United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2007
Small Business SOX Compliance Extension Act - Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission to modify its regulations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) for annual management assessments of, and reports on, internal financial controls. Requires such regulations to provide that a non-accelerated filer does not have to provide management's report on internal control over financial reporting until it files an annual report for its first fiscal year ending on or after December 15, 2008 (thereby extending the current moratorium on such requirements for small businesses).
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2007
Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2007 - Repeals the general termination date of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (i.e., December 31, 2010), thus making the tax reductions enacted by that Act permanent. Repeals the termination date for provisions of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 reducing income tax rates on dividends and capital gains. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the tax deduction for state and local sales taxes; (2) the tax deduction for tuition and related expenses; (3) the increased expensing allowance for small business assets and related provisions; and (4) the tax credit for increasing research activities. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Committee on Ways and Means should report legislation on or before December 31, 2008, to simplify the federal income tax system.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 103 South Getty Street in Uvalde, Texas, as the "Dolph S. Briscoe, Jr. Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2007
Physician Workforce and Graduate Medical Education Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a loan program that provides loans to eligible hospitals to establish residency training programs. Requires that such program be an allopathic or osteopathic residency program in family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics or gynecology, or general surgery. Requires the Administrator to give preference to hospitals in a rural area or an urban area that is not a large urban area.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2007
High-Need Physician Workforce Incentives Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to make grants to critical shortage health facilities for scholarships to individuals agreeing to serve as a physician at such facility after completing residency in the fields of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, general surgery, or obstetrics-gynecology. Excludes such scholarship funds from an individual's gross income. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to: (1) establish a loan repayment program for individuals agreeing to serve as physicians in specified fields in areas that are not health professional shortage areas, but that have a critical shortage of physicians in such field; (2) make grants to states to provide care management fees to physicians in medically underserved communities to support the provision of targeted, accessible, continuous, coordinated, and patient-centered care through a qualified medical home; and (3) make grants to board-certified entities to establish or expand geriatric fellowship programs to train physicians practicing in rural areas or in specified fields in geriatric medicine. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from an individual's gross income compensation received by a physician from a local government for medical care performed: (1) in a medically underserved community; and (2) under a contract with the local government for a period of not less than four years.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2007
Ensuring the Future Physician Workforce Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to the formula for calculating payments for physicians' services. Resets to 2007 the base year for application of the sustainable growth rate formula, which shall be eliminated in 2010. Extends the current quality reporting system. Amends the Medicare Improvement and Extension Act of 2006 to extend and increase transitional bonus incentive payments. Amends SSA title XVIII to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish a new physician quality incentive system; and (2) create standards for health information technology (HIT) payment incentives. Amends SSA title XI to create safe harbors to antikickback and civil and criminal penalties for provision of HIT and training services. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the impact of such safe harbors. Amends SSA title XVIII to create an exception to the limitation on certain physician referrals for the provision of HIT and training services to health care professionals. Directs the Secretary to report annually to: (1) each physician information on the physician's total Medicare billings; and (2) each individual entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) and part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) on the amount of Medicare payments made to or on behalf of the individual during the year involved. Directs the Secretary to collect data on annual savings in expenditures in the Medicare program due to physicians' services that resulted in hospital or in-patient diversion. Requires the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and of the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund to monitor and examine the extent to which the different funding mechanisms under Medicare parts A, B, and D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) provide an appropriate alignment with the program goals of the respective parts. Directs the Secretary to arrange for a study of price inputs and relative values for physicians' services recommended by the AMA/Speciality Society Relative Value Unit Scale Update Committee process. Requires the Secretary to provide for a study of, and report to Congress on, health care disparities in high-risk health condition areas and minority communities with respect to the impact reporting requirements may have on physician penetration in such communities. Amends SSA title XVIII to accelerate the deadline for nationwide implementation of the recovery audit contractor element of the Medicare Integrity Program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2007
Supports the goals and ideals of National Teen Driver Safety Week. Encourages the people of the United States to observe the week with activities that promote licensed teenage drivers to drive safely.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
United Nations Voting Accountability Act of 2007 - Prohibits providing U.S. assistance (as defined by this Act) to a country that opposed the U.S. position in the United Nations. Authorizes the Secretary of State to (temporarily) exempt a country from such prohibition if since the beginning of the most recent session of the General Assembly there has been a fundamental change in the country's leadership and policies so that the country will no longer oppose the U.S. position in the United Nations. Authorizes the President to exempt a country from such prohibition for national security reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2007
Endangered Species Compliance and Transparency Act of 2007 - Requires the Administrators of the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Southeastern Power Administration to provide: (1) estimates of each customer's share of each Administration's direct and indirect costs for compliance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in monthly billing statements; and (2) an annual report estimating such costs (on a project-by-project basis for the Western Area Power Administration and on a system-wide basis for the other Administrations) to the House Committee on Resources and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2007
Federal Aviation Administration Facility Consolidation Moratorium Act of 2007 - Suspends the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to realign FAA air traffic control facilities and services until January 1, 2009.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2007
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the fatal radiation poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko raises significant concerns about the potential involvement of elements of the Russian government in Mr. Litvinenko's death, and about the security and proliferation of radioactive materials; (2) the use of such radioactive materials demonstrates a threat to the safety and security of the people of the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries; and (3) the President of the United States and the Secretary of State should urge Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials of the Russian government to cooperate fully with the British government in its investigation into Mr. Litvinenko's death and to ensure the security of the production, storage, distribution, and export of polonium-210 as a material that may become dangerous to large numbers of people if utilized by terrorists.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2007
Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2007 - Makes the repeal of the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes under the Economic Growth and Tax Reconciliation Act of 2001 permanent (under the Act, those taxes would be reinstated after December 31, 2010).
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2007
Recognizes the public service of Tony Blair during his tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Expresses appreciation to Mr. Blair for his support for the United States and Britain's invaluable alliance to our nation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2007
Court and Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) impose mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for homicide, manslaughter, and kidnapping crimes against federal judges and law enforcement officers; (2) allow federal judges, U.S. attorneys, and Justice Department employees to carry firearms; (3) increase penalties for assaults against U.S. employees and officers and impose mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for assaults against federal judges or law enforcement officers; and (4) impose mandatory minimum penalties for retaliating against a federal judge or law enforcement officer on account of the performance of official duties by murdering, kidnapping, assaulting, or threatening a family member. Places limits on the award of civil damages and attorney's fees against judicial officers for injuries incurred by an individual during the commission of a felony or crime of violence. Police Officer Daniel Faulkner Act of 2007 - Amends the federal judicial code to place limits on habeas corpus petitions for review of a state conviction for the murder of a public safety officer or judge engaged in the performance of official duties. Requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to make rules allowing correctional officers of the Bureau to carry firearms to and from work and to store them at work.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2007
Syria Accountability and Liberation Act - States that U.S. sanctions, controls, and regulations relating to Syria shall remain in effect until the President certifies that Syria has ceased support for terrorism, has dismantled biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons programs and has committed to combat their proliferation, respects the boundaries and sovereignty of all neighboring countries, and upholds human rights and civil liberties. Imposes specified trade, assistance, and military sanctions, as appropriate, on persons or countries that transfer goods or technology so as to contribute to Syria's biological, chemical, nuclear, or advanced conventional weapons programs. Imposes specified sanctions aimed at Syria's energy sector. Sets forth diplomatic measures intended to isolate the government of Syria. Directs the President to provide assistance to support a democratic transition in Syria. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2007
Repeals the termination date in the Jobs Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 for provisions reducing individual tax rates on capital gains and dividend income.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2007
Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction from gross income for premiums paid under a high deductible health plan by an individual eligible for a deduction for amounts paid into a health savings account, for months when such taxpayer is not covered under any other plan.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2007
Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 400,000 $1 coins emblematic of the 100th anniversary of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such coins beginning January 1, 2014, except that the Secretary may initiate sales of such coins, without issuance, before such date. Terminates such minting authority after December 31, 2014. Requires coin sales to include a $10 surcharge per coin, with distribution of such surcharges to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Osteoporosis Foundation for the purpose of furthering research.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2007
Prohibits the use or availability of any sums appropriated in any Act of Congress to pay any claim against the United States by Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila arising out of the conduct of Ignacio Ramos, Jose Alonso Compean, or any other person engaging in duties as an employee of the government on February 17, 2005. Declares that the United States does not consent to (does not waive sovereign immunity for) the commencement or maintenance of any civil action against the United States by Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila arising out of such conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2007
Describes the following as acts that unreasonably burden and discriminate against interstate commerce, and prohibits states, political subdivisions, and any other taxing authority from: (1) assessing natural gas pipeline property at a value that has a higher ratio to its true market value than the ratio used to assess other commercial and industrial property in the same assessment jurisdiction; (2) levying or collecting a tax on such an assessment; (3) levying or collecting an ad valorem property tax on natural gas pipeline property at a rate that exceeds the rate applicable to commercial and industrial property in the same assessment jurisdiction; or (4) imposing any other tax that discriminates against a natural gas pipeline providing transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Grants jurisdiction to U.S. District Courts and provides for specified relief for claims of discriminatory taxation of natural gas pipeline property.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2007
Medicare Access to Complex Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exempt complex rehabilitation products and assistive technology products from the Medicare competititve acquisition program.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Investment in America Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase from 12 to 20% the rate of the alternative simplified tax credit for research expenses; (2) make permanent the tax credit for increasing research activities; and (3) repeal the alternative incremental tax credit for research expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2007
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that judicial interpretations of the U.S. Constitution should not be based on judgments, laws, or pronouncements of foreign institutions unless such judgments, laws, or pronouncements inform an understanding of the original meaning of the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2007
Public Prayer Protection Act of 2007 - Denies the Supreme Court and district courts jurisdiction to review any matter related to the alleged establishment of religion involving the expression of public prayer by any federal, state, or local government entity or a government officer or agent acting in an official capacity.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2007
Congratulates: (1) the residents of Jerusalem and the people of Israel on the 40th anniversary of the reunification of that historic city; and (2) the people of Israel on the 59th anniversary of their independence. Believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected as they have been by Israel during the past 40 years. Calls upon the President and Secretary of State to affirm as a matter of U.S. policy that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of Israel. Urges: (1) the President to discontinue the waiver contained in the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and begin the process of relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; and (2) U.S. officials to refrain from any actions that contradict U.S. law on this subject. Reaffirms Israel's right to take necessary steps to prevent any future division of Jerusalem.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Birthright Citizenship Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national; (2) a lawful permanent resident alien whose residence is in the United States; or (3) an alien performing active service in the armed forces.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Timber Revitalization and Economic Enhancement (TREE) Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax deduction for 60% of qualified timber gains; (2) exempt deductible timber gains from the excise tax on the undistributed income of real estate investment trusts (REITs); (3) provide for the treatment of timber gains as qualifying REIT income and for mineral royalty income as qualifying income for timber REITs; and (4) provide special rules relating to income limitations and prohibited transactions for timber REITs.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Terrorist Death Penalty Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) impose the death penalty for certain terrorist offenses; (2) include as death penalty aggravating factors whether the defendant committed an offense after substantial planning or engaged in conduct resulting in the death of another person in order to obstruct the investigation or prosecution of any offense; (3) permit the impaneling of a new jury when a unanimous death penalty recommendation cannot be reached; and (4) expand the power of a court to impanel a jury of less than 12 members in a death penalty proceeding. Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to increase the number of allowable alternate jurors from six to nine and permit four additional peremptory challenges when seven, eight, or nine alternative jurors are impaneled.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Repeals certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military retired pay or would be entitled to such pay except for being under 60 years of age. Prohibits recoupment by the Secretary of Defense of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. Directs the Secretary concerned to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member. Changes to October 1, 2007 (previously October 1, 2008) the effective date for paid-up coverage provisions under the SBP and the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Medicare Academic Anesthesiology and CRNA Payment Improvement Act of 2007- Amends title XVIII (Medicare) part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) of the Social Security Act to set forth a special payment rule for teaching anesthesiologists (TAs) and teaching certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). Requires payment of 100% of the fee schedule amount otherwise applicable for anesthesia services personally performed by the TA alone when the TA is training physician residents or student nurse anesthetists in a single anesthesia case or two concurrent anesthesia cases, if: (1) the TA is present during all critical or key portions of the anesthesia service or case involved; and (2) either the TA or an anesthesiologist or a CRNA with whom the TA has made special arrangements is immediately available to furnish anesthesia services during the entire case. States that this special payment rule shall not apply in the case of physician services furnished by an anesthesiologist who medically directs a CRNA involved in the training of student nurse anesthetists in a single anesthesia case or two concurrent anesthesia cases. Applies to a CRNA medically directed or medically supervised by a physician in the performance of anesthesia services the current fee schedule amount of one-half of the amount for a physician's medical direction of the performance of such services, regardless of whether or not the CRNA is involved in the training of student nurse anesthetists in a single case or two concurrent cases. Requires payment, however, of 100% of the fee schedule amount otherwise applicable for anesthesia services personally performed by a teaching CRNA alone when the teaching CRNA is not medically directed but is involved in the training of student nurse anesthetists in a single anesthesia case or two concurrent anesthesia cases, if: (1) the teaching CRNA is present during all critical or key portions of the anesthesia service or case involved; and (2) the teaching CRNA (or other CRNA or anesthesiologist with whom the CRNA has made special arrangements) is immediately available to furnish anesthesia services during the entire case.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) on a reasonable cost basis for anesthesia services furnished by a physician who is an anesthesiologist in certain rural hospitals in the same manner as payment is made for anesthesia services furnished by a certified registered nurse anesthetists in such hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2007
Expresses support for: (1) the goals of World Intellectual Property Day to promote, inform, and teach the importance of intellectual property as a tool for economic, social, and cultural development; and (2) efforts to protect U.S. citizens from fraudulent and illegal counterfeiting and piracy. Recognizes the importance of intellectual property and the challenges and threats to its protection. Congratulates the World Intellectual Property Organization for building awareness of the value of intellectual property and developing the infrastructure to help citizens take full advantage of their creativity. Applauds the contributions of human creativity and intellectual property to growth, innovation, and a brighter future.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2007
District of Columbia-Maryland Reunion Act - Cedes the District of Columbia to Maryland after Maryland's acceptance of such retrocession. Maintains the exclusive legislative authority and control of Congress over the National Capital Service Area in the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 1 Freedom Way in Augusta, Georgia, as the "Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center."
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2007 - Requires jurisdictions (i.e., states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes) to establish and maintain jurisdiction-wide arsonist registries and make such registries available on the Internet. Requires a criminal arsonist to register in each jurisdiction in which such arsonist resides, is an employee, or is a student. Sets forth other registration requirements and the information required to be provided in a registry by the criminal arsonist and jurisdictions. Allows jurisdictions to exempt from disclosure certain information about an arsonist, including the arsonist's employer and enrollment at an educational institution. Requires the Attorney General to maintain a national database at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (to be known as the National Arsonist Registry) and a national arsonist Internet site containing information on each criminal arsonist registered in a jurisdiction's registry or listed on a jurisdiction's Internet site, respectively. Directs the Attorney General to establish a Criminal Arsonist Management Assistance program for awarding grants to jurisdictions to offset the costs of implementing this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prescribe consumer protection guidelines for rental-purchase transactions, including: (1) the determination of rental-purchase cost; (2) disclosure requirements; (3) prohibitions against confessions of judgment, wage assignments, and waiver of consumer claims or defenses; (4) furnishing of statements of account; (5) point-of-rental disclosures; and (6) rental-purchase advertising disclosures. Declares that an action for civil liability may be brought against a merchant's assignee only if the violation is apparent on the face of a rental-purchase agreement to which it relates, including, but not limited to, a disclosure that can be determined to be incomplete or inaccurate from the face of the agreement. Authorizes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to promulgate implementing regulations. Grants enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission and to state attorneys general. Subjects to criminal penalties any willful and knowing violation of the information disclosure requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Ambulatory Surgical Center Medicare Payment Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the requirements and the formula for payments for services, including an implantable medical device, furnished to individuals in ambulatory surgical centers.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Clay Moore Kidnaping Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 30 years on illegal aliens who kidnap individuals under age 18.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned, in the case of a regular or reserve member of the Armed Forces with a combat-related disability who is entitled to monthly retired pay, to permit such member to elect an alternative retired pay rate based on $2,917, the average monthly salary for high school graduates in the United States. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect to veterans with service-connected disabilities, to permit such veterans to elect to receive a monthly compensation of $2,917 (in the case of a service-connected disability rated as total) or a percentage of such amount (depending on the percentage rating of the disability).
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2007
Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from closing or relocating any Farm Service Agency (FSA) county or field office until at least one year after enactment of an omnibus law to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs for fiscal years after 2007.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act - Repeals, as of the later of October 1, 2007, or the date of enactment of this Act, certain provisions which require the offset of amounts paid in dependency and indemnity compensation from Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities for the surviving spouses of former military personnel who are entitled to military pay or who would be entitled to retired pay except for being under 60 years of age. Provides for the recoupment of certain amounts previously paid to SBP recipients in the form of a retired pay refund. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to waive the recoupment requirement in certain cases. Repeals the optional authority of (and instead requires) the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. Directs the Secretary to restore annuity eligibility to a surviving spouse who earlier agreed to transfer such eligibility to a surviving child or children of a member.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) extend such credit through 2010; and (3) allow such credit against alternative minimum tax liabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Married Student Debt Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a husband and wife filing a joint tax return to each claim the maximum tax deduction of $2,500 for interest on education loans.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act or the A PLUS Act - Allows each state to submit to the Secretary of Education a declaration of intent, applicable for up to five years, permitting it to receive federal funds on a consolidated basis that would otherwise be directed toward specific programs furthering the stated purpose of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Requires each declaration to be formulated by a combination of specified State Authorizing Officials or by referendum, and list the programs for which consolidated funding is requested. Allows states to use such funds for any educational purpose permitted by state law, but requires states to make certain assurances that they will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures, abide by federal civil rights laws, and advance educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Allows states to amend their declarations. Requires each declaration state to: (1) inform the public of its student achievement assessment system and annually report on student progress toward the state's proficiency standards, disaggregating performance data by specified student groups; and (2) keep aggregate spending on elementary and secondary education at no less than 90% of such spending for the school year coinciding with this Act's enactment. Limits administrative expenses. Requires consolidated funds to be distributed in a manner that allows for the equitable, as determined by each state, participation of private schools.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2007
Compete Act of 2007 - Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to revise requirements for the internal control assessment component of a securities issuer's annual report. Requires the attestation and report by a registered public accounting firm on an issuer's management assessment of its internal control structure and procedures to focus upon the process and system used by management to identify and manage risks, identify and implement key controls, and come to a conclusion on the effectiveness of the internal controls over financial reporting. Prohibits an auditor's attestation and report from including a separate (pass/fail) opinion on the effectiveness of such internal controls. Requires such attestation and report to be performed at three-year intervals. Prescribes standards for such attestations and reports, including a risk-based evaluation. Permits attestations and reports to rely on examinations and inspections by federal and state regulatory agencies. Instructs the Securities and Exchange Commission to develop a standard of materiality for such assessments and reports based upon whether the internal control has a material effect on the company's financial statements and is significant to the issuer's overall financial status. Exempts a smaller public company from the requirements for management assessment of internal controls, unless it voluntarily elects to comply with them.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2007
Fair and Speedy Treatment (FAST) of Medicare Prescription Drug Claims Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require prompt payment of clean claims to pharmacies by prescription drug plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PD Plans). Defines "prompt payment" as within 14 calendar days from submission for claims submitted electronically, and within 30 calendar days for claims submitted otherwise. Requires payment of interest, also, if a payment is not issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted within the applicable number of calendar days. Makes it unlawful for a PDP sponsor to display on any explanatory prescription drug information and enrollee cards the name, brand, or trademark (co-branding) of any pharmacy.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Retired Pay Restoration Act - Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (currently, only a disability rated at 50 percent or more). Makes the 2004 through 2013 phase-in limitations for the concurrent receipt of such pay for qualified retirees with service-connected disabilities rated as total applicable: (1) only during 2004 for retirees with a 100 percent disability; and (2) only during 2004 through 2007 for retirees with a total disability by reason of unemployability. Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability.
![Official portrait of Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_tx_1_gohmert_louie_200.jpg)