Congress

Today in Congress: April 3, 2008

Reuters

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THE SENATE

Senate is in session

Committees

House Oversight and Government Reform (2 p.m.): House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee hold a joint hearing on ”Managing Diversity of Senior Leadership in the Federal Workforce and Postal Service.” Bray Barnes, acting chief human capital officer for the Homeland Security Department; Carmen Walker of Homeland Security's Equal Employment Opportunity Programs Office; and others testify. 2154 Rayburn.

Senate Appropriations (9:30 a.m.): Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the ”Status of Surface Transportation Trust Funds and Impact on Federal Spending” and the “Future Outlook and Budgetary Needs for AMTRAK.” Federal Transit Administrator James Simpson; Acting Federal Highway Administrator James Ray; John McCaskie, chief engineer at Swank Associated Companies, New Kensington, Pa., representing the Transportation Construction Coalition; William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association; Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Boardman; Donna McLean, chairman of the board of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation-AMTRAK; Alexander Kummant, president and CEO of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation-AMTRAK; David Tornquist, assistant inspector general of the Transportation Department; and Joel Parker, international vice president and special assistant to the president of the Transportation Communications International Union, testify. 138 Dirksen.

Senate Armed Services (9:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the nominations of Army Gen. David McKiernan, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan; Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, for appointment to the grade of general and to be vice chief of staff of the Army; and Army Lt. Gen. Walter Sharp, for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea. The nominees testify. 106 Dirksen.

Senate Armed Services (3 p.m.): Airland Subcommittee holds a hearing on Army modernization in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2009 and the Future Years Defense Program. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, deputy chief of staff (G-8); and Lt. Gen. N. Ross Thompson III, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, testify. 222 Russell.

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the response by federal financial regulators to ongoing turmoil in U.S. credit and mortgage markets and the near collapse of Bear Stearns. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke; Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox; Timothy Geithner, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Treasury Undersecretary for Domestic Finance Robert Steel; Alan Schwartz, president and CEO of Bear Stearns; and James Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, testify. G-50 Dirksen.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources (9:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on the influence of non-commercial, institutional investors on the price of oil. Jeffrey Harris, chief economist at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Sara Emerson, managing director of Energy Security Analysis Inc., Wakefield, Mass.; Kevin Book, senior vice president/senior analyst, Friedman Billings Ramsey & Co., Inc., Arlington, Va.; Jim Burkhard of Cambridge Energy Research Associates; and Sean Cota, representing the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, testify. 366 Dirksen.

Senate Finance (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on ”Outside the Box on Estate Tax Reform: Reviewing Ideas to Simplify Planning.” Dennis Belcher, partner at McGuire Woods LLP, Richmond, Va.; Shirley Kovar, shareholder for Branton & Wilson, APC, San Diego, Calif.; Roby Sawyers of the North Carolina State University's Department of Accounting; and Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector, testify. 215 Dirksen.

Senate Judiciary (10 a.m.): Meets to markup S.2136, the “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2007”; S.2133, the “Home Owners Mortgage and Equity Savings Act”; S.2041, False Claims Act Correction Act of 2007; S.2533, the “State Secrets Protection Act”; S.702, the “State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act”; S.Res.468, designating April 2008 as “National 9-1-1 Education Month”; Catharina Haynes to be U.S. Circuit Court Judge for the Fifth Circuit; Rebecca Ann Gregory to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. 226 Dirksen.

Senate Judiciary (2:15 p.m.): Holds a hearing on the nominations of Mark Davis to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; David Kays to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri; David Novak to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stephen Limbaugh, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri; Elisebeth Cook to be assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy. The nominees testify. 226 Dirksen.

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “International Fisheries: Management and Enforcement.” Coast Guard Rear Adm. Arthur Brooks and others testify. 253 Russell.

SENATE (SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON) AGING (10:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Scrambling for Health Insurance Coverage: Health Security for People in Late Middle Age.” Witnesses TBA. 608 Dirksen.

Senate Appropriations (10 a.m.): Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) FY2009 budget request and justification. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin testifies. 192 Dirksen.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “The New FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): Is the Agency Better Prepared for a Catastrophe Now Than It Was in 2005?” FEMA Administrator David Paulison; and Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner, testify. 342 Dirksen.

Senate Environment and Public Works (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Examining Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at U.S. Colleges and Universities.” Richard Levin, president of Yale University; Jacqueline Johnson, chancellor of the University of Minnesota, Morris; and Robert Birgeneau, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, testify. 406 Dirksen.

Senate Veterans Affairs (9 a.m.): Hold a joint hearing with the House Veterans Affairs committee to receive legislative presentations from: American Veterans (AMVETS); the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH); Gold Star Wives (GSW); the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA); The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA); the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA). Witnesses TBA. 216 Hart .

Senate Foreign Relations (9:30 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Iraq 2012: What Can It Look Like, How Do We Get There?” Carole O'Leary, program director and scholar in residence at American University's Center for Global Peace; Dawn Brancati, fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Quantitative Social Studies, Cambridge, Mass.; Carlos Pascual, vice president and director of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution; Gregory Gause III, associate professor of political science at the University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt.; and Terrence Kelly, senior operations researcher at the RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., testify. 419 Dirksen.

THE HOUSE

House is in session

Committees

House Financial Services (10 a.m.): Meets to markup H.R.2634, the “Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007,” to provide for greater responsibility in lending and expanded cancellation of debts owed to the United States and the international financial institutions by low-income countries. 2128 Rayburn.

House Science and Technology (10 a.m.): Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee holds a hearing on “NASA's Exploration Initiative: Status and Issues.” Richard Gilbrech, associate administrator of NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate; Cristina Chaplain, director of acquisition and sourcing management at the Government Accountability Office; Noel Hinners, independent consultant; and Kathryn Thornton, professor in the Department of Science, Technology and Society and associate dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science at the University of Virginia, testify. 2318 Rayburn.

House Small Business (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on ”The Role of Credit Cards in Small Business Financing.” Bill Spearman, president and CEO of the Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, Kingston, N.Y., representing the National Association of Federal Credit Unions; William Rosacker, president of the United Bankers' Bank, Bloomington, Minn., representing the Independent Community Bankers of America; Wayne Gatewood Jr., president and CEO of Quality Support, Inc., Landover, Md.; David Walker, professor of the Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business; and Robert Lahm Jr., assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Middle Tennessee State University's Jones College of Business, Murfreesboro, Tenn., testify. 1539 Longworth.

House Transportation and Infrastructure (10 a.m.): Holds a hearing on “Critical Lapses in FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Safety Oversight of Airlines: Abuses of Regulatory 'Partnership Programs.'” Charalambe Boutris, aviation safety inspector and Boeing 737-700 Partial Program manager for aircraft maintenance Southwest Airlines (SWA) Certificate Management Office; Douglas Peters, aviation safety inspector and Boeing 757 Partial Program Manager American Airlines Certification Unit; Michael Mills, assistant manager of the Dallas Fort Worth Flight Standards District Office; Paul Cotti, supervisor of the American Eagle Airworthiness Unit; Robert Naccache; Terry Lambert, manager of FAA Southwest Region's Safety and Analysis Group, Flight Standards Division; Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel III; Scott Bloch, special counsel, U.S. Office of the Special Counsel; Associate FAA Administrator for Aviation Safety Nicholas Sabatini; James Ballough, director of the FAA's Flight Standards Service; Thomas Stuckey, manager of the FAA Southwest Region's Flight Standards Division; Herb Kelleher, executive chairman of Southwest Airlines Co.; Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines Co.; Vincent Larry Collamore, aviation safety inspector; John Bassler, principal avionics inspector, Dallas Fort Worth FSDO; Tom Brantley, president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists; Linda Goodrich, Region IV vice president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists; Richard Andrews, aviation safety inspector of American Eagle Operations Unit, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists; Joseph Thrash, retired aviation safety inspector at Continental Airlines; Bill McNease, retired Aviation Safety Inspector for FedEx, testify. 2167 Rayburn.

House (Select) Intelligence (10 a.m.): Holds a closed hearing on “FY2009 Budget - Special Program.” H-405, U.S. Capitol.

House Armed Services (10 a.m.): Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on ”Attorney General.” Attorney General Michael Mukasey testifies. 2359 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Energy and Water Development Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Department of Energy: Nuclear Nonproliferation.” William Tobey, deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration testifies. 2362-B Rayburn.

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee holds a hearing on the General Services Administration (GSA). GSA Administrator Lurita Doan testifies. 2220 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Candidate Protection: Balancing the U.S. Secret Service Workload,” U.S. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan testifies. 2358-C Rayburn.

House Appropriations (1:30 p.m.): Intelligence Oversight Panel Subcommittee holds a closed hearing on ”Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative.” H-140, U.S. Capitol.

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on FY2009 appropriations for agencies under its jurisdiction. Public witnesses testify. B-308 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (10:30 a.m.): Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of Special Trustee.” Assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs Carl Artmen; and Ross Swimmer, special trustee for American Indians, testify. B-308 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (1:30 p.m.): Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Veterans Affairs (VA) Information Technology.” Assistant VA Secretary for Information and Technology Robert Howard testifies. H-143, U.S. Capitol.

House Energy and Commerce (10 a.m.): Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Selling the Department of Energy's Depleted Uranium Stockpile: Opportunities and Challenges.” Robert Robinson, managing director for natural resource and the environment at the Government Accountability Office; Assistant Energy Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dennis Spurgeon; Robert Ervin, president Local 550 (Paducah, Ky.) United Steelworkers Union; Marvin Fertel, executive vice president and chief nuclear officer at the Nuclear Energy Institute, testify. 2322 Rayburn.

House Judiciary (2 p.m.): Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee holds a hearing on “Legislative Proposals before the 110th Congress to Amend Federal Restitution Laws.” Witnesses TBA. 2141 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (2 p.m.): Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the Census. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Census Director Steven Murdock, testify. 2359 Rayburn.

House Appropriations (10 a.m.): Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Subcommittee holds a hearing on the “Natural Resources Conservation Service Budget.” Agriculture Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment Mark Rey testifies. 2362-A Rayburn.

House Appropriations (1:30 p.m.): Defense Subcommittee closed hearing on the “Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative.” H-140, U.S. Capitol.

House Armed Services (2 p.m.): Air and Land Forces Subcommittee holds a hearing on the FY2009 National Defense Authorization budget request on Army National Guard and Army Reserve Equipment. Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz; and Army National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, director of the , testify. 2118 Rayburn.

House Natural Resources (10 a.m.): Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee holds a hearing on H.R.5618, the “National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008.” Rick Spinrad, assistant administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research; Richard DeVoe, executive director of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium; John Woeste, professor emeritus of the University of Florida; Bill Dewey, manager of public affairs at Taylor Shellfish Farms; and Robert Gagosian, president of the Consortium of Ocean Leadership, testify. 1334 Longworth.

House Oversight and Government Reform (1:30 p.m.): Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee holds a markup of pending calendar business. 2154 Rayburn.