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National Journal's CongressDailyAM
Issue date: June 8, 2001 ---------------------------- CongressDailyAM is now on the Web: http://www.nationaljournal.com/pubs/congressdaily/ It's easy to use, plus you also get access to the afternoon edition, Markup Reports, the searchable archive of stories and more. You may need a username and password to access the site. If you don't have them, call 800-207-8001 today. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- APPROPRIATIONS With Few Exceptions, House Approps Panels To Follow Bush Lead The House Appropriations Committee has developed subcommittee spending allocations for FY02. While essentially in line with President Bush's requests, they differ in some cases by billions of dollars. In allocations being released today, House appropriators are recommending $3 billion more than Bush wanted for Labor-HHS, $1.1 billion more for VA-HUD and $1.2 billion more for Energy and Water. The so-called 302(b) allocations, which the Appropriations Committee should mark up by next week, divide the $661.3 billion set aside in the budget resolution for total discretionary appropriations among the 13 Appropriations subcommittees. The proposed subcommittee allocations in the budget Bush submitted in April, however, were based on his request that total FY02 spending be kept to $660.6 billion. The expected allocations are listed below by subcommittee. All numbers are expressed in budget authority, followed by the Bush administration proposal: Agriculture: $15.5 billion, compared to the Bush proposal of $15.4 billion. Commerce-Justice-State: $38.5 billion, compared to $37.9 billion. Defense: $300.3 billion, $301 billion. District of Columbia: $380 million, $300 million. Energy and Water: $23.7 billion, $22.5 billion. Foreign Operations: $15.2 billion, the same as Bush proposed. Interior: $18.9 billion, $18.1 billion. Labor-HHS: $119.7 billion, $116.4 billion. Legislative Branch: $2.9 billion, $3 billion. Military Construction: $10.2 billion, $9.6 billion. Transportation: $14.9 billion, $16.2 billion. Treasury-Postal: $16.9 billion, $16.6 billion. VA-HUD: $84.2 billion, $83.1 billion. Meanwhile, on the FY01 front, House Appropriations Chairman Young and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., both said Thursday that they intend to stick to the president's supplemental appropriations recommendation, despite rumblings from some defense hawks that the Bush administration's nearly $7 billion FY01 supplemental spending request shortchanges the military. The supplemental would provide a total of $6.1 billion for defense, partially offset by $505 million in defense cuts. House Armed Services Military Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Curt Weldon, R-Pa., called the request "totally inadequate," saying the needs are at least $10-15 billion. Congress ought to provide more money using an emergency designation, he said. But constrained by the budget caps and the administration's admonitions to Congress not to abuse the emergency designation, Young and Lewis said they plan to keep the supplemental to the president's requested level. "We've got to be in the real world," said Lewis. The emergency designation allows money to be appropriated but not counted against the cap. Lewis added that he is aiming for a full committee markup as early as next week and conference with the Senate by July 4th. Should Congress add substantially to the supplemental, Chief Deputy Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., one of the administration's allies on the Hill, said the president would be eager to show his commitment to fiscal discipline with a veto. "The president won't be hesitant to veto an early bill," Blunt said. "I think they're looking for an early opportunity to show their commitment to discipline on spending. I wouldn't be at all surprised, if we gave them the opportunity with the supplemental, [to see a veto]." In the Senate, where OMB Director Daniels met briefly Thursday with Appropriations Chairman Byrd and ranking member Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, a senior Senate aide predicted the Senate also would stick with the president's overall number on the supplemental. Daniels, who has insisted that the FY01 supplemental be kept to "true current-year needs" and stay within the budget caps, defended the supplemental as it was submitted to Congress. "I think Congress is going to see that these items are about the right ones," Daniels said. -- By Lisa Caruso -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HOUSE LEADERSHIP Senate Storm Only A Drizzle In House Despite Minority Leader Gephardt's plea this week for a new era of bipartisan collaboration, the Democratic takeover of the Senate is unlikely to have much impact on partisan relations in the House, according to House Republican leaders with close ties to the Bush White House. In fact, one key leader, House Chief Deputy Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said House Republicans feel liberated to pass legislation more to their liking. "Those of us on the House side feel we have an increased opportunity to get our work done without having to give overwhelming consideration to how it impacts the Senate," Blunt said. "Not that we won't be considerate, but there won't be overwhelming consideration. Previously, we held back on some things in consideration of Senator Lott's challenges." Blunt, who is a key liaison between congressional Republicans and the White House, said he expected the House to pass an energy bill, a prescription drug benefit, a campaign finance reform measure--and perhaps legislation to make permanent this year's package of tax cuts--all before the August recess. "These will all be placed on Mr. Daschle's desk before we go home for the August break," Blunt said, suggesting the pressure will be on the Senate Democratic leadership to come to terms with bills backed by the House and President Bush. House Speaker Hastert sketched out a similar agenda for the balance of the year in an interview Thursday--mentioning energy, prescription drugs and campaign finance reform as well as a patients' bill of rights and renewal of presidential trade negotiating authority as top priorities. He also spoke favorably about a cost-of-living increase for members of Congress, a subject he discussed earlier in the day with Gephardt. Lawmakers "ought to be able to keep up with the cost of living so that they can take care of their families and provide for their families like everybody else does,'' Hastert said. "I think that's the decent thing to do.'' Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who chairs House GOP leadership meetings, told CongressDaily that the most tangible difference since Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., decided last month to bolt the Republican Party was "a little more sensitivity by the White House and our leadership in reaching out to moderates...Where you might see a little change is the sensitivity to the fact that we are a diverse party and we need to listen to both wings." Gephardt said this week that Jeffords' move could "embolden" GOP moderates in the House to work with Democrats. But Portman, who served in the administration of Bush's father and has strong ties to the current White House, noted that moderate GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio already serves in the elected leadership as Conference secretary. And Rep. Doug Ose, R-Calif., serves as a liaison from the moderate wing to the GOP leadership. "We've already formalized something that the Senate [Republicans] are just now formalizing," Portman said in reference to the appointment of Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., as the moderates' representative within leadership. Portman did not indicate that any new approach to the House Democratic leadership was imminent. In the two weeks since Jeffords' switch, House Republican moderates have praised Hastert's leadership of and played down any tensions within their Conference. Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., for example, said he thought the Senate switch ultimately would allow Bush to play to his strength as a master of compromise--but, in the meantime, expressed confidence in the way House GOP leaders were handling the agenda. "Our moderates went to Jeffords and their message was, `Our views are being taken into consideration,'" Blunt said, pointing to efforts by Reps. Christopher Shays and Nancy Johnson of Connecticut, among others, to persuade Jeffords to stay put. Gephardt this week said he stood "with olive branches in both hands," but that the House Republican leadership has stiff-armed Democrats at both the leadership and committee levels. "Civility has been improved, but we haven't had real bipartisanship," Gephardt told reporters. House Republicans did not exactly thrash Gephardt with those olive branches, but they did make clear that they have a different definition of bipartisanship. "Look at the number of bipartisan meetings we held over the first six months [of 2001]," said one White House aide, who noted that Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, has been keeping score of all the meetings with Democrats. "Clinton's numbers [of meetings with Republicans] just pale in comparison....We did a lot to advance bipartisanship over the first six months and we'll just keep on doing it." Portman said: "I don't buy [Gephardt's] premise. The two most important bills, education and taxes, were not rammed through on party-line votes." But a source close to the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative House Democrats reiterated that group's complaint that Republicans have refused to consult with them on the development of legislation. The Blue Dog source said the House GOP leadership already has made clear that it will not pursue a more cooperative strategy. A House Democratic leadership source said: "It's been clear for a long time that the Republican leadership has never showed any interest in bipartisan cooperation. It may take them awhile to come around." The source said the problem extended to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, as well, declaring, "The president has given Democrats and moderates pats on the back and nicknames, and he's given conservative Republicans a tax cut and the Justice Department." -- By Charlie Mitchell -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HOUSE RACES Largent Will Resign From House, Calls For Early Special Election Setting the stage for the House's seventh special election this year, Republican Rep. Steve Largent announced Thursday that he will resign his Tulsa-based 1st District seat in November to concentrate on his race for Oklahoma governor. "It is my opinion that the race for governor will become a full-time endeavor in the months ahead," Largent said. "Therefore, today I announce my plan to resign ... on Nov. 29, exactly seven years to the day I was first sworn into Congress." Largent called on the state Legislature and GOP Gov. Frank Keating to pass a law in the Legislature's upcoming special session, to schedule a special election before Largent's effective resignation date. "I will make such a request in writing soon to encourage them to allow the election to take place prior to my actual resignation, as was done in 1994 with [former Democratic Sen.] David Boren's departure from the U.S. Senate," Largent said. "This action would ensure that the 1st District is never without representation in Washington," Largent said. Largent, formerly a record-setting wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, entered the House when GOP Sen. James Inhofe resigned the House seat to assume Boren's Senate seat. During his tenure, Largent has earned a reputation as a champion of Christian conservative causes. He has occasionally bucked his party's leadership and supported the 1997 coup attempt against former House Speaker Gingrich. He unsuccessfully challenged House Majority Leader Armey in 1998. In his resignation announcement, Largent said he would remain neutral in the GOP primary, which already has grown contentious in anticipation of Largent's gubernatorial run. The Republican field for Largent's seat includes state Rep. John Sullivan, state Sen. Scott Pruitt and Oklahoma First Lady Cathy Keating, the wife of the Republican governor, whose term is up in 2002. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis of Virginia Thursday called the seat "strongly Republican," noting that Largent never had received less than 62 percent of the vote in the district. Nonetheless, at least two Democrats have considered entering the race. Tulsa School Board member Doug Dodd appears to be the likely Democratic nominee, while former Tulsa County Democratic Party leader Tim Gilpin does not appear inclined to run. Oklahoma Democratic Chairman Jay Parmley said Oklahoma Democrats would have to work hard to convince national Democrats they can win the seat, but he was confident about the prospects. "That seat is competitive for Democrats," Parmley said. "Make no mistake about it." During the 107th Congress, the deaths of Reps. Julian Dixon, D-Calif., Norman Sisisky, D-Va., and Joe Moakley, D-Mass., have necessitated special elections. Largent joins former Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa., and Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., in retirement announcements. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., also is expected to resign his seat to accept a position in the Bush administration (see related article, below). -- By Mark Wegner -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- JUDICIARY Hutchinson's Promotion May Suspend Liability Legislation The impending departure of Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., whose nomination to head the Drug Enforcement Administration is expected to be confirmed by the Senate, has left the business community scrambling to find a new champion for a comprehensive bill to limit legal liability for business. Hutchinson is the chief House sponsor of legislation backed by the National Federation of Independent Business and the National Association of Wholesalers. It would cap punitive damages for small businesses and for product sellers. Introduced last month, the bill restricts punitive damages against businesses with fewer than 25 employees and limits awards to three times the total amount awarded for economic damages or $250,000, whichever is less. Sens. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are sponsors of a similar bill in the Senate. However, the loss of Hutchinson, a high-profile member of the House Judiciary Committee and a visible spokesman for legal reform, is a blow for bill proponents, observers said this week. And the loss is even more significant, they say, given the shift in power to Senate Democrats and its likely implications for legal reform legislation in general. The task of gathering the votes to secure cloture for the most viable of the pending legal reform measures--on product liability and class action reform--was considered daunting in a closely divided Senate. But with Democrats controlling the agenda, numerous sources have surmised that securing either hearing commitments or floor time in that chamber may be nearly impossible. At the same time, some observers noted, the bipartisan appeal of the small business community--combined with President Bush's expected effort later in his term to advance his civil-justice reform agenda--could help move the ball on some piecemeal reforms. This is not the first time this year that supporters of product liability legislation have had to hunt for congressional sponsors: The legislation's sponsors in the past Congress included former Rep. James Rogan, R-Calif., and former Sens. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., and Spencer Abraham, R-Mich., all of whom lost their 2000 re-election bids. -- By Pamela Barnett -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- LABOR GOP Praises Chao On Ergonomics Forums; Dems Seek New Rule House Education and the Workforce Chairman Boehner and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Charlie Norwood, R- Ga., praised Labor Secretary Chao's decision to hold three public forums on ergonomics next month and develop a course of action by September. "We know Secretary Chao will use these hearings to search for a consensus approach that protects workers without jeopardizing their jobs or placing America's economy in an ill-conceived regulatory straightjacket," they said in a joint statement. "We are bringing everyone to the table to get this important issue moving forward and resolved," Chao said Thursday. But Democrats were more circumspect. "We hope this is not just the policy of procrastination-- that's what we want to avoid," said John Lawrence, minority staff director of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. "If it's the first step to getting to a rule, then we welcome it." Ranking member George Miller, D-Calif., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., sent a letter to Chao in April, urging her to issue a new rule. But Chao has not committed herself to doing so. After Congress voted in March to eviscerate the Clinton administration ergonomics rules, which would have required employers to prevent and compensate employees who experienced problems such as repetitive-stress disorders, Chao promised to review them and issued a set of guiding principles on the issue. The principles that Chao says ergonomics action should be based on are: prevention, sound science, incentive-driven, flexibility, feasibility and clarity. A strong advocate of the Clinton rule, the AFL-CIO is "analyzing the recent announcement" and will "respond in the very near future," said Jay Power, the union's legislative representative. Manufacturers, who opposed the Clinton rule, have said in the past that they would welcome the opportunity to revisit the issue. The forums will be held in Washington July 16, Illinois July 20 and California July 24. -- By April Fulton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HEALTH FDA Officials Issue Public Safety Warning On Mailed Drugs As legislators in the House and Senate gear up for another attempt to relax a 1988 law that bars the reimportation of U.S.- made prescription drugs, federal officials told a House Commerce subcommittee that the volume of drugs being sent through the mail has already overwhelmed their ability to ensure the public's safety. "We estimate that approximately two million parcels containing FDA-regulated products for personal use enter the U.S. each year through international mail facilities that Customs could set aside for FDA review for possible violations" of law, FDA Senior Associate Commissioner for Policy William Hubbard told the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Because that is far more than FDA officials can inspect, Hubbard testified, "the tens of thousands of parcels that FDA does not review are eventually released by Customs and sent on to their addresses," despite potential risks. Hubbard's testimony included the agency's strongest language yet about what it perceives as the serious public health risk of individuals using the Internet or other means to purchase prescription drugs from overseas. Such drugs, he said, "may be contaminated, subpotent, superpotent or counterfeit." "FDA and the public do not have any assurance that unapproved products are effective or safe, or have been produced under U.S. good manufacturing practices," he testified. "U.S.-made drugs that are reimported may not have been stored under proper conditions, or may not be the real product, because the [United States] does not regulate foreign distributors or pharmacies." In a pilot project in California earlier this year, FDA examined approximately 1,900 of some 16,000 packages flagged as suspicious by Customs officials. Hubbard testified that some of those packages contained drugs that could not be identified, drugs with labeling only in foreign languages, and drugs that have been specifically rejected for approval in the United States by the FDA. "Several shipments contained three drugs that were once approved by FDA but have been withdrawn from the market based on serious safety concerns," he testified. Republicans and Democrats on the subcommittee were united in their outrage over the situation. For sellers of such dangerous products over the Internet, said Subcommittee Chairman Jim Greenwood, R-Pa., "Their motto might very well be `there's a sucker logging on every minute.'" Last month, Greenwood, subcommittee ranking member Peter Deutsch, D-Fla., and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., toured the international mail facility at Dulles Airport, and "what we found was truly frightening," Greenwood said, including pills hidden in carbon paper in a failed attempt to evade detection. Energy and Commerce ranking member John Dingell, D-Mich., whose investigations as head of the oversight committee led to the 1988 law making reimportation illegal, said the new information shows that regulation needs to be tightened rather than loosened. But while Dingell called last year's legislative attempt to overturn the 1988 law a "misguided effort to attempt to lower prices by opening up our borders," he said Congress must recognize that individuals are turning to foreign drugs because they cannot afford to buy them in the United States. -- By Julie Rovner -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HEALTH Bilirakis Panel `Open-Minded' On Addressing Generic Drug Law Although some members of Congress and the brand-name pharmaceutical companies are skeptical, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is keeping its options open to add drug patent reform to a Medicare prescription drug bill that it is drafting as a way to save money. "We do feel we should learn enough about them [the generic drug issues]; that's why we're having the hearing next week," said House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Bilirakis, R-Fla. The committee is holding a Wednesday hearing on drug issues and hopes to have the outline of its prescription drug bill plan "in the next few days" following the hearing, he said. "We're trying to stay open-minded," Bilirakis said. But Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said he worries about opening up the 1984 drug patent law he wrote with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R- Utah, particularly in the context of a broader Medicare prescription drug bill. "It's not a natural fit," Waxman said. However, Waxman said the law might have some problems that should be addressed. These include a 30-month stay that prevents generic products from coming to market if a brand-name company claims a patent infringement, and the 180-day period during which the first producer of a generic drug on the market can prevent others from competing with it. Hatch and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., now the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where the issue could pop up on the Senate side, have expressed reservations about opening the bill in the past. The brand-name drug industry has not shown much interest in revamping the Hatch/Waxman law, but the generic drug companies argue they are being unfairly barred from the market through patent challenges. But brand-name advocates are bracing for a fight against any such move. A spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America said it "would only jeopardize prescription drug coverage for seniors." Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. and John McCain, R-Ariz., and Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, recently introduced bills to help generic drugs get to market sooner. Schumer said this week that prospects for the bills improved with Democratic control of the Senate, but Senate aides said no official discussions have taken place since the changeover. -- By April Fulton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TRADE EU Officials Worried By Bush Steel Probe, U.S. `Unilateralism' Swedish Ambassador to the United States Jan Eliasson and European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy both said Thursday that President Bush's decision to launch a Section 201 investigation of steel imports is likely to put a damper on next week's EU-U.S. summit. Eliasson, said the steel decision would be "troublesome" to a planned discussion on how the world's two largest trading partners can avoid trade disputes and advance a new trade round. Eliasson, who represents all 15 EU member countries while Sweden holds the group's presidency for the six months ending June 30, spoke to reporters Thursday at an embassy briefing in advance of the summit in Gothenberg, Sweden. Eliasson also said that developing a joint EU-U.S. statement on global warming and the future of the Kyoto Protocol is proving to be the most difficult aspect of pre-summit negotiations. Eliasson said the Europeans see "no alternative" to continuing the Kyoto Protocol talks, which Bush has rejected. Eliasson also said Bush must expect environmental protesters in Gothenburg. Lamy, who was in Washington for meetings on Capitol Hill, told an Economic Strategy Institute luncheon, "We in Europe do not accept the assumption that imports are the cause of the [steel] problem." The European Union, he noted, has cut 50 million tons of capacity and eliminated 750,000 jobs in the steel industry without introducing import restrictions. Lamy said it would serve a purpose "to get the facts of this troubled world industry out into the open." The European Union had proposed to the United States that the fact finding process take place in the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, Lamy said, but never received a reply to its suggestion. Asked at a news conference after his speech about reports that Bush initiated the steel action to get votes for trade negotiating authority and to help launch a new round of trade talks, Lamy said, "If at the end of the day, the European steelworkers have to pay this way, I'm not sure the new round will be very popular in Europe." Lamy also said the Europeans "are becoming concerned about what we feel are growing pressures on this side of the Atlantic toward unilateralism." Responding to speculation that the United States and the European Union would make an announcement in Gothenburg about launching a new round, Lamy said that would be "premature." Eliasson said Bush and European officials would discuss foreign policy in the western Balkans, the Middle East and Russia, the Korean Peninsula, the spread of HIV in Africa, and the death penalty as well as trade policy and climate change. -- By Jerry Hagstrom -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- SENATE LEADERSHIP Senate GOP Offers Plan For Nominees In Organizing Talks Senate Republican negotiators have agreed among themselves on what formal assurances to seek from Democrats that the Senate will take up President Bush's nominees quickly. But they have yet to reach a final agreement with Majority Leader Daschle on a new organizing resolution for the Senate. Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, said Thursday that Republicans were delivering to Daschle a GOP-drafted document dealing with Bush nominations. Senators said the document would be the basis for some sort of memorandum of understanding or other formal statement about nominees. Although Democrats did not have a direct hand in drafting the statement, the general concepts have been negotiated during two meetings between Daschle and a five-member GOP negotiating team. "The concepts that we've discussed with [Daschle] ... were not turned down," said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. Domenici said the two sides were "getting close," and the GOP proposal was "trying to reflect the views of all of the senators that we talked to." A GOP aide said the goal was to have the Senate pass a new organizing resolution Tuesday. That would provide time for the two sides to come to a final agreement that could be vetted by the entire Democratic Caucus and the GOP Conference, which meet separately Tuesday. Both sides said the process has gone smoothly, a reflection of a GOP decision to drop threats of a filibuster and demands that any agreement include a mechanism to guarantee the swift movement of nominees. -- By Geoff Earle -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS Bush To Nominate Veteran GOP Aide To Head SSA The White House announced Thursday that President Bush intends to nominate Jo Anne Barnhart to a six-year term as head of the Social Security Administration--which pumps out $450 billion a year to 45 million, mainly elderly, pension recipients. Barnhart's appointment as Social Security commissioner is subject to Senate confirmation. The commissioner's job is always a sensitive position because of the vast administrative responsibility to make the checks go out on time and keep the records straight. But with the president and congressional Democrats poised for a possible battle over his plan to introduce personal stock-market accounts to the system, the job could be even tougher than normal. Barnhart is a veteran GOP administrator of social programs with strong links to ex-Sen. William Roth, R-Del. She was a legislative assistant to Roth from 1977-1981 and ran his re- election campaigns in 1988, 1994 and 2000. She served as political director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1995-96 cycle. Barnhart also has held social program positions in the federal government: Her highest post was HHS assistant secretary for children and families 1990-93. Barnhart is currently a member of the Social Security Advisory Board, which advises the president, Congress and the commissioner on matters related to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS Census Monitoring Board Study Questions Statistical Sampling Republican members of the Census Monitoring Board Thursday released a report that they say bolsters the accuracy of the 2000 decennial census and questions the methodology of statistical sampling. Board member David Murray questioned the "post-strata" adjustment factors the bureau was going to use to calculate how many people live in a specific geographical area. "Adjusting data for persons from New York City with data from persons in Miami and Seattle has troubling implications, especially when there are important geographic dimensions in the use of census data," Murray said. Sampling means taking a comprehensive survey of the nation's population and using the common characteristics of people in one area to extrapolate the likely makeup of other, similar census blocks. Board co-chairman Mark Neuman called the 2000 census "the most accurate census in history" and said Census Bureau experts were right to recommend against releasing sampling data for congressional redistricting. Facing a statutory deadline to deliver census data, a special bureau panel recommended in early March against releasing sampled data, concluding that it could not endorse sampling as more accurate than traditional data. Democratic supporters of sampling have vigorously argued that with more time, statisticians might be able to validate the sampling data. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TRANSPORTATION Mica Schedules June Hearing To Evaluate Airline Improvements House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., has scheduled a June 20 hearing to give legislators the opportunity to evaluate the progress the airlines are making in improving customer service. The hearing was scheduled in the wake of the airlines' unveiling Thursday of a new series of voluntary commitments to improve service, along with an agreement to make these service commitments legally enforceable by including them in customer contracts. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation earlier this year granting airlines limited antitrust immunity to discuss and coordinate flight schedules; Mica said he expected a floor vote during the week of July 9. The House Judiciary Committee has received a referral on that bill, but the referral expires July 9. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS GOP Lawmakers Introduce Legislation On Monuments House Resources Chairman Hansen and nine other lawmakers announced the filing of the National Monument Fairness Act Thursday. "The American people deserve a voice in how their own public lands are managed," said Hansen. "The bill gives them that voice. Under this bill, when a president creates a monument larger than 50,000 acres, he must solicit input from the public and the affected governor and congressional delegation." The bill also gives Congress two years to approve the monument. After that time, if Congress has not approved the measure, the president's proclamation sunsets. "This means people who don't want a big monument in their state can talk to their local leaders, their governor or their congressional delegation," said Hansen. At a news conference, Hansen was joined by an original sponsor of the bill, Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, along with GOP Reps. George Radanovich of California, Greg Walden of Oregon, Chris Cannon of Utah, Jim Gibbons of Nevada, Dennis Rehberg of Montana and Jeff Flake of Arizona. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- FLOOR SCHEDULE *SENATE* Convenes at 10:30 a.m. for morning business. No votes are expected. *HOUSE* Convenes at 10 a.m. for a pro forma session. TODAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= None. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= Energy and Commerce Energy Policy Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee hearing on the national energy policy. 2123 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2927. (Canceled.) Government Reform Committee and Senate Governmental Affairs DC Government House Government Reform Committee's District of Columbia Subcommittee and Senate Governmental Affairs Committee's Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring and the District of Columbia Subcommittee joint hearing on the outlook for the District of Columbia government. 2154 RHOB. 11 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5074. ON THE HILL TODAY BUDGET News conference on upholding vetoes of funding bills. Participants: Sens. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., and George Voinovich, R- Ohio. Senate Radio/TV Gallery. 11 a.m. Contact: 202-224-4343. (New.) DEFENSE Center for Strategic and International Studies news conference to release its report, "Computer Exports and National Security in a Global Era: New Tools for a New Century." Participants: John Hamre, president/CEO, CSIS, and Brent Scowcroft, former national security adviser. 430 DSOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-775-3242. HEALTH News conference on stem cell research. Participant: Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J. House Triangle, Capitol. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-3765. Senate Leadership Senate Democrats dugout news conference. Participant: Senate Majority Leader Daschle. S-224, Capitol. 10:30 a.m. Contact: 202- 224-5556. (New.) SOCIAL ISSUES American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee national convention, "Impacting U.S.-Arab Relations: The Role of Arab Americans." Highlights:, noon, Rep. James Moran, D-Va., Human Rights award; Mary Ramadan, "Pro-bono Attorney of the Year;" and Jennifer Granholm, Michigan attorney general, speaker. Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington. 9 a.m. Contact: 202-244-2990. OFF THE HILL TODAY: FOREIGN AFFAIRS National Press Club Morning Newsmaker Program, "NATO Enlargement, the Political and Security Situation in Central and Southeast Europe Prior to the Visit of George Bush to Europe." National Press Club. 9 a.m. Contact: 202-662-7593. SOCIAL ISSUES District of Columbia Bar Assn. breakfast with House District of Columbia Subcommittee chairman. Participant: Rep. Constance Morella, R-Md. Hogan and Hartson, 555 13th St., NW. 8 a.m. Contact: 202-626-3463. Institute for Women's Policy Research, "The Status of Women: Facing the Facts, Forging the Future." Highlights:, 9 a.m., Labor Secretary Chao, keynote speaker, and Shinea Chun, director, Women's Bureau, Labor Department; Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice president, AFL-CIO; 12:15 p.m., Ann Lewis, former White House communications director/Annenberg School of Communications. Capital Hilton Hotel, 16th and K Sts., NW. 9 a.m. Contact: 202-785-5100. (Revised.) MONDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= None. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= None. ON THE HILL MONDAY: HEALTH National Health Council lunch briefing and health information fair to present top priorities of patient-based voluntary health organizations for the 107th Congress. SC-5 Capitol. Noon. Contact: 202-973-0542. TAXES The Club for Growth panel discussion, "Is the Bush Tax Cut Enough?" Participants: Stephen Moore, the Club for Growth; Charles Cook, National Journal; Al From, Democratic Leadership Council; and Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform. 2237 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 703-5920. (New.) OFF THE HILL MONDAY: Environment Sierra Club news conference to release its report, "Spoiled Lunch," regarding allegations of pollution, food contamination and worker safety violations at slaughterhouses and processing plants contracted by Agriculture Department to supply School Lunch Program and other food programs. National Press Club, East Room. 10 a.m. Contact: Ed Hopkins, 202-675-7908. (New.) FOREIGN AFFAIRS National Press Club Newsmaker Program holds a discussion on U.S.- Russian relations on the eve of President George Bush's first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Participant: Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif. National Press Club. 1 p.m. Contact: 202- 662-7593. SOCIAL ISSUES Greater Washington Society of Assn. Executives, evening with four Nobel Prize laureates. Participants: Lech Walesa, former president, Poland; Oscar Arias, former president, Costa Rica; Jody Williams, founding coordinator, International Campaign to Ban Landmines; and Betty Williams, Northern Ireland peace advocate, with Pat Mitchell, president, Public Broadcasting System, moderator. Kennedy Center, Rock Creek Parkway at Virginia Ave., NW, Concert Hall. 8 p.m. Contact: 202-828-4642. Project $1.1 Billion Recovery and Maryland Taxpayers Assn. news conference to release a statewide poll showing opposition to Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos receiving $1.1 billion legal fee for role in Maryland's $4.4 billion national tobacco settlement share and outline plans to raise funds for a court challenge, lobby state legislature to overturn agreement and call for boycott of Orioles games until Angelos agrees to take his fee out of tobacco settlement lawyers fund. National Press Club, Lisagor Room. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 703-757-5130. TUESDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= None. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= Education and the Workforce ERISA Employer-Employee Relations Subcommittee hearing on employee health coverage. 2175 RHOB. 10:30 a.m. Contact: 202-225-4527. Financial Services Defense Production Act Domestic Monetary Policy, Technology and Economic Growth Subcommittee hearing. (No new date announced.) 2128 RHOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-225-7502. (Postponed.) Africa Development International Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee hearing on FY02 authorization requests for the international financial institutions and activities of the African Development Bank, World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Africa. 2128 RHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225-7502. (New.) GOVERNMENT REFORM DNA Technologies Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee hearing on how effectively states and federal agencies are working together to implement the use of new DNA technologies. 2154 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5074. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Foreign Policy East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee hearing on U.S. foreign policy in East Asia and the Pacific. (Rescheduled from June 5.) 2172 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5021 RESOURCES Gas/Oil Royalties Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee hearing on collection and disposition of federal oil and gas royalties taken in-kind. 1324 LHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2761. Pending Legislation National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Subcommittee hearing on H.R.271, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey a former Bureau of Land Management administrative site to the city of Carson City, Nev., for use as a senior center; H.R.980, to establish the Moccasin Bend National Historic Site in the State of Tennessee as a unit of the National Park System; H.R.1668, to authorize the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to honor former President John Adams and his family. 1334 LHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2761 SCIENCE Energy Policy Energy Subcommittee hearing on the president's national energy policy. 2318 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-6371. Space Launch Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing on the space launch initative. 2318 RHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225-6371 WAYS AND MEANS Rural Health Care Health Subcommittee hearing on rural health care. 1100 LHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-3625. Energy Conservation/Supply Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee hearing on the effect of federal tax laws on the production, supply and conservation of energy. 1100 LHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225-3625. (Tentative.) WEDNESDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= APPROPRIATIONS Army Budget Overview Defense Subcommittee hearing on FY02 appropriations for Army budget overview. (Rescheduled fromm April 25). 192 DSOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-224-3471. EPA VA-HUD Subcommittee hearing on FY02 appropriations for the EPA. Witness: EPA Administrator Whitman. 138 DSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-3471 BANKING Ferguson Nominations Full committee hearing on the nomination of Roger Walton Ferguson Jr. to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. 538 DSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-7391 FOREIGN RELATIONS Macedonia and Balkans Full committee hearing on the current situation in Macedonia and the Balkans. 419 DSOB. 10:15 a.m. Contact: 202-224-4651. (New.) GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS Energy Industries Full committee hearing to examine economic issues associated with the restructuring of energy industries. 342 DSOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-224-4751. (New.) INDIAN AFFAIRS Oklahoma Nomination Full committee hearing on the nomination of Neal McCaleb to be assistant secretary of the Interior Department for Indian affairs. 485 RSOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-224-2251. (New.) JUDICIARY Death Penalty Disparities Constitution, Federalism and Property Rights Subcommittee hearing to examine racial and geographic disparities in the federal death penalty system. 226 DSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-5225. (New.) =HOUSE COMMITTEES= AGRICULTURE Peanut Program Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs Subcommittee hearing to review the peanut program. 1300 LHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2171. Energy and Commerce National Energy Plan Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee hearing on President Bush's national energy plan. Witness: Energy Secretary Abraham. 2123 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2927. Pharmaceutical Access Health Subcommittee hearing on recent developments that may impact consumer access to, and demand for, pharmaceuticals. 2322 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2927. (New.) GOVERNMENT REFORM Census Bureau Census Subcommittee hearing on oversight of the Census Bureau's proposed American community survey. 2203 RHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225-5074. SCIENCE Science Legislation Full committee markup of H.R.100, National Science Education Act; H.R.1858, the National Mathematics and Science Partnership Act. 2318 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-6371. (New.) SMALL BUSINESS Exporting Full committee hearing on the Export-Import Bank of the United States and its assistance to small business exporters. 2360 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5821 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Airport Construction Aviation Subcommittee hearing on airport runway construction. 2167 RHOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-225-9446. Capital Investments Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee hearing on General Services Administration FY02 capital investment program. 2253 RHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225- 9446. VETERANS' AFFAIRS GI Bill Benefits Subcommittee markup of H.R.1291, the 21st Century Montgomery GI Bill Enhancement Act, including education provisions from the original H.R.801. 334 CHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-9164. (New.) WAYS AND MEANS Energy Conservation/Supply Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee hearing on the effect of Federal tax laws on the production, supply and conservation of energy. 1100 LHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-3625. THURSDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS Cross Border Fraud, Part I Permanent Investigations Subcommittee hearing to examine the growing problem of cross-border fraud. 342 DSOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-224-4751. (Revised.) =HOUSE COMMITTEES= ARMED SERVICES Ballistic Missile Military Research and Development Subcommittee hearing on ballistic missile defense testing. Witnesses: Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish, USAF, director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Defense Department. 2118 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-4151. USS Cole Special Oversight Panel on Terrorism hearing on the role of the Defense Department in combating terrorism and force protection lessons learned since the attack on the USS Cole. 2212 RHOB. 1 p.m. Contact: 202-225-4151. Energy and Commerce Emergency 911 Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee hearing to focus on ensuring compatibility with enhanced 911 emergency calling systems. 2322 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2927. (New.) Financial Services Wall St. Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee hearing on analyzing the analysts. 2128 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-7502. (New.) GOVERNMENT REFORM Gasoline Supply Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee hearing on "Gasoline Supply: Another Energy Crisis?" 2154 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5074. House Administration Campaign Finance Reform Full committee hearing on constitutional perspectives on campaign finance reform. 1310 LHOB. 11 a.m. Contact: 202-225-8281 RESOURCES Magnuson-Stevens Oversight Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee oversight hearing on "Ecosystem-based fishery management and the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act." 1324 LHOB. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2761 SCIENCE Energy Policy Energy Subcommittee hearing on the president's national energy policy. 2318 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-6371 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- CongressDailyAM is published daily, Monday through Friday, by National Journal Inc., when Congress is in session. Copyright 2001 by National Journal Inc., 1501 M St., NW, #300, Washington, D.C. 20005. Retransmission, redistribution or reproduction of CongressDaily is prohibited without the express, written permission of National Journal Inc. 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