Thursday, June 23, 2005 [[Page D659]] Daily Digest Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S7203-S7330 Measures Introduced: Twenty bills and two resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 1290-1309, and S. Res. 180-181. Pages S7293-94 Measures Reported: S. 335, to reauthorize the Congressional Award Act. (S. Rept. No. 109-87) H.R. 2862, making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. (S. Rept. No. 109-88) Page S7293 Measures Passed: Forest Service Anniversary: Senate agreed to S. Res. 181, recognizing July 1, 2005 as the 100th Anniversary of the Forest Service. Page S7329 Capitol Visitors Center: Committee on Rules and Administration was discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 179, to provide for oversight over the Capitol Visitors Center by the Architect of the Capitol, and the resolution was then agreed to. Page S7329 Energy Policy Act: Senate completed consideration of H.R. 6, to ensure jobs for our future with secure, affordable, and reliable energy, after taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S7204-84 Adopted: Domenici Amendment No. 891, to modify the section relating to the coastal impact assistance program. Pages S7210-33 By 52 yeas to 46 nays (Vote No. 154), Schumer Amendment No. 810, to strike a provision relating to medical isotope production. Pages S7240-44, S7247-49 Kyl Modified Amendment No. 990, to provide for a study relative to medical isotope production. Pages S7249-51 Talent/Johnson Amendment No. 819, to increase the allowable credit for fuel use under the alternatively fueled vehicle purchase requirement. Pages S7262-63 By 64 yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 156), Bond/Levin Amendment No. 925, to impose additional requirements for improving automobile fuel economy and reducing vehicle emissions. Pages S7251, S7263 Schumer Amendment No. 811, to provide for a national tire fuel efficiency program. Page S7264 Craig (for Jeffords) Modified Amendment No. 832, to require the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the conduct of a coal bed methane study. Page S7264 Craig (for Reid/Ensign) Modified Amendment No. 871, to provide whistleblower protection for contract and agency employees at the Department of Energy. Page S7264 Craig (for Cochran) Modified Amendment No. 886, to include waste- derived ethanol and biodiesel in a definition of biodiesel. Page S7264 Craig (for Enzi) Modified Amendment No. 899, to establish procedures for the reinstatement of leases terminated due to unforeseeable circumstances. Page S7264 Craig (for Obama) Amendment No. 808, to establish a program to develop Fischer-Tropsch transportation fuels from Illinois basin coal. Page S7264 Craig (for Kerry) Amendment No. 825, to establish a 4-year pilot program to provide emergency relief to small business concerns affected by a significant increase in the price of heating oil, natural gas, propane, gasoline, or kerosene. Pages S7264-65 Craig (for Inhofe) Modified Amendment No. 940, to provide for the control of hazardous air pollutants from motor vehicles and motor vehicle fuels. Page S7265 Craig (for Domenici/Bingaman) Amendment No. 1005, to make a technical correction. Page S7265 Craig (for Vitter) Amendment No. 1006, to require the Secretary to carry out a study and compile exisiting science to determine the risks or benefits presented by cumulative impacts of multiple offshore liquefied natural gas facilities reasonably assumed to be constructed in an area of the Gulf of Mexico using the open-rack vaporization system. Pages S7265-66 Craig (for Byrd) Amendment No. 1007, to improve the clean coal power initiative. Page S7266 [[Page D660]] Craig (for Cantwell) Amendment No. 1008, to clarify provisions regarding relief for extraordinary violations. Page S7266 Craig (for Grassley/Baucus) Amendment No. 1009, to provide a Manager's amendment. Page S7266 Craig (for Obama) Modified Amendment No. 851, to require the Secretary to establish a Joint Flexible Fuel/Hybrid Vehicle Commercialization Initiative. Page S7266 Craig (for Salazar) Modified Amendment No. 892, to provide for the Western Integrated Coal Gasification Demonstration Project. Page S7266 Craig (for Durbin) Modified Amendment No. 903, to provide that small businesses are eligible to participate in the Next Generation Lighting Initiative. Page S7266 Craig (for Harkin) Modified Amendment No. 919, to enhance the national security of the United States by providing for the research, development, demonstration, administrative support, and market mechanisms for widespread deployment and commercialization of biobased fuels and biobased products. Page S7266 Craig (for Snowe) Amendment No. 834, to provide for understanding of and access to procurement opportunities for small businesses with regard to Energy Star technologies and products. Page S7266 Rejected: By 21 yeas to 76 nays (Vote No. 155), Sununu/Wyden Amendment No. 873, to strike the title relating to incentives for innovative technologies. Pages S7244-47, S7249 By 28 yeas to 67 nays (Vote No. 157), Durbin Amendment No. 902, to amend title 49, United States Code, to improve the system for enhancing automobile fuel efficiency. Pages S7251-62, S7263-64 Withdrawn: Wyden/Dorgan Amendment No. 792, to provide for the suspension of strategic petroleum reserve acquisitions. Page S7266 During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action: By 92 yeas to 4 nays (Vote No. 152), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to the motion to close further debate on the bill. Pages S7209-10 Chair sustained a point of order that Reid (for Lautenberg) Amendment No. 839, to require any Federal agency that publishes a science-based climate change document that was significantly altered at White House request to make an unaltered final draft of the document publicly available for comparison, was not germane, and the amendment thus fell. Page S7210 By 69 yeas to 26 nays (Vote No. 153), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative, Senate agreed to the motion to waive section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, with respect to Domenici Amendment No. 891, to modify the section relating to the coastal impact assistance program. Subsequently, the point of order that the amendment would cause the underlying bill to exceed the subcommittee section 302(B) allocation was not sustained. Page S7233 A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for the vote on final passage of the bill to occur at 9:45 a.m., on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, with paragraph 4 of Rule 12 waived. Page S7283 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS--AGREEMENT: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Friday, June 24, 2005 at a time determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Democratic Leader, Senate begin consideration of H.R. 2361, making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006; that the committee substitute be agreed to and considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment, with no points of order waived; provided further that all first-degree amendments be offered on Friday, June 24, and Monday, June 27, 2005. Pages S7329-30 Messages From the President: Senate received the following messages from the President of the United States: Transmitting, pursuant to law, the legislation and supporting documents to implement the United States-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. (PM-14) Pages S7291-92 Transmitting, pursuant to law, a report on the continuation of the national emergency with respect to the extremist violence in Macedonia and the Western Balkans region; which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (PM-15) Page S7292 Nominations Received: Senate received the following Nominations: Granta Y. Nakayama, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Kent R. Hill, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. Colleen Duffy Kiko, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for a term of five years. [[Page D661]] Mary M. Rose, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the Merit Systems Protection Board for the term of seven years expiring March 1, 2011. Stephanie Johnson Monroe, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education. Steven G. Bradbury, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Attorney General. Peter Manson Swaim, of Indiana, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana for the term of four years. Routine lists in the Army, Navy. Page S7330 Executive Communications: Pages S7292-93 Executive Reports of Committees: Page S7293 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S7294-96 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S7296-S7319 Additional Statements: Pages S7290-91 Amendments Submitted: Pages S7319-28 Authority for Committees to Meet: Pages S7328-29 Record Votes: Six record votes were taken today. (Total--157) Pages S7209-10, S7233, S7248-49, S7249, S7263 Adjournment: Senate convened at 9 a.m., and adjourned at 10:03 p.m. until 9:30 a.m., on Friday, June 24, 2005. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S7330.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Appropriations: Committee ordered favorably reported the following bills: H.R. 2744, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; H.R. 2862, making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; and Proposed legislation making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. IRAQ Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine United States military strategy and operations in Iraq, after receiving testimony from Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense; General Richard B. Myers, USAF, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; General John P. Abizaid, USA, Commander, United States Central Command; and General George W. Casey, USA, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq. BUSINESS MEETING Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Committee ordered favorably reported the following business items: S. 1281, to authorize appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for science, aeronautics, exploration, exploration capabilities, and the Inspector General, and for other purposes, for fiscal years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, with amendments; S. 1280, to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 for the United States Coast Guard, with an amendment; and The nominations of Edmund S. Hawley, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, Israel Hernandez, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, William Alan Jeffrey, of Virginia, to be Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce, Ashok G. Kaveeshwar, of Maryland, to be Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation, David A. Sampson, of Texas, to be Deputy Secretary of Commerce, John J. Sullivan, of Maryland, to be General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara to be Director of the Coast Guard Reserve, and sundry officers in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS Committee on Finance: Committee held a hearing to examine United States-China economic relations and China's role in the world economy, especially its currency valuation policy, and exports, and the World Trade Organization (WTO), receiving testimony from Senators Collins, Bayh, Graham, and Stabenow; Alan Greenspan, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; John W. Snow, Secretary of the Treasury; Kenneth Rogoff, Harvard University Department of Economics, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Neal Bredehoeft, American Soybean Association, Alma, Missouri; Sean Maloney, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, California, on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Al Lubrano, Technical Materials, Inc., Lincoln, Rhode Island, on behalf of the National Association of Manufacturers. Hearing recessed subject to the call. [[Page D662]] HIV/AIDS Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee concluded a hearing to examine issues relative to developing an HIV/AIDS vaccine, focusing on S. Res. 42, expressing the sense of the Senate on promoting initiatives to develop an HIV vaccine, after receiving testimony from Representative Visclosky; Anthony S. Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services; Ashley Judd, Franklin, Tennessee, on behalf of YouthAIDS; Helene Gayle, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington; and Seth Berkley, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, New York, New York. HIV/AIDS CARE PROGRAMS Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security concluded a hearing to examine disparities in federal HIV/AIDS CARE programs, focusing on the effectiveness of CARE Act funding allocations in ensuring that all Americans living with HIV are provided access to core medical services and life-saving AIDS medications, after receiving testimony from Marcia G. Crosse, Director, Health Care, Government Accountability Office; Robert S. Janssen, Director, Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Deborah P. Hopson, Associate Administrator for HIV/AIDS, Health Resources and Services Administration, both of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Michael Montgomery, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento. FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Committee met to discuss the Family Medical Leave Act, receiving testimony from Jamie Marsden, City of Gillette Human Resources, Gillette, Wyoming; Cheryl Barbanel, Boston University Occupational Health Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Sandy Boyd, National Association of Manufacturers, Laurie Dohnalek, Georgetown University Hospital, Janemarie Mulvey, The Employment Policy Foundation, and Debra Ness, National Partnership for Women and Families, all of Washington, D.C.; Susan O'Flaherty, Bank One, Chicago, Illinois; Patrick Lancaster, American Axle and Manufacturing, Detroit, Michigan; Jeff Payne, Palmeto Health Hospitals, Columbia, South Carolina; Robert Prybutok, Polymer Technologies, Newark, Delaware; Sue Willman, Spencer Fane, Kansas City, Missouri; Ellen Bravo, Multi-state Working Families Consortium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Marie Alexander, Quova, Inc., Mountain View, California; Jody Heymann, Harvard Center for Society and Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Patti Philips, Atlanta, Georgia. ROE v. WADE/DOE v. BOLTON Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Constitution concluded a hearing to examine the consequences of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, after receiving testimony from Ken Edelin, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Teresa Collett, University of St. Thomas Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota; M. Edward Whelan, III, Ethics and Public Policy Center, and Karen O'Connor, American University, both of Washington, D.C.; R. Alta Charo, University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison; Sandra Cano, Atlanta, Georgia; and Norma McCorvey, Dallas, Texas. VETERANS BENEFITS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine benefits-related legislative initiatives, focusing on S. 151, to amend title 38, United States Code, to require an annual plan on outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S. 423, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make a stillborn child an insurable dependent for purposes of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program, S. 551, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, metropolitan area, S. 552, to make technical corrections to the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004, S. 909, to expand eligibility for governmental markers for marked graves of veterans at private cemeteries, S. 917, to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent the pilot program for direct housing loans for Native American veterans, S. 1234, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2005, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, S. 1235, to amend chapters 19 and 37 of title 38, United States Code, to extend the availability of $400,000 in coverage under the servicemembers' life insurance and veterans' group life insurance programs, S. 1138, to authorize the placement of a monument in Arlington National Cemetery honoring the veterans who fought in World War II as members of Army Ranger Battalions, S. 1252, to amend section 1922A of title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of supplemental insurance available for totally disabled veterans, S. 1259, to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the requirement for reports from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the disposition of [[Page D663]] cases recommended to the Secretary for equitable relief due to administrative error and to provide improved benefits and procedures for the transition of members of the Armed Forces from combat zones to noncombat zones and for the transition of veterans from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life, S. 1271, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, after receiving testimony from Senators Pryor and Allard; Daniel L. Cooper, Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits; Steve Smithson, The American Legion, Quentin Kinderman, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Rick Surratt, Disabled American Veterans, and Carl Blake, Paralyzed Veterans of America, all of Washington, D.C.; and Richard Jones, AMVETS, Lanham, Maryland. INTELLIGENCE Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee held closed hearings on intelligence matters, receiving testimony from officials of the intelligence community. Committee recessed subject to call. House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 13 public bills, H.R. 3043- 3055; and 4 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 188-190; and H. Res. 338 were introduced. Pages H5100-01 Additional Cosponsors: Page H5101 Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 362, to designate the Ojito Wilderness Study Area as wilderness, to take certain land into trust for the Pueblo of Zia, amended (H. Rept. 109-149) ; H.R. 1797, to provide for equitable compensation to the Spokane Tribe of Indians of the Spokane Reservation for the use of tribal land for the production of hydropower by the Grand Coulee Dam (H. Rept. 109- 150); and H.R. 2364, to establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to award scholarships to recruit and prepare students for careers in the National Weather Service and in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite programs, amended (H. Rept. 109-151). Page H5100 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Act for FY 2006: H.R. 3010 making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. Pages H5000-73 Agreed to limit further amendments made in order for debate and the time limit for debate on such amendments. Pages H5069-70 Agreed to: Obey amendment that restored $100 million for the corporation for Public Broadcasting by a recorded vote of 284 yeas to 140 nays, Roll No. 305. Pages H5040-47, H5070 Rejected: Owens amendment that sought to strike the priviso in the bill which prohibits funds in the bill from enforcing annual fit testing (after the initial fit testing) of respirators for occupational exposure to tuberculosis by a recorded vote of 206 yeas to 216 nays, Roll No. 306; Pages H5053-59, H5071 Bradley amendment that sought to increase funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by $50,000,000 for use as Part B grants to states and offset by taking administrative and program management funds from OSHA and the Department of Education by a recorded vote of 161 yeas to 262 nays, Roll No. 307. Pages H5059-62, H5071-72 Withdrawn: Fosella amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that sought to eliminate the rescission of $125 million in workers' compensation and worker-retraining funds intended to aid 9/11 first responders. The amendment designated this $125 million as emergency funding. Pages H5047-49 Peterson (PA) (No. 22 printed in the Congressional Record of June 22) that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that sought to increase the bill's appropriation for the Health Resources and Services Administration by $37,336,000. The amendment offsets this increase by cutting the bill's appropriation for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by $37,336,000. Pages H5051-53 Johnson (CT) amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that sought to increase [[Page D664]] funds for Health Resources and Services by $11,200,000. Pages H5062-63 Capuano amendment that was offered and subsequently withdrawn that sought to increase by $5,000,000 and decrease by the same amount funds for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Disease Control, Research, and Training. Pages H5063-64 H. Res. 337, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was agreed to by voice vote, after agreeing to the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 225 yeas to 194 nays, Roll No. 304. Pages H4991-H5000 Late Reports: Agreed that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure have until midnight on June 24 to file a report to accompany the bill H.R. 2864, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States. Page H5073 Quorum Calls--Votes: One yea-and-nay vote and 3 Recorded votes developed during the proceedings of the House today and appear on pages H4999-H5000, H5070, H5071, and H5071-72. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:04 p.m. Committee Meetings IRAQI SECURITY FORCES PROGRESS Committee on Armed Services: Held a hearing on the Progress of the Iraqi Security Forces. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Defense: Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary; GEN Richard B. Myers, USAF, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; GEN John Abizaid, USA, Commander, Central Command; and GEN George W. Casey, Jr., USA, Commander, Multi-National Forces--Iraq. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REAUTHORIZATION Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Reauthorization of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.'' Testimony was heard from Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation; and public witnesses. BANKING ON RETIREMENT SECURITY Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing entitled ``Banking on Retirement Security: A Guaranteed Rate of Return.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. FIRST RESPONDERS ANTI-TERRORISM TRAINING Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology and the Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight held a joint hearing entitled ``The National Training Program: Is Anti-Terrorism Training for First Responders Efficient and Effective.'' Testimony was heard from Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, Police Department, City of New York; Shawn Reese, Analyst in American National Government, Government and Finance Division, CRS, Library of Congress; and public witnesses. TORTURE VICTIMS RELIEF ACT IMPLEMENTATION Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations hearing on Implementing the 1998 Torture Victims Relief Act. Testimony was heard from Lloyd Feinberg, Manager, Victims of Torture Fund, U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of State; and public witnesses. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations approved for full Committee action the following measures: H.R. 2017, Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2005; H. Con. Res. 168, amended, Condemning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for the abductions and continue captivity of citizens of the Republic of Korea and Japan as acts of terrorism and gross violations; and H. Res. 333, Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur, Sudan. MISCELLANEOUS MEASURES Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security approved for full Committee action the following bills: H.R. 184, Controlled Substances Export Reform Act of 2005; H.R. 869, to amend the Controlled Substances Act to lift the patent limitation on prescribing drug addition treatments by medical practitioners in group practices; and H.R. 3020, United States Parole Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005. POTENTIAL OIL SOURCES Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing entitled ``The Vast North American Resource Potential of [[Page D665]] Oil Shale, Oil Sands, and Heavy Oils,'' Part 1. Testimony was heard from Russell George, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources, State of Colorado; and public witnesses. MIGRATORY BIRD AND GREAT APE CONSERVATION MEASURES Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans held a hearing on the following bills: H.R. 518, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act of 2005; and H.R. 2693, Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2005. Testimony was heard from Marshall Jones, Assistant Director, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses. VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT; OVERSIGHT-- VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH COSTS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 1220, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2005. The Committee also held an oversight hearing to examine the budget modeling and methodologies used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop and forecast veterans' health care cost and utilization projections for future years. Testimony was heard from Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; John Kokulis, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Health Affairs for Health Budgets and Financial Policy, Department of Defense; representatives of veterans organizations; and public witnesses. REVIEW TAX DEDUCTION FOR FACADE EASEMENTS Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing to review the Tax Deduction for Facade Easements. Testimony was heard from Steven T. Miller, Tax-Exempt and Government Entities Division, IRS, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses. SOCIAL SECURITY--PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security continued hearings on Protecting and Strengthening Social Security. Testimony was heard from James B. Lockhart, Deputy Commissioner, SSA; Barbara Bovbjerg, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, GAO; Patrick J. Purcell, Specialist in Social Legislation, Domestic Social Policy Division, CRS, Library of Congress; and public witnesses. BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to receive a Briefing on Global Updates. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2005 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Defense, to hold hearings to examine U.S. military strategy and operations in Iraq and associated funding issues, 10:30 a.m., SD-192. House No committee meetings are scheduled. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087ÿ09390). The Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, D.C. The public proceedings of each House of Congress, as reported by the Official Reporters thereof, are printed pursuant to directions of the Joint Committee on Printing as authorized by appropriate provisions of Title 44, United States Code, and published for each day that one or both Houses are in session, excepting very infrequent instances when two or more unusually small consecutive issues are printed one time. Public access to the Congressional Record is available online through GPO Access, a service of the Government Printing Office, free of charge to the user. The online database is updated each day the Congressional Record is published. The database includes both text and graphics from the beginning of the 103d Congress, 2d session (January 1994) forward. It is available through GPO Access at www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess. Customers can also access this information with WAIS client software, via telnet at swais.access.gpo.gov, or dial-in using communications software and a modem at 202ÿ09512ÿ091661. Questions or comments regarding this database or GPO Access can be directed to the GPO Access User Support Team at: E-Mail: gpoaccess@gpo.gov; Phone 1ÿ09888ÿ09293ÿ096498 (toll-free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091530 (D.C. area); Fax: 202ÿ09512ÿ091262. The Team's hours of availability are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, except Federal holidays. The Congressional Record paper and 24x microfiche edition will be furnished by mail to subscribers, free of postage, at the following prices: paper edition, $252.00 for six months, $503.00 per year, or purchased as follows: less than 200 pages, $10.50; between 200 and 400 pages, $21.00; greater than 400 pages, $31.50, payable in advance; microfiche edition, $146.00 per year, or purchased for $3.00 per issue payable in advance. The semimonthly Congressional Record Index may be purchased for the same per issue prices. To place an order for any of these products, visit the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at: bookstore.gpo.gov. Mail orders to: Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250ÿ097954, or phone orders to 866ÿ09512ÿ091800 (toll free), 202ÿ09512ÿ091800 (D.C. area), or fax to 202ÿ09512ÿ092250. Remit check or money order, made payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or use VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or GPO Deposit Account. Following each session of Congress, the daily Congressional Record is revised, printed, permanently bound and sold by the Superintendent of Documents in individual parts or by sets. With the exception of copyrighted articles, there are no restrictions on the republication of material from the Congressional Record. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Record, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, Along with the entire mailing label from the last issue received. [[Page D666]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:30 a.m., Friday, June 24 Senate Chamber Program for Friday: Senate will begin consideration of H.R. 2361, Interior Appropriations. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 9 a.m., Friday, June 24 House Chamber Program for Friday: Continue consideration of H.R. 3010, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Blumenauer, Earl, Ore., E1320 Brown-Waite, Ginny, Fla., E1317 Emanuel, Rahm, Ill., E1317 Everett, Terry, Ala., E1318 Franks, Trent, Ariz., E1319 Hall, Ralph M., Tex., E1323 Hooley, Darlene, Ore., E1318 Jackson-Lee, Sheila, Tex., E1324 Johnson, Timothy V., Ill., E1317 Kildee, Dale E., Mich., E1320 Kind, Ron, Wisc., E1323 McCollum, Betty, Minn., E1323 Maloney, Carolyn B., N.Y., E1317 Manzullo, Donald A., Ill., E1324 Musgrave, Marilyn N., Colo., E1318 Rangel, Charles B., N.Y., E1319, E1321 Schiff, Adam B., Calif., E1322 Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr., Wisc., E1322 Simmons, Rob, Conn., E1323 Taylor, Charles H., N.C., E1322 Taylor, Gene, Miss., E1319, E1321 Walden, Greg, Ore., E1322 Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, Fla., E1324 Watson, Diane E., Calif., E1320