United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2003
America's Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2003 - Designates specified lands in the following areas of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Great Basin; (2) Zion and Mojave Desert; (3) the Grand Staircase and the Escalante Canyons; (4) Moab-La Sal Canyons; (5) Henry Mountains; (6) Glen Canyon; (7) San Juan-Anasazi; (8) Canyonlands Basin; (9) San Rafael Swell; and (10) Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin. Sets forth administrative provisions regarding: (1) filing by the Secretary of the Interior of a map and a legal description of each designated wilderness area with appropriate congressional committees; (2) the exchange of State-owned lands within such areas; (3) Federal reservation of water rights; (4) measurement of setbacks for roads with wilderness; (5) authorized livestock grazing; and (6) withdrawal of such lands from disposition under certain public land laws.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2003 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend through FY 2007 the authorization of appropriations for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program (a matching grant program which helps State, tribal, and local jurisdictions purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers).
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, based on recommendations from the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Advisory Panel (established by this Act), to make grants, after a process of peer review and programmatic review, to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of not more than eight centers for the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research on environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2003
Acknowledges the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire Act) on November 4, 2003. Encourages the people and Government of the United States to rededicate themselves to ending genocide.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2003
Student Adjustment Act of 2003 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to repeal the provision prohibiting 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. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to cancel the removal of, and adjust to permanent resident status, certain (inadmissible or deportable) alien middle or secondary students with qualifying years of U.S. residency. Makes such aliens eligible for Federal and State higher education assistance during the pendency of their application for cancellation of removal.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2003
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for and enforcement of prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages to: (1) add nonretaliation requirements; (2) increase penalties; and (3) authorize the Secretary of Labor to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. Directs the Secretary to provide for certain studies, information, a national summit, guidelines, awards, and assistance for employer evaluations of job categories based on objective criteria. Establishes the National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect certain pay information.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2003
Teacher Education for Autistic Children Act of 2003 - TEACH Act of 2003 - Authorizes additional appropriations for: (1) training of special education teachers with expertise in autism spectrum disorders (ASD); and (2) improving results for children with ASD, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to carry out a student loan forgiveness program of assuming the obligation to repay up to specified amounts of certain loans under the Higher Education Act of 1965 for borrowers who are employed as full-time special education teachers of children with ASD for three consecutive complete school years. Provides for additional amounts to be repaid at the end of each of the next two additional consecutive years of such employment, up to a total maximum amount. Amends IDEA to require local educational agencies receiving IDEA assistance to report on autism early intervention activities. Directs the Secretary: (1) acting through the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to establish and provide administrative support for a task force on ASD; (2) with the Secretary of Labor to study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of Federal vocational training programs in providing appropriate assistance to individuals with ASD; and (3) to make grants to each State that establishes and operates at least one State autism ombudsman office.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2003
Pension Benefits Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code) to protect pension benefits of employees in defined benefit (DB) plans, and to ensure that age discrimination laws are applied to conversions to cash balance plans and other such plans that are hybrids of DB's and defined contribution plans. Requires ERISA, the Code, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1967 to be applied and administered without regard to certain proposed regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury that relate to reductions of accruals and allocations because of the attainment of any age, and to application of nondiscrimination cross-testing rules to cash balance plans. Amends ERISA and the Code to protect certain DB plan participants from forced conversions to hybrid DB plans by plan amendments which change the way the accrued benefit to participants or beneficiaries are expressed and which reduce the rate of future benefit accrual of one or more participants. Requires employers, at the time such amendment takes effect, to provide employees who have attained 40 years of age or 10 years of service with certain notices and an election upon retirement to receive benefits as determined either under the plan in effect at time of retirement or under the plan in effect immediately before the plan amendment. Sets forth a formula to determine when a plan amendment adopted by a large (100 or more participants) DB plan shall be treated as wearing away accrued benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to private or public colleges or universities, fraternities, or sororities for up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Requires grant priority to be given eligible entities that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least ten percent for eligible entities that are historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities; and (2) at least ten percent for eligible entities that are social fraternities and sororities. Provides that any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity (except a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary and an eligible entity under this Act).
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
Quality Cancer Care Preservation Act - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the payment amount for covered drugs and biologicals furnished during a calendar quarter that are not paid on a cost or prospective payment basis. Changes such amount from 95 percent of the average wholesale price to 120 percent of the average sales price of the drug or biological for the second preceding calendar quarter. Requires drug manufacturers to report average sales prices each calendar quarter for covered drugs and biologicals. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) revise the practice expense relative value units for drug administration services (including chemotherapy administration services) in accordance with this Act to determine the units to be used in determining the fee schedule amounts paid for drug administration services under the Medicare program; (2) recognize and make payments under Medicare for chemotherapy support services furnished incident to physicians' services; (3) recognize and establish a payment amount for the service of cancer therapy management to account for the greater pre-service and post-service work associated with visits and consultations conducted by physicians treating cancer patients compared to typical visits and consultations; and (4) develop a revised methodology for determining the payment amounts for services that are paid under the Medicare fee schedule and that do not have physician work relative value units, including radiation oncology services. Amends SSA title XVIII to provide that if the Secretary requires direct supervision of a service by a physician, that supervision requirement may be fulfilled by one or more physicians other than the physician who ordered the service.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify qualified leasehold improvement property (defined as certain improvements made to an interior portion of nonresidential real property) as ten-year property for depreciation purposes under the Accelerated Cost Recovery System.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2003
Requires engine coolant or antifreeze sold after January 1, 2004, that is manufactured after July 1, 2003, and that contains more than ten percent ethylene glycol, to include denatonium benzoate at a minimum of 30 parts per million (or other equally effective aversive agent) as a bittering agent so as to render it unpalatable. Requires a manufacturer or packager of such product to maintain records of compliance with this Act. Declares that any manufacturer, distributor, recycler, or seller of an automotive product required by this Act to contain an aversive agent shall not be liable (except for willful or wanton misconduct) for personal injury, death, or property damage that results from compliance with this Act. Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the sale of a motor vehicle that contains engine coolant or antifreeze; or (2) wholesale containers of engine coolant or antifreeze containing 55 gallons or more of engine coolant or antifreeze.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2003
Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to increase the imprisonment penalty for animal fighting violations from one year to two years. Makes it unlawful to sell, buy, transport, or deliver in interstate or foreign commerce a knife, gaff, or other sharp instrument used in a bird-fighting venture. Revises enforcement provisions. Permits euthanasia for an animal in extreme pain. Includes the Internet or any technology as interstate instrumentality.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2003
Fuel Tax Equalization Credit for Substantial Power Takeoff Vehicles Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a $250 credit for each qualified commercial power takeoff vehicle (certain highway vehicles designed to deliver ready mixed concrete or collect refuse or recyclables) owned by a taxpayer at the end of the year. Stipulates that such credit shall not be available for a vehicle used during the year by a governmental entity or a tax-exempt organization.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2003
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to maintaining the security of all freedom-loving nations. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) strike such gold medal (and authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell duplicate bronze medals); and (2) deposit sums received from the sale of the bronze medals into the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Don't Feed the Bears Act of 2003 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to enforce the National Parks System regulatory prohibitions against the feeding and baiting of wildlife on National Park System lands and in wildlife refuge areas, in particular the intentional feeding of bears for the purpose of enticing them to a particular area to be hunted (bear baiting). Requires the Secretary of the Interior with respect to lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, and the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to National Forest System lands, to adopt and enforce a regulation to prohibit individuals from intentionally feeding bears, including feeding for the purpose of bear baiting.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
WISEWOMAN Expansion Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through a competitive review process, to award grants to States to provide additional specified preventive health services, screenings, education, and referrals under PHSA provisions concerning preventive health measures with respect to breast and cervical cancers. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act - Designates specified National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management district lands in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa Counties in California as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Requires that such lands be administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, whoever has current administrative jurisdiction. Provides for the adjustment of the boundaries of certain of the lands to allow and encourage mechanical fire-suppression activities near wildfire risk areas. Designates specified Bureau of Land Management district lands in California as potential wilderness areas. Requires that the Secretary of the Interior manage such lands as wilderness and carry out ecological restoration activities. Designates specified segments of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County, California as a wild and scenic river. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a fire management plan and a report on the cultural and historic resources of Black Butte River. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture for: (1) the establishment of a program to provide grants for creating wilderness-related jobs and for developing visitors centers, brochures, and kiosks; (2) the development of trails and other facilities to promote wilderness recreation; (3) the support of law enforcement activities; and (4) the support of firefighting activities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2003
Clean School Buses Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program for awarding grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the demonstration and commercial application of alternative fuel school buses and ultra-low sulfur diesel school buses. Directs the Secretary to establish a program for entering into cooperative agreements with private sector fuel cell bus developers to develop fuel cell-powered school buses, and subsequently with at least two units of local government using natural gas-powered school buses and such private sector fuel cell bus developers to demonstrate the use of fuel cell-powered school buses.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2003
Amends Federal postal law to extend the U.S. Postal Service's authority to issue special postage stamps to help provide funding for breast cancer research through December 31, 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2003
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) each member of the U.S. and allied armed forces should be commended for serving with distinction and professionalism; (2) the families of members of the U.S. armed forces should be commended for their support; and (3) all U.S. citizens should pay homage to such members and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2003
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) revise the basis for calculating the projected lost earnings of a person who sustained a vaccine-related injury; (2) increase the award for a vaccine-related death; (3) allow compensation for expenses for family counseling and establishing guardianship; (4) allow payment of interim attorneys' fees and costs; (5) establish a procedure for paying attorneys' fees; (6) extend from two to six years the statute of limitations for injuries or death from a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table; (7) revise the membership and meeting schedule of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines; and (8) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a public service announcement campaign about the availability of the Program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the limit on Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund administrative expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2003
Equity for Reservists Pay Act of 2003 - Entitles a Federal employee who is also a member of the reserves and who is absent from his or her civilian employment position under a call or order for active duty service of more than 30 days, to receive an amount equal to the difference in pay between the military compensation received and the civilian compensation that otherwise would have been received during such period. Makes such amounts also payable during: (1) any period of hospitalization or convalescence required as a result of such service; and (2) the 14-day period following such service. Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to reimburse a State or local government for 50 percent of the civilian compensation paid by such government for pay periods when a State or local government employee is performing active duty service of more than 30 days. Increases such rate to 100 percent if the employee's active duty service period extends beyond nine months. Requires such reimbursement during periods of hospitalization or convalescence and for 14 days after service. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that, for purposes of the general business credit, the Active-Duty Reserve Component employee credit is 50 percent of the compensation paid by the employer to the employee during the period of active duty.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2003
Emergency Retiree Health Benefits Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide emergency protections for retiree health benefits. Prohibits group health plans from making post-retirement reductions of retiree health benefits. Requires group health plans to adopt provisions barring post-retirement reductions in retiree health benefits. Requires group health plans to restore benefits reduced after retirement. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to waive or vary such requirements, if a plan sponsor applies for such exemption, upon finding that compliance would: (1) be adverse to the interests of plan participants in the aggregate; (2) not be administratively feasible; and (3) cause substantial business hardship to the sponsor. Establishes the Emergency Retiree Health Loan Guarantee Program and its Board. Authorizes the Program, through its Board, to guarantee loans provided by private banking and investment institutions to eligible plan sponsors to assist them in meeting obligations under this Act to restore benefits reduced after retirement. Authorizes the Secretary to assess civil penalties for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2003
Directs Congress to enact legislation by October 2005 to guarantee that every person in the United States, regardless of income, age, or employment or health status, has access to health care that: (1) is affordable and that removes financial barriers to needed care; (2) is as cost efficient as possible; (3) provides comprehensive benefits; (4) promotes prevention and early intervention; (5) includes parity for mental health and other services; (6) eliminates disparities in access to quality health care; (7) addresses the needs of people with special health care needs and underserved populations in rural and urban areas; (8) promotes quality and better health outcomes; (9) addresses the need to have adequate numbers of qualified health care practitioners; (10) provides adequate and timely payments; (11) fosters a strong network of health care facilities; (12) ensures continuity of coverage and continuity of care; (13) maximizes consumer choice of health care providers and practitioners; and (14) is easy for patients, providers, and practitioners to use and reduces paperwork.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2003
Latin America Military Training Review Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of the Army to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (Institute). Repeals statutory authority for the Institute. Prohibits any training or education facility from being established in the Department of Defense (DOD) for Latin American military personnel for ten months. Establishes a joint congressional task force to assess appropriate education and training for DOD to provide to military personnel of Latin American nations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a credit to promote the production and usage of biodiesel fuel. Requires a taxpayer to obtain a certification from the producer of the biodiesel which identifies the product produced in order to utilize the credit. Imposes a tax for biodiesel not used as fuel, but for which a credit was granted. Reduces motor fuel excise taxes on biodiesel mixtures. Provides for transfers of funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to the Highway Trust Fund in amounts equivalent to the reductions that would occur but for this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2003
Prohibits the commercial harvesting of Atlantic striped bass in the coastal waters or Exclusive Economic Zone. Imposes penalties and allows civil forfeiture of vessels for violations. Requires the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director to take actions reflecting the prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act (regarding group health plans, health insurance issuers offering group insurance, and health insurance offered in the individual market), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (regarding group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group insurance), the Internal Revenue Code (regarding group health plans), title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) (regarding Medicare+Choice plans, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), competitive medical plans, Medicare supplemental health insurance policies (Medigap), and Medicare select policies), SSA title XIX (Medicaid) (regarding State plans), and provisions of the U.S. Code relating to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (regarding contracting with carriers offering health benefits plans) to require that, if mail-order prescription drug coverage is provided, non-mail-order prescription drug coverage must also be provided.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit: (1) Federal civilian and military retirees to pay Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and TRICARE supplemental premiums on a pretax basis; and (2) a deduction (available to itemizers and nonitemizers) for TRICARE supplemental premiums and enrollment fees. Sets an implementation deadline of the first open enrollment period beginning not less than 90 days following enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2003
Constitutional Amendment - States that: (1) equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex; (2) Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article; and (3) this amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Veterans' Education Affordability Act - Increases for months occurring during FY 2005 the amounts authorized for veterans' basic educational assistance. Repeals provisions which require basic pay reductions for eligibility for such assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to prohibit certain payments to States for expenditures for medical imaging procedures or radiation therapy procedures, unless the State meets specified requirements for State medical radiation licenses, including minimum licensing standards the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2003
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) proposed changes to Title IX athletics policies contradict the spirit of athletic equality and gender equity; (2) current Title IX athletics policies, the Department of Education's 1979 Policy Interpretation as clarified in the 1996 Clarification of Intercollegiate Athletics Policy Guidance, should remain unchanged and be enforced vigorously to eliminate the continuing discrimination against women and girls in athletics; and (3) if the Department of Education changes Title IX athletics policies, Congress should restore the intent of Title IX through policies that preserve the right to equal opportunities in athletics.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Freedom to Read Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (the Act) to provide that no application by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to a U.S. court for an order requiring the production of tangible things for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information from a U.S. person or to protect against international terrorism may be made for the sole purpose of searching for, or seizing from, a bookseller or library documentary materials that contain personally identifiable information concerning a patron. Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to preclude a physical search for documentary materials (including books, records, papers, documents, and other items) under other provisions of law. Revises congressional reporting requirements under the Act to require the Attorney General, in informing Congress with respect to applications for orders approving requests for the production of tangible things, to: (1) describe the specific purpose of each order application; (2) analyze the effectiveness of each application that was granted or modified in protecting U.S. citizens against terrorism; and (3) make public such information provided in a manner consistent with the national security of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Yellowstone Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the final rule to phase out snowplane use in Grand Teton National Park and snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park, the John. D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, and Grand Teton National Park. Prohibits the Secretary from modifying or superseding any provisions of that final rule.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
National Computer Recycling Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, after submitting to Congress a study of waste materials in used computers that may be hazardous to human health or the environment, to require assessment of a fee on the sale to an end-user of any computer, monitor, or other designated electronic devices. Requires fees collected to be used for administration of this Act and grants for: (1) collecting or processing used computers, monitors, or other devices for recycling; (2) reusing or reselling such articles; and (3) extracting and using, or selling for reuse, raw materials from such articles. Requires reports to Congress on the status of computer recycling, which shall include descriptions of fee collection and use.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Civil Rights Tax Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income amounts received by a claimant on account of claims based on unlawful discrimination (as defined). Permits income averaging for backpay and frontpay awards received on account of such claims.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2003
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2003 - Establishes the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury to promote the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable and safe low-income housing through grants to States and local jurisdictions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
Salmon Planning Act - Requires the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences providing for scientific analysis of Federal salmon and steelhead recovery efforts. Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to study the potential effects of partially removing the four lower Snake River dams, including those on: (1) the economy of surrounding communities; (2) water transportation; (3) irrigation; (4) energy production; and (5) the extinction of salmon and steelhead populations in Snake River. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, to partially remove the dams if found necessary by: (1) the Secretary to restore Snake River salmon and steelhead populations to meet obligations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (2) the Secretary of the Interior to meet treaty obligations to Indian tribes or other sovereign nations; or (3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to meet requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act - Designates the following lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System (System): (1) Greater Glacier/Northern Continental Divide ecosystem; (2) Greater Yellowstone ecosystem; (3) Greater Salmon/Selway ecosystem; (4) Greater Cabinet/Yaak/Selkirk ecosystem; (5) Islands in the Sky Wilderness; and (6) Blackfeet Wilderness. Designates: (1) specified wild land areas as Biological Connecting Corridors to protect the life flow of the Northern Rockies Bioregion; (2) the inventoried roadless areas identified as part of the Corridors as components of the System; and (3) certain biological connecting corridors as special corridor management areas. Establishes the Hells Canyon/Chief Joseph National Park and Preserve as a National Park System unit. Repeals Federal law provisions that establish the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) implement a program of ecosystem restoration in the Preserve; and (2) study the feasibility of creating a Flathead National Park and Preserve in the area generally known as the Glacier View Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest. Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Establishes the National Wildland Restoration and Recovery System and the National Wildland Recovery Corps. Requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to assure nonexclusive access to the specified areas and corridors designated by this Act by Native Americans for traditional cultural and religious purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2003
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) a postage stamp should be issued by the United States Postal Service in commemoration of Diwali, a festival celebrated by people of Indian origin; and (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2003
Debbie Smith Act of 2003 - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) survey Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement jurisdictions to assess the amount of DNA evidence from sexual assault crimes that has not been subjected to testing and analysis; (2) review national, State, local, and tribal government protocols on the collection and processing of DNA evidence at crime scenes; and (3) make grants for sexual assault examiner programs, examiner training and certification, acquisition or improvement of forensic equipment, and other training. Amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to: (1) ensure that DNA testing and analysis of samples from rape kits and non-suspect cases are carried out in a timely manner; (2) reauthorize grants; (3) make local governments eligible for grants; (4) direct the Attorney General to give priority to a State or local governmental unit that has a significant rape kit or non-suspect case backlog; and (5) expand the scope of DNA samples subject to privacy protections. Amends: (1) the Federal criminal code and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to authorize "John Doe" DNA indictments for sexual abuse (allows describing a person as an unknown individual who has a particular DNA profile if the identity of the accused or defendant is unknown); and (2) the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to carry out a redesign of the Combined DNA Index System.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit certain employee group health plans or related insurances providing both medical-surgical and mental health benefits from imposing mental health treatment limitations or financial requirements unless comparable limitations and requirements are imposed upon medical-surgical benefits. States that the foregoing shall not be construed as requiring a group health plan (or related insurances) to: (1) provide any mental health benefits; (2) prevent the medical management of mental health benefits; or (3) require the provision of specific mental health services, except to the extent that failure to provide such services would result in a disparity between the coverage of mental health and medical-surgical benefits. Exempts specified small employers from such requirements. Requires that, in the case of a group health plan that offers a participant or beneficiary two or more benefit package options, the coverage requirements shall be applied separately with respect to each such option. Provides that, in the case of a plan or insurance providing in-network mental health benefits, out-of-network mental health benefits need not be provided at parity to medical-surgical benefits, as long as in-network mental health benefits are provided at parity with medical-surgical benefits and the plan or insurance provides reasonable access to in-network providers and facilities. Requires a General Accounting Office study of such requirements' effects upon health insurance costs, access, and quality and a cost estimation of extending such requirements to the treatment of substance abuse and chemical dependency.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Veterans Medication Accessibility Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish to a veteran such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician in the treatment of any illness or injury of such veteran. (Currently, other requirements must be met before such veterans will be furnished drugs and medicines on private practitioner prescriptions.)
![Official portrait of Rep. Rothman, Steven R. [D-NJ-9]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/r000462_200.jpg)