Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9]

Amendment reaffirms State and local law enforcement's existing inherent authority to assist in the enforcement of immigration law, provides for training on this issue at no cost to the local agency, increases law enforcement's access to vital information on illegal criminal aliens, and provides increased and additional resources (SCAAP grants, Institutional Removal Program, and a new grant program) to help assist in the enforcement of immigration laws.

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An amendment to reduce funds appropriated in the bill for the Occupational Health and Safety Agency by $11.2 million and to increase funds for programs funded by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act commensurately.

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An amendment numbered 8 printed in House Report 109-76 to require DHS to provide to the National Crime Information Center of the Department of Justice information on three categories of illegal aliens: those with a final order of removal, those who have signed a voluntary departure agreement, and those who have overstayed their visa.

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An amendment numbered 2 printed in House Report 107-184 to provide patient protections and the right to independent medical review for denials of medical care by the health plan; to guarantee patients new federal remedies to hold their health plans accountable when they have been injured by wrongful denial or delay of medical care; to allow cases against employers to be removed to federal court by the defendant; to allow cases against health insurers to be heard in state court; to allow employers to designate decision makers who will have sole liability for benefit determinations; to ensure that patients must exhaust the independent medical review process befor seeking expanded damages in court; to allow patients to seek injunctive relief at any time for irreparable harm; to allow unlimited economic damages in both federal and state court; to limit non-economic damages at $1.5 million and will be available only where the designated decision maker fails to comply with the independent medical reviewer's decision that the claim for benefits should be granted; and to limit class action lawsuits under ERISA and RICO to participants in a group health plan established by a single plan sponsor.

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An amendment numbered 18 printed in part B of House Report 109-84 to clarify the existing authority of State and local enforcement personnel to apprehend, detain, remove, and transport illegal aliens in the routine course of duty. Also requires DHS to establish a training manual on this matter and set forth simple guidelines for making that training available.

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An amendment numbered 9 printed in House Report 109-76 to require a study, to be conducted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, on the link of illegal aliens and gang membership.

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An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 109-554 to update the formula in section 4 of the Voting Rights Act that determines which states and jurisdictions will be covered under Section 5 of the act. This updated formula would be a rolling test based off of the last three presidential elections. Any state would be subject to Section 5 if it currently has a discriminatory test in place or voter turnout of less than 50% in any of the three most recent presidential elections.

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An amendment numbered 13 printed in House Report 107-69 to authorize school personnel to discipline a student with a disability who has a weapon; knowingly possesses or uses illegal drugs or sells or solicits the sale of a controlled substance; or commits aggravated assault or battery at a school in the same manner as they would discipline a non-disabled student who has commited the same offense, including suspension or expulsion. A disabled child who is disciplined under this amendment would be able to assert a defense that the possession of a weapon, or possession or use of illegal drugs, or sale or solicitation of a controlled substance, was unintentional or innocent.

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An amendment no. 39 and printed in Part A of H.Rept. 106-186 to allow school personnel to discipline students with disabilities who carry or possess weapons in the same manner as those students without disabilities.

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Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2007

Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act of 2007 - Sets forth standards for group health plans, including: (1) requiring plans to conduct utilization review activities in accordance with this Act; (2) establishing internal and external appeals processes; (3) requiring a grievance system; (4) requiring the plans to offer out-of network coverage; (5) prohibiting plans from requiring prior authorization for emergency services; (6) prohibiting prior authorization requirements for access to obstetrical or gynecological care; (7) requiring plans to provide for continuity of care during a transition period; (8) requiring plans to provide exceptions to formulary limitations; (9) prohibiting plans from restricting a health care professional from advising patients about health status or medical care; and (10) requiring prompt payment of claims. Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require group health plans to comply with the patient protection requirements of this Act. Requires health insurance issuers offering individual health insurance coverage to comply with such requirements. Sets forth effective dates and provisions regarding application of this Act to collective bargaining agreements. Requires the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury to ensure coordination of the administration of this Act. Establishes the Health Care Panel to Devise a Uniform Explanation of Benefits to devise a single form for use by third-party health care payers for the remittance of claims to providers.

Nuclear Family Priority Act

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Nuclear Family Priority Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to replace existing family-sponsored immigrant categories with a single preference allocation for spouses and children of permanent resident aliens. Reduces the number of, and revises the calculation for, fiscal year family-sponsored immigrant entrants.

Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2007

Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2007 - Amends the Hobbs Act to authorize imposition of a fine of up to $100,000, 20 years imprisonment, or both for: (1) obstructing, delaying, or affecting commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by robbery or extortion (or attempting or conspiring to do so); and (2) threatening physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with commerce by threats or violence. Makes provisions regarding any such interference inapplicable to conduct that: (1) is incidental to otherwise peaceful picketing during the course of a labor dispute; (2) consists solely of minor bodily injury, or minor damage to property, or threat or fear of such minor injury or damage; and (3) is not part of a pattern of violent conduct or of coordinated violent activity. Subjects such conduct to prosecution only by the appropriate state and local authorities.

To take certain steps toward recognition by the United States of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

Prohibits the United States from operating a U.S. consulate or diplomatic facility in Jerusalem unless it is under the supervision of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Requires any official U.S. government document which lists countries and their capital cities to identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Declares that, for purposes of registration of birth, certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a U.S. citizen born in Jerusalem, the Secretary of State shall, upon the citizen's (or the citizen's legal guardian's) request, record the place of birth as Israel.

Secret Ballot Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2007

Secret Ballot Protection Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to make it an unfair labor practice for: (1) an employer to recognize or bargain collectively with a labor organization that has not been selected by a majority of the employees in a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board; and (2) a labor organization to cause or attempt to cause an employer to recognize or bargain collectively with a representative that has not been selected in such manner.

CLEAR Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2007

Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2007 or CLEAR Act of 2007 - States that: (1) state and local law enforcement personnel, in the course of their routine duties, have the inherent authority to investigate, apprehend, or transfer to federal custody aliens in the United States (including interstate transportation of such aliens to detention centers) in order to assist in the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws; and (2) effective two years after enactment of this Act, a state that has in effect a statute, policy, or practice prohibiting such law enforcement assistance shall not receive certain federal incarceration assistance. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to illegal aliens to: (1) establish criminal penalties for aliens unlawfully present in the United States; (2) increase specified criminal penalties for illegal entry and failure to depart violations; and (3) expand the scope of, and increase, civil penalties for improper entry or failure to depart. Provides for the listing of immigration violators in the National Crime Information Center database. Encourages states and localities to provide the Department of Homeland Security with specified information about apprehended illegal aliens. Provides federal reimbursement for related State and local costs. (States that such provision shall not require state or local enforcement officials to provide the Department with information related to a victim of a crime or witness to a criminal offense.) Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to states and political subdivisions that enforce immigration laws in the course of their routine law enforcement duties for special equipment and facilities related to arresting, detaining, or transporting illegal aliens. Directs the Secretary to: (1) construct or acquire 20 additional detention facilities for aliens detained pending removal (or a decision on removal); and (2) consider the transfer of military installations under base closure laws for such purposes. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to illegal aliens apprehended by state or local authorities to provide for: (1) federal custody upon state or local request; and (2) state or local compensation for related incarceration and transportation costs. States with respect to an alien subject to removal that the Attorney General or Secretary shall ensure such alien's detention in an adequate (as defined by this Act) state or local prison, detention center, or other comparable facility prior to his or her removal examination. Directs the Secretary to establish immigration-related training for state and local personnel. Provides: (1) personal liability immunity to the same extent as corresponding federal immunity for state or local personnel enforcing immigration laws within the scope of their duties under this Act; and (2) civil rights money damage immunity for state or local agencies enforcing immigration laws unless their personnel violated criminal law in such enforcement. States that the Department shall continue to operate the institutional removal program (IRP), which shall be expanded to all states. Authorizes state or local detention of an illegal alien after completion of such alien's prison sentence for: (1) up to 14 days to facilitate federal transfer; or (2) until transfer to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize appropriations at a specified level for FY2012 and subsequent fiscal years for the state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP).

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage.

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2007

Constitutional Amendment - Declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of a legal union of a man and a woman. Prohibits any federal or state court from having jurisdiction to determine whether the U.S. Constitution or any state constitution requires the legal incidents of marriage to be conferred upon any union other than a legal union between one man and one woman. Provides that no state shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state concerning a union between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage, or as having the legal incidents of marriage, under the laws of such other state.

State Defense Force Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2007

State Defense Force Improvement Act - Recognizes state defense forces as integral military components of the homeland security effort of the United States, while reaffirming that such forces remain entirely state regulated, organized, and equipped, and recognizing that they will be used for homeland security purposes exclusively at the local level under state law. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to coordinate homeland security efforts with, and provide assistance (including the use of Department of Defense (DOD) property, arms, equipment, and facilities) to, a state defense force, upon request. Leaves participation by a state defense force in a DOD or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) training program to state discretion. Requires a state to reimburse DOD for training assistance costs. Provides that funds available to DOD may not be made available to a state defense force. Makes the state liable for any injuries or damages incurred by a defense force member while engaged in training activities or state active duty.

Fair Currency Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2007

Fair Currency Act of 2007 - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to expand the authority of the administering authority or the International Trade Commission (ITC) to impose countervailing duties on products from a nonmarket economy country that have been provided a countervailable subsidy. Includes exchange-rate misalignment (undervaluation of a foreign currency) by a country as a countervailable subsidy. Requires the administering authority to use methodologies that measure certain benchmarks outside of a nonmarket economy country where exchange-rate misalignment exists when measuring the benefit of a countervailable subsidy bestowed on a product by such country in a countervailing duty proceeding. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to include exchange-rate misalignment by the People's Republic of China as a condition in determining market disruption to the domestic producers of a like or directly competitive product from products imported from China. Prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from procuring defense articles imported from China if such articles are competitive with domestic industry articles critical to the defense industrial base of the United States. Applies provisions of this Act to goods from Canada and Mexico. Amends the Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988 to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to consider in the annual analysis of foreign exchange rate policies whether countries have a currency that is in fundamental misalignment, and if so, to initiate bilateral corrective negotiations. Directs the Secretary, prior to U.S. approval of a change in an international financial institution's governance, to determine whether a member who would benefit from such change has a currency that is manipulated or in fundamental misalignment, and if so, oppose such change. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require the administering authority, in determining whether a country is a nonmarket economy country, to consider whether such country's manipulation or fundamental misalignment of its currency adversely affects the U.S. economy.

Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2007

Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2007 - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.

National Language Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2007

National Language Act of 2007 - Makes English the official language of the U.S. government. Requires the government to: (1) conduct its official business in English, including publications, income tax forms, and informational materials; and (2) preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Provides that no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the government act, communicate, perform, or provide services or materials in any other language, unless specifically stated in applicable law. Provides that this Act shall not apply to the use of a language other than English for religious purposes, for training in foreign languages for international communication, or in school programs designed to encourage students to learn foreign languages. States that this does not prevent the U.S. government from providing interpreters for persons over age 62. Repeals provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 regarding bilingual election requirements and regarding congressional findings of voting discrimination against language minorities, prohibition of English-only elections, and other remedial measures. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that all public ceremonies in which the oath of allegiance is administered pursuant to such Act be conducted solely in English. Specifies that this Act shall not preempt any state law.

To amend title 10, United States Code, to change the effective date for paid-up coverage under the military Survivor Benefit Plan.

United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2007

Amends federal provisions relating to the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to change from October 1, 2008, to October 1, 2007, the effective date on or after which no reduction may be made in the retired pay of an SBP participant for any month after the later of: (1) the 360th month for which such pay was so reduced; and (2) the month during which the participant attains 70 years of age.

To provide that Executive Order 13166 shall have no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2007

Declares Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency," to be null and void. Prohibits the use of funds for the promulgation or enforcement of an executive order that creates an entitlement to services provided in a language other than English.

Veterans' Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, and Other Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2007

Veterans' Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, and Other Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to limit the remedy, in a civil action against a state or local official for deprivation of civil rights, to injunctive and declaratory relief and deny attorneys' fees where the deprivation consists of a violation of a prohibition in the Constitution against the establishment of religion, including violations relating to: (1) religious words or imagery in veterans' memorials, public buildings, or official seals of states or their subdivisions; and (2) the chartering of Boy Scout units by states or their subdivisions and the Boy Scouts' using public buildings. Imposes the same limits regarding such an action against the United States or any U.S. agency or official acting in his or her official capacity.

No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2007

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2007

No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2007 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to exclude from creditable wages and self-employment income any wages earned for services by aliens performed in the United States, and self-employment income derived from a trade or business conducted in the United States, while the alien was not authorized to be so employed or to perform a function or service in such a trade or business.