Thursday, May 11, 2006 [[Page D471]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany H.R. 4297, Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act. The House passed H.R. 5122, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S4385-S4506 Measures Introduced: Thirteen bills and three resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. 2783-2795, S. Res. 474-475, and S. Con. Res. 94. Pages S4468-69 Measures Passed: National Public Works Week: Senate agreed to S. Res. 475, proclaiming the week of May 21 through May 27, 2006, as ``National Public Works Week''. Pages S4503-04 Indian Youth Telemental Health Demonstration Project Act: Senate passed S. 2245, to establish an Indian youth telemental health demonstration project. Pages S4504-05 Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act: Senate continued consideration of S. 1955, to amend title I of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to expand health care access and reduce costs through the creation of small business health plans and through modernization of the health insurance marketplace, taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S4447-60 Pending: Committee Modified Amendment in the nature of a substitute. Page S4447 Frist Amendment No. 3886 (to S. 1955 (committee substitute) as modified), to establish the enactment date. Page S4447 Frist Amendment No. 3887 (to Amendment No. 3886), to change the enactment date. Page S4447 Motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, with instructions to report back forthwith, with Frist Amendment No. 3888, in the nature of a substitute. Page S4447 Frist Amendment No. 3889 (to the instructions of the motion to recommit), to change the enactment date. Page S4447 Frist Amendment No. 3890 (to Amendment No. 3889), to provide for the enactment date. Page S4447 During consideration of this measure today, Senate also took the following action: By 55 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 119), three-fifths of those Senators duly chosen and sworn, not having voted in the affirmative, Senate rejected the motion to close further debate on the modified committee substitute. Page S4460 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act Conference Report: By 54 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. 118), Senate agreed to the conference report to accompany H.R. 4297, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 201(b) of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006, clearing the measure for the President. Pages S4385-S4447 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Monday, May 15, 2006, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Democratic Leader, Senate proceed to the consideration of S. 2611, to provide for comprehensive immigration reform, or a House bill on which the Senate and House conference, using the language of S. 2611; provided that when the Senate agrees to a request for a conference, or the Senate requests a conference on S. 2611, or a House bill, as amended with the language of S. 2611, as amended, if amended, the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate with the ratio of conferees being 14 to 12; provided further, that from that ratio, the first 7 Republican Senators from the [[Page D472]] Committee on the Judiciary and the first 5 Democratic Senators from the Committee on the Judiciary be conferees, and that the Majority Leader select the final 7 conferees for the Majority side and the Democratic Leader select the final 7 conferees for the Minority side. Pages S4385-86 Nomination--Agreement: A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the nomination of Milan D. Smith, Jr., of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; provided further, that prior to the vote there be 15 minutes for debate equally divided between the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary, and Senator Smith, and that at the expiration or yielding back of time, Senate proceed to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. Page S4503 Nominations Received: Senate received the following nominations: William H. Tobey, of Connecticut, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration. Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, of New Jersey, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Benin. Peter R. Coneway, of Texas, to be Ambassador to Switzerland, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Principality of Liechtenstein. Christina B. Rocca, of Virginia, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the Conference on Disarmament. Thomas D. Anderson, of Vermont, to be United States Attorney for the District of Vermont for the term of four years. Routine lists in the Air Force, Navy. Pages S4505-06 Messages From the House: Page S4467 Measures Referred: Page S4467 Measures Read First Time: Pages S4467, S4503 Enrolled Bills Presented: Page S4467 Executive Communications: Pages S4467-68 Executive Reports of Committees: Page S4468 Additional Cosponsors: Pages S4469-70 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S4471-78 Amendments Submitted: Pages S4478-S4502 Notices of Hearings/Meetings: Pages S4502-03 Authorities for Committees to Meet: Page S4503 Privileges of the Floor: Page S4503 Record Votes: Two record votes were taken today. (Total--119) Pages S4446, S4460 Adjournment: Senate convened at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 7:26 p.m., until 9:30 a.m., on Friday, May 12, 2006. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S4505.) Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) AVIAN INFLUENZA Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the Department of Agriculture's national response plan to detect and control the potential spread of Avian Influenza into the United States, focusing on the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, and migratory bird surveillance, after receiving testimony from Ron DeHaven, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture. NOMINATION Committee on the Budget: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nomination of Robert J. Portman, of Ohio, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget, after the nominee, who was introduced by Senators Bunning and DeWine, testified and answered questions in his own behalf. IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM Committee on Foreign Relations: Committee met in closed session to receive a briefing to examine Iran's nuclear program and the impact of potential sanctions from Robert Walpole, Deputy Director for Strategy and Evaluation, National Counter-proliferation Center, and S. Leslie Ireland, Mission Manager for Iran, both of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and Paul E. Simons, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy, Sanctions and Commodities, Bureau of Economics and Business Affairs. BUSINESS MEETING: NOMINATIONS Committee on the Judiciary: Committee ordered favorably reported the nominations of Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Sean F. Cox and Thomas L. Ludington, both to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan. [[Page D473]] VA HEALTHCARE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Committee concluded a hearing to examine proposed health care-related legislation, after receiving testimony from Michael Kussman, Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, and Jack Thompson, Deputy General Counsel, both of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Robert Shaw, State Veterans Center, Rifle, Colorado, on behalf of National Association of State Veterans Homes; John Melia, Wounded Warrior Project, Roanoke, Virginia; and Carl Blake, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Juan Lara, American Legion, and Adrian M. Atizado, Disabled American Veterans, all of Washington, D.C. 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: 33 public bills, H.R. 5351- 5383; and 3 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 400-401; and H. Res. 813 were introduced. Pages H2584-85 Additional Cosponsors: Pages H2585-86 Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 4681 to promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 109-462). Page H2584 Motion to Adjourn: Rejected the Snyder motion to adjourn by a yea-and- nay vote of 31 yeas to 366 nays, Roll No. 137. Pages H2507-08 Later, the House rejected the Slaughter motion to adjourn by a recorded vote of 68 ayes to 336 noes with 1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 138. Pages H2509-10 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007: The House passed H.R. 5122, amended, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2007, by a recorded vote of 396 ayes to 31 noes, Roll No. 145. Consideration of the bill began yesterday, May 10th. Pages H2508-51 Rejected the Salazar motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Armed Services with instructions to report it back to the House forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 202 ayes to 220 noes, Roll No. 144. Pages H2549-51 Pursuant to the rule, Representative Hunter requested that the following amendments printed in H. Rept. 109-461, following consideration of en bloc packages #1 and #2, be considered in the following order: Goode (#8), Millender-McDonald (#15), Rohrabacher (#16), Dent (#6), Gohmert (#7), Hooley (#9), McDermott (# 13), Hostettler (#10), Tierney (#22), Schakowsky (#18), Jindal (#11), Lewis of Kentucky (#12), Mica (#14), Weldon of Pennsylvania (#23), and Taylor of Mississippi (#21). Pages H2519-20 Agreed to: En bloc amendment consisting of the following amendments printed in H. Rept. 109-461: Baca (#1) requires DoD to study the scope of perchlorate contamination at Formerly Utilized Defense Sites (FUDS); Castle (#2) implements GAO's recommendations to cut-down on award and incentive fee spending waste by requiring the Department to develop a strategy for linking incentives to specific outcomes, such as meeting cost, schedule, and capability goals. It also establishes guidance for improving the effectiveness of award and incentive fees and ensures that appropriate approving officials are overseeing these decisions. The Department would be required to report to Congress on the status and effectiveness of these new standards; Davis of Virginia (#4) authorizes the Army to negotiate a ``design build'' to complete the Fairfax County Parkway. As a result of the construction mandated by BRAC on the Engineering Proving Ground (EPG), it would authorize the Army to enter into a special agreement with the state of Virginia. This agreement would authorize the state of Virginia to fund certain projects on the EPG while allowing the Army to maintain control of such projects; and Schiff (#19) directs the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a series of regular reports on the threat to American personnel posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), as well as action being taken to interdict IEDs and to develop more effective active and passive countermeasures. First report would be due 30 [[Page D474]] days after enactment, with subsequent reports every 90 days thereafter. Reports would be unclassified, with a classified annex if necessary; Pages H2520-22 En bloc amendment consisting of the following amendments printed in H. Rept. 109-461: Chabot (#3) expresses the Sense of Congress that the spouses of Armed Forces members who have died between October 7, 2001 and November 23, 2003 should be permitted to have the option of assigning their SBP payments to their children; Davis of Virginia (#5) would allow DoD to consider transit projects as part of DAR; Ryan of Ohio (#17) authorizes $5 million for the High Altitude Airship (HAA) Program. The HAA is designed to be an uninhabited, long-endurance, platform for carrying forward based sensors and a wide range of other BMD payloads that will enable continuous over-horizon communication. The HAA will also provide wide area surveillance and protection without interruption or the risk associated with manned aircraft. Offsets $5 million from the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS); and Slaughter (#20) requires the Department of Defense to include the number of disciplinary actions as part of the annual report on sexual assault in the military; Pages H2522-25 Dent amendment (No. 6 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) amends Title XIV to ensure that the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security work together as a part of a Homeland Defense-Homeland Security Technology Transfer Consortium to accelerate the transfer of viable DoD technologies to enhance the homeland security capabilities of Federal, State, and local first responders; Pages H2525-26 Millender-McDonald amendment (No. 15 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) that calls for the Secretary of Defense to include as part of the 2006 update to the Mobility Capability Study a comprehensive analysis of future airlift and sealift mobility requirements. The study will examine both the strategic and intra-theater mobility requirements with full consideration of all aspects of the National Security Strategy, and will analyze low, medium, and high risk alternatives. The new analysis must be delivered to Congress by February 1, 2007; Pages H2528-29 Gohmert amendment (No. 7 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Army should consider conveying the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Marshall, Texas to the Marshall-Harrison County Veterans Association for the purpose of erecting a veterans memorial, creating a park, and converting the present building to veterans museum to recognize and honor the accomplishments of our Armed Forces; Pages H2529-30 Hooley amendment (No. 9 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) modified, authorizes the Army and the National Guard Bureau to contract with a United States contractor to perform the RESET of the CH-47 helicopters assigned to the Nevada and Oregon National Guard in order to reduce the non-operational rate of their CH-47 fleet; Pages H2530-31 McDermott amendment (No. 13 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to conduct a comprehensive study of the health effects of exposure to depleted uranium munitions; Pages H2531-32 Hostettler amendment (No. 10 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) authorizes the Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command to prescribe regulations under which the commander may award a fellowship to eligible persons; Page H2537 En bloc amendment consisting of the following amendments printed in H. Rept. 109-461: Schakowsky (#18) provides for additional oversight and accountability of Department of Defense contractors deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would make retroactive DoD regulations for contractors issued in October 2005, on previously issued contracts, upon any option extension. It would implement a policy for conducting comprehensive background checks on foreign nationals hired by contractors operating outside the United States. It would also require a DoD Inspector General report on contractor overcharges, and require that there are sufficient contracting officers assigned to oversee and monitor contacts in Iraq and Afghanistan; Jindal (#11) requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and State governments to develop detailed operational plans regarding the use of the Armed Forces to support activities of civil authorities, known as Defense Support to Civil Authorities missions; Lewis of Kentucky (#12) would provide that no more than 20% of a uniformed service member's paycheck can be garnished in a single pay period to recover overpayments that have occurred through no fault of the service member. It would also provide a 90-day grace period before overpayment recovery can begin from service members who are wounded or injured, or who incur an illness, in a combat operation or combat zone; and Mica (#14) expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should provide compensation to American veterans who were captured while in service to the United States Armed Forces on the peninsula of Bataan or the island of Corregidor, survived the Bataan Death March during World War II, and have not received previous compensation provided to other prisoners of war; Pages H2537-40 Weldon of Pennsylvania amendment (No. 23 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) expresses the sense of [[Page D475]] the Congress that the United States should cooperate with Russia on missile defense. It also cites two specific examples of possible avenues of cooperation: (1) testing specific elements of the Missile Defense Agency's detection and tracking equipment through the use of Russian target missiles; and (2) providing early warning radar to the Missile Defense Agency by using Russian radar data (agreed to extend time for debate on the amendment); Pages H2540-41 Taylor of Mississippi amendment (No. 21 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) modified, requires the Department of Defense to equip 100% of U.S. military vehicles operated in Iraq and Afghanistan outside of military compounds with IED jammers by the end of FY07. Funding would be authorized from funds contained in title XV (bridge fund). It also requires the Department of Defense to submit a report to the Congressional defense committees no later than December 15, 2006 with the plan and cost to achieve this; Pages H2541-42 Goode amendment (No. 8 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) authorizes the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, under certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions, to assist the Department of Homeland Security (upon its request) in the performance of border protection functions (by a recorded vote of 252 ayes to 171 noes, Roll No. 141); and Pages H2526-28, H2542-43 Jackson-Lee of Texas amendment (No. 4 printed in H. Rept. 109-459) that clarifies the factors that must be taken into consideration when recalling a reservist to service to include the frequency of assignment over the duration of a reservist's career (by a recorded vote of 415 ayes to 9 noes, Roll No. 143), which was offered and debated on Wednesday, May 10th. Page H2544 Rejected: Tierney amendment (No. 22 printed in H. Rept. 109-461) that sought to restructure the missile defense program to be consistent with a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) alternative proposal. It also prohibits the deployment of: (1) Ground-Based Midcourse Defense beyond the authorized systems; and (2) any space-based interceptors; and reduces the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA's) $9.3 billion budget by $4.747 billion so as to still enable the MDA to focus on research and development as well as testing and upgrades to current systems (by a recorded vote of 124 ayes to 301 noes, Roll No. 142). Pages H2532-37, H2543-44 Agreed to amend the title so as to read ``To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.'' Page H2551 Agreed that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections and conforming changes in the engrossment of the bill. Pages H2551-52 H. Res. 811, the rule providing for further consideration of the bill was agreed to by a recorded vote of 226 ayes to 195 noes, Roll No. 140, after agreeing to order the previous question by a yea-and-nay vote of 223 yeas to 192 nays, Roll No. 139. Pages H2518-19 Suspensions--Proceedings Resumed: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures which were debated on Wednesday, May 10th: Encouraging all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected to enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage: H.R. 802, amended, encouraging all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage, by a yea-and-nay vote of 406 yeas with none voting ``nay'' and 4 voting ``present'', Roll No. 146. Page H2552 Agreed to amend the title to read as follows: ``Encouraging all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage''. Page H2552 Calendar Wednesday: Agreed to dispense with the Calendar Wednesday business of Wednesday, May 17. Page H2553 Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. tomorrow; that when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 15th , and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, for Morning Hour debate. Page H2553 Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Mac Thornberry and Representative John Campbell to act as Speaker pro tempore to sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions through Tuesday, May 16th. Page H2554 [[Page D476]] Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on pages H2505 and H2560 . Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes and seven recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2507-08, H2509-10, H2518-19, H2519, H2543, H2543-44, H2544, H2550-51, H2551 and H2552. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:35 p.m. Committee Meetings ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2007 Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies approved for full Committee action, as amended, the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2007. HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS FISCAL YEAR 2007 Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Homeland Security approved for full Committee action, as amended, the Homeland Security Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2007. GASOLINE SUPPLY AND PRICE Committee on Energy and Commerce: Concluded hearings entitled ``Gasoline Supply, Price and Specifications.'' Testimony was heard from public witnesses. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS IN COMMERCE Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled ``Social Security Numbers in Commerce: Reconciling Beneficial Uses With Threats to Privacy.'' Testimony was heard from Jon Leibowitz, Commissioner, FTC; and public witnesses. CREDIT UNION CHARTER CHOICE ACT Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing on H.R. 3206, Credit Union Charter Choice Act. Testimony was heard from JoAnn Johnson, Chairman, National Credit Union Administration; Scott Polakoff, Deputy Director, Office of Thrift Supervision, Department of the Treasury; and public witnesses. PANDEMIC FLU PLANNING AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS Committee on Government Reform: Held a hearing entitled ``Working Through an Outbreak: Pandemic Flu Planning and Continuity of Operations.'' Testimony was heard from John O. Agwunobi, M.D., Assistant Secretary, Health, Department of Health and Human Services; Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., Acting Under Secretary, Science and Technology, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Homeland Security; Linda Springer, Director, OPM; David M. Walker, Comptroller General, GAO; and public witnesses. BRIEFING--GOVERNANCE OF STATE AND LOCAL FUSION CENTERS Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment met in executive session to receive a briefing on the different governance structures of State and Local Fusion Centers. The Subcommittee was briefed by departmental witnesses. HOMELAND SECURITY INTERESTS--ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight continued hearings entitled ``CBP and ICE: Does the Current Organizational Structure Best Serve U.S. Homeland Security Interests? Part III.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Stewart A. Baker, Assistant Secretary, Policy; Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Deborah J. Spero, Acting Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and public witnesses. NATION-WIDE BIOSURVEILLANCE NETWORK Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack held a hearing entitled ``Creating a Nation-wide Integrated Biosurveillance Network.'' Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Homeland Security: Kimothy Smith, D.V.D., Chief Veterinarian, Chief Scientist, and Acting Deputy Chief Medical Officer; and John Vitko, Director, Biological Countermeasures; Rich Besser, M.D., Director, Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services; Ellen Embrey, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Force Health Protection and Readiness, Department of Defense; and John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, USDA. U.S.-INDIA GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP Committee on International Relations: Held a hearing on the U.S.-India Global Partnership: Legislative Options. Testimony was heard from Representatives Kolbe and Markey; and public witnesses. [[Page D477]] STATE DEPARTMENT TERRORISM REPORT Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation, hearing on Reviewing the State Department's Annual Report on Terrorism. Testimony was heard from Henry A. Crumpton, Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Department of State; and Russell Travers, Deputy Director, Information Sharing and Knowledge Development, National Counterterrorism Center. VISA OVERSTAYS Committee on International Relations: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on Visa Overstays: Can We Bar the Terrorist Door? Testimony was heard from public witnesses. CYBER-SECURITY ENHANCEMENT AND CONSUMER DATA PROTECTION ACT Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing on H.R. 5318, Cyber-Security Enhancement and Consumer Data Protection Act of 2006. Testimony was heard from Laura H. Parsky, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice; and public witnesses. OVERSIGHT--INDIAN GAMING Committee on Resources: Held an oversight hearing on Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS) for Indian gaming. Testimony was heard from Phil Hogen, Chairman, National Indian Gaming Commission; and public witnesses. OVERSIGHT--DISABILITY ACCESS IN NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM Committee on Resources: Subcommittee on National Parks held an oversight hearing on Disability Access in the National Park System. Testimony was heard from Sue Masica, Associate Director, Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands, National Park Service, Department of the Interior; J.R. Harding, Vice Chairman, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board; and public witnesses. NOAA WEATHER SATELLITES Committee on Science: Held a hearing on the Inspector General Report on NOAA Weather Satellites. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the Department of Commerce: VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., (Ret.), Under Secretary, Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA; and Johnnie E. Frazier, Inspector General. OVERSIGHT--COAST GUARD MISSION CAPABILITIES Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held an oversight hearing on Coast Guard Mission Capabilities. Testimony was heard from the following officials of the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security: RADM Joseph L. Nimmich, USCG, Assistant Commandant, Policy and Planning; and RADM Wayne E. Justice, Director, Enforcement and Incident Management. OVERSIGHT--VETERANS INFRASTRUCTURE/MEDICAL FACILITY PROJECTS Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Held an oversight hearing on right- sizing the Department of Veterans Affairs infrastructure and the Department's pending major medical facility project and lease authorization requests. Testimony was heard from Representatives Baker, Melancon and Feeney; Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., Under Secretary, Health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and representatives of veterans organizations. SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICE DELIVERY CHALLENGES Committee on Ways and Means: Subcommittee on Social Security held a hearing on Social Security Service Delivery Challenges. Testimony was heard from Jo Anne B. Barnhart, Commissioner, SSA. BRIEFING--GLOBAL UPDATES/HOTSPOTS Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Met in executive session to receive a briefing on Global Updates/Hotspots. The Committee was briefed by departmental witnesses. COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2006 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: to hold hearings to examine the nominations of Anne E. Derse, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, William B. Taylor, Jr., of Virginia, to be Ambassador to Ukraine, and Daniel S. Sullivan, of Alaska, to be Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, 10 a.m., SD-419. 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. 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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 D478]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 9:30 a.m., Friday, May 12 Senate Chamber Program for Friday: Senate will be in a period of morning business. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2 p.m., Friday, May 12 House Chamber Program for Friday: To be announced. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Boucher, Rick, Va., E805 Brady, Robert A., Pa., E798, E798 Cardin, Benjamin L., Md., E804 Costello, Jerry F., Ill., E803 Davis, Susan A., Calif., E802 Graves, Sam, Mo., E798, E798, E799, E800, E801, E802, E803, E803, E804, E805 Hinchey, Maurice D., N.Y., E802 Hostettler, John N., Ind., E807 Johnson, Sam, Tex., E801 Kildee, Dale E., Mich., E798, E799 Lee, Barbara, Calif., E797, E803 Lipinski, Daniel, Ill., E806 Lofgren, Zoe, Calif., E797 McCaul, Michael T., Tex., E806 McKeon, Howard P. ``Buck'', Calif., E804 Marchant, Kenny, Tex., E805 Matsui, Doris O., Calif., E803 Osborne, Tom, Nebr., E799 Paul, Ron, Tex., E806 Pearce, Stevan, N.M., E801 Pickering, Charles W. ``Chip'', Miss., E800 Sanchez, Linda T., Calif., E801 Schmidt, Jean, Ohio, E800 Schwarz, John J.H. ``Joe'', Mich., E807 Sweeney, John E., N.Y., E805