INFORMATION & LIBRARY SERVICES

Currently in Congress

September 1-15, 2004

This fortnightly update of selected current events in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate is compiled by Amy Bell Mulaudzi, IRC Director, U.S. Consulate Cape Town.

Bills can be introduced in either the House or Senate but must pass in identical versions in both chambers before being presented to the President for signing into law. If the House and Senate disagree on a bill, a conference committee is appointed to reconcile the differences. The conference version then goes back to both houses for a vote.

Bill status and texts can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov.

BILLS ON THE FLOOR

Fiscal Year 2005 Spending Bills

Since returning from summer recess, both the House and Senate have put most of their energies behind next fiscal year's budget, which begins October 1. The Senate passed the Homeland Security appropriations bill (HR 4567), which is now in conference, and they are presently considering the Military Construction bill (S 2674). Meanwhile, the House (which already passed 10 of the 13 regular spending bills before recess) passed the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill (HR 5006) and is considering the Transportation-Treasury bill (HR 5025). Only the Defense appropriations bill has made it to law so far. Final action on many of these bills is unlikely before the presidential election in November.

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2004.

Congress can move fast when it needs to, and it passed a $2 billion emergency supplemental package (HR 5005) in less than a week to help provide funds for hurricane clean-up. Most of the money went to the Department of Homeland Security and the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program to help small businesses get up and running again.

Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act

The House and Senate have both passed HR 361, to prohibit athletic agents from poaching college or high school athletes for professional sports teams under false or misleading circumstances, or by offering cash or gifts. The bill also requires both the agent and student to notify the school's athletic director within 72 hours of the school's next athletic event, as the student athlete would probably become ineligible to compete. The bill has been presented to the President for signature.

September 11 as a national day of voluntary service, charity and compassion

The Senate has passed S Con Res 127, a concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the President should designate September 11 as a national day of voluntary service, charity, and compassion, to remember the "many brave people" who "heroically, tirelessly, and courageously participated in an extraordinarily difficult and dangerous rescue and recovery effort, in many cases voluntarily putting their own well-being at risk." The resolution now awaits consideration in the House.

Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act

The House and Senate have both passed S 2634 to increase federal funding and support for suicide prevention strategies among children and adolescents. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to higher education institutions, and state government-sponsored early-intervention and suicide prevention programs. The bill would also establish the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. The bill has been sent to the President for signing into law.

HEARINGS

The Evolving Role of the Federal Chief Financial Officer.

Subcommittee on Government Efficiency and Financial Management, House Government Reform Committee, September 15.

View the hearing

Nomination of Porter J. Goss to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, September 14.

View the hearing

Current Situation in Sudan and the Prospects for Peace (testimony of Secretary of State Colin Powell).

Senate Foreign Relations Committee, September 9.

View the hearing

Report of the Independent Panel to Review Department of Defense Detention Operations.

Senate Armed Services Committee, September 9.

View the hearing

Investigation of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade at Abu Ghraib Prison, Iraq.

Senate Armed Services Committee, September 9.

View the hearing

Creating Secure Borders and Open Doors (U.S. Visa Policy).

House Government Reform Committee, September 9.

View the hearing

The Economic Outlook and Current Fiscal Issues (with testimony from Alan Greenspan).

House Budget Committee, September 8.

View the hearing (scroll to title and date)

Intelligence Reform.

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, September 7.

View the hearing

Numerous hearings on intelligence reform and recommendations from the 9/11 Commission, from late July to September.

Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.

View the hearing

The 9/11 Commission Recommendations on Public Diplomacy: Defending Ideals and Defining the Message.

Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, House Government Reform Committee, August 23.

View the hearing

Proposals to reorganize the United States Intelligence Community.

Senate Armed Services Committee, August 16-17.

View the hearing (Aug. 16)
View the hearing (Aug. 17)

Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission on the Department of Defense.

House Armed Services Committee, August 11.

View the hearing (scroll to title and date)