Today’s Events In Washington

PRESIDENT BUSH – Announces Federal Judicial Appointment, East Room. VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY – No public schedule. US Senate: AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION AND FORESTRY _ 9:30 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on pending nominations. 328A, Russell. APPROPRIATIONS _ 10 a.m. VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 appropriations. 138, Dirksen. APPROPRIATIONS _ 10 a.m. Defense Subcommittee. Hearing on National Guard/Armed Forces Reserves Budget Overview. 192, Dirksen. APPROPRIATIONS _ 9:30 a.m. Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee. Hearing on breast cancer. 124, Dirksen. APPROPRIATIONS_9:30 a.m. Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary. Hearing on U.S. capabilities to combat terrorism. Witnesses include Attorney General John Ashcroft, Helath and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Secretary of Commerce Don Evans and others. 216, Hart. APPROPRIATIONS_10:00 a. m. Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, HUD and Independent Agencies. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin scheduled to testify. 138, Dirsken. COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION _ 9:30 a.m. Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee. Hearing on the railroad freight industry. 253, Russell. ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES _ 9:30 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on pending nominations. 366, Dirksen. ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS _ 9:30 a.m. Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Subcommittee. Hearing on delisting species from the Endangered Species List. 628, Dirksen. GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS _ 10 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on federal election practices and procedures. 342, Dirksen. JUDICIARY _ 10 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on pending nominations. 226, Dirksen. US House: Meets at 10 a.m. Floor Schedule: H.Con.Res. 83 – Budget resolution for FY02 conference report. H.R. 581 – Wildland Fire Management Act. APPROPRIATIONS _ 2 p.m. Transportation Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 appropriations. 2358, Rayburn. APPROPRIATIONS _ 1:30 p.m. Defense Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 appropriations. CLOSED. H-140, Capitol. APPROPRIATIONS _ 10 a.m. Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 appropriations. 2359, Rayburn. APPROPRIATIONS _ 10 a.m. Energy and Water Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 budget requests. 2362, Rayburn. APPROPRIATIONS _ 10 a.m. Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary Subcommittee. Hearing on FY02 budget requests. 2237, Rayburn. ARMED SERVICES _ 1:30 p.m. Military Installations and Facilities Subcommittee. Hearing on housing for enlisted personnel in military bases. 2212, Rayburn. ARMED SERVICES _ 2:30 p.m. Military Personnel Subcommittee. Hearing on voting habits among members of the military. 2118, Rayburn. EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE _ 1 p.m. Full Committee. Continued markup of H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act. 2175, Rayburn. ENERGY AND COMMERCE _ 10 a.m. Markup of pending legislation. 2123, Rayburn. FINANCIAL SERVICES _ 9:45 a.m. Full Committee. Business meeting and subcommittee assignments. 2128, Rayburn. FINANCIAL SERVICES _ 10 a.m. Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee. Hearing consumer fraud safeguards. 2128, Rayburn. GOVERNMENT REFORM _ 10 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on the use of training facilities for military readiness. 2154, Rayburn. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS _ 10 a.m. Mideast and South Asia Subcommittee. Hearing on sanctions against Iraq and Iran. 2172, Rayburn. JUDICIARY _ 2 p.m. Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee. Hearing on Justice Department reauthorization. 2141, Rayburn. JUDICIARY _ 10 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on changes to the federal whistleblower protection laws. 2141, Rayburn. SCIENCE _ 10 a.m. Environment, Technology and Standards Subcommittee. Hearingon the NOAA FY02 budget. 2318, Rayburn. SCIENCE _ 2 p.m. Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. Hearing on vertical takeoff and landing technology. 2318, Rayburn. SELECT INTELLIGENCE _ 2 p.m. Full Committee. Hearing on intelligence matters. CLOSED. H-405, Capitol. SMALL BUSINESS _ 10 a.m. Full Committee. Hearing on health care recordkeeping requirements. 2360, Rayburn. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE _ 10 a.m. Highways and Transit Subcommittee. Hearing on electronic distractions to drivers. 2167, Rayburn. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE _ 2 p.m. Railroads Subcommittee. Markup of pending legislation. 2167, Rayburn. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE _ 2 p.m. Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee. Hearing on the federal government’s preparedness for terrorist acts. 2253, Rayburn. WAYS AND MEANS _ 2 p.m. Health Subcommittee. Hearing on cost savings for Medicare and Medigap. 1100, Longworth. Other: STATE LEGISLATORS _ All Day. The National Conference of State Legislatures hosts the spring meeting of their Assembly on Federal Issues, which directs NCSL’s lobbying efforts, with its members, representing each state and territorial legislature, developing official positions that guide lobbying activities.

Highlights: 9 a.m. Elections Reform Task Force. 1 p.m. Hands-on Demonstrations of Innovative Voting Systems. 3:15 p.m. State/Federal Election Activity Update.

Location: Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 525 New Jersey Ave. NW. JOB CORPS-OHIO _ 8:15 a.m. Members of the Ohio congressional delegation and businesses hold an event to praise Job Corps and to express frustration with the lack of skilled, entry-level workers in the Ohio area. Location: room HC-8, Capitol. BREAST CANCER _ 9 a.m. Actress Peri Gilpin, National Breast Cancer Coalition President Fran Visco, others, hold a news conference to support more research for breast cancer. Sens. Lincoln Chafee, R-RI, and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. are also committed to take part in the event. Location: East Steps, Capitol. HOUSE DEMOCRATS _ 9 a.m. The House Democratic Caucus holds a closed meeting. Location: room 345, Cannon. Note: Stakeout after the meeting outside the room. SPECIAL EDUCATION _ 9 a.m. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and the Progressive Policy Institute hold a press conference to release ”Rethinking Special Education for a New Century, ” a new volume of 14 original papers on rethinking and improving the federal special education program. Location: National Press Club, First Amendment Room. TIBET _ 9:30 a.m. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep Tom Lantos hold a news conference to announce a bill to protect Tibetan cultural identity.

Location: Senate Radio-TV Gallery. HOUSE REPUBLICANS _ 10 a.m. The House Republican Conference meets. Agenda includes the budget. Closed. Location: room HC-5, Capitol. Note: Stakeout in the Center steps hallway outside HC-5 immediately following the meeting. ENERGY PLAN _ 10 a.m. Environmental groups hold a news conference to discuss the elements of what they think should be in the Bush energy plan. Location: Holmes Room, Willard Hotel, 14th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL-MCVEIGH _ 10 a.m. The human rights organization holds a news conference to call for President Bush to halt the execution of convicted Oklahama City Federal Building bomber, Timothy McVeigh.

Location: National Press Club, Zenger Room, 529 14th St, NW TAX CREDITS _ 10 a.m. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life holds a discussion on charity tax credits. Location: Falk Auditorium, Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. HEALTH INSURANCE _ 10:15 a.m. The National Federation of Independent Business, others, members of Congress hold a news conference to introduce bipartisan legislation to enact association health plans in the House and Senate. Location: House triangle. ENVIRONMENT-MINING _ 10:30 a.m. Reps. Nick Rahall, Jay Inslee, others, hold a news conference to call on President Bush not to roll back environmental protections on the hardrock mining industry.

Location: Senate Swamp, Capitol. VISA PROGRAM _ 11 a.m. Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Connie Morella hold a news conference to urge quick action to reinstate immigrants’ opportunities to apply for the family-based 245(i) visa program.

Location: House triangle. ENERGY SAVINGS _ 11 a.m. The Energy Department and building industry groups hold a news conference to announce energy saving plans for homes, schools and businesses. Location: American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Ave. NW. MISSILE DEFENSE _ 11 a.m. Rep. Curt Weldon, physicists, and the S.A.F.E. Foundation hold a news conference to announce that an effective missile defense is within America’s technological capabilities. Location: room 2216, Rayburn. MEDICARE _ 11:30 a. m. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Bob Graham hold a rally with seniors urging that the Medicare Trust Fund be protected and solvent. Location: Senate Swamp. TAX PLAN _ 11:30 a.m. Americans for Tax Reform holds an event in support of the Bush tax cut plan. Location: room 428A, Russell. FCC REFORM _ Noon. Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation hosts a Policy Watch luncheon on ”The Chairmen’s Agendas: Reform of the FCC for the 21st Century,” with Mary Beth Richards, FCC; Jerry Ellig, Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation; Randolph May, Progress & Freedom Foundation; others.

Location: Room 2218, Rayburn House Office Building. ESPIONAGE _ Noon. The Heritage Foundation sponsors a lecture by Sen. Richard Shelby on espionage in the 21st century. Location: Lehrman Auditorium, 214, Massachusetts Ave. NE. CENSUS-LATINO _ 12:30 p.m. The Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and members of Congress hold a press briefing to discuss how the changing demographics of the Latino population will have a strong impact on building a more representative democracy, with Juan Figueroa, president, PRLDEF; Arturo Vargas, executive director, NALEO; and Latino legislators including Reps. Gonzalez, Velazquez, Menendez and Baca. Location: National Press Club, Zenger Room. GEPHARDT-CALIFORNIA _ 1 p.m. House Minority Leader Rep. Richard Gephardt attends a meeting of the California Democratic congressional delegation and other members from other Western states. Closed press. Location: Members’ Dining Room, Capitol. Note: Following the meeting, there will be a news availability in the House Radio- TV Gallery. EDUCATION REFORM_ 2 p.m. Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass, Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Patty Murray, D-Wash, Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Byron Dorgan, D-N. D. and Jeff Bingham, D-N. Mex. hold news conference to call for more funding to finance education reform. Location: Senate Swamp. EDUCATION _ 2:45 p.m. Sens. Kay Bailey-Hutchison, R-Texas, and Bill Frist, R-Tenn hold news conference to discuss Medicare reform plans. Location: Senate Swamp. JUDICIAL NOMINEES _ 4:00 p.m. Sen. Charles Shumer holds a news conference to comment on President Bush’s first group of judicial nominees, and the judicial selection process. Location: Senate Radio and Television Gallery, Capitol. CHAFEE DINNER _ 6:30 p.m. The Republican Main Street Partnership holds the second annual John Chafee Dinner in honor of Sen. John Chafee’s legacy of public service and civility, with the 2001 John Chafee Awards for Public Service being presented to Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House, and Olympic Snowe, senator from Maine.

Location: Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Regency Ballroom, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW.