United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2007
Good Samaritan Protection for Construction, Architectural, and Engineering Volunteers Act - Grants construction companies and architectural and engineering firms and their employees immunity from liability for negligence, except for gross negligence or willful misconduct, when providing emergency assistance on a voluntary basis in response to a declared emergency or disaster, in good faith, and without expectation of compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2007
Congratulates: (1) the residents of Jerusalem and the people of Israel on the 40th anniversary of the reunification of that historic city; and (2) the people of Israel on the 59th anniversary of their independence. Believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected as they have been by Israel during the past 40 years. Calls upon the President and Secretary of State to affirm as a matter of U.S. policy that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of Israel. Urges: (1) the President to discontinue the waiver contained in the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and begin the process of relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; and (2) U.S. officials to refrain from any actions that contradict U.S. law on this subject. Reaffirms Israel's right to take necessary steps to prevent any future division of Jerusalem.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Financial Privacy Notice Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to exempt from its annual privacy policy notice requirement any financial institution which: (1) provides nonpublic personal information only in accordance with specified requirements; (2) does not share information with affiliates under the Fair Credit Reporting Act; and (3) has not changed its policies and practices with regard to disclosing nonpublic personal information from those disclosed in the most recent disclosure sent to consumers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Liberian Refugee Immigration Protection Act of 2007 - Provides for the permanent resident status adjustment of certain Liberian nationals who were granted, or are eligible to apply for, temporary protected status on or after March 27, 1991.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2007
Birthright Citizenship Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is: (1) a U.S. citizen or national; (2) a lawful permanent resident alien whose residence is in the United States; or (3) an alien performing active service in the armed forces.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2007
Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership Act of 2007 or the SKIL Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from the annual H-1B (specialty occupation) visa cap an alien who has: (1) earned a master's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. university; or (2) been awarded a medical specialty certification based on post-doctoral training and experience in the United States. Increases the annual H-1B cap, with a 20% increase for the following year if the previous year's quota is reached. Exempts from worldwide immigration caps an alien who: (1) has earned a master's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. university; (2) has been awarded medical specialty certification based on postdoctoral training and experience in the United States; (3) will work in shortage occupations; (4) has earned a master's degree or higher in science, technology, engineering, or math and has been working in a related field in the United States during the three-year period preceding his or her immigrant visa application; (5) has extraordinary ability or received a national interest waiver; or (6) is the spouse or minor child of an employment-based immigrant. Increases the annual immigrant visa cap. Revises student visa provisions. Authorizes an L-1 (intracompany transfer) visa extension beyond the fifth or seventh year if the individual has a immigrant application pending. Permits an alien with an approved labor certification to apply for permanent resident status adjustment if there is no visa immediately available by paying a $500 supplemental fee. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a pre-certification procedure for employers who file multiple employment petitions. Revises certain labor certification provisions. Prohibits immigration application approval until background and security checks have been completed and any fraud allegations have been resolved. Authorizes temporary workers (E, H, I, L O, or P visas) who have not violated their status to renew their same category visa from within the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 2007
District of Columbia-Maryland Reunion Act - Cedes the District of Columbia to Maryland after Maryland's acceptance of such retrocession. Maintains the exclusive legislative authority and control of Congress over the National Capital Service Area in the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2007
Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act Amendments of 2007 - Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 to revise the presidential certification and related provisions required in order for U.S. assistance to be provided to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Authorizes the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to accept any application or other filing made by an applicant for, or owner of, a patent or trademark after the applicable deadline, as the Director considers appropriate, if the applicant or owner files a petition within 30 days after such deadline showing that the delay was unintentional. Deems such a petition denied if the Director has not made a decision within 60 days. Provides that the Director's decision is not subject to judicial review. Deems that the 30-day period to file a petition after the deadline begins on the date of enactment of this Act for trademark applicants or owners.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD), or the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), and acting through existing programs at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to establish a grant program for joint ventures, comprised of both Israeli and U.S. private business entities or of U.S. and Israeli academic persons, to implement projects to encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, or commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, or renewable energy sources. Establishes in the Department of Energy an International Energy Advisory Board to advise the Secretary on the grant program and grant recipients.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Expresses the sense of Congress that it is necessary to ensure that Congress is presented with reliable information from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation as to the dynamic macroeconomic feedback effects to changes in federal law and the probable behavioral responses of taxpayers, businesses, and other parties to such changes. Requires the Joint Committee and CBO, using among other methods dynamic estimating techniques, to prepare fiscal estimates of each proposed change in federal revenue law on the basis of assumptions that estimate the probable behavioral responses of personal and business taxpayers and other relevant entities to such change and its dynamic macroeconomic feedback effects. Applies such requirement only to proposed changes that, pursuant to static fiscal estimates, have a fiscal impact exceeding $250 million in any fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2007
Amends Rule XXII (House and Senate Relations) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to consider a conference report comprising text that would be within the jurisdiction of more than one subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, except for a conference report on any measure continuing appropriations or making supplemental appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2007
Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2007 - Amends federal law governing the National Archives and Records Administration to direct the Archivist of the United States to: (1) establish a collection of records known as the Holocaust Insurance Registry, consisting of specified information provided under the Holocaust Victims Insurance Relief Act of 2007; and (2) make it accessible to the public. Requires the Secretary of State to seek agreements with European countries to make information on covered policies available to the Registry. Requires: (1) insurers to file certain disclosures of Holocaust-Era policies with the Secretary of Commerce; and (2) the Secretary to provide them to the Archivist. Subjects insurer noncompliance to a civil penalty. Requires the Secretary to notify each state's commissioner of insurance of the identity of each noncompliant insurer. States that this Act does not preempt state holocaust insurance statutes. Establishes a federal cause of action for treble damages for any claim against insurer or related company arising out of or related to an insurance policy: (1) in effect at any time between January 30, 1933, and December 31, 1945; and (2) issued to a policyholder domiciled in any area that was occupied or controlled by Nazi Germany or by any ally or sympathizer of Nazi Germany.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2007
Supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month, including raising public awareness about the importance of financial education in the United States and the serious consequences that may result from a lack of understanding about personal finances.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Caribbean Coral Reef Protection Act -States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) undertake measures to deny the government of Cuba, the Cuban Communist Party, or any of their instrumentalities the financial resources to engage in activities that threaten U.S. national security and other interests, threaten Cuba's environment and natural resources and Florida's marine environment, and prolong the dictatorship that oppresses the Cuban people; and (2) deter foreign investments that would enhance the Cuban regime's ability to develop its petroleum resources. Amends the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 to exclude from U.S. entry an alien who: (1) is an officer or principal of an entity, or a shareholder who owns a controlling interest in an entity that makes an investment (as defined by this Act) of $1 million or more (or any combination of investments that equals or exceeds $1 million in any 12-month period), that significantly contributes to Cuba's ability to develop petroleum resources off its submerged lands; or (2) is a spouse, minor child, or agent of such person. Exempts on a case-by-case basis entries: (1) for medical reasons or property-related litigation; or (2) where a transition government is in place. Defines "investment" and "petroleum resources" for purposes of this Act. Directs the President to impose two or more specified export, procurement, financial institution, loan, or Export-Import Bank sanctions if the President determines that a person has made an investment of $1 million or more (or any combination of investments that in the aggregate equals or exceeds $1 million in any 12-month period) that contributes to the enhancement of Cuba's ability to develop petroleum resources off its submerged lands or has made an investment of any amount of money that contributes to such an enhancement and has trafficked in confiscated U.S. property. Makes it illegal for a U.S. person to facilitate Cuba's ability to develop petroleum resources off its submerged lands. Directs the Secretary of State to report annually respecting the impact of the development of Cuba's petroleum resources on the environment and natural resources of Cuba's submerged lands and Florida's marine environment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Commends the millions of fathers who serve as wonderful, caring parents for their children. Calls on fathers across the United States to use Father’s Day to reconnect and rededicate themselves to their children’s lives, to spend Father’s Day with their children, and to express their love and support for their children. Urges men to understand the level of responsibility fathering a child requires, especially in the encouragement of the moral, academic, and spiritual development of children. Encourages active involvement of fathers in the rearing and development of their children, including the devotion of time, energy, and resources.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2007
Condemns the Islamic Republic of Iran for the seizure of 15 British marines and sailors and demands their unconditional release. Calls on the U.N. Security Council to condemn this seizure and explore new sanctions against Iran, including gasoline restrictions, to prevent further Iranian hostile action, deny Iran's ability to militarize the Persian Gulf, and enforce Iran's nonproliferation commitments.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Second Chance Act of 2007: Community Safety Through Recidivism Prevention or the Second Chance Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize, rewrite, and expand provisions for adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration projects to provide expanded services to offenders and their families for reentry into society. Directs the Attorney General to award grants for: (1) state and local reentry courts; (2) Comprehensive and Continuous Offender Reentry Task Forces: (3) evaluation of methods to improve academic and vocational education for offenders at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; (4) demonstration programs to reduce the use of alcohol and other drugs in long-term substance abusers and reduce illegal drug demand by providing drug treatment; (5) incentive grants to improve drug treatment for offenders in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; (6) pharmacological drug treatment services to incarcerated offenders; (7) technology career training for offenders; and (8) mentoring services for reintegrating offenders into the community. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants for: (1) the establishment of a National Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Resource Center; (2) drug treatment programs as an alternative to imprisonment; (3) prison-based family treatment programs for incarcerated parents of minor children; and (4) a study of parole or post-incarceration supervision violations and revocations. Requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to establish: (1) a prisoner reentry program; and (2) a pilot program for the release of elderly nonviolent offenders (age 60 or older).
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2007
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the allowable amount of the railroad track maintenance tax credit; (2) extend such credit through 2010; and (3) allow such credit against alternative minimum tax liabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Married Student Debt Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a husband and wife filing a joint tax return to each claim the maximum tax deduction of $2,500 for interest on education loans.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act or the A PLUS Act - Allows each state to submit to the Secretary of Education a declaration of intent, applicable for up to five years, permitting it to receive federal funds on a consolidated basis that would otherwise be directed toward specific programs furthering the stated purpose of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Requires each declaration to be formulated by a combination of specified State Authorizing Officials or by referendum, and list the programs for which consolidated funding is requested. Allows states to use such funds for any educational purpose permitted by state law, but requires states to make certain assurances that they will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures, abide by federal civil rights laws, and advance educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Allows states to amend their declarations. Requires each declaration state to: (1) inform the public of its student achievement assessment system and annually report on student progress toward the state's proficiency standards, disaggregating performance data by specified student groups; and (2) keep aggregate spending on elementary and secondary education at no less than 90% of such spending for the school year coinciding with this Act's enactment. Limits administrative expenses. Requires consolidated funds to be distributed in a manner that allows for the equitable, as determined by each state, participation of private schools.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2007
Amends Rule XXV (Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit gifts to Members, officers, and employees of the House from state and local governments. Allows Members, officers, or employees of the House to accept from a state or local government reimbursement (including payment in kind) for necessary transportation, lodging, and related expenses for travel to a meeting, speaking engagement, factfinding trip, or similar event related to officeholder duties.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2007
Savings for Working Families Act of 2007 - Allows certain low-income individuals between age 18 and 61 to establish tax-exempt individual development accounts (IDAs) to pay for certain qualified expenses, including education expenses, first-time homebuyer costs, and business capitalization or expansion costs. Sets forth rules for the establishment, maintenance, and termination of IDAs. Permits tax-free withdrawals from IDAs for qualified expenses, but requires IDA beneficiaries to complete one or more financial education courses prior to making an IDA withdrawal. Allows certain financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, and Indian tribes to sponsor and administer IDAs. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow such entities a business-related tax credit for the cost of administering IDAs and for making matching contributions to IDAs in parallel accounts. Provides that IDA amounts shall be disregarded for purposes of determining eligibility for assistance under certain means-tested federal programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2007
Amends Rule XI (Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require all House Committees to post record votes on their web sites within 48 hours of such votes. Exempts record votes taken in executive sessions in the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
District of Columbia Personal Protection Act - Amends specified law prohibiting the killing of wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia to declare that nothing in it or any other provision of law shall authorize or be construed to permit the Council, the Mayor, or any governmental or regulatory authority of the District to prohibit, constructively prohibit, or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law from acquiring, possessing in their homes or businesses, or using for sporting, self-protection or other lawful purposes, any firearm neither prohibited by federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms. Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to repeal the definition of a machine gun as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading. (Thus repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.) Redefines "machine gun" to include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. Repeals the District's: (1) registration requirement for possession of firearms; (2) prohibition on possession of handgun restricted pistol bullets; and (3) requirement that, under certain conditions, firearms in the possession of certain individuals must be kept unloaded, disassembled, or with the trigger locked. Repeals the definition of restricted pistol bullet as any bullet designed for use in a pistol which, when fired from a pistol with a barrel of five inches or less in length, is capable of penetrating commercially available body armor with a penetration resistance equal to or greater than that of 18 layers of kevlar. Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle. Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm. Amends federal law to eliminate criminal penalties for carrying a pistol whether loaded or unloaded in one's dwelling house, place of business, or on land possessed by such person. Amends the District of Columbia Code to extend to firearms generally (currently, only to pistols) the prohibition against carrying such a weapon either openly or concealed within the District without a license issued pursuant to D.C. law. Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Agricultural Protection and Prosperity Act of 2007 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to: (1) include the definition of "manure"; and (2) exclude manure from the meaning of "hazardous substance" or "pollutant or contaminant" under that Act. Provides that such exclusion shall not: (1) impose liability under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 with respect to manure; (2) affect any provision of the Air Quality Agreement entered into between the Administrator and operators of animal feeding operations; or (3) affect the applicability of any other environmental law as it relates to the definition of manure or the responsibilities or liabilities of any person regarding the treatment, storage, or disposal of manure. Amends the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to exempt releases associated with manure (as defined under CERCLA) from the emergency notification requirements under that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income distributions from individual retirement accounts for certain charitable purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 - States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the use of force or the use of the U.S. Armed Forces against Iran. Subjects, with respect to prohibited transactions with Iran, a parent company to penalties for violations committed by certain subsidiaries outside the United States that would be subject to prohibitions if committed inside the United States or by a U.S. person. Establishes specified additional import and export sanctions against Iran. Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to require the imposition of procurement sanctions as part of the sanctions against a person contributing to Iran's petroleum resources. Directs the President to report every six months to the appropriate congressional committees (committees) respecting investment activity that could contribute to Iran's development of petroleum resources, and U.S. steps in response to such activity. Expands the definitions of "petroleum resources" and "person." Eliminates the national security waivers for imposition of sanctions. Directs the President to determine and report to the committees whether the the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps should be: (1) designated as a foreign terrorist organization; (2) placed on the list of designated global terrorists; and (3) placed on the list of weapons of mass destruction proliferators and their supporters. Authorizes appropriations for the Department of the Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Authorizes the President to carry out exchange programs with the people of Iran. Directs the President to reduce annual U.S. contributions to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) based upon Bank amounts provided to entities and projects in Iran. Restricts nuclear cooperation with countries assisting Iran's nuclear program or transferring advanced conventional weapons or missiles to Iran. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate specified geological and geophysical expense amortization benefits if petroleum-related sanctions are imposed under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 on any member of an expanded affiliated group whose common parent is a foreign corporation. Revises the definition of "affiliated group." States that specified restrictions respecting Iran shall not have effect if the President determines and certifies to the committees that Iran: (1) has ended efforts to develop or acquire nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, or ballistic missiles; (2) has been removed from the list of countries supporting international terrorism; and (3) poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2007
Parents' Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide for a minimum tax credit for household and dependent care services for dependents under the age of seven and to phase out such credit based on the amount by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount; (2) increase to $5,000 the amount of the personal tax exemption; (3) eliminate the marriage penalty in all income tax brackets and in the tax deduction for student loan interest; (4) establish a standard tax deduction for expenses related to business usage of a home; (5) make permanent increases in the child tax credit and adjust the amount of such credit for inflation on an annual basis after 2007; (6) allow employers a tax credit for employees who telecommute; and (7) allow an exclusion from employee gross income for employer-provided computer equipment used to work at home. Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to award social security credits to parents who stay at home, instead of working outside the home, to care for children who are either under age seven. Authorizes transfers from the general fund to specified Social Security trust funds to cover the cost of such credits.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2007
Government Credit Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2007 - Requires the head of each executive agency, except the Department of Defense (DOD), to: (1) establish safeguards and internal controls for purchase cards, convenience checks, and travel cards; and (2) prescribe regulations implementing such safeguards and controls that provide for adverse personnel actions or other punishment against employees for card violations, negligence, misuse, abuse, or fraud. Requires each agency Inspector General to: (1) periodically conduct risk assessments of agency purchase and travel card programs and associated internal controls, analyze weaknesses and the frequency of improper activity, and develop a plan to determine the scope, frequency, and number of periodic audits of cardholders; (2) perform periodic audits of card holders and report results to the agency head; and (3) report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OBM) and the Comptroller General on the implementation of recommendations to address audit findings. Requires DOD regulations that govern the use and control of purchase cards and convenience checks that are issued to DOD personnel to include safeguards and internal controls to ensure that: (1) the Inspector Generals of DOD, the Army, the Navy, and the Airforce periodically conduct risk assessments of the DOD purchase card program and associated internal controls, analyze weaknesses and the frequency of improper activity, and develop a plan to determine the scope, frequency, and number of periodic audits of cardholders; (2) DOD utilizes technologies to prevent or identify fraudulent purchases, including controlling merchant codes and utilizing statistical machine learning and pattern recognition technologies that review the risk of every transaction; and (3) DOD invalidates the purchase card of terminated or transferred employees. Amends the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 to require each agency head to establish safeguards and internal controls over travel charge cards. Requires the Administrator of General Services to prescribe regulations governing the implementation of such safeguards and internal controls. Requires the heads of agencies that have employees who use centrally billed accounts to establish safeguards and internal controls to ensure that agencies: (1) compare items submitted on an employee's travel voucher with items paid using such an account; (2) dispute unauthorized charges and track disputed transactions to ensure appropriate resolution; and (3) submit requests for refunds for fully or partially unused tickets to the holder of the applicable contract for a centrally billed account.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2007
Farming Flexibility Act of 2007 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, with respect to direct and counter-cyclical payments, to: (1) permit a producer to reduce a covered commodity base acreage by electing to plant such acres with fruits or vegetables for processing; (2) require such election to be made annually; and (3) provide that if a farm's base acreage is recalculated, such fruit or vegetable production shall be considered the same as the planning, prevented planting, or production of the covered commodity.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2007
Directs the President to publish in the Federal Register a list of all U.S. and foreign entities that have invested more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector (including an itemization of individual investments of such entities) between August 5, 1996, and the date of such publication. Requires managers of federal and private pension plans or thrift savings plans and managers of mutual funds sold or distributed in the United States to: (1) notify investors that their funds are invested in entities included on the list; and (2) take immediate steps, upon notification or publication of such list, to divest all investments of such plans or funds in such entities. Prohibits, upon such publication, future investment in any entity included on the list by managers of such plans or funds. Requires the Office of Global Security Risks within the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to issue a report on the entities identified on the list, including a determination of whether or not: (1) their operations in Iran constitute a risk to the United States; and (2) such entities face U.S. litigation, sanctions, or similar circumstances that may have a material adverse impact on their financial conditions or operations. Terminates this Act 30 days after which: (1) the President certifies to Congress that Iran has ceased support for international terrorism; and (2) Iran has permanently ceased acquisition and development of weapons of mass destruction.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating any assertion of rights by an individual (currently, by a designated Cuban national) of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government unless the original owner of such mark or name, or such owner's bona fide successor, has expressly consented. Applies such prohibition only if the individual asserting the rights knew or had reason to know at the time of acquiring the rights asserted that the mark or name was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support state comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support juvenile arthritis data collection. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to support the development of a National Juvenile Arthritis Patient Registry. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2007 - 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 unless: (1) written notification is provided to the parents of the minor informing the parents that an abortion has been requested, unless there is clear and convincing evidence of physical abuse of the minor by the parent; (2) there is compliance with a 96-hour waiting period after notice has been received by the parents; and (3) there is compliance with the judicial intervention process. Prescribes penalties of not more than a $1 million fine and/or imprisonment for not more than 10 years 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 regarding compliance with such rules and the reasons upon which such determinations are based 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 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 · 1 March 2007
Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an inflation adjustment based upon the gross domestic product deflator to the adjusted basis of certain assets (including C corporation common stock and tangible property used in a trade or business) held by a taxpayer for more than three years for purposes of determining gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of such assets. Sets forth rules for applying such inflation adjustment to short sales, regulated investment companies and real estate investment trusts, partnerships and other pass-thru entities, and dispositions of assets between related persons.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Honors Operation Smile on its 25th Anniversary year as its volunteer medical professionals travel around the world to treat children suffering from facial deformities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2007
Supports members of the media in Venezuela who are facing an assault on their rights to freedoms of the press, speech, and expression. Expresses concern regarding the announcement of Venezuelan President Chavez not to renew the broadcasting license of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), and calls upon the government of Venezuela to reverse the decision not to renew RCTV's license. Urges the government of Venezuela to: (1) create an independent body to assign and renew broadcasting licenses in Venezuela; and (2) respect the rights of freedom of expression for all Venezuelans. Calls upon the government of Venezuela to respect the rights of an independent media.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2007
Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on communication services (i.e., local telephone service, toll telephone service, and teletypewriter exchange service).
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2007
Parental Right to Decide Protection Act - Prohibits federal funds or other assistance from being made available to any state or political subdivision to establish or implement any requirement that individuals receive vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV).
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Michael Ellis DeBakey, M.D. (who performed the first successful coronary bypass, pioneered the field of telemedicine, was elected the first President of Baylor College of Medicine, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction and the National Medal of Science) in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to the nation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2007
Freedom to Fly Act of 2007 - Allows a pilot who has attained 60 years of age to serve as a passenger airline pilot until the age of 65 years old only if the pilot serves: (1) as a required pilot in multi-crew aircraft operations; and (2) with another required pilot who has not yet attained 60 years of age. Terminates the age-60 rule (mandatory retirement age) 30 days after enactment of this Act. Declares that such requirements shall not provide the basis for a claim of seniority made under any labor bargaining agreement in effect between the pilots and an air carrier by any pilot who has attained age 60 before the effective date of this Act and who is seeking a position as a pilot with such carrier following that pilot's termination or cessation of employment or promotion or transfer to another position with such air carrier.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2007
States that any comprehensive Middle East peace agreement must resolve all outstanding issues relating to the legitimate rights of all refugees in the Middle East, including Jews, Christians, and other displaced populations. States that the President should instruct the U.S. Representative to the United Nations and all U.S. representatives in bilateral and multilateral fora to: (1) use U.S. influence to ensure that Middle East refugee resolutions which include a reference to the required resolution of the Palestinian refugee issue must also include a similarly explicit reference to the resolution of the issue of Jewish, Christian, and other refugees from Arab countries; and (2) make clear that the U.S. government supports the position that as an integral part of any comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace the issue of refugees from the Middle East, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf must include recognition of the legitimate rights of and losses incurred by all refugees displaced from Arab countries including Jews, Christians, and other minority groups.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minor’s state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minor’s abortion decision). Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to safe the life of the minor. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant: (1) reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place; or (2) was presented with documentation showing that a court waived parental notification requirements or authorized the minor's abortion. Defines "abortion" as the termination of a pregnancy with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, remove a dead unborn child who died as the result of a spontaneous abortion, accidental trauma, or a criminal assault on the pregnant female or her unborn child. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on a physician who performs or induces an abortion on an out-of-state minor in violation of parental notification requirements. Requires such physician to give 24-hour actual or constructive notice to a parent of the minor seeking an abortion, subject to certain exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2007
Internet Consumer Protection 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. Repeals provisions permitting states with Internet tax laws enacted prior to the ban on Internet taxes to continue enforcing such laws.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007
Amend Misinterpreted Excessive Regulation In Corporate America Act - Amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to direct the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to appoint an ombudsman to act as a liaison between the Board and any registered public accounting firm or issuer regarding: (1) issues or disputes concerning the preparation or issuance of any audit report with respect to that issuer; and (2) problems resulting from Board regulatory activities, particularly implementation of management assessment of internal controls. Revises requirements governing appointment of Board members. Provides for Presidential appointment of Board members, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Declares that Congress reserves the authority to establish periodic limits upon the amount of fees which may be collected on behalf of the Board. Instructs the Securities and Exchange Commission to: (1) adopt revisions to its rules regarding management's assessment of an issuer's internal control structure and procedures; and (2) adopt a more risk-based statement on internal control reporting that focuses internal control review on financial controls having significant risk of failing to prevent financial damages that would be material to the issuer's financial statements. Instructs the Board to revise its standards for auditor attestation to and reporting on management's internal control assessment. Revises the requirement that each registered public accounting firm that prepares or issues the audit report for an issuer attest to the internal control assessment made by the issuer's management. Allows an issuer, in the alternative, to engage separately a different registered public accounting firm to attest to such assessment. (Current law prohibits such separate attestation engagements.) Prohibits any private right of action against a registered public accounting firm in any federal or state court on the basis of a violation or alleged violation of assessment requirements or standards issued by the Board for purposes of implementing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2007
Trade Promotion Authority Extension and Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002 to extend the President's authority until July 1, 2011 (or until July 1, 2016, and July 1 of each fifth year thereafter if the President extends such authority and the Congress approves) to enter into trade agreements with foreign countries whose tariff and nontariff policies unduly burden or restrict U.S. trade or adversely affects the U.S. economy. Extends trade authorities procedures (congressional approval) to bills implementing trade agreements entered into during the five-year period beginning on July 1, 2011, and during each five-year period thereafter, unless Congress disapproves after April 1, and before July 1, of the year in which any such five-year period begins.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2007
Observes the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade. Commends to the people of the United States the example of William Wilberforce and his commitment to each person's human dignity, value, and freedom. Encourages the people of the United States, particularly the youth, to: (1) observe the anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade; (2) reflect on Mr. Wilberforce's dedication to the fight against slavery and his commitment to society's neediest; (3) recognize the value of every person; and (4) form high school clubs and groups working against modern day slavery and the trafficking of persons. Condemns all forms of human trafficking and slavery.
![Official portrait of Rep. Pence, Mike [R-IN-6]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/p000587_200.jpg)