Rep. Franks, Bob [R-NJ-7]

An amendment to require federal prisoners who do not possess a high school diploma or its equivalent to earn a General Education Development certificate before they are eligible for early release from prison. As modified, the amendment allows the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to make exemptions to the GED requirement as necessary.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to require the reporting of child pornography to law enforcement agencies by Internet Service Providers.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment (printed as amendment No. 18 in the Congressional Record of May 9) to clarify that the ocean-dumping provisions of the bill are to apply only to the dumping of material dredged by the Army Corps of Engineers, not the dumping of sewage sludge or other materials.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment no. 41 and printed in Part A of H.Rept. 106-186 to require schools and libraries to implement a filtering or blocking technology for computers with internet access to minors as a condition of the receipt of funding from the universal service fund.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to require final regulatory impact analyses to contain a statement of whether the rule will require anyone to obtain licenses, permits, or other certifications, and to specify any associated fines.

United States · United States Congress

In honor of Henry B. Gonzalez.

United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2000

Expresses the condolences of Congress on the death of the Honorable Henry Barbosa Gonzalez on November 28, 2000.

To limit the use of eminent domain under the Natural Gas Act to acquire certain State-owned property.

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2000

Amends the Natural Gas Act to prohibit Federal use of the eminent domain power to acquire State property that has been reserved for the purpose of preserving open space, unless the State has agreed to such taking.

To prohibit United States assistance for the Palestinain Authority and for programs, projects, and activities in the West Bank and Gaza.

United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2000

Prohibits U.S. assistance (except humanitarian assistance) to the Palestinian Authority (or to any successor or related entity) or for programs, projects, and activities to the West Bank or Gaza unless the President determines and certifies to specified congressional committees that: (1) the leadership of the Palestinian Authority has publicly renounced violence as a means of political expression and has taken all actions to bring an end to the violence which commenced in early October 2000 in the West Bank and Gaza; and (2) the violence in the West Bank and Gaza has subsided.

Calling on the President to take all appropriate action within his power to provide relief from injury caused by steel imports and to immediately request the United States International Trade Commission to commence an expedited investigation for positive adjustment under section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 of those steel imports.

United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2000

Calls upon the President to: (1) take all appropriate action to provide relief from injury caused by steel imports; and (2) immediately request the U.S. Trade Commission to commence an expedited investigation for positive adjustment of such steel imports under section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Concerning the violence in the Middle East.

United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2000

Expresses the solidarity of Congress with the state and people of Israel at this time of crisis. Condemns the Palestinian leadership for encouraging the violence and doing so little for so long to stop it. Calls upon the Palestinian leadership to: (1) refrain from exhortations to public incitement; and (2) vigorously use its security forces to act immediately to stop all violence, to show respect for all holy sites, and to settle all grievances through negotiations. Commends successive Administrations on their continuing efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East. Calls upon: (1) the current Administration to use its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to ensure that the Security Council does not again adopt unbalanced resolutions addressing the uncontrolled violence in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority; and (2) all involved parties to make all possible efforts to reinvigorate the peace process.

Regarding the adoption of Resolution 1322 by the Security Council of the United Nations on October 7, 2000.

United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2000

Denounces the abstention by the United States from voting on Resolution 1322 (which condemns Israel for acts of violence and cites excessive force by Israelis against Palestinians and which was adopted by the United Nations (UN) Security Council on October 7, 2000). Calls upon the President to declare such resolution null and void as a matter of national policy. Condemns the UN Security Council for its one-sided condemnation of Israel. Urges: (1) the UN member states to vigorously oppose efforts to manipulate the Fourth Geneva Convention for the sole purpose of attacking Israel; and (2) Israeli and Palestinian leaders to seek a secure future for all citizens of the Middle East through a full and thorough peace process.

To authorize the Frederick Douglass Gardens, Inc., to establish a memorial and gardens on Department of the Interior lands in the District of Columbia or its environs in honor and commemoration of Frederick Douglass.

United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2000

Authorizes Frederick Douglass Gardens, Inc., to establish a memorial and gardens on Department of the Interior lands in the District of Columbia or its environs in honor and commemoration of Frederick Douglass.

Release Our Reserve Now Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2000

Release Our Reserve Now Act - Requires the President immediately to: (1) implement a drawdown of petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to address the burdens posed by anticipated high home heating costs of winter 2000-2001; and (2) ensure that such petroleum products are not sold outside the United States.

21st Century Community Learning Centers Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2000

Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act (part I of title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) to increase the maximum monetary amount of individual grants to public schools for center after-school activities and services that address rural or inner- city communities' education, health, social service, cultural, and recreational needs. Retains the provision that authorizes such grants be used to plan, implement, or expand community learning centers, but eliminates the requirement that such centers include four or more of specified activities. Extends the authorization of appropriations for such grants program.

Veterans' Oral History Project Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2000

Veterans' Oral History Project Act - Requires the Director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to establish an oral history program to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories and testimonials of American war veterans.

Medicare Billing and Education Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2000

Medicare Billing and Education Act of 2000 - Title I: Regulatory Reform - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with regard to: (1) the prospective-only, non-retroactive application of regulations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services that establish or change a substantive legal standard governing the scope of benefits, the payment for services, or the eligibility of individuals, entities, or organizations to furnish or to receive Medicare services or benefits; and (2) allowance of civil actions against the Secretary challenging the constitutionality of regulations or policies. Prohibits the Secretary from recovering past Medicare overpayments by offsetting future payments to a health care provider, or while a provider is appealing a determination that an overpayment has been made or the amount of such an overpayment. Title II: Appeals Process Reforms - Revises requirements for the post-payment audit process, particularly the recoupment of overpayments. Requires the Secretary to permit any health care provider to appeal any determination of the Secretary under Medicare on behalf of a deceased beneficiary where no substitute party is available. Title III: Education Components - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for education programs for physicians, providers of services, and suppliers. Requires fiscal intermediaries and carriers to do their utmost to provide health care providers with one, straight, and correct answer regarding Medicare billing and cost reporting questions, as well as their true first and last names. Requires the Secretary to establish a process for providers to request assistance in writing (advisory opinions) from fiscal intermediaries or carriers in addressing questionable Medicare coverage, billing, documentation, coding and cost reporting procedures. Title IV: Sustainable Growth Rate Reforms - Requires the inclusion of regulatory costs in the estimate of the sustainable growth rate for all physicians' services for a fiscal year. Title V: Studies and Reports - Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) audit and report to Congress on Health Care Financing Administration compliance with statutes administered by it and with administrative procedure and other requirements under Federal civil service law; and (2) study and report to Congress on whether policies or enforcement efforts against health care providers have reduced access to care for Medicare beneficiaries.

Mandatory IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2000

Mandatory IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to require specified minimum levels of Federal grant payments to States for assistance for education of all children with disabilities.

Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2000

Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act - Revises the bloodborne pathogens standard, in effect under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA), to include safer medical devices, such as sharps with engineered sharps injury protections and needleless systems, as examples of engineering controls designed to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens through needlestick and other percutaneous injuries. Requires certain employers to: (1) review and update exposure control plans to reflect changes in technology that eliminate or reduce such exposure, and document their consideration and implementation of appropriate commercially available and effective safer medical devices for such purpose; (2) maintain a sharps injury log, noting the type and brand of device used, where the injury occurred, and an explanation of the incident (exempting employers who are not required to maintain specified OSHA logs); and (3) seek input on such engineering and work practice controls from the affected health care workers (exempting employers who are not required to establish exposure control plans). Requires such modifications of the standard to: (1) be in force until superseded by regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor under OSHA; and (2) take effect without regard to specified procedural requirements.

Recognizing the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.

United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2000

Recognizes the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. Acknowledges the contributions of children with disabilities, their parents, teachers, related services personnel, and administrators. Reaffirms support for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act so that all children with disabilities have access to a free public education.

Supporting efforts to increase childhood cancer awareness, treatment, and research.

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2000

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should support: (1) efforts to promote awareness of cancer among children; (2) increased investment in childhood cancer research; (3) policies that provide incentives to encourage medical trainees and investigators to enter the field of pediatric oncology, that provide incentives to encourage the development of pediatric cancer drugs and biologics, and that encourage participation in clinical trials; and (4) medical education curricula designed to improve pain management for cancer patients.

Veterans Comprehensive Hepatitis C Health Care Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2000

Veterans Comprehensive Hepatitis C Health Care Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, during the first year after the enactment of this Act, to provide a blood test for the Hepatitis C virus to: (1) each veteran who served on active military duty during the Vietnam era, is enrolled to receive veterans' medical care, and requests such care or is otherwise receiving a physical examination or any other care or treatment from the Secretary; and (2) any other veteran who so requests. Requires the Secretary, after such period, to provide such test to any veteran who presents one or more risk factors for such virus and who requests the test. Requires the Secretary to provide appropriate treatment protocol for any veteran who tests positive, without regard to whether the virus is determined to be service-connected and without regard to the veteran's priority group categorization. Prohibits a copayment from being charged for such treatment. Requires the Secretary to: (1) perform a liver biopsy test on a positive-testing veteran as a follow- up test; (2) upon request, provide a Hepatitis C genotype test before beginning virus treatment; (3) employ at each Department of Veterans Affairs medical center at least one full-time gastroenterologist or hepatologist to conduct such tests; and (4) ensure that each center has at least one staff member assigned to coordinate treatment options and provide information to positive-testing patients. Provides funding for Department Hepatitis C detection and treatment programs, beginning with FY 2001. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and implement a standardized Department policy with respect to such virus; and (2) annually take appropriate outreach actions to notify untested veterans. Directs the Secretary to establish at least one and no more than three Hepatitis C centers of excellence within the Department health care network. Provides centers' funding.

Homebound Clarification Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Homebound Clarification Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to provisions regarding conditions on payments for services and payments of claims of providers of services, to consider an individual to be confined to home if there is a normal inability to leave home and leaving home requires a considerable and taxing effort by the individual. (This Act removes the additional condition that absences from home be infrequent or of relatively short duration or attributable to the need to receive medical treatment to be considered confined to home.)

Direct Graduate Medical Education Equity Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Direct Graduate Medical Education Equity Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to increase the payment floor from 70 percent to 100 percent of the locality adjusted national average per resident amount for direct graduate medical education under the Medicare Program for FY 2001.

Middle East Peace Process Support Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2000

Middle East Peace Process Support Act - Prohibits U.S. assistance to any unilaterally-declared Palestinian state. Directs the President to instruct the U.S. Representative to the United Nations to oppose admission to the United Nations of a unilaterally-declared Palestinian state or formal recognition by the United Nations of such a state.