United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2002
Date Certain Tax Code Replacement Act - Prohibits the imposition of any tax by the Internal Revenue Code: (1) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2005; and (2) in the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 31, 2005. Excepts the: (1) tax on self-employment income (chapter 2 of the Code); (2) Federal Insurance Contributions Act (chapter 21 of the Code); and (3) Railroad Retirement Tax Act (chapter 22 of the Code). Establishes the National Commission on Tax Reform and Simplification to review: (1) the present structure and provisions of the Code; (2) whether the tax systems of other countries could provide more efficient and fair methods of funding government revenue requirements; (3) whether the income tax should be replaced with a tax imposed in a different manner or on a different base; and (4) whether the Code can be simplified, absent wholesale restructuring or replacement. Requires a Commission report to Congress on review results, with recommendations for Code reform and simplification. Terminates the Commission 90 days after such report. Authorizes appropriations (with interim funding). Declares that any new Federal tax system should be approved by Congress in its final form before July 4, 2005, and, if not, Congress should be required to vote to reauthorize the Code.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2002
Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2002 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Federal Government, and any State or local government that receives Federal financial assistance, from discriminating against any health care entity because (in addition to current prohibited reasons) the entity refuses to provide coverage of, or pay for, induced abortions. Expands the definition of "health care entity" to include (in addition to physicians) other health professionals, a hospital, a provider sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, and any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2002
Truth in Domain Names Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly using a misleading domain name with the intent to attract a minor into viewing a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct on the Internet.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2002
National Homeland Security and Combating Terrorism Act of 2002 - Establishes the Department of National Homeland Security to: (1) develop policies and plans for homeland security; (2) develop a National Strategy for Combating Terrorism and Homeland Security Response to counter terrorist threats; (3) plan, coordinate, and integrate Government border security, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency preparedness activities and act as the focal point regarding crises and emergency planning and response; (4) annually update a Federal response plan for homeland security and emergency preparedness; and (5) implement a coordinating center with representatives from other Federal agencies with security responsibilities. Transfers to the Department the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Customs Service, specified portions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service responsible for law enforcement and border management, the Coast Guard, the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, the National Infrastructure Protection Center and the National Domestic Preparedness Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a specified portion of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture. Establishes: (1) within the Department Directorates of Prevention, Critical Infrastructure Protection, and Emergency Preparedness and Response and an Office of Science and Technology; (2) an Acceleration Fund for Research and Development of Homeland Security Technologies; (3) within the Executive Office of the President the National Office for Combating Terrorism; (4) a National Combating Terrorism and Homeland Security Council; and (5) a National Homeland Security Panel. Requires development of an annual consolidated proposed National Terrorism Prevention and Response Program Budget.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2002
Child Obscenity and Pornography Prevention Act of 2002 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit: (1) making a visual depiction that is a computer image or computer-generated image of, or that appears virtually indistinguishable from an image of, a minor engaging in specified sexually explicit conduct; (2) offering, agreeing, attempting, or conspiring to provide, sell, receive, or purchase a visual depiction of a minor engaging in such conduct; (3) producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing with intent to distribute, or possessing a visual depiction that is, or is virtually indistinguishable from, that of a pre-pubescent child engaging in such conduct; (4) showing a minor obscene material or child pornography; (5) providing obscene material, child pornography, or other material assistance to facilitate offenses against minors; or (6) employing or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct outside of the United States for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Includes the prohibition on the use of materials to facilitate offenses against minors within the scope of enhanced penalties provisions. Authorizes a provider of electronic communication or remote computing services that reasonably believes it has obtained knowledge of facts and circumstances indicating a violation of provisions regarding child pornography to report to the Cyber Tip Line at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which shall forward that report to designated law enforcement agencies. Directs the Attorney General to establish and supervise the development and operation of a comprehensive computerized database to facilitate the identification of child pornography produced with actual children and to facilitate the identification of perpetrators.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2002
Rural Community Hospital Assistance Act of 2002 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) provide for establishment of the rural community hospital (RCH) program; (2) remove certain barriers to establishment of distinct part units by RCH and Medicare critical access hospital (CAH) facilities; and (3) revise the CAH program, making various specified payment-related changes.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2002
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths roll call vote of each House, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each House to increase the public debt limit. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress. Prohibits any bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless approved by a majority of each House. Authorizes waivers of these provisions when a declaration of war is in effect or under other specified circumstances involving military conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2002
Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to establish a program under which leave accrued by a member of that military department may be voluntarily transferred to another member of the same department who requires additional leave due to a qualifying emergency. Requires transfer approval by the commanding officers of both the donor and recipient. Defines a qualifying emergency as one which is likely to require prolonged absence and is the result of: (1) a medical condition of an immediate family member; or (2) any other hardship that such Secretary determines appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2002
Makes title IX (relating to sunset provisions) of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 inapplicable to title III (relating to marriage penalty relief) of such Act, thus making title III permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2002
Powder-Crack Cocaine Penalty Equalization Act of 2002 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to eliminate the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine, with regard to trafficking, possession, importation, and exportation of such substances, by changing the applicable amounts for powder cocaine to those currently applicable to crack cocaine.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 2002
Supports the goals and ideals of National Better Hearing and Speech Month. Commends the 41 States that have implemented routine hearing screenings for every newborn before they leave the hospital. Supports the efforts of speech and hearing professionals in their efforts to improve the speech and hearing development of children. Encourages the U.S. people to have their hearing checked regularly and to avoid environmental noise that can lead to hearing loss.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2002
Ten Commandments Defense Act of 2002 - Declares reserved to the States the power to display the Ten Commandments on State or local government property. Declares that expressions of religious faith by individual persons upon State property are: (1) protected against Federal laws or regulations respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion; and (2) among those liberties of which no State may deprive any person without due process of law made in pursuance of powers reserved to the States. Requires the courts established by the Congress to exercise judicial power in accordance with such declarations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2002
Schoolchildren's Health Protection Act - Amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit Federal education funding (from programs for which the Secretary or Department of Education has administrative responsibility) to any State or local educational agency that provides to an unemancipated minor, at an elementary or secondary school, postcoital emergency contraception (e.g. the "morning-after pill") or a prescription for such contraception.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2002
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2002 - 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 · 12 February 2002
Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2002 - Mandates the merger of the Bank Insurance Fund and the Savings Association Insurance Fund into the Deposit Insurance Fund. Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) and the Federal Credit Union Act to: (1) increase the amount of deposit insurance coverage; (2) couple such increase with an inflation adjustment; and (3) double the amount of deposit insurance for certain retirement accounts. Amends the FDIA to increase the amount of deposit insurance coverage for municipal deposits. Expands the range of authorized investments for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to include Federal agency obligations or comparable obligations authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury. Repeals: (1) independent treatment of each deposit insurance fund with respect to assessments and designated reserve ratio; (2) minimum risk-based assessments for certain at-risk deposit insurance funds; (3) limitations on assessments on deposit insurance funds that fail to meet the designated reserve ratio; and (4) the special rule for recapitalizing undercapitalized funds. Instructs the FDIC Board of Directors to establish annually a designated reserve ratio that falls within a prescribed range. Replaces refund guidelines with rebates to insured depository institutions that are predicated upon DIF balances in excess of specified percentages. Instructs the FDIC to establish a Deposit Insurance Fund Restoration Plan to ensure adequate reserves whenever the actual ratio in the DIF falls below certain criteria. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on FDIC administrative structure, expenses, and certain activities, and further possible changes to the deposit insurance system.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2002
Dave Thomas Adoption Act of 2002 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow for penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement plans if used to pay adoption expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2002
Commends Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson for: (1) immediately making State Children's Health Insurance Program resources available to States to care for unborn children and pregnant mothers; and (2) recognizing pregnant mothers and unborn children as deserving of concern about their health and well-being.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2002
Ten Commandments Public Display Resolution of 2002 - Requires the Architect of the Capitol to prominently display the Ten Commandments in the chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2002
Expresses the sense of Congress that healthy marriages are highly important to the well-being of children, adults, and society in general, and that government policy should seek to reduce the financial penalties against marriage within the welfare system, and should support couples who choose to marry and assist them in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to form and sustain healthy, loving, and productive marriages.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2002
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible nonprofit community based pregnancy help medical clinics to purchase ultrasound equipment to provide free examinations to pregnant women, under the direction and supervision of a licensed medical physician. Conditions eligibility on a clinic agreeing to provide each examined woman a visual image, the age, and a physical description of the fetus and information on abortion and alternatives.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2002
Peace With Security Act - Prohibits U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority (or any instrumentality of the Palestinian Authority). Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition if it is in the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2002
Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act of 2002 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for: (1) mandatory coverage of community-based attendant services and supports; and (2) increased Federal financial participation for early coverage States for certain expenditures with respect to community-based attendant services and supports. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible States to carry out certain capacity building activities with respect to community-based attendant services and supports. Requires each State to establish a Consumer Task Force to assist the State in the development, implementation, and evaluation of real choice systems change initiatives. Directs the Secretary to conduct a project to evaluate service coordination and cost-sharing approaches with respect to the provision of community-based services and supports to non-elderly dually eligible individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2001
Supports and commends the contribution of crisis pregnancy centers, their staffs and volunteers. Encourages government agencies at all levels to assist such centers and decries any attempts to prevent their use.
United States · United States Congress · 27 November 2001
Medicare Physician Payment Fairness Act of 2001 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to set the conversion factor (update) for payments under the Medicare physician fee schedule for 2002 at 0.9 percent less than the conversion factor for 2001. Declares that this conversion factor and a specified update adjustment factor for a year after 2002 shall be applied as if this Act had not been in effect. Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to study and report to Congress on replacing or modifying the use of the sustainable growth rate as a factor in determining the update for such payments such that the factor used more fully accounts for changes in the unit costs of providing physicians' services.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2001
Declaration of Official Language Act of 2001 - Declares English to be the official language of the U.S. Government, and requires the U.S. Government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the U.S.A. Makes this Act inapplicable to the use of a language other than English for: (1) religious purposes; (2) for training in foreign languages for international communication; (3) terms of art in Government documents; (4) law enforcement; or (5) scientific terminology. Declares that this Act is not intended to affect programs in schools designed to encourage students to learn foreign languages. Directs the Immigration and Naturalization Service to: (1) enforce the established English language proficiency standard for all applicants for U.S. citizenship; and (2) conduct all naturalization ceremonies entirely in English. Prohibits any U.S. Government agency or department from requiring any State or local government, or any person or organization, to communicate or provide materials in any language other than English. Repeals the Bilingual Education Act (title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). Terminates the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs in the Department of Education. Releases States, local governments, and local educational agencies from certain consent decrees that require them to develop, implement, provide, or maintain any form of bilingual education. Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to repeal bilingual voting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2001
Designates the headquarters and visitors center at Humboldt Bay National Wild Life Refuge located at 1020 Ranch Road in Loleta, California, as the Richard J. Guadagno Headquarters and Visitors Center.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2001
Student Freedom of Religious Expression Act - Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to disallow recovery of attorneys' fees by the prevailing party in any action claiming that a public school or its agent violates the constitutional prohibition against the establishment of religion by permitting, facilitating, or accommodating a student's religious expression.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2001
Terrorism Risk Protection Act - Sets a deadline for the President to designate an Administrator (or Administrators) to implement this Act. Expresses the sense of Congress that, in determining the Administrator responsible for making determinations as to whether a loss was caused by an act of terrorism, the President should consider the appropriate role of the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. Prescribes procedural guidelines under which such Administrator shall provide financial assistance (up to $100 billion) to commercial insurers to cover insured losses resulting from an act of terrorism. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a terrorism reserve for commercial lines of insurance business. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) should develop appropriate definitions for acts of terrorism and appropriate standards for making determinations regarding such acts; (2) each State should adopt those definitions and standards for purposes of regulating insurance coverage in that State; (3) the appropriate Administrator should advocate and promote the development of definitions and standards appropriate for purposes of this Act; and (4) after such consultation, the appropriate Administrator should adopt definitions for acts of terrorism and standards for determinations appropriate for this Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the NAIC should develop appropriate guidelines for commercial insurers and pools regarding maintenance of reserves against the risks of acts of terrorism; and (2) each State should adopt such guidelines for commercial insurers doing business in that State. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the States should require that the price of terrorism insurance coverage, including the costs of any terrorism related assessments or surcharges, be separately disclosed. Instructs the President to establish a commission to study and report to Congress on the potential effects of an act of terrorism on the life insurance industry in the United States and the markets served by such industry.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2001
Combatting Illegal Gambling Reform and Modernization Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to revise provisions regarding interstate gambling. Increases the term of imprisonment for violations. Prohibits (with exceptions) any person engaged in a gambling business from knowingly using a communication facility for the transmission: (1) of bets or wagers, or betting information, in interstate or foreign commerce, within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or to or from any place outside the jurisdiction of any nation regarding any transmission to or from the United States,; or (2) of a communication in such interstate or foreign commerce which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or for information assisting in the placing of bets. Prohibits (with exceptions) any person engaged in a gambling business from knowingly accepting credit, an electronic fund transfer, a check, or the proceeds of certain other forms of financial transaction as the Secretary may prescribe in connection with the transmission of such a communication of information assisting the placing of bets. Lists exceptions, including certain: (1) transmissions of information assisting in the placing of bets (such as for use in news reporting); and (2) uses of communication facilities for the transmission of bets (e.g., where a State or Tribe has explicitly authorized such bets). Sets forth remedies for violations. Bars imposition of damages, penalties, or forfeiture against any person or entity for an act done in compliance with notice received from a law enforcement agency.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 2001
Freedom to be a Patriot Act - Prohibits a department or agency of the United States from transferring any Federal funds: (1) to an individual or entity that prohibits the patriotic display of the U.S. flag; or (2) that the head of such department or agency determines are likely to be subsequently transferred to such an individual or entity.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 2001
Hazardous Agent Emergency Uniform Response Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop protocols for responding to public health emergencies resulting from the release of dangerous biological agents or chemicals. Requires such protocols to be : (1) specific to the hazardous agent involved (unless the agent has no unique characteristics); and (2) uniformly applied through coordination with emergency response personnel, dissemination of appropriate medical information, testing, treatment, and decontamination. Requires differentiated responses for intentional (as opposed to accidental) releases.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2001
Adoption Information Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to limit grants or contracts for family planning service projects or programs to projects or program that will provide a pamphlet containing a comprehensive list of adoption centers in that State.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2001
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax exempt status to an organization if: (1) a substantial part of the activities of such organization consists of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, but only if such organization normally makes lobbying expenditures in excess of an amount equal to 20 percent of such organization's annual gross revenues; (2) the organization participates in, or intervenes in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office, but only if such organization normally makes expenditures for such purpose in excess of an amount equal to 5 percent of such organization's annual gross revenues; or (3) the aggregate of the expenditures described above in clause (1) and the expenditures described in clause (2) which such organization normally makes exceeds an amount equal to 20 percent of such organization's annual gross revenues.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2001
Authorizes the President to award posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal to the people aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who helped resist the hijackers and caused their plane to crash prematurely on September 11, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2001
Victims of Terrorism Relief Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from income taxes and the additional estate tax any individual who died as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, unless the individual was a perpetrator of the attacks.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2001
Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health and the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, to expand and intensify research and related activities of the Institute with respect to post-abortion depression and post-abortion psychosis. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health to: (1) conduct or support research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for, post-abortion conditions; and (2) conduct a national longitudinal study to determine the incidence and prevalence of cases of post-abortion conditions, and the symptoms, severity, and duration of such cases, toward the goal of more fully identifying the characteristics of such cases and developing diagnostic techniques. Requires the Secretary to make grants of up to $100,000 per fiscal year, under specified conditions, to provide for projects for the establishment, operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with post-abortion depression or post-abortion psychosis.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2001
Medicare Preservation Act of 2001 - Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 to move up from October 1, 2001, to September 24, 2001, the due date of any required installment of corporate estimated tax otherwise due on September 15. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to waive any penalty or addition to tax imposed on the failure to make such required installment if the installment is made on or before October 1, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2001
Date Certain Tax Code Replacement Act - Prohibits the imposition of any tax by the Internal Revenue Code: (1) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2005; and (2) in the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 31, 2005. Excepts the: (1) tax on self-employment income (chapter 2 of the Code); (2) Federal Insurance Contributions Act (chapter 21 of the Code); and (3) Railroad Retirement Tax Act (chapter 22 of the Code). Establishes the National Commission on Tax Reform and Simplification to review: (1) the present structure and provisions of the Code; (2) whether the tax systems of other countries could provide more efficient and fair methods of funding government revenue requirements; (3) whether the income tax should be replaced with a tax imposed in a different manner or on a different base; and (4) whether the Code can be simplified, absent wholesale restructuring or replacement. Requires a Commission report to Congress on review results, with recommendations for Code reform and simplification. Terminates the Commission 90 days after such report. Authorizes appropriations (with interim funding). Declares that any new Federal tax system should be approved by Congress in its final form before July 4, 2005, and, if not, Congress should be required to vote to reauthorize the Code.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2001
Temple Mount Preservation Act of 2001 - Bars the use of appropriated funds for assistance to the Palestinian Authority (or its instrumentalities) unless the President certifies to Congress that no excavation of the Temple Mount in Israel is being conducted, other than that authorized by the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Provides a waiver of such prohibition if it is certified to Congress that it is in the national security interests of the United States.
![Official portrait of Rep. Ryun, Jim [R-KS-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/r000566_200.jpg)