May 22, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST D 643

1995. (For Senate’s program, see the remarks of the

Majority Leader in today’s RECORD on pages

S7135–36.)

Committee Meetings

(Committees not listed did not meet)

APPROPRIATIONS—AOC/GPO

Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 1996, receiving testimony in behalf of their respective activities from George M.

White, Architect of the Capitol; and Michael F.

DiMario, Public Printer, Government Printing Office.

Subcommittee will meet again on Friday, May 26.

CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC

SOLIDARITY ACT

Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on

Western Hemisphere and Peace Corps Affairs held

hearings on S. 381, to strengthen international sanctions against the Castro government in Cuba, and to

develop a plan to support a transition government

leading to a democratically elected government in

Cuba, receiving testimony from Senator Simon; Representatives Torricelli and Menendez; Peter Tarnoff,

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; and R.

Richard Newcomb, Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury.

Hearings resume on Wednesday, June 7.

NOMINATIONS

Committee on Governmental Affairs: Committee concluded hearings on the nominations of Inez Smith

Reid, to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and Ronna Lee Beck,

Linda Kay Davis, and Eric Tyson Washington, each

to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of

the District of Columbia, after the nominees testified

and answered questions in their own behalf.

FEDERAL PENSION REFORM

Committee on Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on

Post Office and Civil Service held hearings on proposals to reform the Federal pension system, focusing

on how Federal pension plans compare to private

sector plans, receiving testimony from Johnny C.

Finch, Assistant Comptroller General, and Bob

Shelton, Assistant Division Director, Federal Human

Resource Management Issues, both of the General

Government Division, General Accounting Office;

and Carolyn Merck, Specialist in Social Legislation,

Education and Public Welfare Division, Congressional Research Service.

Subcommittee will meet again on Monday, June

h

19.

House of Representatives

Chamber Action

Reports Filed: Reports were filed as follows:

H.R. 1561, to consolidate the foreign affairs agencies of the United States; to authorize appropriations

for the Department of State and related agencies for

fiscal year 1996 and 1997; to responsibly reduce the

authorizations of appropriations for United States

foreign assistance programs for fiscal years 1996 and

1997, amended (H. Rept. 104–128, Part 1, filed

May 19); and

H. Res. 155, providing for the consideration of

H.R. 1561, American Overseas Interests Act of 1995

(H. Rept. 104–129). Pages H5373–74

Speaker Pro Tempore: Read a letter from the

Speaker wherein he designates Representative Kim

to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. Page H5369

Recess: House recessed at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened at 4 p.m. Page H5371

Referral: One Senate-passed measure was referred to

the appropriate House committee. Page H5373

Senate Messages: Messages received from the Senate

today appear on page H5369.

Quorum Calls—Votes: No quorum calls or votes

developed during the proceedings of the House

today.

Adjournment: Met at noon and adjourned at 4:17

p.m. Page H5373

Committee Meetings

INSURANCE STATE’S AND CONSUMER

RIGHTS CLARIFICATION AND FAIR

COMPETITIVENESS ACT

Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce,

Trade, and Hazardous Materials held a hearing on

H.R. 1317, Insurance State’s and Consumer Rights

Clarification and Fair Competitiveness Act of 1995.

Testimony was heard from Jim Long, Commissioner

D 644 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST May 22, 1995

of Insurance, Department of Insurance, State of

North Carolina; and public witnesses.

OVERSIGHT

Committee on Commerce: Subcommittee on Commerce,

Trade, and Hazardous Materials held an oversight

hearing to determine if ammonium nitrate fertilizer

used in the fatal bombing of the Alfred R. Murrah

Federal Building in Oklahoma City can be neutralized to prevent future tragedies. Testimony was

heard from Ralph C. Ostrowski, Chief, Arson and

Explosives Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

and Firearms, Department of the Treasury; Tony

Fainburg, Senior Associate/Project Director, OTA;

and public witnesses.

AMERICAN OVERSEAS INTEREST ACT

Committee on Rules: Granted, by a voice vote, a modified open rule providing 2 hours of general debate

on H.R. 1561, American Overseas Interests Act of

1995.

The rule waives clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI (three day

availability for committee reports); section 302(f)

(prohibiting consideration of legislation providing

new entitlement authority in excess of a committee’s

allocation); 303(a) (prohibiting consideration of

budgetary legislation prior to the adoption of the

budget resolution); 308(a) requiring a CBO cost estimate in the committee report on legislation containing new entitlement, spending, or budget authority,

or a change in revenues); 402(a) (credit authority not

subject to appropriations in advance) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 against consideration of

the bill.

The rule makes in order the amendment in the

nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on International Relations as an original bill for

the purpose of amendment. The committee amendment shall be considered as read. The rule waives

clause 5(a) of rule XXI (prohibiting appropriations

on a legislative bill); section 302(f); 303(a); and

402(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974

against the committee amendment.

The rule requires that amendments be pre-printed

in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. The rule further

provides for consideration for amendment under the

5-minute rule for 10 hours, followed by debate as

guaranteed under clause 6 of rule XXIII (permitting

five minutes for and against each amendment). Consideration of the bill for amendment may not continue beyond 2:30 p.m., on Thursday, May 25,

1995. The rule allows the chairman of the International Relations Committee the authority to offer

certain pre-printed amendments en bloc or germane

modifications of any such amendment. The amendments shall not be subject to amendment or to a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.

The rule deletes section 2210 from the committee

amendment in the nature of a substitute through a

self-executing provision. Section 2210 would establish a new scorekeeping system for certain lease purchasing agreements that is contrary to scorekeeping

under the Budget Act. As such, the provision violates section 306 of the Budget Act which prohibits

the consideration of amendments under the Budget

Committee’s jurisdiction if offered to bills not reported by the Budget Committee. Since the Budget

Committee has communicated opposition to waiving

points of order against the International Relations

Committee’s amendment in the nature of a substitute for this provision, the provision in the rule

would delete the offending section from the substitute.

Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Testimony

was heard from Chairman Gilman and Representative Hamilton.

INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY—21ST

CENTURY

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Held a hearing on the Intelligence Community in the 21st Century. Testimony was heard from the following

former Directors of the CIA: Ambassador Richard

Helms; James R. Schlesinger; William Colby; Adm.

Stansfield Turner; William H. Webster, and R.

James Woolsey.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY,

f

MAY 23, 1995

(Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)

Senate

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, to resume hearings on proposed legislation to strengthen and

improve United States agricultural programs, focusing on

Federal nutrition programs, 9:30 a.m., SR–328A.

Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense,

to hold hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal

year 1996 for the Department of Defense, focusing on financial management, 9:30 a.m., SD–192.

Subcommittee on District of Columbia, to hold hearings on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 1996 for

the government of the District of Columbia, focusing on

the District of Columbia public schools, 9:30 a.m.,

SD–116.

Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, to hold hearings

to examine arms transfer policy, 9:30 a.m., SD–138.

Committee on Armed Services, closed business meeting, to

consider pending military nominations, 2:30 p.m.,

SR–222.