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United States · Official source
8,859 records where Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-33] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
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 · 8 June 2004
Expresses the House of Representatives deepest appreciation for the profound public service of President Ronald Reagan and its condolences to his wife, Nancy, and to his surviving children, Patti, Michael, and Ron, and the entire Reagan family. Calls on the people of the United States to reflect on President Reagan's record as President of the United States during this national period of remembrance.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2004
Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide, on a monthly basis for new contracts and for existing contracts entered into since October 1, 2001, to the House Committees on Armed Services, Government Reform, Appropriations, and International Relations and the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Governmental Affairs, Appropriations, and Foreign Relations copies and descriptions of contracts and task orders in excess of $1 million entered into by the Department of Defense in relation to work in Iraq and Afghanistan.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2004
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Associate Administrator of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to awards grants to eligible entities to: (1) provide education and training in newborn screening and congenital, genetic, and metabolic disorders to health care professionals and State health department laboratory personnel; (2) develop educational programs about newborn screening for parents, families, and parents advocacy and support groups; and (3) establish, maintain, and operate a system to assess and coordinate treatment relating to congenital, genetic, and metabolic disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Angel Island Immigration Station Restoration and Preservation Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior for restoring the Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay, in coordination with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Requires funds appropriated by this Act to be used first for restoration of the Immigration Station Hospital on Angel Island.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the regulation of tobacco products by the Secretary of Health and Human Services through the Food and Drug Administration, including through disclosure, annual registration, inspection, recordkeeping, and user fee requirements. Sets forth criteria by which tobacco products are deemed adulterated or misbranded. Allows the Secretary to require prior approval of all label statements. Allows the Secretary to restrict the sale or distribution of tobacco products, including advertising and promotion, if the Secretary determines that such regulation would be appropriate for the protection of the public health. Prohibits such regulations from: (1) limiting product sales or distribution to authorization of a practitioner licensed to prescribe medical products; (2) prohibiting product sales in face-to-face transactions by a specific category of retail outlets; or (3) establishing a minimum age greater than 18 years of age for product purchases. Prohibits cigarettes from containing any artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, cinnamon, or coffee. Requires the Secretary to establish tobacco product standards to protect the public health, but reserves to Congress the power to ban any tobacco products or reduce the nicotine level to zero. Allows the Secretary to take specified actions, including public notification and recall, against unreasonably harmful products. Requires premarket approval of all new tobacco products. Sets forth standards for the sale of modified risk tobacco products. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) judicial review; (2) coordination with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); (3) congressional review of regulations; and (4) state and local authority. Requires the Secretary to establish a Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act to change cigarette warning label and advertising requirements. Amends the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986 to change smokeless tobacco warning label and advertising requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Medicare Trust Fund Reimbursement Act of 2004 - Provides that if the Comptroller General of the United States determines that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have violated the restriction on using appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 or any other provision of law, the principal campaign committee of the President shall reimburse the Federal Government for the amount used in committing such violation as appropriate. Requires the amount reimbursed to be credited to the appropriate Medicare trust fund to the extent that it was initially appropriated to such trust fund.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2004
Medicare Prescription Drug Low-Income Assistance Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for the automatic enrollment of beneficiaries under SSA title XIX (Medicaid) in the interim prescription drug discount program and the transitional assistance program, making them eligible for the $600 per year in low-income discount card assistance without requiring a separate enrollment process. Provides for automatic enrollment for MSP beneficiaries under the permanent Medicare part D prescription drug coverage program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2004
Public Servant Retirement Protection Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to repeal the current windfall elimination provisions (which reduce Social Security benefits of retirees who paid into the Social Security system for part of their careers and who also receive a government pension from work in the public sector not covered by Social Security) and to replace them with a formula that treats non-Social Security earnings as if they were Social Security earnings for the purpose of calculating lifetime earnings for certain individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2004
MEJA Clarification Act - Amends the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000 (MEJA) to require the Secretary of Defense to ensure that persons covered by the MEJA are arrested and delivered to proper authorities for prosecution if there is probable cause to believe that they have engaged in conduct that violates the MEJA while outside the United States. Expands the jurisdiction of the MEJA to cover the civilian employees, contractors, and employees of contractors of any Federal agency or provisional authority, and their dependents, to the extent that the employment relates to the mission of the Department of Defense overseas or to operations within territory that the United States occupies solely or jointly. Clarifies that the MEJA covers offenses that would constitute war crimes. Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees within 90 days of enactment of this Act containing regulations implementing the MEJA.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2004
Accountability and Responsibility in Contracting Act - Prohibits any acquiring corporation or any subsidiary of any such a corporation that enters into a corporate expatriation transaction (as defined by this Act) from being eligible to be awarded a Federal contract for a three-year period, unless the acquiring corporation reorganizes as a domestic corporation under the applicable incorporation laws of a State. Prohibits any entity and any entity with a foreign subsidiary doing business with a state sponsor of terrorism or foreign terrorist organization from being eligible to be awarded a Federal contract for a period of: (1) three years for a first offense; (2) ten years for a second offense; and (3) 15 years for any offense after a second offense. Directs each executive agency to require certification from a current contractor that the contractor, the contractor's domestic parent company and all other domestic subsidiaries of the parent did not do business, and did not own a foreign subsidiary that did business, during the ten-year period ending on this Act's enactment with such a state sponsor or organization. Directs each executive agency to require certification from a potential contractor, that the potential contractor, the potential contractor's domestic parent company, and all other domestic subsidiaries of the parent is not doing business, and does not own a foreign subsidiary that is doing business, or has done business within the last ten years, with such a state sponsor or organization. Permits citizens to file complaints with executive agencies regarding Federal contractors and requires annual reporting on the complaints to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2004
Calls for the establishment of a National Health Center Week (beginning on August 8, 2004) to raise awareness of the health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2004
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S. Government and Congress should condemn acts of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (2) officials and elected leaders of all Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) participating states, including all OSCE Mediterranean Partner for Cooperation countries, should also condemn acts of anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination; (3) the participating OSCE states should be commended for supporting the Berlin Declaration and for bringing increased attention to incidents of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (4) the U.S. Government should work with other OSCE participating states to encourage compliance with OSCE commitments and, if necessary, urge the creation of legal mechanisms to combat and track acts of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (5) all participating states should forward their respective laws and data on incidents of anti-Semitism and other hate crimes to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; (6) the United States should encourage appointment of a high level "personal envoy" to ensure sustained attention to OSCE commitments on the reporting of anti-Semitic crimes; (7) the United States should urge OSCE participating states that have not already done so to join the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research; and (8) all OSCE participating states should renew efforts to implement their existing commitments to fight anti-Semitism and intolerance.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act - Amends Federal postal service law to direct the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) (established by this Act) to establish a modern system for regulating rates and classes for market-dominant products (all first-class mail, periodicals, non-parcel post standard mail, media mail, library mail, and bound printed matter). Directs the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service to establish rates and classes for products in the competitive category of mail (priority mail, expedited mail, mailgrams, international mail, and parcel post). Directs the PRC to establish rules to ensure that workshare discounts (presorting, barcoding, etc.) do not exceed the cost that the Postal Service avoids as the result of private sector workshare activity. Establishes in the Treasury a revolving Postal Service Competitive Products Fund which shall be available to the Postal Service without fiscal year limitation for the payment of: (1) costs attributable to competitive products; and (2) all other costs incurred by the Postal Service, to the extent allocable to competitive products. Requires the Postal Service to: (1) compute its assumed Federal income tax (which would be the taxable income of a corporation) on competitive products income for such year; and (2) transfer from the Competitive Products Fund to the Postal Service Fund the amount of that assumed tax. Prohibits the Postal Service from: (1) establishing anti-competitive rules or regulations; (2) compelling the disclosure, transfer, or licensing of intellectual property to any third party; or (3) obtaining information from a person that provides any product, and then offering any product or service that uses or is based in whole or in part on such information, without the person's consent. Makes the Secretary of State responsible for foreign policy related to international postal services and other international delivery services. Requires the Postal Service to forward mail received and forwarded by a commercial mail receiving agency following proper filing of a change-of-address form. Replaces the Postal Rate Commission with the Postal Regulatory Commission. Directs the Postal Service to report to the President, Congress, and: (1) PRC on universal postal service in the United States; and (2) Postal Service Board of Governors on the postal processing and distribution network. Repeals the authority of the Postal Service to impose fines on air carriers transporting mail beyond U.S. borders for unreasonable or unnecessary delays and other delinquencies. Directs the Postal Service to prescribe regulations for the safe transportation of hazardous materials in the mail. Provides civil penalties, plus cleanup costs, for violations. Revises postal pension funding requirements under the Civil Service Retirement System. Establishes the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Medicare Early Access 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 add a new part E (Purchase of Medicare Benefits by Certain Individuals 55 to 65 Years of Age). Provides access to Medicare benefits for individuals 55 to 64 years of age who do not have coverage under a Federal health insurance program or under a group plan. Requires enrollees to pay a premium to receive Medicare coverage. Requires the Secretary to base the premium on the Secretary's estimate of the average, national annual per capita amount of the cost of providing services to the population. Allows early retirees with access to retiree coverage to enroll under this part while keeping their Federal or State COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) continuation coverage. Allows an employer that offers employment-based retiree health coverage to an individual who enrolls under this part to modify such coverage to provide for: (1) employer payment of items and services for which payment may not be made under Medicare; and (2) employer payment of 25 percent of the monthly premium applicable to the individual after enrollment. Creates in the Treasury the Medicare Early Access Trust Fund to hold the premiums collected under this Act and to support the new program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow program enrollees to receive a 75 percent advance, refundable credit to offset premium costs (thus requiring program enrollees in the Medicare buy-in to be responsible for 25 percent of the monthly premiums).
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
FamilyCare Act of 2004 - Amends title XXI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to rename the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) the FamilyCare Program. Provides for: (1) automatic enrollment in the FamilyCare Program of children born to title XXI parents; and (2) optional family care coverage of parents of targeted low-income children and low-income pregnant women under Medicaid (SSA title XIX). Provides for optional coverage of legal immigrants under Medicaid and SSA title XXI, and of children through age 20 under Medicaid and SSA title XXI. Allows States to elect to provide for a period of presumptive eligibility for medical assistance for a parent of a child with respect to whom such a period is provided under Medicaid. Revises the transitional medical assistance (TMA) program, including making reporting requirements optional, giving States the option to extend eligibility for low-income individuals for up to 12 additional months, and eliminating the sunset for TMA. Establishes limitations with respect to marketing activities to comply with new conflict of interest requirements. Prohibits affiliation with debarred persons. Increases the SCHIP allotment for each of FY 2002 through 2004. Directs the Secretry to award demonstration grants to up to seven States (or other qualified entities) to conduct innovative programs designed to improve outreach to homeless individuals and families under specified programs, including Medicaid. Limits cost-sharing under the FamilyCare program to 2.5 percent for families with income below 150 percent of poverty. Increases Federal reimbursement for language services under the Medicaid program and SSA title XXI.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Women's Health Office Act of 2004 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Social Security Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the establishment of separate Offices on Women's Health within the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office of the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration to carry out specified activities relating to the health of women. Directs the lead officers of each Office of Women's Health to establish goals, provide information, serve as a consultant, and establish a Coordinating Committee on Women's Health within their respective agencies. Requires the Director of the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality to designate an official of the Office of Priority Populations to carry out similar responsibilities relating to women's health. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Office of Women's Health, to establish a National Women's Health Information Center to facilitate the exchange of information, access to such information, and the analysis of issues and problems relating to women's health. Transfers the functions of the Office on Women's Health of the Public Health Service to the Office of Women's Health within the Department of Health and Human Services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain small employers (not more than 50 employees) a business tax credit equal to 50 percent of amounts paid by such employers for the health care coverage of their employees under a qualified health pooling arrangement. Limits the period during which the tax credit may be taken to four years from the date the employer begins participating in a qualified health pooling arrangement. Defines "qualified health pooling arrangement" as a national or state arrangement that provides health benefits coverage substantially similar to that of the four largest health benefit plans offered to Federal employees. Directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Labor to provide for the offering and oversight of qualified State and national health pooling arrangements and to conduct a study, through the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, of the operation of such arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Healthy Troops Act - Requires predeployment and postdeployment medical examinations of certain members of the armed forces to include self-administered surveys followed by clinical examinations. Specifies that predeployment surveys and examinations shall include: (1) the collection of clinical data; (2) the collection of information on current and past physical or mental health conditions that might affect performance; (3) an assessment of mental health; (4) screening for diseases prevalent among the armed forces; and (5) referrals for any conditions needing further treatment. Specifies that postdeployment surveys and examinations shall include self-reported information about relevant exposures during the period of deployment including combat experience and screening for post-traumatic stress disorder. Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of the effectiveness of self-administered surveys.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2004
Requests that the Secretary of Defense transmit to the House of Representatives any picture, photograph, video, communication, or report produced in conjunction with any completed Department of Defense (DOD) investigation: (1) conducted by Major General Antonio M. Taguba and relating to allegations of torture or allegations of violations of the Geneva Convention at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq; or (2) relating to the abuse or alleged abuse of prisoners of war or detainees by civilian contractors employed in Iraq on behalf of the DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2004
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that there is a critical need to increase awareness and education about hepatitis C.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2004
50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Reduction Act - Amends the National Firearms Act to include a 50 caliber sniper weapon (defined as a rifle capable of firing a center-fire 50 caliber cartridge) within the definition of a "firearm" regulated under that Act. Modifies the definition of "rifle" under the Act to include a weapon intended to be fired from a bipod or other support. Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit the transfer or possession of a 50 caliber sniper weapon, with exceptions involving: (1) the transfer to or possession by the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof; and (2) otherwise lawful possession of a weapon that was lawfully possessed before the date this provision takes effect. Includes 50 caliber sniper weapons within the scope of penalties under that Act for which an individual may be fined, imprisoned for up to ten years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2004
Honors the life and accomplishments of Mary McGrory, who was a renowned reporter for the Washington Star and Washington Post newspapers and who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for her coverage of the Watergate scandal.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability Act - Amends the Chief Financial Officer Act of 1990 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the President to appoint a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who is to report directly to the Secretary of DHS and to the Under Secretary for Management. Removes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from the list of agencies required to have a CFO. Amends the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 to instruct the Secretary of DHS to: (1) submit a specified performance and accountability report, including an audit opinion of DHS internal controls over its financial reporting; and (3) design and implement DHS-wide management controls that reflect the national homeland security strategy of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and that permit assessment by Congress and DHS managers of DHS performance in executing such strategy. Requires performance and accountability reports after FY 2005 to include an assertion of the internal controls that apply to financial reporting by the DHS. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Future Years Homeland Security Program to: (1) include the same type of information, organizational structure, and level of detail as a certain future years defense program; (2) set forth the homeland security strategy that was used to develop program planning guidance for the Program; and (3) include an explanation of how the resource allocations included in the Program correlate to homeland security strategy. Instructs the Secretary to establish an Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation. Creates the position of Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation. Requires the CFO of DHS to notify simultaneously specified congressional committees whenever appropriations earmarked for DHS are either transferred or reprogrammed.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2004 to revise the per-unit cost calculation for expiring tenant-based rental assistance contracts under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Lead-Free Drinking Water Act of 2004 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to revise the national primary drinking water regulation for lead to provide adequate protection for individuals affected by lead contamination, particularly vulnerable populations. Requires the revised regulation to establish a maximum contaminant level or a drinking water treatment technique that meets specified criteria. Directs community water systems or nontransient noncommunity water systems to: (1) annually replace a percentage of non-lead free service lines until all such lines are replaced; (2) provide notice to individuals and entities that may be exposed to lead contamination; (3) provide water lead test results to tested residences; (4) establish a public education program on lead in drinking water; and (5) provide water filters to each residence, school, and day care facility in the service area that reasonably could experience lead contamination. Requires the General Services Administration to conduct water supply testing in Federal buildings and to take related action. Directs each water system to test drinking water for lead contamination within one year. Requires the Administrator to revise monitoring requirements under the national primary drinking water regulation to incorporate specified criteria. Redefines "lead free" to reduce acceptable lead levels in specified drinking water hardware. Requires new plumbing parts and components to be lead free by January 1, 2005. Requires the Administrator to establish a grant program to address lead contamination in school drinking water.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) supports the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor Federal, State, and local peace officers killed or disabled in the line of duty; and (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2004
Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the Federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.45 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and (3) $7.00 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day. Makes Federal minimum wage requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets forth a transition period during which a specified minimum wage there shall be gradually increased to equal the Federal minimum wage.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2004
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) Israel shares the commitment to democratic government and the market economy that is the foundation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); (2) Israel meets the OECD's membership requirements and has been an active participant as a non-member country in various OECD activities; (3) the United States should support and advocate the accession of Israel to the OECD, including through coordination of efforts with Mexico, Great Britain, and other countries supportive of Israel's OECD membership; and (4) given the discriminatory policies against Israel in other international fora, Israel, upon accession to the OECD, should be afforded all the rights and privileges granted to all other member countries.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2004
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the President should direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to seek an immediate end to the inequality experienced by Israel in the United Nations; (2) U.S. interests would be well served if Israel were afforded the benefits of full membership in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the United Nations; (3) the Secretary of State and other appropriate U.S. officials should pursue diplomatic efforts and should take all necessary steps to ensure the extension and upgrade of Israel's WEOG membership; and (4) the Secretary should report to Congress on a regular basis respecting actions taken to effect Israel's full WEOG membership.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2004
San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 100,000 $5 coins and 500,000 $1 coins emblematic of the San Francisco Old Mint Building, its importance to California and U.S. history, and its role in rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire. Requires that all surcharges received by the Secretary from the sale of coins issued under this Act be promptly paid to the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society for use for the purposes of rehabilitating the Historic Old Mint in San Francisco as a city museum and an American Coin and Gold Rush Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2004
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance)of the Social Security Act to: (1) restrict the application of the windfall elimination requirement to individuals whose combined monthly income from the individual's primary insurance amount under such title and the portion of the monthly periodic payment attributable to noncovered service performed after 1956 exceeds $2,500; and (2) provide for a graduated implementation of such requirement on amounts above such threshold by applying applicable percentages determined according to a specified formula.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2004
Declares that Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Comptroller of the Currency relating to: (1) preemption of State law regarding national banks' deposit taking and lending activities; and (2) certain anti-predatory lending standards for national banks. Declares that such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2004
Declares that Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Comptroller of the Currency relating to: (1) the scope of the Comptroller's exclusive visitorial powers over national banks; and (2) the exception for visitorial powers "vested in the courts of justice". Declares that such rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2004
Global Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2004 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should continue to support efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); (2) the U.S. delegation to the OSCE conference in Berlin should advocate for the appointment of a High Commissioner on anti-Semitism; and (3) the President should direct the United States Ambassador to the United Nations to introduce in the United Nations a measure condemning anti-Semitism. Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to authorize and encourage the Secretary of State to establish within the Department of State an Office to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to include in the Department of State annual reports information on: (1) acts of anti-Semitism in foreign countries; and (2) governmental responses to such acts, including efforts to promote anti-bias education. Makes similar amendments to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2004
Authorizes the President to export oil to, or secure oil for, any country pursuant to a bilateral international oil supply agreement entered into by the United States with such country before June 25, 1979, or to any country pursuant to the International Emergency Oil Sharing Plan of the International Energy Agency. Declares that the following agreements shall be deemed to have entered into force by operation of law and shall be deemed to have no termination date: (1) the agreement entitled "Agreement amending and extending the memorandum of agreement of June 22, 1979", entered into force November 13, 1994 (TIAS 12580); and (2) the agreement entitled "Agreement amending the contingency implementing arrangements of October 17, 1980", entered into force June 27, 1995 (TIAS 12670).
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2004
Requires that the Federal Acquisition Regulation be revised to require the head of each executive agency to: (1) seek commercial, volume, or other discounts for purchases made with Government-wide commercial purchase card; (2) use procurement mechanisms other than purchase cards, including contracts, as appropriate to maximize cost savings; and (3) systematically collect and analyze data on use of the Government-wide commercial purchase card, including by vendor, in sufficient detail to identify opportunities to achieve savings. Directs the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees regarding: (1) the status and content of revisions required by this Act and any resulting agency policies and procedures, including a determination of whether the information collected is sufficient to identify opportunities to achieve savings; and (2) executive branch progress in improving data collection on Government-wide commercial purchase card use and in seeking discounts or entering into agreements that provide for reduced prices, and savings achieved through the use of discounts or other procurement mechanisms. Requires the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to direct the head of each executive agency to provide to the Comptroller General such information as necessary to implement such requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2004 - Authorizes the Attorney General to provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or other assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that: (1) constitutes a crime of violence under Federal law or a felony under State or Indian tribal law; and (2) is motivated by prejudice based on the race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of the victim or is a violation of the hate crime laws of the State or tribe. Directs the Attorney General to give priority for assistance to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than one State and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary investigation or prosecution expenses. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to assist State, local, and Indian law enforcement officials with such extraordinary expenses. Directs the Office of Justice Programs to: (1) work closely with funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties are addressed; and (2) award grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. Prohibits specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to study and provide sentencing enhancements for adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes. Amends the Hate Crimes Statistics Act to require the crime data to be collected and published by the Attorney General to include data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Fairness for Working Americans Act of 2004 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the reduction in the percentage of earned income for calculating the refundable portion of the child tax credit (15 to ten percent) for taxable years beginning before 2005; (2) include in earned income for purposes of calculating the refundable portion of the credit otherwise tax excludable combat zone compensation of members of the armed services; and (3) set forth rules for the tax treatment of certain foreign corporations engaging in tax avoidance activities as U.S. domestic corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Expresses that the House of Representatives: (1) commends the marchers who have come from around the world to fight for women's lives by participating in the March for Women's Lives; (2) believes that rights have no borders and that each individual has the fundamental right to manage his or her fertility; (3) recognizes that the full expression of sexuality is a lifelong aspect of human development; (4) trusts individuals to make responsible choices about whether, when, how, and with whom to have a child; (5) supports loving families in all of their relationship forms, and it should be ensured that they are strong, secure, and free from violence; and (6) celebrates the March in which individuals of every age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, ability, immigration status, marital status, income, geography, religion, gender, and sexual orientation make their voices heard through collective pro-choice power.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 2004
Supports the designation of a National Autism Awareness Month. Recognizes and commends the parents and relatives of children with autism for their sacrifice and dedication in providing for the special needs of children with autism and for absorbing significant financial costs for specialized education and support services. Supports the goal of increasing Federal funding for aggressive research to: (1) determine causes of autism; (2) identify the best methods of early intervention and treatment; (3) expand programs for individuals with autism across their lifespan; and (4) promote understanding of the special needs of individuals with autism. Commends the Department of Health and Human Services for the implementation of the Children's Health Act of 2000, particularly for establishing four centers of excellence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the epidemiology of autism and related disorders and proposing centers of excellence at the National Institutes of Health for autism research. Stresses the need to begin early intervention services soon after an individual has been diagnosed with autism, noting that early intervention strategies are the primary therapeutic options for individuals with autism and early intervention significantly improves outcomes for individuals with autism and can reduce the level of funding and services needed later in life. Supports fulfilling the Federal Government's nearly 30-year-old commitment to provide States with part of the costs needed to educate children with disabilities under part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by funding the maximum 40 percent of such costs. Recognizes the: (1) shortage of appropriately trained teachers who have the skills and support necessary to teach, assist, and respond to special needs students, including those students with autism; and (2) importance of worker training programs that meet the needs of developmentally disabled individuals, including those individuals with autism. Notes that people with autism can be, and are, productive members of the workforce if they are given appropriate support, training, and early intervention services.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2004
Putting Prevention First Act - Title X Family Planning Services Act of 2004 - Authorizes appropriations for family planning services grants and contracts under the Public Health Services Act. Family Planning State Empowerment Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to allow States to provide family planning services and supplies to certain individuals not otherwise eligible for Medicaid. Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to prohibit a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing group coverage, from excluding or restricting benefits in any way for prescription contraceptive drugs, devices, and outpatient services if the plan provides benefits for other outpatient prescription drugs, devices, or outpatient services. Amends the PHSA to apply those prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market. Emergency Contraception Education Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and disseminate information on emergency contraception to the public and to health care providers. Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act - Requires hospitals, as a condition of receiving Federal funds, to offer and to provide, upon request, emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault. Family Life Education Act - Requires the Secretary to make grants to States for family life education, including education on abstinence and contraception to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Preventing Teen Pregnancy Act - Amends the PHSA to authorize the Secretary to award grants to public and private entities to establish or expand teenage pregnancy prevention programs.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2004
Family Life Education Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States for family life education, including education on abstinence and contraception, to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Expresses the sense of Congress that States are encouraged but not required to provide matching funds. Requires the Secretary to provide for a national evaluation of a representative sample of such programs for effectiveness in changing adolescent sexual behavior, including delaying sexual and high-risk activity, preventing pregnancy and disease (including HIV/AIDS), and increasing contraceptive knowledge. Requires States receiving such grants to provide for an individual evaluation of the State's program by an external, independent entity.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2004
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to the family of Thurgood Marshall (the first African-American Justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court) in recognition of Marshall's contributions to the Nation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2004
Cigarette Fire Safety Act of 2004 - Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to prescribe fire safety standards for cigarettes that, except as provided in this Act, are substantively the same as specified standards promulgated by the State of New York. Directs sponsors of testing methodologies employed under this Act to notify the Commission of any modifications in such methodologies. Authorizes the Commission to modify established fire safety standards to incorporate modifications that will enhance those standards. Requires fire safety standards promulgated under this Act to be treated as consumer product safety standards, and directs that cigarettes shall be treated as consumer products, under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). Precludes the preemption by this Act of the New York standard or more stringent fire safety standards for cigarettes promulgated by any State. Makes the CPSA's private remedy provisions applicable to fire safety standards promulgated under this Act. Denies the Commission any jurisdiction over tobacco or tobacco products except as provided in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
FHA Single Family Loan Limit Adjustment Act of 2004 - Amends the National Housing Act to increase Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single family mortgage limits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) enter into contracts for security enhancements and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; and (2) issue Federal loan guarantees in connection with loans made by financial institutions to nonprofit organizations for security enhancements and technical assistance. Permits the Secretary to guarantee only such loans that have favorable repayment terms. Directs the Secretary to designate high-risk nonprofit organizations eligible for contracts or loans based on the vulnerability of the specific site of the nonprofit to international terrorist attacks. Sets forth criteria for vulnerability determinations. Authorizes: (1) the use of federally guaranteed funds borrowed from lending institutions for technical assistance and security enhancements; (2) the Secretary to select applications for execution of security enhancement and technical assistance contracts, or issuance of loan guarantees, giving preference to the nonprofit organizations determined to be at greatest risk of international terrorist attack; (3) each State to establish a State Homeland Security Authority; and (4) the Secretary to provide grants to local governments to offset incremental costs associated with law enforcement in areas with a high concentration of nonprofit organizations. Establishes within the Department of Homeland Security the Office of Community Relations and Civic Affairs to administer grant programs for nonprofit organizations and local law enforcement assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2004
States that Congress: (1) condemns the Government of the Republic of Sudan for its attacks on innocent civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan and demands their cessation; (2) calls on the international community to condemn such attacks and demand their cessation; and (3) urges the President to direct the United States representative to the United Nations to seek an official investigation into whether Sudan has committed crimes against humanity in Darfur.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2004
Cesar E. Chavez Congressional Gold Medal Act - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal to the next of kin or other personal representative of Cesar E. Chavez in recognition of his service to the Nation. (Chavez organized farm workers to campaign for safe and fair working conditions, founded the National Farm Workers Association-- predecessor of the United Farm Workers of America-- and was a recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2004
Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2004 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to replace the program of assistance to disadvantaged children in Asia with a program of assistance for orphans and vulnerable children in developing countries. Authorizes the President to provide assistance (grants, international organization contributions, or governmental assistance) for orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries for: (1) basic care; (2) HIV/AIDS treatment, including mental health services; (3) school food programs; (4) education and employment training assistance; and (5) protection of inheritance rights. Establishes within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) an Office for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children. Provides assistance priority for countries with specified HIV levels among women and high-risk groups.