United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2005
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Republic of Croatia has made significant progress in strengthening its democratic institutions and respect for human rights and the rule of law; (2) Croatia should be commended for its progress in meeting the political, economic, military, and other requirements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Membership Action Plan, its contribution to the global war on terrorism, and for its constructive participation in the United States-Adriatic Charter; (3) the government of Croatia should be commended for the significant improvement in its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); and (4) with complete satisfaction of NATO guidelines and criteria for membership, Croatia should be invited to be a full NATO member.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2005
Condemns in the strongest terms Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's despicable threats, and demands that he repudiate them. Calls on the U.N. Security Council and all civilized nations to: (1) condemn these statements and to censure Iran for its statements and policies aimed at destroying Israel; and (2) consider measures to deny Iran the means to carry out its threats and to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Reaffirms the unwavering alliance between the United States and Israel and reasserts the U.S. commitment to defend Israel's right to exist as a free and democratic state.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add a new title II part D (Health Information Technology). Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services an Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Directs the National Coordinator to: (1) maintain, direct, and oversee the continuous improvement of a strategic plan to guide the nationwide implementation of interoperable health information in both the public and private health care sectors; and (2) serve as the coordinator of federal government activities relating to health information technology. Prescribes conditions under which any nonmonetary remuneration (in the form of health information technology and related training services) made by a hospital or a critical access hospital to a physician shall not be considered a prohibited payment (subject to civil and criminal penalties) made as an inducement to reduce or limit services to certain individuals. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report to Congress on whether pertinent state laws and current federal standards should be conformed to create a single set of national standards to preserve and protect the security and confidentality of patient health information. Amends SSA title XI to provide for establishment of uniform confidentality and security standards with respect to individually identifiiable patient health information. Directs the Secretary to: (1) promulgate a final rule for upgrading specified Accredited Standards Committee X12 (ASC X12) and National Council For Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) Telecommunications standards and International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes; and (2) develop a strategic plan related to the need for coordination in the area of health information technology.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to prohibit any state or political subdivision from establishing or continuing in effect for any food in interstate commerce: (1) any requirement that is not identical to specified FFDCA provisions (that would result in materially different requirements), including those related to adulterated foods, unsafe food additives, and new animal drugs; or (2) any notification requirement that provides for a warning concerning the food's safety that is not identical to FFDCA provisions. Allows a state to petition for an exemption or to establish a national standard regarding any requirement under FFDCA or the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act relating to food regulation. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Service to provide such an exemption if the requirement: (1) protects an important public interest that would otherwise be unprotected; (2) would not cause any food to be in violation of any federal law; and (3) would not unduly burden interstate commerce. Allows a state to establish a requirement that would otherwise violate FFDCA provisions relating to national uniform nutrition labeling or this Act if the requirement is needed to address an imminent hazard to health that is likely to result in serious adverse health consequences and if other requirements are met. Declares that this Act does not preempt certain state and local laws relating to labeling or a consumer advisory relating to food sanitation imposed on a food establishment or recommended by the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create a Gulf Opportunity Zone (GO Zone) as part of the Hurricane Katrina disaster area to provide tax benefits to businesses and individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina, including: (1) tax-exempt bond financing and additional advance refunding of existing bond obligations in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi; (2) increased depreciation and expensing allowances for GO Zone property; (3) expensing of GO Zone demolition and cleanup costs and environmental remediation costs; (4) increased expensing for GO Zone reforestation expenditures; and (5) carrybacks of net operating losses for certain GO Zone businesses and public utilities. Provides for federal guarantees of bonds issued in Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi for revenue and infrastructure purposes related to Hurricane Katrina. Establishes a Rita GO Zone as part of the Hurricane Rita disaster area and extends to businesses and individuals in such Zone tax benefits currently available in Hurricane Katrina disaster areas, including: (1) tax-free distributions and loans from retirement plans for disaster relief; (2) suspension of limitations on personal casualty losses; and (3) adjustments to earned income of Hurricane Rita victims in 2005 to preserve eligibility for certain tax benefits. Allows certain small employers a business tax credit for up to 40 percent of the wages paid to employees in a GO Zone between August 29 and December 31, 2005. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Treasury should designate Gulf Coast Recovery Bonds in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
United States · United States Congress · 27 October 2005
States that Congress: (1) mourns the horrific loss of life caused by the October 2005 floods and mudslides in Central America and Mexico, and expresses its deep condolences to the the victims' families; (2) commits to provide the necessary resources for the relief and rebuilding of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico; (3) recognizes the growing international relief effort; and (4) encourages the Administration and other international donors to provide immediate and long-term assistance for the reconstruction of affected infrastructure. Expresses the sense of Congress that it should be U.S. policy: (1) to promote economic growth and improved living standards, reduce poverty, and promote democracy and the rule of law in the countries of Central America; (2) in concert with multilateral humanitarian organizations, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Inter-American Development Bank to support the reconstruction of affected communities; and (3) to encourage the governments of these countries to improve disaster mitigation techniques and compliance among key societal sectors.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise requirements relating to the exemption for construction contracts from the percentage of completion method for determining income under long-term contracts. Extends the estimated completion time for such contracts from two to three years and increases the gross receipts eligibility limitation from $10 million to $25 million.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2005
New Markets Tax Credit Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the new markets tax credit limitation amount of $3.5 million through calendar year 2012 and to adjust such amount for inflation for taxable years beginning after 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Condemns: (1) the Aleman-Ortega Pact as detrimental to democracy in the Republic of Nicaragua and to regional stability; and (2) the Pact-controlled National Assembly's anti-democratic actions, including efforts to remove democratically-elected President Enrique Bolanos on dubious legal grounds. Supports the efforts of Nicaraguan democratic civil society to create conditions for free and fair elections. Empresses the sense of Congress that: (1) it should be U.S. policy to support democratic political forces in Nicaragua for a full restoration of democracy; and (2) the President of the United States, through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), should provide assistance to nongovernmental organizations in support of President Bolanos' call for the international community to assist in and monitor the 2006 election.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2600 Oak Street in St. Charles, Illinois, as the "Jacob L. Frazier Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2005
Special Inspector General for Hurricane Katrina Recovery Act - Establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Hurricane Katrina Recovery. Places at the head of such Office a Special Inspector General for Hurricane Katrina Recovery, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Homeland Security. Provides for the Special Inspector General to report directly to the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense. Requires the Special Inspector General, among other specified duties, to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the treatment, handling, and expenditure of amounts made available for Hurricane Katrina recovery by the federal government, and of the programs, operations, and contracts carried out utilizing such funds. Instructs the Special Inspector General, within ten days of being appointed, to: (1) open a 24-hour fraud, waste, and abuse hotline; (2) deploy auditors and investigators to the affected Gulf of Mexico region of the United States; (3) announce a strategic plan for oversight; (4) go to the media of that region with antifraud messages; (5) liaise with Hurricane Katrina recovery federal agencies to identify vulnerabilities; and (6) coordinate interagency oversight elements through the creation of a task force. Requires the Special Inspector General to: (1) submit specified quarterly and interim reports summarizing the activities of the Special Inspector General and the Hurricane Katrina recovery activities of the federal government; and (2) publish such reports on the websites of the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the penalty for premature distributions from an individual retirement plan a distribution to an individual residing in an area declared as a federal disaster area due to hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters occurring in 2004 or thereafter if such distribution is made within six months after the date of the disaster declaration.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2005
Gas Tax Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to suspend the excise tax on highway motor fuels, other than aviation fuels, for a period of 30 days after the enactment of this Act. Provides for adjustments to such excise tax for floor stocks of highway motor fuels held by dealers prior to, or after, the suspension period provided by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2005
Exempts an H-2B visa (temporary nonagricultural worker) alien coming to work in the United States as a boilermaker from fiscal year numerical limitations under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2005
Medicare Value-Based Purchasing for Physicians' Services Act of 2005 - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for value-based purchasing in the payment for physicians' services under the Medicare program. Establishes updates to the single conversion factor for 2006 through 2009 and succeeding years for such services. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) provide, as part of the rulemaking process, for the selection of quality measures (Q-measures) and efficiency measures (E-measures) meeting specified general requirements; and (2) determine a single rating of each billing unit based on Q and E measures, and disclose to the public whether a particular billing unit met performance objectives. Requires the Secretary to establish such performance objectives, and base upon them any increased updates in the payment for physician services.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2005
Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2005 - Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to: (1) revise capital stock ownership requirements for directors of national banks and national bank dividends; and (2) repeal the capital requirements for new intrastate branches, including capital stock and surplus requirements. Amends the Home Owners' Loan Act to prescribe guidelines for investments by a federal savings association to promote the public welfare of low- and moderate-income communities or families through housing, services, and jobs. Permits mergers of federal savings association with nondepository institution affiliates. Increases the limits placed on commercial real estate loans. Repeals the one limit on loans to one borrower. Cites circumstances that would permit interstate acquisitions by a savings and loan holding company. Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to permit certain privately insured credit unions to become Federal Home Loan Bank members. Amends the Federal Credit Union Act (FCUA) to: (1) authorize a credit union to make investment securities for its own account; (2) increase the 12-year loan limitation to 15 years; (3) increase the investment limit in credit union service organizations; (4) exempt loans to nonprofit religious organizations from the restrictions relating to credit union net worth or capitalization standards; and (5) exempt multiple common-bond credit union mergers and conversions from numerical limitations. Authorizes State regulatory authorities to examine and enforce compliance relating to nonfederally insured credit unions. Amends the FDIA to permit interstate bank mergers between insured banks with different home states. Prohibits interstate branching by subsidiaries of commercial firms. Amends the National Bank Consolidation and Merger Act to permit the merger of a national bank which is a trust company with any trust company with a different home state under the same terms and conditions as though they were located in the same state. Amends the National Bank Receivership Act and the FDIA to permit a bank placed in receivership to bring an action for a federal court order requiring removal of the receiver. Amends the FRA and the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments of 1970 to repeal specified insider lending reporting requirements. Amends the Depository Institution Management Interlocks Act to quintuple the size of the assets of a small depository institution exempt from the prohibition against depository institution management interlocks in the same metropolitan statistical area. Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to exempt from the proscription against cross marketing of commercial activities those depository institutions that are controlled by a twenty-five percent (or less) holding-company-shareholder. Sets forth banking agency provisions which authorize: (1) waiver of examination schedules; (2) interagency data sharing; (3) destruction of old records of a depository institution by the FDIC after its appointment as receiver; and (4) short form reports of condition for certain community banks. Modifies guidelines governing the currency transaction reporting system.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2005
Condemns the gross human rights violations committed by the Cuban regime. Expresses support for the right of the Cuban people to exercise fundamental political and civil liberties. Calls on: (1) the Secretary of State to initiate an international solidarity campaign on behalf of all Cuban political prisoners; (2) the European Union (EU) to reexamine its current policy toward the Cuban regime before June of 2006; and (3) the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and other international organizations, to work with United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) member countries to ensure a resolution that strongly condemns the July 2005 measures of repression on opposition activists and of all the human rights violations committed by the Cuban regime.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2005
Minimum Wage Competitiveness Act of 2005 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the federal minimum wage to: (1) $6.00 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.75 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2006; and (3) $7.15 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2007. 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 · 25 July 2005
CITA Transparency Act of 2005 - Declares that the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) shall not invoke the foreign affairs exemption from notice-and-comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act with respect to any of its actions related to textile trade.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2005
AMT Credit Fairness Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make unused alternative minimum tax credits more than four years old refundable at the greater of 20 percent annually or $5,000 per year; and (2) require corporations to provide stock option recipients with certain tax disclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2005
South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2005 - Prohibits U.S. assistance to develop or promote rail connections or railway-related connections that do not traverse or connect with Armenia, and do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) revise the definition of gross receipts applicable to tax-exempt small property and casualty insurance companies to include gross investment income; (2) increase to $1.971 million (from $1.2 million) the limitation on net written premiums for purposes of qualifying non-life insurance companies for alternative tax rates; and (3) adjust such increased limitation amount annually for inflation after 2006.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an investment tax credit for five percent of the cost of a qualified truck. Defines "qualified truck" as a motor vehicle: (1) first placed in service on or after January 1, 2007, and before January 1, 2008; (2) powered by diesel fuel; (3) having a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds; and (4) which complies with certain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for diesel emissions. Allows such credit to reduce regular or alternative minimum tax liability. Permits a taxpayer election to expense the cost of qualified trucks placed in service in 2007.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Abolishment of Obsolete Agencies and Federal Sunset Act of 2005 - Establishes the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to: (1) submit to Congress a schedule for review by the Commission, at least once every 12 years, of the abolishment or reorganization of each agency; (2) review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency using specified criteria; (3) recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized; and (4) report to Congress on all legislation introduced that would establish a new agency or a new program to be carried out by an existing agency. Requires the abolishment of any agency within one year of the Commission's review, unless the agency is reauthorized by Congress. Authorizes the deadline for abolishing an agency to be extended for an additional two years by legislation enacted by a super majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Directs the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, in cooperation with the Director of the Congressional Research Service, to prepare an inventory of Federal programs within each agency for the purpose of advising and assisting Congress and the Commission in carrying out the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Lupus Research, Education, Awareness, Communication, and Healthcare Amendments of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand research on lupus to include: (1) basic research to discover the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease; and (2) research to validate lupus biomarkers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to work with a consortium of academic health institutions to undertake an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence and incidence of lupus in the United States. Requires the Director of CDC to: (1) enter into a cooperative agreement with such consortium to develop, implement, and manage a system for lupus data collection and analysis; and (2) ensure that such consortium represents different geographic areas and includes individuals of racial and ethnic backgrounds disproportionately affected by lupus. Requires the Secretary to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to study and make recommendations related to lupus, to include: (1) evaluating federal and state activities related to lupus and recommending ways to expand such activities; (2) identifying gaps in federal research; and (3) recommending ways to improve the quality of life for people with lupus. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office on Women's Health, to conduct and support a national lupus public awareness and health professional education campaign, with an emphasis on reaching populations at highest risk for the disease.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
United States Trade Rights Enforcement Act - Expresses the sense of Congress about making the countervailing duty law under the Tariff Act of 1930 applicable to actions by nonmarket economy countries, and the impact on the U.S. economy of the huge growth in trade with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose countervailing duties on certain merchandise from nonmarket economy countries. Suspends for three years the requirement that the administering authority direct the Customs Service to allow, at the option of the importer of such merchandise, the posting, until completion of the review, of a bond or security in lieu of a cash deposit for each entry of the subject merchandise (bonding privileges). Requires the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Secretary of Commerce to ensure that specified steps are taken by the PRC to ensure its compliance with its international trade obligations regarding: (1) intellectual property rights; (2) access for exports of U.S. goods, services, and agriculture; and (3) a required detailed accounting of its subsidies to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of 2005. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) the definition of currency manipulation; (2) actions of foreign countries that will be considered to be such; and (3) how statutory provisions addressing it by U.S. trading partners contained in, and relating to, the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and the Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988 can be better clarified administratively to provide for improved and more predictable evaluation. Authorizes appropriations for the Office of the USTR and for the U.S. International Trade Commission. Requires the Commission to study and report on trade and economic relations between the United States and the PRC. Expresses the sense of Congress that the: (1) United States should strive to expand membership in the Agreement on Government Procurement of the WTO; (2) United States should ensure that the PRC meets its WTO obligations; (3) the United States should seek a commitment from the PRC to maintain its suspension of the implementation of its law on government procurement, pending the conclusion of negotiations to accede to the Agreement; (4) the United States should seek commitments from the PRC and other countries that are not yet members of the Agreement to implement the principles of openness, transparency, fair competition based on merit, nondiscrimination, and accountability in their government procurement as embodied in that Agreement; and (5) the President should direct all appropriate U.S. officials to raise these concerns with appropriate PRC officials and other trading partners.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2005
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each House, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Requires a three-fifths rollcall vote of each House to increase the public debt limit. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Prohibits any bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless approved by a majority of each House by rollcall vote. Authorizes waivers of these provisions when a declaration of war is in effect or under other specified circumstances involving military conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Respect for Life Pluripotent Stem Cell Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide for the conduct and support of basic and applied research in isolating, deriving, and using pluripotent stems cells without creating or harming human embryos. Provides that such research may include: (1) research in animals to develop and test techniques for deriving cells from embryos without doing harm to embryos; (2) research to develop and test techniques for producing human pluripotent stems cells without creating or making use of embryos; and (3) research to isolate, develop, and test pluripotent stem cells from postnatal tissues, umbilical cord blood, and placenta. Prohibits research under this Act that: (1) involves the use of human embryos; (2) involves the use of stem cells not otherwise eligible for NIH funds; (3) involves the use of any stem cell to create or to attempt to create a human embryo; or (4) poses a significant risk of creating a human embryo by any means.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Video Choice Act of 2005 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit a competitive video services provider (CVSP) from being required to obtain a franchise in order to provide any video programming, interactive on-demand services, other programming services, or any other video services in an area in which the CVSP has any right or authority to establish lines in or across public rights-of-way and such right or authority does not rely on, and is independent of, any cable franchise obtained by the CVSP. Allows the CVSP to be subject to the payment of fees (with limits) to a local franchising authority based on the gross revenue of the CVSP in that area. Provides for the regulatory treatment of CVSPs.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2005
East Asia Security Act of 2005 - Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees: (1) identifying, with specified exceptions, every person of a European Union (EU) country, and any other foreign person the President may consider appropriate, with respect to whom there is credible information indicating that the person exported to the People's Republic of China (PRC) or its military, intelligence, or security services specified military and dual use items intended for military use; and (2) identifying foreign governments participating in U.S. defense cooperative projects whose policies permit the export of such military or dual use items to the PRC. Requires: (1) specified licenses for exporters of defense and dual use articles or services to the PRC; and (2) congressional notification of the issuance of any such license. Specifies discretionary and mandatory measures to be applied to persons and governments identified in the required reports, including: (1) denial of research and development participation; (2) prohibition of ownership and control of a U.S. defense exporter; (3) prohibition of foreign military sales participation; or (4) prohibition of munitions or dual use approvals.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2005
Pulmonary Hypertension Research Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the Institute with respect to research on pulmonary hypertension and to coordinate the Director's activities with related activities of other national research institutes and National Institutes of Health (NIH) agencies. Requires the Director to make grants to, or enter into contracts with, public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of centers to conduct research and programs on pulmonary hypertension, including: (1) basic and clinical research into the cause, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control, and treatment of the disease; (2) training programs for scientists and health professionals; (3) programs to provide information and continuing education to health professionals; and (4) programs for the dissemination of information to the public. Requires the Director to establish: (1) a data system for the collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and dissemination of data derived from patient populations with pulmonary hypertension; and (2) an information clearinghouse to facilitate and enhance knowledge and understanding of pulmonary hypertension by health professionals, patients, industry, and the public.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow affiliated life and non-life insurance companies to file consolidated tax returns; (2) phase in, between 2005 and 2011, the full application of losses of affiliated non-life insurance companies against the taxable income of an affiliated life insurance company; and (3) automatically waive the five-year waiting period applicable to affiliated non-life insurance companies for offset of their losses against life insurance company income.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from income taxation certain settlement funds established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2005
Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $1 coins emblematic of the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln in commemoration of the bicentennial of his birth. Permits issuance of such coins only during 2009. Subjects the coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2005
Clean Energy Bonds Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow holders of clean energy bonds a nonrefundable tax credit of 25 percent of an annual credit amount as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Defines "clean energy bond" as any bond issued by a clean energy bond lender, a cooperative electric company, a governmental body, or the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that is used for capital expenditures for specified projects for producing electricity from certain renewable resources, such as wind, biomass, solar energy, small irrigation power, and municipal solid waste. Sets forth rules for maturity limitations, arbitrage, and expenditures, including a requirement that 95 percent of proceeds from the sale of a bond issue be spent on a renewable resource project within five years from the date of a bond issuance. Terminates the authority to issue clean energy bonds after 2008.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2005
Recognizes: (1) African descendants for their contributions to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of the countries in the Americas, particularly in Latin American and Caribbean societies; and (2) that as a result of their skin color and ancestry such descendants have experienced economic, social, and political injustices. Urges the President to encourage the remembrance of the achievements of African descendants in the Americas and a resolution of such injustices. Urges the United States and the international community to work to ensure that poverty is eradicated, universal education is achieved, quality healthcare is made available, environmental resources are provided, and equal access to justice is granted in Afro-descendant communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Medicare for the Terminally Ill Act of 2005 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to permit a waiver by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage of disabled individuals who are terminally ill.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Condemns the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for the abduction and continued captivity of citizens of the Republic of Korea and Japan as acts of terrorism and violations of human rights. Calls upon the U.S. government not to remove the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from the Department of State's list of State Sponsors of Terrorism until North Korea renounces state-sponsored kidnapping and provides a full accounting of all abduction cases. Admonishes the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the forced repatriation to North Korea of Han Man-taek, a South Korean prisoner-of-war and comrade-in-arms of the United States, and for its failure to exercise sovereign control over North Korean agents operating freely within its borders.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2005
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1927 Sangamon Avenue in Springfield, Illinois, as the "J.M. Dietrich Northeast Annex."
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2005
Antifreeze Bittering Act of 2005 - Requires engine coolant or antifreeze that is manufactured six months after the enactment of this Act, and that contains more than 10 percent ethylene glycol, to include denatonium benzoate at a minimum of 30 parts per million and a maximum of 50 parts per million as a bittering agent so as to render the coolant or antifreeze unpalatable. Requires a coolant or antifreeze manufacturer to maintain records of compliance with this Act. Limits the liability of manufacturers, distributors, recyclers, or sellers of engine coolant or antifreeze who are in compliance with the requirements of this Act for personal and property loss or damage to the environment that results from the inclusion of denatonium benzoate in any coolant or antifreeze. Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the sale of a motor vehicle that contains engine coolant or antifreeze; or (2) wholesale containers of engine coolant or antifreeze containing 55 gallons or more of engine coolant or antifreeze.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2005
Tick Borne-Disorders Advisory Committee Act of 2005 - Establishes the Tick-Borne Disorders Advisory Committee in the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Directs the Committee to advise the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding how to: (1) assure interagency coordination and communication in efforts to address tick-borne disorders; (2) identify opportunities to coordinate efforts with other federal agencies and private organizations; and (3) develop informed responses to constituency groups regarding HHS efforts and progress. Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2007 to fund the Committee in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2010 for: (1) research and educational activities concerning Lyme disease and other tick-borne disorders; and (2) efforts to prevent such illnesses. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should consider carrying out a five-year plan to: (1) develop a diagnostic test for Lyme disease and other tick-borne disorders for use in clinical testing; (2) determine the prevalence of such illnesses in the United States; and (3) develop the capabilities at HHS to design and implement improved strategies for the prevention and control of such illnesses.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Combating Autism Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish: (1) a program to provide information and education on autism and its risk factors to health professionals and the general public; and (2) the Autism Coordinating Committee to coordinate autism related activities within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to award grants or cooperative agreements to develop statewide autism screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants or cooperative agreements to provide technical assistance to state agencies to conduct applied autism research.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Jacob Wetterling, Megan Nicole Kanka, and Pam Lychner Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act or the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act - Repeals existing provisions governing state registration programs for persons convicted of a criminal offense against a minor or of a sexually violent offense. Directs the Attorney General to carry out a Jacob Wetterling, Megan Nicole Kanka, and Pam Lychner Sex Offender Registration and Notification program under which a "covered individual" (an individual convicted of a listed offense against a minor) shall, for that individual's life, provide to the Attorney General specified information, including any change of address and employer. Lists exceptions. Sets penalties for violations. Requires the Attorney General to prescribe regulations to ensure that every covered individual wears and maintains a device that transmits information about that person's whereabouts to the domicile state, subject to specified requirements. Sets penalties for violations. Lists the responsibilities of the Attorney General and State or tribal actors. Provides for specified community notification by law enforcement. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) maintain a National Sex Offender Registry database to track the whereabouts and movements of covered individuals; (2) develop a software application that can be used by state and tribal actors; (3) establish and maintain a database to manage DNA information regarding covered individuals; and (4) carry out a Sex Offender Management Assistance program for awarding grants to states or tribal actors to offset costs associated with implementing this Act. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to subject to deportation any alien who is a covered individual and who fails to provide registration information under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act of 2005 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to establish a set of requirements or obligations on providers of IP-enabled voice service (Internet protocol-enabled service for real-time two-way or multidirectional voice communications) to ensure that 911 (emergency) services and E-911 services (services that automatically delivers a 911 call to the appropriate public safety answering point) are available to customers of IP-enabled voice service. Requires: (1) nondiscriminatory IP provider access to 911 and E-911 services; (2) IP providers to provide to customers a clear and conspicuous notice of the unavailability of 911 and E-911 services; and (3) IP provider and user immunity in the provision and use of 911 and E-911 services to the same extent as local exchange companies and other persons, respectively. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to require the E-911 Implementation Coordination Office to develop and report to Congress on a national plan for migrating to a national IP-enabled emergency network capable of receiving and responding to all citizen activated emergency communications.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Pledge Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny jurisdiction to any Federal court, and appellate jurisdiction to the Supreme Court, to hear or decide any question pertaining to the interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance or its validity under the Constitution. Makes this limitation inapplicable to: (1) any court established by Congress under its power to make needful rules and regulations respecting the territory of the United States; or (2) the Superior Court of the District of Columbia or the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
![Official portrait of Rep. Weller, Jerry [R-IL-11]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000273_200.jpg)