United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2008
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the emergency communications services provided by the American Red Cross are vital for providing communication between military service members and their families during emergencies or other important events.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2008
Provides that no automatic pay adjustment shall be considered to have taken effect in FY2009 in the rates of basic pay for Members of Congress under the statutory pay system (thus eliminating the pay adjustment for Members for such fiscal year).
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2008
Stealth Tax Relief Extension Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the exemption from the alternative minimum tax for individual taxpayers in 2008; and (2) extend through 2008 the allowance of certain nonrefundable tax credits against alternative minimum tax liability.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Helping Our Veterans to Keep Their Homes Act of 2008 - Increases from 90% to 100% of the reasonable value of a veteran's dwelling or farm residence the amount of the loan to be guaranteed or made in the case of a loan to refinance certain loans. Repeals the current fee schedule with respect to veterans' housing and small business loans. Changes the loan fee for such loans to 1% of the total amount of the loan guaranteed, insured, or made, or in the case of a loan assumption, the unpaid principal balance of the loan on the date of the transfer of the property. Extends the demonstration projects involving: (1) adjustable rate mortgages through FY2018; and (2) hybrid adjustable rate through FY2012. Increases the maximum loan guaranty amount of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) conforming limit limitation determined for a single-family residence, as adjusted for the year involved. Provides for an annual inflation increase in home loan guaranty amounts. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to review and streamline the process of guaranteeing home loans for the purchase of a condominium.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to back-date to September 11, 2001, the period of active duty or performed active service, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations, for which members of Ready Reserve components of the armed forces shall receive credit in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Amends the Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990 to revise the special pay adjustments for (percentage differentials payable to) federal law enforcement officers in specified consolidated metropolitan statistical areas. Includes Capitol Police as law enforcement officers under such Act. Eliminates the limitation on the aggregate of basic pay and premium pay with respect to availability pay for federal criminal investigators.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Veterans' Access to Local Options for Recovery Act of 2007 (VALOR Act) - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into a contract with a non-Department of Veterans Affairs facility located in an eligible metropolitan statistical area to provide hospital care and medical services to veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law on April 23, 1908. Recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the service of its past and present citizen-soldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland defense of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Small Business Regulatory Improvement Act - Revises the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Defines the "economic impact" of a rule to include any direct or indirect economic effects on small entities. Requires initial regulatory flexibility analyses of a proposed rule to contain a detailed statement describing the type of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply. Revises provisions requiring the publication by each agency of a plan for the periodic review of its rules that have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities to determine whether they should be continued, changed, or rescinded, including to: (1) limit to two years the amount of time the period for reviewing an agency's regulations may be extended; and (2) require each agency to report annually on review results to Congress and to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Requires an agency to notify the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration of any draft rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities either: (1) when the agency submits a draft rule to the such Office, if submission is required; or (2) if no submission to the Office is so required, at a reasonable time before publication of the rule by the agency. Requires that final regulatory flexibility analyses include the agency's response to any comments filed on a rule by the Chief Counsel and a detailed statement of any changes made as a result.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Directs the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to provide for the liquidation or reliquidation of certain entries relating to high-density laminate panels.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Directs the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to provide for the liquidation or reliquidation of certain entries relating to high-density laminate panels.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Directs the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to provide for the liquidation or reliquidation of certain entries relating to high-density laminate panels.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Directs the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to provide for the liquidation or reliquidation of certain entries relating to high-density laminate panels.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2007
Honors the U.S. Coast Guard, with its proud 217-year legacy of maritime law enforcement and border protection, along with the brave men and women whose efforts clearly demonstrate the honor, respect, and devotion to duty that ensures America's parents can sleep soundly knowing the Coast Guard is on patrol.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2007
Emergency Relief Tax Check-Off for Our Armed Forces Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction (available to taxpayers who do not itemize their tax deductions) for charitable contributions of up to $1,000 ($2,000 in the case of a joint return) to the Armed Forces Relief Trust. Allows taxpayers to designate on their tax returns a portion of any overpayment of tax as a contribution to the Trust or to make a cash contribution to the Trust with their tax returns. Establishes an advisory board to advise the Trust on its operation and on the distribution of contributed funds.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2007
Declares that it is U.S. policy to commit a minimum of 4% of the nation's gross domestic product to the base defense budget in order to meet the fundamental national security requirements of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2007
Katie Elise and Meghan Agnes Act - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promulgate final consumer product safety standards, applicable to any furniture the CPSC determines poses a substantial safety hazard due to tipping, that are (at a minimum) substantially the same as a specified ASTM standard. Requires the CPSC to promulgate final consumer product safety standards to require that, in any furniture containing a glass surface or pane of a size that poses a safety hazard on breaking, the glass be safety glass.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Mail Network Protection Act of 2007 - Requires the U.S. Postal Service to bargain with unions representing career Postal Service employees before entering into a contract for mail processing, mail handling, or surface transportation of mail if the contract, in a 12 month period, would involve work that would otherwise be performed by those employees and either: (1) involve more than a specified amount of work time; or (2) cost over $5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Justice for the Newark College Students Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security (current law refers to the Attorney General) to make investigative resources available to state and local law enforcement agencies to determine whether an individual arrested for a felony or an aggravated felony (current law refers to only an aggravated felony) is unlawfully in the United States; (2) state and local agencies to use such information to determine whether an arrested individual is unlawfully in the United States and to provide the appropriate court with such information; (3) the court to report such case's disposition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and (4) mandatory federal detention of such individuals pending removal, and release only in furtherance of the felony case for which the arrest was made.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Establishes a Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform to study and report to the House and the Senate on the practices of the legislative and executive branch regarding earmarks in authorizing, appropriation, tax, and tariff measures. Makes it out of order to consider a bill, joint resolution, or conference report containing a congressional earmark, limited tax benefit, or limited tariff benefit until the filing of such report.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Commemorates the wisdom of President Theodore Roosevelt in developing and launching the Great White Fleet. Supports a one-time designation of a day to celebrate the 100th centennial of the Great White Fleet and the special role it played in building enduring friendships with important allies and partner nations. Commends efforts by the Department of the Navy to: (1) maintain and strengthen our cooperative partnerships with foreign nations; (2) safeguard our Nation's interests in the maritime domain; and (3) lead the development of a Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower. Honors the sacrifices made and services rendered by the servicemembers of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard, and the civilians who constitute our maritime services.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2007
Prevention of Unsafe Licensing Act - Amends the REAL ID Act of 2005 to prohibit a state from issuing a driver's license or identification document to a person unless the state has satisfied certain citizenship or lawful immigration status verification requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Expresses strong support for the work of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad and for the European countries that continue to work to preserve sacred historical sites. Expresses strong sentiments to the government of Lithuania that the people of the United States believe the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, must not be further desecrated. Declares that if the Government of Lithuania fails to immediately stop construction and protect the cemetery it will jeopardize its important relationship with the United States and its standing in the international community.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Expresses strong concern over Russia's continued arms sales to Iran and Syria. Urges the President to implement sanctions against Russian entities engaged in arms sales to Iran or Syria. Urges the government of Russia to play a constructive role in establishing peace in the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2007
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a $300 plot allowance to a state for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in state cemeteries.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2007
Requires the U.S. Postal Service to provide for the issuance and sale of a veterans health care stamp to help fund the medical care and treatment of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2007
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 - Appropriates funds for FY2008 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) family housing construction and related operation and maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) DOD chemical demilitarization construction; and (6) the Department of Defense Base Closure Accounts of 1990 and 2005. Appropriates funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for: (1) the Veterans Benefits Administration; (2) readjustment benefits; (3) veterans insurance and indemnities; (4) the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund; (5) the Vocational Rehabilitation Loans Program; (6) the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program; (7) guaranteed transitional housing loans for homeless veterans; (8) the Veterans Health Administration; (9) the National Cemetery Administration; (10) the Office of Inspector General; (11) construction for major and minor projects; and (12) grants for the construction of extended care facilities and veterans cemeteries. Appropriates funds for: (1) the American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; (3) cemeterial expenses, Army; and (4) the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Specifies restrictions and authorities regarding the use of funds appropriated in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2007
Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to effect a one-year moratorium on the Medicare recovery audit contractor program, under which the Secretary contracts with recovery audit contractors to identify underpayments and overpayments, and recoup overpayments, with respect to all services for which payment is made under part A or B of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Requires: (1) the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to evaluate the program for Congress; and (2) the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the use of recovery audit contractors in the Medicare Integrity program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 2007
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that states should not issue driver's licenses or other government-issued photo identification to aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2007
Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries and Space Available Travel Act - Requires veterans with disabilities rated at 30% or more to be permitted to use commissary and exchange stores on the same basis as members of the Armed Forces eligible for retired or retainer pay. Extends such benefit to dependents on the same basis. Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide transportation on Department of Defense aircraft on a space-available basis for any veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 50% or more on the same basis as members entitled to retired or retainer pay. Extends such benefit to dependents on the same basis.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2007
Amends Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to consider any bill, joint resolution, or conference report, containing appropriations within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations if such measure also contains appropriations within the jurisdiction of any other subcommittee of that Committee. (Thus requires that general appropriations for military construction and veterans' affairs be considered as stand-alone measures.) Exempts from such requirement any measure making supplemental appropriations or continuing appropriations for up to 60 days.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2007
Declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2007
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration employees, volunteers, and veteran's service organizations that perform funeral honors and memorial honor details should be permitted to recite the 13 steps to fold an American flag (known as the "13-fold recital") at any national cemetery if requested to do so by the family of the deceased.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2007
Commends all U.S. Post Offices that display photographs of local community members who are serving in the Armed Forces and are deployed overseas. Reaffirms the authority of the U.S. Postal Service to display in post offices official photographs of members of the Armed Forces at the request of the community or the servicemembers' families. Urges U.S. Post Offices to reserve or designate space in their public areas for the purpose of displaying photographs of servicemembers.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2007
Home Health Care Access Protection Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services and adjustments to it for case mix changes. Prohibits any adjustment in the PPS for payment in 2008. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for any adjustment in a subsequent year, to evaluate changes in case mix using standards developed consistent with specified processes, taking certain criteria into account. Directs the Secretary to convene a Technical Advisory Group to advise on the development of such standards. Prohibits the Secretary from taking any action to implement or otherwise carry out provisions in the final rule published on August 29, 2007, that propose to make a case mix adjustment to the standardized payment amounts under the PPS to account for changes in coding that were not related to an underlying change in patient health status. Directs the Secretary to republish any rates specified in such rule to take into account the application of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2007
Shortens the length of the obligated period of active duty service required of certain members of the Armed Forces to receive certain veterans' education benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2007
Urges the Board of Directors of the World Bank to request a policy review of current disbursements to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to end these disbursements until the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) certifies Iran's compliance with U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1696 and 1747 and the terms of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Urges the Security Council to order the World Bank to end disbursements to Iran if the Board of Directors fails to take such action.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2007
Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007 - Requires (current law authorizes) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse certain veterans without a service-connected disability enrolled as active participants of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care plan for the cost of emergency treatment received in a non-VA facility until such time as such veterans are transferred to a VA facility. Requires (current law authorizes) the Secretary to reimburse certain veterans with a service-connected disability or a non-service-connected disability associated with or aggravating a service-connected disability for the value of emergency treatment for which such veterans have made payment from sources other than the VA.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2007
Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act of 2007 - Provides that, in the case of a member of the Armed Forces who is retired or separated for disability due to a combat-related injury, the Secretary of Defense shall require the continued payment of any bonuses or special pay to which the member: (1) was entitled to immediately before the retirement or separation; and (2) would continue to be entitled to if not retired or separated. Requires such payment in a lump sum within 30 days after such retirement or separation.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2007
Andrew Larochelle God, Family, and Country Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to permit the acknowledgment of God on flag certificates issued at the request of a Member of the United States House of Representatives or of the United States Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2007
Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to enter into cooperative agreements with, or make grants to, public or nonprofit entities to establish and operate centers to conduct research on biomarkers for use in risk stratification for, and the early detection and screening of, ovarian cancer. Designates each center as an Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Center of Excellence. Allows federal payments under such an agreement or grant to be used for research on: (1) the development and characterization of new biomarkers and the refinement of existing biomarkers; (2) the clinical and laboratory validation of such biomarkers; (3) the development and implementation of clinical and epidemiological research on the utilization of such biomarkers; and (4) the development and implementation of repositories for new tissue, urine, serum, and other biological specimens. Requires the Director to: (1) make available for research banked serum and tissue specimens from clinical research regarding ovarian cancer that was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); (2) establish an Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Clinical Trial Committee to assist the Director to design and implement national clinical trials to determine the utility of such biomarkers; and (3) establish a national data center to conduct statistical analyses of trial data.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2007
Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to calculate the federal upper reimbursement limit as no less than 300% of the weighted average (based on utilization) of the most recent average manufacturer prices (AMPs) for pharmaceutically and therapeutically equivalent multiple source drug products available for purchase by retail community pharmacies on a nationwide basis. Directs the Secretary to implement a smoothing process for AMPs to ensure that federal upper reimbursement limits do not vary significantly from month to month as a result of rebates, discounts, and other pricing practices. Requires a state plan to subject to prior authorization all covered outpatient drug products that are innovator multiple source drugs, if such drug products are more expensive than other biologically and therapeutically equivalent drug products available for purchase in that state by retail community pharmacies. Revises requirements for monthly reports to the Secretary of price information by manufacturers subject to rebate agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2007
Disapproves a specified rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to Medicare coverage for the use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents in cancer and related neoplastic conditions. Declares that such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2007
Condemns all attacks upon the memory of veterans and their service to the United States, as exemplified by the incident of vandalism of September 7, 2007, (at the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial, Washington, D.C.).
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2007
Military Eye Trauma Treatment Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to establish within the Department of Defense (DOD) the Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries to: (1) develop and oversee the Military Eye Injury Registry for tracking the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for each case of eye injury incurred by a member of the Armed Forces while on active duty; and (2) ensure the electronic exchange of Registry information with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Requires the Secretary to: (1) include in the Registry records of members who incurred eye injuries while on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, but before the Registry's establishment; and (2) report to Congress on the Center's establishment. Directs the Secretary and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a cooperative study on neuro-optometric screening and diagnosis of members with traumatic brain injury (TBI) by military medical treatment facilities and VA medical centers for purposes of vision screening, diagnosis, rehabilitative management, and vision research on visual dysfunction related to TBI.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2007
Prostate Research, Imaging, and Men's Education Act of 2007 or the PRIME Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to: (1) carry out a program to expand and intensify research to develop advanced imaging technologies for prostate cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment comparable to mammogram technology; and (2) utilize the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Cancer Institute for advanced stages of research in prostate imaging. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to: (1) carry out a grant program to encourage the early stages of research in prostate imaging to develop and implement new ideas, proof of concepts, and pilot studies for high-risk technologic innovation; and (2) establish interdisciplinary private-public partnerships to develop research strategies for expedited innovation in imaging and image-guided treatment. Directs the Secretary: (1) to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness and knowledge with respect to the need for prostate cancer screening and for improved detection technologies; (2) in carrying out the program and the campaign, to recognize and address the racial disparities in the incidences of prostate cancer and mortality rates and any racial barriers in access to care and participation in clinical trials; (3) establish a program to award grants to nonprofit private entities to test alternative outreach and education strategies; and (4) carry out research to develop an improved prostate cancer screening blood test using in-vitro detection.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2007
James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health the World Trade Center Health Program (WTC program) to provide medical monitoring and treatment benefits to: (1) eligible emergency responders and recovery and cleanup workers who responded to the New York City terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001; and (2) residents and other building occupants and area workers who were directly impacted and adversely affected by such attacks. Requires the WTC program administrator to: (1) establish the WTC Health Program Steering Committee and the WTC Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee; (2) institute a program that provides education and outreach on the existence and availability of services under the WTC program; and (3) provide for the uniform collection of data related to WTC-related health conditions. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish similar programs with respect to the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Requires the administrator to conduct or support research on: (1) physical and mental health conditions that may be related to the September 11 terrorist attacks; and (2) diagnosing and treating WTC-related health conditions. Requires the administrator to extend and expand arrangements with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to provide for the World Trade Center Health Registry. Authorizes the administrator to make grants to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to address mental health needs relating to the terrorist attacks. Amends the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act to provide, under certain circumstances, for an extension of time for filing claims under the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2007
Honors: (1) the sacrifices and commitment of the men, women, and families of the United States Transportation Command; and (2) the achievements of the Transportation Command during the global war on terrorism.
![Official portrait of Rep. LoBiondo, Frank A. [R-NJ-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000554_200.jpg)