The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“House Committee Meetings” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Daily Digest section on pages D269-D273 on March 6, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Committee Meetings
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FDA, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Natural Resources and Conservation Service. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the USDA: Mark E. Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment; Arlen Lancaster, Chief; and Steven A. Probst, Director, Budget Planning and Analysis Division, both with the National Resources Conservation Service; and W. Scott Steele, Budget Officer.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing on Department of Commerce Overview. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
The Subcommittee also held a hearing on the Secretary of Commerce. Testimony was heard from Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies held a hearing on the Secretary of Energy. Testimony was heard from Samuel W. Bodman, Secretary of Energy.
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held a hearing on Issues in the Federal Workforce. Testimony was heard from Linda M. Springer, Director, OPM; Neil A.G. McPhie, Chairman, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, J. Christopher Mihm, Managing Director, Strategic Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security held an oversight hearing on Container Security Challenges and Goals. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Jayson Ahern, Customs and Border Patrol; and Vayl Oxford, Director, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing on the NIH Director with National Cancer Institute/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of NIH, Department of Health and Human Services: Elias Zerhouni, M.D., Director, NIH; John Niederhuber, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute; Elizabeth Nabel, M.D., Director, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; Anthony Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease; Duane Alexander, M.D., Director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; and John Ruffin, Director, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies held a hearing on VA Medical Care. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
The Subcommittee also held a hearing and on Department of Veterans Affairs Panel. Testimony was heard from Michael J. Kussman, Acting Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs.
STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs held a hearing on Iraq Political and Reconstruction Strategy, Alternative Perspectives. Testimony was heard from Ambassador Peter Galbraith, Department of State; LTC Christopher W. Stockel, USAR; COL Lawrence Wilkerson, USA (ret.), USA; and a public witness.
TRANSPORTATION, AND HUD, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies held a hearing on the Department of Transportation Inspector General Management Challenges and GAO High Risk Series. Testimony was heard from Calvin Scovel, Inspector General, Department of Transportation; and Patricia Dalton, Director, Physical Infrastructure, GAO.
NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM--IS IT WORKING?
Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness held a hearing on the National Security Personnel System--Is it Working? Testimony was heard from Michael Luis Dominguez, Principal Deputy Under Secretary, Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense; and public witnesses.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FY 2008 BUDGET
Committee on the Budget: Held a hearing on the Department of Defense and the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. Testimony was heard from Gordon England, Deputy Secretary, Department of Defense.
RETIREMENT SECURITY AND 401(k)s
Committee on Education and Labor: Held a hearing on Are Hidden 401(k) Fees Undermining Retirement Security? Testimony was heard from Barbara Bovbjerg, Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues, GAO; and public witnesses.
CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing entitled ``Carbon Capture and Sequestration: An Overview.'' Testimony was heard from Thomas D. Shope, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fossil Energy, Department of Energy; the following officials of the EPA: William Wehrum, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation; and Ben Grumbles, Assistant Administrator, Water; S. Julio Friedman, Carbon Management Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and public witnesses.
MEDICARE PHYSICIAN PAYMENT SYSTEM
Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled ``Exploring Options for Improving the Medicare Physician Payment System.'' Testimony was heard from Glenn M. Hackbarth, Chairman, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; A. Bruce Steinwald, Director, Health Care, GAO; and public witnesses.
GULF COAST HURRICANE HOUSING RECOVERY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Financial Services: Began markup of H.R. 1227, Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007.
Will continue tomorrow.
THE IRANIAN CHALLENGE
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Held a hearing on The Iranian Challenge. Testimony was heard from R. Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary, Political Affairs, Department of State.
GLOBAL OPINION OF AMERICAN POLICIES
Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight held a hearing on Global Polling Data on Opinion of American Policies, Values and People. Testimony was heard from a public witness.
RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Homeland Security: Held a hearing on a measure entitled
``Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007.'' Testimony was heard from Kip Hawley, Administrator, Transportation Security Agency, Department of Homeland Secretary; Terri Rosapep, Deputy Associate Administrator, Program Management, Department of Transportation; Richard Fairfax, Director, Enforcement Programs, OSHA, Department of Labor; Richard Falkenrath, Deputy Commissioner, Counterterrorism, Police Department, New York City; Fred Weiderhold, Inspector General, National Railroad Passenger Corporation
(AMTRAK); and public witnesses.
U.S. ATTORNEY FIRINGS; ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENAS
Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law held a hearing on H.R. 580, to amend chapter 35 of title 28, United States Code, to provide for a 120-day limit to the term of a United States Attorney appointed on an interim basis by the Attorney General. Testimony was heard from Representative Issa; Will Moschella, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice; former Representative Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas; the following former U.S. Attorneys: Daniel Bogden, District of Nevada; Bud Cummins, Eastern District of Arkansas; David C. Iglesias, District of New Mexico; John McKay, District of Western Washington; Carol Lam, Southern District of California; and Paul K. Charlton, District of Arizona.
Prior to the hearing, the Subcommittee met and approved the issuance of subpoenas to former U.S. Attorneys Daniel Bogden, District of Nevada and Paul K. Carlton, District of Arizona in conjunction with the hearing on H.R. 580.
CORAL REEF CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007
Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on the Coral Reef Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007. Testimony was heard from Tim Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA, Department of Commerce; David B. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Archives approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 1309, To promote openness in Government by strengthening section 552 of title 5, United States Code
(commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act); and H.R. 1255, To amend chapter 22 of title 44, United States Code, popularly known as the Presidential Records Act, to establish procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records.
WATER QUALITY INVESTMENT ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule with a preprinting requirement. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 569, Water Qaulity Investment Act of 2007, equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment. The rule provides that the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read.
The rule makes in order only those amendments to the amendment in the nature of a substitute that are pre-printed in the Congressional Record or are pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. The rule provides that each amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be offered only by the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, and that each amendment shall be considered as read. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Oberstar and Representatives Mica and Baker.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES WATER SUPPLY ACT OF 2007
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, an open rule with a preprinting requirement. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate on H.R. 700, Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007, equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except for clauses 9 and 10 of Rule XXI. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read.
The rule makes in order only those amendments to the bill that are pre-printed in the Congressional Record or are pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. The rule provides that each amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be offered only by the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, and that each amendment shall be considered as read. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Oberstar and Representatives Mica and Baker.
MEDICARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION'S REPORT--SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's report on the Sustainable Growth Rate. Testimony was heard from Glenn M. Hackbarth, Chairman, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; and public witnesses.
LOW-INCOME FAMILY ASSISTANCE
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support held a hearing on Recent Changes to Programs Assisting Low-
Income Families. Testimony was heard from Sidonie Squier, Director, Office of Family Assistance, Department of Health and Human Services; Robin Arnold-Williams, Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services, State of Washington; David A. Hansell, Acting Commissioner, Department of Temporary Disability Assistance, State of New York; Nancy K. Ford, Director, Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, State of Nevada; Mary Dean Harvey, Director, Department of Human Resources, Division of Family and Children, State of Georgia; and a public witness.
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM BUDGET ROLL-OUT
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to hold a hearing on Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and National Intelligence Program (NIP) Budget Roll-out. Testimony was heard from Mike McConnell, Director of National Intelligence.
Joint Meetings
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded joint hearings with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative presentation of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, after receiving testimony from Gary Kurpius, Robert Wallace, William Bradshaw, Robert Crfat, and Dennis Cullinan, all of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Washington, D.C.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR WEDNESDAY,
MARCH 7, 2007
(Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)
Senate
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: to hold hearings to examine investing in our nation's future through agricultural research, 9:30 a.m., SR-328A.
Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense, to hold hearings to examine Department of Defense medical programs, 10 a.m., SD-192.
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, to hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Energy, 2 p.m., SD-138.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism, to hold hearings to examine policy implications of pharmaceutical importation for U.S. consumers, 9:30 a.m., SR-253.
Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics, and Related Agencies, to hold hearings to examine national imperatives for Earth Science research, 2:30 p.m., SR-253.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: to hold an oversight hearing to examine market constraints on large investments in advanced energy technologies and investigate ways to stimulate additional private-sector investment in the deployment of these technologies, 9:30 a.m., SD-366.
Committee on Environment and Public Works: to hold hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2008 for the Environmental Protection Agency, 3 p.m., SD-406.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: to hold hearings to examine strengthening American competitiveness for the 21st Century, 9:30 a.m., SH-216.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to hold hearings to examine fees, interests rates and grace periods relating to credit card practices, focusing on high fees charged for late payments, over-the-limit charges, including how those fees are assessed, how they add to interest costs, and how they contribute to consumer debt, and an industry practice requiring consumer payments to be applied first to balances with the lowest interest rates instead of to balances with the highest interest rates, 10 a.m., SD-342.
Committee on the Judiciary: to hold hearings to examine the McCarran-Ferguson Act and Antitrust Immunity, 9:30 a.m., SD-226.
Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, to hold an oversight hearing to examine the enforcement of the antitrust laws, 2:15 p.m., SD-226.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs: to hold an oversight hearing to examine the Veterans Administration adjudication process, 9:30 a.m., SR-418.
House
Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research, hearing to review the financial structure of renewable energy resources, 1 p.m., 1302 Longworth.
Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, on Economic and Statistics Administration/Census/Bureau of Economic Analysis, 10 a.m., and on Economic Development Administration/Minority Business Development Agency, 2 p.m., H-309 Capitol.
Subcommittee on Defense, on Walter Reed Infrastructure, 1:30 p.m., 2359 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Financial Services, and General Government, on Ensuring the Integrity of Elections, 10 a.m., 2220 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans' Affairs and Related Agencies, on Pacific Command, 2 p.m., H-143 Capitol.
Committee on Armed Services, hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea, 8:30 a.m., 2118 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, hearing on Air Force and Army airlift and aerial refueling fixed-wing aircraft programs, 3 p.m., 2118 Rayburn.
Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, hearing entitled ``Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?'' 10 a.m., 2322 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, hearing entitled ``Digital Future of the United States: Part II--The Future of Radio,'' 2:30 p.m., 2123 Rayburn.
Committee on Financial Services, to continue markup of H.R. 1227, Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 2007, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Domestic and International Policy, Trade, and Technology, hearing entitled ``The Role of Remittances in Leveraging Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean,'' 2 p.m., 2128 Rayburn.
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, hearing on A Regional Overview of South Asia, 2:30 p.m., 2172 Rayburn.
Committee on the Judiciary, hearing on ``Protecting the Right to Vote: Election Deception and Irregularities in Recent Federal Elections,'' 3 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.
Committee on Natural Resources, to mark up the following bills: H.R. 162, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 2007; H.R. 249, To restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-
roaming horses and burros; H.R. 285, Steel Industry National Historic Site Act; H.R. 309, To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a demonstration program to facilitate landscape restoration programs within certain units of the National Park System established by law to preserve and interpret resources associated with American history; H.R. 319, Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area Act; H.R. 505, Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007; H.R. 865, Copper Valley Native Allotment Resolution Act of 2007; and H.R. 886, Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2007, 1:30 p.m., 1324 Longworth.
Committee on Rules, to consider H. Res. 202, Providing for the expenses of certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Tenth Congress, 2 p.m., H-313 Capitol.
Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, hearing on the Department of Energy Fiscal Year 2008 Research and Development Budget Proposal, 9:30 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.
Committee on Small Business, hearing entitled ``Advancing the Innovation Agenda: The Perspective of the Technology and Telecommunications Industry,'' 9 a.m., 2360 Rayburn.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, joint hearing on Transit and Rail Security, 9 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, hearing on the impact of Aquatic Invasive Species on the Great Lakes, 2 p.m., 2167 Rayburn.
Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, hearing Performance Review of Services, 2 p.m., 340 Cannon.
Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, hearing on the Alternative Minimum Tax, 2 p.m., 1100 Longworth.
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, briefing on Hot Spots, 8:45 a.m., H-405 Capitol.
