United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2008
Modernize Our Bookkeeping In the Law for Employee's Cell Phone Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to remove certain limitations on the tax deduction for employee use of cellular telephones.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2008
Recognizes: (1) the need to apply what is known about reducing the transmission of infections in hospitals and assuring appropriate use of antibiotics to meet patient and public health needs; (2) the need to pursue operational research on preventing hospital- and community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and developing new antibiotics for improving care for MRSA patients; and (3) the importance of raising awareness of MRSA and methods of preventing MRSA infections. Expresses support for the work of advocates, healthcare practitioners, and science-based experts in educating, supporting, and providing hope for individuals and their families affected by community and healthcare associated infections.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2008
Encourages: (1) Americans to use their rebate checks to invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient products and services in order to save money, stimulate the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and (2) retailers and service providers to offer promotions for such investments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2008
Urges national and community organizations, businesses in the private sector, and the media to promote awareness of heat stroke through National Heat Stroke Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2008
Amends the National Trails System Act to add as components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail the following routes and land components by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma: (1) the Benge and Bell routes; (2) the land components of the designated water routes in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee; (3) the routes from the collection forts in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to the emigration depots; and (4) the related campgrounds located along such routes and land components. Bars the Secretary of the Interior from using eminent domain to acquire lands for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Requires the Secretary to only include lands in the Trail that are consistent with and appropriate to the purpose for which it was designated.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2008
Renewable Biomass Facilitation Act of 2008 - Amends the Clean Air Act to redefine the term "renewable biomass" as: (1) materials, precommercial thinnings, or exotic species that are removed as byproducts of preventive treatments to reduce hazardous fuels, to reduce or contain disease or insect infestation, or to restore ecosystem health, that would not otherwise be used for higher-value products, and that are harvested from National Forest System land or public lands in accordance with federal and state law, land management plans, and requirements for old-growth maintenance, restoration, management direction, and large-tree retention under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003; or (2) any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis from non-federal land or Indian land held in trust by the United States or subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including renewable plant material (including feed grains, other agricultural commodities, other plants and trees, and algae) and waste material (including crop residue, other vegetative waste material, animal waste and byproducts, and construction, food, and yard waste).
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2008
Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act - Establishes the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission to: (1) plan and carry out activities to honor Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth; (2) provide assistance to federal, state, and local governmental agencies and civic groups to carry out such activities; and (3) study other federal activities to honor Ronald Reagan, including the issuance of a postal stamp, the issuance of a $1 coin for one year, and the convening of a joint session of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2008
Makes emergency appropriations for FY2008 for state and local law enforcement assistance under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2008
Recognizes the dedication and sacrifice made by the men and women who have lost their lives while serving as U.S. Border Patrol agents. Honors Luis Aguilar for his service as a Border Patrol agent and for his sacrifice to the United States, and extends condolences to his family.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2008
Honors the 22nd anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster. Celebrates the courage and bravery of the crew of the Challenger, and Christa McAuliffe and her passion for encouraging America's children to pursue careers in science and mathematics. Commits the House of Representatives and the Nation to using the lessons learned in inquiries into the space shuttle Challenger accident to ensure that the space agency always operates on a strong and stable foundation. Recognizes the continued dedication of the United States to the goal of space exploration for the benefit of all mankind.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2008
Amends title XVIII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to: (1) require the Commissioner of Social Security to submit the annual budget of the Social Security Administration (SSA) directly to Congress and the President; (2) specify the general contents of the budget, including the amount of funds required to combat fraud committed by applicants and beneficiaries, the number of pending cases and the average processing time, as well as employment statistics for each hearing and field office; (3) prohibit the Commissioner from closing or otherwise limiting public access to an SSA field office until 180 days after submitting to specified congressional committees a detailed report outlining and justifying the process for selecting field offices to be closed or otherwise have limited access; and (4) require the Commissioner to submit to the same committees, 90 days before revising the comprehensive work force plan which must accompany any appropriations request for SSA staffing and personnel, a document setting forth the revision.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2008
Provides that no automatic pay adjustment shall be considered to have taken effect in FY2009 in the rates of basic pay for Members of Congress under the statutory pay system (thus eliminating the pay adjustment for Members for such fiscal year).
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to revise the civil penalties for violations of firearms law and the procedures for assessing such penalties. Revises the definition of "willfully" for purposes of firearms violations and standards for criminal violations of firearms recordkeeping requirements. Requires the Attorney General to: (1) make preliminary determinations on firearms license applications and notify applicants in writing of a proposed denial; and (2) establish guidelines for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) inspections, examinations, or investigations of possible firearms violations. Prohibits ATF from disclosing information on firearms purchasers other than to a court, law enforcement agency, or prosecutor. Permits an owner of a firearms business whose license is expired, surrendered, or revoked 60 days to liquidate inventory. Requires any state agency that stores or keeps explosive materials to report to the Attorney General on the location and amount of such materials. Allows the transfer and possession of machineguns for use by federal security contractors. Prohibits taxes or user fees for background checks under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. Eliminates the requirement of written permission for the use of a handgun for lawful purposes by a minor (under age 18) where a parent or legal guardian is present at all times during such use. Restricts the disclosure of information in the ATF firearms trace system database. Increases penalties for possession of firearms by felons with prior convictions of a crime of violence or a serious drug offense.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Positive Alternatives Act - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to allow the use of TANF funds for alternative-to-abortion services, including: (1) information or counseling that promotes childbirth instead of abortion; and (2) other services designed to assist a woman to carry her unborn child to term.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Recognizes the need to pursue research into the causes, treatment, and a cure for primary lateral sclerosis. Commends: (1) hospitals, community clinics, educational institutes, and other organizations that are working to increase awareness of, and conducting research for methods to help patients suffering from, the disorder; and (2) the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation for its efforts to educate, support, and provide hope for individuals who suffer from the disorder, while funding research to help find a cure. Expresses support for the designation of a Hardy Brown Primary Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Santa Fe Quadricentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the quadricentennial of the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins emblematic of the settlement of Santa Fe, New Mexico, the oldest capital city in the United States. Permits issuance of such coins only during calendar 2010. Requires the Secretary to pay 50% of surcharges received from such coin sales to: (1) the Santa Fe 400th Anniversary Committee, Inc.; and (2) the Secretary of the Interior to sustain the ongoing mission of preserving Santa Fe, including educational programs, infrastructure and archaeological research activities, and other programs to support the quadricentennial of the establishment of Santa Fe.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative postage stamp in remembrance of the victims, and in honor of the veterans, of the Beirut peacekeeping mission; and (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2007 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of gold medals to Native American code talkers of specified Indian tribes. Defines "code talker" as a Native American who served in the Armed Forces during a foreign conflict and who participated in military communications using a native language. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and Indian tribes, to identify code talkers eligible for a gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law on April 23, 1908. Recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the service of its past and present citizen-soldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland defense of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh Stop DOD-Sponsored Gambling Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to prohibit the use of gambling devices on property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, except for charitable events and state lotteries.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Small Business Regulatory Improvement Act - Revises the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Defines the "economic impact" of a rule to include any direct or indirect economic effects on small entities. Requires initial regulatory flexibility analyses of a proposed rule to contain a detailed statement describing the type of small entities to which the proposed rule will apply. Revises provisions requiring the publication by each agency of a plan for the periodic review of its rules that have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities to determine whether they should be continued, changed, or rescinded, including to: (1) limit to two years the amount of time the period for reviewing an agency's regulations may be extended; and (2) require each agency to report annually on review results to Congress and to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Requires an agency to notify the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration of any draft rules that may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities either: (1) when the agency submits a draft rule to the such Office, if submission is required; or (2) if no submission to the Office is so required, at a reasonable time before publication of the rule by the agency. Requires that final regulatory flexibility analyses include the agency's response to any comments filed on a rule by the Chief Counsel and a detailed statement of any changes made as a result.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Code Talkers Recognition Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for: (1) the award on behalf of Congress of a single gold medal of appropriate design to honor the Native American members of the U.S. Armed Forces, collectively, who served as Code Talkers in any foreign conflict in which the United States was involved during the 20th century for display in the Smithsonian Institution; and (2) presentation of a gold duplicate of such medal to each Indian tribe that had tribal members who served as such Code Talkers. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike: (1) silver duplicates for transmittal to each individual who served as a Code Talker (or next of kin); and (2) bronze duplicates for public sale.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2007
Recognizes the special legal and political relationship the Indian tribes have with the United States and the solemn covenant with the land we share. Commends and honors the Native Peoples for the thousands of years that they have stewarded and protected this land. Recognizes that there have been years of official depredations, ill-conceived policies, and the breaking of covenants by the U.S. government regarding Indian tribes. Apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on them by U.S. citizens. Expresses the regret of the United States for the ramifications of former wrongs and its commitment to build on the positive relationships of the past and present to move toward reconciliation. Urges the President to acknowledge the wrongs of the United States against Indian tribes in U.S. history. Commends the state governments that have begun reconciliation efforts with recognized Indian tribes located in their boundaries, and encourages all state governments to do the same. Declares that nothing in this Joint Resolution authorizes or supports any claim against the United States or serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 2007
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Mail Network Protection Act of 2007 - Requires the U.S. Postal Service to bargain with unions representing career Postal Service employees before entering into a contract for mail processing, mail handling, or surface transportation of mail if the contract, in a 12 month period, would involve work that would otherwise be performed by those employees and either: (1) involve more than a specified amount of work time; or (2) cost over $5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Veterans Suicide Study Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs conduct a study to determine the number of veterans who have committed suicide between January 1, 1997, and the date of the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 401 Washington Avenue in Weldon, North Carolina, as the "Dock M. Brown Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 725 Roanoke Avenue in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, as the "Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2007
Rural Veterans Health Care Access Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to establish and implement a pilot program to provide mental health counseling services to eligible veterans at non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. Defines "eligible veteran" as one who: (1) served on active duty in support of a contingency operation; (2) is eligible to receive hospital care and medical services; (3) has been diagnosed with a mental health condition and recommended to receive mental health counseling; and (4) resides at least 30 miles from a VA medical facility that employs a full-time mental health professional. Requires the Secretary to issue to an eligible veteran a six-month supply of vouchers to be used to pay for counseling (including family counseling) services provided by the mental health provider. Requires the Secretary to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Pisgah National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2007 - Modifies the boundaries of the Pisgah National Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina, to provide for the inclusion of certain private land and Forest Service land in the Forest. Requires an owner's consent to acquire the private land.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Native American Heritage Day Act of 2007 - Makes specified findings, including that the Friday immediately succeeding Thanksgiving Day of each year would be an appropriate day to designate as Native American Heritage Day. Encourages educational institutions to develop model educational curricula, in consultation with Native American governmental leaders, for purposes of recognizing a Native American Heritage Day, emphasizing the contributions of Native Americans to the United States and the world. Encourages the people of the United States, as well as federal, state, and local governments and interested groups and organizations to observe a Native American Heritage Day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2007
Expresses strong support for the work of the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad and for the European countries that continue to work to preserve sacred historical sites. Expresses strong sentiments to the government of Lithuania that the people of the United States believe the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, must not be further desecrated. Declares that if the Government of Lithuania fails to immediately stop construction and protect the cemetery it will jeopardize its important relationship with the United States and its standing in the international community.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2007
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a $300 plot allowance to a state for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in state cemeteries.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2007
Congratulates: (1) the Colorado Rockies on winning the National League Championship and advancing to the 2007 World Series; and (2) the Boston Red Sox for winning the 2007 World Series.