MINUTES 
                                           
               SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND TRADE 
                              Thursday, March 4, 2004 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                                   El Paso, Texas 
                                           
                                       ***** 
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on International  
         Relations and Trade was held on Thursday, March 4, 2004, at the  
         El Paso County Courthouse in El Paso, Texas. 
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.                Senator John Carona 
         Senator Eliot Shapleigh                 Senator Jane Nelson 
         Senator Craig Estes                     Senator Judith Zaffirini 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 9:18 a.m.  The  
         following business was transacted: 
          
         The chair and members gave opening remarks. 
          
         The chair laid out the proposed committee rules.  There being no  
         quorum present, the rules were left pending before the  
         committee. 
          
         The committee then heard invited testimony on the interim  
         charges.  Witnesses testifying as part of invited testimony are  
         shown on the attached list. 
          
         The chair then opened public testimony regarding the interim  
         charges.   No individuals testified as part of public testimony.   
         The chair moved that public testimony be closed; without  
         objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         There being no further business, at 5:25 p.m., the chair moved  
         that the committee stand recessed subject to the call of the  
         chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Laura Garcia, Clerk