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![Official portrait of Rep. Baca, Joe [D-CA-43]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001234_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,620 records where Rep. Baca, Joe [D-CA-43] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2007
Honors San Jose State University in California for its 150 years of commitment to public higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2007
Education for All Act of 2007 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to state that it is U.S. policy to work with foreign countries and international and civil society organizations to increase the global commitment to achieving universal basic education by assisting: (1) developing countries to provide all children with a quality basic education; and (2) nongovernmental and multilateral organizations working in developing countries to provide all children with a quality basic education. Directs the President to develop a comprehensive U.S. strategy to promote universal basic education by 2015. Authorizes the President to provide funds and other assistance to qualifying foreign countries to create the policies, processes, and infrastructure to develop national basic education plans. Authorizes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish an education fellowship program to increase the expertise of USAID personnel in promoting universal basic education. Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to establish within the Department of State a Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Provide Education for All in Developing Countries, who shall shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all U.S. government resources and international activities to promote universal basic education.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2007
Recognizes the historical struggle for independence and freedom of the Mexican people and requests the President to issue a proclamation recognizing that struggle and calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2007
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the new markets tax credit through 2013; and (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2007
Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 - Amends federal law governing monetary transactions to establish an Internet Gambling Licensing Program administered and enforced by the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (Director). Prescribes requirements for the licensing of Internet betting or wagering. Provides that activities involving investment banking, payment and transaction processing, and financial transactions are shielded from liability if they are conducted in compliance with this Act and specified law. Authorizes states, Indian tribes and sporting leagues to prohibit internet gambling licenses. Subjects violators of this Act to criminal penalties. Instructs the Director to report annually to Congress on the licensing and regulation of Internet gambling operators.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2007
Hass Avocado Quality Assurance Act of 2007 - Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide for mandatory minimum maturity standards for all domestic and imported Hass avocados sold to consumers in California. Provides exceptions for commercial processing and charitable and relief uses. Sets forth penalty provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2007
Medicare Anesthesiology Teaching Funding Restoration Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) to set forth a special payment rule of 100% of the fee schedule amount for teaching anesthesiologists involved in the training of physician residents, if certain presence and availability requirements are met.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2007
Recognizes the historical struggle for independence and freedom of the Mexican people and requests the President to issue a proclamation recognizing that struggle and calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2007
Rural Broadband Improvement Act - Amends provisions of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 relating to loans and loan guarantees for the provision of broadband service in eligible rural communities to revise the definition of "eligible rural communities." Regulates the amount of a loan or loan guarantee. Requires full repayment of a loan or loan guarantee if a project is not entirely completed within 3 years.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2007
Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Coin Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue, during 2014, up to 350,000 one-dollar coins designed to be emblematic of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its contribution to civil rights in America. Requires sales to include a $10 surcharge per coin, which shall be paid to the United Negro College Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2007
National Landscape Conservation System Act - Establishes in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) the National Landscape Conservation System (thus, enacting into law the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) created by BLM in 2000) in order to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2007
Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 - Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity by covered entities (employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees). Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Allows only disparate treatment claims. Prohibits related retaliation. Makes this Act inapplicable to: (1) religious organizations; and (2) the relationship between the United States and members of the armed forces. States that this Act does not repeal or modify any federal, state, territorial, or local law creating a special right or preference concerning employment for a veteran. Provides for the construction of this Act with regard to: (1) enforcement by employers of rules and policies; (2) sexual harassment; (3) certain shared facilities such as showers or dressing facilities; (4) dress and grooming standards; and (5) certain matters relating to marriage. Prohibits the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from collecting statistics from covered entities on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or compelling the collection by covered entities of such statistics. Provides for enforcement, including giving the EEOC, the Librarian of Congress, the Attorney General, and U.S. courts the same enforcement powers as they have under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, and other specified laws. Allows actions and proceedings against state governments and, subject to limitation, the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2007
Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to revise the prohibition on importing convict-made goods into the United States to make it unlawful to: (1) import into, or export from, the United States any sweatshop good; or (2) introduce into commerce, sell, trade, or advertise in commerce, offer to sell, or transport or distribute in U.S. commerce, any sweatshop good. Grants the President, for reasons of national interest, authority to recommend waiver of the applications set forth in this Act in connection with the goods of any country with respect to one or more of the principles and rights defined in this Act as a core labor standard. Sets forth procedures for consideration of such a waiver. Makes it unlawful for persons to introduce into commerce, sell, trade, or advertise in commerce, offer to sell or transport or distribute in commerce any sweatshop good. Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce this prohibition as if it were an unfair or deceptive act or practice proscribed under the Federal Trade Commission Act. Allows specified persons with standing to bring a civil action in U.S. district courts against sellers of goods, wares, articles, or merchandise on grounds of a violation of such prohibition. Prohibits executive agencies and the Armed Forces from entering into procurement contracts for sweatshop goods. Prohibits anything in this Act from being construed to preempt a state from regulating labor standards required in the mining, production, or manufacture of merchandise purchased by the state.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2007
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act - Designates the following lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System (System): (1) Greater Glacier/Northern Continental Divide ecosystem; (2) Greater Yellowstone ecosystem; (3) Greater Salmon/Selway ecosystem; (4) Greater Cabinet/Yaak/Selkirk ecosystem; (5) Greater Hells Canyon ecosystem; (6) Islands in the Sky Wilderness; and (7) Blackfeet Wilderness. Designates: (1) specified wild land areas as Biological Connecting Corridors to protect the life flow of the Northern Rockies Bioregion; (2) the inventoried roadless areas identified as part of the Corridors as wilderness and components of the System; and (3) certain biological connecting corridors as special corridor management areas. Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Establishes the National Wildland Restoration and Recovery System and the National Wildland Recovery Corps. Requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to assure nonexclusive access to the specified areas and corridors designated by this Act by Native Americans for traditional cultural and religious purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Community Health Workers Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to promote positive health behaviors for women and children in target populations, especially racial and ethnic minority women and children in medically underserved communities. Permits such funds to be used to support community health workers to: (1) educate and provide outreach regarding enrollment in health insurance; (2) educate, guide, and provide outreach regarding health problems among women and children, especially among racial and ethnic minority women and children; (3) educate, guide, and provide experiential learning opportunities that target behavioral risk factors, including poor nutrition and tobacco use; (4) educate and guide regarding effective strategies to promote positive health behaviors within the family; (5) promote community wellness and awareness; and (6) educate and refer target populations to appropriate health care agencies and community based programs and organizations. Requires the Secretary to give priority to experienced applicants who propose to target geographic areas: (1) with a high percentage of uninsured or underinsured residents who are eligible for health insurance; and (2) with a high percentage of families for whom English is not their primary language. Requires the Secretary to: (1) encourage community health worker programs to collaborate with academic institutions; and (2) establish guidelines for assuring the quality of the training and supervision of community health workers under programs funded under this Act and for assuring the cost-effectiveness of such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Patient Protection and Innovative Biologic Medicines Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow any person to submit an application for approval of a biologics license for a biological product that is claimed to be similar to a qualified biological product (reference product) after 12 years have elapsed since the reference product was approved or licensed. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve such a similar biological product: (1) only if the applicant demonstrates that the product conforms to the applicable final product-class specific guidance and the Secretary concludes the product is safe, pure, and potent; (2) only for indications for which the reference product is approved; and (3) to be effective only after at least 14 years have elapsed since the reference product was approved or licensed. Prohibits the Secretary from designating a similar biological product as therapeutically equivalent to the reference product. Prohibits the Secretary from approving a product that is claimed to be similar to or the same as a reference product under any other provision of law. Authorizes any person to request issuance of product-class specific guidance applicable to a qualified biological product and its class. Requires the Secretary to establish a Similar Biological Products Advisory Committee. Sets forth provisions governing the naming of biotechnology-derived therapeutic protein and other biological products. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem a biotechnology-derived therapeutic protein to be misbranded if its labeling fails to meet the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Federal Criminal Immigration Courts Act of 2007 - Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the following permanent judgeships: (1) four additional district judges for the district of Arizona; (2) one additional district judge for the district of New Mexico; (3) two additional district judges for the southern district of Texas; and (4) one additional district judge for the western district of Texas. Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the following temporary judgeships: (1) one additional district judge for the district of Arizona; and (2) one additional district judge for the district of New Mexico. Provides that, for each of the judicial districts named in this Act, the first vacancy arising on the district court 10 years or more after a judge is first confirmed to fill the temporary district judgeship created by this Act shall not be filled.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) on a reasonable cost basis for anesthesia services furnished by a physician who is an anesthesiologist in certain rural hospitals in the same manner as payment is made for anesthesia services furnished by a certified registered nurse anesthetists in such hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Expanding the Promise for Individuals With Autism Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) convene, on behalf of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, a Treatments, Interventions, and Services Evaluation Task Force to evaluate evidence-based biomedical and behavioral treatments and services for individuals with autism; (2) establish a multi-year demonstration grant program for states to provide evidence-based autism treatments, interventions, and services. (3) establish planning and demonstration grant programs for adults with autism; (4) award grants to states for access to autism services following diagnosis; (5) award grants to University Centers of Excellence for Developmental Disabilities to provide services and address the unmet needs of individuals with autism and their families; (6) make grants to protection and advocacy systems to address the needs of individuals with autism and other emerging populations of individuals with disabilities; and (7) award a grant to a national nonprofit organization for the establishment and maintenance of a national technical assistance center for autism services and information dissemination. Directs the Comptroller General to issue a report on the financing of autism services and treatments.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Recognizes and commends the volunteers and supporters of Our Military Kids, Inc., for their efforts in supporting children of our military personnel and awarding grants to over 1,100 school-aged children of deployed and severely injured National Guard and Reserve personnel in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 1 Freedom Way in Augusta, Georgia, as the "Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center."
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
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), and acting through existing programs at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to establish a grant program for joint ventures, comprised 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 · 29 March 2007
Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2007 - Requires jurisdictions (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes) to establish and maintain jurisdiction-wide arsonist registries and make such registries available on the Internet. Requires a criminal arsonist to register in each jurisdiction in which such arsonist resides, is an employee, or is a student. Sets forth other registration requirements and the information required to be provided in a registry by the criminal arsonist and jurisdictions. Allows jurisdictions to exempt from disclosure certain information about an arsonist, including the arsonist's employer and enrollment at an educational institution. Requires the Attorney General to maintain a national database at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (to be known as the National Arsonist Registry) and a national arsonist Internet site containing information on each criminal arsonist registered in a jurisdiction's registry or listed on a jurisdiction's Internet site, respectively. Directs the Attorney General to establish a Criminal Arsonist Management Assistance program for awarding grants to jurisdictions to offset the costs of implementing this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Housing America's Workforce Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for up to 50 percent of the qualified housing expenses paid for the benefit of their employees. Defines "qualified housing expenses" to include homeownership assistance and rental assistance. Limits the amount of such credit to the lesser of $10,000 or six percent of an employee's home purchase price, or up to $2,000 for rental assistance. Excludes from employee gross income the value of employer-paid housing assistance. Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award grants in FY2008-FY2010, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit housing organizations or local governments for certain costs, including operating costs and technical assistance costs, of employer-assisted housing programs. Requires the Secretary to establish a national clearinghouse, including a website, to provide information about employer-assisted housing programs to federal, state, and local governments and other interested entities. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a national evaluation of employer-assisted housing programs and provide to the Secretary an interim report by January 1, 2011, and final report by December 31, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the exclusion from gross income for employer-provided health care coverage to certain eligible beneficiaries and their dependent children; (2) revise the definition of "dependent" for purposes of the tax deduction for the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals; and (3) extend voluntary employees' beneficiary association sick and accident benefits to eligible beneficiaries and their dependents.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Recognizes that prostate cancer has created a health crisis for African American men. Urges federal agencies to designate additional funds for research and education, awareness, and early detection efforts at the grassroots levels to end such crisis.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Supports the goals and ideals of a National Suffragists Day to promote awareness of the women suffragists who worked for the right of U.S. women to vote.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Uniting America's Military Families Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to waive inadmissibility grounds based on visa, document, or immigration benefit misrepresentation in the case of an immediate family member of an active duty or reserve member of the Armed Forces. Amends V-visa (permits nonimmigrant spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents who are beneficiaries of an immigrant petition to reside and work in the United States while waiting to obtain immigrant status) provisions to eliminate specified restrictions on a petition's filing date and length of pendency for a petition filed by an active duty or reserve member of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Declares that the United States Postal Service (USPS) should discontinue the practice of contracting out mail delivery services.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2007
Latin America Military Training Review Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of the Army to suspend operation of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (Institute). Suspends the authority of the Secretary of Defense to operate such an education and training facility until submission of a report containing the results of an investigation in response to violations of human rights to which training at such Institute contributed. Establishes: (1) a joint congressional task force to assess appropriate education and training for DOD to provide to military personnel of Latin American nations; and (2) a commission to investigate activities of the United States Army School of the Americas and its successor institution, the Institute.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2007
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits denying or abridging equality of rights under the law by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2007
Supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month, including raising public awareness about the importance of financial education in the United States and the serious consequences that may result from a lack of understanding about personal finances.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Native American Home Ownership Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to extend through FY2012 the authorization of appropriations to the Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund for loan guarantees for Native American housing.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program). Authorizes grants to: (1) hire school resource officers and establish local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in elementary and secondary schools; (2) pay for officers hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror, or homeland security duties; (3) establish and implement programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug activities, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of methamphetamine; and (4) meet emerging law enforcement needs, as warranted. Authorizes the use of COPS ON THE BEAT grants to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for: (1) assigning prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and to address counter-terrorism problems and violent crime in local communities; and (2) developing new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention and training. Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under COPS ON THE BEAT grant program. Authorizes the Attorney General to extend grant periods and to renew grants if the grant recipient can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Training for Realtime Writers Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to make competitive grants to eligible entities to promote recruitment, training, and placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed a court reporting training program, as realtime writers providing closed captioning in video programming. Sets forth priorities in making grants. Limits grants to $1.5 million for a two-year period. Repeals this Act five years after funds are appropriated to carry it out.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2007
Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007 or STRIVE Act of 2007- Prohibits the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing the New Worker Program established in title IV or grant conditional nonimmigrant classification under title VI of this Act prior to certification to the President and to Congress that specified conditions have been met respecting: (1) border security; (2) document security; and (3) first phase implementation of the electronic employment verification system. Sets forth border security and enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) personnel and asset increases and enhancements; (2) a National Strategy for Border Security; (3) border security initiatives, including biometric data enhancements and a biometric entry-exit system, and document integrity, (4) international cooperation; (5) Central American gangs; and (6) National Guard use on the southern border. Authorizes a border relief grant program for a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency in a county: (1) no more than 100 miles from a U.S. border with Canada or Mexico; or (2) more than 100 miles from any such border but which is a high impact area. Sets forth protections for asylum seekers and other immigrants who are subject to expedited removal and/or detention. Establishes within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) an Office of Detention Oversight. Provides for a secure (detention) alternatives program. Directs the Secretary to develop a plan to combat human smuggling. Sets forth interior enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) criminal aliens; (2) voluntary departure; (3) expedited removal; (4) background checks; (5) the state criminal alien assistance program; (6) tribal lands security; (7) state and local enforcement of immigration laws; (8) detention and alternatives; (9) passport and immigration fraud; (10) illegal entry and reentry; (11) detention and removal; (12) criminal penalties; (13) alien street gang members; and (14) alien smuggling. Makes it unlawful to knowingly hire, recruit, or refer for a fee an unauthorized alien. Sets forth verification provisions. Provides for implementation of an electronic employment verification system, which shall include required, voluntary, and excluded employer categories. Sets forth system provisions respecting: (1) procedures; (2) criminal and civil penalties; and (3) privacy and anti-discrimination safeguards. Provides for additional worksite and fraud detection personnel. Establishes a temporary guest worker program (H-2C visa) (New Worker Program) of 400,000 initial entrants. Provides for: (1) a three-year admission with one additional three-year extension; (2) issuance of H-4 nonimmigrant visas for accompanying or following spouses and children; (3) U.S. and guest worker protections; (4) implementation of an alien employment management system; (5) specified employer obligations; and (6) establishment of a Standing Commission on Immigration and Labor Markets. Provides for H-2C adjustment of status to permanent resident if the alien: (1) has been employed in H-2C status for a cumulative period of at least five years and establishes evidence of employment; (2) pays a $500 application fee; (3) is physically present in the United States; and (4) is pursuing English language and U.S. history education. Directs the Secretary of State to negotiate bilateral agreements with H-2C worker home countries. Sets forth backlog reduction provisions respecting: (1) family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant levels, including recapture of unused visas; (2) country limits; (3) immigrant visa allocations; (4) shortage occupations; (5) nurses and physical therapists; (6) Iraqi and Afghan translators; (7) aliens of extraordinary artistic ability; (8) Canadian powerline workers and boilermakers; (9) aliens in specialty occupations; (10) U.S. educated immigrants; (11) students; (12) L-visa (intracompany transfer) aliens; and (13) minor children and widows. Provides for status adjustment filing of qualifying employment based immigrants regardless of whether an immigrant visa is immediately available. Establishes a special immigrant category for certain children and women at risk of harm. Exempt sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who were naturalized under the Immigration Act of 1990 from worldwide or numerical limitations on immigrant visas. Provides that determinations under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 as to whether an individual is a child of a parent shall be made using the individual's age and status on October 21, 1998. Expands the S-visa (witness/informant) classification. Limits the L-visa (intracompany transfer) classification. Replaces the existing fashion model H-1B visa classification with an O-visa classification. Return of Talent Act - Directs the Secretary to establish the return of talent program to permit eligible aliens to temporarily return to their country of citizenship in order to make a material contribution if the country is engaged in post-conflict or natural disaster reconstruction activities. Major Disaster and Emergency Victims Immigration Benefits Preservation Act - Sets forth disaster- or emergency-related immigration benefit preservation provisions respecting: (1) special immigrant status; (2) filing or reentry deadline extensions; (3) surviving spouses and children, including surviving spouses and children of refugees and asylees; (4) waiver of public charge inadmissibility grounds; (5) age-out protection; (6) documents and address requirements; and (7) foreign students. Authorizes a six-year conditional nonimmigrant status for a qualifying alien (and spouse and children as conditional nonimmigrant dependents) who has been illegally and continually present and employed in the United States since before June 1, 2006 up to the present. Requires: (1) criminal and security background checks; (2) payment of a $500 fine and applicable application fees; and (3) payment of tax obligations. Prohibits such status for an alien who has: (1) participated in persecutions; or (2) been convicted of a felony or three or more misdemeanors. Permits permanent resident status adjustment. Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007 or DREAM Act of 2007 - Repeals the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence. Authorizes the Secretary to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional permanent resident status, an alien who: (1) entered the United States before his or her sixteenth birthday, and has been present in the United States for at least five years immediately preceding enactment of this Act; (2) is a person of good moral character; (3) is not inadmissible or deportable under specified grounds; (4) at the time of application, has been admitted to an institution of higher education, or has earned a high school or equivalent diploma; and (5) from the age of 16 and older, has never been under a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal. Sets forth the conditions for conditional permanent resident status. Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007 or AgJOBS Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary to confer "blue card status" upon an alien who: (1) has performed agricultural employment in the United States for at least 863 hours or 150 work days during the 24-month period ending on December 31, 2006; (2) applied for such status during the 18-month application period beginning on the first day of the seventh month that begins after the date of enactment of this Act; (3) is otherwise admissible to the United States; and (4) has not been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor, an element of which involves bodily injury, threat of serious bodily injury, or harm to property in excess of $500. Directs the Secretary to adjust a blue card alien (and spouse and minor children) to permanent resident status if the alien has fulfilled specified periods of agricultural employment. Amends the Social Security Act to exempt blue card aliens from prosecution for social security-related identity or payment false statements if such conduct occurred prior to the granting of blue card status. Revises H-2A visa (agricultural labor or temporary or seasonal services) provisions. Replaces the existing labor certification requirement with a labor attestation requirement containing: (1) a description of the nature and location of the job; (2) the job's expected beginning and ending dates; (3) the number of jobs; and (4) specified labor assurances respecting job opportunities covered by collective bargaining agreements and non-covered job opportunities. Authorizes an initial entry, adjustment, and citizenship assistance grant program. Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2007 - Directs the Chief of the Office of Citizenship of DHS to provide grants to assist legal U.S. residents who declare an intent to apply for citizenship in the United States to meet naturalization requirements. Provides that a legal U.S. resident who demonstrates English fluency will satisfy the residency requirement upon the completion of four years (currently, five years) of continuous U.S. legal residency. Directs the Secretary to establish an American citizenship grant program for qualified entities to provide civics, history, and English classes to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens. Authorizes the Secretary to establish the United States Citizenship Foundation to support the functions of the Office of Citizenship. Establishes a new citizens award program to recognize citizens who: (1) have made an outstanding contribution to the United States; and (2) were naturalized during the ten-year period ending on the date of such recognition. Authorizes the Secretary of State to award a grant to a U.S. land grant university to establish a national program for a broad, university-based Mexican rural poverty mitigation program. Provides for increases in DHS immigration attorneys and Department of Justice immigration attorneys and judges. Expresses the sense of Congress that an effective and fair immigration court system should be established. Sets forth citizenship assistance provisions for members of the Armed Forces. Provides permanent resident status adjustment or cancellation of removal and permanent resident status adjustment for a requesting alien who was on September 10, 2001, the wife, child, or dependent son or daughter of a lawful nonimmigrant alien who died as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States. Authorizes an alien who is under removal or ordered to depart voluntarily from the United States to apply for such status adjustment. Excludes from such provisions an alien who is: (1) inadmissible or deportable under criminal or security grounds, including September 11, 2001, terrorist activity; or (2) a family member of such an alien. Establishes: (1) the Office of Internal Corruption Investigation; (2) the State Impact Assistance Account; and (3) the New Worker Program and Conditional Nonimmigrant Fee Account; and (4) the Immigrant Entrepeneur Regional Account Center. Provide permanent resident status adjustment for certain persecuted religious minorities. Establishes grants for state courts to implement programs to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to understand court proceedings. Provides for notice and hearing if DHS intends to remove an alien to a country other than the one designated at the removal hearing. Requires that Department of State and Department of Justice immigration documents comply with specified authentication, documentation, and machine readable standards.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2007
Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradesworkers (RESPECT) Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to revise the definition of "supervisor" in the following ways: (1) require the individual to have authority over employees for a majority of the individual's worktime; and (2) remove authority to assign other employees and to responsibly direct employees as conditions for being considered a supervisor.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in recognition of Constantino Brumidi's contributions to the Nation as a designer and decorator of the U.S. Capitol. Requires the Architect of the Capitol to arrange for the gold medal to be displayed in the Capitol Visitor Center as part of an exhibit honoring Constantino Brumidi.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 - 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, local, 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 state, local, or tribal hate crime laws. 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 agencies 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. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit willfully causing bodily injury to any person because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of such person. Amends the Hate Crimes Statistics Act to expand data collection and reporting requirements under such Act to include: (1) crimes manifesting prejudice based on gender and gender identity; and (2) hate crimes committed by and against juveniles.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from $18 to $9 (its pre-1991 level) the per-barrel tax on beer.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Prescription Coverage Now Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Service to provide for an expedited process for the qualification for low-income assistance through a request to the Secretary of the Treasury for tax return and other information sufficient to identify: (1) whether the individual involved is likely eligible for subsidies; and (2) the amount of premium and cost-sharing subsidies for which they would qualify based on such information. Provides for modification of resource standards for determination of eligibility for low-income subsidy and revision of income and asset rules. Requires indexing of deductibles and cost-sharing above the annual out-of-pocket threshold for individuals with income below 150% of the poverty line. Requires screening by the Commissioner of Social Security for eligibility under Medicare savings programs. Creates a special enrollment period for subsidy eligible individuals. Waives the late enrollment penalty for subsidy eligible individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to reduce the minimum net worth ratio requirements of credit unions. Revises the minimum risk-based net ratio for such capitalizations. Transfers from the federal banking agencies to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) the authority to adjust the net worth levels of credit unions. Instructs the National Credit Union Administration Board (Board) to design the risk-based net worth requirement to take account of material risks to insured credit unions that are taken account of by comparable standards applicable to FDIC-insured institutions. Establishes a temporary waiver of the net worth restoration plan requirement for an undercapitalized credit union which attains its status due to a major natural or man-made disaster. Revamps requirements for limits and restrictions on member business loans. Authorizes credit unions to lease to any business enterprise separate and clearly distinct space in credit union office buildings in underserved areas. Authorizes the Board, in specified circumstances, to encompass within credit union membership any person or organization within an underserved local community, neighborhood, or rural district. Permits a credit union to invest in securities for its own account. Increases the investment and lending limit in credit union service organizations. Exempts certain voluntary mergers involving multiple common-bond credit unions from the numerical limit for eligibility within the field of membership category of a credit union. Directs the Board to prescribe criteria for continued membership of certain member groups in the case of certain credit union conversions to a community charter. Includes just cause as grounds for expulsion from membership. Authorizes term limits for board members of federal credit unions. Revises voting requirements for credit union conversions to mutual savings banks. Amends the Clayton Act to exempt from its pre-merger notification and waiting period requirements any mergers of one insured credit union activities with another which require agency approval under the Federal Credit Union Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to provide a minimum paid sick leave and employment benefits of: (1) seven days annually for those who work at least 30 hours per week; and (2) a prorated annual amount for those who work less than 30 but at least 20 hours a week, or less than 1,500 but at least 1,000 hours per year. Allows employees to use such leave to meet their own medical needs or to care for the medical needs of certain family members. Directs the Secretary of Labor to exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority with respect to this Act's provisions for employees covered by title I of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. Provides that, for employees under their jurisdiction, such authority shall be exercised by the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, the Board of Directors of the congressional Office of Compliance, or the Merit Systems Protection Board. Declares that the requirements under this Act are minimum requirements, and are not to be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2007
One-stop Student Financial Aid Information Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to display a link to the federal student financial aid website of the Department of Education in a prominent place on the homepage of the Department's website. Authorizes the Secretary to use administrative funds available for the Department's operations and expenses to promote the availability of the financial aid website. Requires the Secretary to collect and provide parents and students with easy access via the federal student financial aid website to detailed information concerning student financial aid options provided by other federal departments and agencies. Requires such other departments and agencies to respond promptly to the Secretary's requests for student financial aid information.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2007
Legal Timber Protection Act - Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to make it unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess any plant taken (i.e., captured, killed, harvested, or collected) in a foreign country that is: (1) taken, transported, or sold in violation of any law that applies in the place (including a park, forest reserve, or other officially protected area) where the harvest, taking, transport, or sale occurs; (2) taken without paying required royalties, taxes, or stumpage fees; (3) exported or transhipped in violation of any legal limitation; (4) taken, exported, or transhipped in violation of any international law, treaty, or international agreement, or (5) without any official documentation of compliance with applicable legal requirements. Redefines "plant" to mean any wild member of the plant kingdom, including roots, seed, parts, and products thereof (but excluding common food crops and cultivars).
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2007
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to compensate states for incarcerating undocumented aliens charged with a felony or two or more misdemeanors.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2007
Disabled Veterans Fairness Act - Eliminates a $3 per round trip deductible charged by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in connection with the veterans beneficiary travel program (a program authorizing a travel allowance or reimbursement for beneficiaries providing transportation for veterans to obtain medical care). Directs the Secretary, in determining the amount of such allowance or reimbursement, to use the mileage reimbursement rates for the use of privately owned vehicles by government employees traveling on official business.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2007
Encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for veterans on Veterans Day each year. Encourages schools and teachers to educate students on the great contributions veterans have made to the country and its history, both while serving as members of the Armed Forces and after completing their service. Requests that the President issue a proclamation each year in connection with the observance of Veterans Day calling on Americans to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit treatment limits or the imposition of financial requirements on mental health and substance-related disorder benefits in group health plans which are not similarly imposed on substantially all medical and surgical benefits in any category of items or services under such plans. Directs the Comptroller General to study the effect of the implementation of this Act on various aspects of the health care system, including the cost of and access to health insurance coverage, the quality of health care, Medicare, Medicaid, and state and local mental health and substance abuse treatment spending, and spending on public services.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a three-year pilot program to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires the Secretary to: (1) conduct the pilot program with County Veterans Service Officers in California, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas; and (2) refer certain claims requiring further development to such Officers. Requires such Officers to: (1) act as claimant advocates in developing such claims; and (2) have access to client information contained in the VA's Benefits Delivery Network.