Hill Heat

05/24/2007 at 02:00PM

05/24/2007 at 10:00AM

05/24/2007 at 10:00AM

Committee site

Since early 2006, Robert Cobb, the inspector general of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has been under investigation for allegations of misconduct. After a review of 79 allegations, in early 2007, the Integrity Committee of the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE), an organization of agency inspectors general, issued a report finding that Mr. Cobb had abused his authority and demonstrated the appearance of a lack of independence from the agency’s top officials, particularly Sean O’Keefe, NASA’s former administrator. Most of the allegations came from current and former employees of NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Witnesses

Panel 1

• Ms. Evelyn R. Klemstine
• Mr. Kevin Winters

Panel 2

• Mr. Paul Morrell
• Mr. Michael Wholley

05/24/2007 at 10:00AM

The House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power, led by Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills: H.R. 31 (Issa, R-CA): The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Wastewater and Recycled Water Facilities Act of 2007 H.R. 1526 (Miller, D-CA): The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act of 2007

Witnesses: Robert Quint, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington, D.C. Ronald Young (H.R. 31), General Manager, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Lake Elsinore, CA Gary Darling (H.R. 1526), General Manager, Delta Diablo Sanitation District, Antioch, CA Nancy Parent (H.R. 1526), Councilmember, City of Pittsburg, CA Larry Wilson (H.R. 1526), Board of Directors, Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Jose, CA

The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s web site at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov.

05/24/2007 at 10:00AM

05/24/2007 at 09:30AM

On Wednesday, May 23, 2007, the Committee held an oversight hearing on achievements and opportunities for climate protection under the Montreal Protocol. This international environmental treaty established legally binding controls on the production and consumption of substances that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. Witnesses at the hearing included the lead author of a scientific paper quantifying the climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol, the Executive Director of an international nongovernmental organization with expertise on the Montreal Protocol, and the Global Environmental Manager of DuPont’s fluorochemicals business. At the hearing, the Committee received testimony about cost-effective measures that can be taken under the Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming.

Witnesses

• Dr. Guus Velders, lead author of a recent scientific paper quantifying the climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol
• Mr. Allan Thornton, Executive Director, Environmental Investigation Agency, an international nongovernmental organization with expertise on the Montreal Protocol
• Dr. Mack McFarland, Environmental Fellow, DuPont Fluoroproducts, a major corporation that manufactures alternatives to substances that deplete the ozone layer

Transcript

• preliminary transcript

05/23/2007 at 10:00AM

The Bush Administration has allowed an increase in oil refinery mergers to go unchecked, even as reduced refining supply seems to be pushing up gas prices. The rise in gasoline prices is helping refiners generate the highest margins from refining since at least 1990, allowing them to report record profits. Meanwhile, consumers are facing harmful price spikes and lack of cheaper alternatives, such as E85, at the pumps.

The JEC will examine the impacts of consolidation in the oil and gas industry on competition, gasoline prices, and consumers’ energy choices. Specifically, the Committee will investigate whether oil industry mergers and increased market concentration have enabled firms to raise their prices above competitive levels and strategically withhold capacity to keep prices high; and investigate whether firms are preventing the entry of cheaper fuel alternatives for consumers at the pump.

Witnesses:

Panel I:

• Dr. Thomas McCool, Director, Center for Economics, Government Accountability Office
• Dr. Michael Salinger, Director of the Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission

Panel II:

• Dr. Diana Moss, American Antitrust Institute, Vice President and Senior Research Fellow
• Dennis DeCota, Calif. Service Station and Automotive Repair Assn., Executive Director
• Samantha Slater, Director, Congressional and Regulatory Affairs, Renewable Fuels Association, Washington, DC
• Red Cavaney, President and CEO, American Petroleum Institute
• Dr. James Smith, Southern Methodist University, Chair of Oil and Gas Management

05/23/2007 at 10:00AM

The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 2337, the “Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007.” Witnesses: Panel 1 Walter Cruickshank, Deputy Director, Mineral Management Service, Department of the Interior Henri Bisson, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior Melissa M. Simpson, Deputy Undersecretary, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture Vickie VanZandt, Senior Vice President, Transmission Business Line, Bonneville Power Administration, Department of Energy Timothy R. E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Panel 2 The Honorable John Engler (Former Governor of Michigan), President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers Jim Martin, President, 60 Plus Association

The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s web site at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov.

05/23/2007 at 10:00AM

Full committee hearing

Witnesses:

• Michael P. Jackson, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

05/22/2007 at 03:00PM