United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Child Custody Protection Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor across a State line to obtain an abortion and thereby abridging the right of a parent under a law in force in the State where the minor resides requiring parental involvement in a minor's abortion decision. Makes an exception if the abortion was necessary to save the life of the minor. Specifies that neither the minor transported nor her parent may be prosecuted or sued for a violation of this Act. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution for, or to a civil action based on, such a violation that the defendant reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the parental consent or notification or judicial authorization that would have been required had the abortion been performed in the State where the minor resides, took place. Authorizes any parent who suffers harm from a violation to obtain appropriate relief in a civil action. Defines "parent" to include a guardian, legal custodian, or person standing in loco parentis who has care and control of the minor, and with whom the minor regularly resides, who is designated by such law as a person to whom notification, or from whom consent, is required.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, based on recommendations from the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Advisory Panel (established by this Act), to make grants, after a process of peer review and programmatic review, to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of not more than eight centers for the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research on environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Constitutional Amendment - Requires that any bill, resolution, or other legislative measure changing the internal revenue laws shall require for final adoption in each House the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of that House voting and present, unless the bill is determined at the time of adoption not to increase the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount. States that for purposes of determining any increase, there shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering of an effective rate of any tax. Requires journal entry of any vote. Permits the waiver of such requirement, for up to two years, if there is a declaration of war or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat to national security, and is so declared by a joint resolution which becomes law.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2003
Constitutional Amendment - States that people retain the right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including schools. States that the United States and the States shall not establish any official religion nor require any person to join in prayer or religious activity.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2003
Sound Science for Endangered Species Act Planning Act of 2003 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) give greater weight to scientific and commercial data that is empirical or that has been field-tested or peer-reviewed in determining that a species is an endangered or threatened species; and (2) promulgate regulations that establish criteria for data to be used as the basis of such a determination. Prohibits the Secretary from determining that a species is endangered or threatened unless the determination is supported by field data. Requires the Secretary to include in the rule-making record of such a determination data collected by landowners. Requires the Secretary to publish a description of additional scientific and commercial data that would assist in the preparation of a recovery plan. Directs the Secretary to: (1) solicit recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences and develop a list of qualified reviewers to participate in independent scientific review actions; and (2) appoint from such list three individuals who shall report on the scientific information and analyses on which final action is based. Requires the Secretary, when consulting with a Federal agency to determine whether agency action will jeopardize an endangered or threatened species or destroy the critical habitat of such species, to: (1) consider information provided by affected States; and (2) allow any person who has sought agency authorization or funding for an action to participate in related consultations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2003
Apprenticeship Enhancement Act of 2003 - Amends the National Apprenticeship Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to ensure that applications relating to apprenticeship programs are processed in a fair and timely manner. Allows aggrieved applicants to file petitions for judicial review of final determinations by the Secretary or applicable designee.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
American LIFE Fund for the Medical Treatment of the Uninsured in Honor of the Victims of September 11th, 2001, Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit an individual to designate a portion of any tax overpayment for the Health Coverage for the Uninsured Trust Fund, which shall use such funds to provide injury and catastrophic illness protection to individuals without health coverage. Establishes in the Treasury the Health Coverage for the Uninsured Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
Quality Cancer Care Preservation Act - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the payment amount for covered drugs and biologicals furnished during a calendar quarter that are not paid on a cost or prospective payment basis. Changes such amount from 95 percent of the average wholesale price to 120 percent of the average sales price of the drug or biological for the second preceding calendar quarter. Requires drug manufacturers to report average sales prices each calendar quarter for covered drugs and biologicals. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) revise the practice expense relative value units for drug administration services (including chemotherapy administration services) in accordance with this Act to determine the units to be used in determining the fee schedule amounts paid for drug administration services under the Medicare program; (2) recognize and make payments under Medicare for chemotherapy support services furnished incident to physicians' services; (3) recognize and establish a payment amount for the service of cancer therapy management to account for the greater pre-service and post-service work associated with visits and consultations conducted by physicians treating cancer patients compared to typical visits and consultations; and (4) develop a revised methodology for determining the payment amounts for services that are paid under the Medicare fee schedule and that do not have physician work relative value units, including radiation oncology services. Amends SSA title XVIII to provide that if the Secretary requires direct supervision of a service by a physician, that supervision requirement may be fulfilled by one or more physicians other than the physician who ordered the service.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
Universal Service Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in calculating Federal universal service support for eligible telecommunications carriers that serve rural, insular, and high cost areas, to revise its support mechanism for high cost areas to provide support to each wire center in which the incumbent local exchange carrier's average cost per line for such center exceeds 3.75 times the national average cost per line. Requires the FCC to provide support for each State equal to the greater of the amount calculated under the FCC's current support mechanism for high cost areas or the amount calculated above. Limits per State support and total support for all States. Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the need to reform the high cost support mechanism for rural, insular, and high cost areas. States that nothing in this Act shall affect the support provided to rural telephone companies.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2003
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 Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to maintaining the security of all freedom-loving nations. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) strike such gold medal (and authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell duplicate bronze medals); and (2) deposit sums received from the sale of the bronze medals into the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2003 - Prohibits any person or organization from performing, permitting facilities to be used to perform, or assisting in the performance of an abortion on an unemancipated minor under age 18, without: (1) clear and convincing evidence of physical abuse of the minor by the parent and the provision of written notification to the parents; (2) compliance with a 96-hour waiting period after notice has been received by the parents; and (3) compliance with judicial intervention procedures. Prescribes penalties of up to ten years' imprisonment and/or a $1 million fine for violating such prohibition. Provides for an exception where a physician without principal responsibility for making the decision to perform the abortion determines that: (1) a medical emergency exists due to a grave, physical disorder or disease that would cause the minor's death if an abortion is not performed; (2) parental notification is not possible as a result of the emergency; and (3) certifications and determinations to that effect have been entered in the minor's medical records. Requires parental notification through certified mail or personal delivery. Authorizes a notified parent to bring an action in Federal district court which shall enjoin the abortion: (1) until the court's judgment is final; or (2) permanently unless the court determines that granting such relief would be unlawful.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act - Provides that, for purposes of the Federal Communications Commission's regulation relating to station antenna structures in the amateur radio services, any private land use rules applicable to such structures shall be treated as a State or local regulation and subject to the same requirements and limitations of such a regulation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Condemns the Earth Liberation Front and its adoption of terrorist tactics that destroy private property and endanger the lives of private property owners, government officials, law enforcement, and firefighters. Urges the Attorney General and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to: (1) seek to investigate and punish the actions of the Earth Liberation Front and its supporters; (2) pursue Earth Liberation Front as a terrorist organization and work closely with State and local law enforcement to combat it and its destruction of private property; and (3) continue to exhaust all resources in the fight against all forms of terrorism, foreign and domestic.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2003
Condemns the attacks on U.S. citizens by Palestinian terrorists and demands that the Palestinian Authority work with Israel to protect all innocent individuals, regardless of citizenship, from terrorist atrocities. Offers condolences to the families and loved ones of U.S. citizens who were killed by such attacks.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2003
Reaffirms the U.S. Government's commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8) as the cornerstone of U.S. relations with Taiwan. Urges the President to direct all appropriate U.S. officials to raise concerns regarding China's military threats to Taiwan with China's officials and to seek from China's leaders an immediate and unequivocal public renunciation of any use of force, or threat to use force, against Taiwan. Urges the President to encourage further dialogue between democratic Taiwan and China. Urges U.S. policy, in conformity with the Taiwan Relations Act, to publicly support a United States-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2003
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should withhold its voluntary contributions to the United Nations (UN) until the UN Charter is amended to ensure that a UN member may not be a member of the Security Council, or serve as chair of, or in any other position of responsibility in, any UN organ or agency, unless the government of such country has been democratically elected.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2003
IDEA Parental Choice Act of 2003 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to authorize use of funds for parental school choice programs which may involve vouchers for private or public education for students with disabilities. Allows the use of certain research and innovation grant and contract funds to support planning, design, and implementation of State programs that allow parents of children with disabilities a choice of an appropriate public or private school (parental option program). Allows any State with a statewide or local area parental option program that allows use of public funds to pay some or all costs of attendance at a public or private school to supplement those public funds from its IDEA allocation, if the Federal funds are distributed to parents who make a genuine independent choice as to the appropriate school for their child. Provides that a State's allowing a parent to exercise this option fulfills the State's obligation to provide a free appropriate public education with respect to the child with disabilities during the period in which the child is enrolled in the selected school. Authorizes use of IDEA funds for local educational agencies to support reasonable additional expenses for the accommodation of students with disabilities who are eligible to receive supplemental education services, including services from private or faith-based providers, because they attend underachieving schools designated for improvement. Allows, at a State's discretion, students with disabilities up to age six, who meet certain criteria, to be included in IDEA early intervention services programs (thus giving parents the choice to have their child continue with the same service provider).
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2003
Broad-Based Stock Option Plan Transparency Act of 2003 - Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require companies to include within certain mandatory reports details regarding stock option plans, stock purchase plans, and other arrangements involving employee acquisition of an equity interest in the company, including: (1) a discussion of the dilutive effect of stock option plans (written in accordance with the Plain English Handbook published by the Office of Investor Education and Assistance of the Commission); (2) expanded disclosure of the dilutive effect of employee stock options on the company's earnings per share number; (3) prominent placement and increased comparability of all stock option related information; and (4) a summary of stock options granted to the five most highly compensated executive officers, including outstanding stock options of those officers. Directs the SEC to examine and report to specified congressional committees on the effectiveness of the enhanced disclosures required by this Act in increasing transparency to current and potential investors. Prohibits the Commission, between enactment of this Act and submission of such report, from recognizing as generally accepted accounting principles any new accounting standards regarding the treatment of stock options. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to analyze and report to specified congressional committees on broad-based employee stock option plans, particularly in the high technology and any other high growth industries.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2003
Rural Fire Department Equipment Priority Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture to utilize the Federal Excess Personal Property program of the Forest Service to facilitate the reutilization of Department of Defense personal property by firefighting agencies in rural areas. Requires the priority given to such transfers by the Department of Defense to be at least equal to that given for transferring such property to military departments and defense agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the deduction of premiums for mortgage insurance. Provides for the phaseout of such deduction based on income.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2003
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should increase trade opportunities with Taiwan by launching negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2003
Medicare Ambulance Payment Reform Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to payment for ambulance services to revise requirements for the establishment of a fee schedule. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a system for the coding of claims for ambulance services, including a code set specifying the medical condition of the individual transported by an ambulance and the appropriate level of transportation service.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2003
Access to Cancer Therapies Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend Medicare coverage to all oral drugs prescribed for use as an anticancer agent for a medically accepted indication.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2003
American Heroes Repatriation Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Defense, upon application by a qualified person, to provide for: (1) the removal of the remains of any person interred in an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery in France or Belgium; and (2) transportation of such remains to a location in the United States selected by the qualified person.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
E-Rate Termination Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal provisions requiring: (1) telecommunications carriers to provide universal telecommunications and information services to elementary and secondary schools and libraries at rates less than those charged for similar services to other parties; and (2) the Federal Communications Commission to enhance the access of such schools and libraries to advanced telecommunications and information services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Adoption Information Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to limit grants or contracts for family planning service projects or programs to projects or programs that will provide a pamphlet containing a comprehensive list of adoption centers in that State.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit: (1) Federal civilian and military retirees to pay Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and TRICARE supplemental premiums on a pretax basis; and (2) a deduction (available to itemizers and nonitemizers) for TRICARE supplemental premiums and enrollment fees. Sets an implementation deadline of the first open enrollment period beginning not less than 90 days following enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Securing Access, Value, and Equality in Health Care Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual a tax credit in an amount equal to the amount paid for qualified health insurance, subject to stated limitations. Requires persons who receive payments for health insurance coverage of an individual to make certain information returns. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make advance payments to the provider of an individual's qualified health insurance equal to the Secretary's estimate of the amount of credit allowable for the eligible individual.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Moment of Quiet Reflection in Schools Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require each local educational agency (LEA), if it receives ESEA funds, to ensure that the teacher in charge of each classroom in each school served by the LEA conducts a brief period of quiet reflection for not more than 60 seconds with the participation of all the students assembled in the classroom, at the opening of school on every school day. Prohibits such period from being conducted as a religious service or exercise. Requires such period to be considered as an opportunity for a moment of silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day. Declares that this Act shall not be construed as prohibiting or restricting constitutionally protected prayer. Requires LEAs, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, to certify in writing to their State that they are in compliance with this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Child Medication Safety Act of 2003 - Requires States, as a condition of receiving funds under any program or activity administered by the Secretary of Education, to develop and implement policies and procedures prohibiting school personnel from requiring a child, as a condition of attending school or receiving services, to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance in schedule II under specified provisions of the Controlled Substances Act. (Thus prohibits school personnel from coercing children to receive, or their parents to administer, psychotropic medication.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth that a plan or other arrangement shall not cease to count as a cafeteria plan solely because qualified benefits under such plan include a health flexible spending arrangement under which, with respect to any plan year, not more than $500 of unused health benefits may be carried forward to the next year of such arrangement or paid to or on behalf of an employee as compensation from employment. Sets forth rules for determining whether or not such benefits shall be included or excluded from income.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Prohibition on United Nations Taxation Act of 2003 - Prohibits the obligation of U.S. funds to the United Nations (UN) or any of its agencies, or to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or any of its agencies, if the UN or OECD attempt to: (1) impose a tax or fee on any U.S. person; (2) impose a policy that would enable foreign governments to tax income earned inside the borders of the United States; or (3) borrow funds from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), the International Monetary Fund, or any other similar or regional international financial institution. Prohibits the obligation of U.S. funds to the UN or any of its agencies (including the UN Development Program), or to OECD or any of its agencies, unless the President certifies to Congress 15 days in advance of such payment that the UN or OECD and their agencies are not engaged in any efforts to develop or promote any taxation or fee proposals in order to raise revenue or any proposals allowing foreign taxation on U.S.-source income.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
American Servicemember and Citizen Protection Act of 2003 - Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for the establishment or operation of the International Criminal Court. Declares that any action taken by or on behalf of the Court: (1) against any member of the U.S. armed forces shall be considered an act of aggression against the United States; or (2) against any U.S. citizen or national shall be considered an offense against the law of nations. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties against any person who knowingly violates the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Family Time Flexibility Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for compensatory time for all employees. Allows an employee to receive, in lieu of monetary overtime compensation, compensatory time off at a rate not less than one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Milk Import Tariff Equity Act - Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to impose tariff-rate quotas (quantitative import limits) and provide various duty rates on certain casein, caseinates, milk protein concentrate, and other casein derivatives and glues imported into the United States (except imports from Mexico). Authorizes the President to: (1) enter into a trade agreement with a foreign country to grant new concessions as compensation in order to maintain the general level of reciprocal and mutually advantageous concessions; and (2) proclaim any necessary modification or continuance of any existing duty, or continuance of existing duty-free or excise treatment, or any quantitative limitation. Sets forth certain limits on the reduction of duties on such products.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the amount of section 179 property which may be expensed and permit the expensing of computer software; and (2) classify restaurants and franchise operations as 15-year property.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
Congressional Pension Accountability Act - Provides that: (1) all service as a Member of Congress of an individual who is expelled from Congress shall be noncreditable for purposes of determining eligibility for, or the amount of, any annuity which might otherwise be payable out of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund based on such service; (2) all Government contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan for that individual while that individual was performing Member service (and attributed earnings) shall be forfeited; and (3) the portion of such an individual's lump-sum credit which is attributable to such Member service (less any amount previously refunded or paid as annuity benefits) shall be payable to such individual or, if deceased, to the appropriate beneficiary or beneficiaries.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
Code Talkers Recognition Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the presentation of a congressional gold medal: (1) to persons, including specified individuals, who served as Sioux or Comanche Code Talkers during World War II; (2) honoring the Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I; and (3) to any other Native American member of the armed forces, identified by the Secretary of Defense, who served as a Code Talker in any foreign conflict in which the United States was involved during the 20th Century. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck under this Act and to deposit the proceeds in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to pay for the costs of the medals awarded under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2003
The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act - Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 to make the sunset provisions inapplicable to provisions that expanded and increased the adoption credit and adoption assistance programs under the Internal Revenue Code.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2003
American History and Civics Education Act of 2003 - Directs the Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to award competitive grants to nonprofit educational institutions to establish: (1) Presidential Academies for Teaching of American History and Civics to offer workshops for teachers of American history and civics; and (2) Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics to offer workshops for outstanding students of American history and civics. Directs the NEA Chairperson to award a grant to an organization for the creation of a national alliance of elementary school and secondary school teachers of American history and civics.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2003
Wildfire Response Enhancement Act - Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to place an order with any Federal agency for goods or services directly related to fighting wildfires if the goods or services are necessary to properly respond to a wildfire without regard to a provision requiring a prior determination that the goods or services cannot be provided by contract as conveniently or cheaply by a commercial enterprise.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Aerial Firefighter Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide for death and disability benefits for aerial firefighters who serve the Forest Service or any agency of the Department of the Interior and suffer death or disability in the line of duty. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for similar eligibility of aerial firefighters for public safety officer death benefits, applicable to a public agency.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Union Member Information Enforcement Act - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to direct the Secretary of Labor to: (1) investigate any written complaint of a member alleging that a labor organization has violated requirements to inform its members of their rights; and (2) without disclosing the identity of the complainant, bring a civil action for relief upon determining that such violation has occurred and has not been remedied.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Labor Management Accountability Act - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to authorize the Secretary of Labor, upon finding a violation of specified reporting and disclosure requirements (regarding constitution and bylaws, financial reports, securities, reports of the employer, and trusteeships), to require the person, labor organization or employer responsible to pay a civil money penalty in an amount determined under a schedule that takes into account the nature of the violation involved, the existence of previous violations, and the responsible entity's revenues. Prohibits the Secretary from making any determination adverse to a person, labor organization, or employer until such person or entity has been given written notice and an opportunity to be heard. Specifies review procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Union Members Right-to-Know Act - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to require a labor organization to provide information on the Act to: (1) each new member within 90 days after the member has joined the labor organization; and (2) all members periodically in a manner which the Secretary of Labor determines will promote a fuller understanding of the member's rights and judicial remedies under the Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Musgrave, Marilyn N. [R-CO-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001152_200.jpg)