' in which it identified 25 areas at high risk due to 
either ``their greater susceptibility to fraud, waste, abuse, 
and mismanagement'' or ``to draw attention to areas associated 
with broad-based transformations needed to achieve greater 
economy, efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and 
sustainability of selected key government programs and 
operations.'' In addition, committees should look to agency 
strategic plans, performance plans, and performance reports 
mandated by the Government Performance and Results Act to 
review the agencies' strategic objectives, measures of success, 
and their capacity to satisfy appropriate performance measures. 
Finally, the committees should look at past committee 
legislative and oversight reports, court cases, and other 
studies that can illuminate the operations of the Federal 
Government. Use of this common approach to oversight will 
permit the committees to develop legislation and provide 
recommendations for reform on the basis of a record that 
clearly and effectively conveys the need for additional 
congressional action.
    The following selected samples of oversight activities from 
the reports of the standing committees of Congress cover five 
broad categories, including homeland security, national 
defense, savings and efficiencies, government performance, law 
enforcement, citizen services and benefits, and international 
affairs and trade. The committee has, in most cases, reviewed 
additional sources, such as those identified above, to provide 
examples of the purposes, objectives, performance measures, and 
known management shortcomings of many programs that could be 
the subject of relevant committee oversight. These examples 
illustrate the challenges we face as we embark on our oversight 
activities this Congress. Sustained and aggressive oversight 
will go a long way toward ensuring the government's proper 
functioning in accordance with Congress's intentions.

                           Homeland Security

    Since the events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. House of 
Representatives has made homeland security a priority. The 
109th Congress made the Committee on Homeland Security a 
permanent, standing committee. Additionally, other committees 
continue to have legislative and oversight jurisdiction over 
the Federal departments and agencies that are involved in 
securing the United States.
    The Committee on Financial Services will continue to 
oversee the implementation of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act 
of 2002 [TRIA] (Public Law No. 107-297) by the Treasury 
Department, State insurance departments, and insurance 
underwriters. According to the Conference Report for TRIA, the 
ability of the insurance industry to cover the unprecedented 
financial risks presented by acts of terrorism can be a major 
factor in recovering from terrorism attacks, while maintaining 
the stability of the economy. As TRIA's expiration date of 
December 31, 2005 approaches, the committee will examine 
whether the law should also encompass group life insurance.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue its 
extensive oversight of the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status 
Indicator Technology [US-VISIT] program, which records and 
retains biometric identifiers of foreign visitors as they enter 
and exit our borders. As of November 18, 2004, US-VISIT had 
processed 13 million foreign nationals and matched 1,500 
persons against watch list databases (February 2005, GAO 
Report, ``Some Progress Made but Many Challenges Remain on U.S. 
Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology 
Program.'').
    The Committee on Government Reform will conduct 
comprehensive oversight of the Transportation Security 
Administration [TSA]. The committee will continue its oversight 
focus on airline passenger and baggage screeners. According to 
the December 2004 DHS Office of Inspector General's [OIG] 
Report, ``Major Management Challenges Facing the Department of 
Homeland Security,'' an undercover OIG audit of screener 
performance revealed improvements are needed to guarantee that 
prohibited items are not carried into the sterile areas of 
airports or permitted into checked baggage. The committee will 
also conduct oversight of TSA's new passenger pre-screening 
system for commercial aviation known as Secure Flight and mass 
transit security.
    The Committee on Government Reform authored Title III, 
Security Clearances, of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-458). Title III directs 
the President to select a single executive branch department or 
agency to be responsible for security clearances and 
investigations and requires the head of the designated 
department or agency to develop a plan to reduce the length of 
the personnel security clearance process. The committee will 
work closely with the executive branch to ensure the spirit of 
the legislation is honored.
    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will 
continue its oversight of the Coast Guard by assessing the 
implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 
2002 [MTSA] (Public Law 107-295) and the Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-293). Both 
laws establish provisions to enhance U.S. maritime 
transportation security. MTSA requires the Secretary of 
Transportation to prepare a National Maritime Transportation 
Antiterrorism Plan for determining catastrophic emergencies. 
The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 
authorizes members of the Coast Guard in the performance of 
official duties to: (1) carry a firearm; and (2) while at a 
facility make an arrest without a warrant for any offense 
against the United States committed in their presence.
    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure also 
plans to monitor the placement of the Coast Guard within DHS. 
The Homeland Security Act (Public Law 107-296) Section 888 
transferred the Coast Guard from the Department of 
Transportation to DHS. The Homeland Security Act states that 
the Coast Guard shall remain a distinct entity within DHS and 
prohibits the Secretary of DHS from reducing the mission or 
capabilities of the Coast Guard without a certification to 
Congress that a clear, compelling, and immediate need exists. 
The committee will continue its oversight of the Coast Guard to 
ensure its ability to carry out its non-security missions.
    The Committee on Homeland Security will be conducting 
oversight of port security, including the Container Security 
Initiative, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism 
program [C-TPAT] and Operation Safe Commerce. According to U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection [CBP], as of November 2004, there 
were 7,400 enrolled partners in C-TPAT and of those partners 
they were over 86 of the top 100 U.S. importers by 
containerized cargo volume.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will conduct oversight of 
immigration and border issues by focusing on border security 
agreements between the United States and Mexico and Canada, as 
well as examining compliance by the Internal Revenue Service, 
the Social Security Administration, and DHS with immigration 
laws that impose enforcement actions upon employers who 
knowingly employ or violate the rights of illegal aliens.
    The Committee on Homeland Security will conduct oversight 
of the Department's ability to detain, monitor, and remove 
aliens subject to deportation. Within DHS, Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement [ICE] is tasked with removing illegal alien 
population. According to the December 2004 Department's Office 
of Inspector General's Report, ``Major Management Challenges 
Facing the Department of Homeland Security,'' DHS continues to 
face challenges in identifying, locating, detaining, and 
removing aliens who have committed criminal acts, as ICE has 
only 5,500 special agents responsible for the estimated current 
U.S. illegal alien population of 8-12 million.
    The Committee on Homeland Security will conduct oversight 
of the Office of Air and Marine Operations [AMO]. Since January 
2003, AMO has been responsible for airspace security operations 
for the National Capital Region. According to CBP, in fiscal 
year 2004, AMO was involved in national and international 
interdiction operations that resulted in the seizure of over 
140,939 pounds of cocaine and almost 424,062 pounds of 
marijuana and more than 1,108 arrests.
    The Committee on Homeland Security will examine the 
effectiveness of DHS to integrate and coordinate the security 
aspects of its legacy entities. The committee will pay 
particular attention to the ``One Face at the Border'' 
initiative, which DHS created out of legacy U.S. Customs, 
legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service, and USDA's 
Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service. Prior to the 
creation of DHS, all three entities performed necessary border 
inspection services, and now all three belong to a single 
program for inspectors under CBP.

                            National Defense

    Oversight of national security policy and homeland defense 
continues to be of foremost concern to the 109th Congress. 
Transformation policies of the military services, acquisition 
and modernization of equipment, reserve component mobilization 
requirements, intelligence sharing, and protection and response 
to nuclear, chemical, biological weapons of mass destruction 
will be examined closely. Close oversight of the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are the focus 
of committees' of jurisdiction. Congress will also continue to 
monitor the conduct of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the pursuit of 
terrorist and insurgents around the world, the force protection 
capabilities of U.S. armed forces, the process of establishing 
indigenous security forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the 
continued threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation 
to states such as Iran and North Korea.
    The Committee on Armed Services will focus on the 
Department of Defense's National Military Strategy, which 
includes addressing the adequacy of active and reserve 
component force structure and end strength to carry out current 
and emerging missions. The committee will also examine the 
execution of the priorities of the Quadrennial Defense Review 
that direct long term Department transformation, authorities 
and resources available to conduct stabilization operations. 
The committee expects that balancing funding for 
transformational programs and initiatives, along with 
supporting the cost of the global war on terrorism, will be a 
challenge.
    Oversight of major weapons system development, examination 
of military equipment modernization with respect to military 
capability including Army modularity, tactical aviation and 
bomber force structure, shipbuilding requirements, anti-
submarine and mine warfare, and strategic and tactical logistic 
life capability are also on the Armed Services Committee 
agenda. The Committee on Government Reform will also monitor 
the technology maturation for the Joint Strike Fighter and the 
F-22 fighter cost containment strategies, the Army modularity 
initiative and the effects of the Air Force Future Total Force 
on Air National Guard missions and equipment. The Committee on 
Financial Services will review the Defense Production Act with 
an eye toward eliminating obsolete language and undertaking any 
reforms necessary to keep the law available as a useful tool to 
protect national security. Armed Services will also examine the 
pace at which new technology moves from the laboratory to a 
fielded system, focusing on the Advanced Concept Technology 
Demonstration program, Army's Rapid Fielding Initiative, the 
Technology Transition Initiative, the Defense Challenge Program 
and the Small Business Innovative Research Program.
    The Committee on International Relations will monitor the 
realignment of U.S. military forces abroad, reviewing policy 
implications of the Department of Defense's proposed troop 
realignment plans and the current transformation plans of the 
North American Treaty Organization [NATO].
    Assessment of threats to U.S. national security and 
coordination with other Federal departments on defense-related 
intelligence, including the Director of National Intelligence 
and the National Counter Terrorism Center will be the focus of 
the Committees on Armed Services, Government Reform and the 
Select Committee on Intelligence.
    During the 109th Congress, the Armed Services Committee 
will examine the need for active end strength growth, assess 
the mix of active and reserve component forces, and look at the 
impact of the high pace of deployments and frequency of troop 
rotations to combat zones on service personnel and their 
families. Armed Services will investigate the adequacy of 
recruitment and retention policies, and the health and medical 
readiness of wounded and disabled service members and their 
families. The Committee on Government Reform will continue its 
investigations into improving reserve component administrative 
services coordination, and examine possible reforms needed by 
our country's increasing dependence on National Guard forces 
for missions at home and abroad.
    The Committee on Government Reform will monitor the 
emerging role of U.S. Northern Command and National Guard 
forces in homeland defense and military assistance to civilian 
authorities, and along with the Armed Services Committee, 
monitor the execution of Title 32, Chapter 9 and other emerging 
requirements needed to promote protection of the homeland. The 
Committee on Government Reform will also examine the 
interaction between Department of Defense and the Department of 
Homeland Security as they define their overlapping roles and 
responsibilities in homeland security and homeland defense. 
Government Reform will examine intergovernmental efforts toward 
joint training and conducting joint exercises between National 
Guard, Active Duty, State and civilian entities in preparation 
for a terrorist event. Oversight of coordination between 
Federal departments, State and local entities charged with 
protecting the homeland will also be conducted by the Committee 
on Homeland Security. The Committee on Homeland Security will 
also monitor information sharing between departments, including 
the Department of Defense on homeland security/homeland defense 
related information, including border and transportation 
information.
    Protection of U.S. air space will also be the focus of the 
Committee on Homeland Security, specifically a review of 
airspace incursions, with Department of Defense, North American 
Airspace Defense Command, and Air National Guard. The Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure will evaluate Federal 
Aviation Administration's [FAA] Facilities and Equipment 
Program in an effort to modernize radars, including the FAA 
radar systems used in coordination with the Department of 
Defense in tracking U.S. airspace.
    Missile Defense programs, and protection against biological 
and nuclear terrorism will be investigated by the Committees on 
Armed Services, Government Reform and Homeland Security. The 
Armed Services Committee will continue to monitor the 
Department of Defense's plans to accelerate fielding of several 
missile defense programs and continue to assess Atomic Energy 
Defense activities including modernization of U.S. defense 
nuclear force structure. The Committee on Homeland Security 
will review the Department of Homeland Security's research and 
development, particularly with respect to biological and 
nuclear terrorism. The Committee on Government Reform will 
investigate Department of Defense coordination on research, 
development and acquisition activities for chemical and 
biological defense equipment. The Committee on Homeland 
Security and the Committee on Armed Services will jointly 
monitor the preparedness of the U.S. armed and civilian forces 
to fight effectively abroad and at home under the threat of the 
use of chemical or biological weapons, focusing on development 
of medical countermeasures.

                        Savings and Efficiencies

    More effective contract management by all Federal agencies, 
particularly the Department of Defense [DOD], the Department of 
Energy [DOE], and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration [NASA], would result in significant savings to 
the taxpayer. The Government Accountability Office [GAO] 
identified this issue in its High Risk List for 2005 as 
particularly susceptible to fraud, waste, and mismanagement. 
Although GAO recognizes that steps have been taken by the 
largest agencies to improve the acquisition process, it finds 
that additional reforms are necessary for this process to be 
efficient. In addition, GAO identifies strategic human capital 
management in its High Risk Series because of the absence of a 
consistent strategic approach to obtaining, managing and 
maintaining necessary human capital to maximize government 
performance and ensure accountability.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue to oversee 
the contracting issues associated with the U.S. military as it 
pertains to their global missions in areas such as Bosnia, 
Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world. In 2003 and 
2004, our military found itself deployed throughout the world 
in support of various geopolitical objectives. These 
deployments required the U.S. Government to quickly set up 
contingency operations for the basic living conditions of both 
military and civilians working in the theater of operations. 
These forces were faced with difficult living conditions 
because of their remote locations and the threat of armed 
military actions. Contracting for goods and services to support 
these needs was and continues to be a difficult undertaking. 
The committee will continue to monitor the progress of the Iraq 
reconstruction efforts.
    The Committee on Armed Services will monitor the Department 
of Defense's implementation of recent reforms of the Federal 
acquisition system, including the Department's revision of the 
5000 series acquisition regulations. The committee intends to 
examine DOD's implementation of the rapid acquisition process 
to support the conduct of the global war on terrorism.
    The Committee on Armed Services will review Department of 
Defense infrastructure and organization, focusing on defense 
reform proposals. The committee will also assess implementation 
of the reforms in joint officer management and joint 
professional military education recently mandated.
    The Committee on International Relations will conduct 
oversight of the State Department programs, including 
compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act, 
public diplomacy and reorganization plans, review of trust fund 
organizations, such as the East/West Center, the Asia 
Foundation and the Eisenhower Foundation, overseas property 
management, and management of the foreign affairs agencies' 
workforce.
    The Committee on Government Reform will examine financial 
and performance management practices at Federal departments and 
agencies. This oversight will include a review of the 
Consolidated Financial Statements of the Federal Government, 
reviews of individual agency accounting practices, and 
examining agency compliance with existing Federal financial 
laws. The committee plans to review financial management at the 
Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, as well as 
others. In addition, the committee will focus on agencies' 
efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and mismanagement in 
taxpayer-funded Federal programs.
    In light of accounting irregularities and management 
reorganizations at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Committee on 
Financial Services will oversee efforts to improve the 
regulatory structure of those institutions and the 12 Federal 
Home Loan Banks. The committee will also investigate the 
accounting procedures and financial reporting of Fannie Mae and 
Freddie Mac.
    The Committee on Financial Services will review the 
mission, organization, human resources and technology of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine 
whether it is meeting and addressing contemporary housing 
issues.
    The Committee on Homeland Security will examine ways to 
improve information sharing among Federal, State and local 
governments, law enforcement entities, first responders and 
emergency management personnel, as required by the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002.
    The Committee on Small Business will conduct oversight 
hearings on all major Small Business Administration [SBA] 
programs to determine their effectiveness and potential options 
for improvements. The committee will also consider whether SBA 
is carrying out its statutory roles and evaluate its 
preparation and implementation of strategic plans and 
performance plans required by the Government Performance and 
Results Act.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue oversight 
of the Electronic Government Act of 2002 initiatives to further 
the Federal Government's use of information technology to 
improve government services and operations. In particular, the 
committee will review the consistent under-funding of the 
electronic government fund.
    The Committee on Government Reform intends to continue its 
oversight of the General Services Administration's [GSA] $20 
billion government-wide voice and data telecommunications 
program, Networx. The committee will keep a close eye on this 
program as it moves closer to the award phase to determine 
whether GSA's acquisition strategy will be effective in today's 
telecommunications environment.
    The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 
2004 enacted the most dramatic reform of our Nation's 
intelligence capabilities in almost 50 years. The Intelligence 
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the 
President to establish a trusted and secure information sharing 
environment to promote the sharing of intelligence and homeland 
security information in a manner consistent with national 
security and the protection of privacy and civil liberties. The 
Committee on Government Reform will oversee the implementation 
of this government-wide information-sharing environment.
    The Federal Government takes on average 4-8 months to hire 
employees, from the time a job vacancy announcement is publicly 
posted until an offer is made to a candidate. Although data 
from the private sector is difficult to confirm, it is 
estimated that private firms take an average of 2-6 weeks to 
conduct a similar process. In the 108th Congress, the Committee 
on Government Reform held two oversight hearings to examine the 
reasons for the delays in the Federal process and uncovered a 
number of deep-seated problems, including: unclear vacancy 
announcements, excessive layers of approval, little use of 
statutory hiring flexibilities, and poor guidance from the 
Office of Personnel Management [OPM]. OPM is working to reform 
hiring at select agencies through its ``Extreme Hiring 
Makeover'' project. The Committee on Government Reform will 
continue to engage in oversight of this area and explore 
legislative remedies.
    Congress and the Office of Personnel Management have made 
telecommuting an integral part of emergency planning for 
continuity of operations should the Federal Government be shut 
down due to terrorism or a catastrophic event. The Committee on 
Government Reform has investigated why telecommuting has 
remained under-funded despite the passage of legislation 
requiring all eligible Federal workers be allowed to 
telecommute by April 2004. Members of Congress have threatened 
punitive action, including cutting agency budgets, unless this 
problem is remedied. The committee will continue to exercise 
oversight over the funding of telecommuting by agencies to 
assure compliance with statutory requirements.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce intends to examine the 
Federal Communications Commission's universal service support 
policies and determine how the policies can be modernized to 
reflect the redistribution of communications traffic among 
services and the potential for using new technologies to assure 
access to telecommunications services to high cost and low 
income customers. The committee will also investigate the 
program to control waste, fraud and abuse of the fund.
    The National Commission of Future Revenue Sources to 
Support the Highway Trust Fund was created by Congress to 
examine ways to extend the life of the Highway Trust Fund. The 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will monitor the 
progress of this commission to ensure that all possible options 
for future Federal transportation infrastructure financing are 
identified and considered.
    The Committee on Ways and Means will consider proposals to 
improve the quality, efficiency and fairness of Internal 
Revenue Service tax administration, including improved debt 
collection procedures.
    The Committee on Ways and Means will conduct oversight 
hearings on the management of the Medicare program by the 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS]. This will 
include potential changes to improve CMS's efficiency and 
interactions with beneficiaries and providers. The committee 
will also examine Medicare reimbursement for physician 
services, pricing transparency for hospital services, payments 
for post-acute care providers and payments to other Medicare 
providers. The committee intends to investigate CMS policies to 
adopt new technologies in the Medicare program and enforcement 
of laws to combat waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare 
program.
    The Committee on Science will investigate the Department of 
Energy's laboratory complex that conducts a wide range of 
research and development capabilities and is funded at 
approximately $6 billion annually. The focus of this 
investigation is the recent problems at Los Alamos in 
controlling and monitoring government purchasing practices and 
ensuring security of equipment. The committee will also 
consider calls for external regulation of worker and nuclear 
safety practices at the laboratories, as well as the need for 
action to address the deterioration of the laboratories' aging 
infrastructure.
    The Committee on Science will oversee the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration's [NASA] implementation of 
the administration's space exploration policies. The committee 
will consider the effect of this policy on space and earth 
science and aeronautics research and development. The committee 
will separately investigate problems that NASA has experienced 
in managing its finances.
    The Committee on Agriculture will assess the Forest Service 
research program to ensure that it focuses on enhancing the 
competitiveness of the domestic forestry sector, including 
forest products industry and non-Federal forest landowners.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will oversee implementation 
of the Federal Debt Collection Act of 1990 and other aspects of 
Federal debt collection efforts.

                         Government Performance

    One of the primary oversight tools that congressional 
committees utilize is the Government Performance and Results 
Act of 1993 (Public Law No. 103-62) (Results Act). The Results 
Act is the centerpiece of a statutory framework that Congress 
enacted to help resolve longstanding management issues within 
the Federal Government by improving Federal programs' 
effectiveness, accountability, and service delivery; and by 
enhancing congressional decisionmaking by providing more 
objective information on program performance. This law requires 
Federal agencies to develop strategic plans in which they 
clearly define their missions and long-term goals, as well as 
the strategies with which they will achieve their objectives. 
In addition to the preparation of strategies to improve agency 
efficiency and accountability, the Results Act also mandates 
that executive agencies submit annual reports to Congress and 
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget on results 
achieved during the prior term to correspond with budget 
submissions to Congress.
    In 1997, Federal agencies submitted their inaugural 
strategic plans to guide them as they prepare their annual 
goals. They are required to update these strategic plans every 
3 years to keep objectives current to address the particular 
concerns of the Department. During the 2nd Session of the 109th 
Congress, House committees will reassess the missions of these 
agencies.
    The Rules of the House require that committee reports 
accompanying legislation include a statement of general 
performance goals and objectives, including outcome-related 
goals and objectives, for which the measure authorizes funding. 
Performance goal statements should: (1) describe goals in an 
objective, quantifiable, and measurable form; (2) describe the 
resources required to meet the goals; (3) establish performance 
indicators to measure outputs or outcomes; and (4) provide a 
basis for comparing actual program results with performance 
goals.
    During the 109th Congress, several House committees will 
continue oversight into the mandates placed on executive 
departments and agencies by the Results Act. The Committee on 
Government Reform will continue to examine whether or not 
executive departments and agencies have continued to accomplish 
goals set out in performance reports, and continue diligent 
oversight of the management and efficiency practices of these 
offices.
    The Committee on Armed Services will be examining the 
rules, regulations, statutes, and court decisions affecting the 
Department of Defense [DOD] and the Department of Energy to 
ensure better management practices and greater efficiency. 
According to the 2005 GAO Report, ``High Risk Series, An 
Update,'' (GAO-05-207), DOD was targeted as having several 
management challenges including contract management, financial 
management, and support systems management. In addition, DOD 
did not issue performance plans for fiscal year 2002 or 2003, 
and did not submit fiscal year 2001 results.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will continue to conduct 
oversight of the departments and agencies under the 
jurisdiction of the committee, with a particular emphasis on 
the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs. Oversight 
issues will include matters identified by Inspectors General as 
well as items noted in the GAO report on ``Major Management 
Challenges and Program Risks.''
    The Committee on International Relations will be conducting 
their ongoing oversight into the implementation of the Results 
Act, particularly with regard to the Department of State and 
the U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID]. 
According to the January 2003 GAO Report, ``Major Management 
Challenges and Program Risks, the U.S. Agency for International 
Development,'' USAID has dealt with several performance and 
accountability matters in the last several years.

                            Law Enforcement

    The Committee on Financial Services will continue its broad 
oversight of identity theft issues, including examining the 
privacy issues that arise as part of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act 
(Public Law No. 106-102) and the Fair and Accurate Credit 
Transactions Act (Public Law No. 108-159). According to Federal 
Trade Commission [FTC] congressional testimony, in 2002, 
162,000 calls from actual identity theft victims were received 
by the FTC's toll-free identity theft hotline.
    The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight 
of the enforcement of Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act (Public 
Law 107-56), as well as the counter-terrorism financing 
provisions included in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-458). In an additional 
effort to thwart terrorist financing, the committee will 
monitor the new Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence 
and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will also examine the USA 
PATRIOT Act, as certain provisions will expire at the end of 
2005. The committee will hold both classified and public 
hearings to determine whether these provisions should be 
renewed and whether changes should be made to the provisions 
regarding pen register searching and delayed notice search 
warrants.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will conduct oversight of 
the Federal Bureau of Prisons' [BOP] management practices. 
According to the Department of Justice [DOJ] Office of 
Inspector General's 2004 list of top management challenges 
facing DOJ, locating detention space at a reasonable cost and 
managing the space remains a top management challenge for DOJ. 
As of September 30, 2004, BOP was housing 179,895 inmates in 
104 facilities.

                     Citizen Services and Benefits

    The Committee on Government Reform will continue to 
investigate the Food and Drug Administration's [FDA] post-
marketing surveillance of drugs, and whether FDA has the 
appropriate authority and resources to adequately monitor the 
safety of drugs. The committee intends to consider the adequacy 
of FDA's guidance documents regarding risk management after 
approval of a drug by exploring what types of post-marketing 
commitments FDA requests of drug sponsors and what formal 
procedures FDA has in place for monitoring or establishing 
whether a post-marketing commitment is met. The committee will 
also review FDA's enforcement authorities under existing law, 
including enforcement of provisions against false and 
misleading advertisements and provisions guaranteeing the use 
of good manufacturing practices for drugs, biologics, and 
vaccines.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue to examine 
the actions taken by the Department of Health and Human 
Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 
the FDA to fully prepare for an unpredictable 2005-2006 flu 
season and how these Federal agencies are providing guidance 
and coordinating with State and local health officials. The 
committee will also review the need for legislation and discuss 
specific solutions to ensure a stable annual flu vaccine 
supply.
    The problem of methamphetamine trafficking and abuse is a 
growing issue that will have to be addressed by the 109th 
Congress. The Committee on Government Reform intends to 
continue its study of the problem and to explore new 
legislative solutions, including controlling access to 
precursor chemicals and increasing penalties for trafficking.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue its 
aggressive program of oversight of the Department of Health and 
Human Services [HHS] as it affects health and social policy, 
focusing most prominently on bioethics (including human cloning 
and stem cell research), human life issues, racial health 
disparities, reproductive health, HIV policy, and health issues 
impacting illegal drug policy.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce will review the 
management, operations and activities of the Consumer Product 
Safety Commission [CPSC] in safeguarding consumers from faulty 
or dangerous products.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce intends to explore 
national energy policy issues, particularly those relating to 
production, supply and consumption of electricity, oil, natural 
gas, coal, hydroelectric power, nuclear power and renewable 
energy. The committee will consider the impact of government 
policies and programs on the exploration, production and 
development of domestic energy resources.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce will review activities 
related to the Clean Air Act, particularly the efforts to 
achieve improved air quality. The committee will conduct 
oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency's [EPA] 
strategies and actions to achieve Clean Air Act standards.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce intends to oversee 
hazardous and toxic waste treatment by reviewing the 
efficiency, effectiveness, funding and pace of progress of the 
Superfund program. Specifically, the committee will review 
EPA's relationship to the States' toxic waste cleanup programs, 
and what actions are necessary to expedite cleanups at toxic 
waste sites.
    During the television transition from analog to digital 
format, the broadcasters are operating on two 6 MHz channels. 
Station licensees are supposed to return the 6 MHz analog 
channel by December 31, 2006, or once 85 percent of television 
households can receive digital channels (i.e., purchase a 
digital television receiver). However, significant controversy 
surrounds this transition. The Committee on Energy and Commerce 
will investigate this situation and the FCC's progress in 
achieving the transition so that the returned frequency can be 
used for other services.
    The Committee on Financial Services will examine financial 
privacy issues in the context of the implementation of the 
Gramm-Leach-Bliley and FACT Acts, and will focus on combating 
identity theft and other emerging threats to security of 
consumers' personal financial information. The committee will 
also review government and private sector efforts to achieve 
greater innovation and efficiencies in the payments system.
    The Committee on Financial Services will exercise oversight 
over credit card industry practices, as well as the use of 
financial instruments, including credit cards, checks, 
electronic funds transfers and other alternative forms of 
payment, in unlawful Internet gambling. The committee will 
focus on the potential misuse of illegal offshore Internet 
gambling sites to facilitate money laundering.
    The marketing of insurance products has raised questions of 
misleading sales and marketing representations, churning of 
life insurance, coercion and pressure tactics, product bundling 
and premium charges for credit insurance and mortgage 
insurance. The Committee on Financial Services intends to 
investigate these issues, which may include the manner in which 
insurance brokers are compensated for sale of insurance 
products, and marketing practices targeting military personnel.
    The Committee on Education and the Workforce will examine 
the implementation of the Higher Education Act to focus on the 
goal of increasing access to postsecondary education for low 
and middle-income students. The committee will consider quality 
and accountability, the increasing costs in postsecondary 
education and the role of Federal spending increases in the 
higher education costs.
    The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure intends 
to continue its oversight of aviation safety issues, focusing 
on aircraft maintenance and Federal Aviation Administration's 
oversight of that maintenance.
    Hydrogen holds the potential to provide a cleaner, more 
efficient source of fuel than fossil fuels. The FreedomCAR 
program and Hydrogen Fuels initiative are designed to provide 
Federal funding for R&D into hydrogen as a preferred fuel. The 
Committee on Science will examine whether the current research 
plan and program goals are adequate to ensure an efficient 
transformation to a hydrogen-based economy.
    The Committee on Science will monitor the National 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, which is a multi-agency 
earthquake mitigation program, and focus on the 
administration's recent plan for tsunami detection and warning.
    The Committee on Small Business will exercise oversight 
over the Small Business Technology Transfer program that is 
designed to help small business access technologies developed 
at Federal laboratories.
    The Committee on Agriculture will investigate the 
Department of Agriculture [USDA] and U.S. Trade 
Representative's [USTR] implementation of trade agreements to 
ensure other countries' trade obligations, including World 
Trade Organization [WTO] dispute settlement provisions relating 
to cotton, biotechnology and geographical indications, European 
Union [EU] meat hormone ban, and tariff rate quotas. The 
committee will also explore issues relating to the North 
American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], particularly Canada's 
use of high tariffs for dairy, poultry, eggs, barley and 
margarine products, and Mexico's actions impairing trade on 
pork, apples, beef and rice.
    The Committee on Agriculture will monitor USDA's food 
safety programs, including the meat and poultry inspection laws 
and the FDA's food inspection activities to ensure that 
policies and resources are focused on developing scientifically 
sound systems for food safety assurance. The committee will 
also investigate USDA's programs to educate consumers regarding 
safe food handling practices, development of microbial 
interventions to reduce frequency and severity of food borne 
illnesses, expanded research and development of pathogen 
reduction technologies, and streamlined, science-based policies 
relative to assessment and approval of food safety 
technologies.

                    International Affairs and Trade

    Oversight of the role of the United States in global 
diplomacy, security and trade is the basis for policies and 
legislative decisions that affect the safety and welfare of all 
Americans. During the 109th Congress, committees will focus 
oversight on the Department of State, U.S. international 
initiatives, the promotion of democracy, international 
security, non-proliferation, international crime, human rights, 
relief assistance, and international finance and trade 
negotiations.
    Along with reviewing and authorizing the Department of 
State for fiscal year 2006, the Committee on International 
Relations will review U.S. public diplomacy efforts, focusing 
on U.S. assistance to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Eastern 
Europe, the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union, 
Haiti, Africa, Egypt and countries affected by the Indian Ocean 
tsunamis. Other initiatives will include monitoring the 
effectiveness of programs and activities of U.S. Agency for 
International Development [USAID], the Peace Corps, 
international population planning international child survival 
activities, and refugee and migrations assistance programs.
    Review of the Department of State will focus on overseas 
property management, security of U.S. Government facilities 
abroad, management of foreign affairs agencies' workforce, 
review of public diplomacy programs, rightsizing, the Office of 
Foreign Missions, the Diplomatic Security Bureau, and all 
consular processes.
    The Committee on International Relations will review 
Department of State's annual ``Country Reports on Human Rights 
Practices,'' the Department's strategies to promote democracy 
and human rights, implementation of the International Religious 
Freedom Act, implementation of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights and other internationally recognized rights. The 
committee will also review world wide refugee statuses and 
other resettlement issues. Investigations include 
implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act, and 
continued investigation of Sudan following declarations of 
genocide by Congress and the administration.
    The International Relations Committee will continue its 
oversight of U.S. global efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, as well as 
global issues affecting the environment, including global 
warming and Kyoto Protocol implementation which is also of 
interest to the Committee on Science.
    The Committee on Science will monitor international 
negotiations leading to the development of the International 
Thermonuclear Energy Reactor, a project aimed at developing 
clean and abundant power from nuclear fusion. The Committee on 
Science will also look at plant biotechnology reserves, 
particularly the Plate Genome Initiatives and the establishment 
of partnerships with the developing world.
    The growth of democratic ideals and institutions around the 
world will be reviewed by the Committee on International 
Relations, focusing on U.S. policy in Central and East Asia and 
the Pacific, including reviewing Tsunami relief and 
reconstruction. In Europe, review of U.S.-EU relations, NATO, 
U.S. policy toward Russia and the implementation of the Russian 
Democracy Act.
    In the western hemisphere, the International Relations 
Committee will look at U.S. efforts to support democratic 
institutions, political stability and economic growth in the 
region, focusing on the growing influence of China in the 
western hemisphere, Latin America and Caribbean AID, U.S. Cuba 
policy, as well as investigate methods to support institutional 
strengthening of the Organization of American States.
    The Committee on Government Reform will continue to monitor 
the effectiveness of U.S. AID programs and the Committee on 
Agriculture will review international assistance programs, 
including Global Food for Education Program and Food for 
Progress Program.
    Oversight of the activities of the United Nations, 
including UN Department of Peacekeeping, Law of Sea Convention, 
and the UN Security Council Resolution on proliferation 
security and the UN Democracy Caucus will be closely monitored 
in the 109th Congress. The UN Oil for Food Program will by 
investigated by the International Affairs, Government Reform 
and Energy and Commerce Committees.
    In the Middle East, the International Relations and 
Government Reform Committees will monitor Iraq elections 
aftermath, assess multilateral, Federal and private 
reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, review 
Palestinian elections aftermath and implications for peace 
negotiations. The Committee on International Relations will 
conduct a comprehensive review of status of the Syrian 
Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act 
implementation.
    The Committee on International Relations will also look at 
monitoring civil society and political and economic reform in 
Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, 
Somalia and Northern Uganda and assess Africa's cooperation in 
the war on terrorism focusing on U.S. efforts to provide 
counterterrorism training and equipment.
    The Committee on International Relations will examine in 
depth the existing U.S. Government strategy to deal with 
terrorists abroad, including oversight of the State 
Department's Antiterrorism Assistance program, the coordination 
of diplomatic initiatives with foreign governments, and 
oversight of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
    The Committees on International Relations, Government 
Reform and Armed Services all will review National and 
International Missile Defense issues, focusing on 
nonproliferation and disarmament topics including compliance 
with Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty and START treaties.
    The Committee on Government Reform will monitor United 
States and international compliance with the Biological and 
Toxic Weapons Convention and Armed Services will conduct 
general oversight over the Cooperative Threat Reduction program 
and other nuclear non-proliferation issues, specifically 
assessing the appropriate conditions to be placed on non-
proliferation assistance given to states of the former Soviet 
Union with the Committee on International Relations.
    The Committee on International Relations will also review 
Iran's nuclear proliferation issues, North Korea's development 
of weapons of mass destruction, Pakistan's nonproliferation 
cooperation and the role of China in the proliferation of 
weapons of mass destruction [WMD] and missiles. The committee 
will also review the evolution and current organization of al-
Qaeda and its efforts to obtain WMD, and its relationships 
other radical Islamic terrorist organizations, and the emerging 
threat of fundamentalist terrorism in Latin America and Africa. 
International security assistance programs, including Foreign 
Military Financing, Economic Support Fund, International 
Military Education and Training, International Narcotics and 
Law Enforcement will also be reviewed.
    The Committees on International Relations, Judiciary, 
Government Reform, and Transportation and Infrastructure all 
will conduct oversight of specific policies and programs aimed 
at combating international crime, with focus on the growing 
links between organized crime, illicit drugs and global 
terrorism.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will continue oversight of 
the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and State with 
regard to meeting the terms of international agreements to 
facilitate law enforcement, customs and counter terrorist 
investigations, prosecutions and international traffic in 
illegal substances and persons. The committee will also focus 
on illegal immigration, detention of foreign nationals, 
smuggling, dual nationality, all visa programs, refugee and 
asylum programs. Specific oversight of international drug 
trafficking and Federal law enforcement against international 
drug traffickers, including oversight of the Department of 
State's Bureau of International Narcotics Law Enforcement, will 
also be conducted by the Judiciary Committee.
    The Committee on International Affairs will focus on 
international trafficking of humans, arms and narcotics; 
document fraud and money laundering. Along with the Committee 
on Government Reform, they will examine the heroin crisis in 
the United States, with special attention to Afghanistan, 
Colombia, Bolivia and Peru sources.
    As the world grows closer in global economic ties, American 
life and business increasingly is affected by international 
finance and trade agreements. Free trade policies, multilateral 
and bilateral trade agreements will be examined by the 
Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Armed 
Services, Financial Services, Judiciary, Agriculture and 
Resources.
    The Committee on Ways and Means will monitor administration 
trade policies, and the World Trade Organization with respect 
to agriculture, services, industrial tariffs and development 
issues. Of specific interest is current Bilateral Free Trade 
Agreements with Central America and other regional free trade 
agreements, and developing other appropriate candidates for 
free trade agreements. The committee will study the effects of 
U.S. trade agreements on U.S. trading partners, as well as 
examine U.S. trade remedy laws reviewing antidumping, duty, and 
product specific safeguards that affect injured domestic 
industries and their users.
    The Committee on Ways and Means will conduct oversight of 
trade adjustment assistance and develop trade preference 
legislation, including trade preferences on textiles and 
apparel. Focus will be given to U.S. relations with China and 
Japan, sanctions reform, reexamination of import sanctions on 
Burma, and reviewing the status of rules of origin negotiations 
underway in the World Customs Organization. The committee will 
also review U.S. trade policy objectives in Asia, particularly 
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum negotiations.
    The Committee on Energy and Commerce will monitor and 
examine multilateral trade agreements and bilateral trade 
agreements relating to telecommunications, electronic commerce, 
food and drugs, and energy. The committee will also examine 
global crude oil supplies in light of potential supply 
interruptions and increasing competition for supply.
    Along with the Committee on International Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services will conduct oversight of arms 
transfer procedures under the Arms Export Control Act, and 
reauthorization of the Export Administration Act on defense 
trade reform. The Committee on Armed Services will also examine 
U.S. export control and transfer of military-related 
technologies to potential adversaries and with Committee on 
International Relations.
    The Committee on International Relations will examine China 
and the EU Arms Embargo, U.S. sanctions against Burma, U.S. 
policy toward Pakistan, U.S. economic and trade policy toward 
the People's Republic of China, and India's deepening economic, 
political and strategic engagement in Asia and globally. The 
committee will review Free Trade Agreements for Americas, 
Dominican Republic/Central America Free Trade Agreement and 
Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. 
The committee will also assess U.S. trade and investment in 
Africa, including oversight of the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act, review of non-tariff trade barriers, 
assessment of the impact of multilateral and bilateral debt on 
African economics. Specifically, the committee will also assess 
the loss of American jobs to growing capabilities and exports 
from China, outsourcing, non-immigrant visa polices and 
implementation of Free Trade Agreements. Focus will be made on 
monitoring trade distorting actions by foreign governments, the 
Department of Commerce's trade promotion and enforcement 
activities, including oversight of the Export Administration 
Act.
    The Financial Services Committee will review and assess the 
annual report to Congress on the International Monetary Fund 
and state of international financial system. They will conduct 
oversight of trade negotiations with particular emphasis on the 
financial services and investment negotiations with the World 
Trade Organization, International Debt Relief, U.S. support of 
the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative, and the 
Millennium Challenge Corp.'s role in improving developing 
nations' economies and standards of living.
    The Committee on the Judiciary will examine the development 
of divergent international antitrust standards and the effect 
such divergence may have on American firms that operate 
internationally. The committee will examine the impact of trade 
agreements on antitrust, immigration and intellectual property 
laws. Specifically the committee will monitor the role of the 
United States in negotiating an agreement under which countries 
would give full credit to patents granted by an international 
organization or one of the three largest patent offices in the 
world (US, EU, Japan) in an attempt to stop current patent fees 
that tax innovation.
    The Committee on Agriculture will review the 
administration's negotiations with World Trade Organization 
multilateral trade agreement affecting U.S. agriculture, 
including Bilateral and Regional Free Trade Agreements with 
developing countries and the possible affect of the inclusion 
of Russia into the World Trade Organization. The committee will 
review USDA and USTR implementations, focusing on a WTO dispute 
settlement provision in cotton and biotechnology, the EU meat 
hormone ban, and tariff rate quotas. Focusing on U.S. border 
countries, the Committee on Agriculture will review the North 
American Free Trade Agreement, including Canada's use of high 
tariffs for dairy, poultry, eggs, barley and margarine 
production, and Mexico's actions that affect U.S. pork, apples, 
beef and rice. Oversight of the new implementation of mandatory 
Country of Origin Labeling will also help monitor the affect on 
American agriculture business.
    The Committee on Resources will examine several treaties 
which have been signed by the United States and will require 
congressional review. These include: U.S. Russia Polar Bear 
Agreement, U.S. Canada Agreement on Pacific Whiting, and 
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly 
Migratory Fish Stocks. The Committee on Resources will also 
examine America's growing dependence on foreign sources of 
energy and minerals as it threatens domestic resources. They 
will also examine the growing need for natural energy and 
minerals in China and India.
    [The oversight plans of all House committees that have 
submitted plans to the Committee on Government Reform follow:]



 ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN, HON. TOM LANTOS, HON. MAJOR 
  R. OWENS, HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, HON. DANNY K. DAVIS, HON. BRIAN 
                HIGGINS, AND HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

    The committees' plans describe a number of good oversight 
proposals. We agree with the majority that Congress should be 
vigilant in overseeing homeland security and national defense 
policy. It is important to examine the interactions between the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. 
In addition, we agree that it is imperative that Congress 
continue strong oversight over contract management, especially 
at the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
    We also want to thank the chairman for agreeing, when this 
committee considered its oversight plan, to make a number of 
document requests, including requesting copies of Federal 
contracts with members of the media so that we can properly 
investigate whether administration officials improperly used 
taxpayer funds to pay for efforts to influence public opinion.
    Looking at the oversight plans of the House committees as a 
whole, however, we are concerned that Congress is not 
conducting meaningful oversight of the Bush administration. As 
its actions have repeatedly shown, the current administration 
likes to operate in secret with little public or congressional 
oversight. This is not healthy for our democracy.
    Here are a few examples of congressional oversight that 
should be conducted:
Abuse of Detainees
    After the initial reports of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib 
surfaced, the administration claimed these actions were 
committed by a few ``bad apples'' at a single facility. It is 
now apparent, however, that there is considerable evidence of 
systematic abuse of detainees in Guantanamo Bay and 
Afghanistan, as well as Iraq. The new disclosures make it 
increasingly clear that the abuse of detainees cannot be 
dismissed as isolated incidents of abuse by low-ranking 
military and civilian personnel. Yet despite the mounting 
evidence, there has been no independent oversight to assess 
where the system has broken down and what officials are 
responsible. Congress should investigate to identify what went 
wrong and who should be held accountable.
    In addition, articles in leading medical journals have 
indicated that U.S. Army doctors may have used their medical 
knowledge to devise coercive interrogation methods for 
detainees, including sleep deprivation, stress positions, and 
other abuse. These reports raise fundamental questions--which 
Congress should examine--about the proper role of doctors and 
other medical personnel in intelligence and interrogation 
settings.
Politicization of Science
    Scientific journals, scientific organizations, and leading 
scientists have called into question the scientific integrity 
of many Bush administration actions. Examples include applying 
political litmus tests to appointments to scientific advisory 
committees, suppressing scientific reports, gagging scientists, 
misleading the public about scientific issues, and providing 
misleading or erroneous scientific information to Congress. 
These problems, which are occurring governmentwide, should be 
comprehensively investigated.
Executive Branch Conflicts of Interest
    There have been repeated reports of conflicts of interest 
involving high-ranking administration officials, including 
reports that senior Department of Health and Human Services 
[HHS] officials negotiated future employment opportunities at 
the same time they were negotiating the Medicare prescription 
drug legislation; that Interior Department officials met with 
former lobbying clients; that members of Federal advisory 
boards included executives of corporations that won large 
contracts from the agencies they were advising; and that senior 
White House advisor Karl Rove had meetings with executives of 
companies in which he held stock. Although these conflicts of 
interest appear to be occurring governmentwide, there has been 
no congressional investigation of any of these abuses.
Abstinence-Only Education Programs
    Millions of Federal dollars are spent on abstinence 
curricula that are inaccurate or are based on outdated 
stereotypes of men and women. Congress should explore how these 
curricula came to be so erroneous, why HHS approved tens of 
millions of dollars of funding for them, and how scientific 
accuracy can be assured in the future.
Outing of CIA Operative
    In a column that appeared in major national newspapers on 
July 14, 2003, columnist Robert Novak publicly identified 
Valerie Plame, wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson as a 
covert CIA agent.\1\ This article cited ``two senior 
administration officials'' as the source. The Washington Post 
subsequently reported, ``two top White House officials called 
at least six journalists and disclosed the identity and 
occupation of Wilson's wife.'' \2\ According to press accounts, 
these actions were part of a White House effort to discredit 
Ambassador Wilson, who had disputed the President's assertion 
that Iraq sought uranium from Africa.\3\ This leak of a CIA 
agent's identity potential violated national security laws and 
raised other serious questions, including whether the White 
House had an appropriate system for protecting security secrets 
and whether the White House was seeking to intimidate 
whistleblowers. Congress should investigate this matter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Robert D. Novak, The Mission to Niger, Chicago Sun-Times (July 
14, 2003).
    \2\ Bush Administration Is Focus of Inquiry, Washington Post (Sept. 
28, 2003).
    \3\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misleading Medicare Cost Estimates
    Both the HHS Inspector General in a cursory review and 
Government Accountability Office have found that information on 
the true cost of the 2003 Medicare reform law was suppressed in 
violation of Federal law. However, HHS still has not provided 
information related to the cost estimates and why they were 
withheld. In addition, the White House has refused to comment 
on the incident. As a result, an investigation remains as 
necessary today as it was 12 months ago.
    These and other important issues warrant review by 
Congress. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to 
provide a check on the abuses of the executive branch. We 
cannot fulfill this responsibility unless we are willing to 
take on difficult and politically controversial issues and 
follow the facts where they lead.


                                   Hon. Henry A. Waxman.
                                   Hon. Tom Lantos.
                                   Hon. Major R. Owens.
                                   Hon. Elijah E. Cummings.
                                   Hon. Danny K. Davis.
                                   Hon. Brian Higgins.
                                   Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton.

                                 
