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United States · Official source
5,630 records where Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2005
Teacher Tax Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers to $400; (2) allow the deduction of professional development expenses; and (3) make such deduction permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2005
College Opportunity for All Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize requirements relating to: (1) Pell Grants and other student aid amounts and access to higher education for all students; (2) elimination of borrower origination fees; (3) allowance of refinancing of consolidation loans; (4) student loan forgiveness for certain public service employment; (5) termination of government payment of special allowances at excessive interest rates to lenders and holders of student loans; (6) simplification of the student aid process; (7) an initiative to enhance college graduation rates and accelerate time to degree; (8) reduction of guaranty agency payments; (9) teacher preparation and recruiting programs of TEACH grants and for teachers of mathematics, science, and languages; (10) TRIO, GEAR UP, LEAP outreach programs to disadvantaged students pursuing a postsecondary education; (11) postbaccalaureate opportunities at Hispanic-serving institutions; and (12) support and educational opportunities for students at historically Black colleges and universities and at other minority-serving institutions, including centers of excellence for teacher education.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2005
Honors former President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of his 59th birthday on August 19, 2005, and extends best wishes to him and his family.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2005
American Veterans Homeownership Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) revise the definition of qualified veteran for purposes of the veterans' mortgage bond program to include all veterans who served on active duty regardless of date of service; (2) allow veterans to apply for financing under such bond program up to 25 years after the end of their active duty; and (3) revise volume limitations applicable to the issuance of such bonds in certain states.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2005
Calls for Congress to support: (1) efforts to promote awareness of cancer in children; (2) increased investment in childhood cancer research; (3) incentives to encourage medical trainees and investigators to enter the field of pediatric oncology; (4) incentives to encourage the development of drugs and biologics designed to treat pediatric cancers; (5) policies that encourage participation in clinical trials; (6) medical education curricula designed to improve pain management for cancer patients; and (7) enhanced education, services, and other resources related to late effects from treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2005
Quiet Communities Act of 2005 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reestablish an Office of Noise Abatement and Control in EPA. Requires the Administrator, using funds made available to the Office, to carry out a study of airport noise. Amends the Noise Control Act of 1972 to include the establishment of training programs on the use of noise abatement equipment and the implementation of noise abatement plans in the list of purposes for which grants under the Quiet Communities Program are provided.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2005
Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution - Calls upon the President: (1) to ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution; and (2) in the President's annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide to characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide, and to recall the proud history of U.S. intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2005
Louis Braille Bicentennial--Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Louis Braille, whose design: (1) on the obverse shall bear a representation of the image of Louis Braille; and (2) on the reverse shall emphasize Braille literacy and include the word for Braille in Braille code. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such coins only during 2009. Subjects all coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin. Requires all surcharges to be promptly paid by the Secretary to the the National Federation of the Blind to further its programs to promote Braille literacy.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2005
Youth Worker Protection Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to revise requirements relating to child labor and to set forth new requirements for the employment of minors. Establishes FLSA requirements for employment of minors, including those for: (1) work permits; (2) working-hour restrictions for minors in specified age groups, and in relation to school attendance; (3) notification of serious work-related injuries; (4) data compilation, retention, and reporting by state agencies; (5) prohibition of youth peddling; (6) civil actions for bodily injury, illness, or death; (7) public disclosure of violations; and (8) civil penalties. Revises FLSA child labor requirements to: (1) set the same minimum age for children in agricultural employment as for those in nonagricultural employment; (2) impose a uniform minimum age for employment in all hazardous occupations; (3) eliminate the Secretary of Labor's authority to issue waivers with respect to certain hand harvest labor by children; (4) eliminate an exception for scrap paper balers and paper box compactors; and (5) declare that youth peddling affects commerce (and thus is subject to Federal regulation). Directs the Secretary of Labor to promulgate: (1) a rule relating to particularly hazardous occupations for children between the ages of 16 and 18, based on a specified report and recommendations of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and (2) a rule prohibiting employment of minors in seafood processing or in jobs requiring them to handle or dispose of oil or other liquids from fryers. Requires the Secretary to review: (1) restricted occupation and hazardous occupation orders at least once every five years; and (2) health and safety data on employment of minors in activities involving certain repetitive motions, or lifting, or working alone or late at night in retail establishments with public contact and cash handling, or entertainment industry work detrimental to them, and report with appropriate rules to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2005
John L. Burton Trail Act - Designates any trail authorized by the final management plan for the Headwaters Forest Reserve, California, that is constructed to provide access to the southern end of the Headwaters Grove near the existing Salmon Trailhead as the "John. L. Burton Trail".
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2005
Teacher Excellence for All Children Act of 2005 - Revises and establishes programs relating to recruitment, preparation, distribution, and retention of public elementary and secondary school teachers and principals. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish: (1) teacher education assistance for college and higher education (TEACH ) grants for undergraduate and graduate students who agree to serve as teachers in high-need schools or fields; and (2) grants to recruit teachers with mathematics, science, or language majors. Extends the authorization of appropriations for HEA teacher quality enhancement grants for states and partnerships. Revises HEA student loan forgiveness requirements to: (1) extend permanently additional amounts for teachers in mathematics, science, or special education provided by the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act of 2004; (2) increase other amounts, making reading specialists eligible for such forgiveness; and (3) apply forgiveness in annual increments rather than in a lump sum at end of service. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, to establish grant programs to improve teaching at high-need schools. Requires states to provide assurances of their reasonable progress toward equitable access to teacher quality as a condition of assistance under ESEA. Amends the Education Sciences Reform Act to direct the Statistics Commissioner to publish results of certain schools and staffing surveys. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from gross income up to $15,000 for compensation of teachers and principals in certain high-need schools or teaching certain high-need subjects; and (2) increase to a maximum of $500 and make permanent the above-the-line deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary schoolteachers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2005
Supports the goals and ideals of National Homeownership Month, and recognizes the importance of homeownership in building strong communities and families.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2005
Commends W. Mark Felt (the former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Watergate whistleblower known as "Deep Throat") for his uncommon courage in exposing major government corruption that warranted Senate Watergate Committee hearings and a House Judiciary Committee impeachment investigation. Encourages FBI employees aware of wrongdoing to follow Felt's example and come forward with relevant information. Recognizes the important role that anonymous sources play in honest and accurate reporting by journalists and the importance of respecting that anonymity and freedom of speech.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2005
FHA Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act of 2005 - Amends the National Housing Act with respect to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) housing loan insurance for manufactured homes (or lots for such homes) to: (1) exempt such loans from certain financial institution portfolio limits; (2) establish loan-to-value ratio and downpayment requirements; (3) provide that any such contract shall be conclusive evidence of an institution's insurance eligibility; (4) increase loan limits; (5) set forth borrower premium charges; and (6) direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish underwriting criteria that will ensure the manufactured housing program's financial soundness.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD), or the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), to establish a grant program for joint ventures, composed of both Israeli and U.S. private business entities or of U.S. and Israeli academic persons, to implement projects to encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, or commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, or renewable energy sources. Establishes in the Department of Energy an International Energy Advisory Board to advise the Secretary on the grant program and grant recipients.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005 - Authorizes the Attorney General to provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or other assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that: (1) constitutes a crime of violence under federal law or a felony under state or Indian tribal law; and (2) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim or is a violation of the hate crime laws of the state or tribe. Directs the Attorney General to give priority for assistance to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than one state and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary investigation or prosecution expenses. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to assist state, local, and Indian law enforcement officials with such extraordinary expenses. Directs the Office of Justice Programs to: (1) work closely with funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties are addressed; and (2) award grants to state and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. Prohibits specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Amends the Hate Crimes Statistics Act to require the crime data to be collected and published by the Attorney General to include data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender and gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to revise the definition of dealer (in animals) to include: (1) sellers of dogs imported from outside the United States; and (2) persons who sell more than 25 dogs or cats or who whelp for sale more than six litters of dogs or cats annually. Defines "retail pet store" for purposes of the Act as a public retail establishment that sells animals commonly kept as pets in U.S. households (e.g., dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters). Excludes from such definition: (1) a person breeding animals to sell to the public as pets; (2) a person selling hunting, security, or breeding dogs; or (3) a person selling wild animals. Requires dealers and retail pet stores to provide the Secretary of Agriculture with source records relating to the purchase or acquisition of dogs and cats. Authorizes the Secretary to extend the period for the temporary suspension of a dealer license for a violation of the Act from 21 to 60 days, if the Secretary believes that such violation will continue past the initial 21-day period and will jeopardize the health of any animal. Authorizes the Secretary to apply directly to a U.S. district court for a temporary restraining order or injunction to address violations of the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Right to Fly Act - Amends the International Air Transportation Competition Act of 1979 to repeal the restriction to certain charter, commuter, and flights to contiguous states of air transportation for compensation or hire between Love Field, Texas, and one or more points outside the State of Texas.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Reaffirms President Bush's support for the United Nations (UN) Millennium Declaration and supports a sustained U.S. commitment to work with other nations to advance the policy reforms, leadership, and resources necessary to reduce extreme poverty and promote human dignity. Urges the President, the Secretary of State, and other executive branch officials to use every opportunity, including at the forthcoming G-8 Summit in Scotland and the UN Summit on the Millennium Declaration in New York, to provide U.S. leadership and resources to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Expresses gratitude for the compassion and generosity of the American people and their desire to promote global security and prosperity while striving to eliminate poverty and human suffering.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2005
Abusive Tax Shelter Shutdown and Taxpayer Accountability Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise or add provisions relating to tax shelter activity, including provisions to: (1) define "economic substance" for purposes of evaluating tax shelter transactions; (2) increase penalties for large entities and high net-worth individuals for failure to disclose certain tax shelter transactions; (3) impose penalties for understatements of tax due to transactions lacking economic substance; (4) deny material tax advisors a claim of privilege as to the identity of a client; (5) revise standards for the penalty for understatement of tax liability by income tax return preparers and increase the penalties for such understatements; (6) revise and increase the penalties for frivolous tax submissions; (7) deny a tax deduction for interest on underpayments of tax due to nondisclosed reportable transactions and transactions lacking economic substance; (8) expand the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to disallow certain tax benefits arising from the acquisition of corporate stock; (9) modify certain passive loss rules for controlled foreign corporations; and (10) provide a rule for the reduction in basis of corporate stock for which certain extraordinary dividends are received.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2005
Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to deny an application for a new animal drug that is a critical antimicrobial animal drug unless the applicant demonstrates that there is a reasonably certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the nontherapeutic use of the drug. Defines "critical antimicrobial animal drug" as a drug intended for use in food-producing animals that contains specified antibiotics or other drugs used in humans to treat or prevent disease or infection caused by microorganisms. Requires the Secretary to withdraw approval of a nontherapeutic use of such drugs in food-producing animals two years after the date of enactment of this Act unless certain safety requirements are met. Requires the manufacturer of such a drug or an animal feed for food-producing animals containing such a drug to report sales information to the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2005
Responsible Education About Life Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States for family life education, including education on abstinence and contraception, to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Expresses the sense of Congress that States are encouraged but not required to provide matching funds. Requires the Secretary to provide for a national evaluation of a representative sample of such programs for effectiveness in changing adolescent sexual behavior, including delaying sexual and high-risk activity, preventing pregnancy and disease (including HIV/AIDS), and increasing contraceptive knowledge. Requires States receiving such grants to provide for an individual evaluation of the State's program by an external, independent entity.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
Dietary Supplement Regulatory Implementation Act of 2005 - Authorizes and makes appropriations to: (1) carry out the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) and all applicable regulatory requirements for dietary supplements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; and (2) expand research and development of consumer information on dietary supplements by the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) use such funds to regulate dietary supplements; and (2) report to Congress on the implementation and enforcement of DSHEA. Expresses the sense of Congress regarding the availability of certain botanical sources of ephedrine alkaloids. Requires the Secretary to: (1) carry out programs to educate health professionals and consumers on the safety and health benefits of dietary supplements; and (2) establish a system for the reporting of serious adverse experiences associated with the use of a dietary supplement received by the manufacturer, packer, or distributor whose name appears on the label of the product.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the acquisition of nuclear weapon capabilities by the Islamic Republic of Iran would constitute a threat to both U.S. and international security; (2) the European diplomatic effort to urge Iran to abandon its nuclear aspirations has not yielded definitive results; and (3) the President should urge the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran's noncompliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to the United Nations (UN) Security Council in the event that European Union (EU)-Iran negotiations fail.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Combating Autism Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish: (1) a program to provide information and education on autism and its risk factors to health professionals and the general public; and (2) the Autism Coordinating Committee to coordinate autism related activities within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to award grants or cooperative agreements to develop statewide autism screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical assistance to state agencies to conduct applied autism research.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2005 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and (3) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day. Makes federal minimum wage requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets forth a transition period during which a specified minimum wage there shall be gradually increased to equal the federal minimum wage.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Yellowstone Buffalo Preservation Act - Prohibits any federal or state government agent from: (1) killing, hazing, or capturing any buffalo on federal land or land held under federal conservation easements; or (2) using any form of bait to lure buffalo from any federal land onto private land until specified duties are accomplished by the Secretary of the Interior and certain other federal agencies. Provides exceptions for: (1) legally-authorized, state-managed buffalo hunts; (2) hazing if a person is physically endangered or property is damaged; (3) National Park Service employees moving buffalo to address physical public safety threats; and (4) certain non-lethal federal research. Establishes criminal penalties and fines for violations of this Act. Sets forth duties of the the Secretary relating to grazing and other matters affecting the Yellowstone buffalo herd that must be accomplished within three years after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Expresses the sense of the House that the President should: (1) mobilize necessary economic and scientific support for the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise (an alliance of the world's leading scientists and independent organizations committed to accelerating the development of an HIV vaccine by enhancing coordination, information sharing, and collaboration globally); and (2) urge members of the Group of Eight (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) to garner support from their own communities for the development of an HIV vaccine. Calls for such countries to: (1) take further measures to explore and implement Enterprise initiatives; (2) leverage financial contributions from the international philanthropic community to provide funding to promote the development of an HIV vaccine; (3) include the scientific and political leadership of the countries most affected by the pandemic of HIV and AIDS; and (4) develop a plan for furthering such efforts prior to their June 2005 meeting. Urges the President to generate global support for the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise by carrying out an initiative that: (1) coordinates and partners with member countries, the private sector, and other countries; (2) encourages Group of Eight countries to act swiftly to mobilize resources; (3) includes a strategic plan to prioritize challenges to the development of an HIV vaccine, to coordinate research and product development, and to encourage greater use of information-sharing networks and technologies; (4) encourages the establishment of coordinated global HIV vaccine development centers; and (5) increases cooperation and communication among regulatory agencies on issues related to AIDS and HIV.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Privacy Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to exclude from the definition of "financial institution" (thus exempting from the requirements of the Act) any provider of financial services, or any of its affiliates, that is subject to regulation of client confidentiality in the form of state or territorial statute, regulation, or judicial decision prohibiting unauthorized disclosure of confidential client information without client consent.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Child Support Reinvestment Act of 2005 - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act with respect to the administrative penalty incurred by a state for failure of its plan for child and spousal support to have in effect an automated data processing and information retrieval system meeting all federal requirements. Modifies the formula for calculation of the child support automation penalty to provide for specified reductions of the penalty for a state making a good faith effort to comply with a corrective compliance plan by making increased expenditures under (reinvesting in) the general state child and spousal support plan by the equivalent of the original, unreduced penalty amount.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Special Interest Lobbying and Ethics Accountability Act of 2005 - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require: (1) quarterly instead of semiannual filing of lobbying disclosures reports; (2) electronic filing; (3) maintenance of certain lobbying disclosure information in an electronic data base, available to the public free of charge over the Internet; (4) identification of each executive official and Member of Congress with whom lobbying contacts are made; (5) disclosure by registered lobbyists of all past executive and congressional employment; and (6) disclosure of grassroots lobbying communications by paid lobbyists. Extends from one to two years the ban on lobbying contacts by former senior and very senior executive personnel, former Members of Congress, and officers and employees of the legislative branch with any officer or employee of the entity in which such person served before his or her tenure terminated. Requires public disclosure by Members of Congress of employment negotiations. Subjects to fines and penalties a Member of Congress or an employee of the House who wrongfully influences, on a partisan basis, an entity's employment decisions or practices. Amends the Code of Official Conduct in the House to prohibit favoritism. Requires certification that congressional travel meets certain conditions, and establishes civil fines for false certifications. Requires the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to develop and revise guidelines on reasonable expenses or expenditures for official government travel. Calls for reviews and semiannual reports by the Comptroller General on activities carried out by the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate under the Act, subject to congressional committee hearings. Increases the penalty for failure to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements. Requires appointment of a bipartisan ethics task force to make recommendations on: (1) strengthening ethics oversight and enforcement in the House; and (2) providing the resources necessary to accomplish this goal.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Welcomes recent attempts by the U.N. Secretary General to address the issue of anti-Semitism, and calls on the United Nations to condemn anti-Semitic statements in its meetings and hold member states accountable for such statements. Urges the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to develop and implement Holocaust education programs as part of an effort against anti-Semitism and racial, religious, and ethnic intolerance. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should direct the Secretary of State to: (1) include in the Department of State's annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and annual Report on International Religious Freedom information on activities at the United Nations and its constituent bodies relating to anti-Semitism by each of the countries included in these reports; and (2) use projects funded through the Middle East Partnership Initiative and U.S. overseas broadcasts to educate Arab and Muslim countries about anti-Semitism, religious intolerance, and incitement to violence.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Welcomes the opportunity for the Republic of Albania to take the next steps in European and Euro-Atlantic integration by holding July 2005 parliamentary elections that meet the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) election standards. Supports commitments by Albanian political parties to adhere to campaign and election laws. Supports U.S. assistance to help the people of Albania establish a democratic system and a free market economy. Encourages the President to communicate to the government of Albania, to all Albanian political parties and candidates, and to the people of Albania the importance attached by the U.S. government to this parliamentary election in determining the future U.S.-Albanian relationship.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2005
Condemns the vote by the British Association of University Teachers (BAUT) on April 22, 2005, to boycott Bar-Ilan University and Haifa University. Calls on BAUT to overturn this vote at its hearing on May 26, 2005. Denounces BAUT's call for professors from these universities to take loyalty oaths disavowing the Israeli Government. Urges governments and educators throughout the world to generate dialogue regarding their differences and not bar students and professors from engaging with and learning from each other.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2005 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend to certain Head Start teachers eligibility for cancellation of repayment obligations for specified types of student loans.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to carry out a recovery program for southern sea otter populations along the coast of California. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a Southern Sea Otter Health Assessment Plan; (2) collect and analyze tissue samples from southern sea otters; and (3) submit the tissue to the Secretary of Commerce for inclusion in the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank to allow for managed access to such tissues by other researchers. Requires the Secretary to: (1) award competitive grants to support research regarding southern sea otters; and (2) establish the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Implementation Team to make recommendations on overall implementation of the southern sea otter recovery program and research goals and review the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee. Requires the Team to establish the Subcommittee to evaluate the scientific merit and quality of southern sea otter research proposals submitted for funding and make funding recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to reduce the minimum net worth ratio requirements of well-capitalized, adequately capitalized, under capitalized, and significantly undercapitalized credit unions. Sets the minimum risk-based net ratio at 8%. Revises the requirement that the National Credit Union Administration Board design the risk-based net worth standard to take account of any material risks to insured credit unions. Requires the standard to be designed in relation to risk assets, and to be based on comparable standards for taking into account material risks to insured depository institutions under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act that are applicable to credit unions. Revises definitions relating to net worth of credit unions. Cites circumstances in which the Board may waive the requirement that an undercapitalized credit union submit an acceptable net worth restoration plan. Revamps guidelines governing limits and restrictions on member business loans. Authorizes credit unions to lease to any business enterprise separate and clearly distinct space in buildings in credit union offices in underserved areas. Permits a credit union to invest securities for its own account. Increases from 12 to 15 years the term of credit union loans. Increases from 1% to 3% the investment limit in credit union service organizations. Permits credit unions to offer check cashing and money transfer services to persons within the field of membership (instead of, as currently, to members only). Extends to voluntary mergers on or after August 7, 1998, involving multiple common-bond credit unions the exemption from the numerical limit (only a group with fewer than 3,000 members) for eligibility for inclusion in the field of membership category of such a credit union. Requires the Board to prescribe criteria for continued membership of certain member groups in the case of conversions of certain credit unions to a community charter. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to treat credit unions as banks which shall not be considered brokers or dealers because the credit unions engage in certain broker- or dealer-related activities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Imposes a six-month moratorium on terminations of certain pension plans, instituted under specified provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), in cases in which reorganization of contributing sponsors is sought in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2005
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (requested to be November by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Montgomery GI Bill Improvements Act of 2005 - Amends the Montgomery GI Bill to authorize enhanced educational assistance to a member of the Armed Forces who, after September 30, 2005: (1) first enters on active duty; (2) reenlists or continues to serve on active duty; (3) serves a continuous period of active duty of four years; or (4) serves and is discharged or released for a service-connected disability, at the convenience of the Government (after serving at least 42 months of such duty), or due to a reduction in force. Limits to 36 months the period for such enhanced assistance. Requires the payment of educational expenses under such program. Provides a monthly stipend for approved programs of education. Increases the rates of basic educational assistance. Repeals, with respect to such assistance: (1) a required monthly reduction in pay for individuals who do not elect to participate in such assistance program; (2) a provision authorizing individuals to elect not to receive such assistance; and (3) the requirement that participants complete the requirements of a high school diploma or equivalency certificate prior to the end of their initial obligated period of service in order to be eligible to receive such assistance. Excludes educational assistance payments from income for purposes of eligibility for Federal educational loans. Repeals the ten-year delimiting date for use of entitlement to basic educational assistance for: (1) veterans; (2) Selected Reserve members; and (3) members of the reserve components called or ordered to active service in response to a war or national emergency. Eliminates: (1) with respect to transfer of basic educational assistance to a dependent by a member of the Armed Forces with critical skills the requirements that such skill or specialty be designated by the Secretary concerned as eligible for such transfer; and (2) with respect to accelerated payments of basic educational assistance the requirement that the individual is enrolled in a program leading to employment in a high technology occupation. Increases student loan program repayment amounts for active duty and Selected reserve members. Limits total repayment amounts for: (1) active duty members with specialties to $40,000; and (2) Selected Reserve members with specialties to $20,000.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Indentured Servitude Abolition Act of 2005 - Requires foreign labor contractors (recruiters) and employers to inform foreign workers accurately of specified terms and conditions of their employment at the time they are recruited. Requires such information to be provided in written form in English or, as necessary and reasonable, in the language of the worker being recruited. Prohibits charging fees to workers for recruitment. Requires employers to pay such a worker's transportation costs, including subsistence costs during the period of travel: (1) from the place of recruitment to the place of employment; and (2) from the place of employment to the worker's place of permanent residence. Prohibits discrimination in employment by an employer or a recruiter against an individual because of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, or disability. Requires employers to notify the Secretary of Labor of the identity of: (1) any recruiter involved in any foreign labor contractor activity for or on behalf of the employer; and (2) any such recruiter whose activities do not comply with this Act. Subjects employers to the civil remedies of this Act for violations committed by such recruiters to the same extent as if the employers had committed the violations. Prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Patients' Bill of Rights Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to set forth requirements for health plans or issuers of health insurance coverage, including requirements for: (1) utilization review activities; (2) procedures for claims benefits processing, prior authorization determinations, appeals, and internal reviews; and (3) access for an independent, external review. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Health Care Consumer Assistance Fund to award grants to States for consumer assistance activities designed to provide information, assistance, and referrals to consumers of health insurance products. Sets forth requirements for managed care programs and their access to care, including requiring such programs to: (1) offer coverage that allows for non-network coverage through another plan or issuer; (2) provide access to out-of-network emergency care without prior authorization; and (3) provide timely access to specialists. Requires certain annual disclosures from health plans or issuers, including disclosures of covered benefits, cost-sharing requirements, and participating providers. Prohibits a plan or issuer from: (1) restricting a health care professional's ability to advise a patient on the health of an individual or on medical care or treatment for the individual's condition or disease; and (2) operating any physician incentive plan. Establishes a cause of action against a plan or issuer that fails to exercise ordinary care in making a decision that results in a personal injury or death to a participant or beneficiary. Provides a tax credit to small businesses for expenses paid by the business for health insurance coverage of employees.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Veterans Outreach Act of 2005 - Rescinds a specified Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) memorandum (Status of VHA Enrollment and Associated Issues) from the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management. States that: (1) Veterans Integrated Service Networks' marketing activities shall be carried out without regard to such memorandum; and (2) no VA funds shall be used to carry out such memorandum. Directs the Secretary of the VA to annually prepare a plan for VA outreach activities for the following year which shall include plans to: (1) identify veterans who are not enrolled for VA benefits; and (2) inform veterans and their dependents of benefits changes, including medical and nursing care eligibility. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish procedures to coordinate VA outreach activities; and (2) assign VA employees to conduct outreach program services for eligible dependents (spouse, surviving spouse (whether or not remarried), child (regardless of age or marital status), or parent of a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service).
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Recognizes Miguel Contreras: (1) on the occasion of his death, for his tireless work on behalf of immigrants and working people, and extends condolences to his family; and (2) as a role model.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
India-Pakistan Peace Resolution - Congratulates India and Pakistan on taking monumental steps toward achieving a comprehensive peace agreement, and applauds Prime Minister Singh and President Musharraf for their leadership in bringing their two nations together.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2005
Recognizes the independence of the State of Israel as a significant event in providing refuge and a national homeland for the Jewish people, and congratulates the people of Israel as they celebrate the 57th anniversary of Israel's independence. Praises the efforts of President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to create the conditions for Middle East peace. Commends the bipartisan commitment of all administrations and Congresses since 1948 to stand by Israel and work for its security and well-being.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2005
Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of not more than eight centers to conduct multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research on environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer. Requires each such center to: (1) be known as a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Center of Excellence; (2) establish ongoing collaborations with community organizations; (3) be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions; (4) be supported under this Act for a period of not more than five years with additional periods allowed after review and recommendation; and (5) use innovative approaches to study unexplored areas of the environment and breast cancer. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Panel to make recommendations for and to review grants awarded under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2005
Pension Fairness and Full Disclosure Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish a termination fairness standard that limits availability of benefits under an employer's nonqualified deferred compensation plans if such employer's defined benefit pension plan is subjected to: (1) a termination based on bankruptcy reorganization; or (2) a conversion to a cash balance plan. Prohibits funding nonqualified deferred compensation plans while maintaining underfunded defined benefit plans. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose excise taxes on funding nonqualified deferred compensation plans: (1) in the event of a pension plan termination based on bankruptcy reorganization or of a conversion to a cash balance plan; or (2) while maintaining underfunded defined benefit plans. Requires disclosure with respect to nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2005
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community Act of 2005 - Establishes the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Community to develop a plan of action for the establishment and maintenance of a National Museum of the American Latino Community in Washington, D.C.