United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Remembers the 75th anniversary of the 1932-1933 Ukrainian Famine-Genocide and: (1) extends sympathies to the victims, survivors, and families of this tragedy; and (2) encourages dissemination of information regarding the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide. Condemns the Soviet government's systematic violations of the Ukrainian people's human rights. Supports Ukraine's continuing efforts toward ensuring democratic principles, a free-market economy, and full respect for human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2008
Recognizes the 63rd anniversary of the United Nations. Urges the President to exert U.S. leadership to ensure that substantive U.N. reforms are fully implemented and that further reforms are adopted.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2008
Encourages all Americans to: (1) pause and remember Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner and the 44th anniversary of their deaths; (2) commemorate their lives and work, and those of all other brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of civil rights and voting rights for all Americans; and (3) commemorate and acknowledge the legacy of the brave Americans who participated in the civil rights movement and the role that they played in changing the hearts and minds of Americans, and creating the political climate necessary to pass legislation to expand such rights.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2008
Climate Market, Auction, Trust & Trade Emissions Reduction System Act of 2008, or the Climate MATTERS Act of 2008 - Declares the purpose of this Act to establish a federal program to reduce US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions substantially enough by 2050 to avert the catastrophic impacts of global climate change. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an international reserve GHG emission allowance program, whose allowance sales proceeds shall be used to mitigate the negative impacts of global climate change on disadvantaged communities in World Trade Organization (WTO) participant countries. Establishes the International Climate Change Commission to determine annually whether a WTO participant country has taken certain action to limit its GHG emissions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish a system for issuing, auctioning, recording, and tracking GHG emission allowances; and (2) impose an excess emissions penalty on owners or operators of covered facilities that fail to submit one or more emission allowances to the Secretary for any year. Establishes a Carbon Market Efficiency Board to: (1) analyze information on the GHG emission allowance market; and (2) authorize the Secretary to carry out cost relief measures if the market poses a substantial harm to the U.S. economy. Provides for the distribution of emission allowances to owners and operators of fossil fuel-fired electric power generating facilities and of energy intensive manufacturing facilities. Establishes: (1) the Deficit Reduction Trust Fund; and (2) the Citizen Protection Trust Fund (CPTF). Directs the Secretary to administer a Climate Change Rebate Program. Provides for a healthy families fund. Sets forth allocations of specified CPTF account funds for: (1) investment in natural resource adaptation to impacts of climate change and ocean acidification; (2) owners and operators of covered facilities who take actions that result in verified GHG emission reductions; (3) states that comply with certain federal building energy standards; (4) states with GHG emission reduction programs exceeding federal GHG emission reduction targets; (5) reductions in GHG emissions from the agriculture and forestry sectors, including those from deforestation activities in foreign countries; and (6) states and load-serving entities that implement energy-efficiency programs. Requires distribution of certain funds for grants for fixed guideway transit and other specified alternative transportation projects. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) develop a federal greenhouse gas registry; (2) make certain GHG emission determinations for covered facilities; and (3) promulgate regulations that require that U.S. GHG emissions in uncovered sectors do not grow.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2008
Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2008 - Prohibits a person from transporting a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. Sets forth civil penalties for persons who knowingly violate such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2008
Recognizes and honors the contributions of Timothy John Russert, Jr., as an award-winning political analyst. Expresses condolences upon his death to his wife, Maureen Orth, his son Luke, and his surviving family members and friends.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2008
Recognizes the life, achievements, and contributions of the late John Henderson McConnell (an Ohio businessman, sports team owner, and philanthropist).
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2008
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to make it unlawful for a person to enter into or execute an otherwise excluded swap transaction or exempt transaction involving crude oil, heating oil, gasoline, or diesel fuel (specified energy commodity), unless the person has been certified by the Commodities Future Trading Commission (CFTC) as having the capacity of accepting physical delivery of the commodity. Makes it unlawful, as well, for any person to hold a contract or agreement of sale of a specified energy commodity for future delivery, which is otherwise an excluded swap transaction or an exempt transaction, unless the CFTC has certified that the person has the capacity to produce or manufacture the commodity.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2008
Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem to be adulterated a food in a container that is composed, in whole or in part, of bisphenol A or that can release bisphenol A into food.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2008
Impeaches President George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors. Sets forth articles of impeachment stating that President Bush, in violation of his oath of office: (1) illegally spent public dollars on a secret propaganda program to manufacture a false cause for war against Iraq; (2) misused intelligence reports to deceive Congress and the public about a connection between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda and the the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; (3) mislead Congress and the public into believing that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed an imminent threat to the United States; (4) illegally misspent funds to begin a war in secret prior to congressional authorization; (5) invaded Iraq in violation of U.S. law, the United Nations Charter, and international criminal law and failed to obtain a declaration of war; (6) failed to protect U.S. troops in Iraq by not providing them with body and vehicle armor and promoted false stories about the deaths and injuries of members of the U.S. military; (7) used public funds to construct permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq; (8) invaded Iraq to obtain control of its oil resources; (9) created a secret task force to guide U.S. energy and military policy in usurpation of the role of Congress in legislating such policy; (10) misused classified intelligence information and conspired to identify a covert agent of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); (11) established policies granting U.S. government contractors in Iraq immunity from prosecution; (12) recklessly misspent public dollars on private contractors in Iraq; (13) detained U.S. citizens and foreign captives indefinitely and without charge; (14) authorized torture of captives in Afghanistan and Iraq; (15) kidnapped and transported individuals to countries known to practice torture; (16) authorized the arrest and detention of at least 2,500 children as enemy combatants in violation of the Geneva Convention; (17) mislead Congress and the public about threats from Iran; (18) created secret laws through the issuance of legal opinions by the Department of Justice and violated the Posse Comitatus Act; (19) authorized warrantless electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens; (20) directed telecommunication companies to create databases of the private telephone numbers and emails of U.S. citizens; (21) used signing statements to claim the right to violate laws enacted by Congress; (22) failed to comply with congressional subpoenas and instructed former executive branch employees not to comply with such subpoenas; (23) tampered with the conduct of free and fair elections and corrupted the administration of justice; (24) conspired to violate the voting rights of U.S. citizens; (25) pursued policies calculated to destroy the Medicare program; (26) failed to prepare for the predictable disasters caused by Hurricane Katrina; (27) mislead Congress and the public in an effort to undermine efforts to address global climate change; and (28) failed to take proper steps to protect the United States against the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, obstructed investigations into such attacks, and recklessly endangered the health of first responders near the site of such attacks.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2008
Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe a regulation prohibiting advertisements accompanying video programming from: (1) being excessively noisy or strident; (2) having modulation levels substantially higher than the accompanying program; and (3) having an average maximum loudness substantially higher than that of the accompanying program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2008
Farm Animals Anti-Cruelty Act - Subjects a person to specified civil and criminal penalties who: (1) kills, mutilates, tortures, or intentionally causes an animal held for commercial use pain or suffering; or (2) has responsibility for an animal held for commercial use and fails to provide it with necessary food, water, shelter, and health care. Exempts from such provision the treatment of an animal held for commercial use: (1) in lawful scientific or agricultural research; (2) undergoing veterinary treatment; or (3) at a state or county fair, or at similar exhibitions. States that any act in compliance with the Humane Slaughter Act is not prohibited under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2008
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should: (1) embrace efforts to protect innocent citizens [ sic ] from cluster munitions; and (2) sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it opens for signature in December 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2008
Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment Act of 2008, or the TRADE Act of 2008 - Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to: (1) review biennially certain free trade agreements (including Uruguay Round Agreements) between the United States and foreign countries; and (2) report to the Congressional Trade Agreement Review Committee regarding such agreements, including analyses of specified subjects and of each agreement, as well as whether the country has a democratic form of government that respects certain core labor rights and fundamental human rights, protects intellectual property rights, and enforces environmental laws. Declares that implementing bills of new trade agreements shall not be subject to expedited consideration or special procedures limiting amendment,unless such agreements include certain standards with respect to: (1) labor; (2) environment and public safety; (3) food and product health and safety; (4) provision of services; (5) investment; (6) procurement; (7) intellectual property; (8) agriculture; (9) trade remedies and safeguards; (10) rules of origin; (11) dispute resolution and enforcement; (12) technical assistance; (13) national security; and (14) taxation. Requires the President to submit to Congress a plan for the renegotiation of existing trade agreements to bring them into compliance with such standards. Establishes a Congressional Trade Agreement Review Committee. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) certain requirements urging the attainment of certain trade goals shall apply to all existing and new trade agreements; and (2) a certain process for U.S. trade negotiations should be followed when Congress considers legislation providing special procedures for implementing bills of trade agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2008
Recognizes the historical significance to the nation, and supports the continued celebration, of Juneteenth Independence Day (June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved African Americans were free). Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) history should be regarded as a means for understanding the past and more effectively facing the challenges of the future; and (2) the celebration of the end of slavery is an important and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008 - Provides that a pre-dispute arbitration agreement between a long-term care facility and a resident (or anyone acting on the resident's behalf) shall not be valid or specifically enforceable.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Trade Agreement Benchmarks and Accountability Act - Subjects bills implementing trade agreements to a point of order in both the Senate and the House of Representatives unless certain conditions are met. Withdraws congressional approval of a bill implementing a trade agreement if a report by the International Trade Commission (ITC) indicates that certain benchmarks and predictions made with respect to an agreement are not being met unless a joint resolution waiving such benchmarks and predictions is enacted by Congress. Describes the benchmarks as analyses of the following effects of the agreement: (1) resulting job creation and job losses; (2) resulting improvement in wages for U.S. workers; (3) implementation and enforcement of the labor and environmental standards by each country that is a party to the agreement; and (4) the extent to which the agreement will result in an increase in access by U.S. businesses to the market of each country that is a party to the agreement, particularly those sectors identified by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as of special importance.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14500 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, as the "John P. Gallagher Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Expresses support for the designation of National Safety Month. Recognizes the contributions of the National Safety Council and its ongoing commitment to raising awareness about the need for the implementation of safe practices in our schools and jobs.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2008
Saving Family Homes Act of 2008 - Grants eligible mortgagors subject to foreclosure proceedings the right to continue to occupy forclosed properties subject to the payment of fair market rent for a period of 20 years that begins upon the commencement of occupancy of such property.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2008
Employee Misclassification Prevention Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require every employer to: (1) keep records of non-employees (contractors) who perform labor or services (except substitute work) for remuneration; and (2) provide certain notice to each employee and non-employee, including their classification as an employee or non-employee and information concerning their rights under the law. Makes it unlawful for any person to fail to accurately classify an employee or non-employee. Doubles the amount of liquidated damages for maximum hours, minimum wage, and notice of classification violations by an employer. Subjects a person who repeatedly or willfully violates such notice requirements to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each violation. Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a web page on the Department of Labor website that summarizes the rights of employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act and other federal laws. Requires, as a condition for a federal grant for the administration of state unemployment compensation, for the state's unemployment compensation law to include a provision for: (1) auditing programs that identify employers that have not registered under the state law or that are paying unreported compensation where the effect is to exclude employees from unemployment compensation coverage; and (2) establishing administrative penalties for misclassifying employees or paying unreported unemployment compensation to employees. Requires any office, administration, or division of the Department of Labor to report any misclassification of an employee by an employer that it discovers to the Department's Employment Standards Administration (ESA). Authorizes the ESA to report such information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2008
Recognizes the efforts of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services to decrease the stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders through the "Think Outside the Stigma" campaign. Encourages every American to work toward overcoming the stigma associated with such disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2008
Recognizes the important social and economic contributions and accomplishments of the New Deal to our nation on the 75th anniversary of legislation establishing the initial New Deal social and public works programs. Encourages observation of National New Deal Week.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to instruct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require specified annual reports of an issuer to disclose the total payments made to an agency or instrumentality of a foreign government: (1) for natural resources in a foreign country; or (2) in connection with the extraction of natural resources from a foreign country. Requires compilation of such information so that it is accessible by the public directly from the SEC website without separately accessing the annual reports of each issuer filing the information on the EDGAR system.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
National Silver Alert Act - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish a national Silver Alert communications network to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors; (2) assign a Department of Justice officer to serve as the Silver Alert Coordinator to coordinate the network with states; and (3) award grants to states for support of Silver Alert plans and the network. Defines "missing senior" as any individual who is reported as missing to or by a law enforcement agency and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior. Directs the Coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance of, and the extent of the dissemination of, alerts issued through the network; and (2) make available to states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities network training and information.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
Military Spouses Residency Relief Act - Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders. Prohibits a servicemember's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember in compliance with the servicemember's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the servicemember and the spouse.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2008
Polar Bear Seas Protection Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from offering or approving any new lease, or approving an exploration or development plan, within any area of the Chukchi or Beaufort Sea marine and coastal ecosystems until: (1) the National Research Council reports to Congress on certain missing information regarding the composition, distribution, status, and ecology of the living marine resources in such ecosystems; (2) the polar bear is listed as either an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and critical habitat is designated for it; (3) the Secretary performs an oil spill response gap analysis for proposed and existing arctic oil operations; and (4) the Secretary makes specified determinations, including that oil and gas exploration and development can be conducted in the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea Planning Areas without posing a risk of substantial adverse impact to wildlife, or wildlife habitat and subsistence.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2008
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2008 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend through FY2012 the grant program for armor vests for law enforcement officers.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2008
Family Fairness Act of 2008 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to make an employee eligible for coverage under such Act if that employee has been employed for at least 12 months by a covered employer with respect to whom such leave is requested. (Eliminates the requirement, under current law, that the employee have served at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period before the leave request.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2008
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to suspend petroleum acquisition for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) through the royalty-in-kind program during the period between enactment of this Act and December 31, 2008. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to suspend petroleum acquisition for the SPR through any acquisition method during such period. Authorizes both Secretaries to resume acquisition during such period, but no earlier than 30 days after the President notifies Congress that the weighted average price of petroleum in the United States for the most recent 90-day period is $75 or less per barrel. Directs the Secretary of Energy, to the extent practicable, to: (1) accept delivery of royalty-in-kind oil scheduled for delivery to the Department of Energy (DOE) for the SPR pursuant to an existing contract with the Secretary of the Interior; and (2) negotiate deferral of any oil delivery scheduled for the SPR pursuant to a contract entered into by DOE before, and in effect on, the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2008
Gas Price Spike Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a windfall profit tax on crude oil, natural gas, or products of crude oil or natural gas. Defines "windfall profit" as so much of the profit on a sale of crude oil, natural gas, or related products as exceeds a reasonable profit. Establishes the Reasonable Profits Board to determine levels of reasonable profit from the sale of such products. Allows a tax credit for the purchase of certain fuel-efficient, American-made passenger vehicles. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to operators of mass transit systems, including bus and commuter rail systems, to reduce passenger fares on such systems.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2008
Fair and Justifiable Credit Card Interest Rate Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit the annual percentage rate applicable to any extension of credit on a credit card account under an open end consumer credit plan from exceeding 20%.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2008
Declares that the Secretary of Defense should immediately: (1) submit to Congress a plan to minimize the use of stop-loss orders that prevent Armed Forces members who have completed their contractual obligations from voluntarily separating from the Armed Forces; and (2) implement a new stop-loss policy to ensure that no member of the Armed Forces who has completed a tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan is subject to a stop-loss order.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2008
Supporting America's Manufacturers Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require a recommendation from the International Trade Commission (ITC) before the President can impose increased duties or other import restrictions on an imported Chinese product that causes or threatens market disruption to a like U.S. product. Revises the authority of the President and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to consider an equally divided ITC vote regarding a determination on the question of whether an imported Chinese product causes or threatens market disruption in the United States. Repeals the authority of the President and the TR to consider the determination of either group of equally divided Commissioners to be the ITC's determination. Requires such a deadlocked vote to be considered an affirmative ITC determination. Provides that if the Commissioners voting are equally divided with respect to its determination, then the determination agreed upon by either group of Commissioners may be considered by the President and the Trade Representative as the determination of the Commission. Requires the USTR to make available promptly to the public reports recommending the President to take action, if any, to remedy market disruption. Revises requirements involving ITC determinations of critical circumstances and requests for provisional relief with respect to a Chinese product that causes or threatens market disruption to a like U.S. Product Requires the President to provide import relief from Chinese products that cause or threaten market disruption to a like U.S. product within a specified time if an agreement is not reached with the People's Republic of China (PRC) or if the President determines that an agreement reached with the PRC is not remedying the market disruption. Authorizes the President to provide import relief (including provisional relief in critical circumstances) that differs from that recommended by the ITC, or to deny such import relief only: (1) in extraordinary cases; and (2) if the President determines that providing such relief would have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy (as under current law) or would cause serious harm to U.S. national security. Requires the President's decision on import relief to be reported to specified congressional committees. Requires import relief recommended by the ITC to take effect upon enactment of a congressional joint resolution in the event that the President: (1) takes action that differs from that recommended by the ITC; or (2) declines to provide import relief (including that recommended by the ITC) because it would have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2008
Creates, for veterans who were subjected to certain chemical or biological warfare testing involving Project 112 conducted through Deseret Test Center (including the Shipboard Hazard and Defense Project, also known as Project SHAD), a presumption that a disease was incurred in or aggravated by service, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of the disease during the period of service, if the disease warrants presumtion of service connection by reason of increased exposure to a biological, chemical, or other toxic agent.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2008
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) it is U.S. policy to oppose slavery, torture, racism, discrimination, and xenophobia; (2) the United States should give thorough review to domestic policy and legislative proposals that would improve the lives of marginalized U.S. communities; and (3) the Senate and the United States should ratify specified international conventions.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2008
Silver Alert Grant Program Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states to implement or improve a Silver Alert system. Defines "Silver Alert system" to mean a state-administered notification system to help locate missing individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related illnesses. Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress on Silver Alert systems, including: (1) a list of states that have established such systems; (2) information on each state's system; (3) actions states have taken to protect the privacy and dignity of the individuals for whom Silver Alerts are issued; and (4) ways that states have facilitated and improved communication about missing individuals between families, caregivers, law enforcement officials, and other authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2008
Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a breast cancer treatment quality performance system to: (1) assess and disclose publicly, through the use of quality measures, the quality of care provided for the treatment of breast cancer by specified health care providers; and (2) base payment to such providers for such treatment on their performance with respect to such measures. Requires reduced payments to providers that either do not submit data in accordance with the reporting process in the system, or furnish low quality care for treatment of breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2008
Supports the goals and ideals of National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month (April 2008). Recognizes that sarcoidosis: (1) has played a prominent yet hidden role in America's workforce history, being the chief diagnosis of the deaths of fluorescent light bulb workers in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1940s; (2) disproportionately affects factory workers and Navy deckgrinders; and (3) was the first diagnosis for an overwhelming majority of rescue workers who assisted with the rescue and recovery operations after the attacks on September 11, 2001. Supports research efforts to better understand the links between sarcoidosis and specific occupations where sarcoidosis is disproportionately represented.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2008
Recognizes: (1) on its 60th anniversary year the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a singular achievement of the community of nations; and (2) the contribution in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution to the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Urges all U.N. member states to uphold the principles of human dignity enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, especially on behalf of the world's most vulnerable persons.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2008
Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008 - Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to require each location of a covered program to meet specified minimum standards if individually or together with other locations it has an effect on interstate commerce. Defines "covered program" as one not operated by a governmental entity that for children unrelated to the program owner or operator: (1) provides a 24-hour residential environment with specialized education or treatment, therapy, counseling, behavior modification, discipline, rehabilitation, emotional growth services, or related services; and (2) operates with a focus on serving children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health problems or disorders, or problems with alcohol or substance abuse. Directs the Assistant Secretary to: (1) establish a process for conducting unannounced site inspections of each covered program location to determine compliance with such standards; (2) implement an on-going review process for investigating and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect; (3) establish a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive such complaints; (4) establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and (5) establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise. Requires the Assistant Secretary to refer any violation of such standards to the Attorney General for appropriate action. Authorizes the Attorney General to file such a complaint on his or her own initiative regardless of whether such a referral has been made. Authorizes a private right of action in a U.S. district court for harm caused by a violation of minimum standards. Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs. Require such states to develop policies and procedures to prevent child abuse and neglect at covered programs consistent with the standards specified by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2008
Environment and Public Health Restoration Act of 2008 - States that it is U.S. government policy to work with states, territories, tribal governments, international organizations, and foreign governments to act as a steward of the environment for the benefit of public health, to maintain air quality and water quality, to sustain the diversity of plant and animal species, to combat global climate change, and to protect the environment for future generations. Requires the President to enter into an arrangement under which the National Academy of Sciences will: (1) study and report to the public, Congress, and implementing agencies on the impact on public health, air quality, water quality, wildlife, and the environment of specified clean water, clean air, and forest and land management regulations, laws, proposed laws, and guidance documents; and (2) make recommendations to maintain, restore, or improve protections for public health, air quality, water quality, wildlife, or the environment for each of such regulations, laws, proposed laws, or documents. Requires the head of each federal agency that issued or implemented such laws or regulations to submit to Congress a plan describing steps to restore or improve such protections.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 2008
Shingles Prevention Act - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of the shingles vaccine and its administration.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2008
National MS Disease Registry Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, to: (1) develop a system to collect data on multiple sclerosis (MS); and (2) establish a national surveillance system for the collection and storage of such data, including a population-based registry of U.S. cases of MS. Requires the Secretary to establish the Advisory Committee on the MS National Surveillance System. Allows the Secretary to award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on MS. Requires the Secretary to: (1) identify, build upon, expand, and coordinate existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure wherever possible; and (2) provide for research access to MS data. Requires the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information collected are made available to agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Defense (DOD).
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2008
Hubbard Act - Amends federal employment, armed forces, military pay, and veterans' benefits law to authorize the provision of the following benefits to a member of the Armed Forces who is discharged at the member's request pursuant to a Department of Defense (DOD) policy permitting the early discharge of a member who is the only surviving child in a family in which the father or mother, or one or more siblings, served in the Armed Forces and, incident to such service, was killed, died as a result of wounds, accident, or disease, is in a captured or missing in action status, or is permanently disabled: (1) continued payment, through the original agreed-upon service period, of any bonus, incentive, or similar benefit to which the member was entitled during service; (2) separation pay, even though the member has completed less than six years of active service before discharge; (3) transitional health care, on the same basis as an active-duty member, for 180 days after discharge; (4) transitional commissary and exchange benefits, on the same basis as an active-duty member, for two years after discharge; (5) veterans' housing loan, employment and training, and basic educational assistance; (6) federal unemployment compensation; and (7) veteran's preference for federal employment purposes. Makes this Act effective with respect to any such discharge granted after September 11, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2008
Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008 - Allows federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay available for either the: (1) birth of a child; or (2) placement of a child with the employee for either adoption or foster care. Makes available for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) eight administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved; and (2) any accumulated annual or sick leave. Amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to allow the same substitution for covered congressional employees. Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow the same substitution for Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Library of Congress employees. Requires GAO to study and report on the feasibility and desirability of providing an insurance benefit to federal employees which affords partial or total wage replacement with respect to periods of qualified leave. Defines "qualified leave" as leave that: (1) is available by reason of the need to care for the spouse, child, or parent of the employee having a serious health condition or by reason of a serious health condition affecting the employee that renders such employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position; and (2) would otherwise be leave without pay.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2008
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends federal veterans' benefits provisions to entitle to educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill individuals in certain length-of-service categories who, commencing on or after September 11, 2001, serve on active duty in the Armed Forces. Establishes the duration of such assistance (in most cases 36 months) and assistance amounts. Requires programs of education pursued with such assistance to be approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Allows for the pursuit of an approved program of education while on active duty. Allows, under such assistance, for the pursuit of: (1) programs on less than a half-time basis; (2) apprenticeship or other on-job training; (3) correspondence courses; (4) flight training; (5) tutorial assistance; and (6) licensure and certification tests. Makes individuals entitled to assistance under this Act also eligible for supplemental educational assistance for additional active duty service. Requires the Secretary to carry out a program, to be known as the "Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program," under which colleges and universities may enter into an agreement with the Secretary to cover, for certain individuals, a portion of established charges not otherwise covered and match contributions toward such costs. Requires educational assistance under this Act to be used within 15 years of the individual's discharge or release from active duty (with exceptions). Allows individuals currently under the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program to elect to participate in the post-9/11 educational assistance program with respect to any unused entitlement.
![Official portrait of Rep. Kucinich, Dennis J. [D-OH-10]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000336_200.jpg)