United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2011
Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 - Rewrites provisions regarding congressional review of agency rulemaking to require congressional approval of major rules of the executive branch before they may take effect (currently, major rules take effect unless Congress passes and the President signs a joint resolution disapproving them). Defines "major rule" as any rule, including an interim final rule, that has resulted in or is likely to result in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or U.S. competitiveness. Provides that if a joint resolution of approval of a major rule is not enacted by the end of 70 session days or legislative days after the agency proposing the rule submits its report on such rule to Congress, the rule shall be deemed not to be approved and shall not take effect. Permits a major rule to take effect for 90 calendar days without such approval if the President determines such rule is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for joint resolutions approving major rules and disapproving non-major rules.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2011
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act - Prohibits the expenditure of funds authorized or appropriated by federal law or funds in any trust fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated by federal law (federal funds) for any abortion. (Currently, federal funds cannot be used for abortion services, except in cases involving rape, incest, or life endangerment.) Prohibits federal funds from being used for any health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion. (Thus making permanent existing federal policies.) Disallows any tax benefits for amounts paid or incurred for an abortion or for a health benefits plan that includes coverage of abortion, including any medical deduction for such amounts or any credit for such an employer-sponsored plan. Prohibits the inclusion of abortion in any health care service furnished by a federal or District of Columbia health care facility or by any physician or other individual employed by the federal government or the District. Provides that such prohibitions shall not apply to an abortion if: (1) the pregnancy is the result of forcible rape or, if the pregnant woman is a minor, incest; or (2) the woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would place her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, as certified by a physician. Makes such prohibitions applicable to District funds. Codifies the prohibition against a federal agency or program or any state or local government that receives federal financial assistance from subjecting any individual or health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions. Creates a cause of action for any violations of such provisions. Gives federal courts jurisdiction to prevent and redress actual or threatened violations of such provisions by issuing any form of legal or equitable relief, including an injunction or order preventing the disbursement of all or a portion of federal financial assistance until the prohibited conduct has ceased. Gives standing to institute an action to affected health care entities and the Attorney General. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate the Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to receive, investigate, and refer to the appropriate federal agency complaints alleging a violation of such provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2011
Medical Liability Procedural Reform Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states to develop, implement, and evaluate health care tribunals. Defines "health care tribunal" to mean a trial court or administrative tribunal: (1) the sole function of which is to adjudicate disputes over injuries allegedly caused by health care providers; (2) to which all or a portion of such disputes within a jurisdiction are assigned; and (3) the judges for which have health care expertise and render decisions about the standard of care in dispute adjudication, with reliance on independent expert witnesses commissioned by such court or tribunal. Permits the Attorney General to provide technical assistance to states to: (1) develop common definition, formats, and data collection infrastructure for states to use in reporting in order to facilitate aggregation and analysis of data within and between states; and (2) provide guidance about the identification and selection of heath care tribunal judges and independent expert witnesses, compensation of injured patients, and clinical resources relating to the standard of care. Requires the Attorney General to contract with a research organization to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of grants awarded, to include an analysis of the effect of such grants on: (1) the number, nature, and costs of health care liability claims; (2) the liability environment; (3) health care quality; and (4) patient safety.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2011
Stop the OverPrinting (STOP) Act - Requires the Public Printer, subject only to the exceptions below, to make bills and resolutions available for the use of the House of Representatives and Senate only in an electronic format accessible through the Internet. Provides the following exceptions: (1) if a committee of the House or Senate, at any time during a Congress, requests the Public Printer to provide the committee with printed copies of each bill or resolution during the Congress that is within the committee's jurisdiction, the Public Printer shall provide the committee with printed copies of each such bill or resolution (limited to 75 copies); and (2) at the request of a Member or committee of the House or Senate, the Public Printer shall provide the Member or committee with such number of copies of a bill or resolution as the Member or committee may request.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2011
Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal a provision (added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that extends to corporations that are not tax-exempt the requirement to report payments of $600 or more.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2011
Expresses condolences to and solidarity with the people of the Commonwealth of Australia as they struggle against the floods that began on December 24, 2010. Supports continuing efforts by the U.S. government, U.S. relief agencies, and private citizens to assist Australia. Urges the U.S. government and the international community to provide additional assistance to aid flood victims and support reconstruction efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2011
Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program for assessing the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms through a therapeutic medium of service dog training and handling for veterans with disabilities. Requires such program to be carried out at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers that can provide training areas for such purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2011
Expresses the sense of Congress that the current federal income tax deduction for mortgage interest paid on a first or second home should not be further restricted.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem a hospital or an emergency department and a physician or physician group of such hospital or emergency department to be an employee of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing emergency and post-stabilization services on or after January 1, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Authorizes appropriations to carry out the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, and the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 for FY2012-FY2016.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Realize America's Maritime Promise Act or the RAMP Act - Requires the total budget resources for expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for harbor maintenance programs to equal the level of receipts plus interest credited to such Fund for that fiscal year. Limits the use of such resources to such programs only. Declares that it shall be out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report that would cause total budget resources for the Fund in a fiscal year for harbor maintenance programs to be less than the level of receipts plus interest credited to the Fund for that fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Accountability and Transparency for Taxpayers Act of 2011 - Directs the Inspector General (IG) of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to submit quarterly reports to Congress on the IG's activities with respect to the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and their activities and condition while they are in conservatorship status. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to give the Federal Housing Finance Agency IG: (1) direct hire authority; and (2) law enforcement authority exempt from the condition that the Attorney General make an initial determination of the IG's eligibility to exercise such authority.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund and to allow individual taxpayers to designate on their tax returns $3.00 of income taxes ($6.00 in the case of joint returns) to be paid over to such Fund to provide assistance to homeless veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement a competitive leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources on the Coastal Plain of Alaska. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Deems any oil and gas leasing programs and activities authorized by this Act to be in compliance with ANWR purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to designate up to 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area, after consultation with the state of Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough. Permits directional drilling in the Special Area. Prescribes procedures governing Coastal Plain lease sales, as well as terms and conditions, including: (1) environmental protection; (2) federal and state distribution of revenues; (3) rights-of-way; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance. Sets forth: (1) a "no significant adverse effect" standard to govern Coastal Plain activities; and (2) guidelines for expedited judicial review of complaints. Establishes the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Prohibits federal funding to organizations incorporated for specified purposes related to: (1) broadcasting, transmitting, and programming over noncommercial educational radio broadcast stations, networks, and systems; (2) cooperating with foreign broadcasting systems and networks in international radio programming and broadcasting; (3) assisting and supporting such noncommercial educational radio broadcasting pursuant to the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967; or (4) acquiring radio programs from such organizations. Requires the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, for FY2011-FY2012, to transfer to a designated Treasury account for use to reduce the public debt an amount equal to the amount allocated from the Public Broadcasting Fund for specified licensees and permittees of public radio stations, public radio programming, and for acquiring or producing certain national programming.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Reclaiming Individual Liberty Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring individuals to purchase and maintain minimum essential health care coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Redesignates: (1) the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps; and (2) the Secretary of the Navy as the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. Makes similar redesignations with respect to the Department Under Secretary, the Department Assistant Secretaries, and the General Counsel.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2011
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Requires a three-fifths rollcall vote of each chamber to increase the public debt limit. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Prohibits any bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless approved by a majority of each chamber by rollcall vote. Authorizes waivers of these provisions when a declaration of war is in effect or under other specified circumstances involving military conflict.
![Official portrait of Rep. Grimm, Michael G. [R-NY-11]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000569_200.jpg)