Congress

Today in Congress: September 7, 2006

Reuters

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THE SENATE

In session.

Committees

Senate Judiciary (2 p.m.): Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Keeping Terrorists Off the Plane: Strategies for Pre-Screening International Passengers Before Takeoff,” focusing on the Visa Waiver Program, the Immigration Advisory Program, the Advance Passenger Information System, and the Passenger Name Record data. Paul Rosenzweig, counselor to the assistant secretary for policy, planning and international affairs, Homeland Security Department; Jayson Ahern, assistant commissioner of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Jess Ford, director of international affairs and trade at the Government Accountability Office; and Leon Laylagian, executive vice president of Passenger-Cargo Security Group, testify. 226 Dirksen.

Senate Aging (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on ”Exploitation of Seniors: Examining America's Ailing Guardianship System,” focusing on the rise of mistreatment and exploitation of the elderly by “unscrupulous” guardians in America. Ira Salzman, attorney for Philip Marshall, grandson of American socialite and philanthropist, Brooke Astor; Barbara Bovjberg, director of education workforce and income security at the Government Accountability Office; Carol Scott, Missouri long term care ombudsman; Mel Grossman, administrative judge, Florida 17th Judicial Circuit Court; and Terry Hammond, executive director of the National Guardianship Association, testify. 562 Dirksen.

Senate Veterans Affairs (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “'Wounded Warrior' Insurance: A First Look at a New Benefit for Traumatically Injured Servicemembers.” Principal Deputy Defense Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Michael Dominguez; Thomas Lastowka, director, and Steve Wurtz, deputy assistant director of the Insurance Service at the Veterans Benefits Administration; John Keith, combat-wounded Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Jeremy Chwat, associate executive director of policy and service for the Wounded Warrior Project, testify. 418 Russell.

Senate Finance (10:30 a.m.): Holds a closed meeting on issues related to withholding prescription drug premiums from beneficiaries' Social Security checks. Social Security Administration Commissioner JoAnne Barnhart and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan brief the committee. 215 Dirksen.

Senate Appropriations (10 a.m.): Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on “One Year Later: Are We Prepared?” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen; Homeland Security Undersecretary for Preparedness George Foresman; Federal Emergency Management Agency Director David Paulison; Bruce Baughman, president of the National Emergency Management Association; and Ellis Stanley, certified emergency manager and general manager of the City of Los Angeles' Emergency Preparedness Department, testify. 192 Dirksen.

Senate Foreign Relations (9:30 a.m.): Meets to markup T.Doc.108-23, the “Extradition Treaty Between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”; and vote on the nominations of Richard Hoagland to be ambassador to the Republic of Armenia; John Bolton to be U.S. representative the United Nations; John Rood to be assistant secretary of State for international security and non-proliferation; Cesar Benito Cabrera to be ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius, and to the Republic of Seychelles; Cindy Lou Courville to be U.S. representative to the African Union; and Mary Ourisman to be ambassador to Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 419 Dirksen.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (9:30 a.m.): Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on “IT Projects at Risk: Is it too late to save $12 Billion?” Karen Evans, administrator for electronic government and information technology at the Office of Management and Budget, and David Powner, director information technology issues, Government Accountability Office, testify. 342 Dirksen.

Senate Judiciary (9:30 a.m.): Meets to markup S.2453, to establish procedures for the review of electronic surveillance programs; S.2455, to provide in statute for the conduct of electronic surveillance of suspected terrorists for the purposes of protecting the American people, the nation, and its interests from terrorist attack while ensuring that the civil liberties of United States citizens are safeguarded; S.2468, to provide standing for civil actions for declaratory and injunctive relief to persons who refrain from electronic communications through fear of being subject to warrantless electronic surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes; and S.3001, to ensure that all electronic surveillance of United States persons for foreign intelligence purposes is conducted pursuant to individualized court-issued orders, to streamline the procedures of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. 226 Dirksen.

Senate (Select) Intelligence (2:30 p.m.): Holds a closed markup of pending calendar business. 219 Hart.

THE HOUSE

Meets at 10 a.m. to consider H.R.503, to amend the ”Horse Protection Act.”

Committees

House Foreign Affairs (2 p.m.): International Terrorism and Nonproliferation Subcommittee holds a hearing on “9/11: Five Years Later - Gauging Islamist Terrorism.” Peter Brookes, senior fellow for national security affairs at The Heritage Foundation; Frank Gaffney Jr., president and CEO of The Center for Security Policy; Walid Phares, senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; and Thomas Sanderson, deputy director of the Transnational Threats Project and fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, testify. 2172 Rayburn.

House Energy and Commerce (10 a.m.): Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee holds a hearing on “BP's Pipeline Spills at Prudhoe Bay: What Went Wrong?” The hearing will focus on the company's management of its corrosion control in its oil-transit lines. Robert Malone, chairman and president of BP America, Inc., Houston, Texas; Steve Marshall, president of BP Exploration Alaska, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska; Kevin Hostler, president and CEO of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., Anchorage, Alaska; Dan Stears, cathodic protection specialist at Coffman Engineers Inc., Anchorage, Alaska; Thomas Barrett, administrator for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration at the Transportation Department; and Kurt Fredriksson, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Juneau, Alaska, testify. 2123 Rayburn.

House Judiciary (10 a.m.): Meets to markup H.R.2679, the “Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005”; H.R.5092, the ”Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) Modernization and Reform Act of 2006”; H.R.5005, the “Firearms Corrections and Improvements Act”; H.R.1384, the “Firearm Commerce Modernization Act”; H.R.1415, the “NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) Improvement Act of 2005”; a motion to authorize the issuance of a subpoena to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao; and H.R.5830, the “Wright Amendment Reform Act.” 2141 Rayburn.

House Natural Resources (10 a.m.): National Parks Subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R.3532, to the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of maritime sites in the State of Michigan; H.R.5452, to make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available at a discount to certain veterans; H.R.5485, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area in the States of Washington and Oregon; and H.R.5978, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of including the battlefields and related sites of the First and Second Battles of Newtonia, Missouri, during the Civil War as part of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield or designating the battlefields and related sites as a separate unit of the National Park System. Witnesses TBA. 1334 Longworth.

House Natural Resources (10 a.m.): Water and Power Subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R.5566, To facilitate the transfer of Spearfish Hydroelectric Plant Number 1 to the Spearfish, S.D.; H.R.6014, To authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to improve California's Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and water supply; and a bill regarding the repayment of site security costs at Bureau of Reclamation facilities. Witnesses TBA. 1324 Longworth.

House Transportation and Infrastructure (10 a.m.): Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee holds a hearing on ”Freight Logistics: The Road Ahead as Seen by the Users of the Highway System,” focusing on the importance of efficient and reliable transportation systems in how businesses manage the distribution of their resources and products. Chris Lofgren, president and CEO of Schneider National; Douglas Duncan, president and CEO of FedEx Freight; and Tim Yatsko, senior vice president for transportation at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., testify. 2167 Rayburn.

House Homeland Security (1 p.m.): Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorist Risk Assessment Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Assessment of Information Sharing Centers,” focusing on the Homeland Security Department's plans for supporting the work of state and local fusion centers. Fusion centers are facilities where federal, state, and local personnel and information technology networks are united to promote information sharing. Charles Allen, chief intelligence officer at the Homeland Security Department; Kenneth Bouche, deputy director for the Information & Technology Command of the Illinois State Police; Amy Whitmore, analyst supervisor at the Virginia Fusion Center of the Virginia State Police; and Richard Canas, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, testify. 2118 Rayburn.

House Financial Services (10 a.m.): Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee holds a hearing on “A Review of the Federal Home Loan Bank System.” Federal Housing Finance Board Chairman Ronald Rosenfeld, testifies. 2128 Rayburn.

House Armed Services (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the standards of military commissions and tribunals. Acting Assistant Attorney General Steven Bradbury; Army Maj. Gen. Scott Black, judge advocate general of the Army; Navy Rear Adm. Bruce MacDonald, judge advocate general of the Navy; Air Force Major Gen. Charles Dunlap Jr., deputy judge advocate general of the Air Force; and Marine Corps Brig. Gen. James Walker, staff judge advocate to the commandant of the Marine Corps, testify. 2118 Rayburn .

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Defense Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Oversight of Defense Contracting.” U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, of the Government Accountability Office; Defense Undersecretary Kenneth Krieg, for acquisition, technology and logistics; Assistant Navy Secretary Delores Etter, for research, development and acquisition; Assistant Air Force Secretary Sue Payton, for acquisition; and Lt. Gen. Joseph Yakovac Jr., military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, testify. Note: Rescheduled from July 26. 2359 Rayburn.

House Homeland Security (10 a.m.): Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology Subcommittee holds a hearing on “DHS' (Homeland Security Department) Science and Technology Formula.” DHS Undersecretary for Science and Technology Jay Cohen testifies. 334 Cannon.