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 D897-D898 on Aug. 4, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Committee Meetings
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES
Committee on Banking and Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit approved for full Committee action amended the following bills: H.R. 3617, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Amendments Act of 1998; H.R. 4364, Depository Institution Regulatory Streamlining Act of 1998.
PORTALS INVESTIGATION
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the circumstances surrounding the FCC's planned relocation to the Portals, including the efforts of Franklin L. Haney and his representatives with respect to this matter and the circumstances surrounding the payment of fees to those representatives. Testimony was heard from Franklin L. Haney, Franklin L. Haney Company.
Hearings continue August 7.
IMPEDIMENTS TO UNION DEMOCRACY
Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Employer-
Employee Relations continued hearings on Impediments to Union Democracy, Part III: Rank and File Rights at the American Radio Association. Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
CAMPAIGN FINANCING INVESTIGATION--NEED FOR INDEPENDENT COUNSEL
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight: Held a hearing on ``The Need for an Independent Counsel in the Campaign Finance Investigation''. Testimony was heard from following officials of the FBI, Department of Justice: Louis J. Freeh, Director; and James V. Desarno, Assistant Director, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Campaign Finance Task Force; and Charles G. LaBella, former Chief, Department of Justice Campaign Finance Task Force.
MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES; PRIVATE IMMIGRATION BILLS
Committee on the Judiciary: Ordered reported amended the following bills: H.R. 4006, Lethal Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 1998; and H.R. 2921, Multichannel Video Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 1997.
The Committee also approved private immigration bills.
U.S./RUSSIAN NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
Committee on National Security: Subcommittee on Military Research and Development held a hearing on U.S./Russian national security issues. Testimony was heard from Stanislav Lunev, former Colonel, Russian Military Intelligence (GRU).
OVERSIGHT--FIRE SUPPRESSION
Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health held an oversight hearing on Fire Suppression. Testimony was heard from Barry Hill, Associate Director, Energy, Resources and Science Issues, GAO; Wally Josephson, Wildland Fire Specialist, Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety, Department of the Interior; Janice McDougal, Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, USDA; and James W. Garner, State Forester, Department of Forestry, State of Virginia.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE FLUENCY ACT
Committee on Rules: Granted, by voice vote, a modified open rule providing one hour of general debate on H.R. 3892, English Language Fluency Act. The rule provides for a 3 hour time limit on the amendment process, after which no further amendment shall be in order except those printed in the Congressional Record, with each further amendment and all amendments thereto to be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by a proponent and an opponent.
The rule makes in order the Committee on Education and the Workforce amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an original bill for amendment purposes, which shall be considered as read. The rule provides for the consideration of the manager's amendment numbered 1 printed in the Congressional Record if offered by Representative Riggs or his designee, which shall be considered as read, shall not be subject to amendment or to a division of the question, and shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided between the proponent and an opponent. If adopted, the amendment is considered as part of the base text for further amendment purposes. The rule provides that after the disposition of the amendment numbered 1, it shall be in order to consider the amendment numbered 2 printed in the Congressional Record if offered by Representative Riggs or his designee, which shall be considered as read, and including all amendments thereto, shall be debatable for 30 minutes equally divided between the proponent and an opponent.
The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in recognition to Members who have pre-printed their amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule allows for the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to reduce votes to five minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a fifteen minute vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Testimony was heard from Chairman Goodling and Representatives Riggs and Martinez.
LABOR-HHS-EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS
Committee on Rules: Heard testimony from Representatives Porter, Tiahrt, Istook, Shaw, Smith of New Jersey, Castle, Greenwood, Riggs, Manzullo, LoBiondo, Brady of Texas, English of Pennsylvania, Obey, Lowey, and Nadler, but action was deferred on H.R. 4274, making appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999.
OVERSIGHT
Committee on Science: Subcommittee on Technology held an oversight hearing on Developing Partnerships for Assistive and Universally Designed Technologies for Persons with Disabilities. Testimony was heard from John Lancaster, Executive Director, President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities; and public witnesses.
``E-RATE'' PROGRAM--FUNDING MECHANISMS
Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing on the Funding Mechanisms of the ``E-Rate'' Program. Testimony was heard from Representatives Weller, Tauzin and Blumenauer; and the following officials of the FCC: Harold Furchtgott-Roth, Commissioner; and Christopher J. Wright, General Counsel.
