United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2003
Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2003 - Directs the President to establish: (1) an Interagency Committee (IC) to plan and coordinate Federal efforts in manufacturing research and development; and (2) an Advisory Committee to provide advice and information to the IC from the non-Federal manufacturing research and development community. Requires Federal agencies that are the IC members to coordinate their manufacturing grant activities with a collaborative manufacturing research grants program established by this Act's amendment to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (NIST Act). Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to refer to Manufacturing in renaming the following Department of Commerce entities: (1) Manufacturing and Technology Administration; (2) Office of Manufacturing and Technology Policy; and (3) Under Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Technology. Establishes the post of Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing to serve as one of the policy analysts for the Under Secretary. Directs the Under Secretary to: (1) serve as a point of contact on Federal manufacturing research and development, as well as broader policy issues related to manufacturing, for discussions among industry, academic, labor, and other groups; and (2) report on foreign governments' efforts to attract and develop technology-based manufacturing. Amends the NIST Act to require the NIST Director to establish the following programs: (1) collaborative manufacturing research grants to partnerships among firms, educational institutions, research institutions, State agencies, and nonprofit organizations to encourage development of innovative, multidisciplinary manufacturing technologies; and (2) manufacturing sciences research fellowships, at specified postdoctoral and senior levels. Reauthorizes and revises the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program. Establishes, within the MEP program, a manufacturing extension center competitive grant program to develop projects to solve new or emerging manufacturing problems.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 2003
Employee Free Choice Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board to certify a bargaining representative without directing an election if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative and there is no other individual or labor organization currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit. Sets forth special procedural requirements for reaching an initial collective bargaining agreement following certification or recognition. Revises enforcement requirements with respect to unfair labor practices during union organizing drives. Provides, under injunction provisions, for priority to be given to preliminary investigation of charges of violations by employers or other entities. Adds to remedies for such violations: (1) back pay plus liquidated damages; and (2) additional civil penalties.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2003
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users - Reauthorizes the Federal-aid surface transportation program through FY 2009. Reauthorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for: (1) specified highway (including highway safety) programs; (2) research and technology; (3) motor carrier safety; and (4) transportation research. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a National Commission on Future Revenue Sources to Support the HTF. Establishes: (1) a National Commission on the Future of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate Defense Highways; and (2) a Commission on Intelligent Transportation Systems Procurement Policy. Requires States with an urbanized area population of over 200,000 to obligate specified funds for congestion relief. Federal Public Transportation Act of 2004 - Sets forth revised provisions governing public transportation funding and the Secretary's authority to make specified grants, including grants for capital projects, planning, and transit and for commercial driver's license program improvements. Directs the Secretary to establish programs involving: (1) long-term bridge performance; (2) innovative highway safety technologies; (3) freight planning capacity building; (4) freight transportation research; (5) future strategic highway research; (6) surface transportation congestion solutions research; and (7) commercial remote sensing products and spatial information technologies. Intelligent Transportation Systems Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary to conduct an ongoing intelligent system transportation program to research, develop, and operationally test and advance nationwide deployment of intelligent transportation systems as a component of the U.S. surface transportation systems. Incorporates Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration planning provisions. Reauthorizes the hazardous materials transportation program. Makes the guaranteed funding levels provided under this Act dependent on identifying additional budgetary resources.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 2003
Deplores the development by Iran of a nuclear weapons program and the failure of the Government of Iran to report material, facilities, and activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in contravention of its obligations under the safeguards convention it signed in connection with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (Treaty). Concurs with the conclusion of the Department of State that Iran is pursuing a program to develop nuclear weapons. Calls on the President to use all appropriate means to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, with particular attention to the needs of the IAEA for information and access, including information concerning gas centrifuges and the conduct of uranium conversion experiments. Calls on Russia to suspend all nuclear cooperation with Iran until Iran fully complies with a specified IAEA resolution, with particular attention to spent fuel. Calls on the IAEA to declare Iran in violation of the Treaty. Calls on the United Nations Security Council to consider immediately the passage of a Security Council resolution or the taking of other actions that may be necessary to impose diplomatic and economic sanctions against Iran if it fails to meet its obligations to the IAEA. Calls on the Government of Iran to cease all efforts to acquire nuclear fuel cycle capabilities and to end the enrichment and processing of uranium until it is able to provide specific, verifiable assurances that it is not engaged in a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2003
Condemns as a deliberate interference with the right of the United States to protect its own markets against unfair trade practices the adverse report issued by the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement Appellate Body on the proceeding to determine whether U.S. imposition of import restrictions on certain steel products on March 5, 2002, was consistent with the Agreement on Safeguards described in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Strongly urges the President to: (1) repeal all exclusions to such import restrictions which benefit European Union (EU) steelmakers if the EU retaliates against the United States in the form of counter import restrictions; and (2) direct the United States Trade Representative to use the voice and vote of the United States at the WTO to ensure that immediate reforms are made to the dispute settlement process to increase its transparency and ensure that it does not unfairly restrict trade remedy laws, create new obligations, or undermine legitimate trade actions brought by the United States or other WTO member countries.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 2003
School Nutrition Enhancement Act - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to phase out reduced price lunches and breakfasts by phasing in increases in income eligibility for free lunches and breakfasts by specified increments from 130 percent of the Office of Management and Budget nonfarm income poverty guidelines for July 1, 2003, to 185 percent of such guidelines for July 1, 2008, and every subsequent school year.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2003
Urges the President to present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope John Paul II to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the inauguration of his ministry as Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pastor of the Catholic Church.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2003
Declares that Congress should: (1) increase Federal funding and resources for combined sewer overflow control to levels sufficient to cover at least 80 percent of the costs incurred by financially distressed communities; (2) provide the Environmental Protection Agency with additional resources to improve nationwide tracking of progress in combined sewer overflow control programs; and (3) expressly authorize the Army Corps of Engineers to assist communities with assessment and design work associated with upgrades of combined sewer systems.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2003
Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 one dollar coins which shall be emblematic of the warrior ethos of the United States Marine Corps. Requires all surcharges from the sale of the coins to be paid to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for construction of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2003
Workers Assistance Extension Act - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA) to extend the TEUCA program through June 30, 2004, with a phase-out period through September 30, 2004. (The TEUCA program provides: (1) an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits (TEUC) to jobless workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits; and (2) another additional 13 weeks of benefits (TEUC-X), for a total of 26 additional weeks, for such workers in high unemployment States.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2003
Keeping Families Together Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to States to establish systems of individualized mental health treatment and family support services for children who are in custody or in danger of entering the custody of the state for the purpose of receiving mental health services. Requires eligible States to: (1) have laws or policies in effect that ensure that children receive appropriate mental health services so that parents do not have to relinquish legal custody of such children; (2) provide matching funds; (3) establish infrastructure for interagency cooperation and cross system financing; and (4) expand public health insurance programs to cover these services after the grant expires. Establishes a Federal interagency task force to examine mental health issues in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and the role of their agencies in promoting access by children and youth to mental health services. Amends the Social Security Act to permit the use of the Medicaid home and community-based services waiver to provide mental health services to children and youths as an alternative to care in inpatient psychiatric hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2003
Mobile Machinery Tax Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the treatment of certain mobile machinery as a highway vehicle, thereby exempting such machinery from federal highway excise taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2003
Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2003 - Rape Kits and DNA Evidence Backlog Elimination Act of 2003 - Amends: (1) the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to reauthorize the Act; (2) the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (Identification Act) to expand the scope of DNA samples to be included in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS); and (3) the Violence Against Women Act to authorize grants to increase the availability of legal assistance to victims of dating violence. DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2003 - Amends the Identification Act to require that CODIS include only information on DNA identification records and analyses that are prepared by laboratories that: (1) have been accredited by a nationally recognized nonprofit professional association of forensic scientists within two years; and (2) undergo external audits at least every two years that demonstrate compliance with specified standards. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for: (1) DNA training and education; (2) sexual assault forensic examination programs; (3) research and development; (4) using DNA technology to identify missing persons; and (5) tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. Expands and reauthorizes the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program. Innocence Protection Act of 2003 - Sets forth conditions under which a Federal prisoner may obtain post-conviction DNA testing of specific evidence. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to States to improve the quality of legal representation in State capital cases.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2003
Benjamin Franklin Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one dollar coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin (not more than 250,000 bearing his image as a young statesman and not more than 250,000 with his image as an older numismatist). Directs that all sales include a $10 per coin surcharge, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Commission, to be used to educate people about Franklin's legacy.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2003
Health and Education Access for Students with Diabetes Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to prohibit a State or public or private entity from receiving funds under ESEA title IV part A, also known as the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, unless it has a policy in effect against hindering or restricting a student from engaging in diabetes treatment prescribed or recommended by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2003
Designates the U.S. Postal Service facility (the Nyack Post Office) located at 48 South Broadway, Nyack, New York, as the Edward O'Grady, Waverly Brown, Peter Paige Post Office Building.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2003
Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, upon completion of specified agricultural work and residency requirements, to adjust the status of a qualifying alien agricultural worker (and spouse and minor children) to that of a: (1) lawfully admitted temporary nonimmigrant; and (2) permanent resident nonimmigrant. Sets forth provisions with respect to: (1) adjustment of status applications, including penalties for false statements; (2) waiver of numerical limitations and certain grounds for inadmissibility; (3) temporary stay of removal and work authorization; (4) administrative and judicial review; and (5) dissemination of program information. Amends the Social Security Act to provide for the correction of such aliens' social security records. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to set forth registry application requirements for H-2A employers and employer associations, including assurances: (1) that the job opportunity is temporary or seasonal, and is not the result of a labor dispute, (2) that attempts have been made to hire U.S. workers; and (3) respecting required wages and benefits, and compliance with labor laws. Sets forth employment requirements with respect to: (1) wages; (2) housing; and (3) transportation reimbursement. Establishes the Commission on Agricultural Wage Standards under the H-2A program. Revises provisions respecting the admission and extension of stay of temporary H-2A workers. Provides special rules for alien sheepherders. Sets forth worker protection and labor standards enforcement provisions for such aliens.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
American Manufacturing Jobs Retention Act of 2003 - Amends Federal defense procurement provisions and the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to prohibit the head of a military department or executive agency, in the case of a contract for the procurement of goods and services, from considering a covered prospective contractor as a responsible source unless such contractor employs at least 50 percent of its employees in the United States. Defines a prospective contractor as covered if at least ten percent of its annual gross receipts during the preceding year were attributable to Government contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Celia Cruz Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 300,000 one dollar silver coins and 500,000 half dollar clad coins emblematic of Celia Cruz (known as the "Queen of Salsa") and her legacy. Establishes surcharges of ten dollars per coin for the dollar coin and three dollars per coin for the half dollar coin, which shall be paid to the Celia Cruz Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Great Lakes Water Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue, within 30 days after enactment of this Act, a regulation that prohibits any vessel with a ballast water tank from entering the Great Lakes if more than five percent of the capacity of the tank contains ballast water. Requires the master of such a vessel to certify compliance with such prohibition to the Secretary or the Secretary's designee before the vessel's departure from the first lock in the St. Lawrence Seaway.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Renewable Fuels and Transportation Infrastructure Enhancement Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish, for a limited period of time: (1) as a credit against the gasoline and diesel fuel excise tax, a credit equal to the sum of the alcohol fuel mixture credit plus the biodiesel mixture credit; and (2) a biodiesel fuels credit business credit.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2003
Congratulates the Washington Freedom for winning the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) title. Requests that the President invite them to a White House ceremony for national championship teams. Expresses disappointment with the suspension of WUSA operations and expresses support for its revival.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2003
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003 - Extends Federal highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and transit programs for six months, and authorizes appropriations, through March 31, 2004. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) apportion funds made available for Federal-aid highway programs under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to each State according to the ratio of the State's FY 2003 obligation authority to the FY 2003 obligation authority for all States; and (2) ensure that each State is apportioned funds for the Interstate maintenance program, the National Highway System program, the bridge program, the surface transportation program, the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program, the recreational trails program, the Appalachian development highway system program, and the minimum guarantee. Sets forth provisions: (1) for reducing future apportionments, and for recovering funds not apportioned, under a law reauthorizing the Federal-aid highway program that is enacted after enactment of this Act; (2) prohibiting States from obligating any Federal-aid highway program funds after March 31, 2004, until the earlier of the date of enactment of a multi-year law reauthorizing such program or June 30 2004; and (3) directing the Secretary of Transportation, on the earlier of such enactment date or June 1, 2004, to distribute to each State any remaining amounts of obligation authority for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs by allocation as provided in an Act making appropriations for the Department of Transportation for FY 2004 Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and TEA-21, respectively, to set related discretionary spending limits and obligation limitations for FY 2004.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2003
Currency Harmonization Initiative through Neutralizing Action Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to analyze annually the exchange rate policies of the People's Republic of China, and to impose additional tariffs, if necessary, to equalize any currency manipulations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 2003
Urges any trade and investment agreement that is negotiated by the executive branch with other foreign countries to comply with certain minimum standards regarding: (1) investor and investment policy; (2) certain services; (3) policies to support American workers and small, minority, and women-owned businesses; (4) environmental, labor, and other public interests; (5) U.S. trade laws; (6) food safety; (7) agriculture and food security; (8) transparency; (9) governmental authority; (10) access to medicines and seeds; and (11) special treatment for developing countries.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Medication Errors Reduction Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to eligible hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for costs related to purchasing, leasing, developing, and implementing standardized clinical health care informatics systems designed to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events and health care complications resulting from medication errors. Gives special consideration to eligible entities serving a large number of Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligible individuals. Reserves a certain percentage of grant funds for rural hospitals. Terminates grant authority on September 30, 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2003
Recognizes: (1) the importance and contributions of sportsmen to American society; (2) the many economic benefits associated with outdoor sporting activities; and (3) the importance of encouraging the recruitment of, and teaching the traditions of hunting, trapping, and fishing to, future sportsmen. Supports the traditions and values of, and the many conservation programs implemented by, sportsmen.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2003
Daniel Patrick Moynihan Global Affairs Institute Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award a grant to Syracuse University to establish an endowment fund to support a Daniel Patrick Moynihan Global Affairs Institute. Requires the University, to be eligible for such grant, to designate the global affairs institute within the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs as the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Global Affairs Institute.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2003
Honors Bob Hope for his legendary career as an entertainer, his decades of dedicated service to the men and women of the armed forces, and his many philanthropic and humanitarian acts. Expresses condolences on his passing to his wife, children, and grandchildren.
United States · United States Congress · 4 September 2003
Designates the U.S. Postal Service facility located at 315 Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, as the James E. Davis Post Office Building.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2003
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2003
Consumer's Relocation Protection Act of 2003 - Authorizes States to exercise authority over motor carriers that engage in the intrastate transportation of household goods. Authorizes a State attorney general to bring a civil action against such a carrier in U.S. district court for injunctive relief and for a civil penalty. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) prescribe practices and procedures that ensure the fair and equitable treatment of individual shippers that utilize brokers of household goods; (2) establish a working group of State attorneys general, State consumer protection administrators, and Federal and local law enforcement officials; (3) establish a complaint handling system to log individual shipper informal complaints, an annual complaint database, and a procedure for public access to such data; and (4) require an annual report from each motor carrier and freight forwarder providing household goods transportation. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for holding household goods hostage (defined as refusing to relinquish a shipment upon payment of not more than 100 percent of a binding estimate for shipment plus the charges for additional services performed). Sets additional requirements for registration of motor carriers of household goods. Requires every motor carrier providing transportation of household goods to: (1) conduct a physical survey of the goods to be transported and provide the shipper with a written estimate of charges; and (2) prepare a written inventory of all articles tendered by an individual shipper and accepted by the carrier. Sets civil penalties for brokers violating this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2003
Border Security and Immigration Improvement Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish new visa programs for: (1) aliens who seek to enter the United States as temporary workers; and (2) undocumented aliens residing in the United States who seek to remain legally in the United States. Authorizes additional funding for the United States Employment Service to assist States meet increased employment services resulting from the amendments made by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2003
Amends the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee Act of 1999 to extend from 2003 through December 31, 2005, the authority of the Emergency Loan Guarantee Board to make loan guarantee commitments. States that, in addition to certain funds appropriated under the Act to the Department of Commerce for administrative expenses, an additional $2 million may be made available from the Emergency Loan Guarantee Program for salaries and administrative expenses to administer the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee Program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2003
Open Space Preservation Promotion Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow installment sales treatment for land sold to a governmental unit or tax-exempt charitable organization for conservation purposes even though the purchase funds for such sale are held in a sinking or similar fund, as required by state law.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2003
Calls upon the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend and the Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp to promote public awareness of Down syndrome.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2003
Railroad Track Modernization Act of 2003 - Amends federal rail transportation law to replace the Secretary of Transportation's discretionary program of grants to states for light density rail line pilot projects with a mandatory program of capital grants for railroad track. Directs the Secretary to establish a program of capital grants to class II and class III railroads (or, with the concurrence of such a railroad, to a state or local government) to rehabilitate, preserve, or improve railroad track (including roadbed, bridges, and related track structures) used primarily for freight transportation. Requires rehabilitation, preservation, or improvement to a standard ensuring that the track can be operated safely and efficiently and accommodate 286,000 pound rail cars. Sets forth certain employee protection and prevailing wage requirements with respect to grant projects. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on such projects to determine the public interest benefits associated with the light density railroad networks in the states and their contribution to a multimodal transportation system.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2003
Great Lakes Restoration Financing Act of 2003 - Establishes the Great Lakes Advisory Board to: (1) develop a biennial comprehensive Great Lakes management plan; (2) coordinate Great Lakes restoration efforts; and (3) implement a public awareness campaign. Establishes a scientific working group to evaluate the scientific integrity of the Great Lakes restoration effort and assist the Board in its decisionmaking. Requires the management plan to be submitted to the President, appropriate congressional committees, the governor of each Great Lakes State, and the Great Lakes mayors. Includes as possible Great Lakes ecosystem goals: (1) the cleanup of toxic hot spots; (2) the elimination of invasive species; (3) pollution decrease; (4) the restoration and conservation of wetlands and critical coastal habitat; (5) the elimination of dead zones caused by hypoxia and harmful algal bloom; (6) the sustainable use and management of Great Lakes water resources; and (7) public participation in Great Lakes restoration. Requires each Great Lakes State to have in effect a State Great Lakes Management Plan, approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and updated every two years, in order to be eligible for assistance apportionments authorized under this Act. Provides apportioned funding to Great Lakes States for restoration activities. Authorizes the Administrator to appoint a special master to direct the remediation of an area of concern.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2003
National Uniformity for Food Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to prohibit any State or political subdivision from establishing or continuing in effect as to any food in interstate commerce any requirement for food that is not identical to specified FDCA provisions. Prohibits any State or political subdivision from establishing or continuing in effect any notification requirement for a food that provides for a warning concerning the food's safety that is not identical to FDCA provisions. Allows current State notification or food safety requirements to continue for 180 days after the enactment of this Act, during which such State may petition for an exemption or a new national standard. Allows a State to petition for an exemption and for a national standard regarding any requirement under the FDCA, as amended by this Act, or the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act relating to food regulation. Allows a State to establish a requirement that would otherwise violate FDCA provisions relating to national uniform nutrition labeling or this paragraph if the requirement is needed to address an imminent hazard to health that is likely to result in serious adverse health consequences and if other requirements are met.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2003
Emergency Directed Rail Service Act - Amends Federal transportation law to authorize the Surface Transportation Board, in order to promote commerce and service to the public, to direct the continued operation of freight or commuter rail passenger transportation operations in case of a failure caused by a cessation of service by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). Directs the Board to provide funding (including the payment of increased insurance premiums) to support such operations. States that in the case of a failure of existing freight or commuter rail passenger transportation operations caused by cessation of service by Amtrak , the Board may not direct a rail carrier to undertake specified activities to continue operations unless: (1) the Board first affirmatively finds that the rail carrier is operationally capable of conducting the directed service in a safe and efficient manner; and (2) funding for such directed service is provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2003
New York Fair Fishing Act of 2003 - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to add the State of New York as a member of the New England Fishery Management Council.
![Official portrait of Rep. Quinn, Jack [R-NY-27]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/q000016_200.jpg)