United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2010
Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act - Declares matter that bears the term "census" on its envelope, outside cover, or wrapper, but that constitutes a solicitation by a nongovernmental entity, to be nonmailable by the United States Postal Service, unless: (1) it satisfies one of the exceptions specified for otherwise nonmailable matter under existing law (such as displaying an appropriate disclaimer); and (2) its envelope, outside cover, or wrapper bears on its face an accurate return address including the name of the entity that sent it.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2010
Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2010 - Declares that no executive agreement between the United States and any foreign country shall invalidate or preempt any state law creating a cause of action against an insurer or related company based upon a claim arising out of or related to a covered insurance policy that: (1) was in effect at any time after January 30, 1933, and before December 31, 1945; and (2) was issued to a policyholder domiciled in any area occupied or controlled by Nazi Germany. Deems any state law enacted as of March 1, 1998, which requires an insurer doing business in that state to disclose information regarding such a covered policy to be effective upon its enactment. Authorizes the President to waive application of this Act upon: (1) a determination that the executive agreement is vital to U.S. national security interests; and (2) presentation of a report by the President to certain congressional committees explaining the reasons for such determination. Prohibits a court from dismissing a claim that is brought under a state law within 10 years after enactment of this Act on the ground that the claim is barred under any statute of limitations. Declares this Act applicable to any claim brought under state law before, on, or after enactment of this Act including: (1) any claim dismissed on the ground of executive preemption before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) any claim that is deemed released as a result of the settlement of a class action entered into before enactment of this Act if the claimant did not receive any payment pursuant to the settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2010
10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 2010 - Requires the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to provide rebates for the purchase and installation of solar photovoltaic systems and solar water heating systems for residential and commercial properties in order to install over 10 years at least : (1) an additional 10 million solar systems with a cumulative capacity of at least 30,000 megawatts; and (2) an additional 200,000 solar water heating systems with a cumulative capacity of 10 million gallons. Establishes rebate eligibility criteria and the amount of rebates.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2010
Renewable Energy Expansion Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow taxpayers an election to receive a direct payment for investing in or producing specified energy property in lieu of existing energy tax credits; and (2) extend eligibility for such payments until January 1, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2010
International Violence Against Women Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish the Office for Global Women's Issues, to be headed by the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, to coordinate efforts regarding gender integration and empowerment of women in U.S. foreign policy. Establishes an Office for Women's Global Development (intended to replace the Office of Women in Development) in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to be headed by the Director of Women's Global Development, to coordinate USAID efforts to integrate gender in U.S. foreign assistance programs and policies. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator of USAID to develop a comprehensive five-year strategy for programs to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in countries with severe levels of such violence. Directs the Ambassador-at-Large and the Director to seek to coordinate efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls internationally into existing foreign assistance programs. Authorizes funds to be awarded to community-based women's nongovernmental organizations and community-based organizations in recipient countries to carry out such efforts. Authorizes the Secretary to provide guidance to the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to: (1) incorporate training on prevention and response into the basic training curricula of foreign military and police forces and judicial officials; and (2) ensure that U.S. assistance to units involved in regional or multilateral peacekeeping operations includes such training. Authorizes the Ambassador-at-Large to provide guidance to the Administrator and the Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in humanitarian relief, conflict, and post-conflict settings. Authorizes the Secretary to provide guidance on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls to the Secretary of DOD when U.S. military personnel, military contractors, and military observers are to be deployed in humanitarian relief, conflict, and post-conflict settings. Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of DOD to: (1) provide training in prevention and response to violence against women and girls internationally to U.S. military forces; (2) establish mechanisms for reporting incidences of violence against civilian women and girls committed by U.S. military forces; and (3) establish related public outreach efforts. Urges the Secretary to make U.S. financial, material, human, and other resources available to assist U.N. efforts to: (1) implement training programs in prevention and response to violence against women and girls for peacekeeping and humanitarian personnel; (2) enhance the deployment of military and civilian women in peacekeeping missions; and (3) improve protection mechanisms at U.N. managed refugee and internally displaced persons camps. Urges the Secretary to identify and take emergency measures to respond to critical outbreaks of violence against women and girls in situations of armed conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2010
Supports the goals and ideals of RV Centennial Celebration Month to recognize and honor 100 years of enjoyment of recreational vehicles in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2010
Keeping Faith With the Greatest Generation Military Retirees Act of 2010 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to waive the monthly part B premium (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) with respect to: (1) an individual who is entitled to military retired or retainer pay based upon service that began before December 7, 1956; and (2) the spouse, widow, or widower of such individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2010
Energy Jobs for Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a five-year pilot program (to be known as the Veterans Energy-Related Employment Program) to award competitive grants to two states to establish and administer a program of payments to energy industry employers who employ in apprenticeship or on-job training veterans entitled to benefits under the veterans' educational assistance program. Limits such payments to 12 months and $20,000 per veteran.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2010
Calls upon the President and the Secretary of State to: (1) impress upon the Ugandan government the U.S. belief in the human dignity of all Ugandans regardless of sexual orientation; (2) express U.S. opposition to the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009" introduced in the Ugandan Parliament; and (3) ensure that resources committed to the global HIV/AIDS response are utilized in a manner that is appropriate to the local epidemiology of the disease, including in Uganda.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2010
Emergency Jobs Program and Assistance for Families Extension Act - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to extend for one year the Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make a grant from the Fund for each calendar quarter in FY2010 or FY2011 to each requesting state whose total expenditures for work support services in the quarter, whether under the state program funded under TANF or as qualified state expenditures, exceeds the state's total such expenditures in the corresponding quarter in its emergency fund base year. Requires a grant to equal 80% of such excess.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2010
Recognizes the 10th anniversary of the founding of Sojourn to the Past. Praises that organization for its work in educating the next generation of people in the United States about the civil rights movement and the importance of social justice.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2010
Honors the bravery and dedication of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance supported urban search and rescue teams deployed to Haiti in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. Congratulates the 511 U.S. rescue workers for the lives they helped save. Recognizes the contribution of these teams not only in the lives that they directly saved, but to the international teams that they trained and to the people of Haiti.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2010
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to provide Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member of the Armed Forces entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member. Directs the Secretary to reimburse such eligible persons for pharmacy benefits received from a pharmacy that is not a TRICARE (Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care plan) network pharmacy in the same manner as the Secretary would reimburse such person for such benefits received from a TRICARE network pharmacy. Requires such persons, in order to receive such reimbursement, to submit a certification from their physician stating that the person does not have access to a TRICARE network pharmacy due to physical or medical constraints.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2010
Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to study and report to Congress on methods by which blind consumers can gain nonvisual access to consumer electronic devices, electronic kiosks, home appliances, or office technology devices. Requires the Secretary to promulgate a minimum nonvisual access standard for each type of covered device that will ensure nonvisual access to such device by blind consumers. Applies a minimum nonvisual access standard to a covered device that is manufactured after the date that is two years after the date on which such standard is promulgated. Directs the Secretary to establish an Office of Nonvisual Access Compliance to assist the Secretary, educate manufacturers, and conduct investigations. Imposes civil penalties in certain circumstances. Allows civil suits by blind consumers against manufacturers for monetary damages and equitable relief. Allows punitive damages for willful or repeated violations. Prohibits construing this Act to limit the rights of blind or low-vision individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2010
Nanotechnology Education Act - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a nanotechnology in the schools program awarding matching grants to certain eligible institutions for the purchase of nanotechnology equipment and software and the provision of nanotechnology education to students and teachers. Lists as eligible grantees: (1) public, private, parochial, and charter secondary schools that offer advanced or international baccalaureate science courses; (2) community colleges; (3) four-year institutions of higher education; and (4) informal learning science and technology centers.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2010
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general business tax credit for 30% of the basis of an eligible lightweight coal freight car. Defines "eligible lightweight coal freight car" as any freight car: (1) designed to carry coal by rail; (2) the tare weight of which does not exceed 50,000 pounds; and (3) substantially all of the manufacturing of which occurred in the United States. Terminates such credit after 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 2010
Congratulates the National Federation of the Blind for 70 years of outstanding service to the blind, especially its fight for an equal education and access to Braille for all blind children in this country. Supports the designation of National Braille Literacy Month. Calls upon the people of this country to recognize the central role that Braille plays in the lives of blind people and to support the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to promote Braille literacy.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2010
National Youth Sports Program Revitalization Act of 2010 - Amends the Community Services Block Grant Act to authorize appropriations for FY2011-FY2021 for national or regional instructional programs for low-income youth.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2010
Treats cash contributions made after January 11, 2010, and before March 1, 2010, for the relief of earthquake victims in Haiti as having been made on December 31, 2009, for purposes of the tax deduction for charitable contributions. Deems a contribution as meeting the recordkeeping requirements of the Internal Revenue Code if the taxpayer produces a telephone bill showing the name of the donee organization and the date and amount of the contribution.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2010
Expresses support for the goals of Catholic Schools Week, an event cosponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and established to recognize the vital contributions of the thousands of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in this country.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2010
Responsible Banking Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 75% tax for the next five years on any bonus for services performed for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), any financial institution, insurance company, hedge fund, financial adviser, or broker or dealer in securities, and any lending or finance business.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2010
Wall Street Bonus Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose a tax on current or former employees of recipients of financial assistance under the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP) for 50% of any bonus exceeding $50,000 paid to them during 2010; and (2) establish in the Treasury the Small Business Growth Fund to hold revenues from such tax. Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish and carry out a program to make loans directly to small business concerns. Makes amounts from such Fund available to carry out such program.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2010
Congratulates the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, Illinois, on its 150th anniversary. Expresses the House of Representatives' best wishes for its continued success. Commends the school for its dedication to educating world class physicians and scientists, sponsoring cutting edge medical research, and providing highly specialized clinical care.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 2010
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President shall direct the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to: (1) initiate discussions with Japan immediately to identify and remedy violations of Japan's World Trade Organization (WTO) trade obligations for its discriminatory practices in not applying incentives for U.S. automotive imports under Japan's Eco-Friendly Vehicle Purchase Program (scrappage program); and (2) if no remedy is forthcoming, file complaints to initiate dispute resolution actions under the WTO. Expresses the sense of the House that: (1) any such action should include the impacts on the U.S. economy incurred by implementation of the U.S. Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) incentives program in regards to Japanese manufactured automobiles that received subsidies; and (2) the Secretary of State should immediately take diplomatic and other measures to ensure that any extension of Japan's Eco-Friendly Vehicle Program is not discriminatory to U.S. manufactured automobile imports to Japan.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2009
Expresses support for the designation of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Recognizes the importance of preventing childhood obesity and decreasing its prevalence in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Fellowship Program to award local government and federal government fellowships to qualified students from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Defines a "qualified student" as a student who is a U.S. citizen, domiciled in that Commonwealth, and enrolled in a degree or certificate program at an institution of higher education. Allows a fellow to receive either a specified stipend or academic credit toward graduation for participating in an internship.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to reduce the matching funds requirement for participants in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (providing services to small and mid-sized manufacturers) from not less than 50% of the costs incurred for the first three years and an increasing share for each of the last three years to no more than 50% of the costs incurred by a participating Regional Center for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish criteria to determine a Center's cost share.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Buy American Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Buy American Act to: (1) extend through FY2013 the requirement for federal agencies to report to specified congressional committees on the amount of agency acquisitions from entities that manufacture products outside the United States; (2) apply such Act to executive, legislative, and judicial branch agencies; and (3) require articles to be treated as made substantially all from articles mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States if the cost of the domestic components exceeds 75% of the total cost of all components. Prohibits federal agencies from determining that: (1) it would not be in the public interest to enter into a contract subject to Buy American requirements after a solicitation of offers notice for such contract is published; (2) the cost of acquiring products manufactured in the United States is unreasonable unless such acquisition would increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25%; or (3) an article is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of satisfactory quality unless the agency has determined that domestic production cannot be initiated without significantly delaying the project and that a substitutable article is not available from a company in the United States. Requires agencies: (1) to give preference in the procurement process to a company that manufactures the solicited product in the United States if such company's bid is substantially the same as a bid made by a non-U.S. manufacturer or such company is the only one that manufactures the product in the United States; (2) to exclude costs related to the startup of a project from a domestic bid; (3) to apply Buy American requirements without regard to whether products to be acquired are for use outside the United States if they are not needed on an urgent basis or if they are acquired on a regular basis; (4) in determining whether to grant a public interest waiver of Buy American requirements, to consider any predicted significant decrease in domestic employment to be against the public interest; and (5) to publish waivers requested and waivers granted on a publicly available website. Directs: (1) the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to ensure that Buy American requirements apply to component projects that have been disaggregated from a larger project for purposes of avoiding applicability of such requirements to the larger project; and (2) the Comptroller General to report to Congress recommendations to be used in determining whether acquiring articles mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States would be inconsistent with the public interest. Requires this Act to be applied in a manner consistent with U.S. obligations under international agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Renewable Biomass Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2018 the tax credit for production of electricity from closed and open-loop biomass facilities; (2) eliminate the reduction in the rate of such credit for electricity produced from open-loop biomass; (3) extend to 10 years the credit period for open-loop biomass facilities; and (4) amend the definition of "cellulosic biofuel" for purposes of the tax credit for alcohol used as fuel to exclude any fuel if more than 4% of such fuel is any combination of water and sediment or if the ash content of such fuel is more than 1%.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act of 2009 - Amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity when extending credit. Defines: (1) "gender identity" as the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual with or without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth; (2) "person" as a natural person, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, trust, estate, partnership, cooperative, or association; and (3) "sexual orientation" as homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 - Amends the the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to increase reimbursement rates for free, reduced price, and paid meals and snacks served under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) at nonresidential child care centers and family or group day care homes. Allows such providers to be reimbursed for the service of three meals and a snack. (Currently, reimbursement is provided for two meals and a snack.) Lowers the percentage of children or school children in an area that must be eligible for free or reduced price meals under the school lunch or breakfast programs to make family or group day care homes in the area eligible for higher CACFP reimbursement rates as tier I homes. Increases the maximum monthly administrative payment per home provided to sponsors of family or group day care homes. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to improve the ability of the CACFP to reach low-income families by streamlining program and paperwork requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2009
Nonprofit Mortgage Licensing Clarification Act of 2009 - Amends the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to permit a state to exempt from certain registration or licensing requirements any charitable organization exempt from federal tax (including their employees and agents acting as loan originators), if the organization: (1) executes loan originations in order to promote or facilitate homeownership for certain low-income, disabled, or other disadvantaged persons or families; (2) offers loans at interest rates lower than the bank prime loan rate, or that are no-interest loans or loans with interest rates significantly below those for loans to purchase generally available single-family housing; and (3) does not otherwise engage in the business of a loan originator or mortgage broker.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2009
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny a tax deduction for expenses related to advertising primarily directed at children to promote the consumption by children of food from any fast food restaurant or of poor nutritional quality. Defines "food of poor nutritional quality" as food that is determined by the Secretary of the Treasury (in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services [HHS] and the Federal Trade Commission [FTC]) to provide calories primarily through fats or added sugars and to have minimal amounts of vitamins and minerals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2009
Public Lands Rehabilitation and Job Creation Act - Makes emergency supplemental appropriations for FY2010 to: (1) the Department of the Interior for National Park Service operations and construction; (2) the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service for capital improvement and maintenance road projects; and (3) the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for highway infrastructure investment.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2009
New Deal for a New Economy Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, from unobligated funds under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), to make specified sums available for FY2010-FY2012 to the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Secretaries of Commerce, Labor, the Interior, and Agriculture. Requires: (1) the Secretary of Education to allocate, and each eligible local educational agency in the state to receive, funds in proportion to amounts received under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and (2) a state to make and distribute the amount allocated to it within 90 days of receipt. Authorizes the use of funds to hire new employees, rehire employees laid off during the year prior to enactment, continue to employ employees scheduled to be laid off as a result of reduced budgets, and prevent furloughs scheduled as a result of reduced budgets. Directs: (1) the Attorney General to award grants to state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to hire, rehire, continue to employ, and prevent furloughs of police officers; (2) the Secretary of DHS, through the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, to award grants through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program to hire, rehire, continue to employ, and prevent furloughs of firefighters; (3) the Secretary of Commerce to award grants to states, cities or other political subdivisions or a consortium of such subdivisions, or Indian tribes, to assist in maintaining basic government services; and (4) the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to fund specific public works projects in national parks and through the National Forest Service, respectively. Establishes in the Department of Labor a New Economy Grant Program, to provide grants for the creation of new jobs on specific public works projects. Limits funding under this Act's Departments of Labor, the Interior, and Agriculture programs to individuals who meet specified criteria. Bars displacement of existing employees. Sets forth requirements regarding the use of funds, the maximum employment period, wages, reporting, and expedited administration.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2009
Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction for a specified percentage of the cost, including labor costs, of installing and maintaining mechanical insulation property. Defines "mechanical insulation property" as insulation materials, facings, and accessory products placed in service in connection with a mechanical system which is utilized for thermal, acoustical, and personnel safety requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and cold applications, and heating, venting and air conditioning applications which can be used in a variety of facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2009
Restoring America's Commitment to Consumers Act of 2009 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit the annual percentage rate (APR) applicable to an extension of credit on a credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan from exceeding 16%. Includes in an APR any compensation fee (including a membership fee or an annual fee) for: (1) opening or maintaining the account; (2) granting an extension of credit; or (3) making available a line of credit. Authorizes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to make adjustments to the maximum APR limitation; but creates the presumption that any increase by the Board to the maximum limitation is not in the public interest unless severe economic conditions justify the increase. Prohibits construction of this Act as an endorsement by Congress of a 16% APR. Declares the intention of Congress that: (1) such maximum APR limitation should merely serve as a ceiling on consumer credit cards and few, if any, consumer credit card accounts would ever bear the maximum rate; and (2) consumer credit card issuers should strive to maintain APRs most advantageous to borrowers. Treats as an unfair or deceptive act or practice a credit card account which, as of December 11, 2009, bears an APR that is less than 16%, and subsequently increases it between December 11, 2009, and 60 days after enactment of this Act. Imposes a $15 cap upon certain credit card account fees, including fees (such as late fees, overdraft fees, or over-the-limit transaction fees) for borrower default or breach of any condition upon which credit was extended.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2009
State Medicaid Assistance Extension Act of 2009 - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to extend for one year the period of temporary increase in the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act. Extends the entire recession adjustment period from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2011. Requires the substitution for the FMAP for the first calendar quarter in FY2012 of the FMAP for either FY2008, FY2009, FY2010, or FY2011, as adjusted under ARRA, whichever is greatest, if the FY2012 FMAP is less than any of them.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2009
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the rate of the excise tax on beer produced within or imported into the United States for brewers who produce not more than 6 million barrels of beer a year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2009
Put America to Work Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to make grants to states, local government units, and Indian tribes to create employment opportunities for unemployed and underemployed residents of distressed communities. Specifies grant uses, including funding of fast-track jobs for: (1) painting and repair of schools, community centers, and libraries; (2) restoration of abandoned and vacant properties; (3) expansion of emergency food programs to reduce hunger; (4) augmentation of staffing in Head Start and other early childhood education programs; and (5) renovation and maintenance of parks, playgrounds, and other public spaces. Requires grant recipients to use remaining grant funds to make grants to public entities, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, or small businesses to create employment opportunities in: (1) construction, rehabilitation, and improvements in energy efficiency of residences or public facilities; (2) the provision of human services; (3) remediation and demolition of vacant and abandoned properties; and (4) programs that provide opportunities for employment, education, and training for disadvantaged youth.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2009
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretaries of the military departments, in conjunction with aircraft training and cargo missions, should maximize opportunities for space-available travel for members of the Armed Forces in a leave or pass status who are traveling between December 18, 2009, and January 3, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2009
Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act - Directs the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to establish minimum standards that: (1) prohibit elementary and secondary school personnel from managing any student by using any mechanical or chemical restraint, physical restraint or escort that restricts breathing, or aversive behavioral intervention that compromises student health and safety; (2) prohibit such personnel from using physical restraint or seclusion, unless such measures are required to eliminate an imminent danger of physical injury to the student or others and certain precautions are taken; (3) require states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that a sufficient number of school personnel receive state-approved training and certification in first aid and certain safe and effective student management techniques; (4) prohibit physical restraint or seclusion from being written into a student's education plan, individual safety plan, behavioral plan, or individual education program as a planned intervention; and (5) require schools to establish procedures to notify parents in a timely manner if physical restraint or seclusion is imposed on their child. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to LEAs to: (1) establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures to meet such standards; (2) improve their capacity to collect and analyze data related to physical restraint and seclusion; and (3) implement school-wide positive behavior supports. Directs the Secretary to conduct a national assessment of this Act's effectiveness. Gives Protection and Advocacy Systems the authority provided under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to investigate, monitor, and enforce this Act's protections for students. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards for Head Start agencies that are consistent with the minimum standards for the management of elementary and secondary school students. Authorizes the Secretary to allocate funds to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to assist Head Start agencies in establishing, implementing, and enforcing policies and procedures to meet such standards.
United States · United States Congress · 9 December 2009
Stop the Automatic Pay Raise for Members of Congress in Fiscal Year 2011 Act - Declares that no automatic pay adjustment shall be considered to have taken effect in FY2011 in the rates of basic pay for Members of Congress under the General Schedule (thus eliminating the pay adjustment for Members for such fiscal year).
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2009
Let Wall Street Pay for the Restoration of Main Street Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on certain securities transactions, including transactions in stocks, futures, swaps, credit default swaps, and options. Exempts transactions for securities held in tax-exempt retirement accounts, health savings accounts, educational accounts, and regulated investment companies. Allows the purchaser of securities a credit against the excise tax for the lesser of the tax incurred or $250 ($500 for married couples filing joint tax returns). Requires withholding of excise tax amounts by the transferor of securities subject to the tax. Requires one-half of the tax revenues raised by this Act to be held in a separate Job Creation Reserve account to offset additional costs from the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 and subsequent legislation to fund job creation. Expresses the sense of Congress that one-half of the tax revenues raised by this Act shall be used to reduce the federal deficit.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2009
Community College Emergency Stabilization Fund Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to provide temporary emergency funding to states for use in awarding competitive grants to community colleges to assist them in maintaining, or hiring additional, staff. Allots such funding to states pursuant to a formula that takes into account each state's share of increased unemployment over the past 12 months and the extent to which its unemployment rate exceeds the national average. Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to career and technical colleges to assist them in maintaining, or hiring additional, staff. Requires the states and the Secretary, when determining the amount of a grant to be awarded to a community college or career and technical college pursuant to this Act, to consider: (1) its student enrollment; (2) the increase in its enrollment over the preceding academic year; and (3) the most recent monthly unemployment rate in its locality. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct an evaluation this Act's grant programs and report its results to Congress.
![Official portrait of Rep. Hare, Phil [D-IL-17]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/h001040_200.jpg)