A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal gasification project goals.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Airland Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. in closed session to mark up the airland programs and provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss reauthorization of the Federal rail safety program.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in

room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 645, a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal gasification project goals; S. 838, a bill to authorize funding joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses and academic persons; S. 1089, a bill to amend the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act to follow the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation projects to hire employees more efficiently, and for other purposes; S. 1203, a bill to enhance the management of electricity programs at the Department of Energy; H.R. 85, a bill to provide for the establishment of centers to encourage demonstration and commercial application of advanced energy methods and technologies; and H.R. 1126, a bill to reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building for a hearing entitled ``Examining the Case for the California Waiver.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 10 a.m. to hold a nomination hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 3 p.m. for a hearing titled ``Implementing FEMA Reform: Are We Prepared for the 2007 Hurricane Season?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Restoring Habeas Corpus: Protecting American Values and the Great Writ'' for Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 10 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building room 226.

Witness list: RADM Donald Guter, USN (ret.), Dean, Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA; William Howard Taft IV, Of Counsel Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Washington, DC; Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, Professor, Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA; David B. Rivkin, Jr., Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP, Washington, DC; and Orin Kerr, Professor, George Washington University Law School, Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate for a hearing entitled ``Minority Entrepreneurship: Assessing the Effectiveness of SBA's Programs for the Minority Business Community,'' on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, beginning at 10 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, after the first rollcall vote of the day in the reception room adjacent to the Floor, to conduct a vote on the nomination of Dr. Michael J. Kussman to be Under Secretary for Health at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. in closed session to mark up the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Programs and Provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 10 a.m. in closed session to mark up the Personnel Programs and Provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 4 p.m. in closed session to mark up the Readiness and Management Support Programs and Provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Seapower Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 9 a.m. in closed session to mark up the Seapower Programs and Provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, be authorized to hold a hearing on the MINER Act during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 10 a.m. in room 628 of the Senate Dirksen office building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 10 a.m. to conduct a joint hearing entitled ``GAO Personnel Reform: Does it meet expectations?''

The joint hearing will take place in conjunction with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the House Subcommittee of Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia.

Mr. President, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has reported over 70 individual bills and resolutions this Congress. Most of these bills are authorizations for specific projects and activities in the Department of the Interior, although we have also reported several measures involving National Forest lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, as well as a few authorizations related to the Department of Energy.

Typically these bills would be considered in the Senate under a unanimous consent procedure. Unfortunately, although all of these bills are noncontroversial and all were reported unanimously by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, we have been unable to get consent to pass these bills.

In an effort to facilitate passage of these bills, today I am introducing two bills which contain the individual measures reported by the committee. The first bill, the National Forests, Parks, Public Land, and Reclamation Projects Authorization Act of 2007, includes the text of 25 bills and 1 resolution which have been passed by the House of Representatives and which were reported, or their Senate companion measure was reported, without substantive amendment by the committee. If considered as individual bills, upon passage in the Senate, these bills would have been cleared for the President. Since they will now be included as part of this comprehensive bill, it will require additional action by the House of Representatives, but I am hopeful that because all of the measures included in this bill were previously approved by the other body that they will be able to approve this bill expeditiously.

The second bill, the Natural Resource Projects and Programs Authorization Act of 2007, includes the text of 44 bills which originated in the Senate, or which passed the House of Representatives and were substantively amended in committee. Like the previous bill, all of the individual bills were reported unanimously by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. While the House of Representatives has not previously acted on all of the individual components of this new bill, I believe these bills are non-controversial, and I hope that the House will be able to consider this bill in a timely manner as well.

Mr. President, I have prepared a table identifying the individual measures that are included in both comprehensive bills, including references to the corresponding calendar numbers. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the table to which I just referred.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Energy of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 645, a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide an alternate sulfur dioxide removal measurement for certain coal gasification project goals; S. 838, a bill to authorize funding joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses and academic persons; S. 1089, a bill to amend the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act to follow the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation projects to hire employees more efficiently, and for other purposes; S. 1203, a bill to enhance the management of electricity programs at

the Department of Energy; H.R. 85, a bill to provide for the establishment of centers to encourage demonstration and commercial application of advanced energy methods and technologies; and H.R. 1126, a bill to reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988.

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 it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Jonathan Epstein at (202) 224-4971 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will hold a hearing entitled ``Minority Entrepreneurship: Assessing the Effectiveness of SBA's Programs for the Minority Business Community,'' on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

subcommittee on energy

Mr. President, I would like to announce that the Committee on Indian Affairs will meet on Thursday, May 17, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. in room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on law enforcement in Indian Country.

Those wishing additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at 224-2251.