United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Social Security Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal: (1) pension offset provisions applicable to husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and mother's and father's insurance benefits with respect to Old-Age and Survivors insurance benefit payments; and (2) windfall elimination provisions with respect to computation of the primary insurance amount of an individual.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003 - Adjusts the basic Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity amount for surviving spouses, age 62 and older, of former military personnel to: (1) 35 percent of the retired pay of the decedent (current law), for months before October 2004; (2) 40 percent for months during FY 2005; (3) 45 percent for months during FY 2006; (4) 50 percent for months during FY 2007; and (5) 55 percent for months after FY 2007. Adjusts similarly percentage amounts with respect to survivors of reserve personnel and survivors of persons who die while on active duty. Provides a corresponding phased elimination of the SBP supplemental annuity authorized to be provided to such surviving spouses. Requires periodic recomputation of: (1) annuity amounts beginning in October 2004; and (2) retired pay reductions for supplemental survivor annuities. Provides a one-year open enrollment period for SBP participation, commencing October 1, 2004, for those currently not participating, those electing to increase current coverage, and those wishing to participate in the supplemental SBP. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to require appropriate premiums for SBP participation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue five-dollar gold coins, one-dollar silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal Assistance Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants to States and municipalities to upgrade municipal wastewater treatment plants of a specified capacity and located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed with nutrient removal technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the special rule for the redistribution and availability of unexpended FY 1998 and 1999 SCHIP allotments, including to: (1) extend the availability of FY 1998 and 1999 reallocated funds through FY 2004; and (2) permit 50 percent of the total amount of unexpended FY 2000 and 2001 SCHIP allotments that remain available to a State through the end of FY 2002 and 2003 to remain available for expenditure by the State through the end of FY 2004 and 2005, respectively.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003 - Makes changes to the health care liability system, including compensation for injured patients and other issues arising out of health care law suits. Requires a suit to be brought within three years of the date of injury or one year after the claimant discovers or should have discovered the injury, whichever occurs first. Specifies exceptions when a suit may be brought later than three years after the date of injury. Sets forth requirements and permissible recovery amounts for compensating patient injury, including: (1) the full amount of economic loss without limitation; (2) noneconomic damages as specified; and (3) a fair share rule. Requires the court to supervise payment-of-damage arrangements, limiting contingency fees. Permits the introduction of evidence of collateral source benefits, except that this section shall not apply to provisions of the Social Security Act pertaining to State plans for medical assistance and Medicare as secondary payer. Limits the availability of punitive damages, requiring clear and convincing evidence of malicious intent to injure or a deliberate failure to avoid substantially certain, unnecessary injury. Prohibits their award for products that comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, except if the manufacturer or distributor of a particular medical product or the supplier of a component or raw material of such a product causes harm by failing to comply with a specific requirement of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Authorizes periodic payment of future damages to claimants. Excludes suits for vaccine-related death or injury from the requirements of this Act if otherwise covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Preempts State law unless such law imposes greater protections for health care providers and organizations from liability, loss, or damages. Expresses the sense of Congress that a health insurer should be liable for damages for harm caused when it makes a decision as to what care is medically necessary and appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2003
Fallen Heroes Flag Act of 2003 - Allows the Representative (Member of Congress, including Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress) of the immediate family of a deceased fire fighter, law enforcement officer, emergency technician, or other rescue worker who died in the line of duty to provide the family, at their request, with a Capitol-flown flag, together with a certificate, signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Representative providing the flag, which contains an expression of sympathy for the family.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2003
Condemns the selection of Libya to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Commends the President and the Administration and those countries which joined the United States for objecting to Libya's selection. Expresses dismay at the European Union common position of abstention on the critical vote over Libya's chairmanship. Promises to hold accountable countries who voted in favor of Libya's chairmanship. Calls on countries at various stages of democratization to demonstrate their commitment to human rights, democracy, peace and security, and support efforts to reform the Commission. Calls on the President to instruct the Secretary of State to consult with the appropriate congressional committees regarding the U.S. priorities and strategy for the 59th session of the Commission and strategy and proposals for its reform. Requests the President to object to the continued suspension of sanctions against Libya and call for their full reinstatement until Libya: (1) publicly accepts responsibility for the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing; (2) provides appropriate compensation to the victims; and (3) is in full compliance with all UN sanctions imposed as a result of Libya's orchestration of the Pan Am 103 terrorist attack. Calls on the Secretary of State to engage member countries to support U.S. efforts to ensure that states that are gross violators of human rights, sponsors of terrorist activities, or subject to UN sanctions will not be elected to leadership positions in the UN General Assembly nor will they be elected to membership or leadership positions on the UN Commission on Human Rights, the UN Security Council, or any other UN entity or affiliated agency.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2003
Amends the Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990 to revise the special pay adjustments for (percentage differentials payable to) Federal law enforcement officers in specified consolidated metropolitan statistical areas. Includes Capitol Police as law enforcement officers under such Act. Eliminates the limitation on the aggregate of basic pay and premium pay with respect to availability pay for Federal criminal investigators.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2003
Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the 85 percent (second tier) taxation of Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits. Appropriates, from the general fund, to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund amounts equal to the reduction in revenue lost because of the repeal. Requires an annual report concerning the funds transferred from the general fund to the Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2003
National AMBER Alert Network Act of 2003 - Requires the Attorney General to assign an AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice to act as the national Coordinator of the AMBER Alert communications network regarding abducted children. Requires the coordinator to: (1) seek to eliminate gaps in the network; (2) work with States to encourage the development of additional network elements and to ensure regional coordination; and (3) act as the nationwide point of contact for network development and for regional coordination of alerts on abducted children through the network. Directs the Coordinator to: (1) notify and consult with the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning each child abduction for which an AMBER Alert is issued; and (2) establish minimum standards for the issuance of alerts and for the extent of their dissemination (limited to the geographic areas most likely to facilitate the recovery of the abducted child). Requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of notification or communications systems along highways for alerts and other information for the recovery of abducted children. Includes among permissible activities the development or enhancement of electronic message boards, and the placement of additional signage, along highways. Directs the Attorney General to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert communications plans.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2003
Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act - Shields the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of a food or non-alcoholic beverage product intended for human consumption from civil liability, relating to consumption of such products, in Federal or State court, unless the plaintiff proves that the product was not in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements at the time of sale.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2003
National Right-to-Work Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2003 - Permits retired members of the armed forces with service-connected disabilities to be paid both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation. Repeals provisions providing for special compensation for certain severely disabled military retirees and certain combat-related disabled uniformed services retirees.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Access to Hospitals Act of 2003 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to repeal specified reductions after FY 2000 and thereby extend certain modifications to disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotments provided under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000. Increases the Medicaid DSH allotment for the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Amends the Clean Air Act to allow reformulated gasoline rules of States for which a certain waiver is in effect (permitting them to enforce State motor vehicle emissions standards) to apply in an ozone nonattainment area in lieu of Environmental Protection Agency-promulgated requirements if the State rules will achieve reductions in the aggregate mass of emissions of toxic air pollutants and the aggregate mass of emissions of ozone-forming compounds at least as great as would result from application of the Federal requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to expand activities addressing inflammatory bowel disease, emphasizing genetic, animal model, and clinical research. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a national program of prevention and epidemiology concerning such disease, addressing its prevalence and public and professional awareness. Directs the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science to study public and private insurance standards for coverage of inflammatory bowel therapies. Directs the General Accounting Office to study problems inflammatory bowel disease patients have applying for disability insurance benefits under the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Housing Bond and Credit Modernization and Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the required use of certain principal repayments on mortgage subsidy bond financings to redeem bonds; (2) modify the purchase price limitation under mortgage subsidy bond rules based on median family income; and (3) define the term "area median gross income" for low-income housing credit projects.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to state that churches and other houses of worship shall not lose such designation because of the content, preparation, or presentation of any homily, sermon, teaching, dialectic, or other presentation made during religious services or gatherings. States that such provision shall not affect campaign finance laws under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize qualified law enforcement officers (including certain qualified retired officers) carrying the photographic identification issued by their governmental agency, notwithstanding State or local laws, to carry a concealed firearm. Provides that such authorization shall not supersede State laws that: (1) permit private entities to prohibit the possession of concealed firearms on their property; or (2) prohibit the possession of firearms on State or local government property. Excludes from the definition of "firearm" any machine gun, firearm silencer, or destructive device.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Blind Empowerment Act of 2003 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to increase, by specified increments over five years, the level of earnings demonstrating the ability of a blind person to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes of determining disability insurance benefit payments.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Museum and Library Services Act of 2003 - Amends the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA, which is subchapter B of MLSA) to extend authorizations of appropriations and revise programs under such Acts. Prohibits projects which are determined to be obscene from receiving funds under MLSA. Amends MLSA to establish the National Museum and Library Services Board, within the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). (Eliminates a National Museum Services Board.) Requires the IMLS Director to: (1) ensure coordination with certain activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), and other Federal activities; and (2) conduct and publish analyses of museum and library services impact. Revises requirements for annual national awards to outstanding libraries and museums that have made significant contributions in service to their communities. Includes specified entities under the term museum, for MLSA purposes. Revises museum services activities. Entitles subchapter C of MLSA as the Museum Services Act. Amends LSTA to provide for: (1) an increased portion for administrative costs; (2) an increased alternative minimum allotment to States under certain conditions; (3) State plans once every five years, as determined by the IMLS Director; (4) additional uses of grants to States for library programs; and (5) recruitment of library and information science personnel under the program of national leadership grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. Repeals requirements under the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science Act relating to Commission responsibilities to: (1) advise the IMLS Director; and (2) meet with the National Museum Services Board, which is eliminated by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to permanently ban: (1) taxes on Internet access; and (2) multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003 - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and any leasing or development leading to such production. States that, for purposes of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program is compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established, and that no further findings or decisions are required to implement this determination. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate a maximum total of Coastal Plain acreage as "Special Areas;" (2) permit oil and gas exploration leasing in such Areas (but prohibit surface occupancy); and (3) permit horizontal drilling technology from lease sites located outside the Special Areas. States that this Act constitutes the Secretary's sole authority to close Coastal Plain lands to oil and gas leasing and to exploration, development, and production. Prescribes procedures for: (1) lease sales; (2) grants of leases; (3) lease terms and conditions; and (4) coastal plain environmental protection. Shields rights-of-way and easements issued by the Secretary for the transportation of oil and gas across the Coastal Plain from Title XI of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. Directs the Secretary to convey: (1) the surface estate of specified lands to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation; and (2) the remaining subsurface estate of specified lands to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Establishes the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to specified entities that are directly impacted by oil and gas production and exploration on the coastal Plain.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Includes as an employee, for purposes of Federal provisions authorizing enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Community Choice in Real Estate Act - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, and the Revised Statutes of the United States, to prohibit the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Secretary of the Treasury, respectively, from determining that real estate brokerage activity or real estate management activity is financial in nature, is incidental to any financial activity, or is complementary to a financial activity. (In effect, prohibits financial holding companies and national banks from engaging, directly or indirectly, in real estate brokerage or real estate management activities.) Exempts from such prohibition: (1) activities of a bank holding company (or any affiliate) that directly relate to managing any real property owned by national banks or their affiliates; and (2) the right, power, or ability of any financial holding company to engage in any activity, or acquire or retain the shares of any company engaged in an activity authorized for financial holding companies on December 6, 2001 ("grandfather clause").
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Notch Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to revise the formula for the computation of minimum Old Age Insurance benefits for individuals who reached age 65 in or after 1979 and to whom applies the 15-year transition period for the changes in benefit computation rules enacted in the Social Security Amendments of 1977. Sets forth a schedule of additional benefit increases for such beneficiaries (and related beneficiaries), with percentages declining from 55 percent to five percent and keyed to the year an individual became eligible for such benefits between 1979 and 1988. Allows such beneficiaries, in the alternative, to receive lump sum payments over four years totaling $5,000.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Investor Protection, Market Stabilization, and Tax Fairness Restoration Act of 2002 (sic) - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for a taxpayer other than a corporation in an amount equal to the shareholder credits determined with respect to dividends received from domestic corporations. Sets a maximum amount for the credit. Prohibits the allotting of credit in certain instances to nonresident aliens. Provides criteria for calculating a shareholder credit for a dividend. Classifies any shareholder credit determined under this Act as a tax paid by the relevant corporation. Includes a taxpayer's shareholder credits in gross income. Permits a corporation to deduct 100 percent of the amount received as dividends from a domestic corporation (presently the Code allows a deduction of 70 percent or 100 percent, depending on the type of dividend). Increases, from 70 to 100 percent, the amount a corporation is allowed to deduct with respect to dividends on certain preferred stock.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2002
California Missions Preservation Act of 2002 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to make matching grants to the California Missions Foundation to support its efforts to restore and repair the California missions, and to preserve associated artworks and artifacts.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2002
Center for International Human Rights Act of 2002 - Declares that Congress finds that a private, nonprofit corporation known as the Center for International Human Rights has been established in the District of Columbia to: (1) establish programs to promote, monitor, and analyze the status of human rights throughout the world; (2) investigate allegations of human rights violations in conjunction with private and governmental organizations; (3) sponsor fellows to study international human rights issues at the Center; (4) carry out a conference series to bring together international human rights experts to discuss and disseminate information; and (5) make grants to and cooperative agreements with non-governmental organizations to promote human rights, giving priority to indigenous human rights organizations in countries the governments of which violate such rights. Authorizes the Secretary of State to make an annual grant to the Center.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2002
Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq - Expresses support for the President's efforts to: (1) strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions applicable to Iraq; and (2) obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion, and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions. Authorizes the President to use the U.S. armed forces to: (1) defend U.S. national security against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. Directs the President, prior to or as soon as possible (but no later than 48 hours) after exercising such authority, to make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that: (1) reliance on further diplomatic or peaceful means alone will not achieve the above purposes; and (2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization for use of the armed forces, consistent with requirements of the War Powers Resolution. Requires the President to report to Congress at least every 60 days on matters relevant to this resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2002
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) affirms that the ties that bind the people of the United States and Europe are as strong today as they have been for the past 50 years; (2) accepts the indivisibility of transatlantic security; (3) recognizes that the United States and Europe strengthen and adapt the transatlantic partnership to deal with challenges at home and abroad; (4) acknowledges that in order to strengthen that partnership there must be a renewed commitment to consultations; and (5) commits to helping to improve the partnership by enhancing the dialogue between the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress through the framework of the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue. Commends Benjamin Gilman for his distinguished career in Congress and for his dedication to further transatlantic friendship and partnership through dialogue and consultation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2002
Commends: (1) Greece for its outstanding contributions to the global war against terrorism, including military support for Operation Enduring Freedom, humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, and participation in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; and (2) U.S.-Greek law enforcement cooperation. Recognizes Greece's success in apprehending key members of the November 17 terrorist organization and urges continued efforts to completely dismantle the organization.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2002
Carpinteria and Montecito Water Distribution Systems Conveyance Act of 2002 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey U.S. interests in the Carpinteria and Montecito Water Distribution Systems, respectively, of the Cachuma Project in California to the Carpinteria Valley and Montecito Water Districts in Santa Barbara County.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2002
Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and of the Interior to conduct projects consistent with the Implementation Plan for the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy for a Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment, May 2002, developed to reduce hazardous fuels within any areas of Federal land under the jurisdiction of either Secretary that: (1) are outside of Congressionally designated Wilderness Areas; and (2) the appropriate Secretary determines qualify as a fire risk condition class three area. Permits the Secretaries to enter into stewardship contracts with private persons or other public or private entities to perform services to achieve land management goals for the national forests and other Federal lands. Allows the Secretaries to collect monies from a contract so long as collection is secondary to the land management goals the contract is supposed to accomplish. Amends the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 to repeal the Appeals Reform Act (regarding Forest Service decisionmaking and appeals reform). Provides that in any action under any law for writs of prohibitory or mandatory injunction against agency action in which the agency has found that such action is necessary to restore fire-adapted forest or rangeland ecosystems, the reviewing court shall: (1) consider the public interest in avoiding long-term harm to such ecosystems; and (2) give deference to any agency finding, based upon information in its administrative record, that the public interest in avoiding the short-term effects of such action is outweighed by the public interest in avoiding long-term harm to such ecosystems.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2002
Healthy Forests Reform Act of 2002 - Directs the Council on Environmental Quality to: (1) treat the threat of catastrophic wildfire on Federal lands as an emergency circumstance; and (2) establish an expedited environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for fire reduction and forest health measures on certain Federal lands. Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior (Secretaries) to jointly establish an independent panel to assess agency actions concerning wildfire reduction, forest health and biodiversity promotion, and watershed protection. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a predecisional review process for the Forest Service. Repeals, 90 days after enactment of this Act, Forest Service decisionmaking and appeal provisions under the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993. Directs that emergency response activities proceed immediately due to extraordinary circumstances affecting Federal lands, including actions to reduce bark beetle infestation and attendant catastrophic wildfire threat in the Routt National Forest, Colorado. Exempts all such activities from judicial review and certain notice, comment, and appeal requirements. Authorizes the Secretaries to enter into stewardship contracts for land management activities on Federal lands. Authorizes appropriations for fuel reduction activities.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2002
National AMBER Alert Act of 2002 - Directs the Attorney General to establish an AMBER (America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert Coordinator position to: (1) establish guidelines for implementing a statewide AMBER Alert plan; (2) provide technical assistance to the States, broadcasters, and law enforcement agencies in implementing such plans; (3) certify to the Secretary of Transportation any State that has established or agrees to establish such a plan and a reciprocal arrangement with other States; and (4) monitor compliance and revoke certification of any State that fails to establish such a plan. Directs the Secretary to make grants to certified States to develop, acquire, install, and construct facilities and equipment along highways to notify the public about missing children and their abductors.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2002
Investor Protection, Market Stabilization, and Tax Fairness Restoration Act of 2002 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for a taxpayer other than a corporation in an amount equal to the shareholder credits determined with respect to dividends received from domestic corporations. Sets a maximum amount for the credit. Prohibits the allotting of credit in certain instances to nonresident aliens. Provides criteria for calculating a shareholder credit for a dividend. Classifies any shareholder credit determined under this Act as a tax paid by the relevant corporation. Includes a taxpayer's shareholder credits in gross income. Permits a corporation to deduct 100 percent of the amount received as dividends from a domestic corporation (presently the Code allows a deduction of 70 percent or 100 percent, depending on the type of dividend). Increases, from 70 to 100 percent, the amount a corporation is allowed to deduct with respect to dividends on certain preferred stock.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2002
Recognizes the historical significance and timeliness of the United States-Ireland Business Summit to be held in Washington, D.C. from September 4-6, 2002.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2002
National Forest Fire Prevention Act - Authorizes the Secretary to treat additional timber within or outside existing cutting units for National Forest System timber sales and within related analysis areas to reduce insect infestation or fire hazard by: (1) modifying contracts; or (2) offering additional timber sales within such areas. Sets forth treatment priority criteria.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2002
Captive Wildlife Safety Act - Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to define "prohibited wildlife species" as any live lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, cougar, or bear. Declares it a prohibited act for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any prohibited wildlife species. Exempts from this prohibition licensed zoos, circuses, accredited sanctuaries, federally-licensed breeders, State entities (universities, wildlife rehabilitators or veterinarians), animal shelters, persons transporting prohibited wildlife species to any such facility, and specified related organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2002
Wildfire Response Enhancement Act - Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to place an order with any Federal agency for goods or services directly related to fighting wildfires if the goods or services are necessary to properly respond to a wildfire without regard to a provision requiring a prior determination that the goods or services cannot be provided by contract as conveniently or cheaply by a commercial enterprise.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2002
Plant Breeders Equity Act of 2002 - Amends Federal patent law to declare that no plant patent application shall be denied, nor shall any issued plant patent be invalidated, on the grounds that the invention was described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year before the date of the U.S. patent application, unless the invention was described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country more than ten years before the date of the U.S. patent application.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
District of Columbia Student Opportunity Scholarship Act of 2002 - Authorizes the establishment of the District of Columbia Scholarship Corporation as a private, nonprofit corporation to administer, publicize, and evaluate a District scholarship program and determine elementary and secondary student and school eligibility. Establishes a District of Columbia Scholarship Fund, to be administered by the Secretary of the Treasury. Provides for a seven-member Corporation Board of Directors, with six members appointed by the President from House and Senate nominees, and one member appointed by the District Mayor. Authorizes the Corporation to award tuition scholarships and enhanced achievement scholarships to District students in kindergarten through grade 12 with family incomes not exceeding 185 percent of the national poverty line. Allows scholarships to be used for tuition, fees, and appropriate transportation to public, private, or independent schools (or beyond-school-hours enhancement programs) in the District and specified neighboring counties and cities in Maryland and Virginia. Requires the following order of scholarship award priorities to students who: (1) have received such a scholarship in a previous year (in the program's second and subsequent years); (2) District school or kindergarten enrollees; (3) victims of school violence; and (4) other eligible students. Requires use of a lottery whenever amounts are insufficient to provide a scholarship for each student in one of these categories. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report on the District scholarship program. Provides for expedited judicial review of challenges to such program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Transatlantic Security and NATO Enhancement Resolution of 2002 - Declares that it is U.S. policy that: (1) NATO should remain the primary institution through which European and North American allies address security issues of transatlantic concern; (2) NATO members should reaffirm, at the Prague Summit in the Fall of 2002, NATO's importance; (3) NATO should continue to strengthen national and collective capacities to respond to new threats, make clear commitments to remedy shortfalls in specified areas, and ensure a more equitable sharing of contributions; and (4) the President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense should fully use their offices to encourage the NATO allies to commit the resources necessary to upgrade their capabilities. Calls for NATO to: (1) seek to strengthen its relations with the Russian Federation; and (2) extend invitations at the Summit for accession negotiations to any appropriate candidate country that meets the objectives and targets for NATO membership. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) specified candidate countries should be commended on significant progress made toward meeting objectives for NATO membership; (2) the most qualified candidate countries should be invited to begin the accession process to join the Alliance at the Prague Summit, should accede on a common date before the next NATO summit, and should continue to participate in the Membership Action Plan until accession; and (3) the NATO enlargement process should continue beyond the inclusion of such candidates .
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Pledge of Allegiance, including the phrase "One Nation, under God," reflects the historical fact that a belief in God permeated the founding and development of our Nation; (2) the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals's ruling is inconsistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's First Amendment jurisprudence that the Pledge and similar expressions are not unconstitutional expressions of religious belief; (3) such phrase should remain in the Pledge; and (4) the Ninth Circuit should agree to rehear this ruling en banc in order to reverse this constitutionally infirm and historically incorrect ruling.
![Official portrait of Rep. Gallegly, Elton [R-CA-24]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000021_200.jpg)