United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2006
Health Centers Renewal Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for FY2007-FY2011 for health centers to meet the health care needs of medically underserved populations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2006
Recognizes the independence of the State of Israel as a significant event in providing refuge and a national homeland for the Jewish people, and extends warm congratulations to the people of Israel as they celebrate the 58th anniversary of Israel's independence. Commends the bipartisan commitment of all U.S. administrations and Congresses since 1948 to stand by Israel and work for its security and well-being. Congratulates the United States and Israel for strengthening bilateral relations in the fields of defense, trade, and homeland security and encourages both nations to continue their cooperation in resolving future mutual challenges.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2006
American Dream Act - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional permanent resident status, an alien who: (1) entered the United States prior to his or her sixteenth birthday, and has been present in the United States for at least five years immediately preceding enactment of this Act; (2) is a person of good moral character; (3) is not inadmissible or deportable under specified grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act; and (4) at the time of application, has been admitted to an institution of higher education, or has earned a high school or equivalent diploma. Sets forth the conditions for conditional permanent resident status. Authorizes an alien who has satisfied the appropriate requirements prior to enactment of this Act to petition the Secretary for conditional permanent resident status. Sets forth requirements respecting: (1) exclusive jurisdiction; (2) confidentiality; (3) fee prohibitions; (4) higher education assistance; and (5) a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report respecting the number of aliens adjusted under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2006
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to the next of kin or personal representative of each passenger or crew member on board United Airlines Flight 93 who is identified by the Attorney General as having aided in the effort to resist the hijackers on board the plane, in recognition of heroic service to the Nation. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such gold medal. Declares such medals to be national medals. Requires that proceeds from the sale of duplicate bronze medals be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2006
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1750 16th Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida, as the "Morris W. Milton Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2006
Henry J. Hyde Scholarships for Haiti Act of 2006 - Directs the President, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, to provide undergraduate scholarships, in the form of student loans followed by loan forgiveness, to needy Haitian students who, upon completion of their studies in the United States, promptly return to Haiti for a period at least one year longer than the duration of such scholarships. Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2009. Reserves a specified minimum amount of certain authorized development assistance appropriations under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for literacy and basic education programs in Haiti. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President, acting through the Director of the Peace Corps, should make available again to the Government of Haiti qualified Peace Corps volunteers who would serve under hardship conditions to: (1) assist the people of Haiti to improve literacy rates and meet other basic needs so that they can become economically self-sufficient; and (2) promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and of Haiti. Urges the President to: (1) design a program to match scholarship contributions from private and public sectors in either country; (2) seek to engage domestic and international businesses in Haiti to maximize the opportunities of returning scholarship recipients for the development of Haiti; and (3) provide the scholarships through existing scholarship programs, such as the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships program.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2006
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1400 West Jordan Street in Pensacola, Florida, as the "Earl D. Hutto Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2006
Expresses the sense of Congress that the government of Japan should: (1) issue an apology for the sexual enslavement of young women (known as "comfort women") during the colonial occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II; (2) educate future generations about this crime against humanity; (3) publicly refute claims that the subjugation and enslavement of such women never occurred; and (4) follow the recommendations of the United Nations and Amnesty International with respect to the "comfort women."
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2006
Condemns the enforcement of laws against apostasy. Requests the President to continue to work with the government of Afghanistan to establish better protections for religious minorities, including converts to minority religions, and to enhance human rights protections in Afghanistan. Calls upon the government of Afghanistan, and especially President Hamid Karzai, to continue to conform Afghan laws to Afghanistan's international human rights treaty obligations, thereby protecting from prosecution Afghan citizens who have converted or plan to convert to other religions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2006
Congressional Tribute to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Act of 2006 - Authorizes The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, in recognition of his enduring contributions to the United States and the world.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2006
Korean War Veterans Recognition Act of 2006 - Adds National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, July 27, to the list of days on which the flag of the United States should be displayed.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2006
Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act - Provides for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his contributions to the game of golf as a player, teacher, and commentator.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2006
Commends the people of the Republic of Haiti for holding democratic elections on February 7, 2006. Congratulates President-elect Rene Garcia Preval on his victory. Pledges support and assistance for national reconciliation, democracy, and development for the people of Haiti.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2006
Directs the Attorney General, at the request of certain state education officials, to conduct fingerprint-based checks of public or private school employees, job applicants, or volunteers for positions involving work with or around children. Restricts the disclosure of information from such checks. Imposes criminal penalties for unauthorized use or release of such information.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2006
Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2006 - Directs the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico during the 110th Congress, giving voters the option to vote for continued U.S. territorial status or for a path toward a constitutionally viable permanent nonterritorial status. Provides for subsequent procedures, depending on ballot results. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to allocate certain funds for the self-determination process.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2006
Catastrophe Savings Accounts Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create tax-exempt catastrophe savings accounts (CSAs). Allows tax-free distributions from CSAs to pay expenses resulting from a presidentially declared major disaster. Limits CSA balances to: (1) $2,000 (for individuals with homeowner insurance deductibles of not more than $1,000); and (2) the lesser of $15,000 or twice a homeowner's insurance deductible (for individuals with deductibles of more than $1,000).
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2006
United States Security Improvement Act of 2006 - Amends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to state that the purpose of a mandatory investigation of a proposed corporate merger, acquisition, or takeover (transaction) undertaken under such Act is to determine whether the acquisition could affect U.S. national security. Directs the President, within five days after initiating a mandatory investigation, to notify each House of Congress of the transaction being investigated. Requires such notice to be promptly transmitted to specified congressional committees. Prohibits the President from taking any action regarding a transaction under investigation until 14 days after congressional notification. Requires the President to consider and take into account any comments on the transaction provided by any congressional committee.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2006
Foreign Investment Security Improvement Act of 2006 - Directs the President (or the President's designee) to investigate, under the Defense Production Act of 1950, the acquisition by Dubai Ports World (DP World), an entity owned or controlled by the Emirate of Dubai, of the Peninsular and Oriental (P&O) Steam Navigation Company, a national of the United Kingdom. Requires such investigation to be completed within 45 days after enactment of this Act. Directs the President to suspend any decision, under provisions of the Defense Production Act of 1950 permitting the President to stop the acquisition because it will impair national security, with respect to such acquisition made before the completion of the investigation, including any decision made before enactment of this Act. Specifies requirements for the investigation. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide information for the investigation, including: (1) relevant information on DP World from the Automated Targeting System maintained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (2) port assessments at foreign seaports where DP World operates. Requires the President to: (1) report to Congress within 15 days after completion of the investigation; and (2) provide certain Members of Congress a detailed briefing on the contents of the report. Requires the President to take action necessary to prohibit the acquisition if the President does not stop the acquisition under the provisions of the Defense Production Act of 1950 permitting the President to stop the acquisition because it will impair national security if a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted into law within 30 days after Congress receives a report from the President that an acquisition will not be stopped. Requires, if such acquisition has been already been completed, the President to direct the Attorney General to seek divestment or other appropriate relief in US district courts.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2006
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) pluralistic and geographic expansion is necessary for its continued effectiveness and relevance; (2) Israel's demonstrated commitment to uphold democracy and to combat terrorism, in addition to its strategic and military capabilities, make Israel deserving of NATO membership; (3) the United States, as Israel's strong ally, should take the lead in supporting an upgrade in Israel's NATO relationship to that of a leading member of NATO's Individual Cooperation Program as a first step toward Israel's full NATO membership; and (4) Israel's deepened relationship with NATO would be mutually beneficial to both Israel and NATO member states, including the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2006
Commends the people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands for the contributions and sacrifices they made to the U.S. nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands. Acknowledges the first detonation of a hydrogen bomb by the United States on March 1, 1954, on the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Remembers that 60 years ago the United States began its nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2006
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should increase trade opportunities with Taiwan by launching negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2006
Federal Aviation Administration Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006 - Amends federal transportation law to revise certain federal aviation administration personnel management system requirements to prohibit the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from implementing any proposed change to the FAA personnel management system in cases where the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service do not lead to an agreement between the Administrator and FAA employees unless a bill is enacted into law by Congress that authorizes the change during the 60-day period beginning from the time Congress received the proposed change. (Current law does not require congressional action.) Requires the Administrator and FAA employee bargaining representatives to submit the proposed change to binding arbitration if Congress does not enact a bill into law within the 60-day period.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2006
Condemns the government of Iran's many failures to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, including its obligations under the Safeguards Agreement. Commends the efforts of the governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to seek a credible suspension of Iran's enrichment- and reprocessing-related activities and to find a diplomatic means to address Iran's noncompliance with such obligations. Calls on U.N. Security Council members, in particular the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, to consider and take action in response to the report of Iran's noncompliance in fulfillment of the Security Council's mandate to respond to situations bearing on the maintenance of international peace and security. Declares that Iran, through its many breaches of the Safeguards Agreement, has forfeited the right to develop any aspect of a nuclear fuel cycle, especially with uranium conversion and enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technology, equipment, and facilities. Calls on all members of the international community to impose economic sanctions to deny Iran the ability to develop nuclear weapons. Urges the President to keep Congress fully and currently informed concerning Iran's violation of its international nuclear nonproliferation obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2006
Global Internet Freedom Act - Establishes in the International Broadcasting Bureau the Office of Global Internet Freedom to develop and implement a comprehensive global strategy to combat state-sponsored and state-directed Internet jamming by repressive foreign governments, and the intimidation and persecution by such governments of their citizens who use the Internet. Requires an annual report from the Office to Congress on the status of state-sponsored and state-directed Internet jamming by repressive foreign governments and a description of U.S. efforts to counter such jamming. Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should: (1) denounce repressive foreign governments that engage in Internet jamming; (2) direct the U.S. Representative to the United Nations (UN) to submit a resolution condemning repressive foreign governments that engage in Internet jamming and deny their citizens the freedom to access and share information on the Internet; and (3) deploy technologies aimed at defeating state-sponsored and state-directed Internet jamming by repressive foreign governments, and the intimidation and persecution by such governments of their citizens who use the Internet.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2006
Heart Disease Education, Analysis, and Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act to require an application for approval or for investigation of a drug, device, or biological product to include information stratified by gender, race, and ethnicity, including any differences in safety and effectiveness. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) withhold approval of such an application or place a clinical hold on an investigation if such information is not included; and (2) report to the scientific community and make information available to the public on such stratified data upon approval of an application. Requires the Comptroller General to study the drug approval process to ensure compliance with this Act. Requires the Secretary to require that all nonidentifiable patient safety work product reported to a patient safety database be stratified by gender. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) the Social Security Act (SSA) to require the Secretary to make hospital quality data relating to the quality of care in inpatient settings available to the public stratified by gender. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to report to Congress concerning the quality of and access to care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Requires utilization and quality control peer review organizations to offer quality improvement assistance aimed at eliminating gender disparities. Amends title IX (employment security provisions) of SSA to require that data be stratified by gender when collected and used in surveys evaluating whether Medicare providers meet applicable conditions of participation or coverage. Provides for an educational campaign relating to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases in women.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2006
Disapproves of the Arab League's decision to hold its 2006 summit in Khartoum, Sudan. Calls on the Arab League, the government of Sudan, the Sudanese rebels, and the world community to do all they can to end the acts of genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2006
States that a precondition for the integration of Belarus into the Western community of nations is its establishment of a genuinely democratic political system. Expresses support for the efforts of the Belarusian people to establish a full democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in Belarus. Urges the government of Belarus to: (1) guarantee freedom of association and assembly, and (2) meet its Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards and commitments on democratic elections. Urges the Belarusian authorities to ensure: (1) transparency procedures for the 2006 presidential election; (2) election monitor access; (3) multiparty representation on all election commissions; (4) media access by all parties and candidates; (5) freedom of candidates, members of opposition parties, and independent media organizations from government harassment; and (6) prosecution of election law violators. Encourages the international community to continue efforts to support democracy in Belarus and urges countries such as Lithuania and other Baltic countries and Nordic countries to continue to provide assistance to nongovernmental organizations and other Belarusian organizations involved in promoting democracy and fair elections. Pledges support to the Belarusian people, their commitment to a democratic system and creation of a free market economy, and their country's assumption of its place as a full and equal member of the Western community of democracies.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2006
Recognizes the potential threat that sympathizers and financiers of Islamist terrorist organizations that operate in the Western Hemisphere pose to the United States, our allies, and interests. Acknowledges the cooperation of some Western Hemisphere governments to deny the use of their territory to Islamist terrorist organizations and calls on all governments to intensify such efforts. Encourages the President to direct the United States Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to: (1) seek OAS support for the creation of a special task force of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism to assist in investigating and combating the proliferation of Islamist terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere; and (2) urge OAS countries to designate Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, al-Qaeda and other such groups as terrorist organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2006
Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 - States that it shall be U.S. policy to promote the emergence of a democratic Palestinian governing authority that denounces and combats terrorism, upholds human rights for all people, and has agreed to recognize Israel as an independent Jewish state. Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance under such Act or any other provision of law to the Palestinian Authority (PA) only during a period for which a presidential certification has determined: (1) that no PA ministry, agency, or instrumentality is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization and no member of a foreign terrorist organization serves in a PA ministry, agency, or instrumentality; (2) that the PA has publicly acknowledged Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, and is adhering to all previous agreements and understandings with the government of the United States, the government of Israel, and the international community; and (3) that the PA has made demonstrable progress toward purging from its security services individuals with ties to terrorism, dismantling all terrorist infrastructure and cooperating with Israel's security services, halting anti-Israel incitement, and ensuring democracy and financial transparency. Directs the President to make and transmit such certifications to Congress every six months. Prohibits during a period in which a certification is is not in effect with respect to the PA.: (1) assistance to nongovernmental organizations for the West Bank and Gaza (exempts assistance for basic human health needs from such limitation.); (2) U.S. contributions to the United Nations intended for U.N. agencies providing assistance directly to the PA; (3) visa issuance to any PA official or affiliated person (with a case-by-case exemption for U.S. security needs); (4) travel outside of a 25-mile radius of the U.N. headquarters building for officials and representatives of the PA and of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) who are stationed at the United Nations in New York City; and (5) establishment of an office, headquarters, premises, or other facilities within U.S. jurisdiction at the direction of, or with funds provided by, the PA or the PLO. Requires the President to direct the executive director at each international financial institution to use U.S. influence to prohibit assistance to the PA during any such period. Directs the Secretary of State to audit and report respecting duplicative entities and functions of: (1) the United Nations Division for Palestinian Rights; (2) the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People; (3) the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority; (4) the NGO Network on the Question of Palestine; (5) the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories; and (6) any other entity the Secretary determines results in duplicative efforts or funding or fails to ensure balance in the approach to Israeli-Palestinian issues. Withholds specified U.S. contributions to the United Nations for such entities until the report's recommendations are implemented. Expresses the sense of Congress that during any such period the territory controlled by the PA should be deemed to be in use as a terrorist sanctuary for purposes of the Export Administration Act of 1979, and of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989. Prohibits funds to be used by any U.S. officer or employee to negotiate, attend official meetings, or have official contacts with members or official representatives of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, or any other Palestinian terrorist organization, until such organization: (1) recognizes Israel's right to exist; (2) renounces terrorism; (3) dismantles the terrorist infrastructure; and (4) recognizes all previous agreements and understandings between Israel and the PA.
United States · United States Congress · 22 December 2005
Recognizes the potential threat that sympathizers and financiers of Islamist terrorist organizations that operate in the Western Hemisphere pose to the United States, our allies, and interests. Acknowledges the cooperation of some Western Hemisphere governments to deny the use of their territory to Islamist terrorist organizations and calls on all governments to intensify such efforts. Encourages the President to direct the United States Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to: (1) seek OAS support for the creation of a special task force of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) to assist in investigating and combating the proliferation of Islamist terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere; and (2) urge OAS countries to designate Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, al-Qaeda and other such groups as terrorist organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2005
Condemns the actions taken by President Hugo Chavez Frias to: (1) increase his control over Venezuela's democratic institutions and eliminate opposition to his rule as detrimental to democracy in Venezuela and to regional stability; and (2) support radical forces in Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia in an effort to destabilize those nations. Calls for an end to the continued verbal assaults on the United States. Supports the efforts of the Venezuelan democratic civil society to create the conditions for a a free election process and open dialogue within Venezuela and the international community. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it should be U.S. policy to support democratic forces in Venezuela, and to work with the international community, including the Organization of American States (OAS), to assist democratic forces in Venezuela; (2) it is critical that the 2006 elections in Venezuela be free and transparent; and (3) the U.S. government should provide assistance and material support to Venezuelan nongovernmental organizations and to political parties, ensuring that the assistance goes for party strengthening and be open to all legitimate Venezuelan political forces.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2005
Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2005
Code Talkers Recognition Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to make arrangements for the presentation of a congressional gold medal: (1) to persons, including specified individuals, who served as Sioux or Comanche Code Talkers during World War II; (2) honoring the Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I; and (3) to any other Native American member of the armed forces, identified by the Secretary of Defense, who served as a Code Talker in any foreign conflict in which the United States was involved during the 20th Century. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck under this Act and to deposit the proceeds in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to pay for the costs of the medals awarded under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2005
Condemns: (1) the arbitrary detention of Dr. Pham Hong Son and others by the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and calls for their immediate release; and (2) the violations of freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and the lack of due process afforded to individuals in Vietnam. Urges the government of Vietnam to: (1) consider the implications of its actions for the broader U.S.-Vietnam relationship, including trade relations; and (2) allow access to the Central Highlands and to the Northwest Highlands by foreign diplomats, the international press, and nongovernmental organizations. Applauds the European Parliament for its December 2005 resolution regarding human rights in Vietnam. Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should: (1) make the immediate release of Dr. Pham Hong Son and others a top concern; (2) continue to urge the government of Vietnam to comply with internationally recognized standards for basic freedoms and human rights; (3) make clear to the government of Vietnam that it must adhere to the rule of law and respect the freedom of the press in order for it to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO); and (4) make clear to the government of Vietnam that the detention of Dr. Pham and others is not in the interest of Vietnam because such detentions create obstacles to improved U.S. relations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2005
Honors: (1) the Hispanic Americans who have served in the Armed Forces; and (2) the life of Captain Felix Sosa-Camejo, U.S. Army, in recognition of his achievements and sacrifice during service, including during the Vietnam War, and ending with his death in combat on February 13, 1968.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
National Hepatitis B Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a plan for hepatitis B prevention, control, and medical management. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) support the integration of testing, counseling, immunization, and medical referral activities into existing clinical and public health programs at state, local, and tribal levels; and (2) provide hepatitis B coordinators to health departments in order to ensure the success of such integration. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to implement programs to increase awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of hepatitis B. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC, to: (1) support the establishment of a national hepatitis B surveillance program; and (2) report on population-based seroprevalence studies and hepatitis B's economic and clinical impact and its impact on quality of life. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Directors of CDC, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to conduct research on hepatitis B. Requires the Secretary to give priority in carrying out this Act to individuals with limited access to health education, testing, and health care services and groups that may be disproportionately affected by hepatitis B.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro Tempore of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, in recognition of his many contributions to peace and religious understanding.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
Declares that: (1) the House of Representatives is committed to achieving victory in Iraq; (2) the presence of the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq will only be required until Iraqi forces can stand up on their own; and (3) an artificial timetable for terminating the deployment of U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq is inconsistent with achieving victory. Acknowledges the Iraqi December 15, 2005, election as a crucial victory for its new democracy. Encourages Americans to express solidarity with the Iraq people and their goal of a democratic society. Honors the sacrifices made by the U.S. Armed Forces, their families, and members of the Iraq and Coalition forces. Expresses confidence that the U.S. Armed Forces, along with Iraqi and Coalition forces, will achieve victory in Iraq.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
Supports Lebanese government efforts to respect the victims' remains in the Anjar mass graves and protect the viability of the evidence. Calls on the President to direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to seek adoption of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an investigation into the Lebanese disappeared and all mass graves. Urges that revisions be made to the 1991 Amnesty Law to allow for the prosecution of those responsible for the murder and disappearance of Lebanese citizens prior to 1991. Insists that the government of Syria cease its continued efforts to silence Lebanese critics, and to otherwise hold Lebanon captive. Demands that the government of Syria be further sanctioned under U.S. law for its continuing infringement of Lebanese sovereignty and be held accountable for its continuing violations of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1595, and 1636.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Mammogram Availability Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group coverage, that provides coverage for diagnostic mammographies for any woman 40 years old or older to provide no less favorable coverage for annual screening mammographies for such a woman. Prohibits related enrollment and renewal discrimination, monetary incentives to women, and penalties or incentives to providers. Applies such requirements and prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Makes it the policy of the United States to: (1) work to ensure the divestiture by U.S. government and private pension plans or thrift savings plans and mutual funds sold or distributed in the United States of all investments in any bank or financial institution that directly or through a subsidiary has outstanding loans to or financial activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or its instrumentalities; and (2) ensure there is no such future investment.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Condemns the imprisonment of religious leaders and people of faith in the People's Republic of China and urges their release. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that U.S. policy should be to promote and defend religious freedom and freedom of conscience in China.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Condemns the vile assertions concerning Israel and the Holocaust made by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and again demands that he disavow his remarks. Calls upon the U.N. Security Council and all civilized nations to censure Iran for its government's dangerous attempt to rewrite history. Reiterates the House of Representatives' pledge to prevent Iran from procuring nuclear weapons and its steadfast bonds with Israel. Affirms its understanding of all of the lessons of World War II, including that the millions murdered in the Holocaust must never be forgotten and such atrocities should never happen again.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Calls upon the U.S. government to advocate for the immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops from the occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus. Supports of the European Commission's 2005 Progress Report on Turkey, which states that Turkey: (1) continues to wrongfully impose its veto on Cyprus' membership in certain international organizations; (2) insists in excluding Cyprus and Malta from the strategic cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in crisis management; and (3) restricts Cyprus-flagged vessels from entering Turkish ports and Cypriot civilian aircraft from using Turkish national airspace. Calls upon Turkey to normalize relations with the Republic of Cyprus and stop hampering strategic cooperation between the EU and NATO.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Urges the President to issue annually a proclamation calling on state and local governments and the people of the United States to observe an American Jewish History Month.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2005
Directs the Joint Committee on the Library to accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and display it in a suitable permanent location in the rotunda of the Capitol. Expresses the sense of Congress that the most suitable location for the placement of the bust is one adjacent to the statue known as the Portrait Monument.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2005
Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to restore federal aid for the repair, restoration, and replacement of private nonprofit educational facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2005
Children's Hope Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit, up to $100 ($200 for joint returns), for charitable contributions to an education investment organization that disburses 90% of its contributions to provide grants to students for elementary and secondary education expenses, if at least 50% of such disbursements go to students who qualify for free or reduced-cost school lunches. Requires a taxpayer claiming such credit to first claim a state qualified scholarship tax credit, as defined by this Act, as a condition of eligibility for the federal tax credit.