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United States · Official source
1,868 records where Rep. Etheridge, Bob [D-NC-2] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Expresses the sense of Congress that music education grounded in rigorous instruction is an important component of a well-rounded academic curriculum and should be available to every student in every school.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or would be entitled to such pay except for being under 60 years of age. Prohibits recoupment by the Secretary of Defense of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. Directs the Secretary concerned to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member. Changes to October 1, 2007 (previously October 1, 2008) the effective date for paid-up coverage provisions under the SBP and the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) on a reasonable cost basis for anesthesia services furnished by a physician who is an anesthesiologist in certain rural hospitals in the same manner as payment is made for anesthesia services furnished by a certified registered nurse anesthetists in such hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to permit states, at their option, to require certain individuals to present satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship or nationality for Medicaid eligibility. Revises the rules for children born in the United States to mothers eligible for Medicaid. Declares that a Medicaid-eligible individual shall be deemed to have provided satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship or nationality, and shall not be required to provide further evidence, on any date during or after the period in which the individual is eligible for Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Summer of Service Act of 2007 - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to create Summer of Service programs providing at least 100 hours of summer community service learning opportunities to youth who will subsequently enroll in grades six through nine. Requires the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service to provide competitive three-year grants to: (1) states under a State Grant program; and (2) public or private organizations under a National Direct Grant program, when a state does not apply for funding or the community service program includes multiple states. Requires states and organizations, in making project subgrants, to favor entities with established track records that: (1) have leadership positions in the communities from which participating youth will be drawn; (2) focus on youth service during the transition year before high school; (3) encourage or enable youth to continue providing community service throughout the school year; (4) involve youth in the design and operation of the community service project; and (5) include youth of diverse backgrounds, at least 50% of which are from low-income families. Permits such entities to charge the parents of participants an income-based fee to contribute to the nonfederal share of project costs. Makes each youth serving at least 100 hours in a service-learning project eligible for an educational award of up to $500.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Teaching Fellows Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to make competitive matching grants to states for Teaching and Partnership Fellows programs of scholarships for prospective public school teachers. Provides for scholarships: (1) under the Teaching program for high school seniors and second-year college students to encourage them to enter the teaching field and become career educators; and (2) under the Partnership program for individuals, such as paraprofessional educational personnel and others currently in the education field, to complete a bachelor's degree with a state license or certification to teach through partnerships among associate- and bachelor-degree-granting institutions. Requires scholarship recipients to repay specified amounts if they do not fulfill certain obligations to teach in their state's public elementary or secondary schools, under such Teaching and Partnership Fellows program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Elder Justice Act - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish an Elder Justice program under title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services). Establishes within the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC). Establishes the Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to establish stationary and mobile forensic centers, to develop forensic expertise regarding, and provide services relating to, elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Directs the Secretary to provide incentives for individuals to train for, seek, and maintain employment providing direct care in a long-term care (LTC) facility. Directs the Secretary to make grants to LTC facilities to: (1) offer continuing training and varying levels of certification to employees who provide direct care to LTC facility residents; and (2) provide bonuses or other benefits to employees who achieve certification. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to assist LTC facilities in offsetting the costs for standardized clinical health care informatics systems designed to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events and health care complications resulting from medication errors. Directs the Secretary to ensure that HHS: (1) provides funding to state and local adult protective services services offices that investigate reports of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and (2) collects and disseminates related data in coordination with the Department of Justice. Establishes a program of annual adult protective services grants to states. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to: (1) improve the capacity of state LTC ombudsman programs to respond to and resolve abuse and neglect complaints; and (2) conduct pilot programs with state or local LTC ombudsman offices. Directs the Secretary to establish programs to provide and improve ombudsman training for national organizations and state LTC ombudsman programs. Amends part A of SSA title XI to require each individual owner, operator, employee, manager, agent, or contractor of an LTC facility receiving certain federal support to report to the Secretary and local law enforcement entities any reasonable suspicion of crimes occurring in such facility. Requires the owner or operator of such an LTC facility to notify the Secretary and the appropriate state regulatory agency of a facility's impending closure, as well as a plan for the transfer and adequate relocation of facility residents. Directs the Secretary to study and report to the EJCC and appropriate congressional committees on establishing a national nurse aide registry. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) study and report to the EJCC, the Advisory Board, and Congress on state laws and practices relating to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and (2) develop and implement a long-term plan for elder justice programs and related activities. Authorizes the Attorney General to award advocacy grants for study of elder abuse victim needs. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to provide training and other types of support to local and state prosecutors as well as police and other front line law enforcement responders handling elder justice-related cases. Requires increased Department of Justice support for federal cases involving elder justice. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create a long-term care facility worker employment tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007 - Amends the National Housing Act to: (1) modify requirements governing the maximum principal loan obligation; (2) extend the mortgage term; and (3) revise requirements for cash downpayment by the mortgagor in the eligibility criteria for mortgage insurance, including mortgage insurance premiums for zero- and lower-downpayment borrowers who obtain a mortgage secured by a one- to four-family dwelling. Distinguishes standard risk mortgages secured by a one- to four-family dwelling from higher-risk mortgages. Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to: (1) establish underwriting standards for higher-risk mortgages for mortgagors with a credit score equivalent to a FICO score of less than 560; (2) provide for flexible premium rate variations according to the credit risk associated with the type of mortgage product being insured; and (2) create certain payment incentives, both discretionary and mandatory. Makes certain borrower protections, including mortgagee disclosures and mortgagor counseling, mandatory for higher risk mortgages. Permits the Secretary to insure any mortgage covering a one-family unit in a condominium project if the project has a certain HUD-insured blanket mortgage. Revises requirements for the Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) Fund, specifying operating goals among other things. Makes insurance of a Native Hawaiian or Indian reservation mortgage the obligation of the MMI Fund (instead of the General Insurance Fund). Eliminates the limitation placed upon the aggregate number of home equity conversion mortgages insured under the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to insure a home equity conversion mortgage when its primary purpose is to enable an elderly mortgagor to purchase a one- to four-family dwelling in which the mortgagor will occupy one of the units. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements, for a certain period, to insure up to 100% of certain mortgages for a single family residence located in a major disaster area. Revises multifamily housing mortgage limits in high cost areas. Requires the Secretary to consider industry standard appraisal practices in determining the market value of any multifamily real property or multifamily loan for any noncompetitive sale to a state or local government entity.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prescribe consumer protection guidelines for rental-purchase transactions, including: (1) the determination of rental-purchase cost; (2) disclosure requirements; (3) prohibitions against confessions of judgment, wage assignments, and waiver of consumer claims or defenses; (4) furnishing of statements of account; (5) point-of-rental disclosures; and (6) rental-purchase advertising disclosures. Declares that an action for civil liability may be brought against a merchant's assignee only if the violation is apparent on the face of a rental-purchase agreement to which it relates, including, but not limited to, a disclosure that can be determined to be incomplete or inaccurate from the face of the agreement. Authorizes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to promulgate implementing regulations. Grants enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission and to state attorneys general. Subjects to criminal penalties any willful and knowing violation of the information disclosure requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt certain returning H-2B aliens (temporary nonagricultural worker) from annual numerical limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation on behalf of Congress of a gold medal of appropriate design to Dr. Muhammad Yunus in recognition of his many enduring contributions to the fight against global poverty.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Access Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from awarding any contracts under the competitive durable medical equipment items and services acquisition program unless: (1) the quality standards have been implemented; and (2) the Secretary has received advice from the program oversight committee. Requires the Secretary (who currently is authorized), in carrying out competitive acquisition programs, to exempt: (1) rural areas and areas with low population density within urban areas that are not competitive, unless there is a significant national market through mail order for a particular item or service; and (2) items and services for which the application of competitive acquisition is not likely to result in significant savings. Exempts smaller metropolitan statistical areas as well. Modifies requirements for the protection of small suppliers in bidding and contracting. Requires the Secretary to permit all suppliers to continue to participate as suppliers at the selected award price so long as they submit bids at less than the fee schedule amount otherwise applicable and otherwise comply with program requirements. Provides for appeal rights (currently denied). Requires the Secretary to exempt from competitive acquisition requirements items and services for which the application of competitive acquisition is not likely to result in significant savings of at least 10%. Prohibits the Secretary from implementing a program with respect to an item or service unless inclusion of the item or service will make significant savings of at least 10% probable, compared to the fee schedule in effect on January 1, 2007. Prohibits the Secretary from implementing certain payment rate basis requirements for covered items furnished after January 1, 2009, with respect to an area that is not a competitive acquisition area, unless a comparability analysis has been completed and published. Directs the Secretary, after fully implementing the initial 10 competitive acquisition areas, to analyze and report to Congress on the impact of competitive bidding in those areas. Prohibits expanding the coverage of competitive acquisition programs, or applying bid rates to non-bid areas, beyond the 10 competitive acquisition areas, unless specifically authorized by Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Supports the goals and ideals of a National Suffragists Day to promote awareness of the women suffragists who worked for the right of U.S. women to vote.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to repeal group eligibility requirements for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) that: (1) the country to which the workers' firm has shifted production of the articles be a party to a free trade agreement with the United States; or (2) such country be a beneficiary country under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African Growth and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act. Requires the Secretary of Labor, with respect to textile and apparel workers, to make group eligibility determinations without regard to the sales, imports, and production factors of the group eligibility requirements. Requires funds provided to a state to cover the administrative costs associated with its TAA responsibilities to be sufficient to cover all costs associated with operating the program, including caseworker costs. Increases the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the credit for health insurance costs of certain TAA and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) pension recipients. Requires the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Labor each to carry out compatible and coordinated programs to simplify the TAA and credit eligibility process.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
MedPAC Rural Representation Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require that the proportion of members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) who represent the interests of health care providers and Medicare beneficiaries located in rural areas be no less than the proportion of the total number of Medicare beneficiaries who reside in such areas.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify automatic fire sprinkler systems as five-year depreciable property. Makes this Act applicable to property placed in service after April 11, 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Declares that the United States Postal Service (USPS) should discontinue the practice of contracting out mail delivery services.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2007
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, which shall: (1) be an integrated human, foreign-animal, and zoonotic disease research, development, testing, and evaluation facility supporting the defense against the threat of agroterrorism and certain naturally-occurring incidents related to agriculture; and (2) produce and share knowledge and technology for the purpose of reducing economic losses caused by diseases of livestock and poultry and preventing human suffering and death caused by diseases in the agricultural sector. Includes among the Facility Director's responsibilities: (1) directing research, development, testing, and evaluation relating to such diseases; (2) developing an emergency response plan; (3) providing training in biological and agricultural research facility operations; and (4) forming cooperative relationships with the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians to connect with the network of federal and state resources to enable an integrated, rapid, and sufficient response to animal health emergencies. Requires the Secretary to: (1) ensure that the Facility consists of state-of-the-art biocontainment laboratories capable of performing research and activities at Biosafety Levels 3 and 4; (2) enable the study of live virus of foot and mouth disease at the Facility; and (3) enter into agreements with the heads of appropriate federal departments to define their roles and responsibilities in carrying out animal disease research and development at the Facility to protect public health and animal health.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2008. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to replace the Directorate of Border and Transportation Security with a Directorate for Policy. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a Comprehensive Homeland Security Review. Requires the Inspector General of DHS to review Secure Border Initiative-related contracts having a value exceeding $20 million. Directs the Chief Financial Officer to establish the position of Authorization Liaison Officer to provide timely financial information to the homeland security committees. Directs: (1) the Chief Procurement Officer to provide homeland security procurement training to acquisition employees; and (2) the Secretary to establish a Council on Procurement Training. Requires Customs and Border Protection (CBP) positions to be treated the same as law enforcement officer positions for retirement purposes. Directs: (1) the Chief Human Capital Officer to transmit to the homeland security committees and the Comptroller General a plan addressing under-representation of minorities in DHS; and (2) the Secretary to conduct a DHS-wide review of security clearance and suitability review procedures. Establishes a Chief Security Officer within DHS. Designates DHS's Chief Medical Officer as Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer and expands such Officer's responsibilities. Establishes an Office of Health Affairs. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Biosurveillance Integration Center. Establishes within DHS an Office of Cybersecurity and Telecommunications. Directs the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to: (1) support research, development, testing, evaluation, and transition of cybersecurity technology; (2) transmit to Congress a strategic plan which includes a strategy to enhance the Directorate for Science and Technology workforce; (3) contract with the National Research Council to assess DHS's university programs; and (4) establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office. Directs the Secretary to: (1) submit a comprehensive strategy for the biometric entry and exit data system (US-VISIT) and complete the exit portion for airports or seaports by December 31, 2008; (2) take steps to control costs of hiring, training, and deploying new Border Patrol agents; and (3) assess the personnel, infrastructure, and technology required to reduce border crossing wait times to times comparable to prior to September 11, 2001. Modifies HSA information sharing provisions to require the Secretary to establish within DHS a State and Local Fusion Center Program to facilitate information sharing between DHS and local law enforcement. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a program of privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights protection training for fusion center employees participating in the Program; and (2) a program to expand homeland security training to local and tribal governments located in rural areas Establishes a Metropolitan Medical Response System Program.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Department of Homeland Security Secure American Federal Equipment Procurement Act or the DHS SAFE Procurement Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to prohibit the use of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds for the procurement of any of the following items that are not manufactured in the United States: (1) uniforms; (2) protective gear; (3) badges or other insignia indicating rank, office, or position; and (4) identification cards. Makes exceptions: (1) where the Secretary determines that satisfactory quality and sufficient quantity of the article cannot be procured as and when needed at U.S. market prices (in which case the Secretary shall notify the House and Senate homeland security committees and include a certification that manufacturing the article outside the United States does not pose a risk to national security and an explanation of steps required by the manufacturer to ensure that any elements used for the article are not misappropriated); (2) for acquisitions at or below the micro-purchase threshold; and (3) for acquisitions outside the United States for use outside the United States. Makes this Act applicable notwithstanding any presidential waiver of discriminatory purchasing requirements under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Secure Handling of Ammonium Nitrate Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to regulate the purchase and sale of ammonium nitrate to prevent its misappropriation or use in a terrorist act. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a threshold percentage for ammonium nitrate for a substance to be treated as ammonium nitrate under this Act; and (2) a process by which each applicant for registration as the owner of an ammonium nitrate facility and any person who seeks to be an ammonium nitrate purchaser are required to register with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are issued a registration number. Directs the Secretary to require the owner of a facility engaged in selling or transferring ammonium nitrate to maintain a record of each sale or transfer of ownership of ammonium nitrate for three years after such sale. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) exempting persons producing, selling, or purchasing ammonium nitrate exclusively for use as an explosive material under a federal explosives license; (2) ensuring that access of agricultural producers to ammonium nitrate is not unduly burdened; (3) restricting the disclosure of information obtained under this Act; (4) inspecting and auditing facility owner records to prevent the misappropriation of ammonium nitrate; and (5) timely reporting of the theft or unexplained loss of ammonium nitrate. Prohibits: (1) buying and taking possession of ammonium nitrate, or owning or operating an ammonium nitrate facility, without a registration number; or (2) failing to comply with any requirement of this Act. Prescribes a civil penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program). Authorizes grants to: (1) hire school resource officers and establish local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in elementary and secondary schools; (2) pay for officers hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror, or homeland security duties; (3) establish and implement programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug activities, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of methamphetamine; and (4) meet emerging law enforcement needs, as warranted. Authorizes the use of COPS ON THE BEAT grants to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for: (1) assigning prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and to address counter-terrorism problems and violent crime in local communities; and (2) developing new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention and training. Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under COPS ON THE BEAT grant program. Authorizes the Attorney General to extend grant periods and to renew grants if the grant recipient can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2007
Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission to develop, coordinate, and facilitate implementation of a national plan for rural health quality improvements. Requires that such plan: (1) identify objectives for rural health quality improvement; (2) identify strategies to eliminate known gaps in rural health system capacity and improve rural health quality; and (3) provide for federal programs to identify opportunities for strengthening and aligning policies and programs to improve rural health quality. Directs the Commission to: (1) design demonstration projects to test alternative models for rural health quality improvement, including with respect to both personal and population health; and (2) monitor progress towards identified objectives. Requires the Secretary to make grants for demonstration projects to implement and evaluate methods for improving the quality of health care in rural communities that include: (1) alternative community models; (2) innovative approaches to the financing and delivery of health services; and (3) the development of quality improvement support structures to assist rural health systems and professionals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) expedite Medicaid and Medicare waivers as necessary to carry out such demonstration projects; and (2) provide for an independent evaluation of such projects.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2007
Graduation for All Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to establish a program that will provide grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish reading and writing programs to improve overall reading and writing performance among middle and high school students. Limits eligibility for subgrants to LEAs in a state that are among those that have the lowest graduation rates for public secondary school students. Includes among required uses of LEA subgrant funds: (1) hiring and inservice training of literacy coaches; (2) counseling for at-risk students; and (3) professional development for educators that addresses literacy needs of certain student groups. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include public secondary school graduation rates for all students under requirements for: (1) accountability for adequate yearly progress (AYP); and (2) annual state report cards. Amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to require annual reports on the number participants who are 16, 17, or 18 years old in certain programs and services, disaggregated by certain attributes.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2007
Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to authorize appropriations through FY2012 for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. Specifies Commodity Credit Corporation fund amounts to be used for the Program in each of FY2008-FY2012. Makes the Secretary of Agriculture responsible for specified program administration provisions currently delegated to the President.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal in recognition of Constantino Brumidi's contributions to the Nation as a designer and decorator of the U.S. Capitol. Requires the Architect of the Capitol to arrange for the gold medal to be displayed in the Capitol Visitor Center as part of an exhibit honoring Constantino Brumidi.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) extend such credit through 2010; and (3) allow such credit against alternative minimum tax liabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from $18 to $9 (its pre-1991 level) the per-barrel tax on beer.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax deduction for charitable contributions by individuals and corporations of real property interests for conservation purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the National Cancer Institute, to establish special programs of research excellence in the area of pediatric cancers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a grant mechanism for the establishment of Research Fellowships in Pediatric Cancer to support adequate numbers of pediatric focused clinical and translational investigators. Requires the Director to award a grant for the operation of a population-based national childhood cancer database, the Childhood Cancer Research Network. Requires the Secretary to award grants to recognized childhood cancer professional and advocacy organizations to raise public awareness of currently available information, treatment, and research with intent to ensure access to best available therapies for pediatric cancers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to set forth research and demonstration projections for the prevention, control, and elimination of tuberculosis that shall receive priority from the Secretary of Health and Human Services in awarding research grants for tuberculosis. Requires the Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis to make recommendations on the development, revision, and implementation of a national plan to eliminate tuberculosis in the United States. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop new tools for the elimination of tuberculosis. Requires the Federal Tuberculosis Task Force to make recommendations on the development of a national plan for the development of such tools. Requires the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to expand, intensify, and coordinate tuberculosis research and development. Allows the Director of the Institute to provide awards for: (1) the development of curricula in schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine regarding the principles and practices of preventing, managing, and controlling tuberculosis; (2) supervised study and research for clinically trained professionals who are committed to research regarding pulmonary infections and tuberculosis. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to conduct research activities to develop a tuberculosis vaccine. Requires the John E. Fogarty International Center for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences to carry out an international training program regarding tuberculosis. Requires the Secretary to seek to ensure that a portion of amounts appropriated for loan repayment for qualified health professionals conducting research is reserved for contracts with individuals to conduct tuberculosis research.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize qualified physical therapists to provide services for Medicare beneficiaries without the requirement of a physician referral. Provides for treatment of outpatient speech-language pathology services separately from outpatient physical therapy services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2007
Credit Card Repayment Act of 2007 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to include among the mandatory disclosures at each billing cycle of open end consumer credit plans: (1) the words "Minimum Payment Warning: making only the minimum payment will increase the amount of interest that you pay and the time it will take to repay your outstanding balance;" (2) the number of years and months it would take the consumer to pay the entire amount of the balance if the consumer pays only the required minimum monthly payments; (3) the total cost to the consumer, as well as a breakdown in principal and interest payments, of paying that balance in full if the consumer pays only the required minimum monthly payments, and if no further advances are made; (4) the monthly payment amount that would be required to eliminate the outstanding balance in 36 months if no further advances are made; and (5) a toll-free telephone number for information about accessing credit counseling and debt management services. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Trade Commission to issue jointly guidelines for creditors to establish and maintain a toll-free telephone number for such disclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2007
Fair and Speedy Treatment (FAST) of Medicare Prescription Drug Claims Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require prompt payment of clean claims to pharmacies by prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PD Plans). Defines "prompt payment" as within 14 calendar days from submission for claims submitted electronically, and within 30 calendar days for claims submitted otherwise. Requires payment of interest, also, if a payment is not issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted within the applicable number of calendar days. Makes it unlawful for a PDP sponsor to display on any explanatory prescription drug information and enrollee cards the name, brand, or trademark (co-branding) of any pharmacy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2007
Military Access to Housing Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude military basic housing allowances from income for purposes of establishing eligibility for housing in qualified residential rental projects.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit treatment limits or the imposition of financial requirements on mental health and substance-related disorder benefits in group health plans which are not similarly imposed on substantially all medical and surgical benefits in any category of items or services under such plans. Directs the Comptroller General to study the effect of the implementation of this Act on various aspects of the health care system, including the cost of and access to health insurance coverage, the quality of health care, Medicare, Medicaid, and state and local mental health and substance abuse treatment spending, and spending on public services.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to revise the classification criterion used to determine whether a hospital or hospital unit is an inpatient rehabilitation facility under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Eliminates the current schedule of applicable percentages. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, instead, to require in the classification criterion a compliance rate no greater than the 60% compliance rate that became effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2006. Requires the Secretary, for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1, 2008, to include patients with comorbidity in the inpatient population that counts towards such 60% compliance rate. Requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Medicare fiscal intermediaries, Medicare administrative contractors, recovery audit contractors, and other government agents to use and apply the criteria established in HCFA Ruling 85-2, as issued on July 31, 1985, as the sole standard for determining the medical necessity of servivces provided by inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units to Medicare beneficiaries. Directs the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees: (1) an examination of the impact of the 75% rule on the Medicare program, and specifically on Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) alternatives to the 75% rule policy for determining exclusion criteria for inpatient rehabilitation hospital and unit designation under the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Honors the life of Ernest Gallo, a pioneer in the field of winemaking, dedicated philanthropist, and community leader.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
College Life Safety and Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a demonstration program to award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of contracting with fire alarm companies to install professionally fire alarm detection systems or other fire detection and prevention technologies in student housing, dormitories, and other buildings controlled by such entities.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Agricultural Protection and Prosperity Act of 2007 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to: (1) include the definition of "manure"; and (2) exclude manure from the meaning of "hazardous substance" or "pollutant or contaminant" under that Act. Provides that such exclusion shall not: (1) impose liability under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 with respect to manure; (2) affect any provision of the Air Quality Agreement entered into between the Administrator and operators of animal feeding operations; or (3) affect the applicability of any other environmental law as it relates to the definition of manure or the responsibilities or liabilities of any person regarding the treatment, storage, or disposal of manure. Amends the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to exempt releases associated with manure (as defined under CERCLA) from the emergency notification requirements under that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 - States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the use of force or the use of the U.S. Armed Forces against Iran. Subjects, with respect to prohibited transactions with Iran, a parent company to penalties for violations committed by certain subsidiaries outside the United States that would be subject to prohibitions if committed inside the United States or by a U.S. person. Establishes specified additional import and export sanctions against Iran. Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to require the imposition of procurement sanctions as part of the sanctions against a person contributing to Iran's petroleum resources. Directs the President to report every six months to the appropriate congressional committees (committees) respecting investment activity that could contribute to Iran's development of petroleum resources, and U.S. steps in response to such activity. Expands the definitions of "petroleum resources" and "person." Eliminates the national security waivers for imposition of sanctions. Directs the President to determine and report to the committees whether the the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps should be: (1) designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) placed on the list of designated global terrorists; and (3) placed on the list of weapons of mass destruction proliferators and their supporters. Authorizes appropriations for the Department of the Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Authorizes the President to carry out exchange programs with the people of Iran. Directs the President to reduce annual U.S. contributions to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) based upon Bank amounts provided to entities and projects in Iran. Restricts nuclear cooperation with countries assisting Iran's nuclear program or transferring advanced conventional weapons or missiles to Iran. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate specified geological and geophysical expense amortization benefits if petroleum-related sanctions are imposed under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 on any member of an expanded affiliated group whose common parent is a foreign corporation. Revises the definition of "affiliated group." States that specified restrictions respecting Iran shall not have effect if the President determines and certifies to the committees that Iran: (1) has ended efforts to develop or acquire nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, or ballistic missiles; (2) has been removed from the list of countries supporting international terrorism; and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and implement a plan entitled the National Strategy for Rail and Public Transportation Security. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations that require each high- or medium- risk tier railroad carrier, public transportation operator, or over-the-road bus private operator to submit for approval by the Secretary: (1) an assessment of the vulnerability of the rail or public transportation system or over-the-road bus to terrorism; and (2) a security plan that addresses certain security performance requirements. Requires the Secretary to establish a security program for covered transportation not assigned to a high- or medium-risk tier. Requires the Secretary to establish a program to make grants to state, local, and tribal governments, as well as infrastructure owners (including railroad carriers), public transportation agencies, and over-the-road bus operators for certain security improvements. Makes grants to Amtrak for certain fire and life-safety improvements to tunnels on the Northeast Corridor. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop training programs to prepare railroad, public transportation, and over-the-road bus workers (including front-line employees) for potential threat conditions; and (2) establish a security exercises program for such workers and other named entities to respond to acts of terrorism. Sets forth certain whistleblower protections for DHS, Department of Transportation (DOT), rail and public transportation, and over-the-road bus employees (including contractors and subcontractors) who have provided information or otherwise assisted in any investigation regarding certain conduct, or who have refused to violate or assist in the violation of any regulation related to national or homeland security. Requires an increase in the number of DHS surface transportation security inspectors. Requires implementation of a threat assessment screening program for, and a redress process for background checks done on, rail and public transportation and over-the-road bus employees (including contractors and subcontractors). Sets forth civil penalties for violations of regulations and orders of the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Wildlife Global Animal Information Network for Surveillance Act or Wildlife GAINS Act - Requires the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to offer to enter into a contract with a nongovernmental wildlife conservation organization to establish a Wildlife Global Animal Information Network for Surveillance. Requires the eligible organization, in coordination with USAID, to manage an international surveillance program under which federal and non-federal partners: (1) monitor and test for the presence or arrival of avian pathogens and other significant pathogens in free-ranging wildlife; (2) use trained professionals to collect samples and data; (3) conduct disease surveillance, field investigations, training and capacity-building activities, and research; (4) send samples for pathogen identification and testing to certified laboratories; and (5) transmit information related to global distribution and characteristics of significant pathogens to the Administrator. Requires the Administrator, acting through the organization, to: (1) use surveillance reports and other sources to identify and investigate local outbreaks of infectious diseases involving wildlife; (2) develop a long-term baseline of regional data related to pathogens in migratory birds and other wildlife for analysis between and across sites to create a system to identify when and where outbreaks might occur and paths of dispersal; (3) provide technical assistance for disease prevention and control programs; (4) provide analytical disease findings to USAID and other federal partners; and ( 5) manage, map, and make available on an Internet database all results and information gathered under this Act. Directs the Administrator to request accredited colleges of veterinary medicine and other partners to train members of the Network to: (1) monitor important wildlife areas around the world; and (2) test for the presence or arrival of avian influenza and other significant pathogens of zoonotic concern or of concern to domestic or wild animals.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2007
Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit treatment limits or the imposition of financial requirements on mental health and substance-related disorder benefits in group health plans which are not similarly imposed on substantially all medical and surgical benefits in any category of items or services under such plans. Directs the Comptroller General to study the effect of the implementation of this Act on various aspects of the health care system, including the cost of and access to health insurance coverage, the quality of health care, Medicare, Medicaid, and state and local mental health and substance abuse treatment spending, and spending on public services.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2007
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for and enforcement of prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages to: (1) add nonretaliation requirements; (2) increase penalties; and (3) authorize the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for negotiation skills training programs for girls and women. Directs the Secretaries of Labor and Education to issue regulations or policy guidance to integrate such training into certain programs under their Departments. Directs the Secretary to provide for certain studies, information, national summit, and guidelines, awards, and assistance for employer evaluations of job categories based on objective criteria. Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect certain pay information. Directs: (1) the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to collect data on woman workers in the Current Employment Statistics survey; (2) the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to use specified types of methods in investigating compensation discrimination and in enforcing pay equity; and (3) the Secretary to make accurate information on compensation discrimination readily available to the public.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2007
Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for FY2008-FY2012 for health centers to meet the health care needs of medically underserved populations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an alternative motor vehicle tax credit for new qualified plug-in hybrid motor vehicles. Defines such a vehicle as any new qualified hybrid motor vehicle that: (1) is a passenger automobile or light truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more than 8,500 pounds; (2) meets or exceeds the Bin 5 Tier II emission standard established by the Environmental Protection Agency; (3) draws propulsion energy from a traction battery of not less than 4 kWh; and (4) is equipped with a means of recharging its energy storage system from an external source of electricity.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2007
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) individuals diagnosed with bone marrow diseases and their families should have access to a variety of treatment and counseling options; and (2) such families should be linked to support networks and counseling information services provided by nonprofit organizations like the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation. Calls for the federal government to: (1) raise awareness about the importance of early detection of and proper treatment for such diseases; (2) provide adequate funding for research on such diseases; (3) engage in such public health initiatives as surveillance, education, and awareness of such diseases; and (4) continue to consider ways to improve health care services for such diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support state comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support juvenile arthritis data collection. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to support the development of a National Juvenile Arthritis Patient Registry. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the classification, for depreciation purposes, of any motorsports entertainment complex as seven year property.