United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2008
Vaccines for Children Access Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include all public clinics for distribution of pediatric vaccines under Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2008
Iraq Strategic Agreement Review Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and any other necessary representative of the executive branch of the U.S. government to begin consultations with the appropriate congressional committees and leadership on any potential long-term security, economic, or political agreement (agreement) with the government of Iraq. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) full Iraqi sovereignty is in the U.S. national interest; and (2) any agreement that is not in the form of a treaty with respect to which the Senate has given its advice and consent to ratification under Article II of the Constitution of the United States does not have the force and effect of law. Prohibits obligating or expending funds for the implementation of any agreement with the government of Iraq unless the agreement is in the form of a treaty with respect to which the Senate has given its advice and consent to ratification under Article II.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2008
Supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week and its aim to increase understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers and promote literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Declares that the House of Representatives will work with the engineering community to make sure that its creativity and contribution can be expressed through research, development, standardization, and innovation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2007, or the Josh Miller HEARTS Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use in their schools; and/or (2) provide training to meet the requirement that at least five adult employees or volunteers at each school with an AED successfully complete training in its use and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Requires LEA grant applicants also to demonstrate that: (1) the AEDs are integrated into the schools' medical emergency response procedures; and (2) emergency services personnel are notified of their locations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2007 - Provides that a federal employee and his or her domestic partner shall be entitled to benefits available to, and shall be subject to obligations imposed upon, a married federal employee and his or her spouse. Defines "domestic partner" to mean an adult unmarried person living with another adult unmarried person of the same sex in a committed, intimate relationship. Defines "benefits" to include federal health insurance and enhanced dental and vision benefits, retirement and disability benefits, family, medical, and emergency leave, group life insurance, long-term care insurance, compensation for work injuries, and benefits for disability, death, or captivity. Excludes members of the uniformed services from the definition of "employee." Sets forth requirements for filing: (1) an affidavit of eligibility as such a domestic partner, which shall include a certification that the employee and the domestic partner are each other's sole domestic partners and intend to remain so indefinitely; and (2) a statement upon dissolution of such a domestic partnership.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, with respect to abatement actions because of the release of recycled oil and liability for costs or damages resulting from such oil's release in the course of disposal or transport, to limit liability of a service station dealer with respect to any period between November 8, 1986, and the effective date of certain corrective action regulations or standards promulgated under the Solid Waste Disposal Act if the dealer complied with all applicable laws and regulations relating to disposal.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Recognizes the need to pursue research into the causes, treatment, and a cure for primary lateral sclerosis. Commends: (1) hospitals, community clinics, educational institutes, and other organizations that are working to increase awareness of, and conducting research for methods to help patients suffering from, the disorder; and (2) the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation for its efforts to educate, support, and provide hope for individuals who suffer from the disorder, while funding research to help find a cure. Expresses support for the designation of a Hardy Brown Primary Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Sets forth the rule for the consideration of the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2764 (making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for FY2008) and for consideration of H.J. Res. 72 (making further continuing appropriations for FY2008).
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Supports the designation of a "Gospel Music Heritage Month" to recognize the great contributions to American culture that have derived from the rich heritage of gospel music and its artists.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Congratulates the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences during its 50th GRAMMY celebration for its important work in improving the environment for music and music makers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Compound 1080 and M-44 Elimination Act - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit the manufacture, processing, possession, or distribution in commerce of sodium fluoroacetate (known as Compound 1080 or sodium monofluoroacetate). Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) conduct an inventory to identify stocks of Compound 1080 under federal control; (2) provide for the collection and destruction of all remaining stocks of Compound 1080 and the compensation of persons (other than federal entities) who transfer stocks of Compound 1080 to the Secretary; and (3) disseminate information to the public about the ban on Compound 1080 and the collection and compensation program under this Act. Prohibits any federal entity from using M-44. Defines "M-44" as sodium cyanide packaged in a dispenser designed to propel it when activated and any other form of sodium cyanide used for wildlife management or other animal control purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Recognizes and expresses appreciation for the courageous and loyal contributions made by the American soldiers detained in Berga, Germany, during World War II and encourages the people of the United States to recognize their service and loyalty.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2007
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Senate should initiate a bipartisan process to give its advice and consent to ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2007 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of gold medals to Native American code talkers of specified Indian tribes. Defines "code talker" as a Native American who served in the Armed Forces during a foreign conflict and who participated in military communications using a native language. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and Indian tribes, to identify code talkers eligible for a gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
End Racial Profiling Act of 2007 or ERPA - Prohibits law enforcement agents or agencies from engaging in racial profiling. Defines "racial profiling" as the practice of a law enforcement agent or agency relying, to any degree, on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in selecting which individual to subject to routine or spontaneous investigatory activities or in deciding upon the scope and substance of law enforcement activity following the initial investigatory procedure. Allows the United States, or individuals injured by racial profiling, to bring civil actions for declaratory or injunctive relief. Requires federal law enforcement agencies to: (1) maintain adequate policies and procedures for eliminating racial profiling; and (2) cease existing practices that permit racial profiling. Requires states, local governments, and Indian tribes applying for federal law enforcement assistance grants to certify that they: (1) maintain adequate policies and procedures for eliminating racial profiling; (2) have eliminated any existing practices of racial profiling; and (3) have established an administrative complaint procedure and independent auditor program for addressing complaints of racial profiling. Requires the Attorney General to: (1) carry out a two-year demonstration project to collect data on hit rates for stops and searches by law enforcement agents; (2) make grants to develop and implement best practice devices and systems to eliminate racial profiling; and (3) issue regulations for data collection and make reports on racial profiling.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Environmental Justice Access and Implementation Act of 2007 - Requires specified federal agencies to establish an Office of Environmental Justice pursuant to Executive Order 12898 (concerning federal actions to address environmental justice in minority and low-income populations). Defines "environmental justice" as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, educational level, or income in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. Requires the inclusion of minority and low-income populations with health vulnerabilities and exposure to certain environmental conditions in criteria for defining an environmental justice community. Requires federal agencies to integrate the environmental justice strategy developed under Executive Order 12898 into their operations and missions and explicitly address compliance with this Act. Directs the Interagency Federal Working Group on Environmental Justice (Working Group) to coordinate an integrated environmental justice training plan for federal agencies. Requires federal agencies subject to the requirements of this Act to carry out certain outreach activities relating to environmental justice and to report on such activities to the Working Group. Directs federal agencies to fund and establish community technology centers to provide technical assistance and other services in the environmental justice area. Requires the President and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide certain reports to Congress relating to environmental justice.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Detainee Interrogation Recording Act of 2007 - Requires the President to take such actions as are necessary, in accordance with specified laws and treaties, to ensure the videotaping of each strategic interrogation and other pertinent interaction between detainees or prisoners under the effective control of the U.S. and members of the Armed Forces, U.S. intelligence operatives, or U.S. contractors. Directs the President to provide for the appropriate classification of videotapes or recordings made under that requirement. Requires such videotapes to be made available, under seal if appropriate, to both prosecution and defense attorneys to the extent that they are material to any military or civilian criminal proceeding. Defines strategic interrogation as an interrogation at: (1) a corps or theater-level detention facility; or (2) a detention facility outside of the area where the detainee or prisoner was initially captured, including one owned, operated, borrowed, or leased by the U.S. government and a detention facility of a foreign government. Prohibits construing this Act to require videotaping during direct tactical combat operations. Requires the President to ensure that representatives of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent are granted access to detainees or prisoners in the custody or effective control of the Armed Forces. Directs the Judge Advocates General to jointly develop guidelines to ensure that the videotaping required by this Act is sufficiently expansive to prevent any abuse of detainees and prisoners and violations of specified laws and treaties.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law on April 23, 1908. Recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the service of its past and present citizen-soldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland defense of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Waives a specified requirement of Rule XIII (Calendar and Committee Reports) to allow consideration of the following Senate amendments on the same day they are presented to the House: (1) the Senate amendment to H.R. 2764 (Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008); and (2) the Senate amendments to H.R. 6 (Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007).
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Community Building Code Administration Grant Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award grants, on a competitive basis and with federal matching funds, to qualified local building code enforcement departments to increase staffing, provide staff training, increase staff competence and professional qualifications, support individual certification or departmental accreditation, or for capital expenditures specifically dedicated to department administration. Sets forth criteria for rating and ranking of grant proposals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2007
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week; (2) increased funding for research on congenital heart defects and diseases (CHDs); and (3) the education of parents and the medical community on CHDs symptoms and the importance of newborn screenings for such symptoms.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2007
Amends title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to create a new Part D: Promoting Youth Financial Literacy. Allows the Secretary of Education to provide grants to states to: (1) assist local educational agencies and public schools provide financial education programs to students in kindergarten through grade 12; and (2) implement financial education professional development programs for teachers and administrators. Requires a specified amount of the grant funds to be awarded competitively each fiscal year, with the remainder provided to each state on the basis of its share of students in kindergarten through grade 12. Directs the Secretary to make a grant to or contract with an institution of higher education or nonprofit organization that has substantial financial education experience to establish and operate a national clearinghouse of instructional materials and information on model financial education programs and best practices. Amends title V of the ESEA to direct the Secretary to set aside 2% of the funds appropriated for the Fund for the Improvement of Education program each fiscal year for financial literacy activities under such program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2007
Asserts that: (1) water management priorities should reflect the goals of safeguarding and sustaining water resources; (2) U.S. executive directors of international financial institutions should not approve loans that require increased cost recovery or water privatization or public-private partnerships that would result in significant increases in consumer water fees or in other ways restrict affordable access to water; and (3) federal policies should ensure that sources of water pollution are adequately regulated and those responsible held accountable for the pollution they cause. Affirms: (1) that water should not be treated as a private commodity where this would limit or deny public access to freshwater resources; (2) that Congress firmly commits itself to meet the Millennium Development Goals; and (3) that access to international loans and debt reduction programs should not be conditioned on implementing increased cost recovery policies when those policies would result in significantly increased water rates that reduce access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Deems that federal funding not be conditioned on the consideration of forms of privatization that would restrict affordable access to water. Upholds the principle that governments should engage all members of society in participation in overseeing decisions concerning water conservation and management. Recommends that trade agreements should not include conditions related to the provision of water for human use that would result in reduced access to water. Recognizes: (1) the need to fully fund the Water for the Poor Act of 2007; and (2) that sufficient and safe drinking water is a precondition for the realization of all other human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate final consumer product safety standards, applicable to any furniture the CPSC determines poses a substantial safety hazard due to tipping, that are (at a minimum) substantially the same as a specified ASTM standard. Requires the CPSC to promulgate final consumer product safety standards to require that, in any furniture containing a glass surface or pane of a size that poses a safety hazard on breaking, the glass be safety glass.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Keeping Americans Warm Act of 2007 - Appropriates funds for FY2008 to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for emergency payments to states under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, notwithstanding such Act's requirement that funds be made available only after the President's submission to Congress of a formal budget request that includes a designation of the requested amount as an emergency requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) expresses its appreciation for the profound dedication and public service of former Congressman Henry J. Hyde of Illinois; (2) notes that he was preceded in death by his former wife Jeanne Simpson and his son, Henry "Hank" Hyde; and (3) tenders its deep sympathy to his wife, Judy Wolverton, to his children, Robert, Laura, and Anthony, and to his entire family and former congressional staff.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Expresses sympathy for the victims of Cyclone Sidr which has affected southern Bangladesh. Urges the U.S. government to make available all appropriate assistance requested by the Bangladeshi authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Recognizes the 20th anniversary of observing World AIDS Day. Commends the President and state and local governments for publicizing its importance and encouraging individuals to undergo HIV testing. Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of such Day; (2) continued funding for prevention, care, treatment services, and research programs for persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; (3) providing universal access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care, and support programs by 2010; and (4) efforts to address the factors that make populations vulnerable to HIV/AIDS by decreasing poverty, hunger, and childhood mortality and by empowering women.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Mail Network Protection Act of 2007 - Requires the U.S. Postal Service to bargain with unions representing career Postal Service employees before entering into a contract for mail processing, mail handling, or surface transportation of mail if the contract, in a 12 month period, would involve work that would otherwise be performed by those employees and either: (1) involve more than a specified amount of work time; or (2) cost over $5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Medicare Fracture Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a national minimum payment amount for CPT code 77080 (relating to dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DXA, the most widely accepted method of measuring bone mass to predict fracture risk) and CPT code 77082 (relating to vertebral fracture assessment, or VFA), and any successor to such codes as identified by the Secretary (bone mass scans). Directs the Secretary to arrange with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to conduct a study for a report to the Secretary and Congress on: (1) the ramifications of Medicare reimbursement reductions for DXA and VFA on beneficiary access to bone mass measurement benefits; and (2) the methods to increase use of bone mass measurement by Medicare beneficiaries.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Medicare Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2007- Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for the recognition of state- licensed or registered health care professionals who are certified diabetes educators as Medicare providers of diabetes outpatient self-management training services. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the barriers that exist for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes in accessing diabetes self-management training services under the Medicare program. Directs the Director of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality to develop a series of recommendations on effective outreach methods to educate primary care physicians and the public about the benefits of diabetes self-management training.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Foster and Adoptive Parent Recruitment Programs Act of 2007 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make competitive grants to support establishment and expansion of programs that use networks of public, private, and faith-based organizations to recruit and train foster and adoptive parents and provide support services to foster and adoptive children and their families. Makes eligible for such grants state or local governments, local public agencies, community-based or nonprofit organizations, or private entities, including charitable or faith-based organizations. Directs the Secretary to provide for a National Clearinghouse for Adoption Promotion and Foster Parent Recruitment Programs through a contract with a nationally recognized, nonprofit adoption promotion and foster parent recruitment organization.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Federal Food Donation Act of 2007 - Revises the Federal Acquisition Regulation to require all contracts (except Department of Defense (DOD) contracts) above the simplified acquisition threshold for the provision, service, or sale of food, or for the lease or rental of federal property to a private entity for events at which food is provided to include a clause that: (1) encourages the donation of excess, apparently wholesome food to nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to food-insecure people; (2) provides that the head of an executive agency shall not assume responsibility for the costs and logistics of collecting, transporting, maintaining the safety of, or distributing such food; and (3) states that executive agencies and contractors making donations are protected from civil or criminal liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Inclusive Home Design Act of 2007 - Requires, with exceptions, newly constructed, federally assisted single family houses and town houses to include at least one level that complies with the following accessibility features for persons with disabilities: (1) accessible entrance; (2) accessible interior doors; (3) accessible environmental controls; and (4) accessible habitable space and an accessible bathroom. Requires: (1) each applicant for federal financial assistance to submit compliance assurances to the relevant federal agency; and (2) each person who arranges for design or construction of a covered dwelling to submit architectural and construction plans for state or local approval. Prohibits federal financial assistance to a state or local government unit unless the recipient is taking certain enforcement actions with regard to covered dwellings. Permits: (1) private civil actions in a U.S. District Court or state court for violations under this Act; and (2) the Attorney General to commence civil actions or intervene in civil actions under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
School-Based Health Clinic Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the cost of operating school-based health clinics to provide comprehensive primary health services (which include physical and mental health services, and which may include optional services such as nutrition, oral health, health education, and case management services) during school hours to children and adolescents by health professionals. Requires such clinics to: (1) provide services to children and adolescents for whom parental or guardian consent has been obtained; (2) provide on-site access during the academic day when school is in session and 24-hour coverage through an on-call system and backup health providers to ensure access to services on a year-round basis. Allows the Secretary to give preference to applicants who demonstrate an ability to serve: (1) communities with evidence of barriers to primary health care and mental health services for children and adolescents; (2) communities that have consistently scored poorly on child and adolescent standardized health indicator reports; (3) communities with high percentages of children and adolescents who are uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in public health insurance programs; and (4) populations of children and adolescents that have demonstrated difficulty historically in accessing health and mental health services. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to provide technical and other assistance to clinics; and (2) implement a plan for evaluating clinics and monitoring the quality of their performance.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Satellite Consumers' Access to Public Television Digital Programming Act of 2007 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require a satellite carrier that offers multichannel video programming distribution service to over five million subscribers to retransmit the digital signals of each noncommercial educational television station that is located in any local U.S. market.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2007
IDEA Fairness Restoration Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to include expert witness fees, including the reasonable costs of any test or evaluation necessary for the preparation of the parent or guardian's case in the action or proceeding, within the definition of "attorneys' fees" that may be awarded to the prevailing party in a civil action brought under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2007
States that nothing in the Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq of 2002 (P.L. 107-243), any act that serves as the statutory authority for Executive Order 13382 or Executive Order 13224, any resolution previously adopted, or any other provision of law including Executive Order 13382 or Executive Order 13224 shall be construed to authorize, encourage, or in any way address the use of the U.S. Armed Forces against Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4156) making emergency supplemental appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Declares that House of Representatives has lost confidence in Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairwoman Nancy Nord and urges the President to request her resignation and to nominate a replacement.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Condemns Communist China's discrimination, harassment, imprisonment, torture, and execution of its prisoners of conscience. Calls upon Communist China to release its prisoners of conscience. Urges the Administration to raise the issue of Communist China's prisoners of conscience in high-level diplomatic meetings with Communist Chinese officials.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Honors Theodor Criveanu for his efforts to save Romanian Jews during the Holocaust and for being named by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, as Righteous Among the Nations. Promotes education to preserve the legacy of the righteous gentiles who risked their lives to save innocent Jews.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2007
Congratulates: (1) the Colorado Rockies on winning the National League Championship and advancing to the 2007 World Series; and (2) the Boston Red Sox for winning the 2007 World Series.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2007
American Anti-Torture Act of 2007 - Amends the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 to prohibit any person in the custody or control of the United States (under current law, the Department of Defense) from being subject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by and listed in the U.S. Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation. Makes such prohibition inapplicable with respect to any person in the custody or control of the United States (under current law, the Department of Defense) pursuant to a U.S. criminal or immigration law.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2007
Expresses sympathy for the victims of the devastating flooding affecting southern Mexico and conveys support to the people and government of Mexico. Urges the U.S. government to make available all possible assistance to Mexican authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2007
Stop Outsourcing Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that only government personnel provide security services at U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in Iraq. Requires the President to report to Congress on the status of planning for the use of Government and military personnel instead of private contractors for mission critical or emergency essential functions by January 1, 2009, in all conflict zones where Congress has authorized the use of force. Authorizes Congress access to contracts and task orders in excess of $5 million entered into by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending on the last day of the month during which this Act is enacted for work to be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Requires certain reports to Congress regarding such contracts.