United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2005
Calls on the international community to condemn the Laogai, the system of forced labor prison camps in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Calls on the U.S. government to: (1) fully implement U.S. laws prohibiting the importation of forced labor products made in the Laogai; and (2) review implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Prison Labor in 1992 and the Statement of Cooperation in 1994 with respect to the Laogai. Calls on the government of the PRC to release information about the Laogai, including information about the number of executions at the camps, and the extent of the harvesting and transplantation of organs of executed prisoners. Urges the government of the PRC to allow unrestricted visits by international human rights inspectors to Laogai camps. Urges the Congressional-Executive Commission on China to investigate the Laogai system and to make U.S. policy recommendations to help protect human rights for Chinese citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2005
Honors the historic role of Yitzhak Rabin for his distinguished service to the Israeli people and extends deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Israel on the tenth anniversary of his death. Reiterates continued support for the close ties and special relationship between the United States and Israel. Expresses admiration for Yitzhak Rabin's legacy and reaffirms the commitment to building a just and lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. Condemns all acts of terrorism. Reaffirms the sacred principle that democratic leaders and governments must be changed only by the democratically-expressed will of the people.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2005
Plan B for Plan B Act of 2005 - Requires the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to approve or disapprove within 30 days the supplemental new drug application submitted by Women's Capital Corporation for Plan B (defined as .75 mg levonorgestrel tablets [commonly referred to as the morning-after pill]), as amended by a formal response to the Food and Drug Administration's non-approvable determination, that would switch the drug from prescription-only to nonprescription status for women 16 years or older. Deems the Commissioner as having approved the application if the deadline is not met and continues such approval unless the Commissioner publishes in the Federal Register a determination to approve or disapprove the application.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2005
Child Health Investment for Long-term Development (CHILD and Newborn) Act of 2005 - Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to furnish assistance to improve the health of newborns, children, and mothers in developing countries, including activities relating to: (1) health systems and medical and health personnel training; (2) health access; (3) pharmaceutical supplies; (4) health education; (5) HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis counseling and treatment; and (6) safe water and sanitation access. Directs the President to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve the health of newborns, children, and mothers, including reducing newborn, child, and maternal mortality, in developing countries. Establishes the Interagency Task Force on Child Survival and Maternal Health in Developing Countries.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2005
Haiti Economic Recovery Opportunity Act - Amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to provide, beginning on October 1, 2004, and for each of the seven succeeding one-year periods, duty-free treatment for apparel items wholly assembled or knit-to-shape in Haiti (without regard to the country of origin of the fabrics, components, or yarns) if the President certifies to Congress that Haiti: (1) has established or is progressing toward specified political, economic, and social reforms; (2) does not engage in activities that undermine U.S. security or foreign policy; (3) does not engage in gross violations of human rights or activities in support of international terrorism; and (4) is meeting specified enforcement conditions aimed at preventing tariff or quota avoidance, customs evasion, unlawful transshipment, or false information or false document use in order to obtain such preferential treatment. Applies such provisions to goods entered or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption on or after October 1, 2004, including a retroactive application to certain warehouse entries or withdrawals made between such date and the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2005
Hurricane Katrina Recovery, Reclamation. Restoration, Reconstruction and Reunion Act of 2005 - Hurricane Katrina Victim Restoration Fund of 2005 - Provides for the determination of eligibility for compensation for any individual (or relatives of a deceased individual) who sustained economic or noneconomic losses as a result of Hurricane Katrina so that the individual (or relatives) are restored as nearly as possible to their condition before Hurricane Katrina. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a Comprehensive Environmental Sampling and Toxicity Assessment Plan. Provides for federal and state government to notify hurricane survivors of health risks they may face upon returning to their domiciles. Provides for the offer of alternative land and/or housing as compensation to residents whose homes or businesses have been destroyed or terminally compromised. Revises the TANF Emergency Response and Recovery Act of 2005 to provide for reimbursement of states for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits provided under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to families from other states affected by Hurricane Katrina. Sets forth requirements relating to emergency extended unemployment compensation. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program of emergency health coverage continuation relief. Sets forth housing and education requirements. Displaced Citizens Voter Protection Provisions of 2005 - Prescribes requirements for the protection of voting rights of Katrina evacuees. Prescribes requirements for: (1) regulatory relief for financial services; and (2) disaster loans and small business relief. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for: (1) a tax credit for an eligible homebuyer who purchases a principal residence in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area; (2) an increase in the housing credit dollar amount; and (3) tax-exempt bonds for qualified Gulf Coast recovery projects. Hurricane Katrina Bankruptcy Relief and Community Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the federal bankruptcy code to exempt victims of natural disasters, including small businesses, from certain requirements for debtors seeking relief. Directs the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a temporary flood insurance buy-in program. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should present, within six months, a plan to eradicate poverty in the United States by 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2005
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Republic of Croatia has made significant progress in strengthening its democratic institutions and respect for human rights and the rule of law; (2) Croatia should be commended for its progress in meeting the political, economic, military, and other requirements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Membership Action Plan, its contribution to the global war on terrorism, and for its constructive participation in the United States-Adriatic Charter; (3) the government of Croatia should be commended for the significant improvement in its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); and (4) with complete satisfaction of NATO guidelines and criteria for membership, Croatia should be invited to be a full NATO member.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2005
Focus on Family Health Worldwide Act of 2005 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide assistance for voluntary family planning programs in developing countries, including activities to: (1) improve public knowledge of voluntary family planning programs; (2) support public and private voluntary family planning programs, including networks for community-based and subsidized commercial distribution of contraceptives; (3) expand training for health care providers and educators; (4) provide improved coordination between voluntary family planning programs and programs that receive U.S. assistance for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; and (5) strengthen supply chain logistics for the procurement and distribution of safe contraceptives, including coordination with the supply chain for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment. Gives priority to developing countries with acute family planning and maternal health needs. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2005
Condemns in the strongest terms Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's despicable threats, and demands that he repudiate them. Calls on the U.N. Security Council and all civilized nations to: (1) condemn these statements and to censure Iran for its statements and policies aimed at destroying Israel; and (2) consider measures to deny Iran the means to carry out its threats and to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Reaffirms the unwavering alliance between the United States and Israel and reasserts the U.S. commitment to defend Israel's right to exist as a free and democratic state.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2005
Honors the memory of, and identifies, 2,249 members of the Armed Forces who died in service to the United States in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as of October 25, 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
Trade Adjustment Assistance Improvement Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend trade adjustment assistance (TAA) to workers in a service sector firm, its subdivision, or a public agency. Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to cover: (1) a shift, by a public agency to a foreign country, of production of articles or in provision of services, like or directly competitive with articles which are produced, or services which are provided by the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency; and (2) the situation where the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency obtains or is likely to obtain such services from a foreign country. Requires the Secretary of Labor to certify as eligible to apply for TAA any adversely affected secondary workers in a service sector firm, its subdivision, or a public agency. Specifies criteria for determination of the existence of increased imports of like or directly competitive articles or services. Increases the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to waive training requirements for an individual receiving TAA if he or she has an advanced degree or postgraduate certification in a specialized field and there is a reasonable expectation of employment at equivalent wages in the foreseeable future. Permits as a training program for an adversely affected worker continued enrollment for up to 104 weeks at an institution of higher education to obtain a degree, if there is a reasonable expectation of employment at equivalent wages in the foreseeable future. Modifies the demonstration project for alternative TAA for older workers. Directs the Secretary to implement a system to collect data on all adversely affected workers applying for or receiving TAA. Provides for industry-wide certification of workers, including agricultural commodity producers, for TAA where bilateral or other safeguard provisions are invoked or antidumping or countervailing duties have been imposed. Extends the TAA program through FY2012. Establishes the Office of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Advisor in the Department of Labor. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the credit for health insurance costs of certain TAA recipients.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
Recognizes the importance of the September 2005 presidential election as a first step toward greater openness and political reforms in Egypt. Expresses concern over the lack of international election monitoring and irregularities during such election. Calls on the government of Egypt, during the 2005 parliamentary elections, to: (1) authorize the judiciary to supervise the election process; (2) authorize the presence of accredited representatives of all competing parties and independent candidates at polling stations and during the vote-counting; and (3) allow local and international election monitors full access and accreditation. Calls on the government of Egypt to: (1) separate the National Democratic Party apparatus from the operations of government, divest all government holdings in Egyptian media, and end the government newspaper monopoly; and (2) repeal the 1981 emergency law and, in the development of any future anti-terrorism legislation, allow constitutional political activities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
States that Congress: (1) mourns the horrific loss of life caused by the October 2005 floods and mudslides in Central America and Mexico, and expresses its deep condolences to the the victims' families; (2) commits to provide the necessary resources for the relief and rebuilding of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico; (3) recognizes the growing international relief effort; and (4) encourages the Administration and other international donors to provide immediate and long-term assistance for the reconstruction of affected infrastructure. Expresses the sense of Congress that it should be U.S. policy: (1) to promote economic growth and improved living standards, reduce poverty, and promote democracy and the rule of law in the countries of Central America; (2) in concert with multilateral humanitarian organizations, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Inter-American Development Bank to support the reconstruction of affected communities; and (3) to encourage the governments of these countries to improve disaster mitigation techniques and compliance among key societal sectors.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2005
Directs the Architect of the Capitol to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks and to place the statue in the Capitol in a suitable permanent location in National Statuary Hall.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2005
Requests the President to provide to the House of Representatives certain federal agency documents in his possession on the effects of climate change on the coastal regions of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2005
Urges the government of Saudi Arabia to reform its textbooks and education curriculum in a manner that promotes tolerance and peaceful coexistence, develops civil society, and encourages functionality in the global economy. Urges the President to: (1) direct the Secretary of State to use diplomacy, international visitor exchanges, professional development, and educational reform programs to focus on educational reform in Saudi Arabia; and (2) consider educational reform progress when determining the level and frequency of U.S.-Saudi relations. Expresses disappointment with the slow pace of education reform. Requests that the Secretary report to the appropriate congressional committees respecting such educational reform.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that it should raise awareness about the importance of workplace safety for, and prevention of job-related violence against, social workers and case workers Encourages states and local agencies to adopt measures that would improve the safety of social service workers.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2005
Ensuring Ballott Access for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Victims Act of 2005 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to make grants to states to restore and replace election administratiion supplies, materials, and equipment which were damaged as a result of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2005
Condemns the government of Syria for its apparent involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad and the government of Syria cooperate with international and Lebanese efforts to further investigate such assassination and bring those responsible to justice. Supports: (1) the findings of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC); and (2) full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1595. Urges the United States to support international and Lebanese efforts to investigate such assassination and bring its perpetrators to justice, including establishment of an international tribunal, if so requested by the government of Lebanon.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2005
Honors the life and accomplishments of Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first African-American woman appointed as a federal judge and the former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and recognizes her as a symbol of hope and inspiration.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2005
Honors the life and achievements of Dr. John Garang de Mabior. Reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to a lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan, and calls for full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Secretary of State with a request that the Secretary transmit it to Dr. Garang's widow, Rebecca Garang, and to the government of Southern Sudan, through the Office of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 545 North Rimsdale Avenue in Covina, California, as the "Lillian Kinkella Keil Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
Rabbi Arthur Schneier Congressional Gold Medal Act - Awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Rabbi Arthur Schneier in recognition of his pioneering role in promoting religious freedom and human rights throughout the world for close to half a century.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
ALS Registry Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) develop a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); and (2) establish a national registry for the collection and storage of ALS data. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to establish the Advisory Committee on the National ALS Registry to study and make recommendations to the Secretary concerning: (1) the development and maintenance of the registry; (2) the type of information to be included; (3) the manner in which data is to be collected; (4) the use and availability of such data; and (5) the collection of information about diseases and disorders that primarily affect motor neurons that are considered essential to furthering the study and cure of ALS. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director, to award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on ALS. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) identify, build upon, expand, and coordinate among existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure wherever possible; and (2) provide for public access to an electronic national database that accepts data from state registries, health care professionals, and others as recommended by the Advisory Committee in a manner that protects personal privacy. Requires the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information is made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
Community Disaster Loan Equity Act of 2005 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to make community disaster loans to state governments. Eliminates the $5 million limit on such a loan, and prohibits the President from requiring its repayment, if the state or local government receiving it may suffer a substantial loss of tax and other revenues as a result of a major disaster determined to be an incident of national significance. Applies this Act to any major disaster occurring on or after August 24, 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use U.S. influence to urge the United Nations to establish a commission on slavery, human trafficking, and exploitation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2005
Interrogation Procedures Act of 2005 - Prohibits any individual in the custody or control of the U.S. government, regardless of nationality or physical location, from being subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. Prohibits any person in the custody or control of the Department of Defense (DOD), or under detention in a DOD facility, from being subject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by and listed in the U.S. Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2005
Commends the people of Hungary as they mark the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Expresses condolences to the people of Hungary for those who lost their lives fighting for Hungarian freedom in 1956, as well as for those subsequently executed by the Soviet and Hungarian communist authorities, including Prime Minister Imre Nagy. Welcomes the changes that have taken place in Hungary since 1989, believing that Hungary's integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), together with similar developments in the neighboring countries, will ensure peace and understanding among the peoples of the Carpathian Basin. Reaffirms the friendship between the governments of Hungary and the United States and between the Hungarian and American people.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2005
Recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate. Expresses support for the new collaborative relationship that has grown between Jews and Roman Catholics. Requests the President to: (1) issue a proclamation recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Nostra Aetate; and (2) exert U.S. leadership toward ensuring that anti-Semitism and all forms of religious and racial bigotry are not tolerated worldwide.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2005
Expresses support for National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (October 15, 2005). Salutes Latino AIDS survivors, volunteers, and professionals who combat AIDS every day. Recognizes national and community organizations for promoting AIDS awareness and offering AIDS treatment. Urges organizations and health practitioners to promote AIDS awareness and encourage yearly testing.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2005
Social Security COLA Protection Act of 2005 - 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% of any Social Security cost of living increase.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2005
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) Hurricane Katrina and other such disasters should not be used to weaken, waive, or roll back federal public health, environmental, and environmental justice laws and regulations; (2) state, local, and regional authorities must retain their authority for compliance and permitting of industrial and other facilities and their role in monitoring and cleanup; (3) testing, monitoring, cleanup, and recovery in areas of national emergency should be completed in a manner designed to protect public health and the environment, ensure habitability, and mitigate against the effects of future storms and in compliance with Executive Order 12898 (requires federal actions to address environmental justice in minority and low-income populations); and (4) the federal rebuilding of the Gulf Region communities and economy should be a model of an integrated, diverse, and sustainable society.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2005
Downed Animal Protection Act - States that it is U.S. policy that all nonambulatory livestock in interstate and foreign commerce be immediately and humanely euthanized when such livestock become nonambulatory. Amends the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate regulations providing for the humane treatment, handling, and disposition of nonambulatory livestock by a covered entity, including a requirement that nonambulatory livestock be humanely euthanized. Requires an entity to: (1) humanely euthanize nonambulatory livestock (while not limiting the Secretary's ability to test nonambulatory livestock for disease, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy); and (2) not move nonambulatory livestock while such livestock is conscious, and ensure that such livestock remains unconscious until death. Prohibits an inspector at an establishment covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act to pass nonambulatory livestock, carcass, or carcass parts through inspection. Requires an inspector or other employee at such establishment to label such material as "inspected and condemned." Defines "covered entity," "nonambulatory livestock," and "humanely euthanize."
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2005
Federal Response to Energy Emergencies Act of 2005 - Declares unlawful: (1) unconscionable pricing of gasoline, oil, natural gas, and petroleum distillates during emergencies; (2) intentional reporting of false price information concerning wholesale prices of such products; and (3) market manipulation regarding the purchase or sale at wholesale of such products. Authorizes the President to declare a federal energy emergency upon finding that the national health, safety, welfare, or economic well-being is at risk because of an actual or imminent shortage of such products due to a disruption of the national distribution system, or significant pricing anomalies in national or regional energy markets for the products. Empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and State Attorneys General to enforce this Act. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Requires fines and penalties collected under this Act to be deposited in a separate fund in the treasury to be known as the Consumer Relief Trust Fund to provide assistance under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Directs the FTC to facilitate price transparency in wholesale markets for the sale of crude oil and essential petroleum products. Instructs the FTC to transmit a confidential report to Congress on the potential impact on domestic prices of crude oil, residual fuel oil, and refined petroleum products that would result from the disruption for periods of one week, one year, and five years, respectively. Directs the Secretary of Energy and the Energy Information Administration to review and report to Congress on expenditures and activities undertaken by certain size companies to protect the energy supply system from terrorist attacks, international supply disruptions, and natural disasters, and ensure a stable and reasonably priced supply of such products to consumers in the United States. Requires such report to assess the companies' preparations for the forecasted period of more frequent and more intense hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico and other vulnerable coastal areas.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Anti-Cronyism and Public Safety Act - Prohibits specified public safety positions from being held by any political appointee unless such individual: (1) has academic, management, and leadership credentials relevant to the position; (2) has a superior record of achievement in one or more areas relevant to the position; (3) has training and expertise in one or more areas relevant to the position; and (4) has not, within the prior two-year period, been a lobbyist for any entity or other client that is subject to the authority of the agency within which such individual would serve.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Large Employer Medicaid and SCHIP Responsibility Act of 2005 - Makes any large employer that employs one or more employees enrolled (or any of whose spouses or dependent children are enrolled) under Medicaid or SCHIP (titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act) for a month in a year liable to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for payment of a per capita penalty with respect to each such employee, spouse, or dependent. Prescribes a formula for determination of such penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. government and the governments of other industrial countries should: (1) examine ways to accelerate the elimination or phase-out of agricultural subsidies; (2) work with their African counterparts to remove non-tariff barriers to African agricultural imports; and (3) work with the governments of least developed African countries to minimize the economic impact of an opening of African markets to foreign goods.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
HOPE VI Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to extend and authorize appropriations for the HOPE VI revitalization program through FY2011.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Medicare Informed Choice Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) provide for an extended period of open enrollment during all of 2006 without late enrollment penalty; (2) give Medicare beneficiaries the opportunity to make a one-time change in prescription drug plan enrollment at any point in 2006; and (3) provide protection from loss of employment-based retiree health coverage upon enrollment for Medicare prescription drug benefit, including a Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug benefit, during 2006.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Remembers and commemorates the lives and work of Sisters Maura Clarke, Ita Ford, and Dorothy Kazel and lay missionary Jean Donovan, and extends sympathy and support for the families, friends, and religious communities of the four U.S. churchwomen. Calls upon the people of the United States and religious congregations to participate in local, national, and international events commemorating the 25th anniversary of their martyrdom. Calls upon the President, the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the heads of other U.S. agencies to support the government of El Salvador and private sector, nongovernmental, and religious organizations in their efforts to reduce poverty and to promote educational opportunity, health care, and social equity for the people of El Salvador.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2005
Microbicide Development Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Office of AIDS Research to: (1) expedite the implementation of the Federal strategic plan for the conduct and support of microbicide research; and (2) expand, intensify, and coordinate all activities with respect to research and development of microbicides to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to: (1) establish within the Division of AIDS an organizational unit to carry out microbicide research and development; and (2) assign priority to ensuring adequate funding and support for the integration of basic science and clinical research. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fully implement the CDC's topical microbicide agenda to support microbicide research and development. Directs the head of the Office of HIV/AIDS of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop and implement a program to support the development of microbicides products and facilitate wide-scale availability of such products.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2005
Expresses support for the August 2005 memorandum of understanding signed by the government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement to end the conflict in Aceh, and congratulates both parties for their willingness to compromise. Encourages the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to commit resources in guaranteeing the peace and building a strong civil society in Aceh.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2005
Hurricane Katrina Accountability and Contracting Reform Act - Establishes in the legislative branch the bipartisian Independent Commission to Prevent Fraud and Abuse in the Response to Hurricane Katrina to conduct a complete, independent, and impartial investigation of federal government contracting relative to Hurricane Katrina recovery, relief, and reconstruction, as well as allegations of price gouging or profiteering. Requires a federal agency head, within 14 days after the award of a Hurricane-related contract, to make publicly available, including by posting on the Internet in a searchable database, specified information with respect to the contract, including the name and address of the contractor and the contract's total amount. Requires federal agency heads to provide certain contract-related information to Congress, including copies of the contract and all modifications. Prohibits the federal government from entering into a Hurricane Katrina-related monopoly contract, with certain exceptions. Requires the federal government to use competition in the purchase of goods and services in excess of $100,000 pursuant to any Hurricane Katrina-related multiple award contract. Prohibits an agency from entering into a Hurricane Katrina-related contract for the performance of a function relating to contract oversight wtih any contractor with a conflict of interest. Prohibits an agency from entering into a Hurricane Katrina-related contract for the performance of inherently governmental functions for contract oversight. Revises the prohibition against a former official's acceptance of compensation from a contractor. Prevents former employees of private contractors who become federal government employees from awarding government contracts to their former employers for a period of five years after leaving the private contractor's employ . Subjects additional offenses to criminal penalties. Amends the Second Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act to Meet Immediate Needs Arising from the Consequences of Hurricane Katrina to repeal the $250,000 micropurchase threshold (thus applying the regular $2,500 micropurchase threshold of federal procurement law).
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2005
Honors the life and work of Simon Wiesenthal to memorialize the victims of the Holocaust and bring the perpetrators of crimes against humanity to justice. Reaffirms Congress's commitment to fighting anti-Semitism and intolerance. Urges the international community to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of surviving Nazi war criminals and to continue documenting and collecting information on Nazi war crimes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2005
Identify Theft Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction from gross income (available to taxpayers who do not itemize deductions) for all identity theft expenses arising from a fraud committed or attempted using identifying information without authority.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2005
Gynecological Resolution for Advancement of Ovarian Cancer Education - Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (September 2005).
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2005
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2005 - Provides for increased regular unemployment compensation payments or emergency extended unemployment compensation for certain individuals who held employment or resided in an area declared a disaster as a result of Hurricane Katrina in the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2005
Establishes in the legislative branch a bipartisan Katrina Commission to: (1) examine and report upon the federal, state, and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Region of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and other affected areas; (2) evaluate and report on the information developed by all relevant governmental agencies related to Hurricane Katrina before it struck the United States and in the days and weeks following; (3) make a complete accounting of the circumstances surrounding the approach of Hurricane Katrina to the Gulf states, and the extent of the Government's preparedness for and response to it; (4) examine planning necessary for future cataclysmic events that will require a significant marshaling of federal resources, mitigation, response, and recovery to avoid significant loss of life; (5) analyze whether any decisions differed with respect to response and recovery for different communities and what problems occurred as a result of a lack of a common plan, communication structure, and centralized command structure; and (6) investigate and report to the President and Congress on immediate corrective measures that can be taken to prevent problems with federal response to future cataclysmic events.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2005
Fair Wages for Hurricane Victims Act - Reinstates the application of the wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act to all federal contracts in counties affected by Hurricane Katrina, notwithstanding the President's proclamation dated September 8, 2005, or any other provision of law.
![Official portrait of Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-28]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000410_200.jpg)