The world's political record
Person
![Official portrait of Rep. Weller, Jerry [R-IL-11]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000273_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
No stored named vote for this person. House roll-calls come from Congress.gov; Senate member lists come from senate.gov LIS XML.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008
Improving Dependent Care Tax Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase to $7,500 the employee tax exclusion for employer-provided dependent care assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Expansion Act of 2008 - Transfers administrative jurisdiction over the Joliet Training Area (JTA) from the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of Agriculture. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a specified parcel of land to Will County, Illinois. Requires the deed for such land to contain restrictive covenants enforceable by such Secretary for the benefit of the appurtenant federal lands and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Requires the conveyed lands to only be used for: (1) parks and recreation; (2) firing ranges for small arms; (3) office and training facilities for fire fighters, police, and emergency personnel; (4) public safety facilities (but not for incarceration); and (5) offices for county and municipal governments. Prohibits the use of such lands for industrial or commercial purposes. Provides for environmental remediation of the lands conveyed to the county. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to CenterPoint Properties, LLC, an easement to specified lands to permit the construction of roads and railroads for access to appurtenant properties. Provides for certain cash payments. Requires the Secretary of the Army to provide a preliminary assessment/site inspection to the Secretary of Agriculture for the lands comprising the JTA and to develop plans for remediation of the recognized environmental conditions identified by the preliminary assessment/site inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2008
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2008
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 - Amends Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give state plans the option of providing for the state to enter into agreements to provide kinship guardianship assistance payments to grandparents and other relatives who have assumed legal guardianship of children for whom they have: (1) cared as foster parents; and (2) committed to care on a permanent basis. Amends SSA title IV part B (Child and Family Services) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies and experienced private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members. Provides or revises requirements for: (1) case-by-case waiver of licensing standards for relatives; (2) adoptive or guardianship placement after attaining age 18; (3) a transition plan for children aging out of foster care; (4) short-term training for child welfare agencies, relative guardians, and court personnel; (5) educational stability of the child while in foster care; (6) ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for any child in a foster care placement; (7) placement of siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement; (8) foster care and tribal programs operated by Indian tribal organizations; and (9) adoption of children with special needs. Extends the adoption incentives payment program, and increases incentive payments for special needs adoptions and older child adoptions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) require the children in adoption to be younger than the claimant and unmarried for purposes of claiming such child as a qualifying child; and (2) restrict qualifying child tax benefits to the child's parent unless certain conditions apply. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to invest U.S. operating cash in repurchase agreements with acceptable parties.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2008
Export Control Improvements Act - Securing Exports Through Coordination and Technology Act - Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 to revise filing requirements under the Automated Export System (AES). Requires carriers obliged to file Shipper's Export Declarations to file them through AES (either directly or through intermediaries) before items are exported from any U.S. port, unless the Secretary of Commerce grants an exception. (Under current law such a filing may be made after departure of the carrier from the port or place of exportation or transportation.) Defines "intermediary" as a freight forwarder, a non-vessel operating common carrier, or an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet and its service providers. Sets forth requirements regarding conferences and seminars to educate exporters about U.S. export laws and the AES. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) register persons to file information in the AES; and (2) revoke, suspend, or deny a registration. Provides for administrative and judicial appeal of registration revocations, suspensions, or denials. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to issue regulations to ensure that the AES will identify filings with respect to exports that would violate U.S. export control laws or trade sanctions regulations. Export Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to modify enforcement mechanisms under the Act. Subjects to forfeiture any tangible items lawfully seized by U.S. designated officers or employees. Specifies the use of funds made available for undercover investigation operations by the Office of Export Enforcement. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, without fiscal year limitations, to expend funds transferred to, paid to, received by, or made available to the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce as a reimbursement. Recognizes United Arab Emirates' efforts with respect to the diversion of dual-use items to prohibited destinations. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) create a designation of a country as a "country of diversion concern" with respect to the illegal transshipment of dual-use items; and (2) impose additional restrictions on exports of such items to a country of diversion concern. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct, and report to the appropriate congressional committees on, an audit of the Validated End-User program operated by the Department of Commerce. Requires the President to report to Congress on transfers of U.S. military sensitive technology to countries and entities of concern.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2008
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 300 Vine Street in New Lenox, Illinois, as the "Jacob M. Lowell Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2008
Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish cost-effective procedures to ensure that Social Security account numbers are not included on Medicare cards.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2008
American Energy Act - Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2008 - Amends the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) regarding delineation of offshore state boundaries with respect to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as well as related oil and gas mineral rights. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) allow the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to grant natural gas leases in the outer Continental Shelf (OCS); and (2) revise provisions concerning oil and gas leases and withdrawals of unleased land. Provides for federal agency coordination with adjacent states on the construction of pipelines for crude oil or petroleum products or natural gas produced from the OCS. Sets forth provisions concerning the application of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to OCS programs. Declares existing federal prohibitions against spending appropriated funds for leasing and preleasing OCS oil and natural gas to be without force or effect. Prohibits a federal agency from permitting certain activities on the federal OCS or in state waters that are incompatible with: (1) oil or natural gas leasing; and (2) full exploration and production of tracts that are geologically prospective for oil or natural gas. Directs the Secretary to establish OCS Regional Headquarters in designated locations. Repeals: (1) the coastal impact assistance program; and (2) the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Requires the Secretary to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the Coastal Plain's oil and gas resources. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to terminate the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Provides for the authorization of Special Areas to be managed so as to protect and preserve the area's unique and diverse character including its fish, wildlife, and subsistence resource values in the Coastal Plain. Requires the Secretary to designate Sadlerochit Spring as a Special Area. Requires the Secretary to: (1) issue specified rights-of-ways and easements across the Coastal Plain for the transportation of oil and gas; and (2) convey specified estates to the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation and the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. Establishes the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund and the American Renewable and Alternative Energy Trust Fund. Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 to terminate the prohibition against using federal funds to prepare or publish final regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands or to conduct an oil shale lease sale pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth provisions concerning credits for fuel efficiency, alternative fuel vehicles, energy efficiency, nuclear energy, and renewable energy. Requires the Secretary of Energy to provide awards for activities concerning the: (1) research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of innovative energy technologies and new energy sources; (2) manufacture of midsized sedan automobiles that operate on gasoline and can travel 100 miles per gallon; and (3) manufacture of advanced batteries. Refinery Permit Process Schedule Act - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide financial assistance to states or tribes to facilitate the hiring of personnel with expertise in federal refinery authorizations. Requires the President to: (1) appoint a federal coordinator to facilitate such authorizations; and (2) designate at least three closed military installations as potentially suitable for the construction of a refinery and at least one for producing biofuel. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal certain requirements regarding refinery revitalization. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal restrictions on federal agencies procuring alternative or synthetic fuel for mobility-related uses. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to auction to the public coal-to-liquid fuel put option contracts. Provides for standby loans for qualifying coal-to-liquid projects. Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to revise provisions concerning the recycling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2008
Recognizes the 25th anniversary of "Black July" and mourns its victims and the victims of the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka. Condemns attacks on civilian populations by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and urges the cessation of violence and the recruitment of child soldiers. Urges the government of Sri Lanka to pursue a political resolution, rather than a military solution, to the conflict. Calls upon the President to urge Sri Lanka to accept an international human rights monitoring presence. Supports U.S. efforts to work with the government of Sri Lanka, other relevant stakeholders to the conflict, and the international community to facilitate humanitarian operations, hold accountable violators of human rights and international humanitarian law, and promote conditions for a lasting peace.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2008
Congratulates the Republic of Colombia and its military on the successful rescue mission that freed the 15 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) without any loss of life. Thanks President Alvaro Uribe and the people of Colombia for the safe return of the three American hostages, Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell. Recognizes the close friendship between the United States and Colombia. Calls upon FARC to release all remaining hostages and cease hostilities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Reiterates condemnation of the 1994 attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, honors the victims of the attack, and expresses sympathy to the victims' relatives. Applauds the government of Argentina for increasing the pace of the AMIA bombing investigation. Commends the General Assembly of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) for upholding and issuing the Red Notices. Expresses concern regarding the government of Saudi Arabia's failure to detain certain Iranian officials in connection with the AMIA case. Urges: (1) all nations to cooperate fully with the AMIA investigation; and (2) governments in the Western Hemisphere to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and to penalize those providing support for Hezbollah and other Islamist terrorist organizations. Encourages the President to direct U.S. law enforcement agencies, upon Argentine request, to cooperate in the AMIA investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Condemns the broadcast of incitement to violence against Americans and the United States by Middle East-based media. Calls on the President to: (1) designate al-Aqsa TV as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT); (2) designate as SDGTs satellite providers that knowingly contract with SDGTs to broadcast their channels for support to terrorist entities; and (3) consider state sponsorship of anti-American incitement when determining relations with, and assistance to, regional states.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2008
American Shipping Reinvestment Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal shipping investment withdrawal tax rules; and (2) allow U.S. corporate shareholders a tax deduction for dividends attributable to foreign base company shipping income received from a controlled foreign corporation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2008
Fostering Connections to Success Act - Amends Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to give state plans the option of providing for the state to enter into agreements to provide kinship guardianship assistance payments to grandparents and other relatives who have assumed legal guardianship of children for whom they have cared as foster parents and for whom they have committed to care on a permanent basis. Amends SSA title IV part B (Child and Family Services) to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and experienced private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members. Requires the applicable state agency, within 30 days after placing a child in foster care, to attempt to: (1) locate and notify any of the child's adult family members of the child's removal from parental custody; and (2) explain the options for participating in the child's care and placement. Gives states the option of covering under part E certain children in foster care, and certain children in an adoptive or guardianship placement, after attaining age 18. Provides for short-term training for child welfare agencies and prospective relative guardians. Allows an Indian tribe to receive direct federal SSA title IV part E funds if specified requirements are met. Requires each state child welfare services plan to provide that the state will develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for any child in a foster care placement. Requires case plans under SSA title B or E to include a plan for ensuring the educational stability of a child while in foster care. Provides for joint placement of siblings in the same foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoptive placement unless it would be contrary to the safety or well being of any of the siblings. Revises and extends the adoption incentives payment program. Requires the state plan for foster care and adoption assistance to provide that the state will inform any individual who is adopting, or considering adopting, a child in foster care of the individual's potential eligibility for a federal tax credit. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the collection of unemployment compensation debts resulting from fraud. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to invest U.S. operating cash in repurchase agreements with acceptable parties.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2008
Encourages the President to revoke the Executive memorandum banning energy production on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Urges the President to work with Congress to increase the production of American energy.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2008
Promoting Health Information Technology Act of 2008 - Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Establishes the Health Information Technology Resource Center to provide assistance for the adoption and use of interoperable health information technology. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate final rules to modify standards related to the electronic exchange of health information. Amends title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary to provide for an expedited upgrade program to develop and approve additions and modifications to adopted standards for the electronic exchange of health information. Sets forth the process for such additions and modifications. Prohibits federal funds from being used for the purchase of any health information technology that has not been certified in compliance with such standards. Requires federal agencies to comply with standards. Requires the Secretary to study current federal security and confidentiality standards. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat qualified health care information technology as a depreciable asset. Requires the Secretary to encourage and facilitate the adoption of state reciprocity agreements for practitioner licensure in order to expedite the provision across state lines of telehealth services. Provides for studies related to telehealth services, including on expanding the list of Medicare telehealth originating sites to include mental health facilities. Requires the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services to make federally qualified health centers eligible to participate in demonstration projects related to health records and heath information technology.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Honors the valedictorians and graduating seniors of the class of 2008 for their academic achievements and contributions to their communities. Encourages all valedictorians and graduating seniors to continue their studies. Supports the continued social engagement of valedictorians and graduating seniors.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Honors Lieutenant Colonel John M. Shimkus for his service of over 28 years on the occasion of his retirement from the Army Reserve. Commends Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus for his dedication and commitment to excellence. Recognizes the tremendous dedication and fortitude with which Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus has led an exemplary career in public service, three times the citizen, having balanced his time in the Army Reserve with his duties as husband, father, businessman, community leader, high school teacher, citizen-soldier, and Congressman with consummate professionalism and boundless devotion to each. Recognizes Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus as a soldier, leader, and statesman, for displaying the highest levels of leadership, professional competence, integrity, and moral courage throughout his military service.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Declares that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability through economic, political, and diplomatic means is vital to U.S. national security. Urges the President to use his authority to impose sanctions on: (1) Iranian banks engaged in proliferation activities or the support of terrorist groups; (2) international banks which conduct financial transactions with proscribed Iranian banks; (3) energy companies with large investments in the Iranian petroleum or natural gas sector; and (4) all companies which do business with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Demands that the President initiate an international effort to increase economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities. Urges the President to lead a regional diplomatic effort to support the legitimate governments in the region against Iranian destabilization efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2008
American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement a competitive leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources on the Coastal Plain of Alaska. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against leasing or other development leading to production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Deems any oil and gas leasing programs and activities authorized by this Act to be in compliance with ANWR purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to designate up to 45,000 acres of the Coastal Plain as a Special Area, after consultation with the state of Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough. Permits directional drilling in the Special Area. Prescribes procedures governing Coastal Plain lease sales, as well as terms and conditions, including: (1) environmental protection; (2) federal and state distribution of revenues; (3) rights-of-way; and (4) local government impact aid and community service assistance. Sets forth: (1) a "no significant adverse effect" standard to govern Coastal Plain activities; and (2) guidelines for expedited judicial review of complaints. Establishes the ANWR Alternative Energy Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2008
Supports the goals and ideals of a National Guard Youth Challenge Day to improve the education, life skills, and employment potential of America's high school dropouts though public awareness, scholarships, higher education assistance, mentoring, and job development programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2008
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 219 East Main Street in West Frankfort, Illinois, as the "Kenneth James Gray Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2008
Clean Global War on Terror Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 - Makes emergency supplemental FY2008 appropriations for specified activities related to the war on terror, international affairs, and national defense matters to the Departments of Agriculture (including food relief to certain foreign countries), of Justice, of Defense (military, including funds for Afghan and Iraqi security forces), of Defense (military construction), and of State (including international peacekeeping activities). Rescinds certain funds made available in: (1) the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 for the Defense Health Program; and (2) the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund. Makes additional supplemental appropriations for the war on terror, international affairs, and national defense matters to the Departments of Agriculture (including food relief to certain foreign countries), of Justice, of Defense (military, including funds for Afghan and Iraqi security forces), and of State and related agencies. Designates each amount in this Act as an emergency requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2008
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow a surviving spouse of a U.S. citizen who was married for less than two years at the time of the citizen's death who proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit to self-petition (within the required two years) for continued immediate relative status. Extends the petition filing deadline for two years after the date of the enactment of this Act for an alien spouse who failed to file within the required two-year period but would be considered by reason of this Act to remain an immediate relative.
Showing the 24 most recent records of 1,762. Browse the full list