United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2008
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to suspend temporarily the duty on product mixtures containing Imidacloprid: 1-(6-Chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylidene amine Z9: (9Z)-9-Tricosene.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2008
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend the temporary suspension of duty on N-3Y3-(1-methylethoxy)phenyl?-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzamide.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2008
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend the temporary suspension of duty on mixtures containing methyl 2-(4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-5-oxo-3-propoxy-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-y l)carboxamidosulfonylbenzoate; sodium (4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-5-oxo-3-propoxy-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylc arbonyl)(2-methoxycarbonylphenylsulfonyl)azanide & methyl 4-iodo-2-Y3-(4-methoxy-6-methy.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2008
Provides that, if the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) determined under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act without regard to this Act for a state for FY2008 is less than the FMAP as so determined for FY2007, the FY2007 FMAP shall be substituted for the FMAP for the third and fourth calendar quarters of FY2008, before the application of this Act. Provides that, if the FMAP determined without regard to this Act for a state for FY2009 is less than the FMAP as so determined for FY2008, the FY2008 FMAP shall be substituted for the FMAP for the first, second, and third calendar quarters of FY2009, before the application of this Act. Provides that, for each eligible state for the third and fourth calendar quarters of FY2008, and for the first, second, and third calendar quarters of FY2009, the FMAP shall be increased by 2.95 percentage points. Provides for an increase in the cap on Medicaid payments to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Declares that, only for FMAP computation purposes, any significant disproportionate employer pension or insurance fund contribution shall be disregarded in computing the per capita income of a state, but not in computing the per capita income for the continental United States (and Alaska) and Hawaii.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2008
Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to designate centers of excellence for research on various forms of muscular dystrophy as Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers. Requires the Muscular Dystrophy Interagency Coordinating Committee to give special consideration to enhancing the clinical research infrastructure required to test emerging therapies for the various forms of muscular dystrophy. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that any data on patients that is collected as part of the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet) is regularly updated to reflect changes in patient condition over time. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) report to the appropriate congressional committees on MD STARnet and data collection; and (2) provide prospective health outcome data on the health and survival of people with muscular dystrophy. Requires the Director of CDC, in carrying out a program to provide information and education on muscular dystrophy to health professionals and the general public, to: (1) partner with leaders in the muscular dystrophy patient community; and (2) widely disseminate the Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy care considerations. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to: (1) evaluate the available scientific evidence to develop and issue an initial set of care considerations for Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy and provide ongoing review and updates where appropriate; and (2) replicate the same methodology used to develop such care considerations as a model for other muscular dystrophies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2008
Expresses support for the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Program and its efforts to: (1) pay tribute to and express appreciation for hospitalized veterans; (2) increase community awareness of the role of the medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and (3) encourage citizens to visit hospitalized veterans and become involved as volunteers. Declares that the House of Representatives will continue to work with veterans service organizations to support our veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2008
Makes emergency appropriations for FY2008 for state and local law enforcement assistance under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2008
Condemns the ongoing Iranian-enabled rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and places responsibility for launching the attacks on Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza. Supports the government of Israel's right to defend its territory. Recognizes the difficult balance Israel faces with the competing pressures of being the primary supplier of numerous necessities for Palestinian civilians, even while rockets are being fired at Israel from Palestinian areas. Supports Palestinian civilians who reject Hamas and all forms of terrorism. Reaffirms the friendship between the governments and the people of Israel and the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2008
Amends title XVIII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to: (1) require the Commissioner of Social Security to submit the annual budget of the Social Security Administration (SSA) directly to Congress and the President; (2) specify the general contents of the budget, including the amount of funds required to combat fraud committed by applicants and beneficiaries, the number of pending cases and the average processing time, as well as employment statistics for each hearing and field office; (3) prohibit the Commissioner from closing or otherwise limiting public access to an SSA field office until 180 days after submitting to specified congressional committees a detailed report outlining and justifying the process for selecting field offices to be closed or otherwise have limited access; and (4) require the Commissioner to submit to the same committees, 90 days before revising the comprehensive work force plan which must accompany any appropriations request for SSA staffing and personnel, a document setting forth the revision.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2008
Honors the contributions of school counselors to the success of students in our elementary and secondary schools. Encourages the observation of National School Counseling Week (February 4-8, 2008) with ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the crucial role school counselors play in preparing students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) for FY2009-FY2012. Authorizes the Superintendent of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control to include within fire service personnel training: (1) response, tactics, and strategies for dealing with non-terrorist-caused national catastrophes; (2) applying new technology and developing strategies and tactics for fighting wildfires; (3) response, tactics, and strategies for fighting large-scale or multiple fires in a general area that cross jurisdictional boundaries, fires occurring at the wildland-urban interface, and fires involving hazardous materials; and (4) advanced emergency medical services training. Requires the Administrator of USFA to include in triennial reports information about changes made to the National Fire Academy curriculum. Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) contract with a nationally recognized organization that meets specified requirements to facilitate the delivery of education and training programs directly to fire service personnel; and (2) assist the nation's fire services to sponsor and encourage research to improve fire prevention and control in the wildland-urban interface. Directs the Administrator to: (1) use specified funds during FY2009-FY2011 to update the National Fire Incident Reporting system to an Internet-based, real-time incident reporting database: (2) make available to the public information about fire-related research through a regularly updated Internet-based database; (3) promote adoption by fire services of voluntary national consensus standards for firefighter health and safety; and (4) provide liaison to assure coordination of fire service-based emergency medical services programs.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Reducing Over-Classification Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-wide strategy to prevent the over-classification of information within the scope of the information sharing environment established under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Requires the strategy to foster sharing of homeland security, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction information at DHS and to include: (1) requirements governing the classification of information, including requiring that information created by DHS be initially prepared in unclassified form before any version is created in classified form; (2) a sensitive and shared information program for the creation and sharing of unclassified information of a sensitive nature; (3) a system of incentives and disincentives to encourage DHS personnel to use classified and sensitive and shared information program markings properly; (4) a training program for DHS employees and contractors on classification markings, challenges, and declassification requests; (5) specified policies and procedures to encourage information to be provided in an unclassified form, with classified information at the beginning, or with a sensitive and shared marking; (6) a mechanism to audit compliance with classification requirements; (7) the creation of an independent DHS classification review board; and (8) an assessment of technologies to electronically identify classification employees and track documents. Directs the DHS Inspector General to conduct an annual audit of strategy implementation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Santa Fe Quadricentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the quadricentennial of the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins emblematic of the settlement of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the oldest capital city in the United States. Permits issuance of such coins only during calendar 2010. Requires the Secretary to pay 50% of surcharges received from such coin sales to: (1) the Santa Fe 400th Anniversary Committee, Inc.; and (2) the Secretary of the Interior to sustain the ongoing mission of preserving Santa Fe, including educational programs, infrastructure and archaeological research activities, and other programs to support the quadricentennial of the establishment of Santa Fe.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
CFTC Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to revise Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jurisdiction over an agreement, contract, or retail transaction in foreign currency. Extends coverage to certain future commissions merchants (and affiliated persons) and retail foreign exchange dealers. Requires them to register with the CFTC in order to: (1) solicit or accept orders from any person that is not an eligible contract participant in connection with such agreements, contracts, or transactions; (2) exercise discretionary trading authority (or obtain written authorization to do so) over any account for or on behalf of such a person; or (3) operate or solicit funds, securities, or property for any pooled investment vehicle that is not such an eligible contract participant. Revises the prohibition against contracts designed to defraud or mislead. Declares that the requirements of such prohibition do not obligate any person, in connection with a transaction, to disclose to another person in the transaction any nonpublic information that may be material to the market price, rate, or level of the commodity or transaction, except as necessary to make any statement to such other person not misleading in any material respect. Authorizes appropriations for the CFTC through FY2013. Increases: (1) the civil penalty for market manipulation to $1 million, or triple the monetary gain for each such violation; and (2) the criminal penalty for market manipulation from five to ten years imprisonment. Subjects to CFTC jurisdiction certain agreements, contracts, or transactions that perform a significant price discovery function in spite of the fact that they are conducted, on an electronic trading facility on a principal-to-principal basis solely between persons that are eligible commercial entities, in reliance on the general exemption for such agreements, contracts, and transactions (in the exempt commercial markets (ECMs)). Subjects to CFTC (large trader) reporting and recordkeeping requirements any significant price discovery contract traded or executed on an electronic trading facility. Authorizes the CFTC to communicate to an electronic trading facility, with respect to a significant price discovery contract, the full facts concerning any transaction or market operation which, in the CFTC's judgment, disrupts or tends to disrupt any market, or is otherwise harmful or against the best interests of producers, consumers, or investors.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2007 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of gold medals to Native American code talkers of specified Indian tribes. Defines "code talker" as a Native American who served in the Armed Forces during a foreign conflict and who participated in military communications using a native language. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and Indian tribes, to identify code talkers eligible for a gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law on April 23, 1908. Recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the service of its past and present citizen-soldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland defense of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2007
Safe Aviation and Flight Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations requiring all commercial aircraft in extended-range operations that must carry fixed cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder units to also be equipped with a second recorder system that utilizes deployable combination cockpit voice and digital flight data recording technology. Requires the second deployable recorder system to be mounted as far rear on the airframe as practicable. Sets forth minimum deployable recorder capabilities. Directs the Secretary to reimburse an air carrier for the costs of purchasing and installing such deployable recorder systems for it to comply with regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Ensuring Medicare Access to Recreational Therapy Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking, or a transmittal amending the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual, or both, specifying that: (1) recreational therapy is a covered service under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act in inpatient rehabilitation facilities, inpatient psychiatric facilities, and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); (2) recreational therapy is a skilled rehabilitative modality included in the bundle of services as part of the payment rates for such facilities under Medicare's respective prospective payment systems (PPS) for these inpatient settings; and (3) any recreational therapy that is provided to a Medicare beneficiary in such a facility prescribed by a physician as part of the facility's plan of care for the patient must be provided by a qualified recreational therapist.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Strengthening the Transition and Reintegration of the National Guard and Reserves Act or STRONGR Act - Provides an additional 180-day period of military mental health care coverage for members of the reserves separated from service following active duty of more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation. Increases the amount of basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill for members of the Selected Reserve and reserve personnel supporting contingency operations. Entitles a federal employee who is a member of a reserve component to receive the difference in pay between military compensation and civilian compensation during periods of active duty exceeding 30 days. Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to reimburse states or local governments for 50% of the civilian compensation paid by such governments to equalize military and civilian pay. Increases the reimbursement rate to 100% if active duty extends beyond nine months. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an active-duty reserve component employee credit for employers who provide compensation to employees on active duty.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Veterans Suicide Study Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs conduct a study to determine the number of veterans who have committed suicide between January 1, 1997, and the date of the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 401 Washington Avenue in Weldon, North Carolina, as the "Dock M. Brown Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 725 Roanoke Avenue in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, as the "Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Pisgah National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2007 - Modifies the boundaries of the Pisgah National Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina, to provide for the inclusion of certain private land and Forest Service land in the Forest. Requires an owner's consent to acquire the private land.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2007
Condemns the November 6, 2007, attack in the Baghlan province of Afghanistan and all other attacks against the Afghan people. Expresses condolences to the people of Afghanistan and to the members of the Wolesi Jirga. Calls upon the United States and other nations to strengthen their efforts to further the goals and standards set forth in the Afghanistan Compact for improvements in Afghanistan's security, governance, and economic development.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2007
Congratulates Hostelling International USA for its 75 years of service. Commends Hostelling International USA for its contributions to intercultural exchange and leadership in the field of youth travel.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2007
Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) conduct a long-term epidemiological study on the health of women veterans who served on active duty in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; (2) assess barriers encountered by women veterans to the provision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of comprehensive health care; (3) assess all health care services and programs provided by the VA for women veterans; (4) provide training for mental health professionals who provide counseling to women veterans suffering from sexual trauma; (5) develop a plan for the identification, development, and dissemination of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other conditions attributable to combat or sexual trauma that are proven effective for women veterans; (6) conduct a study of the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services for women veterans at vet centers; (7) carry out a pilot program for child care for certain women veterans receiving health care from VA facilities; and (8) carry out a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility and advisability of providing counseling and transition adjustment assistance for women veterans who are newly separated from active duty service. Requires women veterans recently separated from active duty service to be included on the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2007
Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to effect a one-year moratorium on the Medicare recovery audit contractor program, under which the Secretary contracts with recovery audit contractors to identify underpayments and overpayments, and recoup overpayments, with respect to all services for which payment is made under part A or B of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Requires: (1) the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to evaluate the program for Congress; and (2) the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the use of recovery audit contractors in the Medicare Integrity program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2007
Remembers, honors, and commends the achievements of the U.S. Marine Corps in serving and defending the United States on the 232nd anniversary of its creation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2007
Teacher Tax Deduction Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend until 2015 the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school educators (i.e., teachers, instructors, counselors, principals, or aides); (2) increase to $500 the allowable amount of such deduction for full-time educators (working at least 900 hours during the school year); and (3) allow such tax deduction for educators in preschool programs.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2007
Expresses condolences to the families and friends of Lauren Mahon, Allison Walden, Travis Cale, Justin Anderson, Emily Yelton, William Rhea, and Cassidy Pendley and offers hope for the recovery of students who were injured in the fire that occurred in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, on October 28, 2007. Expresses gratitude for the efforts of the those who responded and support for all of the students, faculty, administration, and staff at the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2007
Declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2007
Nursing Education Opportunities Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include accelerated degree nursing students who pursue a second baccalaureate degree or a master's degree as an entry level nursing degree as eligible for financial assistance through nursing programs in the Act, including the Nursing Student Loan Program. Raises the yearly loan amounts available to all nursing students through that Program. Modifies the definition of "collegiate school of nursing" to include accelerated nursing degree programs. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in the case of a nurse faculty shortage, to obligate more than 10% of traineeships for individuals in doctoral degree programs. Directs the Secretary to award grants to: (1) eligible entities to establish doctoral nursing degree programs, giving priority to such entities located in states in which there are no such programs; and (2) partnerships of eligible entities to establish doctoral nursing consortia to enhance and expand the availability of doctoral nurse faculty and education by enabling the partners to share doctoral faculty and programmatic resources. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary to award grants to partnerships composed of an accredited nursing school at an institution of higher education and a hospital or health facility to establish up to five pilot projects to enable such hospital or facility to retain its staff of experienced nurses while providing a mechanism to have these individuals become, through an accelerated nursing education program, faculty members of an accredited nursing school.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2007
Prohibits any entity that receives funds from the federal government from using them to file a class action lawsuit against an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded on behalf of any facility resident unless the resident (or the resident's legal representative), after receiving notice of the proposed class action lawsuit, has the opportunity to elect not to have the action apply to the resident.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2007
Science Museum and National Laboratory Partnership Demonstration Act - Authorizes the award of up to five grants only to partnerships that include science museums, or consortia thereof serving at least 1,000,000 visitors annually and with an existing partnership with one or more national laboratories, for the purposes of : (1) increasing public understanding of scientific work occurring at the national laboratories; (2) developing exhibits and informal education programs featuring advances in the physical sciences; and (3) increasing public understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Disallows such science museums or consortia from receiving more than 60% of a grant award for any fiscal year, with the remaining funds allocated to National Laboratory partners.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit up to $500 of unused health benefits in a plan or other arrangement that provides for a health flexible spending arrangement to be carried forward to the next year of such health flexible spending arrangement without affecting the status of such plan or arrangement as a tax-exempt employee benefit cafeteria plan. Terminates such carryforward after 2009.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 2007
Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to allow the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Labor for certification of eligibility to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by adversely affected workers in a service sector firm, a public agency, or subdivision. Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to cover: (1) a shift, by such workers' firm or subdivision to a foreign country, of production of articles or in provision of services, like or directly competitive with articles which are produced, or services that are provided by the workers' firm or subdivision; or (2) instances where the workers' firm or subdivision obtains or is likely to obtain such articles or services from a foreign country. Provides for the certification for TAA of: (1) adversely affected workers in a public agency, its subdivision, or in a domestic industry; and (2) adversely affected secondary workers in a service sector firm or its subdivision. Prohibits TAA program benefits from being provided to an alien worker unless such worker is a lawful permanent resident living in the United States. Revises certain qualifying requirements for TAA for adversely affected workers. Increases: (1) the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers; and (2) the maximum allowance to cover costs of such workers for job search expenses and relocation expenses. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the credit for health insurance costs of certain TAA and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) pension recipients. Sets forth requirements to prevent a lapse of health care coverage for TAA workers and their families. Establishes eligibility requirements for reemployment TAA for adversely affected older workers. Establishes the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance. Extends through FY2012 the TAA program for workers and farmers. Allows the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Commerce for certification of eligibility to apply for TAA by a service sector firm. Extends the TAA program for firms through FY2012. Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act - Amends the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Labor to make unemployment compensation modernization incentive payments in FY2008-FY2012 by certain transfers from the federal unemployment account to the accounts of the states in the Unemployment Trust Fund. Provides for the issuance of manufacturing redevelopment bonds (qualified tax credit bonds) and tax-exempt facility bonds and require the proceeds to be used for environmental remediation and public infrastructure improvements in manufacturing redevelopment zones. Increases the state low-income housing credit for buildings located in such zones. Allows a credit to holders of such qualified tax credit bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 2007
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Children's Health Month. Reaffirms our nation's commitment to providing access to health care, ensuring preventative care, seeking cures for debilitating diseases and chronic conditions, and promoting healthy living habits for America's children. Salutes: (1) health care professionals who provide care and treatment for childhood illnesses; and (2) officials who protect children from environmental health and safety risks, and who educate parents, schools, and communities about health risks for children. Encourages states, territories, and possessions of the United States to educate children about healthy living habits when they are young.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2007
Home Health Care Access Protection Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services and adjustments to it for case mix changes. Prohibits any adjustment in the PPS for payment in 2008. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for any adjustment in a subsequent year, to evaluate changes in case mix using standards developed consistent with specified processes, taking certain criteria into account. Directs the Secretary to convene a Technical Advisory Group to advise on the development of such standards. Prohibits the Secretary from taking any action to implement or otherwise carry out provisions in the final rule published on August 29, 2007, that propose to make a case mix adjustment to the standardized payment amounts under the PPS to account for changes in coding that were not related to an underlying change in patient health status. Directs the Secretary to republish any rates specified in such rule to take into account the application of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3100 Cashwell Drive in Goldsboro, North Carolina, as the "John Henry Wooten, Sr. Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2007
Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act of 2007 - Provides that, in the case of a member of the Armed Forces who is retired or separated for disability due to a combat-related injury, the Secretary of Defense shall require the continued payment of any bonuses or special pay to which the member: (1) was entitled to immediately before the retirement or separation; and (2) would continue to be entitled to if not retired or separated. Requires such payment in a lump sum within 30 days after such retirement or separation.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2007
Trade Adjustment Assistance Improvement Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to allow the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Labor for certification of eligibility to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by adversely affected workers in a service sector firm, its subdivision, or a public agency. Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to cover: (1) a shift, by a public agency to a foreign country, of production of articles or in provision of services, like or directly competitive with articles which are produced, or services which are provided by the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency; and (2) instances where the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency obtains or is likely to obtain such services from a foreign country. Provides for industry-wide certification of adversely affected workers for TAA. Increases the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act. TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the tax credit for the health insurance costs of certain TAA workers and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) pension recipients. Sets forth requirements to prevent a lapse of health care coverage for TAA workers and their families. Replaces alternative trade adjustment assistance for older workers provisions with eligibility requirements for wage insurance benefits to older workers who have received an industry-wide certification to apply for TAA. Increases the maximum allowance to cover costs of an adversely affected worker for job search expenses and relocation expenses. Establishes an Office of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Ombudsman. Extends the TAA program for workers through FY2012. Revises the TAA program for communities negatively impacted by trade. Establishes a TAA for communities program to coordinate the federal response. Allows the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Commerce for certification of eligibility to apply for TAA by a service sector firm. Extends the TAA program for firms through FY2012. Extends the TAA program for farmers through FY2012.