United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2009
Latin America Military Training Review Act - 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 · 21 May 2009
Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act - Establishes in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a Cash for Clunkers Temporary Vehicle Trade-in Program through which the Secretary of Transportation shall: (1) authorize the issuance of an electronic voucher to offset the purchase or lease price for a new fuel efficient automobile upon the surrender of an eligible trade-in vehicle to a participating dealer; (2) certify dealers for Program participation; (3) make payments to them for vouchers they accept between March 30, 2009, and April 1, 2010; (4) provide for the payment of rebates to qualifying persons; and (5) establish and provide for the enforcement of measures to prevent and penalize fraud under the Program. Prescribes requirements, including combined fuel economy, for $3,500 and $4,500 vouchers to offset the purchase or lease price for a qualifying passenger automobile or truck. Limits the number of vouchers to one per customer, including joint registered owners of a single eligible trade-in vehicle. Requires a dealer to certify that each eligible trade-in vehicle: (1) will be crushed or shredded, or transferred to an entity that will ensure it will be crushed or shredded, within the period of the Program; and (2) has not been, and will not be, sold, leased, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of for use as an automobile in the United States or in any other country. Makes any person who purchased or leased a new fuel efficient vehicle after March 30, 2009, and before the enactment of this Act eligible for a cash rebate equivalent to the appropriate voucher amount. Prescribes standards which any regulations issued by the Secretary for the Program must meet. Makes it unlawful for any person to violate this Act or any regulations issued under it, particularly by fraud. Prescribes civil penalties for any such violation. Directs the Secretary to make Program information available on an Internet website and through other means.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2009
Independence at Home Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize voluntary Independence at Home chronic care coordination pilot programs for high-cost Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions under the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2009
Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009 - Provides that a federal employee and his or her domestic partner shall be entitled to benefits available to, and shall be subject to obligations imposed upon, a married federal employee and his or her spouse. Defines "domestic partner" to mean an adult unmarried person living with another adult unmarried person of the same sex in a committed, intimate relationship. Defines "benefits" to include federal health insurance and enhanced dental and vision benefits, retirement and disability benefits, family, medical, and emergency leave, group life insurance, long-term care insurance, compensation for work injuries, and benefits for disability, death, or captivity. Excludes members of the uniformed services from the definition of "employee." Sets forth requirements for filing: (1) an affidavit of eligibility as such a domestic partner, which shall include a certification that the employee and the domestic partner are each other's sole domestic partners and intend to remain so indefinitely; and (2) a statement upon dissolution of such a domestic partnership.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2009
Mental Health in Schools Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise a community children and violence program to assist local communities and schools in applying a public health approach to mental health services, including by: (1) revising eligibility requirements for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; and (2) providing for comprehensive school mental health programs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and age appropriate. Makes only a partnership between a local educational agency and at least one community program or agency that is involved in mental health eligible for such funding. Sets forth assurances required for eligibility, including that: (1) the local education agency will enter into a memorandum of understanding with relevant community-based entities that clearly states the responsibilities of each partner; (2) the program will include training of all school personnel, family members of children with mental health disorders, and concerned members of the community; and (3) the program will demonstrate the measures to be taken to sustain the program after funding terminates. Requires the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop a process for evaluating grant program activities, including: (1) the development of guidelines for the submission of program data by recipients; and (2) the development of measures of outcomes to be applied by recipients in evaluating programs, to include student and family measures and local educational measures.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2009
Amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to raise the ceiling on the federal share of the cost of the Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling Project, California.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2009
Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 - Authorizes the government of Puerto Rico: (1) to conduct a plebiscite giving voters the option to vote to continue Puerto Rico's present political status or to have a different political status; (2) if a majority of ballots favor continuing the present status, to conduct additional such plebiscites every eight years; and (3) if a majority of ballots favor having a different status, to conduct a plebiscite on the options of becoming fully independent from the United States, forming with the United States a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the Constitution, or being admitted as a state of the Union. Prescribes the eligibility requirements for voting in the plebiscite. Requires the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission to certify plebiscite results to the President and Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2009
Veterans Educational Equity Act - Provides that, in the case of an individual entitled to veterans' educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance program and who is enrolled at an institution of higher education in a state in which the public institutions charge only fees in lieu of tuition, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall allow the individual to use all or a portion of the amount payable under the educational assistance program to pay the tuition or fees for that program of education.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2009
Increasing Homeownership Opportunities Act - Amends the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act and the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act to increase limitations on the maximum original principal obligation of mortgages that may purchased by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Association (Freddie Mac). Increases such limitations in areas where 125% (currently, 115%) of the median price of residences of a particular size exceed existing mortgage purchase limitations for such residence size. Gives the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) discretion to increase existing mortgage purchase limitations where an increase is warranted by higher median home prices in an area or sub-area and will have a significant impact on the cost or availability of mortgages for such homes. Amends the National Housing Act to raise limitations on the maximum principal obligation of mortgages that may be insured by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Gives the Secretary discretion to increase mortgage insurance limitations where an increase is warranted by higher median home prices in an area or sub-area and will have a significant impact on the cost or availability of mortgages for such homes.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2009
Truth in Fur Labeling Act of 2009 - Amends the Fur Products Labeling Act to: (1) eliminate the exemption to fur labeling requirements for products containing relatively small amounts of fur; and (2) permit states to enforce more restrictive labeling requirements. Directs the the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in the Fur Products Name Guide, to replace the term "Raccoon, Asiatic" with "Dog, Raccoon."
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2009
Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 - Directs the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a regional strategy to guide U.S. support for multilateral efforts to eliminate the threat to civilians and regional stability posed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and to enforce the rule of law and ensure full humanitarian access in LRA-affected areas. Authorizes the President to provide assistance to respond to the humanitarian needs of populations in northeastern Congo, southern Sudan, and Central African Republic affected by LRA activity. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) should work with the appropriate congressional committees to increase future assistance to Uganda if the government of Uganda demonstrates a commitment to reconstruction in war-affected areas of northern and eastern Uganda. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should support efforts by the people of northern Uganda and the government of Uganda to: (1) promote local and national reconciliation including mechanisms outlined in the Annexure to the Agreement on Accountability and Reconciliation between the government of Uganda and the LRA; and (2) assist internally displaced people, establish mechanisms for the demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, and enhance the competency of local institutions including the police.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2009
Amends the Whale Conservation and Protection Study Act to rename it as the International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009. Requires the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), in cooperation with the Secretary of State, to: (1) restate strong U.S. opposition to commercial whaling and to refuse to engage in any negotiation or reinterpretation of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling that would weaken the moratorium on commercial whaling, create new categories of whaling, condone lethal scientific whaling, or weaken whale conservation and protection; and (2) support subsistence whaling and the development of the Aboriginal Whaling Management Scheme. Sets forth provisions concerning the International Whaling Commission. Requires the Secretary, in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard, to: (1) pursue the establishment of guidelines for minimizing the introduction of incidental noise from commercial shipping operations into marine environments to reduce the potential adverse affects on whales and other marine life; and (2) promote the use of areas to be avoided by commercial vessels and other navigational measures to minimize the threat of injury to whales. Requires the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, to encourage nations that hold any reservations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to the great whales listed in Appendix I to withdraw such reservations and terminate commercial trade in whale meat and products. Provides for international cooperation and compliance with regulations governing trade in or takings of whales. Requires the Secretary to: (1) negotiate with the government of Canada with the goal of concluding a North Atlantic Whale Conservation Agreement within 18 months; (2) develop international action plans to reduce threats to whales and other cetaceans through the establishment of new International Marine Protected Areas (IMAs) and IMA networks; and (3) establish whale research initiatives to enhance whale conservation efforts. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of State to support efforts to study and reduce the adverse effects of anthropogenic noise on whales and other marine life.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2009
Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Allows employees to use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members; or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. Grants the same authority, for employees under their jurisdiction, to the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, the Board of Directors of the congressional Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board. Authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this Act. Waives a state's sovereign immunity with respect to a suit brought by an employee of a federally-assisted state program or activity for relief authorized under this Act. Requires the Commissioner of Labor Statistics annually to compile information annually on paid sick time, and the Comptroller General to study related matters. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2009
Encourages all citizens to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members and alumni and raise awareness about the importance of national and community service. Acknowledges the significant accomplishments and contributions of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and community partners. Encourages citizens of all ages and backgrounds and from each state to consider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2009
Net Operating Loss (NOL) Carryback Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a five-year carryback of net operating losses, including the operating losses of life insurance companies, incurred in 2008 and 2009. Denies such extended loss carryover period to: (1) taxpayers in whom the federal government acquires an equity interest under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008; (2) the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (3) members of certain affiliated groups.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand, intensify, and coordinate the research and training activities with respect to scleroderma. Directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of scleroderma.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 400,000 $1 coins emblematic of the 100th anniversary of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such coins beginning January 1, 2014, except that the Secretary may initiate sales of such coins, without issuance, before such date. Terminates such minting authority after December 31, 2014. Requires coin sales to include a $10 surcharge per coin, with distribution of such surcharges to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Osteoporosis Foundation for the purpose of furthering research.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2009 or the AgJOBS Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) 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, 2008, or earned at least $7,500 from U.S. agricultural employment; (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. Limits the number of blue cards that may be issued during the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 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. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to revise 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.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) develop standards for health insurance issuers in providing information to group health plans, for forms used in connection with group health insurance coverage, for quality assurance, for marketing of group health insurance coverage, and for the accuracy and clarity of coverage for out-of-network providers; (2) undertake activities to promote accountability of health insurance issuers in meeting federal health insurance requirements; (3) provide grants to Departments of Insurance in states to assist in enforcement of federal health insurance requirements governing health insurance issuers operating in such states; (4) undertake activities to promote transparency in costs, market practices, and other factors for health insurance coverage; and (5) establish within HHS an Office of Health Insurance Oversight to promote accountability and transparency in health insurance and provide for assistance to consumers in selecting health care coverage. Directs the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury to establish standards and accountability and transparency initiatives for group health plans comparable to the standards established by the HHS Secretary under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Identity Protection Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit the use of Social Security account numbers on identification cards issued by the U.S. government in connection with benefits under SSA titles XVIII (Medicare), XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP). Declares the sense of Congress that private entities should not: (1) use Social Security account numbers as a method identifying individuals on documents made available to the public or on personal identification cards; or (2) include on any such document or card a magnetic strip, bar code, or other means of communication which conveys such number (or a derivative).
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Menu Education and Labeling Act or the MEAL Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require chain restaurants with 20 or more locations doing business under the same trade name to disclose: (1) in a statement adjacent to a standard menu item, the number of calories, grams of saturated plus trans fat, grams of carbohydrate, and milligrams of sodium in each such item; (2) other information designed to enable the public to understand the significance of the nutrition information provided in the context of a total daily diet; (3) that such nutrition information is available in writing at the point of ordering; and (4) the number of calories in food on a drive-through menu board, adjacent to each menu item. Exempts condiments, items placed on a table or counter for general use, daily specials, and temporary menu items. Requires restaurants that sell self-serve food and beverages, such as through a salad bar, buffet line, or cafeteria lines, to place a sign that lists the number of calories per serving adjacent to each food item or beverage offered. Requires vending machine operators who operate 20 or more vending machines to provide a conspicuous sign disclosing the number of calories contained in each article of food dispensed from such machines. Permits restaurants and vending machine operators to voluntarily provide, and states to require, additional nutritional information.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress, by December 31, 2009, outlining the exit strategy for U.S. military forces in Afghanistan participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Supports increased efforts to allow spouses and family members of veterans, including those killed in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, to receive needed counseling services at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. Encourages the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to develop programs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that include and treat the entire family. Calls on the Secretaries and the heads of other appropriate federal agencies to increase resources available for family and friends of veterans suffering from PTSD. Urges the Secretaries to increase access to counseling and other mental health services to family members of veterans as part of the comprehensive plan for the treatment of mental health conditions of members of the Armed Forces required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to collaborate with the Department of Defense (DOD) center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of PTSD and other mental health conditions with respect to the education, treatment, and support of family members of veterans with such conditions. Requests the Secretaries to submit to Congress a list of statutory barriers that prevent each department from expanding access to mental health counseling services to family members of veterans. Urges the Secretary to aggressively work with Congress, veterans service organizations, and others to determine how to best meet the needs of veterans and their family members.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month; and (2) the finding of the President's Commission on Mental Health that the nation's failure to prioritize mental health is a national tragedy. Recognizes that mental well-being is as important as physical well-being for people, the economy, and the country. Applauds the coalescing of national and community organizations in working to promote public awareness of mental health and in providing critical information and support to the people and families affected by mental illness. Encourages all organizations and health practitioners to use Mental Health Month as an opportunity to promote mental well-being and awareness, ensure access to appropriate services, and support overall quality of life for those living with mental illness.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2009
Congratulates the University of California, Davis, for 100 successful years of providing superb educational opportunities for California. Recognizes the incredible range of accomplishments by the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the University of California, Davis, across the whole range of human endeavor. Thanks the University of California, Davis, for its contribution to the betterment of the communities and state of California and of the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2009
Recognizes the 40th anniversary of the police raid on the Stonewall Inn bar in New York City, New York. Honors those who participated during Stonewall and since that time in the civil rights struggle of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Recommits the House of Representatives to protecting and providing equal rights for all Americans, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2009
Recognizes that the incredible diversity of different racial and ethnic groups, including Asian American and Pacific Islander, is a source of strength for the United States. Recognizes that the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is influential and crucial to the society and culture of the United States. Reaffirms the commitment of the House of Representatives to the goals and ideals of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Celebrates the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2009
Directs the Secretary of Education to award National Classified School Employees of the Year Awards to public school employees within certain occupational specialties who provide exemplary service to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education. Requires the Secretary to choose an awardee each year, out of nominations received from each state, from each of the following occupational specialties: (1) paraprofessionals; (2) clerical and administrative services; (3) transportation services; (4) food and nutrition services; (5) custodial and maintenance services; (6) security services; (7) health and student services; (8) technical services; and (9) skilled trades.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2009
Proud to Be an American Citizen Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to make funds available annually to the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or to approved public or private nonprofit entities to support public ceremonies for administering oaths of allegiance to naturalizing legal immigrants. States that such ceremonies shall: (1) be held on a date that is on or near Independence Day; and (2) include appropriate outreach, ceremonial, and celebratory activities. Specifies: (1) ceremony fund limits ($5,000); and (2) permitted fund uses.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2009
Water Advanced Technologies for Efficient Resource Use Act of 2009 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings and landscapes, and services to reduce water use, conserve energy, and preserve water resources. Sets forth the duties of the EPA Administrator for promoting, publicizing, and administering the WaterSense program. Requires federal agencies to purchase WaterSense products or services or a Federal Energy Management Program designated product through their procurement process. Establishes a program to provide financial incentives for consumer purchase and installation of residential water efficient products and services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2009
Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to authorize coverage under the Medicaid program for services at a non-hospital freestanding birth center where childbirth is planned to occur away from the pregnant woman's residence.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2009
Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act of 2009 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award recruitment incentive grants or contracts to graduate medical schools to enable them to improve primary care education and training for medical students. Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to: (1) award grants to critical shortage health facilities to enable them to provide scholarships to individuals who agree to serve as physicians at such facilities after completing a residency in a primary care field; (2) establish an educational loan repayment program for individuals who agree to serve as primary care physicians or primary care providers (including nurse practitioners) in an area that is not a health professional shortage area but has a critical shortage of such physicians or providers; and (3) establish an educational loan repayment program for individuals who agree to serve as physicians in the field of obstetrics and gynecology or as certified nurse midwives in an area that is not a health professional shortage area. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for deferment of education loans during medical residency and internships in a primary care field. Amends the PHSA to direct the Secretary to award grants to eligible state and local government entities for the development of informational materials that promote careers in primary care. Amends the PHSA to extend the authorization of appropriations for training in a family medicine, general internal medicine, general geriatrics, general pediatrics, physician assistance, general dentistry, and pediatric dentistry Authorizes increased appropriations for the national health service corps scholarships and loan repayment programs. Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to allow the use of Medicaid transformation payments for methods for improving medical assistance under Medicaid and SSA title XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) by encouraging certain medical practices to qualify as patient centered medical homes. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to: (1) increase budget neutrality limits under the physician fee schedule to account for anticipated savings resulting from payments for certain services and the coordination of beneficiary care; and (2) require a separate Medicare payment for designated primary care services and comprehensive care coordination services. Amends SSA title XVIII to cover patient-centered medical home services. Directs the Secretary to develop a methodology to increase payments for designated evaluation and management services provided by primary and principal care providers. Requires: (1) additional incentive payments for primary care services furnished in health professional shortage areas; (2) permanent extension of the floor on the Medicare work geographic adjustment under the physician fee schedule; and (3) permanent extension of the Medicare incentive payment program for physician scarcity areas. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the process for determining relative value under the Medicare physician fee schedule. Eliminates cost sharing for preventive benefits and the time restriction for initial preventive physical examination. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on: (1) facilitating the receipt of Medicare preventive services by Medicare beneficiaries; (2) increasing the ability of physicians and primary care providers to assist Medicare beneficiaries in obtaining needed prescriptions under Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program); and (3) developing and implementing mechanisms to promote and increase interaction between physicians or primary care providers and the families of Medicare beneficiaries, as well as other caregivers who support such beneficiaries, for the purpose of improving patient care under the Medicare program. Requires additional payments to physicians for services to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Requires various specified studies. Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to provide an ongoing assessment of the impact of changes in Medicare payment policies in improving access to and equity of payments to primary care physicians and primary care providers. Authorizes distribution of additional residency positions and the counting of resident time in certain outpatient settings. Establishes rules for counting resident time in a nonhospital setting primarily engaged in furnishing patient care in non-patient care activities, such as didactic and scholarly activities and other activities (but not research not associated with the treatment or diagnosis of a particular patient). Authorizes redistribution of residency slots after a hospital closes or is acquired by another entity with the approval of a bankruptcy court. Directs the Secretary to revise the 9th Statement of Work under the Quality Improvement Program to include a requirement that, in order to be an eligible Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for the 9th Statement of Work contract cycle, a QIO provide assistance, including technical assistance, to physicians under the Medicare program that seek to acquire the elements necessary to be recognized as a patient centered medical home practice under the National Committee for Quality Assurance's Physician Practice Connections -- PCMH module.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2009
Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to make it unlawful for any person to operate a gun show unless such person: (1) has attained 21 years of age; (2) is not prohibited from transporting, shipping, or receiving firearms and has not violated any federal firearms requirements; (3) has registered with the Attorney General as a gun show operator and has provided a photograph and fingerprints; (4) has not concealed material information nor made false statements in connection with a gun show operator registration; and (5) notifies the Attorney General of the date, time, and duration of a gun show not later than 30 days before the commencement of such show and verifies the identity of each vendor at the gun show. Imposes recordkeeping requirements on gun show operators and criminal penalties for failure to register as a gun show operator and maintain required records. Grants the Attorney General authority to enter the business premises of any gun show operator, without a showing of reasonable cause or a warrant, to examine records and inventory to determine compliance with this Act. Increases criminal penalties for serious recordkeeping violations and violations of criminal background check requirements. Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to hire additional investigators to carry out inspections of gun shows.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2009
Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the impacts of climate change on health systems. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) publish a national strategic action plan to assist health professionals to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change on public health in the United States and other nations, particularly developing nations; (2) revise such plan periodically to reflect new information on the impacts of climate change on public health; (3) establish a permanent science advisory board to provide advice and recommendations on the domestic and international impacts of climate change on public health; and (4) contract with the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine to prepare a report that assesses the needs for health professionals to prepare for and respond to climate change impacts on public health.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a breast cancer treatment quality performance system to: (1) assess and disclose publicly, through the use of quality measures, the quality of care provided for the treatment of breast cancer by specified health care providers; and (2) base payment to such providers for such treatment on their performance with respect to such measures. Requires reduced payments to providers that either do not submit data in accordance with the reporting process in the system, or furnish low quality care for treatment of breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Awareness Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) conduct, support, and expand epidemiology research on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (i.e., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) in pediatric and adult populations and establish a registry of pediatric IBD patients; (2) enter into cooperative agreements to develop and administer such epidemiology research and the pediatric IBD registry; and (3) award grants to increase awareness of IBD among the general public and health care providers. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to include information on IBD research in the biennial reports of NIH to Congress. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Directors of NIH and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases should support specified research and training goals for inflammatory bowel disease.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Fair Funding for Schools Act of 2009 - Amends the Impact Aid program (which compensates local educational agencies (LEAs) for the financial burden of federal activities affecting their areas) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to alter the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for federal ownership of property when appropriations for a fiscal year are insufficient to provide them with full compensation. Alters the formula for determining the payments due LEAs for eligible federally-connected children. Includes not only children in average daily attendance, but also those enrolled pursuant to a state open enrollment policy. Continues an LEA's eligibility for such payments while activities associated with military base closures and realignments or force structure changes or relocations are ongoing. Allows the calculation of such payments using current student counts instead of prior fiscal year data when LEAs experience a specified influx of new students due to federal activities. Requires the Secretary of Education to allow LEAs to count their federally-connected children using the date they register their students for the fiscal year for which their application is filed. Alters the formula for determining the construction payments due LEAs that are eligible for other Impact Aid payments. Divides 80% of the construction funds evenly between LEAs impacted by military dependent children and LEAs impacted by children residing on Indian lands, with the remainder reserved for emergency repair and modernization grants to LEAs serving Indian lands or experiencing a specified influx of new students due to federal activities. Alters the formula for determining whether a state's plan for equalizing assistance to its LEAs will except it from the prohibition on state aid to LEAs being affected by Impact Aid payments. Requires new LEAs applying for Impact Aid to have boundaries established by state law and the authority to tax or receive an imputed local tax. Reauthorizes appropriations for the Impact Aid program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Expresses support for the designation of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Encourages awareness about the prevalence of asthma and allergies and the disparities in asthma cases based on race, ethnicity, and economic status. Reaffirms the nation's commitment to continued education surrounding asthma and allergy treatment and symptoms and to advancing care for both conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Recognizes and honors the family readiness volunteers of each branch of the Armed Forces, who selflessly devote their time, talent, energy, and resources in service to the United States. Commends such volunteers for their dedicated contributions to the quality of life of members of the Armed Forces and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2009
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week. Recognizes the importance of: (1) preventing diseases that commonly affect women; and (2) federally funded programs that provide research and collect data on common diseases in women. Calls on women to observe National Women's Check-Up Day by receiving preventive screenings.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2009
New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal Act - Authorizes the President to present gold medals, on behalf of Congress, to: (1) the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission to the surface of the moon, Neil A. Armstrong (the first human to walk on the moon), Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. (pilot of the lunar module Eagle and second person to walk on the moon), and Michael Collins (pilot of their command module Columbia) in recognition of the first lunar landing, on July 20, 1969; and (2) John Herschel Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, on February 20, 1962.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2009
Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 - Includes as part of the Republic of Vietnam, for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam, such Republic's inland waterways, ports, and harbors, waters offshore, and airspace above. Includes as veterans eligible for such presumption those who: (1) served on Johnston Island during the period beginning on April 1, 1972, and ending on September 30, 1977; or (2) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2009
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to require: (1) states to use grants for safe and drug-free schools to collect and report information on the incidence of bullying and harassment; and (2) local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools to use subgrants to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment. Requires such LEAs or schools to: (1) notify parents and students annually of conduct prohibited in their school discipline policies, that now must include bullying and harassment; and (2) establish grievance procedures for students and parents to register complaints regarding such conduct. Includes bullying and harassment within the Act's definition of violence.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2009
Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to activate the coverage of short-term emergency health care services if the Secretary determines that there is a public health emergency. Sets forth factors for the Secretary to consider, including the degree to which the emergency is likely to overwhelm health care providers in the region. Requires the Secretary to establish a medical monitoring program for monitoring and reporting on the health care needs of the affected population over time. Limits eligibility for coverage of emergency health care services to: (1) uninsured or underinsured emergency victims who need health care services due to injuries or disease resulting from the public health emergency; or (2) uninsured individuals residing in the affected area whose ability to access care or medicine is disrupted as a result of the emergency. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a streamlined process for determining eligibility for emergency health care services; (2) report to Congress on the number and adequacy of volunteers enrolled in the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) who will be available to each state in the event of a public health emergency; and (3) conduct an outreach and public education campaign to inform health care providers and the general public about the availability of emergency health care coverage during the period of the emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2009
Commends the students of the first graduating class at the University of California, Merced, the class of 2009, for their pioneering spirit, dedication, efforts, and desire to help establish an institution that puts Merced on the road to opportunity and promises to inspire the educational dreams of young people in this underserved region for generations to come.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2009
Climate Change Safeguards for Natural Resources Conservation Act - Requires the President to establish: (1) a national Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Strategy to protect, restore, and conserve natural resources to enable them to become more resilient, adapt to, and withstand the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification and to identity opportunities to mitigate those impacts; and (2) a Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Panel to serve as a forum for interagency consultation on and the coordination of the development and implementation of such Strategy. Requires each agency represented on the Panel to complete and revise every five years an adaptation plan implementing such Strategy. Directs the Chair of the Council of Environmental Quality to: (1) chair the Panel; (2) advise the President on the Strategy and agency adaptation plans; and (3) coordinate agency natural resources actions in response to climate change and ocean acidification. Requires the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to: (1) establish a coordinated process for developing and providing science and information needed to assess and address the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on natural resources; (2) undertake a climate change and ocean acidification impact survey; and (3) establish a Science Advisory Board to advise the Secretaries on state-of-the-art science regarding the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on natural resources and on scientific strategies and mechanisms for protecting, restoring, and conserving natural resources. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) establish the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); (2) establish a National Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program; and (3) develop a Habitat and Corridors Information System. Establishes in the Treasury the Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Account. Requires each state, to be eligible for funding from such Account, to prepare and update every five years a natural resources adaptation plan to address the potential impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on its natural resources and coastal areas. Provides for the allocation of such Account funds for specified state and federal natural resources adaptation activities.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2009
Mercury Pollution Reduction Act - Declares that the United States should develop policies and programs that will reduce: (1) mercury use and emissions; (2) mercury releases from the reservoir of mercury currently in use or circulation; and (3) exposures to mercury, particularly of women of childbearing age and young children. Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit: (1) the manufacture of chlorine or caustic soda using mercury cells; and (2) the export of any mercury, mercury cells, mercury compounds, and mixtures containing mercury by the owner or operator of a chlor-alkali facility. Requires the owner or operator of each chlor-alkali facility to report to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator and the state in which the facility is located on mercury waste, emissions, and content in products. Requires the Administrator to: (1) conduct a comprehensive mercury inventory covering the life and closure of chlor-alkali facilities that cease operations on or after January 1, 2009; and (2) obtain mercury purchase records and such other information from each such facility as are necessary to determine the magnitude and nature of mercury releases from the facility into air and other environmental media.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2009
Transparency and Accountability in Security Contracting Act of 2009 - Requires each contract, subcontract, or task order awarded or issued by a federal agency that includes private security functions (covered contract) to require the contractor to provide to the agency contracting officer specified information, including the number of persons to perform the security functions and the hiring and training process for such persons. Requires agency oversight in the performance of the covered contract. Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a comprehensive security contracting database. Prohibits any agency from awarding a covered contract for performance of activities that require or involve: (1) direct participation by contractor personnel in hostilities with an enemy combatant or force; or (2) interrogation by contractor personnel of an individual who is a detainee or prisoner in the custody or under the effective control of the U.S. government. Directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to issue rules regarding the circumstances under which force may be used by contractor personnel performing private security functions within the area covered by a contingency operation and the types of force authorized. Requires each agency awarding a covered contract: (1) for a contingency operation, to prescribe minimum standards for contract personnel, including hiring, training, and equipment standards; and (2) to issue guidance on equipment used for private security functions. Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to designate a Theater Security Contract Coordinating Officer for each contingency operation with respect to which covered contracts are awarded. Requires the Secretary of State to work through appropriate existing or new international fora to achieve agreement on an international framework regulating the use of private contractors for security functions and facilitating cooperation on measures to ensure the transparency and legal accountability of security contractors.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2009
Nursing and Allied Health Education Preservation Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from denying provider-operated status for a nursing and allied education program that substantially meets certain requirements pertaining to the cost of approved activities for such programs, in effect as of October 1, 2006, on the basis of an organizational structure, contractual arrangements, or legal structure of the program, or a change in such a structure or arrangement, so long as a hospital, hospitals, or health system continues to substantially control the nursing or allied program. Prohibits denial of payments for the costs of approved educational activities for a nursing or allied health education program. Requires restoration to a hospital of any recoupment or denial effected for a previous cost reporting year.
![Official portrait of Rep. Capps, Lois [D-CA-24]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001036_200.jpg)