United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2010
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. government should: (1) denounce violence and human rights violations committed against vulnerable religious communities in Iraq; (2) assist Iraq in developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to secure places of worship and religious congregation and increase the representation of such religious communities in the Iraqi government and security forces, and in the economic, social, and political aspects of its society; (3) assist in funding, training, and deploying police units; (4) urge Iraq to investigate and prosecute allegations of such human rights violations; and (5) continue processing Iraqi refugees for resettlement to the United States taking into account the ongoing targeted violence and the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2010
Recognizes Mark Twain as one of America's most famous literary icons and commemorates him on the 175th anniversary of his birth and the 100th anniversary of his death.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2010
Commends the city of Jacksonville, Arkansas, for its outstanding support in creating a unique and lasting partnership with Little Rock Air Force Base, members of the Armed Forces stationed there and their families, and the Air Force.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2010
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 111 North 6th Street in St. Louis, Missouri, as the "Earl Wilson, Jr. Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Smart Technologies for Communities Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish the Smart Communities Technology Initiative to provide grants to eligible entities to develop pilot programs to serve as model deployment sites for large scale installation and operation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to improve safety, mobility, and the environment.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Joins with the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC, the people of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the people of Marathon, Greece, and the hundreds of thousands of runners participating in marathons throughout the United States, in celebrating the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, Greece, one of the most significant battles in human history.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Expresses support for the designation of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Applauds the actions of medical professionals and other caregivers, researchers, patients and their families, and others who strive to combat and raise public awareness of childhood cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Recognizes the 10th anniversary of the passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 (calling for the participation of women at all levels of decision-making, the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence, the prevention of violence against women through the promotion of women's rights and law enforcement, and the mainstreaming of gender perspectives in peace operations). Recognizes the continued need for gender equality as a strategic tool to ensure international security and prosperity. Recognizes the dedicated work of U.S. officials, the U.S. Armed Forces, U.N. agencies, and international and nongovernmental organizations in advancing the goals of Security Council Resolution 1325.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2010
Supports the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust survivors in the United States are able to live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years. Applauds the nonprofit organizations and agencies that work tirelessly to honor and assist Holocaust survivors in their communities. Urges the Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in conjunction with the Administration on Aging (AoA), to provide Holocaust survivors with needed social services through existing programs. Encourages the AoA to expeditiously develop and implement programs that ensure Holocaust survivors are able to age in place in their communities and avoid institutionalization during their remaining years.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2010
Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act of 2010 - Establishes in the Department of Energy (DOE) a research, development, and commercial application program to assure the long-term, secure, and sustainable supply of rare earth materials to satisfy the national security, economic well-being, and industrial production needs of the United States. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) support new or significantly improved processes and technologies (as compared to those currently in use in the rare earth materials industry); (2) encourage multidisciplinary collaborations and opportunities for students at institutions of higher education; (3) collaborate with the relevant directorates of the European Commission to coordinate activities; (4) establish a Research and Development Information Center to catalogue, disseminate, and archive information on rare earth materials; and (5) submit an implementation plan to Congress. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize the Secretary to make loan guarantee commitments for the commercial application of new or significantly improved technologies for specified projects. Amends the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 to: (1) instruct the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate federal materials research and development through the National Science and Technology Council (instead of, as currently required, the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology); (2) modify the duties of the Secretary of Commerce regarding critical needs assessment; and (3) repeal specified duties of the Secretaries of Defense and of the Interior. Repeals the National Critical Materials Act of 1984.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2010
Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to annually report to Congress describing prison and detention facility conditions in countries receiving U.S. assistance, including a list of countries whose governments do not meet minimum prison and detention facility standards but are, and those who are not, making significant compliance efforts. Urges the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide assistance to countries whose governments do not meet such minimum standards but are making significant compliance efforts. Prohibits such funds from being used to construct new prisons. Directs the Secretary to enter into negotiations to achieve the purposes of this Act with a government listed in the report as not making significant compliance efforts. Authorizes, in order to achieve such purposes: (1) the Secretary and the Administrator to restructure or reduce U.S. assistance to such government; and (2) the Secretary to issue or deny visas for U.S. travel by officials of such government. Directs the Secretary to establish within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor a full-time equivalent Deputy Assistant Secretary level position to advance the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2010
Supports the objectives of the United Nations Millennium Declaration and related Millennium Development Goals. Calls on the President to ensure the United States contributes meaningfully to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Urges all responsible nations to uphold their commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2010
Fair Playing Field Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the classification of workers for employment tax purposes, to: (1) repeal the prohibition against issuance of regulations and guidance by the Secretary of the Treasury on workers' employment tax status (i.e., as an employee or as an independent contractor) enacted by the Revenue Act of 1978; (2) direct the Secretary to issue regulations and other guidance to clarify the proper employment status of workers for employment tax purposes; (3) prohibit a retroactive assessment of employment tax, except with respect to certain skilled workers, for tax periods after December 31, 1978, and before a specified reclassification date for worker misclassifications, unless the taxpayer had no reasonable basis for not treating a worker as an employee; (4) require taxpayers who hire independent contractors on a regular and ongoing basis to provide such contractors with notice of their federal tax obligations, the labor and employment law protections that do not apply to them, and their right to seek a status determination from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and (5) eliminate reduced penalty provisions for failure to withhold income taxes for taxpayers who lack a reasonable basis for treating a worker as other than an employee (i.e., as an independent contractor).
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2010
Commends the response of zoos, aquariums, and other wildlife organizations in rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico region following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Acknowledges the role of such organizations in responding to environmental disasters. Expresses support for their expertise and contributions to conservation programs, science education, and community development.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 2010
Drug Court Reauthorization Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize appropriations for the drug courts program for FY2011-FY2017 and to modify certain program requirements relating to grant authority, grant applications, and the distribution and allocation of grants to states and local and tribal governments.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2010
Manufacturing Reinvestment Account Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish tax-exempt manufacturing reinvestment accounts (MRAs) for taxpayers engaged in a manufacturing business. Allows such manufacturers to make tax deductible cash payments into an MRA of the lesser of their domestic manufacturing gross receipts for the taxable year or $250,000. Permits expenditures from an MRA for expenses for property to be used in the manufacturing business and expenses for employee job training and workforce development. Terminates the tax deduction for payments to an MRA seven years after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2010
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. government should: (1) work with Sudanese parties and regional and international partners to build consensus on the steps needed to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), including the upcoming referenda, and promote stability throughout Sudan; (2) work with international and Sudanese partners to ensure the right of return of Sudanese refugees and displaced persons, including Darfuris and southerners; (3) work with international partners to ensure a stable north-south border and a permanent peace in Sudan; and (4) assist the government of Southern Sudan to develop its economic, rule of law, and social service and educational infrastructures, improve democratic accountability and human rights, and strengthen reconciliation efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2010
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 - Revises provisions concerning the post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance program to, among other things: (1) revise definitions concerning eligibility, and include certain National Guard service as service qualifying for such assistance; (2) revise assistance amounts (including monthly stipends), and types of approved programs of education; (3) allow the pursuit of educational programs at institutions other than institutions of higher learning, including on-job training and apprenticeships, flight training, and correspondence courses; (4) provide an assistance amount for programs of education pursued while on active duty; (5) repeal the limit on the use of such assistance for the payment of only one licensing or certification test; (6) allow an individual entitled to supplemental educational assistance to transfer such entitlement to the post-9/11 program; (7) bar the duplication of benefits under other educational assistance programs; (8) increase the amount of the reporting fee paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to an educational institution for providing information concerning an individual's enrollment in a program of education; (9) extend to certain National Guard and reserve personnel members eligibility to receive public-private contributions for additional educational assistance; (10) reauthorize through 2016 the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education; and (11) revise cost-of-living adjustments under the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program. Provides an alternate subsistence allowance amount for veterans entitled to such allowance due to service-connected disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2010
Veterans' Disability Claims Efficiency Act of 2010 - Allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), in the case of a disability claim with multiple conditions, to assign an interim disability rating for the condition(s) that can be assigned without further development and to continue development of the remaining condition(s). Requires an interim disability rating to remain in effect unless the Secretary later assigns an increased rating for such condition. Prohibits the continuation of such rating if the rating was based on fraud or the condition improves. Directs the Secretary to establish a process for the rapid identification of initial claims for disability compensation that should, in adjudication, receive priority in the order of review. Requires the Secretary to identify whether claims have the potential of being adjudicated quickly, the claims qualify for priority treatment, and a temporary disability rating could be assigned for such claims. Authorizes the Secretary to provide priority based on the effect such priority would have on a claimant.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2010
Economic Revitalization and Innovation Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to extend funding for economic development assistance programs under such Act for FY2011-FY2015 and to revise grant program requirements and criteria to encourage regional development strategies, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Extends technical assistance eligibility under such Act to economic development districts and university centers. Authorizes and encourages the Secretary of Commerce to consult and cooperate with federal, state, and local entities in supporting economic and workforce development and in promoting regional innovation clusters. Requires the Secretary to coordinate activities with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other relevant entities to leverage and maximize the economic development potential of federal investments in high-speed rail projects and ensure that the activities of a university center include conducting research and providing technical assistance for such projects. Extends eligibility for grants for public works and economic development and for economic adjustment to business incubator facilities and science and research parks, as defined by this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) award grants and loan guarantees for the development of a feasibility study or development plan, or both, for a science and research park development project; and (2) provide technical and other assistance (in lieu of the Brightfields demonstration program) to promote energy efficiency to enhance the economic competitiveness of an area, increase the use of renewable energy technologies, support energy efficiency or alternative energy development plans, studies, or analysis, and support community efforts to relocate a technology or manufacturing business to the United States. Expands eligibility criteria for public works and economic development assistance or economic adjustment in a distressed area to include the loss of a substantial employer, substantial outmigration or population loss, substantial foreclosure rates and underemployment, military base realignments, natural disasters, and substantial negative effects resulting from changing trade patterns. Requires public works and economic development grant recipients to establish job creation goals and authorizes the Secretary to impose a penalty on grantees who fail to satisfy such goals.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2010
Supporting Entrepreneurial Economic Development Act or SEED Act - Amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to allow a recipient of an economic adjustment grant to directly expend or redistribute grant funds to public and private organizations in the form of non-debt financing of for-profit companies in business incubators. Defines: (1) "business incubator" to mean an organization or entity, including an academic institution, established to foster the startup of businesses or accelerate the growth of fledgling companies by providing entrepreneurs with resources and services to produce viable businesses that can help create jobs and restore vitality to distressed areas; and (2) "non-debt financing" to mean funding used to help business incubators develop an idea and create the first product to be brought to market for the first time.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2010
Small Manufacturers Export Initiative Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to increase by at least 80 the number of full-time Department of Commerce employees, including those overseas, whose primary responsibilities involve promoting the entry and participation of U.S. businesses, especially small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers, in the global marketplace. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary: (1) for such activities; and (2) to expand the ExporTech program, requiring preference for activities that assist small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers, create or sustain the greatest number of jobs in the United States, and obtain the maximum return on investment. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should enhance federal collaboration with states on export promotion issues by: (1) training state international trade agency staff to assist the United States and Foreign Commercial Service in providing export services to businesses in their communities; and (2) entering into agreements with such state agencies to deliver export promotion services in their local communities to extend the outreach of Service programs.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2010
SDHV Energy Efficiency Standards for America Act of 2010 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to revise energy conservation standards for central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps by requiring: (1) the seasonal energy efficiency ratio of small-duct, high-velocity systems to be no less than 11.00 for products manufactured on or after January 23, 2006; and (2) the heating seasonal performance factor of such systems to be 6.8 for products manufactured on or after such date. Defines "small-duct, high-velocity systems" to mean a heating and cooling product that contains a blower and indoor coil combination that: (1) is designed for, and produces, at least 1.2 inches of external static pressure when operated at the certified air volume rate of 220-350 cubic feet per minute per rated ton of cooling; and (2) when applied in the field, uses high velocity room outlets generally greater than 1,000 feet per minute that have less than 6.0 square inches of free area. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to amend by rule the standards established for such systems. Prohibits amended standards from taking effect less than five years after the final rule making the amendment is published. Requires the Secretary to determine whether standards for such systems should be amended no later than June 30, 2011. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include within the definition of "energy-efficient building property" for purposes of the tax credit for nonbusiness energy property a small-duct, high-velocity central air conditioning and heat pump system. Allow such credit through December 31, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2010
Condemns: (1) the July 11, 2010, terrorist attacks in Kampala, Uganda; and (2) al Shabaab's destabilizing role in Somalia and the region. Encourages the Administration to help Ugandan and Somali authorities bring those responsible for these attacks to justice. Expresses condolences to the families of Nate "Oteka" Henn and all the victims of these attacks. Recognizes the importance of Uganda's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia. Calls on the Administration to work with the international community to address the security threat emanating from Somalia.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2010
United States Postal Service's CSRS Obligation Modification Act of 2010 - Prescribes the "average pay" and the appropriate percentage thereof to be used in determining annuities for civilian employment with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for purposes of provisions relating to future benefits attributable to such employment in order to calculate the amount of any Postal surplus or supplemental liability under the Civil Service Retirement System. Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): (1) within six months after enactment of this Act, to determine (or, if applicable, redetermine) the amount of such surplus or liability as of the close of the most recently ending fiscal year using the methodology required under this Act; and (2) if the result is a surplus, to transfer the surplus amount to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2010
PACE Assessment Protection Act of 2010 - Directs the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) to adopt underwriting standards that are consistent with the Guidelines for Pilot PACE Financing Programs issued on May 7, 2010, by the Department of Energy (DOE). Provides that liens or other property obligations that secure property taxes or assessments under a PACE program and that are consistent with such standards shall be considered to comply with the Uniform Instruments of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and shall not constitute a default on an existing mortgage or trigger the exercise of lender's remedies for a property with such a lien. Defines a "PACE program" as a property assessed clean energy program under which a state or political subdivision levies taxes or assessments on real property to finance the installation of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. Prohibits Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from requiring repayment of a PACE program tax or assessment in order for a property owner to finance, refinance, or transfer property that meets their underwriting criteria without consideration of the PACE program lien. Requires the underwriting standards to provide that, in the event that a tax or assessment under a PACE program is delinquent, only the unpaid delinquent amount along with applicable penalties, interest, and costs will be subject to foreclosure and not the entire amount. Prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and all federal agencies and entities chartered under federal law from discriminating against communities implementing or participating in a PACE program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2010
Part D Off-Label Prescription Parity Act - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit a prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsor offering a PDP or a MedicareAdvantage (MA) organization offering an MA-PD plan to offer coverage of covered part D drugs for uses that are determined to be for medically accepted indications based upon: (1) guidance provided by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) for determining accepted uses of covered part D drugs; and (2) supportive clinical evidence in peer reviewed medical literature.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2010
Recognizes the service and sacrifices of all of the brave men and women who fought and contributed to American victory in World War II on the 65th anniversary of the end of that war. Honors the families and decedents of those men and women, and the men and women themselves, whose lives were taken in defense of liberty and freedom. Remembers and honors the servicemembers today who are actively fighting for freedom and to protect the American way of life in ongoing combat operations, including Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2010
High-Risk Pool Fairness Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to allow otherwise qualified individuals to enroll in a state's high risk health insurance pool if such an individual's maximum length of COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits) has expired in the six months before applying for coverage in such pool or will expire within 30 days of applying for coverage in such pool. (Currently, only individuals without creditable coverage for six months are eligible for such pools.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2010
Universal Access to Methamphetamine Treatment Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to: (1) increase the availability of treatment for methamphetamine abuse; (2) provide vouchers to individuals in underserved populations for authorized services related to such treatment; and (3) establish programs to provide for and coordinate the provision of wrap-around services, such as medical services, job training services, and housing assistance, to methamphetamine-affected individuals. Revises the grant program to provide residential substance abuse treatment to pregnant and postpartum women to: (1) make caregiver parents eligible for such program; (2) make Indian tribes and tribal organizations eligible for grants; and (3) set forth the priority for allocation of grants. Requires the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to conduct research on the effectiveness of the use of agonist and antagonist drugs to reduce the problems associated with stimulant abuse, including methamphetamine abuse. Requires the Secretary to seek to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to complete a literature review on the effectiveness of agonist and antagonist drugs for the treatment of stimulant abuse, including methamphetamine abuse. Requires the Comptroller General to study: (1) the impact of the programs authorized by this Act on the effectiveness and availability of treatment for methamphetamine abuse; (2) how the level of federal funding available for such treatment compares to the amount necessary to provide adequate treatment; and (3) the impact of effective treatment of methamphetamine abuse on cost savings due to the reduced need for criminal justice and other services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2010
End Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require seven-year amortization of the geological and geophysical expenditures of covered large oil companies. Defines "covered large oil company" as a taxpayer which is a major integrated oil company or which has gross receipts in excess of $50 million in a taxable year. Denies certain tax benefits to any taxpayer that is not a small, independent oil and gas company, including: (1) the tax credits for producing oil and gas from marginal wells and for enhanced oil recovery; (2) expensing of intangible drilling and development costs in the case of gas wells and geothermal wells; (3) percentage depletion; (4) the tax deduction for qualified tertiary injectant expenses; (5) the exemption from limitations on passive activity losses; and (6) the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities. Prohibits the use of the last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting method by major integrated oil companies. Denies the election to expense the cost of refinery property which is used to process liquid fuel from tar sands, shale, or coal (including lignite).
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2010
Oil Spill Accountability and Environmental Protection Act of 2010 - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to: (1) repeal the limitation on the liability of the responsible party for an offshore facility for damages and removal costs that result from a discharge of oil into or upon the navigable waters or adjoining shorelines or the U.S. exclusive economic zone; (2) increase the amount of financial responsibility required for offshore facilities to $1.5 billion; (3) make responsible parties for vessels or facilities from which oil is discharged liable for damages to human health; and (4) authorize the President to require a responsible party to provide information about claims in the event of a spill of national significance. Repeals provisions of the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 that limit the liability of the owner of a vessel from claims, debt, or liability to the value of the vessel and pending freight. Amends the Death on the High Seas Act to allow a civil action in law to benefit a decedent's survivors for the death of an individual that is caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default occurring on the high seas beyond three nautical miles from the U.S. shore. Amends the Jones Act to authorize a decedent's survivors to recover fair compensation for nonpecuniary losses and the decedent's pain and suffering. Limits the exploration, development, or production of resources in, on, above, or below the exclusive economic zone to vessels owned by U.S. citizens. Sets forth provisions concerning safety management systems and standards for mobile offshore drilling units. Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to designate positions to be in the Coast Guard's marine safety workforce to perform vessel and marine casualty investigations. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revoke the President's authorization to allow tank vessels and facilities to operate without a plan to respond to the discharge of oil or hazardous substances. Requires the President to: (1) issue a revised regulation for the development of the schedule for the use of dispersants, other chemicals, and other spill mitigating devices and substances; (2) undertake a rulemaking concerning standards for ceasing and removing a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance and for mitigating or preventing a substantial threat of such discharge; (3) create a database to track all discharges of oil or hazardous substances; and (4) delegate specified responsibilities with respect to oil discharges to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Secretary of Transportation (DOT). Revises provisions concerning: (1) responses to discharges of oil or hazardous substances by vessels and facilities; and (2) penalties for such discharges. Requires a pipeline facility operator in an area affected by a disaster to notify the Secretary of Transportation of changes to the operational status of such facility within 12 hours of cessation of the disaster. Requires the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling to develop recommendations for: (1) improvements to federal laws, regulations, and industry practices applicable to offshore drilling to ensure effective oversight, inspection, monitoring, and response capabilities and protect human and occupational health and safety and the environment; and (2) reforms of federal agencies or processes to ensure that such improvements are implemented and maintained. Requires the Comptroller General to report on the employment during the preceding year of individuals who were Coast Guard officials in the previous five-year period by recognized organizations contracted to administer maritime programs for foreign flag administrations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2010
Recognizes the exemplary service and sacrifice of the soldiers of the 14th Armored Division of the U.S. Army, known as the Liberators, during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2010
Judgment Evading Foreign States Accountability Act of 2010 - States the policy of the United States regarding: (1) advocacy within the governing bodies of international organizations and other foreign policy settings for the full compensation and fair treatment of persons in whose favor judgments have been awarded by U.S. courts; (2) protection of economic interests of persons and nations that benefit from a reliable flow of foreign capital by restricting the access to U.S. capital markets of judgment evading foreign states (foreign states that fail to fully satisfy a final judgment exceeding a certain amount for more than two years) and their state-owned corporations, warning of the dangers of dealing financially with such states and state-owned corporations, and congressional scrutiny of requests for aid made by such states; and (3) protection of the authority of the U.S. courts by preventing such states from willfully flouting the judgments of those courts. Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to: (1) deny a judgment evading foreign state access to U.S. capital markets unless the proceeds of borrowing or securities issuance are to be used in the first instance to satisfy in full all final judgments that form the basis for such designation as such a state; and (2) require all periodic filings made by such a state with the SEC to prominently bear a warning describing its failure to satisfy outstanding judgments. Imposes similar restrictions on state-owned corporations of such states. Requires: (1) a proposal to extend bilateral or multilateral assistance to a judgment evading state to bear notice that such state is a judgment evading state; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to Congress identifying each such state.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2010
Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010 - Amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions prohibiting knowingly creating, selling, or possessing a depiction of animal cruelty to prohibit knowingly and for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain selling or distributing an animal crush video in interstate or foreign commerce. States that such prohibition does not prohibit the sale or distribution of any visual depiction of hunting, trapping, fishing, or customary and normal veterinary or agricultural husbandry practices. Defines "animal crush video" as any obscene photograph, motion-picture film, video recording, or electronic image that depicts actual conduct in which one or more living animals is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, or impaled in a manner that would violate a criminal prohibition on cruelty to animals in the federal or state jurisdiction in which the depiction is created, sold, distributed, or offered for sale or distribution.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2010
Reaffirms: (1) support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law; and (2) the universality of individual human and political rights. Condemns: (1) the violence and human rights abuses against the people of Iran by the government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication; and (2) the government of Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and unconventional weapons and ballistic missile capabilities. Urges the release of all political prisoners detained by the government of Iran and the end of harassment and violence against the people of Iran. Calls for freedom and democracy for the people of Iran, including democratic and independent elections in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2010
Rating and Processing Individuals' Disability Claims Act or the RAPID Claims Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), if a veteran's claim is submitted that is determined to be a fully developed claim, to provide: (1) the claimant with the opportunity to waive any claim development period with respect to such claim; and (2) expeditious treatment to such claim. Provides that: (1) if a person notifies the Secretary of the intention to submit a fully developed claim and does so within a one-year period thereafter, the Secretary shall provide expeditious treatment to the claim; and (2) if the Secretary determines that a claim submitted as fully developed is not fully developed, the Secretary shall notify such person within 30 days of the information and evidence required to fully develop the claim. Requires the Secretary, when denying a benefit, to notify the claimant of any form or application required to appeal such decision.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2010
Nonprofit Sector and Community Solutions Act of 2010 - Establishes the United States Council on Nonprofit Organizations and Community Solutions, which shall study how the federal government can work more effectively with nonprofit organizations to achieve better outcomes in addressing national and community challenges. Directs the Council to provide advice to the President and Congress on: (1) the establishment and enhancement of grant programs to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, to support research and the reporting of data on nonprofit organizations, and to assist the government to effectively address national and community challenges by supporting nonprofit organizations, encouraging social innovation, and enabling nonprofit organizations to replicate and expand the use of effective strategies for addressing such challenges; and (2) how innovation can enhance the impact of nonprofit organizations. Directs the Council to organize and carry out a national summit on nonprofit organizations to inform the public and Congress of the results of its activities. Directs the President to establish an Interagency Working Group on Nonprofit Organizations and the Federal Government, which shall: (1) develop recommendations on federal policies relating to contracting with and making grants to nonprofit organizations and the availability to nonprofit organizations of federal funding provided to state and local governments; (2) develop recommendations on enhancing the effectiveness of federal support for organizational development assistance for building the capacity of nonprofit organizations; (3) identify strategies for managing relationships with nonprofit organizations; (4) provide to the Council information on government operations; and (5) assist the implementation of Council recommendations.. Directs the Secretary of Commerce: (1) to collect all data in the possession of a federal agency relating to nonprofit organizations and make such data available annually to the public, Congress, the Council, and the Working Group; and (2) through the Bureau of Economic Analysis, to submit to Congress, the Council, and the Working Group a report that includes recommendations for the establishment of measures to assess and track the economic impact of nonprofit organizations in the United States. Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure accurate and timely data on funding provided to nonprofit organizations by the federal government; (2) the Secretary of Labor to ensure that employment data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes nonprofit organizations as a distinct category of employer; (3) the Director of the Census to annually submit a comprehensive report on nonprofit organizations; and (4) the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a program to improve information and knowledge regarding nonprofit organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2010
Lead Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to award a competitive grant to a partnership between a nonprofit organization and an institution of higher education (IHE) to establish a school leadership academy that develops and provides evidence-based leadership training to school leaders (turnaround leaders) and their supporting mentors (turnaround mentors) to transform and improve turnaround schools. Defines "turnaround schools" as schools that are subject to corrective action or restructuring under the ESEA or are secondary schools that have a graduation rate below 60%. Requires the Secretary to award competitive grants to partnerships between or among a nonprofit organization, IHE, or a nonprofit organization and an IHE, and state or local educational agencies to establish school leadership centers of excellence, after the initial cohort of turnaround leaders and mentors have been trained by the school leadership academy. Directs such centers to: (1) adopt and adapt the leadership training program developed by the school leadership academy so that such program is informed, on an ongoing basis, by evidence regarding effective school leadership and meets the needs of the local educational agencies they serve; and (2) work with the school leadership academy to best train and support program participants. Requires leadership training participants at the academy and the centers of excellence to receive a stipend for participating and agree to serve for at least four years at turnaround schools. Requires the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to support: (1) research on identifying the skills and conditions necessary for school leaders to improve turnaround schools; and (2) evaluations of this Act's programs and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2010
Authorizes the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, records, correspondence, memoranda, and other documents. Requires the Commission, in the case of contumacy of any person issued a subpoena or refusal by such person to comply with the subpoena, to request the Attorney General to seek enforcement of the subpoena in any U.S. district court for a district in which a person issued a subpoena under this Act resides, is served, or may be found, or where the subpoena is returnable. Deems failure to obey an order requiring the subpoenaed person to appear at any designated place to testify or produce documentary or other evidence to be contempt of court.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2010
Green Railcar Enhancement Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow, through 2011, a new business-related tax credit for 25% of the cost of acquiring or rebuilding freight railcars which achieve an increase in capacity or fuel efficiency of at least 8%.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2010
Building Star Energy Efficiency Act of 2010 - Establishes in the Department of Energy (DOE) the Building Star Energy Efficiency Rebate Program of 2010. Directs the Secretary of Energy to issue rebates to building owners to offset a portion of the cost of purchasing and installing qualifying equipment or materials or undertaking qualifying services to enhance the energy efficiency of existing commercial buildings and multifamily residential buildings. Prescribes rebates for the purchase and installation of qualifying: (1) insulation, windows, and qualified high-efficiency window films and screens; (2) new energy efficient equipment, such as boilers, furnaces, and water heaters; (3) unitary air conditioners and unitary heat pumps; (4) variable speed drives for motors; and (5) interior lighting. Prescribes calculations for reductions in: (1) installed lighting power resulting from installation of qualified interior lighting; and (2) annual energy usage resulting from installation of qualified exterior lighting. Prescribes calculations also for rebates for qualified: (1) replacement chillers; (2) qualifying services to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings; (3) energy-efficient building operation and maintenance training; (4) service on space heating equipment and cooling systems, (5) energy monitoring and management systems with analog controls; and (6) HVAC testing, balancing, and duct sealing. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a Building Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program to make grants to states to support financial assistance provided by qualified program delivery entities for making energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to existing buildings that qualify under the Building Star energy retrofit program. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) direct the Secretary to make guarantees for energy efficiency projects, including projects to retrofit residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, facilities, and equipment; and (2) authorize the Secretary, in the case of programs that finance such retrofitting, to offer loan guarantees for portfolios of debt obligations, and to purchase or make commitments to purchase portfolios of debt obligations. Prescribes prevailing wage rate requirements for work conducted using rebates or financial assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2010
National Farm-to-School Act of 2010 - Expresses the sense of Congress regarding the benefits of farm-to-school programs and the federal role in furthering such programs. Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide competitive matching grants and technical assistance to schools, local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, and certain governmental and nongovernmental entities to implement or expand farm-to-school programs. Authorizes such grants to come in the form of implementation grants, training and technical assistance grants, or planning grants. Defines farm-to-school programs as those that connect schools and small- and medium-sized agricultural operations to: (1) serve locally produced, healthy foods in school cafeterias; (2) improve student nutrition; (3) provide agriculture, health, and nutrition education opportunities to students; and (4) support local and regional agriculture and the growth of rural communities. Directs the Secretary to prepare, and provide Congress with, a list identifying all the programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that with little or no modification can be used to facilitate the participation of small- and medium-sized agricultural operations in farm-to-school programs. Declares that the value-added agricultural product market development grant program may be accessed by small- and medium-sized agricultural operations and their associations to support farm-to-school programs. Directs the Secretary, through the USDA Economic Research Service, to conduct a nationwide assessment of, and report to Congress on, the economic impact of farm-to-school programs on small- and medium-sized agricultural operations and rural communities. Requires the Secretary to establish an Internet-based forum for sharing and exchanging information on farm-to-school programs nationwide.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 2010
Observes the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. Supports the designation of Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the United States. Commends the official bodies that have recognized the Srebrenica genocide, including the European Parliament which declared a Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the European Union (EU). Honors the memory of the thousands of innocent people who died at Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 1995, along with all individuals who were killed during the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Extends condolences to the families and friends of those who died at Srebrenica and during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reaffirms support for: (1) the independence and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina; (2) peace in southeastern Europe; and (3) the right of all people living in the region to return to their homes and enjoy the benefits of democratic institutions. Thanks the International Commission on Missing Persons for outstanding achievement in identifying persons missing from Srebrenica and from the conflict in the western Balkans in the 1990s. Expresses satisfaction at the apprehension and transfer of Radovan Karadzic to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and urges all countries to cooperate fully with the ICTY and apprehend all persons indicted by the ICTY, including Ratko Mladic.
![Official portrait of Rep. Carnahan, Russ [D-MO-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001060_200.jpg)