United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Joining Forces for Military Mental Health Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, through community partnerships with private nonprofit organizations, to carry out a three-year pilot program assessing the enhancement of Department of Defense (DOD) efforts in research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in members of the National Guard and Reserves and their family members and caregivers. Allows the Secretary, using a competitive or merit-based award process, to award up to five grants to such community partners, provided that the awardee agrees to make matching contributions from nonfederal sources (whether public or private) of at least $3 for each $1 provided under the grant. Requires grant-seeking organizations to submit an application including a description of proposed collaboration initiatives and existing research efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Holocaust Survivors Assistance Act of 2011 - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to: (1) include specifically within its purview older Americans who are Holocaust survivors; (2) authorize the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to designate within the Administration of Aging an individual who is to have responsibility for such individuals; and (3) create a grant program to increase and improve transportation services for older Americans, with preference for Holocaust survivors.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act of 2011 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group or individual health plan providing benefits for intravenously administered or injected anticancer medications to provide no less favorable coverage for prescribed, orally administered anticancer medication that is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells and that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Applies such requirement to medication that is prescribed based on a finding by the treating physician that the medication is: (1) medically necessary for the purpose of killing or slowing the growth of cancerous cells in accordance with nationally accepted standards of medical practice; (2) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration; and (3) not primarily for the convenience of the patient, physician, or other health care provider. Permits such coverage to be subject to the same cost-sharing applicable to intravenously administered or injected anticancer medications under the plan. Prohibits a health plan from imposing an increase in out-of-pocket costs, or reclassifying benefits, with respect to anticancer medications. Requires a plan to provide notice to each participant and beneficiary regarding the coverage required under this Act. Prohibits a health plan from taking specified actions to avoid the requirements of this Act. Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to assess how closing the Medicare part D donut hole affects Medicare coverage for orally administered anticancer medications, with a particular focus on cost and accessibility.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2011
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the energy tax credit for investment in combined heat and power system property to: (1) increase the capacity limitations for such property; and (2) expand the definition of such property to include property which produces electrical or mechanical energy from recovered waste energy using back-pressure turbines, rankine, sterling, kalina, or other heat engines.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2011
Aviation Jobs and Safety Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through September 30, 2011, increased excise taxes on aviation fuels, the excise tax on air transportation of persons and property, and the expenditure authority for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Extends through September 30, 2011: (1) the authorization of appropriations for airport planning and development and noise compatibility planning projects (known as airport improvement projects [AIPs]), and (2) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to make new AIP grants. Extends until October 1, 2011: (1) the pilot program for passenger facility fee authorizations at non-hub airports, and (2) disclosure requirements for large and medium hub airports applying for AIP grants. Directs the Secretary to extend through September 30, 2011, the termination date of insurance coverage for domestic or foreign-flag aircraft. Grants the Secretary discretionary authority to further extend such coverage through December 31, 2011. Extends through December 31, 2011, the authority of the Secretary to limit air carrier liability for claims arising out of acts of terrorism. Extends through September 30, 2011: (1) grant eligibility for airports located in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau; (2) grants to state and local governments for land use compatibility AIPs; and (3) authority for approving an application of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for an airport development grant or for permission to impose a passenger facility fee. Amends the Vision 100 - Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to extend through September 30, 2011: (1) the temporary increase to 95% of the federal government's share of certain AIP costs, and (2) funding for airport development at Midway Island Airport.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2011
Global Democracy Promotion Act - States that in determining eligibility for assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 foreign nongovernmental organizations shall not: (1) be ineligible for such assistance solely on the basis of health or medical services provided by such organizations with non-U.S. government funds if such services do not violate the laws of the country in which they are being provided and would not violate U.S. federal law if provided in the United States, and (2) be subject to requirements relating to the use of non-U.S. government funds for advocacy and lobbying activities other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations receiving assistance under part I of such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2011
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of the fourth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day. Encourages: (1) primary care physicians and other clinicians nationwide to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services; and (2) individuals to get tested for HIV and educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2011
National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make a payment for each fiscal year from FY2012-FY2018 to the State Lead Center in each state for implementation of the National Acquired Brain Injury Plan, as developed by the International Advisory Board of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2011
Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M., Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to the next of kin or personal representative of Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M., in recognition of his example to the nation of selfless dedication to duty and compassion for one's fellow citizens.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2011
Helping Homeless Heroes Act of 2011 - Allows grants made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for homeless veterans' comprehensive services programs (outreach, rehabilitation, vocational counseling, and transitional housing assistance) to be used for the construction of new facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from denying applications for such grants solely on the basis that the grant entity proposes to use funding from other private or public sources, as long as such entity demonstrates that a private nonprofit organization will provide project oversight and site control. Revises eligibility: (1) under the grant program for entities serving homeless veterans with special needs, and (2) for treatment and rehabilitation of homeless veterans who are not seriously mentally ill. Includes all individuals caring for minor dependents (current law applies only to women caring for minor dependents) within the definition of "homeless veterans with special needs." Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to end homelessness among veterans. Requires the plan to consider circumstances and requirements unique to veterans located in rural areas. Extends provisions concerning: (1) homeless veterans' health care to December 31, 2012; (2) centers for provision of comprehensive services and property transfers for housing assistance to December 31, 2014; and (3) the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans to December 30, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2011
Applauds the U.N. General Assembly for uniting to honor Nelson Mandela's contribution to international peace and freedom. Recognizes the global impact of President Mandela's legacy and commitment to nonviolence, respect, and dialogue. Supports the international community's recognition of Nelson Mandela International Day. Urges all U.S. citizens to reflect on the importance of peace, tolerance, democracy, human rights, and reconciliation in honor of Nelson Mandela International Day.
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
No Child Left Inside Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, as a prerequisite to receiving implementation grants, to develop environmental literacy plans, approved by the Secretary of Education, for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that include environmental education standards and teacher training. Directs the Secretary to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to partnerships that include a local educational agency (LEA) and, permissibly, institutions of higher education (IHE), other educational entities, or federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, for activities involving, among other things, teacher training and the development of more rigorous environmental education curricula that advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, IHEs, other educational entities, federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, or park and recreation departments, for activities to improve and support environmental education that include: (1) advancing content and achievement standards, and (2) developing or disseminating innovations or model programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2011
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into a contract or agreement with each state home to pay for nursing home care provided in the home to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. Requires such payment to be based on a methodology, developed by the Secretary in consultation with the home state, to adequately reimburse the state home for the care provided under such contract or agreement. (Current law requires payment at the lesser of the prevailing rate in the geographic area for non-VA nursing homes or the daily cost of care, both of which are determined by the Secretary.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2011
Calls for Congress to consider and pass critical jobs legislation to address: (1) the crisis facing communities of color disproportionately, and (2) the nationwide economic crisis.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2011
Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Savings Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend coverage to lymphedema diagnosis and treatment services. including lymphedema compression treatment items.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2011
American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments of 2011 - Amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, with respect to the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program, to: (1) expand the current definition of "battlefield report" to include the report entitled "Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States"; and (2) expand the Program to permit the acquisition not only of an "interest in an eligible site," but also an "eligible site." Requires acquisitions of lands or interests under the Act to be from willing sellers only. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on activities carried out under this Act.
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 · 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 designation of National Dance Day to celebrate our commitment to dance and physical fitness across the United States. Acknowledges that promoting dance can make an important contribution in encouraging physical fitness and reducing overweight and obesity.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2011
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 45 Bay Street, Suite 2, in Staten Island, New York, as the "Sergeant Angel Mendez Post Office."
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
Religious and Parental Rights Defense Act of 2011 - Prohibits a state or a political subdivision from adopting or continuing in force a law, regulation, or order that prohibits or regulates the circumcision of males who have not attained the age of 18 years and whose parent or guardian has consented to the circumcision, unless such law, regulation, or order applies to all such circumcisions performed in the state and is limited to ensuring that all such circumcisions are performed in a hygienic manner.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Rating and Processing Individuals' Disability Claims Act or the RAPID Claims Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), if a veteran's claim is submitted that is determined to be a fully developed claim, to provide: (1) the claimant with the opportunity to waive any claim development period with respect to such claim, and (2) expeditious treatment of such claim. Provides that: (1) if a person notifies the Secretary of the intention to submit a fully developed claim and does so within a one-year period thereafter, the Secretary shall provide expeditious treatment to the claim; and (2) if the Secretary determines that a claim submitted as fully developed is not fully developed, the Secretary shall notify such person within 30 days of the information and evidence required to fully develop the claim. Requires the Secretary, when denying a benefit, to notify the claimant of any form or application required to appeal such decision.
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
Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide for employee leave to care for a domestic partner or his or her child, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law (as well as for a spouse, child, or parent), if such person has a serious health condition. Amends federal civil service law to apply the same leave allowance to federal employees.
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
Commends the government of Japan for extending an official apology to all U.S. former prisoners of war from the Pacific War and establishing a visitation program to Japan for surviving veterans, their families, and descendants. Appreciates the government of Japan's efforts toward historic apologies for the war crimes of Imperial Japan. Requests that the government of Japan: (1) continue its Japanese/American POW Friendship Program of reconciliation and remembrance and expand it to educate the public and its school children about the history of prisoners of war in Imperial Japan, and (2) respect the wishes and sensibilities of the U.S. former prisoners of war by requesting successor Japanese firms of private entities that used U.S. prisoner of war labor to emulate their government's sincerity by offering an apology and supporting programs for lasting remembrance and reconciliation. Acknowledges the work of the Department of State in advocating for the U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War. Applauds the dedication and patriotism of the members and descendants of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor for their pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Equal Access to COBRA Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and Public Health Service Act to expand COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits) to include an employee's domestic partner and any dependent child of the domestic partner.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to reauthorize through FY2016 the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. Modifies the scope of the AFG program, including by permitting the use of grant funds for volunteer, non-fire service emergency medical services organizations and for certifying fire and building inspectors employed by a fire department or serving as a volunteer building inspector with a fire department. Prohibits providing program funds to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or allied organizations. Increases: (1) funding for fire prevention and firefighter safety programs, and (2) maximum AFG grant amounts. Lowers matching and maintenance of expenditure requirements and authorizes the Administrator of FEMA to waive or reduce such requirements for applicants facing demonstrated economic hardship. Revises grant allocation requirements to require 25% of grant amounts for a fiscal year to be allocated to each of: (1) career fire departments, (2) volunteer fire departments, and (3) combination fire departments. Requires remaining amounts to be awarded on a competitive basis among such fire departments. Revises grant limits based on jurisdiction populations. Sets forth new limits on awards to state fire training academies. Limits grant amounts used to obtain training to training that complies with applicable national voluntary consensus standards. Amends SAFER program provisions to: (1) limit the period of program grants to three years; (2) require grantees to commit to retaining firefighters hired for the entire grant period, with an economic hardship exception; and (3) limit to 80% the portion of the cost of hiring firefighters for each fiscal year that may be provided under a grant. Directs the Administrator of FEMA to make grants directly to career, volunteer, and combination fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments that antedate the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Authorizes the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association, to conduct and report to Congress on a study to: (1) define the current roles and activities associated with the fire services on a national, state, regional, and local level: (2) identify the equipment, staffing, and training required to fulfill such roles and activities; (3) conduct an assessment to identify gaps between what fire departments currently possess and what they require on a national and state-by-state basis; and (4) measure the impact of the AFG program in meeting the needs and filling the gaps identified.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Commends the government of Japan for extending an official apology to all U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War and moving forward in planning to invite surviving members to Japan. Requests that the government of Japan respect the wishes and sensibilities of the U.S. prisoners of war by providing an appropriate program for lasting remembrance and reconciliation that recognizes their sacrifices and forced labor. Acknowledges the work of the Department of State in advocating for the U.S. prisoners of war from the Pacific War. Applauds the dedication and patriotism of the members and descendants of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor for their pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 67 Castle Street in Geneva, New York, as the "Corporal Steven Blaine Riccione Post Office."
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
Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the manufacturer of a prescription drug marketed in interstate commerce to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a discontinuance or interruption in the manufacture of such drug. Requires the notification to be submitted six months prior to the date of a discontinuance or interruption, if possible. Allows the reduction of the notification period if the manufacturer certifies to the Secretary that good cause exists for the reduction. Authorizes the Secretary to reduce the notification period based on the type of discontinuance or interruption at issue or any other factor. Treats any information provided to the Secretary under this Act as a trade secret or confidential information. Establishes civil monetary penalties for violations. Requires the Secretary to publish on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and distribute to the appropriate health care providers and patient organizations information on discontinuances, interruptions, and drug shortages. Requires the Secretary to notify a manufacturer of: (1) any determination by the Secretary that a drug may be vulnerable to a drug shortage, and (2) the Secretary's duty to collaborate to improve continuity of supply. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a manufacturer to: (1) manufacture a drug in the event of a discontinuance or interruption, or (2) delay or alter a discontinuance or interruption. Declares that no provision of federal law shall be construed to prohibit a manufacturer from, or penalize a manufacturer for, allocating distribution of its products in order to manage an actual or potential drug shortage. Requires the Comptroller General to examine issues related to drug shortages.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Demands that Hamas: (1) release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, (2) allow access to Gilad Shalit by competent medical personnel and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, (3) provide Gilad Shalit the humane treatment all captives are entitled to as a fundamental human right, (4) facilitate regular communication by Gilad Shalit with his family, and (5) cease compelling Gilad Shalit to appear in video and voice recordings intended to extort and coerce the government of Israel. Expresses: (1) commitment to the survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state within recognized and secure borders; (2) opposition to participation by Hamas in the Palestinian Authority (PA) prior to explicit acceptance by that group of Israel's right to exist, the cessation of all violence, and the binding commitments made previously by the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); and (3) commitment to seek the release of Gilad Shalit and other missing Israeli soldiers. Recalls: (1) the attack on and kidnapping of the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev by the Iran-supported terrorist group Hezbollah; and (2) the missing Israeli soldiers Zecharya Baumel, Zvi Feldman, Yehuda Katz, Ron Arad, Guy Hever, and Majdy Halabi. Condemns: (1) Hamas for the immoral cross border attack and kidnapping of Gilad Shalit; and (2) Iran and Syria, the primary state sponsors and patrons of Hamas, for their ongoing support for international terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Grants for Renewable Energy Education for the Nation Act or the GREEN Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to partnerships of local educational agencies (LEAs), postsecondary institutions, and clean and renewable energy industry representatives to develop programs of study focused on emerging careers and jobs in the fields of clean and renewable energy. Requires a priority be given to grant applications that: (1) use online learning or other innovative methods to deliver a program of study to individuals outside the partnership, and (2) focus on low-performing students and special populations. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to LEAs and postsecondary institutions to promote development of career and technical educational facilities that are energy efficient and use renewable energy practices.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Immigration Driving Entrepreneurship in America Act of 2011 or the IDEA Act of 2011 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a priority worker immigrant visa for an alien who has a qualifying: (1) master's or higher degree in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM degree) from a U.S. institution of higher education; and (2) employment offer from a U.S. employer. Eliminates the foreign residency requirement for certain foreign students. Allows extensions of stay based upon a lengthy labor certification or priority adjudication for: (1) foreign students, (2) speciality occupation aliens, and (3) intracompany transfers. Establishes an immigrant visa category for qualifying venture capital-backed start-up entrepreneurs and for self-sponsored start-up entrepreneurs who intend to engage in, or have engaged in, new commercial enterprises in the United States. Provides for the recapture of unused employment-based and family-based immigrant visas. Exempts spouses and minor children from counting against numerical limits. Revises per country (and dependent) area limits to: (1) eliminate employment-based limits, and (2) increase family-based limits. Amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese (PRC) immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. Establishes in the Treasury the STEM Education and Training Account. Requires that 60% of Account funds be used for a STEM scholarship program for low-income U.S. students enrolled in degree programs in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Authorizes certain undocumented higher education students who first entered the United States when they were 15 years old or younger to adjust to nonimmigrant student status. Revises labor certification provisions, including: (1) requiring the Department of Labor to adjudicate an application within 120 days, (2) creating an Established U.S. Recruiter designation for recruiters who regularly recruit U.S. workers, and (3) authorizing a premium application processing fee. Revises the prevailing wage level computation formula. Revises H-1B visa (specialty occupation) provisions regarding: (1) wages, (2) U.S. worker displacement and protections, (3) recruitment requirements, (4) portability, (5) creation of a P-visa for fashion models in lieu of H-1B visa inclusion, (6) elimination of extensions for certain short-term workers, and (7) retention of petition priority date. Revises L-visa (intracompany transferee) provisions regarding: (1) wage requirements for certain L-1B visa (specialized knowledge) employees, (2) investigations of complaints against employers, and (3) the blanket petition process for employers who hire large numbers of intracompany transferees. Revises EB-5 employment creation investor provisions to: (1) require a visa set-aside for an employment creation regional center program, (2) provide a preapproval procedure for new commercial enterprises, (3) revise targeted employment area provisions, and (4) provide a limited extension for employers to meet program requirements. Establishes in the Treasury the Immigrant Entrepreneur Account.
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 · 14 June 2011
Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution - Calls upon the President to: (1) ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the U.S. record relating to the Armenian Genocide; and (2) accurately characterize in the President's annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of U.S. intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2011
Expresses support for the designation of Rose Brucia Stranger Safety Awareness Day. Pays tribute to the accomplishments of the Rose Brucia Educational Foundation and its Stranger Safety Awareness Program in educating children to reduce the number of child abductions.
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
Long Island Sound Improvement Act Amendments of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to create additional duties for the Long Island Sound Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including studying the impacts of climate change on the Sound watershed. Requires a municipality that owns or operates a municipal separate storm sewer system to obtain, without regard to the size of the population served by the system, a permit for discharges composed entirely of stormwater for any portion of the municipality that is located within both the Long Island Sound watershed and an urbanized area. Authorizes such permits to be issued on a regional basis. Requires the EPA Administrator to ensure that: (1) permits held by industrial stormwater dischargers and permits held by construction activity dischargers conform to regional permits' conditions, and (2) monitoring requirements are included in a regional permit. Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical assistance to municipalities with respect to establishing regional permits. Establishes: (1) reporting requirements for the Office; and (2) requirements directing agencies to ensure that their property, actions, and activities within the watershed are consistent with the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (Plan) and to develop plans to maximize forest cover and riparian habitat and minimize stormwater discharge on agency property. Requires the Administrator to establish a voluntary interstate nitrogen trading program with respect to the Sound that includes the generation, trading, and use of nitrogen credits to facilitate the attainment and maintenance of the Sound Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). Authorizes: (1) grants for a prioritized list of projects and studies that will assist in meeting the Plan's goals and objectives; and (2) the Administrator to make grants for the construction of a publicly owned treatment work within Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont solely to a municipal or state agency if the state has established allocations for discharges within the state in a Long Island Sound TMDL. Requires the Administrator to implement a pilot project to demonstrate the efficacy of nutrient bioextraction for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous from the waters of the Sound watershed.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Skin Cancer Prevention, Education, and Consumer Right-To-Know Act - Requires the proposed rule issued by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) pertaining to over-the-counter sunscreen drug products to take effect 180 days after enactment of this Act, unless the Commissioner issues a final rule that includes formulation, labeling, and testing requirements for both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation protection before such time. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement a general, nationwide education campaign identifying the risks posed by sun exposure without the use of a sunscreen providing broad-spectrum protection.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Protect HUBZones Act of 2011 - Amends the Small Business Act to revise the definition of "redesignated area" for HUBZone designation purposes to extend the time period during which a census tract or nonmetropolitan county that loses its HUBZone status due to the 2010 census may be so designated.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Tax Parity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from an employee's gross income employer-provided accident and health plan benefits extended to a domestic partner or non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiary eligible to receive such benefits under an employer plan (i.e., "eligible beneficiary"); (2) exempt such benefits paid to eligible beneficiaries from otherwise applicable employment and unemployment taxes; (3) allow self-employed individuals a tax deduction for the health insurance costs of their eligible beneficiaries; (4) allow tax-exempt voluntary employees' beneficiary associations to provide sick and accident benefits to the domestic partners and non-dependent, non-spouse beneficiaries of their members; (5) allow reimbursement of the medical expenses of an eligible beneficiary from a health savings account (HSA); and (6) extend tax-exempt medical benefits to the eligible beneficiaries of retired employees Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide guidance relating to reimbursements from a flexible spending arrangement and a health reimbursement arrangement attributable to an eligible beneficiary as defined by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2011
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Continuation Act - Amends the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to permit any Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) member appointed and confirmed before enactment of this Act, and not removed for cause by the President, to continue to serve until the earlier of: (1) the date on which the member's successor has been appointed and confirmed, or (2) the beginning of the first new Congress after the date on which the member's term expires.
![Official portrait of Rep. Israel, Steve [D-NY-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/i000057_200.jpg)