United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2004
Safe and Effective Drug Act - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, to develop a meta-analysis and report to Congress on the scientific data regarding the safety and health risks of smoking marijuana and the clinically-proven effectiveness of smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes. Requires the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to: (1) post such report on the Internet site of the Food and Drug Administration not later than 30 days after receipt; and (2) promptly disseminate such report to principal public health agencies of all States, and to public health associations, health care professionals, and other appropriate entities that advocate or recommend the smoking of marijuana by patients for medicinal purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 2004
National Park Centennial Act of 2004 - Establishes the National Park Centennial Fund (Fund) in the Treasury. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers to designate overpayments and contributions for the benefit of the National Park System. Allocates such amounts to the Fund (along with necessary amounts from the General Fund to the extent that such amounts are inadequate in any fiscal year) for expenditure by the Secretary of the Interior. Creates within the Fund the National Park Backlog Elimination Fund, the Natural Resource Challenge Fund, and the Cultural Resource Challenge Fund. Authorizes appropriations for a public awareness campaign about the Fund and the ability of taxpayers to make tax-related contributions. Requires a specified percentage of Fund deposits to be used: (1) for the elimination of the backlog of unmet needs in the national parks as identified in the Facility Condition Index of the National Park Service (NPS); (2) to protect natural resources within the parks; and (3) to protect cultural resources within the parks. Requires a majority of such percentages to be distributed to those national parks that have completed comprehensive business plans under the Business Plan Initiative of the NPS. Directs the Government Accountability Office annually to submit a report on the National Park System to specified congressional committees. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide grants to elementary and secondary schools for cooperative agreements with the NPS providing distance learning and onsite education programs.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2004
Methamphetamine Abuse Prevention Act of 2004 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) reduce the retail sales threshold for the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine products from nine grams to six grams; and (2) eliminate the "regulated transaction" exemption for any over-the-counter sale of such products (including blister packs) by retail distributors. Prohibits any State, political subdivision, or State authorized entity from establishing any requirement for retail sales of any pseudoephedrine drug product that is different from the requirements that apply to such products under this Act. Makes this provision inapplicable to any requirement enacted prior to January 1, 2005, other than a requirement allowing any individual to purchase more than six grams of pseudoephedrine base in any single retail transaction. Allows the State to adopt penalties that are different from penalties that apply under this Act. Authorizes exemptions from this prohibition upon a determination by the Attorney General that pseudoephedrine drug products obtained in the State are being used as a significant source of precursor chemicals for illegal manufacture of a controlled substance for distribution or sale, that the requirement is likely to substantially decrease such use, and that the requirement will not unduly burden interstate commerce. Sets forth provisions governing judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2004
Authorizes the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to provide grants to States for the implementation and evaluation of Meth Watch programs, which shall have as their purpose to: (1) improve communication and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of products that are frequently used in the production of methamphetamine; and (2) increase public awareness of the ways in which the illegal manufacturers of methamphetamine obtain precursor chemicals and equipment and of how the public may assist law enforcement agencies in stopping such activity. Authorizes the use of grant funds by a State to: (1) hire and retain personnel to implement and manage a Meth Watch program; (2) pay for training expenses and technical assistance to law enforcement personnel and employees of manufacturers, distributors, or retailers of products that are frequently used in methamphetamine production; (3) obtain informational materials, such as posters or videos, designed to implement the the program; (4) establish and maintain an informational hotline for the reporting by manufacturers, distributors, or retailers to law enforcement agencies of suspicious transactions in methamphetamine precursor chemicals or equipment; or (5) make grants to subdivisions of the State to implement the program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2004
Shadow Wolves Border Defense Act - Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) all functions of the Customs Patrol Officers unit of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operating on the Tohono O'odham Indian reservation (commonly known as the Shadow Wolves unit). Authorizes the Secretary to establish within ICE additional Customs Patrol Officer units. Requires such units to enforce the customs laws of the United States on Indian lands by preventing the smuggling of narcotics, weapons of mass destruction, and other contraband. Sets the rate of basic pay for journeymen Customs Patrol Officers in such units.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 2004
Declares that Congress: (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the World War II Battle of the Bulge; (2) honors those who gave their lives during the battle; and (3) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between the United States and both Belgium and Luxembourg.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Supports the goals of Red Ribbon Week. Encourages: (1) children and teens to choose to live a drug-free life; and (2) all people of the United States to promote drug-free communities and to participate in drug prevention activities to show support for healthy, productive, drug-free lifestyles.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should seek an European Union (EU) commitment that it will not lift its arms sale embargo to the People's Republic of China (PRC); and (2) the 2005 Department of Defense military report on the PRC should include an analysis of such embargo's lifting on U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region and a review of U.S. steps taken to address such EU action.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2004
Combat Meth Act - Directs the Attorney General to carry out a program to provide grants to qualified States (i.e., those which had more than 200 methamphetamine lab seizures in 2003 and that provide a specified mandatory minimum sentence for possession and/or distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine or 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine) to combat methamphetamine abuse, focusing on the prosecution of repeat offenders. Authorizes funds to provide training to: (1) State and local prosecutors and law enforcement agents for investigation and prosecution of methamphetamine offenses; and (2) State law enforcement personnel at the Drug Enforcement Administration's Clandestine Laboratory Training Facility in Quantico, Virginia. Amends: (1) the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the public safety and community policing grant program to authorize the use of grant funds to hire personnel and purchase equipment to assist in enforcing and prosecuting methamphetamine offenses and in cleaning up methamphetamine-affected areas; and (2) the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to local governments and nonprofit private entities to provide treatment for methamphetamine abuse. Directs the Attorney General to allocate funds for the hiring and training of special assistant U.S. attorneys. Authorizes the Attorney General, acting through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to award grants to States to establish methamphetamine precursor monitoring programs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2004
Iran Freedom Support Act - States that: (1) U.S. sanctions, controls, and regulations relating to weapons of mass destruction with respect to Iran shall remain in effect until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that Iran has permanently and verifiably dismantled its weapons of mass destruction programs and has committed to combating such weapons' proliferation; and (2) such certification shall have no effect on other sanctions relating to Iranian support of international terrorism. Amends the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 to: (1) eliminate mandatory sanction provisions respecting Libya; (2) impose mandatory sanctions on a person or entity that aids Iran acquire or develop weapons of mass destruction or destabilizing types and numbers of conventional weapons; (3) revise multilateral regime reporting requirements, including provisions respecting sanctions on individuals aiding Iranian petroleum development; (4) enlarge the scope of sanctionable entities; and (5) eliminate the sunset provision Authorizes the President to provide financial and political assistance to eligible foreign and domestic individuals and groups that support democracy in Iran and that are opposed to the Government of Iran. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should appoint a special assistant on Iranian matters; (2) contacts should be expanded with democratic Iranian opposition groups; and (3) the President should designate at least one such eligible group within 90 days of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2004
Alcohol Without Liquid Machine Safety Act of 2004 - Prohibits the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of any alcohol without liquid machine without premarket approval by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs. Requires approval only if the applicant demonstrates that the machine is safe. Defines an "alcohol without liquid machine" as a device designated or marketed for the purpose of mixing alcohol with oxygen or another gas to produce a mist for inhalation for recreational purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2004
Cancer Care Preservation Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to allow the average sales price system to go into effect but also to ensure that Medicare payments for cancer drugs do not go below 95 percent of 2004 levels in 2005, and 95 percent of 2005 levels in 2006. Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 with respect to the transitional adjustment in practice expense relative value units in the physician fee schedule for drug administration services. Extends application of the transition adjustment through December 31, 2006. Increases from three percent to 27 percent during 2005 the applicable percentage of the fee schedule amount that shall be paid to a physician from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. Reduces this applicable percentage during 2006 to 22 percent. (Current law reduces the 32 percent transitional payment for practice expenses in 2004 to 3 percent in 2005 and 0 percent in 2006.)
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2004
Constitutional Amendment - Marriage Protection Amendment - Declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Prohibits the Constitution or any State constitution from being construed to require that marital status or its legal incidents be conferred upon any union other than that of a man and a woman.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2004
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United Nations Security Council should consider and take appropriate action to respond to the growing threat that the ruling State Peace and Development Council in Burma poses to the Southeast Asia region and to the people of Burma.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2004
Increases the death gratuity payable with respect to members of the Armed Forces from $12,000 to $50,000. Makes this increase applicable to deaths occurring on or after September 11, 2001. Requires the Secretary of Defense to derive funds for payments under this Act in FY 2005 from travel funds for personnel of the Office of the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2004
States that the House of Representatives: (1) deplores the series of terrorist attacks against the Russian Federation that occurred in August and September 2004; (2) expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and conveys its hope for the recovery of the injured; and (3) stands in solidarity with the Russian people in efforts to combat terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Tools for Community Initiatives Act - Establishes the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (the Office) in the Executive Office of the President. Requires the Director of the Office to encourage faith-based and community initiatives and work to eliminate improper Federal barriers so as to allow faith-based and community entities to compete for Federal funding to the fullest opportunity permitted by law, including by: (1) developing, leading, and coordinating policies with respect to such initiatives; (2) coordinating public education activities designed to mobilize public support for such initiatives; (3) advising the President on options and ideas to assist, strengthen, and replicate successful initiatives; (4) developing and implementing strategic initiatives in keeping with policies that will strengthen families, communities, and the institutions of civil society; and (5) working to eliminate unnecessary legislative and regulatory barriers which impede the efforts of such initiatives to solve social problems. Requires the heads of the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Commerce, and Veteran Affairs, the Agency for International Development, and the Small Business Administration to designate a liaison to coordinate the activities of the department or agency with the Office.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit of $1,000 for each of their employees who teaches a course at an accredited community college for which the employee receives no compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National Park Service, to arrange for the carving of the figure of former President Ronald Reagan on Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Creates in the Department of the Treasury a fund for carrying out this Act. Requires all associated costs, including the cost of carving the figure of such former President on the Memorial and other administrative costs, to be provided or reimbursed by non-Federal sources.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Intelligent Vehicle Highway Safety Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction from gross income for the cost, up to $1,000, of qualified intelligent vehicle systems property. Defines "qualified intelligent systems property" as any device installed by a motor vehicle manufacturer to enhance the safety or security of a driver, passenger, or load by, among other things, warning or informing a driver of dangerous driving conditions or by actively monitoring and adjusting driver workload. Terminates the deduction after 2010. Exempts intelligent vehicle systems properties from the first $5,000 of the excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers sold at retail.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2004
NASA and JPL 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to mint and issue: (1) ten dollar gold coins; (2) five dollar gold coins; (3) one dollar silver coins; and (4) half-dollar silver coins emblematic of the 50 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of NASA and JPL. Directs each Federal agency and U.S. instrumentality that has in its possession any craft or any part of a craft that flew in space to: (1) retrieve any gold, silver, copper, and other precious metal that may be used in the production of any coins under this Act from such craft or part; and (2) deposit such metals with the Director of the United States Mint. Requires that all sales of coins minted under this Act include a surcharge of : (1) $75 per coin for the ten dollar coin; (2) $35 per coin for the five dollar coin; (3) $10 per coin for the one dollar coin; and (4) $3 for the half-dollar coin, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the NASA Family Assistance Fund for the purposes of providing financial assistance to the families of NASA personnel who die as a result of injuries suffered in the performance of their official duties.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2004
States that the House of Representatives encourages the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to continue to participate in a constitutional solution to the political crisis in Venezuela, and appeals to the Government, civil society, and political parties to adhere to the provisions of the Declaration Against Violence and for Peace and Democracy. Calls on: (1) the public security forces to respect human rights and due process; and (2) the media to be impartial conveyers of the news and to refrain from actions which might encourage violence. Appeals to the Government of Venezuela and to the democratic opposition to respect the rights of all citizens to freely organize and support political leaders and to conduct peaceful activities in support of human, political, and civil rights. Commends: (1) the National Electoral Council for carrying out the validation of signatures on recall petitions in a fair and expeditious manner; and (2) the Organization of American States, the Group of Friends of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States for Venezuela, and the Carter Center for their assistance. Calls on the Government of Venezuela and the democratic opposition to: (1) support a free and transparent recall referendum vote; and (2) avoid reprisals or harassment against employees of the state and private enterprises for exercising their right to identify with any political party. Underscores that the success of democracy in Venezuela is of profound importance to the United States and to the countries of the Western Hemisphere.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2004
States that the House of Representatives: (1) condemns the Palestinian leadership for failing to carry out its responsibilities under the Roadmap and under other obligations it has assumed, and to bring an end to terrorist attacks directed at Israel; (2) deplores the misuse of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the political purpose of advancing the Palestinian position on matters Palestinian authorities have said should be the subject of negotiations, the ICJ's willingness to acquiesce in efforts that are likely to undermine its reputation and interfere with a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the attempt to infringe upon Israel's right to self defense; (3) commends the President and the Secretary of State for their leadership in marshaling opposition to the misuse of the ICJ; (4) calls on members of the international community to reflect on the steps taken by the Government of Israel to mitigate the impact of the security barrier on Palestinians, including steps it has taken by order of its High Court of Justice; and (5) cautions members of the international community that they risk a strongly negative impact on their relationship with the people and Government of the United States should they use the ICJ's advisory judgment as an excuse to interfere in the Roadmap process and impede efforts to achieve progress toward a negotiated settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2004
Investment Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2004 - Makes permanent the reduction in taxes on dividends and capital gains enacted by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2004
Declares that the steel import licensing and monitoring program established by the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce shall remain in effect and be established by the Secretary of Commerce as a permanent program. Requires the Secretaries to expand the program to include all iron and steel, and all articles of iron and steel, specified in this Act. Requires release of the import and licensing data made available to the public as part of this program, based upon classifications at the tenth digit level of the Harmonized Schedule of the United States. Grants the Secretaries authority to maintain the program and to expand it as necessary and appropriate in accordance with this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2004
OSHA and Employer Cooperation Act of 2004 - Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to revise certain enforcement provisions. Sets periods of 30 workdays for: (1) issuing citations (currently with reasonable promptness or within a reasonable time); and (2) contesting citations (currently fifteen workdays). Prohibits the Secretary of Labor from: (1) assessing certain penalties in connection with the initial issuance of a citation, with the exception of willful violations, if the employer corrects the condition in violation and provides an abatement certification within 72 hours; (2) citing on multiemployer worksites any but the employer whose employees were exposed to a condition in violation; or (3) using other than serious citations as a basis for issuing subsequent, repeat, or willful citations. Requires inspectors, at closing conferences after completing inspections, to provide employers or their representatives with written statements providing specified information.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Health Care Choice Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of the primary State (as designated by the health insurance issuer) apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that issuer both in the primary State and in any secondary State. Exempts health insurance issuers from any State law or regulation that would: (1) regulate the operation of the health insurance issuer in the secondary State, except for certain activities, including paying taxes and registering with the State insurance commissioner; (2) require any individual health insurance coverage issued by the issuer to be countersigned by an agent or broker residing in the secondary State; or (3) discriminate against the issuer issuing insurance in both primary and secondary States. Allows States to require brokers to obtain a license from that State, but not to impose any requirements that discriminate against nonresident brokers. Requires health insurance issuers offering coverage in more than one State to submit to the insurance commissioner of each State a copy of a plan of operation or a feasibility study, written notice of any change in designation of its primary State, and an annual financial statement. Declares that this Act does not affect the authority of Federal or State courts to enjoin the sale of health insurance coverage to any person or group who is not eligible for such insurance or by a health insurance issuer that is in hazardous financial conditions. Sets forth requirements for primary States. Gives sole jurisdiction to primary States to enforce the covered laws in primary and secondary States. Sets forth procedures for resolving disputes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Ronald Reagan Commemorative Coin Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue five-dollar gold coins, one-dollar silver coins, and ten-dollar bimetallic coins emblematic of the presidency and life of former President Ronald Wilson Reagan.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Second Chance Act of 2004: Community Safety Through Recidivism Prevention or Second Chance Act of 2004 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize, rewrite, and expand provisions regarding adult and juvenile offender reentry demonstration projects, including by authorizing funds to: (1) provide structured post-release housing and transitional housing through which offenders are provided supervision and services immediately following reentry into the community; (2) facilitate specified collaboration to promote the employment of people released from prison and jail; and (3) establish or expand the use of reentry courts. Sets forth grant priorities and requirements, including that each State or local government recipient establish a Reentry Task Force or other relevant convening authority. Authorizes the Attorney General to make a grant to provide for the establishment of a National Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Resource Center. Directs the Attorney General to establish an interagency task force on Federal programs and activities relating to offender reentry. Authorizes the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics to conduct research on offender reentry. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review the role of State child protective services at the time of arrest and to establish services for the preservation of families impacted by the incarceration of a family member; and (2) the Secretary of Labor to implement a program to educate employers about existing incentives to the hiring of former prisoners and to make grants to community-based organizations to provide mentoring and other transitional services essential to reintegrating ex-offenders.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
States that: (1) Congress reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations; (2) the military modernization and weapons procurement program of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is a matter of grave concern, particularly the missile deployment directed toward Taiwan; (3) the President should direct U.S. officials to raise these military concerns with PRC officials; (4) the President and Congress should determine whether the escalating arms buildup, including deployment of offensive weaponry and missiles in areas adjacent to the Taiwan Strait, requires that additional defense articles and services be made available to Taiwan, and the United States should encourage Taiwan to devote sufficient financial resources to its defense; (5) as recommended by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, the Department of Defense should provide the appropriate congressional committees with a comprehensive report on Russian military sales to the PRC; (6) the President should encourage further dialogue between Taiwan and the PRC; and (7) the United States should not discourage Taiwan officials from visiting the United States on the basis that doing so would violate the "one China policy."
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2004
Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of screening ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysms. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a national education and information campaign to promote awareness among health care practitioners and the general public with respect to the importance of early detection and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2004
AMT Middle Class Fairness Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow as a deduction against alternative minimum taxable income certain State and local taxes; and (2) provide for an inflation adjustment of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2004
Congratulates David Scott Tidmarsh on his mastery of the English language, culminating in his correctly spelling "autochthonous" in Round 15, and becoming the 77th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2004
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support State comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of Federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current Federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research and related programs, including by awarding grants to establish new research programs. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on juvenile arthritis. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to support the development of a National Juvenile Arthritis Patient Registry to collect data for follow-up studies regarding the prevalence and incidence of juvenile arthritis, as well as capturing information on evidence-based health outcomes related to specific therapies and interventions. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2004
Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to make Alzheimer's disease research a priority within the National Institute on Aging. Requires the Director of the Institute to: (1) undertake an Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Initiative to accelerate the discovery of new risk and protective factors, to rapidly identify therapies and preventive interventions, and to implement effective prevention and treatment strategies; (2) conduct and support cooperative clinical research regarding Alzheimer's; and (3) conduct research concerning early detection and diagnosis, the relationship between Alzheimer's and vascular disease, and interventions designed to help caregivers. Authorizes the Director to establish a National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center to facilitate collaboration among Alzheimer's Disease Centers and Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to educate the public and public health community regarding Alzheimer's disease. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or cooperative agreements to develop coordinated respite care programs on a statewide basis. Defines "respite care" to mean planned or emergency care provided to a child or adult with a special need in order to provide temporary relief to the family caregiver of such child or adult. Directs the Secretary to award a grant or cooperative agreement to a public or private nonprofit entity to establish a National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a nonrefundable tax credit for each individual certified as having long-term care needs and for whom the taxpayer is acting as a caregiver; (2) a tax deduction for long-term care premiums paid under a qualified insurance contract; and (3) qualified long-term care insurance to be offered in a cafeteria plan and flexible spending arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2004
Defending America's Most Vulnerable: Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act of 2004 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to expand penalties for drug distribution to persons under age 21 and to cover attempts, conspiracy, and distribution, without regard to the type of controlled substance and schedule. Modifies provisions regarding distributing or manufacturing drugs in or near schools to delete the "100 feet" limitation, to include public libraries and daycare facilities, and to increase imprisonment terms. Increases or expands the scope of penalties regarding employing children to distribute drugs near schools and playgrounds, employing persons under age 18 in drug distribution, and distributing drugs to underage persons. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend the sentencing guidelines to: (1) increase base offense levels for drug-related offenses involving minors; and (2) provide for specified sentencing enhancements for persons possessing or brandishing a firearm. Prohibits distributing or manufacturing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a drug treatment facility. Modifies: (1) Federal criminal code provisions regarding the sentencing of a defendant who substantially assists the Government in an investigation and prosecution, and regarding detention prior to sentencing; and (2) the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure regarding the acceptance or rejection of plea agreements. Amends the CSA to: (1) increase penalties for, and expand the scope of provisions regarding, endangering human life while illegally manufacturing a controlled substance; and (2) provide for life imprisonment without release for drug felons and violent criminals convicted a third time.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2004
President Ronald Reagan $20 Bill Act - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to require the face of $20 Federal reserve notes printed after December 31, 2004, to bear the likeness of President Ronald Wilson Reagan.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2004
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow foreign children adopted while under age 18 for whom adoption proceedings were initiated while they were under the age of 16 (currently, children adopted while under age 16) to be treated as children for immigration and naturalization purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2004
President Ronald Reagan $10 Bill Act - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to require the face of $10 Federal reserve notes printed after December 31, 2004, to bear the likeness of President Ronald Wilson Reagan.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2004
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 to establish, operate, and coordinate 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 · 9 June 2004
States that House of Representatives: (1) declares that the people of Hong Kong should be free to determine the pace and scope of constitutional developments; and (2) calls upon the President to call upon the People's Republic of China to guarantee that all revisions of Hong Kong law are made according to the wishes of the people of Hong Kong as expressed through a fully democratically elected legislature and chief executive, declare that the continued lack of a fully democratically elected legislature in Hong Kong constitutes a violation of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong (the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984), and call upon the People's Republic of China to honor its obligations under such Declaration.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2004
Ronald Wilson Reagan Half Dollar Act - Amends Federal monetary law to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a half dollar coin whose obverse side shall have the likeness of Ronald Wilson Reagan.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2004
Long-Term Care Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income distributions from an individual retirement account and other tax-exempt retirement plans used to pay long-term care insurance premiums.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2004
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should formally withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and (2) any funds appropriated towards the U.S. contribution to UNESCO, but not yet transferred to UNESCO, should be returned to the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2004
States that the United States commends the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan for having established a democracy and for repeatedly reaffirming their dedication to democratic ideals and human rights. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should recognize the Republic of China on Taiwan as a sovereign government, separate from the communist regime in Beijing, and immediately resume normal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan; (2) the United States should enter into a bilateral agreement with the Republic of China on Taiwan acknowledging a sense of unity between the Republic of China on Taiwan and the United States and a common determination to maintain Western Pacific regional security; and (3) the Republic of China on Taiwan should be permitted to participate fully in all international organizations for which statehood is a requirement for membership, including the United Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2004
States that the House of Representatives: (1) expresses sympathy to the families of those killed, tortured, and imprisoned as a result of their participation in the democracy protests of June 3-4, 1989, in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, in the People's Republic of China, and to all those persons who have suffered for their efforts to keep that struggle alive, and to all the people of China who lack fundamental human rights; (2) commends all persons who are peacefully advocating for democracy and human rights in China; (3) calls upon those nations participating in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing to urge China to fully comply with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights; (4) calls upon the Communist Government of China to honor its pledge of a `high degree of autonomy' made at the time of the Hong Kong reversion in 1997 by permitting immediate elections for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and by leaving all revisions of Hong Kong law to a legislature elected by universal suffrage; and (5) condemns the human rights abuses by the Communist Government of China, and calls on that Government to reevaluate the official verdict on the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen pro-democracy activities and order formal investigations into the reported killing, torture, and imprisonment of democracy activists, establish a June Fourth Investigation Committee, release all prisoners of conscience, provide just compensation to the families of persons killed in such protests, allow the return of persons exiled for their activities in 1989, release Dr. Yang Jianli, and end the harassment and detention of all Chinese citizens exercising their legitimate freedoms of expression, association, and religion.
![Official portrait of Rep. Souder, Mark E. [R-IN-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001143_200.jpg)