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National Journal's CongressDailyAM
Issue date: October 26, 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. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP Lawmakers Return To Offices; Senators Debate Hart Cleanup While House and Senate members and their aides are returning anxiously to their offices, congressional leaders have decided to keep the Senate Hart and the House Longworth office buildings closed. The House Ford Office Building, where anthrax was discovered in a mail room, also was to remain closed today, a Capitol Police spokeswoman said. The Dirksen Senate Office Building is scheduled to reopen today, allowing another group of senators to return to some of their normal routines. But attention continues to focus on the Hart Senate Office Building-- which could remain closed for several weeks, depending on what method technicians decide to recommend to remove anthrax from the building. In making the decision, leaders and their technical advisers must decide whether it is better to inconvenience a large group of senators--to get the entire building up and running sooner--or a smaller group, to let the rest return to work. Senate Majority Leader Daschle told reporters that when he informed colleagues of the choice, he got plenty of suggestions. "We're getting a lot of engineering advice from colleagues," he said. Daschle outlined two goals. "We want to be able to completely reopen all the contaminated areas as quickly as possible and still access the building as quickly as possible," he said. Daschle said most of the Hart building could become accessible quickly by sealing off the 13 offices in the southeast quadrant that may be contaminated, and then remediating the quadrant where the original contamination occurred in stages. The other option would be to undertake the decontamination all at once, then reopen the entire Hart building--without painstakingly sealing off a portion of it for a longer time. "Do you do it all at once, or do you seal off and do it in stages?" he asked. Leaders also are focusing on how to deal with the backlog of congressional mail. Daschle said his office receives about 5,000- 6,000 pieces of mail each week from his sparsely populated home state of South Dakota--while senators from larger states get tens of thousands of letters each week. Daschle said authorities have decided that all incoming mail to the Capitol will be irradiated. Daschle called mail "the foundation upon which any communication with your constituency is built.... To be cut off from your mail is really a major impediment to the way any Senate or House office works and functions." In a Senate floor speech, Daschle said that technicians also have discovered anthrax in an air conditioning filter on the Hart building's ninth floor and in a stairwell between the eighth and ninth floors in the building's southeast quadrant--which includes Daschle's office, where an anthrax-tainted envelope was delivered and opened a week and a half ago. But, he added, "The experts say this is neither a surprise nor a concern." However, Daschle said anyone who rode the Hart building's southwest freight elevator--where anthrax also has been discovered--after Oct. 11 should contact the Capitol physician and begin a 60-day treatment of antibiotics. Combined with the discovery of anthrax in the elevator, the presence of anthrax in the air conditioning filter and stairwell raises to three the number of locations it has been found in the Hart building outside of Daschle's suite of offices. Daschle said Hart would reopen when the building is "completely safe." He told a group of reporters, "We're not talking about months--we're either talking days or weeks." Daschle indicated late Thursday that, if possible, the plan would be to remediate the entire building at once. He indicated a decision would be made in the next couple of days. In one bright spot during a day when fears of anthrax still permeated the Capitol, Sen. John Breaux, D-La., was able to return to his Hart building office to feed his now-famous goldfish. "Some people have to make sacrifices, and my fish survived," Breaux said. He said he gave them a four-day food supply. "After that, I gotta sneak back in," he said. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said he was not concerned for his safety when he and some staff volunteers fed the fish in his Hart building office, saying the pets were anthrax indicators. "They're my canaries," he said. "I tell you, if I [had] slipped in and they were dead, I was out of there." Some sources have envisioned an upside to the dislocation and inconvenience of so many senators: It could add pressure for adjournment next month. On the other side of the Capitol, House Administration Chairman Ney said Thursday that while the Longworth House Office Building remains closed, environmental sweeps have not revealed any new anthrax locations. "All the tests keeping coming back, and so far no hot spots," Ney said. Ney said that environmental sweeps in the Cannon and Rayburn buildings, which reopened Thursday, were "adequate." But he said Longworth required even more extensive testing because of the possibility that anthrax-tainted mail could have arrived from the Ford House Office Building mailroom, where anthrax was found. "We had to do more testing. That's all," Ney said. "No black helicopters." -- By Geoff Earle and Mark Wegner -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TRADE Textile Lawmakers Still Wary On Trade Bill Several legislators from textile states who met earlier this week with Commerce Secretary Evans said Thursday that they still lack confidence that the Bush administration can stave off job losses in the industry as it seeks to pursue additional trade agreements under expedited procedures. "I'm a solid `no' unless they put something up," said Rep. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., of his position on renewal of presidential trade negotiating authority. "I'm not going to turn my back on the people who sent me here." Graham and others praised Evans, Trade Representative Zoellick and other administration officials for listening to members' concerns. But they lamented that the administration has not offered concrete proposals for action. Among the specific issues about which they are concerned is cracking down on transshipments--a practice used to skirt agreed import restrictions. Rep. Mac Collins, R-Ga., a textile state legislator who voted for a "trade promotion authority" proposal by Ways and Means Chairman Thomas in committee two weeks ago, has said he feels the measure incorporates a commitment to vigorous enforcement of trade agreements. But Collins appeared to be in a minority. It remains unclear when bill authored by Thomas will reach the floor, as both congressional and lobbying sources this week acknowledged privately that the votes are not yet there to pass presidential trade negotiating authority--formerly known as "fast track." Despite concessions in the Thomas bill to Democrats and other supporters of enhanced labor and environmental provisions, the bill has failed to develop a head of steam. Business lobbyists have conceded they would have to work hard to turn out votes in favor of the bill and labor advocates said they are close to having the votes to defeat the bill. A CongressDaily poll of House members this week showed no gain in support of the Thomas bill either from the labor and environmental additions or the Sept. 11 attacks, which trade supporters have indicated should build support for added presidential powers. One issue of concern is enforcement of existing trade agreements. Graham complained that because China has violated agreements almost with impunity, little interest remains in opening the door to additional trade pacts. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., acknowledged that smaller firms have suffered from globalization for years for a variety of reasons-- but added that large, older firms are starting to cut payrolls for the first time in memory. The difficulty is nailing down commitments from the administration, the legislators said. This has become more complicated since Sept. 11, because Pakistan, one of the leading exporters of cotton, has sought relaxations of some restrictions in exchange for supporting the war on terrorism. Congressional aides said the administration has been exploring legislation to expand the economic relationship with Pakistan, but some textile state legislators are concerned about how far that package will go. "We can't just open the door indiscriminately to Pakistan," said Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C. "There are a lot of things we can do for Pakistan other than completely loosening up imports." Myrick said the textile caucus is united in opposing trade authority unless some of the issues are addressed. She and others also emphasized their strong support for trade in general, but only if it is conducted fairly. Noting the administration's decision to pursue a formal trade investigation on behalf of the ailing steel industry, Myrick and others said the Bush administration has shown a willingness to stand up against unfair trade practices. "We're not asking for anything more than the steel industry," she said. On Thursday, Zoellick's office announced procedures for considering whether to impose a safeguard action on certain steel products under the so-called Section 201 actions. Those measures could include a tariff, quotas or other steps. Zoellick will head an interagency panel to advise President Bush on ways to support steel makers. Other members of the panel will come from the departments of Commerce, Labor, State and Treasury as well as OMB. The panel set a series of dates for public comment and response. The International Trade Committee announced earlier this week that dumping by foreign manufacturers had caused "serious injury" to domestic producers. The commission said 12 product lines had been harmed. Those product lines account for 79 percent of steel manufactured in the United States. As the industry considers restructuring to adjust to increased competition, the ITC will prepare a recommendation for presidential action. The ITC process and comment period will extend into the first week of 2002. -- By Stephen Norton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- APPROPRIATIONS Senate Approves FY02 Ag Bill; Fourth CR Goes To Nov. 16 As congressional leaders promised stepped-up action on tardy FY02 appropriations bills, the Senate approved one key measure-- the Agriculture bill--Thursday, while conferees continued work on other bills. Both chambers Thursday approved a fourth continuing resolution to keep the government operating. The current CR lasts through the end of October; the next will carry funding through Nov. 16, when the Thanksgiving recess is scheduled to begin. The FY02 Agriculture bill was approved 91-5 Thursday night by the Senate. The bill provides approximately $74 billion for the operations of the USDA, FDA, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Farm Credit Administration. Senate Agriculture Chairman Harkin offered an amendment to ensure the Agriculture secretary's authority to close down meat processing plants with high incidence of pathogens. But Harkin withdrew the amendment after the Senate voted 50-45 for an amendment, offered by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., that Harkin said would have "gutted" his measure. Otherwise, this year's bill contained remarkably few controversial amendments. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., proposed but withdrew an amendment to provide $150 million in aid to apple growers, after Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl, D- Wis., promised to support a similar amendment in the House-passed version of the bill. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., noted in a floor speech that because the spending bill was behind schedule, he would not offer an amendment to ease agricultural sales to Cuba, but pledged to offer the amendment next year. Moving the process along, senators Thursday appointed conferees on the Agriculture bill, and also appointed conferees on the FY02 Transportation bill. Also Thursday, conferees finalized the $17.1 billion FY02 Treasury-Postal appropriations bill, which increases funding by $969 million over FY01 and $388 million over the president's FY02 budget request. The final bill, which will go to the House and Senate floors for adoption next week, does not include the administration's proposal to consolidate 18 accounts within the Executive Office of the President, nor House-passed language opposed by the White House to prevent Treasury Department enforcement of the ban on travel to Cuba. It does retain House language favored by the president and conservatives to continue the prohibition on the use of funds to pay for abortions through the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan, as well as language added by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., to require plan providers to offer prescription contraceptive coverage, with some exceptions. After making only halting progress this week, appropriators say they will have conference reports on FY02 Energy and Water, VA-HUD and Legislative Branch bills ready next week. In addition, the House Appropriations Committee is expected to file the FY02 Defense bill, which will carry the second $20 billion of the $40 billion supplemental Congress passed last month in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee has yet to hold its markup of the bill. House Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., is pushing to add billions more to the supplemental title for defense and homeland security needs. But until President Bush signals that he wants to spend more money this year, GOP leaders and Appropriations Chairman Young are unlikely to go beyond the $20 billion figure. Young and others also have said Congress could provide further supplemental funds either early next year or later this year, because the $40 billion package enacted in the wake of Sept. 11 is widely acknowledged to be only a "down payment" on the cost of recovering from the attacks and fighting the war on terrorism. Senate Appropriations Chairman Byrd and Majority Whip Reid have proposed a $20 billion package of spending proposals on top of the $40 billion supplemental. Meanwhile, Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, chairman of the Republican Governors' Association, said administration officials have promised states close to $600 million from the supplemental spending package to fund state emergency preparedness efforts. Rowland, who spoke at the White House following a meeting between Republican governors and President Bush, termed the sum "an initial commitment," saying that administration officials had asked the governors to identify further needs. -- By Jerry Hagstrom, Lisa Caruso and Keith Koffler -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ECONOMY Schumer, Clinton Outline $5B Plan For Manhattan New York Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton Thursday sketched out a $5 billion plan to help the crippled downtown Manhattan economy by creating a special recovery zone there, the Associated Press reported. The plan to rescue New York's financial district in the wake of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center is modeled on empowerment zones created to bail out low-income neighborhoods. The main components of the Schumer-Clinton plan are employee tax credits; residential tax credits: authority to issue triple- tax exempt bonds for redevelopment; and advance refunding for municipal entities like the Port Authority and hospitals. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ECONOMY Senate GOP Adheres To Bush Outline On Economic Stimulus Resisting for now the temptation to put their own stamp on an effort to boost the economy, Senate Finance Republicans zeroed in late Thursday on a plan based almost exactly on President Bush's four-point proposal, committee aides said. Finance ranking member Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is to lay out the plan next Tuesday before the full GOP conference, in hopes of winning broad enough support to present it to Senate Finance Chairman Baucus as the Republican approach to the issue. While any number of modifications are possible from there, the plan would be the marker from which a debate would follow, said a committee GOP aide. The aide told reporters that senators embraced Bush's call for accelerated income-tax rate cuts for income tax brackets-- possibly faster cuts than Bush had proposed. They also agreed to back a recommendation for tax rebates to people who pay only payroll taxes and therefore did not qualify for the income tax cuts that became law this year in the form of payments of $300 to $600. To spur more business investment, the senators are endorsing Bush's proposal for a 30 percent bonus on top of what companies can now depreciate and permanent relief from alternative minimum taxes for corporations--but on a prospective basis only. The House approved a bill this week that would allow a credit for AMT liability going back 15 years, and many senators are cool toward the proposal. The aide noted that the senators regard the business elements as the "primary stimulus" in the proposal. The outline omitted expensing changes, allowing a carryback for five years for net operating losses, and capital gains tax cuts. Also left out of the plan Grassley is to present is a package of expiring provisions known as the extenders. The House-passed bill included those items and would make permanent a break for financial services firms operating overseas. The measure also would include Bush's call for additional funds for unemployment benefits and aid to states to help laid- off workers retain their health insurance. Democrats have criticized these proposals as inadequate. The aide said the goal is to stay within the $75 billion price tag Bush wants, but the bill could cost a bit more. Earlier in the week, Grassley accompanied Baucus at the presentation of a stimulus plan Baucus said would be taken up by Finance members next week. That plan, providing about $70 billion in stimulus, included a heavier spending component. The Baucus plan would provide for $35 billion in tax relief--much less than what Bush has suggested--and an equal amount in health and unemployment benefits. The proposal was quickly panned by Treasury Secretary O'Neill, who said he was "disappointed." Also, Senate moderates led by Sens. John Breaux, D-La., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, have held meetings and laid out principles for an acceptable stimulus package. -- By Stephen Norton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ENERGY Murkowski, Thomas Work To Determine Scope Of Energy Bill After months of blaming Democrats for failing on energy policy, Senate Republicans are having some problems of their own in coming up with an energy bill. "It's moving sideways, the way things normally work around here," said a frustrated Senate Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, between sessions with Republicans. At issue is the scope of the GOP energy package. Some Republicans, including Murkowski, would like to draft a narrow bill that includes a controversial measure to drill for oil in Alaska but sheds other contentious issues that have bogged down the legislation in the past. "There is only so much time left in the year," said one Republican aide. "Let's get done what we can get done." However, other Senate Republicans believe any energy policy legislation should be broad in scope. "I am one who thinks that if we're going to do it, we should do it," said Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo. The dispute has nearly halted progress on the legislation, which Murkowski had hoped to unveil earlier this week. Now, an aide said, the bill is not expected until next week. Other aides had expected Murkowski to hand out an updated draft before senators left Washington for the weekend this afternoon. A draft of the bill released this week by Murkowski's office included provisions to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and bolster the reliability of the nation's electricity networks. It also would discard the Public Utility Holding Company Act and Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act. However, a later draft did not address PUHCA and PURPA. Murkowski appeared worn as he scurried around the Senate Thursday, negotiating with key Republicans. In one such meeting, Murkowski and Thomas huddled on the Senate steps before a vote on an Agriculture spending bill. After a few minutes of intense discussions, Thomas reassured Murkowski with a few pats on the back and they both entered the Senate chamber with smiles on their faces. The encounter may have been symbolic; Republicans expect to resolve their differences swiftly so they can turn their attention to the person they see as the real obstacle: Majority Leader Daschle. -- By Brody Mullins -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- FINANCE Oxley Starts Working Group On Reinsurance Legislation With a view toward moving legislation before adjournment, House Financial Services Chairman Oxley is developing a working group to "start digging into" the subject of federal terrorism reinsurance next week, a committee aide said Thursday. According to the aide, Oxley has tapped House Financial Services Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Richard Baker, R- La., to head the working group, which also will include subcommittee ranking member Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., as well as a developing list of industry and other interested participants. Baker's subcommittee already has conducted one formal hearing on the subject, taking testimony Wednesday from key government officials. The aide said the working group would meet informally starting next week to discuss and weigh the different proposals that are on the table. One especially strong area of bipartisan consensus that emerged during the subcommittee hearing was members' desire to avoid any reinsurance plan that would expose taxpayers to excessive risk. Several legislators criticized aspects of an insurance industry plan and a White House proposal as doing just that. At least one member of the Senate Banking Committee suggested Thursday during a hearing on the same subject that some members of the House might be reluctant to act on a reinsurance proposal. That is not Oxley's view, the aide insisted. "Chairman Oxley has said it's something we're going to have to address before Congress adjourns. We're just really moving forward with the issue, with an eye toward developing our own plan." -- By Pamela Barnett -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TRANSPORTATION Bush Favors GOP Aviation Bill; Dems Adamant On Security While House and Senate Republicans praised President Bush's endorsement of the House GOP aviation security bill Thursday and cleared space on the calendar to take it up next week, Democrats strengthened their resolve to fight for full federalization of airport security workers. "This is not a complicated issue," said House Minority Leader Gephardt. "The status quo does not work and it must not stand. We need to pull the system up by the roots and overhaul it for the sake of all Americans." "I'm confused," Senate Majority Leader Daschle said about the president's letter, which endorses the House bill and criticizes--but does not threaten to veto--other measures. Earlier this month, Bush told Senate leaders he would not oppose their version of the bill. Like the Senate bill passed 100-0 nearly two weeks ago, the House GOP bill would beef up aviation security by deploying more sky marshals and strengthening cockpit doors, but it would not require airport security officials to be federal employees. The bill would require higher standards and more federal oversight but still allow the screeners to be contracted out. It also would set up a new transportation security chief within the Transportation Department, while the Senate bill would place much of the oversight responsibility in the Justice Department. The House GOP bill provides "an incentive for private security to perform at a higher level, rather than an incentive to walk away," House Chief Deputy Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., told reporters. But Democrats so far have not been swayed, and House Democrats have held news conferences daily to say that most Americans want the government to take over the system. "The pilots are with us. The flight attendants support us. The customer service employees back our approach," Gephardt said. Gephardt also said that a strong airline bill would represent steps forward in economic stimulus--another post-Sept. 11 issue facing Congress. "A strong airline security bill will increase travel, strengthen aviation, help our cities and, most importantly create jobs for the people who make America strong," Gephardt said. He argued that when travelers feel safer on planes, "they will take to the skies in greater numbers" and create business for hotels, food service firms and others. Majority Leader Armey said Thursday that Democrats probably will be allowed to offer a substitute bill when the aviation bill comes to the floor Wednesday, indicating that Republican leaders are confident they will have the votes to prevail. But Gephardt said, "Give us a vote and we will meet this challenge." -- By April Fulton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- JUDICIARY Senators Pleased With Pared Anti-Terrorism Legislation Senate leaders praised their colleagues across the aisle Thursday, saying the Senate's 98-1 passage of compromise anti- terrorism legislation revealed the chamber's capacity for bipartisanship and cooperation at a trying time. The House overwhelmingly approved identical legislation Wednesday. Appearing together at a news conference following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Daschle, Minority Leader Lott, Senate Judiciary Chairman Leahy and ranking member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, sounded relieved that the contentious debate and late-night negotiating sessions were over. They said the result was a substantive measure. "We didn't want a bill that simply says we produced a bill," Leahy remarked. Best of all, Leahy said, the bill strikes the proper balance between security and liberty. While Leahy noted that the original proposal submitted by the White House had to be pared down, Hatch said the final version gives President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft "what they wanted." Joked Leahy, "The gestation period may have been a few weeks, but it's better than giving birth to a monster." But some senators are unhappy with the final product. "This bill does not strike the right balance between empowering law enforcement and protecting civil liberties," said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., the Associated Press reported. Leahy said negotiators have placed safeguards on the legislation, including a four-year expiration date on the wiretapping and electronic surveillance portion, court permission before snooping into suspects' formerly private educational records and court oversight over the FBI's use of a powerful e- mail wiretap system. The bill's principals also disputed the idea that federal law enforcement might hesitate to put the measure's surveillance and intelligence gathering expansions into practice, since many of them are designed to sunset in four years. Instead, the legislators argued, the effect of the sunsets will be to make law enforcement all the more careful and diligent in applying those new powers, knowing that the Congress will be watching. Asked his thoughts on Ashcroft's recent suggestion to forgo a public comment period and put the anti-terrorism law into effect immediately, Leahy said only that he was sure Ashcroft and Bush would follow the law. -- By Pamela Barnett -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS Dorgan Drops FY02 Effort On Drug Reimportation Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who led a successful effort last year to append drug reimportation language to the Agriculture appropriations bill, said Thursday he would not carry through plans to repeat the effort this year. "This is probably not the right time to have this debate," Dorgan said, noting that the issue still will be alive in a House-Senate conference. The House included in its version of the bill a provision allowing individuals to bring drugs back from other countries for their own use, although it defeated an amendment to allow distributors to do so. Former HHS Secretary Shalala declined last year to implement the language contained in the FY01 Agriculture bill. Dorgan originally had planned to offer modified language this year but had been undecided. While he said Thursday he would not offer the amendment, he made it clear that he does not intend to give up on the issue. "How do you justify to a woman with breast cancer that she ought to pay 10 times more for Tamoxifen in the U.S. than in Canada? The answer is you cannot justify it," he said. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- JUDICIARY Feinstein, Kyl Offer Measure On Anti-Terrorism At Ports Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., announced plans Thursday to introduce a bill to strengthen anti- terrorism efforts at U.S. ports of entry. A spokesman said they would introduce the bill as soon as the drafting is completed. "Sept. 11 pointed out clear shortcomings in our immigration and visa system," Feinstein said. According to the legislators, the measure would strengthen U.S. anti-terrorism efforts by connecting law enforcement with a centralized database, upgrading technologies used to prevent fraud and illegal entry, and imposing new restrictions on student visas. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS Ney, Hoyer Make Time For Election Reform Bill While the security of the Capitol and House office buildings has preoccupied House Administration Chairman Ney and ranking member Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the two have met regularly this week to discuss election reform--and could mark up a bill as soon as next week. Their election reform bill probably would authorize grants to assist state and local governments to modernize election equipment and to improve poll worker training. The bill also could commission a set of uniform election standards. Ney and Hoyer have long agreed on the outlines of a bipartisan reform bill but have repeatedly delayed a markup. Asked how the two have found time to discuss election reform while responding to the security threats, Ney said, "We're making it." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TECHNOLOGY Daniels E-Government Plan Emphasizes Internet Service OMB Director Daniels Thursday outlined an e-government plan to use the Internet to improve service delivery to citizens, reduce paperwork burdens on businesses, improvement management and responsiveness of joint federal-state-local programs, and apply commercial best practices to improve government operating efficiency. The plan, developed by an e-government task force, identified five areas that require executive attention to improve e- government, National Journal's Technology Daily reported. These are: lack of agency participation, lack of architecture decisions, security and privacy concerns, resource availability and resistance from key stakeholders. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POLITICS Crane, Senior House Republican, Draws Democratic Challenger Democrat Melissa Bean--a political newcomer who is a consultant to small, high-tech businesses--has become the first candidate from either party to officially declare her candidacy next year against Rep. Philip Crane of Illinois, the House's senior Republican. Crane's chief of staff said Tuesday that Crane is not concerned about challenges from any Democrat because Republicans traditionally have dominated the district--based in Chicago's northwest suburbs, the Chicago Tribune reported. "We're not even going to focus on [Bean] until after the primary," the aide said. "Crane is far more vulnerable in the primary than in the general election." David McSweeney, who unsuccessfully ran against Crane in the 1998 GOP primary, is weighing another challenge to Crane. Local Democrats said Crane's name recognition is a major obstacle. But they added that the Democratic vote totals in the northwest suburbs have increased in recent elections. Bean appears to have a clear path to the Democratic nomination after state Rep. Jack Franks opted to seek re-election rather than take on Crane. "[Crane] is going to have two very strong challengers in March and November, if he survives the March one," said state Sen. Terry Link, chairman of the Lake County Democrats. "We're not putting up a sacrificial lamb." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- FLOOR SCHEDULE *SENATE* Convenes at 10:30 a.m. for a pro forma session. Not in session Monday. *HOUSE* Not in session. Convenes at 2 p.m. Monday for a pro forma session. TODAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= ARMED SERVICES Pending Business Full committee meeting for committee members. S-407 Capitol. 9:30 a.m. Contact: 202-224-3871. (New/Closed.) Health, Education, Labor and Pensions CAPTA Children and Families Subcommittee hearing on children and terrorism. (No new date announced.) 430 DSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-5375. (Postponed.) =HOUSE COMMITTEES= GOVERNMENT REFORM Presidential Records Act Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee hearing on the Presidential Records Act. (NOTE: due to closing, contact committee for alternate venue.) 2247 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5074. (Tentative.) ON THE HILL TODAY Economy Citizens for a Sound Economy forum on the importance of congressional action to restore confidence in the economy. Location changed to CSE, 1250 H St., NW, Washington from HC-8, Capitol. Participant: Gov. Bill Owens, R-Colo. CSE, 1250 H St., NW. 8:30 a.m. Contact: Chad Cowan, 202-942-7692. (Revised.) OFF THE HILL TODAY: DEFENSE National Assn. of Counties first meeting of NACo Homeland Security Task Force to determine how to provide a direct link to federal agencies, especially the new White House Office of Homeland Security. Participants:, 8:30 a.m., Michael Brown, deputy director/general counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency; 9 a.m., Larry Thompson, deputy attorney general; 10 a.m., Patrick Libbey, president, National Assn. of County and City Health Officials; 10:45 a.m., Ruben Barrales, director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; 1 p.m., Larry Naake, executive director, NACo, homeland security survey data presentation; 1:30 p.m., Tom Ridge, director, White House Office of Homeland Security. Public Technology Inc. 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Eighth Floor. 8 a.m. Contact: 202-942-4220. EDUCATION Heritage Foundation. "Grading the Graders: How Internet-based School Report Cards are Revolutionizing Educational Accountability." Participant: Gov. Bill Owens, R-Colo. Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Lehrman Auditorium. 11 a.m. Contact: 202-675-1752. POLITICS 60 Plus Assn., Free Congress Foundation and others. 13th annual Conservative Leadership Conference, "Conservative Governance for the 21st Century," October 25-27. Participants:, 9 a.m., House Majority Whip DeLay, "Is Our Conservative Coalition in Congress Ready to Lead?"; 11 a.m., Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., "The United States Constitution, As Good as It Ever Was"; 11:25 a.m., Senate Rules ranking member Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., "Campaign Finance 'Reform', Giving Your Right to Speak to Ted Turner"; 3:25 p.m., Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., "Energy Policy and Environmentalism: A Matter of National Security"; 4:15 p.m., Steve Forbes, CEO, Forbes Magazine, "What's Next for Our Economy." Hilton Hotel Crystal City, 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington. 8:30 a.m. Contact: 800-827-5323. POLITICS District of Columbia Bar Assn. Brown bag luncheon on the president's legislative agenda. Participant: Nicholas Calio, director, White House Office of Legislative Affairs. Covington and Burling Conference Center, 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 11th Floor. Noon. Contact: 202-626-3463. TELECOMMUNICATIONS National Assn. of Regulatory Utility Commissioners national summit on broadband deployment. Participants:, 8:45 a.m., Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M.; 2 p.m., Role of Local Governments in Broadband Deployment. Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington. Contact: 202-898-2214. (New.) TRADE U.S.-Panama Business Council, Panama Week 2001 telecommunications forum and lunch. Participants: Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Joaquin Jacome, commerce and industry minister, Panama. Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1700 Tysons Blvd., Salon III and Foyer, McLean, VA. 9 a.m. Contact: 202-312-1645 MONDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= None. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= None. ON THE HILL MONDAY: None. OFF THE HILL MONDAY: DEFENSE American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, "The Battle for Ideas in the U.S. War on Terrorism." Participants: Nathan Sharansky, deputy prime minister, Israel; former House Speaker Gingrich and former CIA Director James Woolsey. AEI, 1150 17th St., NW, Wohlstetter Conference Center, 12th Floor. 4 p.m. Contact: Veronique Rodman, 202-862-4871. (New.) TAXES American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, AICPA National Conference on Federal Taxes and Fall Tax Division Meeting. Participants:, 9:15 a.m., former Rep. Bill Archer, R- Texas, "Legislative Update"; noon, Charles Rossotti, commissioner, IRS. J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. 8 a.m. Contact: 202-434-9210. TUESDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Environmental Health Public Health Subcommittee hearing on environmental health. 430 DSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-5375. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= SMALL BUSINESS EPA Rulemaking Regulatory Reform and Oversight Subcommittee hearing on EPA rulemaking. (Rescheduled from October 25.) 2360 RHOB. 2 p.m. Contact: 202-225-5821. Veterans Affairs Veterans' Employment Benefits Subcommittee hearing on veterans' employment and training service. 334 CHOB. 9 a.m. Contact: 202-225-9164. WEDNESDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= None. =HOUSE COMMITTEES= Energy and Commerce Television Funds Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee hearing to examine the use of federal funds for public television programming. 2123 RHOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-225-2927. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Pending Legislation Full committee markup on H.R.2998, Radio Free Afghanistan Act of 2001; H.R.2121, Russian Democracy Act of 2001; House resolution on the Freedom Consolidation Act of 2001; House resolution on International Disability and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act of 2001; H.Con.Res.102, Hunter to Harvest Resolution: A Decade of Concern for Africa; H.Con.Res.211, Commending Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10th anniversary of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the government of Burma; H.Con.Res.242, Recognizing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's success in promoting democracy and its continuing contribution to U.S. national interests. 2172 RHOB. 10:15 a.m. Contact: 202-225- 5021. (New.) THURSDAY =SENATE COMMITTEES= INDIAN AFFAIRS Hunting/Fishing Rights Full committee hearing on Alaska Native subsistence hunting and fishing rights. 485 RSOB. 10 a.m. Contact: 202-224-2251 =HOUSE COMMITTEES= INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Afghan Assistance Full committee hearing on America's assistance to the Afghan people. 2172 RHOB. 11 a.m. Contact: 202-225-5021. (New.) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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. President--John Fox Sullivan, 202-739-8468 (jsullivan@njdc.com) Publisher--Steve Hull, 202-739-8475 (shull@njdc.com) Editor--Louis Peck, 202-739-8481 (lpeck@njdc.com) Subscription price: $2,497 a year. 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