United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2005
Amends Federal provisions concerning the National Guard Youth Challenge Program (a civilian youth opportunities program conducted by the Secretary of Defense) to provide a maximum Federal matching funds level of 60 percent of the costs of operating the State program during FY 2005, 65 percent during FY 2006, 70 percent during FY 2007, and 75 percent during FY 2008 and beyond.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2005 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 with respect to: (1) voter verification and mandatory paper record audit capacity; and (2) accessibility and voter verification of results for individuals with disabilities. Requires the Election Assistance Commission to study, test, and develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of voter-verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities and for voters whose primary language is not English, including best practices for the mechanisms themselves and the process through which the mechanisms are used. Outlines additional voting system requirements. Requires laboratories to meet standards prohibiting conflicts of interest as a condition of accreditation for the testing of voting system hardware and software. Provides for the filing of complaints by aggrieved persons with the Attorney General. Extends the authorization of Election Assistance Commission permanently. Makes available additional funding to enable States to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Directs the Election Assistance Commission to conduct random, unannounced, hand counts of the voter-verified records for each Federal general election in at least two percent of the precincts in each State. Requires Federal certification of the technological security of voter registration lists.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Student Privacy Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to revise provisions for military recruiter access to secondary school student information. Requires ESEA-assisted local educational agencies (LEAs) to notify each secondary school student's parent of the option to consent to a release of the student's name, address, and telephone listing to military recruiters, and to give the parent the opportunity to provide such consent in writing. Requires such LEAs to provide military recruiters, upon their request, with access to such information on a student only if the student's parent has given such written consent.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
527 Reform Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to include in the definition of political committee any applicable 527 organization. (Thus subjects such organizations to the requirements of the Act. A 527 organization, as defined by section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, is an organization, not controlled by or involving a particular candidate for office, whose function is to influence or attempt to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of any individual to any federal, state, or local public office or office in a political organization, or the election of presidential or vice-presidential electors, whether or not such individual or electors are selected, nominated, elected, or appointed.) Allows such organizations to influence: (1) the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of one or more candidates to non-Federal offices; (2) one or more State or local ballot initiatives, State or local referenda, State or local constitutional amendments, State or local bond issues, or other State or local ballot issues; and (3) the selection, appointment, nomination, or confirmation of one or more individuals to non-elected offices. Excepts from the definition of 527 organization certain kinds of committees, clubs, associations, or other groups of persons, unless such a group makes disbursements aggregating more than $1,000 during any calendar year for: (1) a public communication that promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes a clearly identified candidate for Federal office during the one year period ending on the date of the general election for the office sought by the clearly identified candidate occurs; and (2) any voter drive activity. Sets forth rules for allocation and funding for certain expenses relating to Federal and non-Federal activities.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Graduation for All Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to establish a program that will provide grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish reading and writing programs to improve overall reading and writing performance among middle and high school students. Limits eligibility for subgrants to LEAs in a State that are among those that have the lowest graduation rates for public secondary school students. Includes among required uses of LEA subgrant funds: (1) hiring and inservice training of literacy coaches; (2) counseling for at-risk students; and (3) professional development for educators that addresses literacy needs of certain student groups. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include public secondary school graduation rates for all students under requirements for: (1) accountability for adequate yearly progress; and (2) annual State report cards. Amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to require annual reports on the number participants who are 16, 17, or 18 years of age in certain programs and services, disaggregated by certain attributes.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support State comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of Federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current Federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support juvenile arthritis data collection. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to support the development of a National Juvenile Arthritis Patient Registry. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act - Designates specified lands within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2005
Designates the U.S. Postal Service facility (the Southeastern Post Office) located at 2777 Logan Avenue in San Diego, California, as the "Cesar E. Chavez Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4960 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the "Ray Charles Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2005
Amends the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence: (1) any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction which is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore; and (2) any horse or other equine which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, purchased, sold, or donated in violation of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2000 Allston Way in Berkeley, California, as the "Maudelle Shirek Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit certain public service employees (i.e., police, firefighters, or emergency medical workers) to take distributions from defined employee benefit plans at age 50 (currently, 55) without incurring the ten percent penalty on early distributions from such plans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2005
No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2005 - Provides for full voting representation in Congress for the residents of the District of Columbia, including two Senators and as many Representatives as a similarly populous State would be entitled to under the law. Treats the District of Columbia as a State. Prescribes a procedure for the first elections under this Act. Entitles the District to one Representative until the taking effect of the next reapportionment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) develop and implement a plan to begin the immediate withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq; (2) develop and implement a plan for reconstructing Iraq's civil and economic infrastructure; (3) convene an emergency meeting of Iraq's leadership, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, and the Arab League to create an international peacekeeping force in Iraq and to replace U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq with Iraqi police and Iraqi National Guard forces; and (4) provide the Iraqi people the opportunity to completely control their internal affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins commemorating the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Requires the design of such coins to be emblematic of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School and its contribution to civil rights in America. Specifies the sale price of such coins and applicable surcharges. Requires surcharges collected from sales to be used equally for: (1) the Jefferson National Parks Association for support of the activities and mission of Little Rock Central High National Historic Site; and (2) site improvements.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Governmental Pension Plan Equalization Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to specify that rules for governmental plans also apply to plans established for their employees by Indian tribal governments or their subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities which they wholly-own or control.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act - Keep Our PACT Act - Makes appropriations in order to provide for the full funding of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA-NCLBA), and for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Makes such appropriations for ESEA-NCLBA programs in amounts for each of FY 2006 through 2011 which equal the difference between other appropriations and specified amounts for each of those fiscal years. Amends IDEA to authorize and make appropriations for: (1) each of FY 2006 through 2011 in specified amounts; and (2) for FY 2012 and each subsequent fiscal year, in the amount that is the total for all States of the maximum amounts necessary to fully fund 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure for IDEA part B programs of assistance for education of all children with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Alice Paul Congressional Gold Medal Act - Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the posthumous presentation of a congressional gold medal in commemoration of Alice Paul, to recognize her role in the women's suffrage movement and in advancing equal rights for women. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of such medal. Requires proceeds from the sale of such medals to be deposited into the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act - Amends Federal postal law to extend through December 31, 2007, the U.S. Postal Service's authority to issue special postage stamps to help fund breast cancer research.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2005
Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2005 - Deems certain service performed before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts as active military service for purposes of eligibility for veterans' benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Repeals certain provisions discounting such service as qualifying service.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8200 South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, California, as the "Staff Sergeant First Class John Marshall Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 30777 Rancho California Road in Temecula, California, as the "Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to private or public colleges or universities, fraternities, or sororities for up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Requires grant priority to be given eligible entities that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least ten percent for eligible entities that are historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities; and (2) at least ten percent for eligible entities that are social fraternities and sororities. Provides that any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity (except a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary and an eligible entity under this Act).
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Cure and Understanding through Research for Alzheimer's Act of 2005 or La Cura Act of 2005 - Authorizes appropriations for conducting and supporting research on Alzheimer's disease at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Requires the Director of NIH to ensure sufficient resources for activities relating to Alzheimer's disease and Hispanic communities, including by: (1) increasing efforts in epidemiological work in Hispanic subgroups; (2) allocating resources to the National Institute on Aging Alzheimer's disease research centers and other academic centers involved in such research to increase participation of Hispanics in research and clinical trials in sufficient numbers to draw valid conclusions; and (3) conduct social, behavioral, and health services research to understand the underlying reasons why Hispanic individuals delay diagnosis and underutilize services and to identify culturally and linguistically appropriate approaches to address such delays and underutilization. Requires the Director to expand and intensify NIH efforts to educate communities about the importance of research relating to Alzheimer's disease and to respond effectively to cultural concerns about participation in such research. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for a program of grants to States to carry out demonstration programs related to Alzheimer's disease. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct an aggressive, evidence-based education and outreach program to promote public awareness and risk reduction with respect to Alzheimer's disease, particularly to Hispanic populations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Fairness to All Vietnam Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to study and report to Congress: (1) to identify veterans who died after October 31, 1955, as a result of military operations in southeast Asia whose names are not eligible for inscription on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; and (2) on the feasibility and equitability of revising the eligibility requirements to be more inclusive of such veterans or of creating an alternative means for recognizing them, including alternatives involving an education center at the Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Social Security Fairness Act of 2005 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal: (1) pension offset provisions applicable to husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and mother's and father's insurance benefits with respect to OASDI payments; and (2) windfall elimination provisions with respect to computation of the primary insurance amount of an individual.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 2005
Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act - Amends Federal postal service law to direct the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) (established by this Act) to establish a modern system for regulating rates and classes for market-dominant products (all first-class mail, special services, periodicals, standard mail, media mail, library mail, and bound printed matter). Directs the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service to establish rates and classes for products in the competitive category of mail (priority mail, expedited mail, mailgrams, international mail, and parcel post). Authorizes the Postal Service to conduct market tests of experimental products. Directs the PRC to establish rules to ensure that workshare discounts (presorting, barcoding, etc.) do not exceed the cost that the Postal Service avoids as the result of private sector workshare activity. Establishes in the Treasury a revolving Postal Service Competitive Products Fund which shall be available to the Postal Service without fiscal year limitation for the payment of: (1) costs attributable to competitive products; and (2) all other costs incurred by the Postal Service, to the extent allocable to competitive products. Requires the Postal Service to: (1) compute its assumed Federal income tax (which would be the taxable income of a corporation) on competitive products income for such year; and (2) transfer from the Competitive Products Fund to the Postal Service Fund the amount of that assumed tax. Prohibits the Postal Service from: (1) establishing anti-competitive rules or regulations; (2) compelling the disclosure, transfer, or licensing of intellectual property to any third party; or (3) obtaining information from a person that provides any product, and then offering any product or service that uses or is based in whole or in part on such information, without the person's consent. Makes the Secretary of State responsible for foreign policy related to international postal services and other international delivery services. Replaces the Postal Rate Commission with the Postal Regulatory Commission. Directs the Postal Service to report to the President, Congress, and: (1) PRC on universal postal service in the United States; and (2) Postal Service Board of Governors on the postal processing and distribution network. Repeals the authority of the Postal Service to impose fines on air carriers transporting mail beyond U.S. borders for unreasonable or unnecessary delays and other delinquencies. Directs the Postal Service to prescribe regulations for the safe transportation of hazardous materials in the mail. Provides civil penalties, plus cleanup costs, for violations. Revises postal pension funding requirements under the Civil Service Retirement System. Establishes the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 30777 Rancho California Road in Temecula, California, as the "Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5505 Stevens Way in San Diego, California, as the "Earl B. Gilliam/Imperial Avenue Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Providing Reliable Officers, Technology, Education, Community Prosecutors, and Training In Our Neighborhoods Act of 2004 or PROTECTION Act - Modifies provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 regarding public safety and community policing ("cops on the beat" program, COPS) to authorize the Attorney General to use COPS grants to: (1) increase prosecutor presence and to enhance law enforcement access to new technologies; (2) pay overtime to existing career law enforcement officers for community policing; and (3) promote higher education among in-service State and local law enforcement officers by reimbursing them for certain educational costs. Includes among permitted additional grant projects: (1) specialized integrity and ethics training; and (2) innovative proactive crime control and prevention programs involving school officials and religiously-affiliated organizations. Authorizes the Attorney General to use up to five percent of appropriated funds for technical assistance and training to States, local governments, Indian tribal governments, and other entities. Repeals provisions of the Act regarding termination of grants for hiring officers. Allows grants to be used to assist: (1) police departments in employing specified professional, scientific, and technological advancements; (2) State, local, or tribal prosecutors' offices in implementation of community-based prosecution programs that build on local community policing efforts; and (3) in paying overtime to existing career law enforcement officers. Reserves specified funds for local governmental units with a population of less than 50,000. Authorizes the Attorney General to use no more than 50 percent of grant renewal funds to award grants targeted for police officer retention.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 23055 Sherman Way in West Hills, California, as the "Evan Asa Ashcraft Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2004
Fortifying America's Intellectual Property Rights (FAIR) Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish in the Office of the United States Trade Representative the position of Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intellectual Property Rights, with primary responsibility for: (1) intellectual property matters relating to trade agreements and the negotiation and enforcement of intellectual property provisions of any such agreement to which the United States is a party; (2) identification and investigation of foreign countries that deny adequate protection of intellectual property rights or that deny fair market access to U.S. persons that rely upon intellectual property protections; and (3) monitoring the extent to which U.S. trading partners protect and enforce intellectual property rights of U.S. persons.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2004
Increases the death gratuity payable with respect to members of the Armed Forces from $12,000 to $50,000. Makes this increase applicable to deaths occurring on or after September 11, 2001. Requires the Secretary of Defense to derive funds for payments under this Act in FY 2005 from travel funds for personnel of the Office of the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2004
9/11 Commission Recommendations Implementation Act of 2004 - Establishes a National Intelligence Director to manage the National Intelligence Program. Empowers the Secretary of Defense with lead responsibility for directing and executing paramilitary operations, whether clandestine or covert. Establishes a National Counterterrorism Center for strategic analysis concerning transnational terrorist organizations with global reach. Requires the President to direct the head of each appropriate Federal department or agency to identify and prioritize actual or potential terrorist sanctuaries throughout the world. Requires a national strategy to destabilize identified sanctuaries. Authorizes the President to support the Government of: (1) Pakistan in its efforts against extremists; and (2) Afghanistan to extend its authority over such country. Directs the Secretary of State to establish programs to promote greater familiarity with American society and values among the general public and select audiences in Muslim countries. Directs the President to: (1) strengthen counterproliferation efforts against weapons of mass destruction; and (2) track the financing of terrorist organizations and prevent money laundering for their benefit. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) integrate U.S. border screening systems with Federal security sites within the U.S. transportation system and sites containing vital national facilities; (2) complete a biometric entry and exit screening system for persons entering and departing the United States; (3) develop a plan for the allocation of limited transportation security resources; and (4) improve aviation screening. Requires: (1) the sharing of information for purposes of protecting the national security; (2) the establishment of a board to oversee Federal adherence to civil liberties; (3) that all U.S. emergency response agencies adopt the Incident Command System and unified command procedures; (4) the promotion of private sector emergency preparedness; (5) both Houses of Congress to pass separate intelligence appropriations bills; (6) a specialized and integrated national security workforce at the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and (7) regular adequacy assessments of the strategies and planning of the United States Northern Command to defend the United States against military threats.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Stealth Lobbyist Disclosure Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat as a tax-exempt political organization for purposes of the disclosure and other requirements applicable to such organizations (with certain modifications) any coalition or association that is identified as a client on any registration filed under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and that is not a political organization. Requires any such coalition or association to notify the Secretary of the Treasury of: (1) its existence within 72 hours after one of its lobbyists makes an initial contact; and (2) any change in membership within 72 hours. Requires such notice to include a general description of the business or activities of each member of the coalition or association and the amount reasonably expected to be contributed by each member toward coalition or association activities of influencing legislation. Imposes a penalty tax for failure to give required notices. Exempts from the disclosure requirements imposed by this Act: (1) public charities and other tax-exempt organizations which have substantial exempt activities other than lobbying; and (2) members of a coalition or association who contribute less than $2,000 per year for lobbying activities.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Stealth Lobbyist Disclosure Act of 2004 - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to redefine the term "client" with respect to coalitions and associations on whose behalf a lobbyist must file a registration. Provides that, in the case of a coalition or association that employs or retains other persons to conduct lobbying activities, each of the individual members of the coalition or association, and not the coalition or association itself as under current law, is the client for whom a registration must be filed. Makes an exception for certain tax-exempt associations and for certain members of a coalition or association if the amount reasonably expected to be contributed by such member toward specific legislation-influencing activities of the coalition or association is less than $1,000 per any semiannual period.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Social Security COLA Protection Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to limit increases in the monthly Medicare premium, including the Medicare Advantage prescription drug program premium, to 25 percent of any Social Security cost of living increase.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 102 East Alexander Street in Three Rivers, Texas, as the "Private Felix Z. Longoria Veterans' Memorial Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2004
Comprehensive Immigration Fairness Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to make permanently available the exception to the adjustment of status bar for beneficiaries of family petitions or labor certification applications. Adds grounds for discretionary waiver of inadmissibility. Authorizes K nonimmigrant status for specified family members of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and additional family members of U.S. citizens who are awaiting immigrant visas. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to disregard as aggravated felonies (with immigration consequences) certain criminal convictions. Provides that a person who is a child on the last day of the 90-day period after a pending application for INA benefits is filed shall be considered to be a child for all purposes related to such application. Clarifies that the term "child" includes children for whom adoption proceedings were initiated prior to specified ages. Authorizes the Secretary to waive certain bars to admission. Establishes a program for earned access to legalization. Authorizes the adjustment of status of certain undocumented children. Amends the registry provision. Expands the list of unfair immigration-related employment practices. Requires petitioners for nonimmigrant workers to file affidavits describing efforts to recruit U.S. citizens or LPRs. Doubles the numerical cap on worldwide diversity immigrant visas. Provides for adjustment of status of certain Haitian nationals. Eliminates mandatory detention in asylum seekers' expedited removal proceedings. Amends the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 to remove document fraud as a ground of inadmissibility and to address child-related determinations. Provides for adjustment of status of certain Liberian nationals. Modifies requirements applicable to asylum and refugee proceedings. Authorizes adjustment of status for certain recipients of temporary protected status. Repeals a provision in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that bars Federal, State, and local governments from preventing the communication of immigration status information to the Department of Homeland Security. Repeals a provision of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 concerning verification of eligibility for Federal public benefits. Eliminates statutory authority permitting State personnel to carry out immigration officer functions.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2004
NASA and JPL 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to mint and issue: (1) ten dollar gold coins; (2) five dollar gold coins; (3) one dollar silver coins; and (4) half-dollar silver coins emblematic of the 50 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of NASA and JPL. Directs each Federal agency and U.S. instrumentality that has in its possession any craft or any part of a craft that flew in space to: (1) retrieve any gold, silver, copper, and other precious metal that may be used in the production of any coins under this Act from such craft or part; and (2) deposit such metals with the Director of the United States Mint. Requires that all sales of coins minted under this Act include a surcharge of : (1) $75 per coin for the ten dollar coin; (2) $35 per coin for the five dollar coin; (3) $10 per coin for the one dollar coin; and (4) $3 for the half-dollar coin, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the NASA Family Assistance Fund for the purposes of providing financial assistance to the families of NASA personnel who die as a result of injuries suffered in the performance of their official duties.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2004
Puerto Rico Hospitals Medicare DSH Equity Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to include consideration of additional Medicare low-income patient populations served by Puerto Rico hospitals in the calculation of Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments for prospective payment system hospitals in Puerto Rico.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2004
Commission to Establish a National Museum of the American Latino Act of 2004 - Establishes the Commission to Establish a National Museum of the American Latino. Directs the Commission to: (1) report to the President and Congress with recommendations on a plan of action to establish and maintain, in Washington, DC, the National Museum of the American Latino within the Smithsonian Institution; (2) develop a fundraising plan, examine specified issues, and make legislative recommendations; and (3) convene a national conference on the Museum. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide administrative support services and facilities necessary for performance of Commission functions.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2004
Commission to Establish the National Museum of the American Latino Act of 2004 - Establishes the Commission to Establish a National Museum of the American Latino. Directs the Commission to: (1) report to the President and Congress with recommendations on a plan of action to establish and maintain, in Washington, DC, the National Museum of the American Latino; (2) develop a fundraising plan, examine specified issues (including whether the Museum should be within the Smithsonian Institution), and make legislative recommendations; and (3) convene a national conference on the Museum. Directs the Administrator of General Services to provide, on a reimbursable basis, administrative support servicesnecessary for performance of Commission functions.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2004
Smuggled Tobacco Prevention Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require all packages of tobacco products to carry a unique legibly printed serial number by which the Secretary of the Treasury can identify the manufacturer or importer and the location and date of manufacture or importation. Requires tobacco products sold on Indian reservations to be labeled as such. Requires a person to post a bond with the Secretary in order to export tobacco products. Requires a tobacco wholesaler to have a permit and to maintain certain records. Requires export warehouse proprietors to file certain reports with the Secretary. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into certain tobacco related information exchange agreements with foreign countries. Establishes new criminal offenses relating to the distribution of tobacco products. Raises the $1,000 civil penalty for violations relating to tobacco products to $10,000. Amends the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act to: (1) expand the applicability of such Act from cigarettes only to tobacco products (cigars, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, pipe tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco); (2) define a "contraband tobacco product" as a quantity of tobacco product that is equivalent to or more than 2,000 cigarettes (currently, 60,000) which bear no evidence of the payment of applicable State tobacco taxes and that is possessed illegally; and (3) establish new unlawful acts. Allows a State tobacco tax authority to bring a civil action in U.S. district court for the collection of State cigarette taxes. Prohibits retaliation against employees (whistleblowers) who provide information in contraband tobacco cases. Provides for administrative and judicial remedies for such whistleblowers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 140 Sacramento Street in Rio Vista, California, as the "Adam G. Kinser Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells if: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos will never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Creates the Select Committee to Investigate Detainee Abuses to conduct a full and complete investigation of the abuses of detainees held in U.S. custody in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or any operation within the Global War on Terrorism, in particular those documented abuses at Abu Ghraib prison, and to make appropriate findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives. Requires the Select Committee to assess, analyze, and evaluate relevant persons, policies, procedures, reports, and events during the course of its investigation, including but not limited to those specified in this Resolution. Sets forth procedures and authorities of the Select Committee. Requires the Select Committee to submit its final report to the House within six months of adoption of this Resolution and to cease to exist one month thereafter.
![Official portrait of Rep. Becerra, Xavier [D-CA-34]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000287_200.jpg)