United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Clear Skies Act of 2003 - Amends the acid deposition control provisions of the Clean Air Act with respect to emissions limitations and allowances programs for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury by: (1) revising the allowance system and associated transfer, tracking, permit, compliance plan, and penalty requirements, including those for auctions; and (2) establishing new emissions limitations and trading programs (including implementation of a separate sulfur dioxide scheme for States in the Western Regional Air Partnership). Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) promulgate performance standards (limiting emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and mercury) for new boilers, integrated gasification combined cycle plants, and combustion turbines; and (2) conduct a comprehensive research and environmental assessment program to enhance understanding of health and environmental effects of particulate matter and mercury and to demonstrate the efficacy of emission reductions under this Act. Excludes the following units from consideration as major emitting facilities or major stationary sources (or parts thereof) for purposes of compliance with provisions concerning prevention of significant deterioration of air quality and plan requirements for nonattainment areas: (1) those that are subject to the performance standards of this Act; or (2) those with properly operated and maintained equipment to limit particulate matter emissions or subject to a permit under an applicable implementation plan that provides a specified particulate matter emissions limitation and that use good combustion practices to minimize carbon monoxide emissions. Requires States to ensure in implementation plans that: (1) in an attainment or unclassifiable area, any emissions increase from the construction or modification of an affected unit will not result in exceeding a national ambient air quality standard; and (2) in a nonattainment area, the emissions increase will not interfere with a program to assure the achievement of such a standard. Provides for designation of transitional areas under implementation plans and states requirements for emissions inventories, the attainment of standards by the end of 2015, and penalties for not meeting the eight-hour ozone or fine particles standard.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act - Prohibits any qualified civil liability action from being brought in any State or Federal court and requires pending actions to be dismissed. Defines such an action to: (1) include an action brought against a manufacturer or seller of a firearm, ammunition, or a component of a firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or against a trade association of such manufacturers or sellers, for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm; and (2) exclude an action brought against persons who transfer a firearm knowing that it will be used to commit a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime; an action brought against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se; an action in which a manufacturer or seller of a firearm willfully violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing of the firearm and the violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought; an action for breach of contract or warranty in connection with the purchase of the firearm; or an action for physical injuries or property damage resulting directly from a defect in design or manufacture of the firearm when used as intended.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2003
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2003 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law governing: (1) conversion of bankruptcy petitions; (2) abusive creditor practices; (3) domestic support obligations; (4) consumer protections, including protection of personally identifiable information; (5) measures to discourage bankruptcy abuse, including reduction of the homestead exemption for fraud; (6) guidelines for general and small business bankruptcies, including appointment of a committee of retired employees; (7) bankruptcy data dissemination and bankruptcy tax provisions; (8) ancillary and other cross-border cases to incorporate the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency; and (9) financial contracts and transfers entered into with an insolvent insured depository institution before its conservatorship or receivership. Reenacts Chapter 12, Adjustment of Debts of a Family Farmer with Regular Annual Income. Brings family fishermen within the purview of Federal bankruptcy protection. Prescribes guidelines for insolvent health care businesses and related patients' rights. Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Judicial Code to mandate appointments for additional temporary bankruptcy judgeships in designated States. Prescribes additional consumer credit disclosures, including open end credit plans and introductory rates.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2003
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to modify the formula for determining the amount of reduced monthly OASDI benefits payable to a spouse, surviving spouse, or parent receiving monthly payments from a Federal or State pension plan. Declares that such benefit reductions shall be equal to the lesser of: (1) the amount by which the total amount of the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension exceeds $2,000, adjusted for inflation; or (2) an amount equal to two-thirds of the amount of any such monthly pension plan payment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Reasonable Right-of-Way Fees Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to amend the Code of Federal Regulations to revise the per acre rental fee zone value schedule by State, county, and type of linear right-of-way use to reflect current land values. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make such revisions for linear rights-of-way granted, issued, or renewed on National Forest System lands. Directs the Secretaries to annually update the schedules of linear rights-of-way under their respective jurisdictions by a specified method using the Gross National Product Implicit Price Deflator Index. Requires the Secretaries to review the zones and rental per acre figures whenever the cumulative change in the index exceeds 30 percent, or whenever the change in the 3-year average of the 1-year Treasury interest rate used to determine per acre rental fee zone values exceeds plus or minus 50 percent. Authorizes the Secretaries to revise the base zones and rental fees if the value of Federal land differs sufficiently from the index to warrant such action. Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior or appropriate agency heads to use the same valuation method as in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (as revised by this Act) to calculate the value of rights-of-way for pipeline passage.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Medicare Regulatory and Contracting Reform Act of 2003 - Amends part D (Miscellaneous) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to: (1) a regular timeline for the publication of final regulations; and (2) contracts with Medicare administrative contractors. Outlines requirements for provider education and technical assistance under Medicare. Amends SSA title XVIII part D with respect to the Practicing Physicians Advisory Council to direct the Secretary to appoint a Medicare Provider Ombudsman to assist confidentially service providers and suppliers with respect to grievances and requests for information. Amends SSA title XVIII to direct the Secretary to appoint a Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman to assist Medicare beneficiaries with respect to grievances and requests for information. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration program making certain technical assistance available, upon request on a voluntary basis, to small providers of services or suppliers to evaluate their billing and related systems for compliance with the applicable Medicare requirements. Outlines requirements with respect to provider appeals and recovery. Directs the Secretary to establish a process for expedited access to judicial review. Amends SSA title XVIII part D with respect to: (1) the Medicare Integrity Program to provide for the recovery of overpayments; and (2) agreements with service providers to direct the Secretary to establish a process for enrollment of Medicare service providers and suppliers. Prohibits the Secretary from implementing any documentation guidelines for evaluation and management physician services under Medicare unless the Secretary has, among other things, established a plan with specific goals and a schedule for improving the use of such guidelines.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Former Prisoners of War Special Compensation Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay special monthly compensation to each veteran who is a former prisoner of war and was detained or interned for at least 30 days. Provides various rates of payment, ranging from $150 for those detained for between 30 and 120 days to a maximum of $450 for those detained more than 540 days. States that such special compensation shall: (1) be in addition to any other authorized payments; and (2) shall not be considered income for purposes of eligibility under any Federal or federally assisted program. Prohibits the payment of veterans' disability compensation for any alcohol- or drug-related disability even if the abuse is secondary to a service-connected disability. Removes the requirement that former prisoners of war must have been detained or interned for at least 90 days in order to be eligible for veterans' outpatient dental care.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Security and Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2003 or the Safe for America Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the diversity immigrant program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit any physician or other individual from knowingly performing a partial-birth abortion, except when necessary to save the life of a mother that is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury. Defines a "partial-birth abortion" as an abortion in which the person performing the abortion: (1) deliberately and intentionally vaginally delivers a living fetus until, in the case of a head-first presentation, the entire fetal head is outside the mother's body, or, in the case of a breech presentation, any part of the fetal trunk past the navel is outside the mother's body; and (2) performs the overt act, other than completion of delivery, that kills the partially delivered living fetus. Authorizes the father, if married to the mother at the time of the abortion, and the maternal grandparents of the fetus, if the mother is under 18 years of age, to obtain specified relief in a civil action, unless the pregnancy resulted from the plaintiff's criminal conduct or the plaintiff consented to the abortion. Authorizes a defendant accused of an offense under this Act to seek a hearing before the State Medical Board on whether the physician's conduct was necessary to save the life of the mother. Prohibits the prosecution of a woman upon whom a partial-birth abortion is performed for conspiracy to violate this Act or under provisions regarding punishment as a principal or an accessory or for concealment of a felony.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2003
Full Expensing for Economic Growth Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the special first-year allowance for certain property acquired after September 10, 2001 and before September 11, 2004, to increase such allowance to 100 percent for 18 months from the date of enactment of this Act, if there was no written binding contract in effect before such date, for: (1) the acquisition of such property; or (2) in the case of property manufactured, constructed, or produced for the taxpayer's own use, for the manufacture, construction, or production of such property.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2003
Sales Tax Equity Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the deduction of State and local sales taxes in lieu of State and local income taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2003
United States Independent Film and Television Production Incentive Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an annual tax credit for 25 percent of up to the first $25,000 of qualified wages paid or incurred per qualified U.S. independent film and television production. Increases the credit to 35 percent if the production is located in an area eligible for designation as a low-income community or eligible for designation by the Delta Regional Authority as a distressed county or isolated area of distress.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2003
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to make "patient safety work product" privileged information. Defines "patient safety work product" as a record concerning patient information either reported to a patient safety organization by a health care provider (doctor, hospital, etc.) or created by a patient safety organization. Defines a "patient safety organization" as an organization, certified under this Act, that collects such information with the goal of improving patient safety and the quality of health care delivery. Imposes a civil penalty on providers who violate the privileged status of patient safety work product. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a database to receive relevant nonidentifiable patient safety work product, consistent, if practicable, with the administrative simplification provisions of the Social Security Act. Permits the Secretary to provide to patient safety organizations and to States technical assistance with reporting systems for health care errors. Directs the Secretary to establish a process for the Secretary or another approved Federal or State governmental organization to certify patient safety organizations. Requires the Secretary to develop or adopt voluntary national standards promoting the interoperability of information technology systems involved with health care delivery. Requires the Secretary to issue and periodically revise regulations requiring the manufacturer of any drug or biological product that is subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, or the packager or labeler of such a product, to include a unique product identifier on the packaging.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Social Security Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal: (1) pension offset provisions applicable to husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and mother's and father's insurance benefits with respect to Old-Age and Survivors insurance benefit payments; and (2) windfall elimination provisions with respect to computation of the primary insurance amount of an individual.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 2003 - Adjusts the basic Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity amount for surviving spouses, age 62 and older, of former military personnel to: (1) 35 percent of the retired pay of the decedent (current law), for months before October 2004; (2) 40 percent for months during FY 2005; (3) 45 percent for months during FY 2006; (4) 50 percent for months during FY 2007; and (5) 55 percent for months after FY 2007. Adjusts similarly percentage amounts with respect to survivors of reserve personnel and survivors of persons who die while on active duty. Provides a corresponding phased elimination of the SBP supplemental annuity authorized to be provided to such surviving spouses. Requires periodic recomputation of: (1) annuity amounts beginning in October 2004; and (2) retired pay reductions for supplemental survivor annuities. Provides a one-year open enrollment period for SBP participation, commencing October 1, 2004, for those currently not participating, those electing to increase current coverage, and those wishing to participate in the supplemental SBP. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to require appropriate premiums for SBP participation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the special rule for the redistribution and availability of unexpended FY 1998 and 1999 SCHIP allotments, including to: (1) extend the availability of FY 1998 and 1999 reallocated funds through FY 2004; and (2) permit 50 percent of the total amount of unexpended FY 2000 and 2001 SCHIP allotments that remain available to a State through the end of FY 2002 and 2003 to remain available for expenditure by the State through the end of FY 2004 and 2005, respectively.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2003
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003 - Makes changes to the health care liability system, including compensation for injured patients and other issues arising out of health care law suits. Requires a suit to be brought within three years of the date of injury or one year after the claimant discovers or should have discovered the injury, whichever occurs first. Specifies exceptions when a suit may be brought later than three years after the date of injury. Sets forth requirements and permissible recovery amounts for compensating patient injury, including: (1) the full amount of economic loss without limitation; (2) noneconomic damages as specified; and (3) a fair share rule. Requires the court to supervise payment-of-damage arrangements, limiting contingency fees. Permits the introduction of evidence of collateral source benefits, except that this section shall not apply to provisions of the Social Security Act pertaining to State plans for medical assistance and Medicare as secondary payer. Limits the availability of punitive damages, requiring clear and convincing evidence of malicious intent to injure or a deliberate failure to avoid substantially certain, unnecessary injury. Prohibits their award for products that comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, except if the manufacturer or distributor of a particular medical product or the supplier of a component or raw material of such a product causes harm by failing to comply with a specific requirement of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Authorizes periodic payment of future damages to claimants. Excludes suits for vaccine-related death or injury from the requirements of this Act if otherwise covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Preempts State law unless such law imposes greater protections for health care providers and organizations from liability, loss, or damages. Expresses the sense of Congress that a health insurer should be liable for damages for harm caused when it makes a decision as to what care is medically necessary and appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2003
Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2003 - 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 replace assessment guidelines for achieving and maintaining a designated reserve ratio and for independent treatment of deposit insurance funds with a requirement that the Board of Directors of the FDIC set assessments as it determines appropriate, including a maximum base rate for assessments at one basis point for insured depository institutions in the lowest-risk category. Reduces from five years to three years the mandatory assessment recordkeeping period. Replaces the current 1.25 percent statutory reserve ratio used to recapitalize undercapitalized insurance funds with a reserve ratio range of 1.15 to 1.4 percent of estimated insured deposits, subject to specified factors and annual redetermination. 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.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2003
Authorizes the President to award a gold medal to each of the seven crew members who perished aboard the space shuttle Columbia: Rick D. Husband; Michael P. Anderson; Laurel Clark; David M. Brown; William C. McCool; Kapana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2003
Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003 - Amends title IV (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reauthorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to award state family assistance grants. Authorizes States to use grants for marriage promotion activities and requires the Secretary to make bonus grants to each State that has achieved formulated employment goals. Revises: (1) requirements for the consideration of certain child care expenditures in determining State compliance with contingency fund requirements; (2) State work participation requirements, incorporating a 40-hour work week standard, and creating a State superachiever participation rate credit; and (3) requirements for the use of TANF grants. Authorizes the Secretary to establish TANF performance goals and plans. Makes appropriations for research, demonstrations, and technical assistance. Repeals waiver continuation authority. Promotion and Support of Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Act of 2003 - Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to authorize the Secretary to make grants to public and nonprofit community entities for demonstration projects to test the effectiveness of various approaches to create a Fatherhood Program. Permits States the option to make TANF programs mandatory partners with one-stop employment training centers. Caring for Children Act of 2003 - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to specify consumer education information States are required to collect and disseminate. Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to income tax benefits. Reauthorizes funding for State child care entitlement programs and revises State requirements for child support payments. Amends: (1) SSA title XI (General Provisions) to eliminate specified limitations on the Secretary's authority to approve demonstration projects and grant waivers; and (2) SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to require the Commissioner of Social Security to review State agency blindness and disability determinations. Authorizes the administering Secretary to authorize innovative State demonstration projects involving individual programs, or integrating multiple public assistance, employment security, and other programs to support working families. Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require the Secretary to establish a program to make grants to States to provide food assistance and funds to operate employment and training programs for needy individuals. Extends abstinence education funding and reauthorizes transitional medical assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2003
Organ Donation Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants or contracts to States, transplant centers, qualified organ procurement organizations, or other public or private entities for the purpose of providing payment for: (1) travel and subsistence expenses incurred by individuals toward living donations of their organs; and (2) incidental nonmedical expenses. Sets forth payment eligibility criteria and limitations, including that payments may be made for the qualifying expenses of a donating individual only if: (1) the State in which the donating individual resides is a different State than the State in which the intended recipient of the organ resides; and (2) the annual income of the intended recipient of the organ does not exceed $35,000. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program to educate the public with respect to organ donation, including the need to provide for an adequate rate of such donations. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for the purpose of carrying out studies and demonstration projects with respect to providing for an adequate rate of organ donation. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States for the purpose of assisting States in carrying out organ donor awareness, public education and outreach activities, and programs designed to increase the number of organ donors within the State, including living donors. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2003
Do-Not-Call Implementation Act - Authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate regulations establishing fees to implement and enforce provisions relating to the "do-not-call" registry of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (provisions which prohibit a telemarketer from calling an individual listed on a do-not-call registry), as promulgated under the Telephone Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. Allows such fees to be collected for FY 2003 through 2007. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to issue a final rule pursuant to a rulemaking proceeding begun under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act concerning its promulgation of do-not-call regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2003
Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to make grants to States for: (1) coordinating mosquito control programs to prevent and control mosquito-borne diseases; and (2) assisting States in making grants to political subdivisions (localities) to help them develop control programs. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director, to make grants to localities for the operation of control programs. Requires each locality receiving such a grant to: (1) develop an assessment on the need for a control program and a plan for carrying out such a program; and (2) make available matching funds in an amount not less than 1/3 of the cost of the program, unless the Secretary waives the requirement due to extraordinary economic conditions in the locality. Allows the Secretary to provide training and technical assistance to: (1) States for the planning, development, and operation of assessments and plans regarding control programs; and (2) localities for the planning, development, and operation of control programs. States that such assistance may be provided directly or through awards of grants or contracts to public or private entities. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support research into methods to control the population of insects and vermin that transmit dangerous diseases to humans.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2003
National Naval Force Structure Policy Act - States that it is U.S. policy to rebuild as soon as possible the size of the U.S. Navy fleet to no fewer than 375 vessels in active service, including 15 aircraft carrier battle groups and 15 amphibious ready groups.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the State of Maryland for a program to implement measures to: (1) eradicate nutria in Maryland; (2) eradicate or control nutria in other States; and (3) restore marshland damaged by nutria. Directs the Secretary to require that the program consist of management, research, and public education activities carried out in accordance with a the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service document entitled "Eradication Strategies for Nutria in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay Watersheds."
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2003 - Permits retired members of the armed forces with service-connected disabilities to be paid both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation. Repeals provisions providing for special compensation for certain severely disabled military retirees and certain combat-related disabled uniformed services retirees.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Housing Bond and Credit Modernization and Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the required use of certain principal repayments on mortgage subsidy bond financings to redeem bonds; (2) modify the purchase price limitation under mortgage subsidy bond rules based on median family income; and (3) define the term "area median gross income" for low-income housing credit projects.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to state that churches and other houses of worship shall not lose such designation because of the content, preparation, or presentation of any homily, sermon, teaching, dialectic, or other presentation made during religious services or gatherings. States that such provision shall not affect campaign finance laws under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 2003
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) supports the goals of Catholic Schools Week; and (2) congratulates Catholic schools, students, parents, and teachers across the Nation for their ongoing contributions to education, and for the key role they play in promoting and ensuring a brighter, stronger future for this Nation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Blind Empowerment Act of 2003 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to increase, by specified increments over five years, the level of earnings demonstrating the ability of a blind person to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes of determining disability insurance benefit payments.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2003 - Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and any leasing or development leading to such production. States that, for purposes of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program is compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established, and that no further findings or decisions are required to implement this determination. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate a maximum total of Coastal Plain acreage as "Special Areas;" (2) permit oil and gas exploration leasing in such Areas (but prohibit surface occupancy); and (3) permit horizontal drilling technology from lease sites located outside the Special Areas. States that this Act constitutes the Secretary's sole authority to close Coastal Plain lands to oil and gas leasing and to exploration, development, and production. Prescribes procedures for: (1) lease sales; (2) grants of leases; (3) lease terms and conditions; and (4) coastal plain environmental protection. Shields rights-of-way and easements issued by the Secretary for the transportation of oil and gas across the Coastal Plain from Title XI of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. Directs the Secretary to convey: (1) the surface estate of specified lands to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation; and (2) the remaining subsurface estate of specified lands to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Establishes the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to specified entities that are directly impacted by oil and gas production and exploration on the coastal Plain.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Community Choice in Real Estate Act - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, and the Revised Statutes of the United States, to prohibit the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Secretary of the Treasury, respectively, from determining that real estate brokerage activity or real estate management activity is financial in nature, is incidental to any financial activity, or is complementary to a financial activity. (In effect, prohibits financial holding companies and national banks from engaging, directly or indirectly, in real estate brokerage or real estate management activities.) Exempts from such prohibition: (1) activities of a bank holding company (or any affiliate) that directly relate to managing any real property owned by national banks or their affiliates; and (2) the right, power, or ability of any financial holding company to engage in any activity, or acquire or retain the shares of any company engaged in an activity authorized for financial holding companies on December 6, 2001 ("grandfather clause").
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Death Tax Permanency Act of 2003 - Amends title IX (Compliance with Congressional Budget Act) of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16) to repeal the sunset provisions applicable to title V (Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes) of such Act. (Makes estate tax repeal permanent.) States that such amendments shall take effect as if included in section 901 of such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2002
Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to revise the rule for redistribution and extended availability of FY1998 and 1999 allotments to States, permitting and extending retention of half of the FY 2000 allotment, and permitting and extending retention of half of the FY 2001 allotment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2002
Mental Health Parity Reauthorization Act of 2002 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to extend mental health parity provisions through 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2002
Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act - Requires a "prescriber" (a person permitted under State law to issue prescriptions for contact lenses) to provide to the patient a copy of the patient's contact lens prescription free of charge. Declares that a contact lens prescription shall expire one year after the date of completion of the contact lens fitting if a State's law regarding contact lens prescriptions specifies an earlier date or if the State has no such specified date. Permits an exception for a patient's ocular health. Prohibits advertising that lenses for which a prescription is required may be obtained without a prescription. Prohibits a prescriber from issuing certain waivers. States that any violation of this Act shall be treated as a violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices. Permits a State to bring a civil action in a district court of the United States for violations of this Act. Requires the attorney general of a State bringing suit to notify the Federal Trade Commission, unless such notification is unfeasible. Allows the Commission to intervene in cases in which it is notified, whereby it shall have the rights: (1) to be heard on any matter; and (2) to file a petition for appeal.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2002
Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to revise provisions concerning the reallocation of spectrum from governmental to commercial users. Makes any Federal entity that operates a Government station assigned within a specified band of frequencies and that incurs relocation costs due to reallocation to non-Federal use eligible for reimbursement from the Spectrum Relocation Fund established in this Act. Requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to notify the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of estimated relocation costs at least six months prior to the commencement of any auction of eligible frequencies. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the FCC: (1) in designing competitive bidding under such auctions, to have as an objective the recovery of 110 percent of the estimated relocation costs; (2) prescribe methods by which the total cash proceeds from any auction equals at least 110 percent of such costs; and (3) prohibit the FCC from concluding any auction under which such goal is not reached. Authorizes the FCC to grant a license for the advance use of eligible frequencies pending an auction, on the condition that the licensee cannot cause harmful interference to the Federal entity until the entity's authorization has been terminated. Establishes the Fund. Exempts the Fund from sequestration under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2002
Center for International Human Rights Act of 2002 - Declares that Congress finds that a private, nonprofit corporation known as the Center for International Human Rights has been established in the District of Columbia to: (1) establish programs to promote, monitor, and analyze the status of human rights throughout the world; (2) investigate allegations of human rights violations in conjunction with private and governmental organizations; (3) sponsor fellows to study international human rights issues at the Center; (4) carry out a conference series to bring together international human rights experts to discuss and disseminate information; and (5) make grants to and cooperative agreements with non-governmental organizations to promote human rights, giving priority to indigenous human rights organizations in countries the governments of which violate such rights. Authorizes the Secretary of State to make an annual grant to the Center.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2002
Child Safety Enhancement Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish performance requirements for child restraints, including booster seats, for children weighing more than 50 pounds; (2) develop, evaluate, and initiate a rulemaking proceeding to adopt an anthropomorphic test device that simulates a ten-year old child for use in testing child restraints used in passenger motor vehicles; (3) complete a rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 208 relating to occupant crash protection in order to require a lap and shoulder belt assembly for each rear designated seating position in a passenger vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less; and (4) initiate an evaluation of integrated or built-in child restraints and booster seats.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2002
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to make "patient safety work product" privileged information. Defines "patient safety work product" as a record concerning patient information either reported to a patient safety organization by a health care provider (doctor, hospital, etc.) or created by a patient safety organization. Defines a "patient safety organization" as an organization, certified under this Act, that collects such information with the goal of improving patient safety and the quality of health care delivery. Imposes a civil penalty on providers who violate the privileged status of patient safety work product. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a database to receive relevant nonidentifiable patient safety work product, consistent, if practicable, with the administrative simplification provisions of the Social Security Act. Permits the Secretary to provide to patient safety organizations and to States technical assistance with reporting systems for health care errors. Directs the Secretary to establish a process for the Secretary or another approved Federal or State governmental organization to certify patient safety organizations. Requires the Secretary to develop or adopt voluntary national standards promoting the interoperability of information technology systems involved with health care delivery. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to practitioners for electronic prescription programs, with a matching requirement of not less than 50 percent of the costs. Directs the Secretary to make grants to hospitals and other health care providers for information technologies, and to provide technical assistance to applicants and grantees. Sets forth a matching requirement for the grants of not less than 50 percent of the costs. Requires the Secretary to issue and periodically revise regulations requiring the manufacturer of any drug or biological product that is subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, or the packager or labeler of such a product, to include a unique product identifier on the packaging.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2002
Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should complete action in the 107th Congress on the Pension Security Act of 2002 and present it to the President for his signature before adjournment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2002
Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should complete action in the 107th Congress on the Community Solutions Act of 2001 and present it to the President for his signature before adjournment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2002
Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should complete action on the Permanent Death Tax Repeal Act of 2002, and present it to the President before adjournment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2002
Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that the 107th Congress should complete action on and present to the President, before September 30, 2002, legislation extending and strengthening the 1996 welfare reforms.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2002
Clear Skies Act of 2002 - Amends the acid deposition control provisions of the Clean Air Act with respect to emissions limitations and allowances programs for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury by: (1) revising the allowance system and associated transfer, tracking, permit, compliance plan, and penalty requirements, including those for auctions; and (2) establishing new emissions limitations and trading programs (including implementation of a separate sulfur dioxide scheme for States in the Western Regional Air Partnership). Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) promulgate performance standards (limiting emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and mercury) for new boilers, integrated gasification combined cycle plants, and combustion turbines; and (2) conduct a comprehensive research and environmental assessment program to enhance understanding of health and environmental effects of particulate matter and mercury and to demonstrate the efficacy of emission reductions under this Act. Excludes the following units from consideration as major emitting facilities or major stationary sources (or parts thereof) for purposes of compliance with provisions concerning prevention of significant deterioration of air quality and plan requirements for nonattainment areas: (1) those that are subject to the performance standards of this Act; or (2) those with properly operated and maintained equipment to limit particulate matter emissions or subject to a permit under an applicable implementation plan that provides a specified particulate matter emissions limitation and that use good combustion practices to minimize carbon monoxide emissions. Requires States to ensure in implementation plans that: (1) in an attainment or unclassifiable area, any emissions increase from the construction or modification of an affected unit will not result in exceeding a national ambient air quality standard; and (2) in a nonattainment area, the emissions increase will not interfere with a program to assure the achievement of such a standard. Provides for designation of transitional areas under implementation plans and states requirements for emissions inventories, the attainment of standards by the end of 2015, and penalties for not meeting the eight-hour ozone or fine particles standard.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2002
National Forest Fire Prevention Act - Authorizes the Secretary to treat additional timber within or outside existing cutting units for National Forest System timber sales and within related analysis areas to reduce insect infestation or fire hazard by: (1) modifying contracts; or (2) offering additional timber sales within such areas. Sets forth treatment priority criteria.
![Official portrait of Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [R-LA-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000058_200.jpg)