United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2003
Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should act immediately to adopt and implement the recommendations in the final report of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, "Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America" through legislation or other appropriate action to help ensure affordable, accessible, and high quality mental health care for all Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2003 - Rape Kits and DNA Evidence Backlog Elimination Act of 2003 - Amends: (1) the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to reauthorize the Act; (2) the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (Identification Act) to expand the scope of DNA samples to be included in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS); and (3) the Violence Against Women Act to authorize grants to increase the availability of legal assistance to victims of dating violence. DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2003 - Amends the Identification Act to require that CODIS include only information on DNA identification records and analyses that are prepared by laboratories that: (1) have been accredited by a nationally recognized nonprofit professional association of forensic scientists within two years; and (2) undergo external audits at least every two years that demonstrate compliance with specified standards. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for: (1) DNA training and education; (2) sexual assault forensic examination programs; (3) research and development; (4) using DNA technology to identify missing persons; and (5) tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. Expands and reauthorizes the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program. Innocence Protection Act of 2003 - Sets forth conditions under which a Federal prisoner may obtain post-conviction DNA testing of specific evidence. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to States to improve the quality of legal representation in State capital cases.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Wartime Treatment Study Act - Establishes the Commission on Wartime Treatment of European Americans, the subjects of whose review of U.S. Government wartime treatment (from September 1, 1939, through December 31, 1948) of European Americans and European Latin Americans shall include: (1) civil liberties violations resulting from enforcement of the Alien Enemies Acts, Presidential Proclamations 2526, 2527, 2655, 2662, Executive Orders 9066 and 9095, and directives pursuant to such provisions concerning registration, arrest, exclusion, internment, exchange, or deportation; (2) action concerning European Americans pursuant to the Alien Enemies Act and Executive Order 9066 in the nature of registration requirements, restrictions, internment, and detention; (3) participation by European Americans in the U.S. Armed Forces; and (4) appropriate remedies, including future protection of civil liberties during wartime. Establishes the Commission on Wartime Treatment of Jewish Refugees to review the U.S. Government's refusal to allow entry into the United States of Jewish and other refugees fleeing persecution in Europe. Directs the Commission to include reviews of: (1) the rationale for such decision, its perceived benefit, and its impacts; and (2) Federal refugee policy concerning those fleeing persecution or genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
States that the House of Representatives: (1) supports the goals of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, including the need for immigration reform; and (2) recognizes and honors the millions of immigrant workers in the United States who work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to our economy and our communities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Honors the life and accomplishments of Althea Gibson, who broke the color barrier in the sport of tennis in the 1950s, who was the first black woman to win the Wimbledon and United States national tennis titles, and who helped pave the way for future generations of black athletes.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Rest and Recuperation Leave program for members of the armed forces serving in combat zones in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom should cover all travel and transportation costs necessary to return members granted leave to their homes. (Currently, such program covers transportation to only an approved point of debarkation in the United States.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Benjamin Franklin Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one dollar coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin (not more than 250,000 bearing his image as a young statesman and not more than 250,000 with his image as an older numismatist). Directs that all sales include a $10 per coin surcharge, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission, to be used to educate people about Franklin's legacy.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Directs the Secretary of Defense, in the case of a member of the armed forces serving outside the United States in Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom who is granted rest and recuperative leave and provided authorized travel and transportation allowances, to pay the member for transportation, or provide transportation for the member, not only between the overseas duty location and the currently authorized locations (a vacation site or a location in the United States), but, at the request of the member, between the currently authorized locations and the member's permanent duty station or home. Makes such allowance retroactive from September 20, 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Directs the Secretary of Defense to expand the Central Command Rest and Recuperation Leave program (for certain military personnel serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom) to provide travel and transportation allowances to each participant for travel from an original airport of debarkation to the permanent duty station or home of such member.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Calls on the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize for its World War II war crimes and for Japanese companies that used prisoners of war as slave labor during World War II to compensate those former prisoners (or their survivors) for their labor and for any brutality the companies inflicted.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Calls for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the U.S. Postal Service to recommend and the Postmaster General to issue a postage stamp commemorating the Fisk Jubilee Singers (a choral group from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee).
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2003
Streamlined Sales and Use Tax - Grants the consent of Congress to the November 12, 2002, Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Expresses the sense of Congress that such Agreement provides sufficient simplification and uniformity to warrant Federal authorization to States that are parties to the Agreement to require remote sellers to collect and remit the sales and use taxes of such States and of local taxing jurisdictions of such States. States that the purpose of this Act is to effectuate that limited authority, and not to grant additional authority unrelated to the accomplishment of that purpose. States that once 10 States comprising at least 20 percent of the total population of all States imposing a sales tax have petitioned for membership under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, have been found to be in compliance with the Agreement pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, have become Member States under the Agreement, and the necessary operational aspects of the Agreement have been implemented, any Member State under the Agreement is authorized, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to require all sellers not qualifying for the small business exception provided by this Act to collect and remit sales and use taxes with respect to remote sales to purchasers located in such State. Establishes minimum simplification requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2003
Health and Education Access for Students with Diabetes Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to prohibit a State or public or private entity from receiving funds under ESEA title IV part A, also known as the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, unless it has a policy in effect against hindering or restricting a student from engaging in diabetes treatment prescribed or recommended by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2003
Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for the recognition of certified diabetes educators as Medicare providers for purposes of diabetes outpatient self-management training services. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on: (1) the barriers, if any, that exist in rural areas to successfully becoming a recognized diabetes education program, including the difficulty of rural health care professionals in becoming certified diabetes educators; and (2) whether individuals with diabetes who live in rural areas have barriers to accessing diabetes self-management training.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2003
Medicaid/SCHIP Optional Coverage for Young Adults Act of 2003 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of providing SCHIP and Medicaid coverage, with an enhanced matching rate, to low-income youth up to age 23. Directs the Secretary to provide for grants to small and rural States in order to enable them to implement expansions of eligibility for children and young adults under SSA titles XIX and XXI.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2003
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to add provisions entitled the Preparing America to Respond Effectively Act of 2003 (PREPARE Act), which direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Task Force on Standards for Terrorism Preparedness and authorize the Secretary to make terrorism preparedness and response grants to State governments. Designates the Office for Domestic Preparedness as being responsible for administering all terrorism preparedness and response grant programs of the Department of Homeland Security. Requires the Secretary to revise the Homeland Security Advisory System to include a process for activating the System on a regional or critical infrastructure sector basis. Includes among executive branch responsibilities the making of grants to compensate States and local governments for additional personnel costs incurred as a result of elevated threat level designations. Requires: (1) the President to specify the lead Federal agency for sharing terrorism threat information with State and local governments; and (2) the Secretary to make grants to State and local governments to provide the equipment and facilities necessary to handle and store classified information. Makes the Under Secretary for Science and Technology responsible for first responder equipment and training standards. Requires the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response to conduct studies regarding: (1) electromagnetic spectrum and frequency bands for emergency communications; and (2) the establishment of a nationwide emergency notification system. Requires the Secretary to: (1) procure and deploy equipment to facilitate interoperability between emergency communications systems; (2) award grants for programs at public schools to instruct students in preparing for and responding to a man-made emergency or natural disaster; and (3) establish and maintain a clearinghouse of best practices and curricula for instructing students regarding emergency preparedness and response.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2003
Nuclear Terrorist Threat Reduction Act - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to purchase or otherwise secure excess Russian plutonium and highly enriched uranium. Authorizes appropriations to implement such mandate, including funds for: (1) improving security and accounting for nuclear material in Russia; (2) downsizing and restructuring of Russia's excess nuclear complex; and (3) ensuring transparency in Russia and verifying progress.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2003
Tobacco Reduction, Accountability, and Community Enhancement Act of 2003 - Amends, and repeals, specified agricultural Acts to eliminate tobacco quota and price support programs, including no net cost provisions. Adds a new subtitle, Subtitle E: Tobacco Assistance, to title III of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 which requires the Secretary of Agriculture to make transition payments to each tobacco quota holder (generally, an owner of a farm, as of July 1, 2002, for which a basic tobacco marketing or farm acreage allotment for quota tobacco was established for the 2002 tobacco marketing year under a marketing quota program). Requires the Secretary to make direct payments to a traditional producer of tobacco (a person that, for at least one of the 2000, 2001, or 2002 tobacco marketing years, was actively engaged in the production of tobacco marketed, or considered planted, under a marketing quota and shared in the risk of producing the tobacco). Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a permanent Tobacco Advisory Board for each kind of tobacco; and (2) a poundage limitation program for each crop of each kind of tobacco. Directs the Secretary, during any marketing year period in which the insured price for the crop of a kind of tobacco exceeds the average domestic price for such tobacco, to make market stability payments available to active producers of such tobacco. Directs the Secretary to make research grants to colleges and universities in eligible States to: (1) assist tobacco producers reduce or eliminate reliance on tobacco production through crop diversification, or to promote alternative tobacco uses or enhance tobacco quality; and (2) foster development of economically viable new agricultural technologies and enterprises for rural communities. Establishes in the Commodity Credit Corporation a revolving Tobacco Trust Fund to carry this subtitle. Deposits into the Fund a quarterly assessment (imposed by this Act) on each tobacco product manufacturer and tobacco product importer that sells tobacco products in domestic U.S. commerce. Sets forth tobacco stocks and no net cost transition provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2003
Honors the accomplishments of Seeds of Peace for promoting understanding, reconciliation, acceptance, coexistence, and peace among youth from the Middle East and other regions of conflict around the world. Offers Seeds of Peace as a model of hope that living together in peace and security is possible.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2003
Youth Worker Protection Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to revise provisions relating to child labor and to set forth new requirements relating to the employment of minors. Establishes FLSA requirements for employment of minors, including those for: (1) work permits; (2) working-hour restrictions for minors in specified age groups, and in relation to school attendance; (3) notification of serious work-related injuries; (4) data compilation, retention, and reporting by State agencies; (5) prohibition of youth peddling; (6) civil actions for bodily injury, illness, or death; (7) public disclosure of violations; and (8) civil penalties. Revises FLSA child labor provisions to: (1) set the same minimum age requirements for children in agricultural employment as for those in nonagricultural employment; (2) impose a uniform minimum age for employment in all hazardous occupations; (3) eliminate the Secretary of Labor's authority to issue waivers with respect to certain hand harvest labor by children; (4) eliminate an exception for scrap paper balers and paper box compactors; and (5) declare that youth peddling affects commerce (and thus is subject to Federal regulation). Directs the Secretary of Labor to promulgate: (1) a rule relating to particularly hazardous occupations for children between the ages of 16 and 18, based on a specified report and recommendations of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and (2) a rule prohibiting employment of minors in seafood processing or in jobs requiring them to handle or dispose of oil or other liquids from fryers. Requires the Secretary to review: (1) restricted occupation and hazardous occupation orders, at least once every five years; and (2) health and safety data on employment of minors in activities involving certain repetitive motions, or lifting, or working alone or late at night in retail establishments with public contact and cash handling, or entertainment industry work detrimental to them, and report with appropriate rules to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2003
Ralph J. Bunche Scholarship Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise and reauthorize title III part C programs of the Institute for International Public Policy. Directs the Institute to conduct a program to enhance U.S. global competitiveness by increasing the participation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and other underrepresented minorities in the international service, including private international voluntary organizations, the foreign commercial service, and the foreign service of the United States. Lowers, from one-half to one-third, the matching funds requirement for recipients of grants from the Institute. Establishes a Ralph J. Bunche Scholarships program. Authorizes the Institute to provide such scholarships to qualified low-income, minority, and other underrepresented students who demonstrate special interest in international affairs and language study, demonstrate exceptional academic ability, and show promise of continued academic excellence and ability. Provides such Bunche Scholarships for up to $5,000 for each of the last two years of undergraduate study toward a bachelor's degree. Directs the Institute to provide a program of study leading to an advanced degree in international relations, international affairs, international economics, or other academic areas related to the Institute fellow's career objectives. Authorizes the Institute to grant fellowships for such program of study up to an amount comparable to National Science Foundation research graduate fellowships. Requires fellowship recipients to agree to undertake full-time study and to enter the international service, including work with international voluntary organizations, or the U.S. foreign service.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2003
States that the House of Representatives commends Richard and Annette Bloch and the Bloch Cancer Foundation and their network of volunteers on behalf of Americans living with cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2003
Recognizes and honors the life of the late Raul Julia, his dedication to ending world hunger, and his great contributions to the Latino community and the performing arts.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Pediatric Palliative Care Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to: (1) provide training in pediatric palliative care and related services; (2) implement or expand pediatric palliative care programs for children with life-threatening conditions; (3) expand the number of physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, and appropriate allied health professionals and specialists with pediatric palliative clinical training and research experience; (4) enhance pediatric palliative care and care for children with life-threatening conditions in general pediatric or family practice residency training programs through the development of model programs; and (5) fund research in pediatric pain and symptom management that will utilize existing facilities of the National Institutes of Health. Provides for Medicare and private sector pediatric palliative care demonstration projects.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Holocaust Victims Insurance Fairness Act - Authorizes a State to implement and enforce any law that requires an insurance company conducting business in the State to disclose and make publicly available details regarding insurance policies issued by that company to a policyholder domiciled in the area of the European Continent that was occupied or controlled by Nazi Germany or by any ally or sympathizer of Nazi Germany and that was in effect at any time during the period between 1933 and 1945. Declares that Congress explicitly disapproves any Executive branch policy or agreement that preempts State efforts to collect Holocaust-era insurance information to resolve outstanding claims.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Freedom to Establish State High Air Quality (FrESH AIR Quality) Act - Retains to States, Indian tribes, municipalities, and air pollution control agencies the right to decide whether or not to implement the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) August 27, 2003 new source review revisions.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Celia Cruz Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 300,000 one dollar silver coins and 500,000 half dollar clad coins emblematic of Celia Cruz (known as the "Queen of Salsa") and her legacy. Establishes surcharges of ten dollars per coin for the dollar coin and three dollars per coin for the half dollar coin, which shall be paid to the Celia Cruz Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Congratulates the Washington Freedom for winning the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) title. Requests that the President invite them to a White House ceremony for national championship teams. Expresses disappointment with the suspension of WUSA operations and expresses support for its revival.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Expresses the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to the people of Sweden and the family of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh following her tragic and untimely murder. Condemns all senseless acts of violence against public officials. Urges the President to provide all appropriate assistance that may be requested by Swedish law enforcement officials as they pursue the killer. Expresses the solidarity of the people of the United States with the people of Sweden and the Swedish Government at this difficult time.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Directs the President to establish separate campaign medals to recognize service by members of the armed forces in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act - Makes the standard for access to care for a veteran seeking primary care from the Department of Veterans Affairs 30 days from the date the veteran contacts the Department. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe an appropriate standard for waiting times at Department health-care facilities as measured from the time a visit is scheduled until the time the veteran is seen. Directs the Secretary to periodically review the performance of Department health-care facilities in meeting such standards. Authorizes the Secretary to contract for health care services in non-Department facilities in a case in which the Secretary is unable to meet access standards. Prohibits such contracting-out with respect to a Department geographic service area that has a compliance rate in meeting such standards of 90 percent or more. Requires quarterly reports from the Secretary to the congressional veterans' committees on the Department's experience with respect to waiting times.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Medicare Occupational Therapy Coverage Eligibility Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the need-based condition on eligibility for Medicare coverage of home health services with respect to occupational therapy (thus providing for eligibility for occupational therapy coverage of home health services without such condition).
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable income tax credit of up to $500 for the purchase of a qualified hearing aid for an individual who is either: (1) age 55 or older; or (2) is claimed as a dependent of the taxpayer.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Child Care Lending Pilot Act of 2003 - Allows proceeds of loans made through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to local certified development companies for plant acquisition, construction, or expansion to be used to provide loans to small, nonprofit child care businesses, provided that: (1) the loan will be used for a sound business purpose approved by the SBA Administrator; (2) each business receiving the assistance meets eligibility requirements applicable to for-profit businesses; (3) one or more individuals have personally guaranteed the loan; and (4) the child care business has both clear and singular title to the collateral for the loan and sufficient cash flow to meet loan obligations and reasonable operating expenses. Prohibits more than seven percent of the total number of loans guaranteed in any fiscal year for local development companies from being awarded under this program. Terminates such authority at the end of FY 2006.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
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 students in secondary schools, including middle and high schools. 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 to work with classroom teachers to incorporate reading and writing instruction in all subject areas, and to identify students with reading problems and provide remediation or referral for additional services; (2) counseling for students at risk of not graduating on time; and (3) professional development for middle and high school teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals that addresses literacy needs of economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, migrant children, and homeless children. 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; 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 of age in certain programs and services, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, limited English proficiency status, disability, and socioeconomic status.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Honors the life and accomplishments of Johnny Cash and his invaluable contributions to the Nation, Tennessee, and our musical heritage. Extends condolences to the Cash family on his death.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2003
Federal Employee Student Loan Assistance Act - Increases the annual and aggregate limits on the amount of an employee's student loan a Federal agency may repay.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2003
Children's Mental Health Screening and Prevention Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, and the Attorney General to jointly make ten three-year demonstration grants to implement evidence-based preventive-screening tools to detect mental illness and suicidal tendencies in school-age youth and to refer those youth in need of assessment or treatment. Makes eligible to receive such a grant, as a demonstration facility, any facility that serves at-risk youth or performs outreach to school-age youth, including any elementary school, secondary school, school-based health center, juvenile justice facility, foster care setting, homeless shelter, youth drop-in center, youth outreach organization, youth residential treatment center, or State or local mental health organization. Requires applicants to form multidisciplinary project implementation committees and to agree to certain information collecting and reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2003
Space Exploration Act of 2003 - Requires the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to set forth as goals for the future activities of NASA's human space flight program, the development and flight demonstration, within 8, 10, 15, and 20 years, respectively, of a reusable space vehicle capable of carrying humans between: (1) low Earth orbit and Earth-Sun and Earth-Moon libration points; (2) low Earth orbit and an Earth-orbit crossing asteroid; (3) lunar orbit and the surface of the moon, as well as deployment of a human-tended facility on the lunar surface; and (4) low Earth orbit and Martian orbit and between Martian orbit and the surface of Mars, as well as deployment of a human-tended facility on the surface of a Martian moon. Requires the Administrator to establish: (1) an Office of Exploration to be responsible for planning, budgeting, and managing activities undertaken by NASA to accomplish these goals; (2) a process for conducting competitions for innovative, cost-effective mission concepts to accomplish the goals; and (3) an independent panel to conduct a merit-based competitive review of the proposals submitted under each competition and to submit a rank-ordered evaluation of such proposals to the Administrator. Requires the Administrator to provide to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate for each competitively selected proposal its implementation plan and the results of an independent external review of the initial proposal and of each annually updated implementation plan.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2003
Urges any trade and investment agreement that is negotiated by the executive branch with other foreign countries to comply with certain minimum standards regarding: (1) investor and investment policy; (2) certain services; (3) policies to support American workers and small, minority, and women-owned businesses; (4) environmental, labor, and other public interests; (5) U.S. trade laws; (6) food safety; (7) agriculture and food security; (8) transparency; (9) governmental authority; (10) access to medicines and seeds; and (11) special treatment for developing countries.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Student Testing Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise certain requirements regarding student assessments and adequate yearly progress which were added by the No Child Left Behind Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Medication Errors Reduction Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to eligible hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for costs related to purchasing, leasing, developing, and implementing standardized clinical health care informatics systems designed to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events and health care complications resulting from medication errors. Gives special consideration to eligible entities serving a large number of Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligible individuals. Reserves a certain percentage of grant funds for rural hospitals. Terminates grant authority on September 30, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Requests the President to transmit to the House of Representatives the report prepared for the Joint Chiefs of Staff entitled "Operation Iraqi Freedom Strategic Lessons Learned" and documents in his possession on the reconstruction and security of post-war Iraq.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) all airport screening functions should continue to be performed by Federal employees; and (2) all employees of the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Transportation, including Federal airport screeners, should be permitted to engage in collective bargaining and be represented in collective bargaining by a representative or organization of their choosing.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2003
Increases from $6,000 to $12,000 the death gratuity paid upon the active-duty death of a member of the armed forces. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude any such death gratuity from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2003
Amends Federal laws concerning civilian and military health care to require any health benefits plan under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program or TRICARE (a Department of Defense managed health care program) that provides obstetrical benefits to also provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including nonexperimental assisted reproductive technology procedures.