To require the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in Mendocino National Forest, California, to provide for the use of the proceeds from such conveyance for National Forest purposes, and for other purposes.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 11, 2004, at 9:30 a.m. on Protecting Children From Violent and Indecent Programming.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on Wednesday, February 11 at 10:00 a.m. to consider pending calendar business.

Agenda Item 2: S. 213--A bill to clear title to certain real property in New Mexico associated with the Middle Rio Grande Project, and for other purposes with an amendment.

Agenda Item 3: S. 524--A bill to expand the boundaries of the Fort Donelson National Battlefield to authorize the acquisition and interpretation of lands associated with the campaign that resulted in the capture of the fort in 1862, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 5: S. 943--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into one or more contracts with the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the storage of water in the Kendrick Project, Wyoming with an amendment.

Agenda Item 6: S. 960--To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act and the Hawaii Water Resources Act of 2000 with an amendment.

Agenda Item 9: S. 1107--A bill to enhance the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program for the National Park Service, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 13: S. 1516--Salt Cedar Control Demonstration Act with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

Agenda Item 14: S. 1576--A bill to revise the boundary of Harper's Ferry National Historical Park, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 15: S. 1577--A bill to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of hydroelectric project in the State of Wyoming.

Agenda Item 16: S. 1582--A bill to amend the Valles Preservation Act to improve the preservation of the Valles Caldera, and for other purposes with an amendment.

Agenda Item 17: S. 1848--A bill to amend the Bend Pine Nursery Land Conveyance Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell the Bend Pine Nursery Administration Site in the State of Oregon with an amendment.

Agenda Item 18: H.R. 408--To provide for expansion of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Agenda Item 19: H.R. 417--To revoke a Public Land Order with respect to certain lands erroneously included in the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, California with report language.

Agenda Item 20: H.R. 620--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide supplemental funding and other services that are necessary to assist the State of California or local educational agencies in California in providing educational services for students attending schools located within the Park with an amendment.

Agenda Item 21: H.R. 708--To require the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in Mendocino National Forest, California, to provide for the use of the proceeds from such conveyance for National Forest purposes, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 23: H.R. 856--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to revise a repayment contract with the Tom Green County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, San Angelo project, Texas, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 26: H.R. 1598--To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in projects within the San Diego Creek Watershed, California, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 27: S. 1167--A bill to resolve the boundary conflicts in Barry and Stone Counties in the State of Missouri.

In addition, the Committee may turn to any other measures that are ready for consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 10 a.m. to hold a Business Meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing on the President's Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 2 p.m. on ``Judicial Nominations,'' in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Panel I: Senators.

Panel II: Diane S. Sykes, to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; James L. Robart, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington; Juan R. Sanchez, to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Cable Competition--Increasing Price; Increasing Value?'' on Wednesday, February 11, 2004, at 10:30 a.m., in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. Michael Willner, Vice-Chairman, President and CEO, Insight Communications Company, Inc.;

Mr. Rodger Johnson, CEO, Knology;

Mr. Robert Sachs, President and CEO, National Cable and Telecommunications Association;

Ms. Coralie Wilson, President, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors;

Mr. Scott Cleland, CEO, Precursor; and

Dr. Mark Cooper, Director of Research, Consumer Federation of America.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the Session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 11, 2004, at 1:00 p.m. to conduct a hearing on ``Economic and Financial Reconstruction in Iraq.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 4 p.m., in open session, to consider the nomination of the Honorable Michael W. Wynne to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on November 18, 2003, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on the ``Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, in the President's Room, immediately following the first vote, on pending committee business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 10 a.m., to hear testimony on nomination of Arnold I. Havens, to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing to consider the nomination of James M. Loy to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 9:30 a.m, on ``America after 9/11: Freedom Preserved or Freedom Lost?,'' in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Panel I: Bob Barr, Former United States Representative, Atlanta, GA; Viet Dinh, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC; James Zogby, Arab American Institute, Washington, DC; James Dempsey, Center for Democracy and Technology, Washington, DC; Robert Cleary, Proskauer Rose, LLP, New York, NY; Nadine Strossen, President, American Civil Liberties Union, New York, NY; and Muzaffar Chishti, Director, Migration Policy Institute at New York University School of Law; New York, NY.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, November 18, at 2:30 p.m.

The purpose of the hearings is to receive testimony on S. 1467, a bill to establish the Rio Grande outstanding natural area in the state of Colorado, and for other purposes, S. 1209, a bill to provide for the acquisition of property in Washington County, Utah, for implementation of a desert tortoise habitat conservation plan, and H.R. 708, a bill to require the conveyance of certain national forest system lands in Mendocino National Forest, California, to provide for the use of the proceeds from such conveyance for national forest purposes, and for other purposes; S. 1167, which would resolve boundary conflicts in Barry and Stone counties in the State of Missouri, and S. 1848, which would amend the Bend Pine Nursery Land Conveyance Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell the Bend Pine Nursery Administrative site in the State of Oregon.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on strategic forces of the committee on armed services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 2:00 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on space acquisition policies and processes.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. for a hearing entitled ``U.S. Tax Shelter Industry: The Role of Accountants, Lawyers and Financial Professionals.''

Mr. President, I announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will add two bills to the agenda of the hearing scheduled for November 18, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The bills being added are S. 1167, which would resolve boundary conflicts in Barry and Stone Counties in the State of Missouri, and S. 1848, which would amend the Bend Pine Nursery Land Conveyance Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell the Bend Pine Nursery Administrative Site in the State of Oregon.

The other bills that will be considered at the hearing are S. 1467, a bill to establish the Rio Grande Outstanding Natural Area in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes, S. 1209, a bill to provide for the acquisition of property in Washington County, UT, for implementation of a desert tortoise habitat conservation plan, and H.R. 708, a bill to require the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in Mendocino National Forest, CA, to provide for the use of the proceeds from such conveyance for National Forest purposes, and for other purposes.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, SD-364, Washington, DC 20510-6150 prior to the hearing date.

For further information, please contact Dick Bouts or Meghan Beal (202-224-7556).

committee on energy and natural resources

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding me this time, and I also thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) and the gentleman from Washington for the opportunity to speak on this bill. I would also like to thank the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), for their help in finally resolving this long-standing problem.

I want to mention to all of the Members that this bill was passed by this House unanimously last year. Unfortunately, it was part of the omnibus bill that never made it out of the other body.

But as everyone has mentioned, this takes care of a problem that has been festering for quite some time over a disputed boundary line. This bill would convey 120 acres of National Forest Service property to a landowner, the owner of the Faraway Ranch, for fair market value. He would not only pay the fair market value for the land, but he would also pay all of the costs associated with the transfer and any surveying that needs to be done. Then the Forest Service will be able to take that money and purchase from willing sellers other property within the confines of this forest to allow them to better

manage our incredibly valuable national resource.

This is a good bill. It has no opposition and would take care of a long-standing problem. I would appreciate the support of all of my colleagues in making sure this is passed and signed into law.

Mr. President, I would like to announce, for the information of the Senate and the public, that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing on November 18, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. in room SD 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider S. 1467, a bill to establish the Rio Grande Outstanding Natural Area in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes, S. 1209, a bill to provide for the acquisition of property in Washington County, UT, for implementation of a desert tortoise habitat conservation plan, and H.R. 708, a bill to require the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in Mendocino National Forest, California, to provide for the use of the proceeds from such conveyance for National Forest purposes, and for other purposes.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, SD-364, Washington, DC 20510-6150 prior to the hearing date.

For further information, please contact Dick Bouts or Meghan Beal (202-224-7556).

Subcommittee on Energy