United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2011
Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Act of 2011 or the VET Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a veterans small business entrepreneurship program under which the Secretary may approve an eligible veteran entitled to certain VA educational assistance (under the all-volunteer force or post-9/11 educational assistance programs) to use up to a specified amount of such entitlements to start or acquire a qualifying business enterprise. Limits eligibility for the program to veterans who: (1) have completed at least 36 months of full-time active duty service in the Armed Forces or 24 months of such service before being discharged or separated for a service-connected disability, (2) are entitled to 36 months of such educational assistance, and (3) has last been discharged or separated from active duty service a maximum of 15 years before submitting an application with specified information. Allows a participating veteran to use program benefits, in accordance with limitations the Secretary establishes by rule, for purposes related to starting or acquiring a qualifying business enterprise, including: (1) purchasing goods or services necessary for the operation, expansion, or startup of such an enterprise; (2) funding a project directed toward any economic development objective described under specified provisions of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958; (3) attending an entrepreneurship readiness program to prepare the veteran for, and lead to the immediate subsequent ownership and management by the veteran of, such an enterprise; and (4) acquiring such an enterprise. Directs the Secretary to establish a list of qualifying business enterprise categories including: (1) small businesses, (2) franchise business enterprises, (3) existing business enterprises in which the veteran has an ownership stake, and (4) any other business enterprise determined appropriate by the Secretary. Requires that benefits made available to veterans under the program be taken into account in determining a veteran's creditworthiness for small business loans guaranteed under the Small Business Act and for farm loans made or guaranteed pursuant to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. Authorizes the Secretary, in the event a veteran dies before receiving the balance of benefits payable under this Act, to pay the approved benefits to a survivor designated by the veteran under specified circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2011
Field EMS Quality, Innovation, and Cost Effectiveness Improvements Act of 2011 - Designates the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the primary federal agency for emergency medical services and trauma care. Establishes the Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma within HHS. Gives the Office responsibilities related to emergency medical services (EMS) and authorizes the Secretary of HHS to delegate additional responsibilities related to EMS. Requires the Director of the Office to: (1) implement a national EMS strategy; (2) establish the EQUIP grant program to promote excellence, quality, universal access, innovation, and preparedness in field EMS; and (3) the SPIA grant program to improve EMS system performance, integration, and accountability, to ensure preparedness, to enhance oversight and data collection, and to promote standardization of certifications. Requires the Secretary to improve medical oversight of field EMS, including by: (1) promoting the development and adoption of national guidelines for medical oversight, and (2) convening a Field EMS Medical Oversight Advisory Committee. Directs the Comptroller General to study issues related to emergency medical care in the field of EMS. Authorizes the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to maintain, improve, and expand the National EMS Information System. Sets forth reporting requirements relating to data collection and electronic health records. Declares that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) shall not be construed to prohibit certain exchanges of information between field EMS practitioners, hospital personnel, state EMS offices, and the National EMS Database. Requires the Secretary to establish guidelines for the exchange of information between field EMS practitioners and hospital personnel. Authorizes the Director of the Office to make grants for the development, availability, and dissemination of field EMS education programs and courses that improve the quality and capability of field EMS personnel. Requires the Director to conduct or support demonstrations projects relating to alternative dispositions of field EMS patients. Amends title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification) of the Social Security Act to include field EMS as a model for testing by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to conduct research and evaluation relating to field EMS through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Requires the Director of AHRQ to establish a Field EMS Evidence-Based Practice Center. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish the Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, and (2) allow taxpayers to designate a portion of any income tax overpayment and make additional contributions to finance such Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2011
Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act of 2011 - Directs the President to establish the Commission to Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer to help end breast cancer by January 1, 2020. Directs the Commission to: (1) identify opportunities and ideas within government and the private sector that are key components in achieving the end of breast cancer and which have been overlooked, yet are ripe for collaboration and investment; (2) recommend projects to leverage such opportunities and ideas in the areas of the primary prevention of breast cancer and the causes and prevention of breast cancer metastasis; and (3) ensure that its activities are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, programs and laboratories of other government agencies. Directs the President to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine for an evaluation of the Commission's progress. Terminates the Commission on June 1, 2020.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Creating Hope Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise the priority review voucher program for tropical diseases to: (1) include rare pediatric diseases; (2) allow unlimited transfers of vouchers under the program; and (3) require a sponsor intending to use a voucher to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) at least 90 days (currently, 365 days) before submission of the application. Revises provisions regarding the priority review user fee, including to make it payable upon notification of the Secretary of intent to use the voucher. Authorizes the Secretary, upon request of the manufacturer or sponsor of a new drug, to designate that a new drug is: (1) for a rare pediatric disease, and (2) an eligible treatment. Requires the Secretary to deem a rare pediatric disease product application to be incomplete if it does not contain a description of the sponsor's plan to market the product in the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to refuse to issue a priority review voucher upon the approval of a rare pediatric disease application if the Secretary finds that the sponsor lacks a good faith intention to market the product in the United States. Directs the Secretary to issue a guidance document setting forth the evidentiary support necessary to demonstrate such a good faith intention. Requires sponsors of applications under the priority review voucher program to report to the Secretary within five years after the approval of the application on the demand and distribution of the product within the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Disaster Loan Fairness Act of 2011 - Requires that, when the President declares a major disaster, the interest rates for any loan programs or guarantees under the Small Business Act or Small Business Investment Act of 1958, including home disaster loans, business physical disaster loans, and economic injury disaster loans, shall be 1% for eligible applicants in the declared disaster area, with or without other available credit. Makes such rates applicable for the duration of all loans and guarantees made while the declaration is in effect.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2011
Real Estate Jobs and Investment Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from 5% to 10% the allowable ownership interest in real estate investment trust (REIT) stock for purposes of tax exemptions allowed by the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act relating to foreign investment in United States real property interests.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2011 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Benefits) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend the months of coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to make eligible for enrollment in Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), solely for the purpose of such drug coverage, every individual whose insurance benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) have ended by reason of a kidney transplant or the end of any requirement for a regular course of dialysis. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to determine a monthly premium rate for such individuals equal to 35% of the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over. Prescribes a formula for detemination of a government contribution to such a premium.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2011
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence: (1) any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction that is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore; and (2) any horse or other equine that the Secretary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, purchased, sold, or donated in violation of such prohibition. Increases the cap on the amount of appropriations that may be used to carry out such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
Observes the 20th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, reflecting on the democratic reforms that have been accomplished and efforts that still must be made. Urges the government of Ukraine to refrain from actions that undermine democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law. Supports the Ukrainian people's efforts to work toward ensuring democratic principles, a free-market economy, and respect for human rights which enable Ukraine to achieve its potential as an important U.S. strategic partner.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2011
Medicare Common Access Card Act of 2011 - Establishes a pilot program under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act in order to utilize smart card technology for Medicare beneficiary and provider identification cards.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2011
Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Act - Authorizes the President to award a Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Congressional Medal to: (1) the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, (2) the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, and (3) the Pentagon Memorial. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike three designs of such gold medal to honor, respectively: (1) those who lost their lives in the the attack at the World Trade Center, (2) the passengers and crew aboard United Airlines Flight 93 that was brought down in rural Pennsylvania, and (3) those who lost their lives at the Pentagon. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medals and to distribute any funds from such sales exceeding costs equally between the three memorial sites.
United States · United States Congress · 30 August 2011
United Nations Transparency, Accountability, and Reform Act of 2011 - Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the United Nations (U.N.) on a wide variety of issues, including to shift the funding mechanism for the regular budget of the U.N. from an assessed to a voluntary basis. Withholds up to 50% of nonvoluntary U.S. contributions to the regular budget of the U.N. unless the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that 80% of the total regular budget of the U.N. is apportioned on a voluntary basis. Requires the annual congressional budget justification to include a detailed itemized request in support of the U.S. contribution of the regular budget of the U.N. Sets forth requirements for the Comptroller General with respect to audits and investigations of U.S. contributions to the U.N. and such contributions' use by U.N. entities. Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of a U.S. contribution to any U.N. entity unless the entity has provided the Comptroller General with a transparency certification and is in compliance with such certification. Prohibits making funds available: (1) to international organizations for any purpose other than an assessed U.S. contribution to a U.N. entity or other international organization; (2) to international organizations and programs for any purpose other than a voluntary U.S. contribution to a U.N. entity or other international organization; and (3) for international peacekeeping activities for any purpose other than a U.S. contribution to U.N. peacekeeping activities, to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), or to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Directs the Secretary to withhold from the regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount of U.S. overpayments to the U.N. States that is U.S. policy to oppose any proposals on expansion of the Security Council that would: (1) diminish U.S. influence on the Security Council, or (2) include veto rights for new Security Council members. Directs the Secretary to withhold U.S. contributions from any U.N. entity that recognizes a Palestinian state or upgrades the status of the Palestinian observer mission at the U.N., the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), or any other Palestinian administrative organization or governing entity prior to the achievement of a final peace agreement with Israel. Provides that until the Secretary makes a specified certification to Congress: (1) the Secretary shall withhold from a U.S. contribution to a regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount that would be allocated for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), (2) the Secretary shall not make a voluntary contribution to UNHRC, and (3) the United States shall not run for a UNHRC seat. Directs the Secretary to withhold from a U.S. contribution to a regular budget of the U.N. an amount equal to the amount that would be allocated for: (1) the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and (2) any other U.N. Special Procedures used to display bias against the United States or Israel or to provide support for any member state which is subject to Security Council sanctions, under a Security Council-mandated human rights investigation, has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism, or is a country of particular concern for religious freedom. States that it is U.S. policy to oppose any legitimization of the Goldstone Report and to lead a diplomatic campaign supporting its revocation. Prohibits funds from being used for U.S. participation in the Durban III meeting or any part of the Durban process. Withholds U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) or to any successor or related entity unless the Secretary makes specified certifications to Congress. Prohibits any U.S. contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from being used to support Technical Cooperation program assistance to any country, including North Korea, that: (1) has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism; or (2) is in breach of, or under investigation for breach of, obligations regarding its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or any relevant Security Council resolution. Directs the Secretary to withhold from the U.S. voluntary contribution to the IAEA an amount proportional to that spent by the IAEA in 2007-2008 on Technical Cooperation program assistance to such countries. Sets forth U.S. policy regarding reform of U.N. peacekeeping operations. Directs the President to use U.S. influence at the U.N. to oppose the creation of new, or expansion of existing, U.N. peacekeeping operations until the Secretary certifies to Congress that specified peacekeeping reforms have been adopted by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations or the General Assembly.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Share Your Spare Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable, one-time, tax credit for a donation of a qualified life-saving organ for transplantation by a living individual into another individual. Defines "qualified life-saving organ" as a kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, intestine, bone marrow, or any part thereof. Limits the annual amount of such credit to $10,000 of the unreimbursed costs and lost wages incurred by an organ donor in connection with an organ transplant. Amends: (1) the Public Health Service Act to reduce federal living organ donation grants by any tax credit for organ donation received under this Act, and (2) the National Organ Transplant Act to provide that any such tax credit shall not be deemed valuable consideration for purposes of the ban against organ purchases.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2011
Preserving Access to Orphan Drugs Act of 2011 - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to exclude any drug or biological product which is approved or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing solely for one or more rare diseases or conditions from the annual fee on manufacturers or importers with branded prescription drug sales exceeding $5 million. Makes this Act effective as if included in PPACA.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2011
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the new markets tax credit through 2016, (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2012, and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for such credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments made before January 1, 2017).
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2011
Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2011 or the PHIT Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples filing jointly or heads of household) of qualified sports and fitness expenses. Defines "qualified sports and fitness expenses" as amounts paid for fitness center memberships, physical exercise programs, and exercise equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2011
Life Sciences Jobs and Investment Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) an increased research tax credit for qualified initial life sciences research expenses; and (2) certain corporations a tax deduction for dividends received which are reinvested solely in the United States to hire scientists and researchers engaged in life science research, fund life science research at research consortia, eligible small businesses, universities, and federal laboratories, or build or lease new facilities to be used primarily for qualified life sciences research. Terminates such tax incentives after 2016. Defines "qualified initial life sciences research expenses" as amounts, up to $150 million, attributable to the study of biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioengineering, microbiology, genetics, or physiology, but excluding sociology or psychology. Directs the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to take necessary steps to ensure full compliance with the provisions of this Act and to report to Congress on the status of such compliance and related enforcement.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2011
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding the manner in which they can: (1) ensure interagency coordination and communication and minimize overlap regarding efforts to address tick-borne diseases; (2) identify opportunities to coordinate efforts with other federal agencies and private organizations addressing such diseases; (3) ensure interagency coordination and communication with constituency groups; (4) ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints is represented in public health policy decisions and that information disseminated to the public and physicians is balanced; and (5) advise relevant federal agencies on priorities related to Lyme and tick-borne diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins in recognition of the National Baseball Hall of Fame during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2015. Directs the Secretary to hold a competition to design the obverse of the coins. Requires the design on the reverse side to depict a baseball similar to those used by Major League Baseball. Requires all sales of such coins to include specified surcharges, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the National Baseball Hall of Fame to help finance its operations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
21st Century Readiness Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to support 21st century readiness initiatives that fuse core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation) to ensure that students are prepared for postsecondary education and careers, upon graduation from secondary school. Amends title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the ESEA to require the Secretary of Education, as part of the national assessment of title I programs, to examine the extent to which such initiatives improve student readiness for postsecondary education and careers. Includes 21st century readiness initiatives in comprehensive school reform programs and school dropout prevention and reentry programs under title I. Amends title II (Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals) of the ESEA to require high-quality professional development programs to incorporate an aligned system of teaching and learning that includes 21st century skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation), standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessments. Requires LEAs to use title II subgrants to enable educators to deliver instruction on higher-order thinking skills and use the latest available technology in doing so. Amends title IV (21st Century Schools) of the ESEA to include 21st century readiness initiatives in 21st Century Community Learning Center activities. (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before and after school programs to improve their academic performance.) Amends title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) of the ESEA to allow assessment grants to be used by states to develop or improve assessments that use technology to measure core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills to ensure that students can apply a range of skill competencies alongside core academic subject knowledge, and do so in real-world contexts.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
Restoring Access to Medication Act - Repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that limited payments for medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements to only prescription drugs or insulin. Rescinds appropriated but unobligated discretionary funds determined by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to be equal to the reduction in tax revenues resulting from the repeal in this Act. Requires the Director to report to the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress the accounts and amounts identified for rescission. Exempts unobligated funds of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Social Security Administration (SSA).
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service (USPS) should: (1) issue a semipostal stamp to support medical research relating to Alzheimer's disease, and (2) transfer to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for that purpose any amounts becoming available from the sale of that stamp.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Equal Access and Parity for Multi-Campus Hospitals Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), with respect to payments to hospitals for inpatient hospital services, to prescribe a special rule for applying Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments, at the election of a qualified main hospital, to its remote inpatient locations. Prohibits administrative or judicial review of: (1) the methodology and standards for determining a remote inpatient location, a qualified remote inpatient location, a component facility, a qualified component facility, a main provider, and a qualified main provider, and which such locations, facilities, and providers are qualified; and (2) the methodology and standards for the election in connection with such special rule. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to set forth a special rule for applying Medicaid EHR incentive payments, at the election of a qualified main hospital, to its remote locations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Advisory Board, (2) develop a system to collect data on pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases, and (3) establish the National PF Registry. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in developing the Registry, to: (1) expand and coordinate existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure; and (2) provide for research access to pulmonary fibrosis data. Directs the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information are made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires the Director of CDC to prepare the National Pulmonary Fibrosis Education and Awareness Plan, which shall: (1) focus on strategies to increase public education and awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, (2) address the need for new physician education strategies to improve diagnosis and treatment standards, and (3) assess and monitor the costs of pulmonary fibrosis and its burden on patients and families. Encourages the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to expand, intensify, and coordinate Institute pulmonary fibrosis research activities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2011 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit any person from knowingly attending an animal fighting venture or causing a minor (a person under the age of 18) to attend such a venture. Subjects any person who: (1) knowingly attends such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to a year for each violation, and (2) causes a minor to attend such venture to a fine and/or imprisonment for up to three years for each violation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2011
Creating American Prosperity through Preservation Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax credits for building rehabilitation expenditures, to: (1) allow an increased 30% credit for projects involving $7.5 million or less in rehabilitation expenditures, (2) provide for an additional 2% credit amount for a building that is a qualified energy efficient rehabilitated building (increased energy efficiency of 30% or more), (3) change the placed-in-service requirement for non-historic rehabilitated buildings from before 1936 to 50 years prior to the year in which qualified rehabilitation expenditures are taken into account, and (4) exempt from tax the proceeds of a state historic tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Mark Twain. Limits issuance of such coins to calendar year 2016. Requires specified surcharges in the sale of such coins, which shall be promptly paid, in specified percentages, to: (1) the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, to support the continued restoration of the house and grounds, and ensure continuing growth and innovation in museum programming to research, promote, and educate on the legacy of Mark Twain; (2) the Mark Twain Project at the Bancroft Library of University of California, Berkeley, California, to support programs to study and promote Mark Twain's legacy; (3) the Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College, New York, for the same purposes; and (4) the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri, to preserve historical sites related to Mark Twain and help support study and promotion programs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the Montford Point Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. (Camp Montford Point, North Carolina, was the site for the training of the first African-American Marines.) Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2011
Supports the creation of a bipartisan Presidential Commission to study the establishment of a National Museum of the American People to tell the immigration and migration stories of all people in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2011
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11 Dock Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania, as the "Trooper Joshua D. Miller Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2011
Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to equalize and increase to $230, with a cost-of-living adjustment after 2012, the tax exclusion for both transportation and parking fringe benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Authorizes the American Legion under its federal charter to provide guidance and leadership to the individual Departments and Posts. Prohibits it from controlling or otherwise influencing the specific activities and conduct of independent, autonomous Departments and Posts.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Internet Gambling Prohibition, Poker Consumer Protection, and Strengthening UIGEA Act of 2011 - Prohibits a person from (and requires a fine under the federal criminal code, imprisonment up to five years, or both) for operating an Internet gambling facility without a license in good standing issued by a state or tribal agency qualified by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). Makes such prohibition inapplicable to facilities operated by persons located outside the United States in which bets or wagers are made by individuals located outside the United States. Establishes the Office of Internet Poker Oversight in the Department of Commerce. Allows a licensee to accept an Internet poker bet or wager from U.S.-located individuals and offer related services so long as the license remains in good standing. Prohibits licensees from knowingly accepting bets or wagers by persons residing where a state or Indian tribe has notified the Secretary of specific gambling limitations. Sets forth exceptions concerning the applicability of state limitations on tribal lands. Establishes a 5-year term for initial licenses, subject to renewal and transfer requirements. Authorizes enforcement and disciplinary actions by the Secretary and the appropriate state or tribal agency. Sets forth civil penalties. Requires: (1) each qualified state and tribal agency to maintain a list and submit a current copy each week to the Secretary, who shall maintain a master list, of persons self-excluded from playing Internet poker through licensed Internet poker facilities; and (2) each licensee to implement a Compulsive Gaming, Responsible Gaming, and Self-Exclusion Program as a licensure condition. Precludes persons prohibited from gaming with a licensee by law, or by order of the Secretary, a qualified state or tribal agency, or any court of competent jurisdiction, including any person on the self-exclusion list, from collecting winnings or recovering losses arising from prohibited gaming activity. Requires court-ordered child support delinquents to be included on the self-exclusion list. Prohibits licensees, except as specified, from: (1) accepting bets or wagers on sporting events and games other than Internet poker, and (2) using credit cards for Internet gambling. Establishes a violation for operating a place of public accommodation for accessing Internet gambling facilities. Requires a fine under the federal criminal code, or imprisonment up to three years, or both, for certain rules of play violations, including using tools, electronic devices, or software to obtain a prohibited or unfair advantage or to defraud any licensee or persons placing bets or wagers with a licensee. Makes specified provisions of: (1) this Act and federal monetary transaction laws inapplicable to interstate off-track wagers under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (IHA), and (2) the federal criminal code and financial transaction laws inapplicable to this Act and the IHA. Prohibits this Act from having any effect on: (1) state or tribal lottery rights, privileges, or obligations; or (2) non-Internet gaming activities within the scope of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or any successor provisions, tribal-state compacts, or authorities. Amends the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 to prohibit holding a financial transaction provider (FTP) liable for a financial activity or transaction, including a payments processing activity, in connection with a bet or wager permitted by this Act or the IHA without actual knowledge of any applicable federal or state law violation. Shields such providers from liability for blocking or refusing to honor specified transactions. Requires the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to investigate unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises and provide the Secretary of the Treasury with a list of such enterprises updated at least every 60 days. Deems FTPs to have actual knowledge that persons or entities are unlicensed Internet gambling enterprises if they are included on such list or, under other specified circumstances, when information in addition to a list is available to an FTP demonstrating that a person or entity is such an enterprise.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions allowing a tax exclusion for benefits paid to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical providers by states and local government by: (1) increasing the amount of benefits excludible, and (2) extending such tax exclusion through 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2011 - Requires the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to establish a Delaware River Basin restoration program, under which the Director shall: (1) draw on management plans for the four-state Delaware Basin region (defined as including all of Delaware Bay and portions of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania located in the Delaware River watershed) and work in consultation with applicable management entities, including representatives of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, the Delaware River Basin Commission, the federal government, other state and local governments, and regional and nonprofit organizations to identify, prioritize, and implement restoration and protection activities within the Basin; and (2) adopt an investment strategy that supports the implementation of such activities, targets cost-effective conservation projects, and supports measurable conservation efforts. Requires the Director to: (1) provide technical assistance to carry out the restoration program; and (2) establish the Delaware River Basin restoration grant program to provide competitive matching grants to carry out the restoration program. Requires the Director to develop criteria to ensure that funded activities: (1) restore or protect fish and wildlife species and their habitats; (2) improve or protect water quality by reducing nonpoint and point source pollutants; (3) reduce or improve management of water volume and flooding; (4) include priority needs or actions identified in the investment strategy; and/or (5) include restoration and protection activities with multiple benefits in the Basin, including habitat, water quality, and flood damage reduction. Limits the federal share of the total cost of a funded project to 75%. Authorizes the Director to contract with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or another organization with applicable expertise to manage the grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-related Fatalities Everywhere Act of 2011 or ROADS SAFE Act of 2011 - Directs the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to carry out a collaborative research effort to continue to explore the feasibility and the potential benefits of, and the public policy challenges associated with, more widespread deployment of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Recognizes the contribution of the National Center for the American Revolution to the preservation of the story of the founding of the United States. Expresses support for the Center's efforts to establish an appropriate museum for the telling of such story to future generations.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to list permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained: (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Sets forth additional monetary penalties for related violations. Prohibits federal facilities from purchasing or otherwise acquiring dogs or cats for exhibition purposes (currently, for research, experimentation, or exhibition purposes) except from: (1) the operator of an auction that comports with legal requirements, or (2) a person holding a valid dealer or exhibitor license. Prohibits dealers from selling or otherwise providing any research facility (currently, any individual or entity) with random source dogs or cats unless specified certification requirements are met.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Waives compliance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) minimum retroreflectivity standards by existing traffic control devices on or before the compliance dates established by the FHWA. Exempts from this waiver (thus requiring compliance with such standards by) traffic control devices installed on or after enactment of this Act. (Replacement of regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide [except street name] signs is required by January 22, 2015. Replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs is required by January 22, 2018.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Employment Impact Act of 2011 - Requires federal agencies to: (1) assess the impact of federal actions on jobs and job opportunities, (2) include in every recommentation or report on legislative proposals and regulartory actions a jobs impact statement, and (3) review their statutory authority, regulations, and policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the purposes and provisions of this Act. Exempts implementation of this Act, including such job impact statements, from judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Steel Industry Support Act of 2011 - Amends Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources, to: (1) extend through FY2018 the credit period for the production of steel industry fuel; (2) extend through June 30, 2012, the placed-in-service date requirement for refined coal production facilities; (3) revise the definition of "steel industry fuel" to allow mixtures of petroleum coke or other coke feedstock in such fuel; and (4) set forth ownership requirements for coal production facilities for purposes of such tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Prostate Research, Outreach, Screening, Testing, Access, and Treatment Effectiveness Act of 2011 or the PROSTATE Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the Interagency Prostate Cancer Coordination and Education Task Force, with duties to include: (1) developing a summary of advances in federal prostate cancer research and compile a list of best practices that warrant broader adoption in health care programs; (2) considering establishing guidance to enable physicians to allow screening of men over age 74; (3) coordinating information on federal research and health care program activities relating to prostate cancer; and (4) submitting recommendations regarding federal research and health care programs. Directs the Secretary to establish and carry out a program to coordinate and intensify prostate cancer research, including by developing advances in diagnostic and prognostic methods and tests, better understanding the etiology of the disease, and establishing clinical registries for prostate cancer and awarding research grants. Establishes in the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a Prostate Cancer Scientific Advisory Board to be responsible for accelerating real-time sharing of the latest research data and accelerating movement of new medicines to patients. Directs the Secretary of VA, the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish four-year telehealth pilot projects to analyze the clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness associated with telehealth services in a variety of geographic areas that contain high proportions of medically underserved populations and those in rural areas. Requires the Secretary of VA to develop a national education campaign for prostate cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue as legal tender $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Lions Clubs International. Requires the design of the coins to be emblematic of the centennial. Permits the Secretary to issue such coins only during calendar 2017. Requires sales of the coins to include a surcharge of $10 per coin, to be paid by the Secretary to the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Repeals certain Department of Education regulations that for purposes of determining whether a school is eligible to participate in programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA): (1) require institutions of higher education and postsecondary vocational institutions (except religious schools) to be legally authorized by the state in which they are situated, (2) delineate what such legal authorization requires of states and schools, and (3) define "credit hour." Prohibits the Secretary of Education from promulgating or enforcing any regulation or rule that defines "credit hour" for any purpose under the HEA.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and implement a hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT, a vascular genetic bleeding disorder that causes abnormalities of the blood vessels) initiative to assist in coordinating activities to improve early detection, screening, and treatment of people who suffer from HHT, focusing on advancing research on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of HHT and increasing physician and public awareness of HHT. Directs the Secretary to establish the HHT Coordinating Committee to develop and coordinate implementation of a plan to advance research and understanding of HHT, including by: (1) conducting or supporting research across relevant National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes, and (2) conducting evaluations and making recommendations regarding the prioritization and award of NIH research grants relating to HHT. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carry out activities with respect to HHT, including conducting population screening and establishing an HHT resource center to provide comprehensive education on, and disseminate information about, HHT to health professionals, patients, industry, and the public. Sets forth requirements for HHT population screening, including requiring the Director of CDC to designate and provide funding for HHT Treatment Centers of Excellence. Requires the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to award grants for: (1) an analysis of the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) file to develop preliminary estimates on the totals costs to Medicare for items, services, and treatments for HHT; and (2) recommendations regarding an enhanced data collection protocol to permit a more precise determination of such costs.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require personnel who perform or plan the technical component of either medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures for medical purposes to possess, effective January 1, 2014: (1) certification in each medical imaging or radiation therapy modality and service they plan or perform from a certification organization designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS); or (2) state licensure or certification where such services and modalities are within the scope of practice as defined by the state for such profession and where the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration meet or exceed the standards established by the Secretary. Exempts physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants from the requirements of this Act. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish minimum standards for personnel who perform, plan, evaluate, or verify patient dose for medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures; (2) establish a program for designating certification organizations after consideration of specified criteria; (3) provide a process for the certification of individuals whose training or experience are determined to be equal to, or in excess of, those of a graduate of an accredited educational program; and (4) publish a list of approved accrediting bodies for such certification organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to develop alternative standards for rural or health professional shortage areas as appropriate to ensure access to quality medical imaging. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for medical imaging and radiation therapy services, only if the examination or procedure is planned or performed by an individual who meets this Act's requirements.
![Official portrait of Rep. Gerlach, Jim [R-PA-6]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/113_rp_pa_6_gerlach_jim_200.jpg)