United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2005
Secure Access to Justice and Court Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the federal criminal code to increase penalties for assaulting, kidnapping, murdering, attempting or conspiring to kidnap or murder, or threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder a U.S. official or employee, a federal judge or law enforcement officer, or an immediate family member of such an individual. Subjects anyone who kills a current or former federally funded public safety officer performing official duties to the penalties applicable to killing a U.S. officer or employee performing official duties. Increases minimum terms of imprisonment for second degree murder and manslaughter. Increases penalties for: (1) influencing or injuring an officer or juror; and (2) tampering with or retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant. Includes intimidation of or retaliation against a witness, victim, juror, or informant within the definition of "unlawful activity" for purposes of the prohibition against interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises. Amends: (1) the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to create and expand witness protection programs; and (2) the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to authorize grants to states to create and expand witness and victim protection programs. Prohibits: (1) filing in a publicly available record any false lien or encumbrance against the real or personal property of a federal judge, federal attorney, or public safety officer; or (2) making restricted personal information about specified covered officials publicly available through the Internet.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2005
Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of Federal employees student loan repayments by the Federal Government on behalf of such employees. Exempts such repayments from social security taxes. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to include in the annual report to Congress on student loan repayment benefits information identifying Federal agencies that have not provided such benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2005
Rural Veterans Access to Care Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a FY 2006 through 2008 pilot program to improve health care access for rural veterans. States that: (1) the program shall be conducted in three geographic service regions (Veterans Integrated Service Networks) of the Veterans Health Administration; and (2) medical services shall be provided by non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers for acute or chronic symptom management, non-therapeutic medical services, and other medical services as determined by the director of the appropriate geographic service region. Obligates program funds.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2005
Diabetic Foot Complication and Lower Extremity Amputation Reduction Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible multidisciplinary health care programs for: (1) providing a high-risk, underserved population with screening, education, and evidence-based medical treatment regarding diabetic foot complications that may lead to lower extremity amputations; and (2) evaluating the quality, cost effectiveness, parity, and patient satisfaction of medical interventions in the prevention of diabetic foot complications and lower extremity amputations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2005
Honors John J. Hainkel, Jr. for his service to the State of Louisiana as a State Representative and Senator, who served as both Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate in Louisiana. Expresses deepest condolences to his family and friends.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2005
Recognizes America's Blood Centers and its members for providing blood to patients, ensuring the safety of the blood supply, and promoting blood donor initiatives.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2005
Together-Immediately Defeating Erosion Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use appropriated funds to participate in environmental restoration and resource protection programs and projects in the Louisiana coastal area and to enter into an agreements with other federal agencies to to carry out interagency projects. Amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to use authorized funds to: (1) give technical and financial assistance to local organizations in planning and carrying out watershed projects for flood protection and other purposes consistent with the comprehensive Louisiana coastal conservation, protection, and restoration program; (2) enter into a project agreements with other federal agencies; and (3) implement projects to protect or restore watersheds and the ecosystem in coastal Louisiana.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prescribe consumer protection guidelines for rental-purchase transactions, including: (1) the determination of rental-purchase cost; (2) disclosure requirements; (3) prohibitions against confessions of judgment, wage assignments, and waiver of consumer claims or defenses; (4) furnishing of statements of account; (5) point-of-rental disclosures; and (6) rental-purchase advertising disclosures. Establishes civil and criminal liability for violations of this Act. Grants enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission and to state attorneys general.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act of 2005 - Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the use of and reimbursement for colorectal cancer screening tests covered under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (SSA). Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) increase Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) reimbursement for colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic tests; (2) cover an outpatient office visit or consultation for the purpose of beneficiary education before a colorectal cancer screening test consisting of a colonoscopy, or in conjunction with the beneficiary's decision to obtain such a screening, regardless of whether the screening is medically indicated with respect to the beneficiary; and (3) waive the deductible for such tests.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
Protecting Every Health Center Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem all federally-qualified health centers and their officers, employees, and contractors to be employees of the Public Health Service for whom any remedy for any civil action that may arise for services provided shall be exclusively against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2005 - Provides that antitrust laws shall apply to negotiations between groups of independent pharmacies and health plans and health insurance issuers in the same manner as such laws apply to collective bargaining by labor organizations under the National Labor Relations Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives to provide for the display of the Ten Commandments in the House chamber if the Supreme Court holds in specified pending cases that the display of the Ten Commandments in public places by State and local governments violates the First Amendment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2005
Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act - Recognizes the suffering and the loyalty of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II. Establishes in the Treasury the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Fund (which shall terminate on the later of three years after the date of enactment of this Act or one year after disbursement of all Fund payments). Directs: (1) the Secretary of the Interior to make specified payments to eligible family members as successor claimants to persons who were killed, injured, interned, or subjected to forced labor or marches resulting from, or incident to, such occupation and subsequent liberation; (2) the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States (FCSC) to establish the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Commission to adjudicate such claims; and (3) the Secretary to establish the non-profit Guam World War II Remembrance Trust Fund, which shall undertake educational, medical, and other endeavors to benefit the people of Guam.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2005
Taxpayer Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions enacted by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to enter into contracts with private collection agencies for the collection of taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2005
Alternative Energy Enhancement Act of 2005 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant a lease, easement, right-of-way, license, or permit on the outer Continental Shelf for activities not otherwise authorized under specified statutes if those activities support or promote: (1) exploration, development, production, transportation, or storage of oil, natural gas, or other minerals; (2) production, transportation, or transmission of energy from sources other than oil and gas; or (3) use, for energy-related or marine-related purposes, of facilities in use on or before enactment this Act. Prescribes implementation and payment procedures. Declares this Act inapplicable to any area on the outer Continental Shelf designated as a National Marine Sanctuary.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit and to establish penalties for knowingly making available a computer-assisted remote hunt (i.e., using a computer or other device, equipment, or software to allow a person remotely to control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to kill or injure an animal while not in the targeted animal's physical presence).
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Chemical Facility Security Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate certain combinations of chemical sources and substances of concern as high-priority categories based on the severity of the threat of a terrorist release, taking into account specified factors. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations requiring owners or operators of chemical sources to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop and implement site security plans that address the results. Directs chemical sources not in high-priority categories to certify completion of such assessments and implementation of such plans. Requires the Secretary, in promulgating regulations and establishing procedures, protocols, and standards for such assessments and plans, to consider specified factors, including the likelihood that a chemical source will be the target of terrorism and the potential scope of injury. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate or exempt certain categories of stationary sources as chemical sources; and (2) designate, exempt, and adjust threshold quantities of substances of concern. Establishes a five-year assessment and plan review requirement for chemical sources not in high-priority categories. Requires high-priority chemical sources to provide the Secretary with any changes to assessments and plans within 90 days. Sets forth disclosure protections and requires the development of confidentiality protocols for information obtained under this Act. Establishes penalties for unauthorized disclosures. Establishes enforcement mechanisms for noncompliance with assessment or plan requirements. Sets forth recordkeeping and site inspection requirements. Exempts from this Act chemical sources required to prepare assessments and plans under specified Federal laws. Authorizes civil and administrative penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Domestic Offshore Energy Reinvestment Act of 2005 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to establish the Secure Energy Reinvestment Fund, consisting of outer Continental Shelf revenues attributable to royalties received by the United States in excess of prescribed amounts. Instructs the Secretary to pay to each coastal energy State (including its coastal political subdivision) certain amounts remaining in the Fund after payment for: (1) administrative expenses; and (2) the Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science and Technology program. Sets forth the uses of the Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science and Technology program.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Real Estate Investment Thrift Savings Act - Amends Federal law relating to the Federal Employees' Retirement System to provide for the establishment of a Real Estate Stock Investment Fund under the Thrift Savings Plan.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-exempt charitable or educational organizations to make collegiate housing and infrastructure improvement grants to certain tax-exempt social clubs (e.g., college fraternities and sororities) so long as all of the active members of such clubs are full-time students at the college or university with which such clubs are associated. Defines "collegiate housing and infrastructure grants" to include grants to provide, improve, operate, or maintain collegiate housing.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Dietary Supplement and Healthy Meal Replacement Tax Parity Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify dietary supplements and meal replacement products that are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make certain health claims as tax deductible medical expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Chinese Currency Act of 2005 - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 regarding countervailing duty investigations to revise the definition of countervailable subsidy to include exchange-rate manipulation. Defines "exchange-rate manipulation" as protracted large-scale intervention by an authority to undervalue its currency in the exchange market that prevents effective balance-of-payments adjustment or that gains an unfair competitive advantage over any other country. Specifies factors for determining whether exchange-rate manipulation is occurring and a benefit thereby conferred. Applies the definition of "exchange-rate manipulation" to the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) or any other public entity within its territory. Specifies: (1) factors for determining whether exchange-rate manipulation is occurring in the PRC; (2) actions to be taken, if a petition for an investigation alleges and reasonably documents that it is occurring; and (3) the standard for presidential action to prevent or remedy the market disruption at issue (including import relief and its modification and extension). Directs the Secretary of Defense, upon proper request or resolution, to report to the U.S. International Trade Commission any determination as to whether or not the articles of the PRC that are the subject of the investigation are like or directly competitive with domestically produced articles critical to the U.S. defense industrial base. Prohibits the Secretary from procuring, directly or indirectly, such products if the Commission or the President or the U.S. Trade Representative makes an affirmative determination that the Secretary's determination is accurate. Provides for presidential waiver of the prohibition in the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Family Friendly Employers Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to include assistance provided to dependents of an employee. Limits the annual amount of the exclusion for such dependents to $2,500.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Boundary Adjustment Act of 2005 - Amends the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to: (1) adjust the boundary of the Barataria Preserve Unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana by increasing the acreage limitation; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire any such additional land, water, and interests in land and water by donation, purchase, transfer from any other federal agency, or exchange. Requires, with respect to the Bayou aux Carpes Addition and the CIT Tract Addition, any federal land acquired in such Additions to be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Permits the acquisition of any private land in those Additions only with the owner's consent. Subjects any federal land in the CIT Tract Addition to any easements that have been agreed to by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Army. Modifies and/or eliminates certain provisions related to the acquisition of property within the Unit. Permits hunting, fishing, and trapping within the Unit. (Current law excludes such activities within the core area of the Unit and on certain lands acquired by the Secretary within the Unit.) Continues to provide for the designation of zones where, and established periods when, no hunting, fishing, or trapping shall be permitted except for public safety reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Jessica Lunsford Act - Amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act to direct that State procedures include a process under which the State mails a nonforwardable verification form at least twice a year to the last known address of the person required to register as a sexually violent offender, to be returned within ten days after receipt, with failure to return the form within the period allowed punishable in the same manner as a failure to register. Requires a State prison officer, the court, or another responsible officer or official, if a person required to register is released from prison or placed on parole, supervised release, or probation, to: (1) notify the agency responsible for supervising the person that such person is required to register; and (2) provide that agency with the registration information relating to that person. Provides that a person required to register who has two or more convictions for failing to register or failing to keep such registration current shall, upon release from imprisonment, be required to wear a location-transmitting device (such as an anklet) at all times for not less than five years (ten years if the person is a sexually violent predator). Requires the State to frequently monitor the information transmitted. Sets forth provisions regarding compliance dates and loss of Federal funding for failure to implement this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2005
Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to design national strategies for providing services in supportive housing that will assist in ending chronic homelessness and to implement programs that address chronic homelessness. Requires the Secretary to make matching grants to eligible entities to provide services that promote recovery and self-sufficiency and that address barriers to housing stability to chronically homeless individuals in, or who are scheduled to become residents of, permanent supportive housing and to other individuals and families who have voluntarily chosen to seek other housing opportunities after a period of tenancy in supportive housing. Directs the Secretary to require grantees to report data regarding the performance outcomes of projects carried out under this Act, which shall include measuring and reporting specific performance outcomes related to the long-term goals of: (1) increasing stability within the community for people who have been chronically homeless; and (2) decreasing recurrence of periods of homelessness.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan or group health coverage that provides both medical and surgical benefits and mental health benefits from imposing treatment limitations or financial requirements on the mental health benefits unless comparable limitations or requirements are imposed on medical and surgical benefits. Excludes such requirements for plans and coverage for small employers. Allows a plan or coverage that provides in-network mental health benefits to provide out-of-network mental health benefits using treatment limitations or financial requirements that are not comparable to those applied to medical-surgical benefits if the in-network mental health benefits are provided at parity with medical-surgical benefits and with reasonable access. Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to: (1) study the effects of this Act on health insurance costs and access and quality of health care; and (2) provide a cost estimation of extending such requirements to the treatment of substance abuse and chemical dependency.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Firearm Commerce Modernization Act - Amends Federal firearms provisions to permit a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector to: (1) sell or deliver a firearm (currently, a rifle or shotgun) to a resident of a State other than a State in which the licensee's place of business is located or temporarily located if the transferee meets in person with the transferor to accomplish the transfer; and (2) conduct business temporarily at any gun show or event sponsored by any national, State, or local organization, or any affiliate devoted to the collection, competitive use, or other sporting use of firearms (currently, only at such a location in the State specified on the person's license). Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to diminish the right of a licensee to conduct firearms transfers (currently, "curios or relics" firearms transfers) with another licensee away from the transferor's business premises.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2005 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to modify the definition of "religion" for purposes of coverage under that Act by requiring employers to make an affirmative and bona fide effort to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of employees. Defines the term "perform the essential functions" to exclude practices having a temporary or tangential impact on an employee's ability to perform job functions, such as practices relating to clothing or taking time off work. Sets forth factors to consider in determining whether an accommodation causes undue hardship. Defines "employee" to require an ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Requires removal of the conflict between employment requirements and the employee's religious practices in order for an accommodation to be considered reasonable. Considers an employer's refusal to permit an employee's use of general leave to remove a religious conflict solely because the leave will be used to accommodate religious practices to be an unlawful employment practice. States that the amendments made by this Act do not apply with respect to conduct occurring prior to enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the dollar limitation on the tax deduction for interest on education loans and expand eligibility for such deduction by revising the modified adjusted gross income phaseout for such deduction; (2) make the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses permanent; (3) increase from $2,000 to $5,000 the maximum allowable contribution to a Coverdell savings account; (4) exclude from gross income amounts received for qualified higher education expenses (e.g., books, supplies, room, board, and special needs services); and (5) allow certain additional expenses (e.g., fees, books, supplies, and equipment) for purposes of the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit and provide that such tax credit shall not be reduced by Federal Pell Grants and Supplemental Educational Opportunity (SEOG) Grants. Repeals the sunset provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) applicable to title IV, subtitles A, B, and D (Affordable Education Provisions) of such Act. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to provide that a qualified education benefit shall not be considered an asset of a student for purposes of a student financial need analysis. Defines "qualified education benefit" as a tax-exempt tuition credits program, a State education prepayment plan, and a Coverdell education savings account.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Student Aid Reward Act of 2005 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) title IV (Student Assistance) to direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a Student Aid Reward (SAR) Program of payments to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to encourage them to participate in the student loan program under title IV that is most cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires that a SAR payment to an IHE equal at least 50 percent of the savings to the Federal Government generated by the IHE's participation in the most cost-effective student loan program, rather than one not cost-effective for taxpayers. Requires IHEs receiving SAR payments to: (1) provide student loans under that most cost-effective program for five years after the payment date; and (2) use payment funds, where appropriate, to supplement students Pell Grants. Allows such funds to be used also to award need-based grants to lower and middle income graduate students.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Equal Justice for Our Military Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to authorize U.S. Supreme Court review of decisions in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces denied relief.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
TRICARE Mental Health Services Enhancement Act - Amends the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense (DOD) managed health care program) to authorize the provision of mental health counseling for TRICARE participants. Authorizes the provision of mental health services in DOD clinical trials. Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 to authorize the Secretary of Defense to enter into personal service contracts with mental health counselors. Includes mental health counselors within DOD licensure requirements for health-care professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of a legal union of a man and a woman. Prohibits any Federal or State court from having jurisdiction to determine whether the Constitution or any State constitution requires the legal incidents of marriage to be conferred upon any union other than a legal union between one man and one woman. Provides that no State shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State concerning a union between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage, or as having the legal incidents of marriage, under the laws of such other State.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2005
Child Predator Act of 2005 - Amends the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act to: (1) expand the definition of "criminal offense against a victim who is a minor" to include every offense, whether Federal, State, local, tribal, foreign, or otherwise, that involves one or more of specified characteristics (such as kidnapping or sexual conduct), when committed against a minor; and (2) define "child predator" as a person who is convicted of such an offense that is sexual in nature, where the minor is age 13 or younger. Directs that State procedures require a child predator to: (1) report a change of residence within ten days; and (2) notify appropriate entities within that person's community, including schools, public housing, at least two media outlets, and law enforcement. Sets penalties of up to two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both, for violations. Requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to disclose to the public, on a free-access Internet site, all information collected regarding each child predator, including a recent photograph. Requires the site to: (1) include a feature under which a member of the public can specify an address and be provided with registration information of all such predators within a radius of that address, as well as other searching and sorting capabilities; and (2) display the information in a manner that clearly indicates that the person is a child predator, along with the statutory definition of that term.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2005
Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize qualified physical therapists to provide services for Medicare beneficiaries without the requirement of a physician referral. Provides for treatment of outpatient speech-language pathology services separately from outpatient physical therapy services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2005
Community Health Center Volunteer Physician Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem volunteer practitioners at health centers as employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing services to patients at such health centers. Defines "volunteer practitioner" as a licensed physician who: (1) at the request of the entity, provides services to patients of a public or nonprofit entity receiving Federal funds for serving medically underserved areas; (2) provides such service at a site at which the entity operates or at a site designated by the entity; and (3) does not receive any compensation for the provision of services.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2005
District of Columbia Personal Protection Act - Amends specified law prohibiting the killing of wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia to declare that nothing in it or any other provision of law shall authorize or be construed to permit the Council, the Mayor, or any governmental or regulatory authority of the District to prohibit, constructively prohibit, or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under Federal law from acquiring, possessing in their homes or businesses, or using for sporting, self-protection or other lawful purposes, any firearm neither prohibited by Federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms. Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to repeal the definition of a machine gun as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading. (Thus repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.) Redefines "machine gun" to include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. Repeals the District's: (1) registration requirement for possession of firearms; (2) prohibition on possession of handgun restricted pistol bullets; and (3) requirement that, under certain conditions, firearms in the possession of certain individuals must be kept unloaded, disassembled, or with the trigger locked. Repeals the definition of restricted pistol bullet as any bullet designed for use in a pistol which, when fired from a pistol with a barrel of five inches or less in length, is capable of penetrating commercially available body armor with a penetration resistance equal to or greater than that of 18 layers of kevlar. Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle. Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm. Amends Federal law to eliminate criminal penalties for carrying a pistol whether loaded or unloaded in one's dwelling house, place of business, or on land possessed by such person. Amends the District of Columbia Code to extend to firearms generally (currently, only to pistols) the prohibition against carrying such a weapon either openly or concealed within the District without a license issued pursuant to D.C. law. Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2005
Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal criminal code to modify and expand prohibitions against criminal street gang activity, including forfeiture provisions. Revises penalties for: (1) interstate or foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises; (2) carjacking; (3) using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and other felony crimes of violence; (4) violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity; (5) murder and other violent crimes committed during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; (6) using interstate commerce facilities to commit multiple murder; and (7) the use of firearms in crimes of violence and drug trafficking. Amends: (1) the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to expand the definition of "racketeering activity" to cover interstate murder; and (2) the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to authorize the use of community-based justice grants to hire additional prosecutors to reduce backlogs and to fund technology, equipment, and training for specified purposes, including to increase the accurate identification and successful prosecution of young violent offenders Expands: (1) the rebuttable presumption against release of persons charged with firearms offenses; and (2) venue in capital cases. Sets a 15-year statute of limitations for non-capital felony crimes of violence. Modifies provisions regarding the prosecution of juveniles as adults. Authorizes the Attorney General to designate specific areas that are located within one or more States as high intensity interstate gang activity areas.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2005
Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act of 2005 or Johanna's Law - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a national campaign to increase the awareness and knowledge of women with respect to gynecologic cancers, which shall include: (1) maintaining a supply of written materials to provide information to the public on gynecologic cancers; and (2) developing and placing public service announcements to encourage women to discuss their risks of gynecologic cancers with their physicians. Requires the Secretary to award grants to nonprofit private entities to test different outreach and education strategies for increasing such awareness among women and health professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2005
Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement (SAFE) Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide for reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms in different States by persons who are not prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm and who are: (1) carrying a valid State license or permit for carrying a concealed firearm; or (2) otherwise entitled to carry a concealed firearm in their State of residence.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2005
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to expand the prohibition against discrimination by group health plans and health insurance issuers in the group and individual markets on the basis of genetic information or services to prohibit: (1) enrollment and premium discrimination based on information about a request for or receipt of genetic services; and (2) requiring genetic testing. Sets forth penalties for violations. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit issuers of Medicare supplemental policies from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. Extends medical privacy and confidentiality rules to the disclosure of genetic information. Makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or training program to discriminate against an individual or deprive such individual of employment opportunities because of genetic information. Prohibits the collection and disclosure of genetic information, with certain exceptions. Establishes a Genetic Nondiscrimination Study Commission to review the developing science of genetics and advise Congress on the advisability of providing for a disparate impact cause of action under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2005
Berry Amendment Notification Act - Provides that if the Secretary of Defense makes an exception to the requirement that certain items procured by the Department of Defense must be grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States, then the Secretary must post a notification of such exception on the Internet site maintained by the General Services Administration known as FedBizOps.gov (or any successor site). Adds clothing materials and components to the items for which such Buy American requirement will apply.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2005
Recognizes that prayer before school board meetings is a protected act and expresses support for such prayer. Expresses dissaproval of a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ruling against such prayer at Tangipahoa School Board meetings.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal judicial code to extend habeas corpus protections to persons who are subject to a court order authorizing or directing the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain the person's life. Deems persons having custody in such cases to encompass parties so authorized or directed. States that there shall be no requirement to produce the body of the incapacitated person at the hearing. Exempts from this Act those cases in which the incapacitated person indisputably executed a written advance directive while having capacity that clearly authorized the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or necessary medical treatment. Defines "incapacitated person" to mean an individual presently incapable of making relevant decisions concerning the provision, withholding, or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment under applicable State law.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers a tax credit for certain long-term health care insurance premiums and expenses paid for the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse or dependents. Limits the amount of such credit to $1,000 per year ($2,000 for joint returns).
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income disaster mitigation payments paid pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or the National Flood Insurance Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award one-year grants to each approved State to establish or improve a State controlled substance monitoring program. Requires the Secretary to develop minimum standards for States to ensure security of information collected and to recommend penalties for the provision or use of information in violation of applicable laws or regulations. Requires each approved State to: (1) require dispensers to report to the State within one week of each dispensing of a controlled substance to an ultimate user or research subject; and (2) establish and maintain an electronic searchable database containing the information reported. Allows a State to provide information from the database in response to certain requests by practitioners, law enforcement, narcotics control, licensure, disciplinary, or program authorities, the controlled substance monitoring program of another State, and agents of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), State Medicaid programs, State health departments, or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Requires the Secretary to: (1) specify a uniform electronic format for the reporting, sharing, and provision of information under this Act; (2) give preference to approved States in awarding any grants related to drug abuse; and (3) study and report to Congress on such programs, including on interoperability between programs, the feasibility of a real-time electronic controlled substance monitoring program, privacy protections, and technological alternatives to centralized data storage.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
Marriage Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny Federal courts jurisdiction to hear or decide any question pertaining to the interpretation of: (1) the provision of the Defense of Marriage Act that provides that no State shall be required to give effect to any marriage between persons of the same sex under the laws of any other State; or (2) this Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Alexander, Rodney [R-LA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/a000361_200.jpg)