United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2006
Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006 - Prohibits any person from obtaining or causing the disclosure of, or requesting another person to obtain, customer proprietary network information relating to another person by: (1) making a false statement to a telecommunications carrier; or (2) providing any information knowing that it is counterfeit, that it was obtained fraudulently or without the customer's consent, or that it contains a false statement. Prohibits a person from selling customer information relating to any other person knowing it was obtained in such manner. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require each telecommunications carrier to notify a customer when proprietary network information relating to such customer is disclosed in violation of such prohibitions. Treats a violation as an unfair or deceptive act or practice in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act. Gives all of the functions and powers of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under that Act to the FCC to enforce compliance. Prescribes penalties, which double for violations that are part of a pattern of illegal activity.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2006
Amends rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that general appropriation bills contain a separate list of all earmarks in the accompanying report and the name of the sponsoring Member of each such earmark.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2005
Gulf Deregulation Act - Establishes the Gulf Deregulation Commission to: (1) identify federal, state, and local regulations that have the effect of impeding recovery and relief efforts in Hurrican Katrina or Hurricane Rita disaster areas; and (2) recommend the temporary suspension of a federal regulation, or part of one, for a maximum 18-month period if it impedes the reconstruction and recovery of any hurricane disaster area and imposes a restriction or mandate on public-sector, private-sector, or nonprofit activity. Requires the President to suspend any federal regulation, as recommended by the Commission, unless Congress disapproves of such suspension. Sets forth congressional procedures for consideration of a joint resolution disapproving the Commission's recommendations. Allows reinstatement of a suspended regulation by its administering department or agency pursuant to a determination that the benefits of the reinstatement outweigh the costs. Subjects such determination to direction from or reversal by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 2005
Health Care Freedom of Choice Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the tax deduction for medical expenses without the gross income percentage limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 2005
Stop Loans Offered to Illegal Aliens Now (Stop LOAN) Act - Prohibits loans by federal agencies to illegal aliens. Requires a federal agency to use the employment verification system established under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (or any successor program) to verify an individual's name, date of birth, social security number, and lawful presence before extending a loan.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
Health Care Choices for Seniors Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivor's and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a procedure under which an individual otherwise entitled to benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of SSA title XVIII (Medicare) may waive such entitlement and be automatically enrolled in the Medicare Alternative Voucher Program (MAV Program). Directs the Secretary to establish the MAV Program, under which a voucher may be used as a contribution into a health savings account and for the payment of enrollment premiums under a high deductible health plan. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the amount of the itemized deduction for health savings accounts by the amount of the MAV that is contributed to an individual's health savings account. Suspends Medicare late enrollment penalties for individuals between ages 65 and 70.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2005
United Nations Voting Accountability Act of 2005 - Prohibits providing U.S. assistance (as defined by this Act) to a country that opposed the U.S. position in the United Nations. Authorizes the Secretary of State to (temporarily) exempt a country from such prohibition if since the beginning of the most recent session of the General Assembly there has been a fundamental change in the country's leadership and policies so that the country will no longer oppose the U.S. position in the United Nations. Authorizes the President to exempt a country from such prohibition for national security reasons.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Amends the federal criminal code to establish a national standard for the carrying of certain concealed firearms by non-residents. Authorizes a person who has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm in one state and who is not prohibited from carrying a firearm under federal law to carry a concealed firearm in another state in accordance with the restrictions of that state or as specified under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Congressional Pension Accountability Act - Prohibits a Member of Congress, or a survivor or beneficiary, from receiving an annuity or retired pay if such Member is: (1) convicted of bribery of public officials and witnesses, conspiracy either to commit any offense against the United States or to defraud the United States, perjury, or subornation of perjury; or (2) indicted or has outstanding charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Defines "Member of Congress" as the Vice President, a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives, a Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2005
Urges the President to issue annually a proclamation calling on state and local governments and the people of the United States to observe an American Jewish History Month.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2005
Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2005 - Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act - Requires each state, territory, and federally recognized Indian tribe to maintain a sex offender registry. Prescribes registration, notification, and verification requirements and penalties for violations. Establishes the Jessica Lunsford Address Verification Program and the Megan Nicole Kanka and Alexandra Nicole Zapp Community Program (notification). Requires the Attorney General to: (1) maintain a National Sex Offender Registry at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); (2) maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website; (3) establish a Sex Offender Management Assistance program; (4) carry out a demonstration project on the use of electronic monitoring devices to manage sex offenders; (5) assist jurisdictions in apprehending sex offenders who violate registration requirements; and (6) make registration enforcement grants. Prescribes enhanced penalties for: (1) using a controlled substance to facilitate a sex offense; (2) violent crimes against persons under age 18; (3) sexual offenses against children; (4) conduct relating to child prostitution; (5) aggravated sexual assault; and (6) sexual abuse of a ward. Establishes within the Department of Justice an Office on Sexual Violence and Crimes against Children to administer sex offender-related registration, notification, and assistance programs. Amends: (1) the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to expand the scope of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) samples to be included in the Combined DNA Index System; and (2) the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to authorize the Attorney General to collect DNA samples from individuals who are arrested, detained, or convicted under U.S. authority. Calls for state implementation of the Attorney General's model code on investigating missing persons and deaths. Requires background checks and fingerprint-based checks of national crime information databases and state child abuse registries before approval of foster or adoptive placements. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons; and (2) grants for state civil commitment programs for such persons. Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) establish recordkeeping requirements for the production of matter containing simulated sexually explicit conduct; and (2) prohibit the production, with the intent to transport in interstate commerce, of obscene matter. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) judicial branch security; (2) specified crimes against federal officials, judges, law enforcement officers, public safety officers, jurors, and witnesses; and (3) grants to states for witness protection programs, threat assessment databases, juvenile and young adult witness assistance programs, and reentry courts. Authorizes federal judges and prosecutors to carry firearms. Modifies and expands code prohibitions against, and penalties for, criminal street gang activity. Increases penalties for various offenses, including interstate travel or transportation or violent crimes in aid of racketeering. Establishes additional penalties for violent crimes relating to drug trafficking, for using interstate commerce to commit multiple murders, and for certain crimes committed by illegal aliens. Authorizes grants to hire additional prosecutors, and fund technology, equipment, and training, to increase accurate identification of gang members and violent offenders. Directs the Attorney General to award grants for state and local reentry courts. Authorizes the Attorney General to provide a grant to a private, nonprofit organization to undertake specified activities to promote crime prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2005
Fuel Choices for American Security Act of 2005 - Instructs Director of the Office of Management and Budget to publish an action plan in the Federal Register that targets oil savings for specified years. Directs the Secretaries of Energy and of Transportation, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Administrator), to promulgate regulations to implement the standards set forth in the Director's action plan. Requires the head of each federal agency to establish an oil usage baseline and develop a specified plan to reduce oil consumption. Directs the Postmaster General to report to Congress on annual fleetwide fuel savings and cost savings associated with eliminating Saturday mail delivery. Directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct a national media campaign to decrease domestic oil consumption. Amends federal transportation law to set forth a national tire efficiency program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to establish an idling reduction tax credit. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a research and development program for electric drive transportation technology. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to establish a lightweight material research and development program. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary to accelerate hybrid technology improvements by using loan guarantees that target automobile manufacturers and suppliers. Amends the IRC to allow: (1) an advanced technology motor vehicles manufacturing credit; and (2) a qualified flexible fuel hybrid and plug-in hybrid motor vehicle credit. Terminates the limitation on the number of qualified hybrid and advanced lean burn technology vehicles eligible for alternative motor vehicle credit. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations requiring each federal agency to achieve by FY2015 at least a 20% reduction in its fleet petroleum consumption. Amends the IRC to: (1) establish a fuel-efficient tax credit for private fleets; and (2) subject heavy vehicles to the depreciation limitation imposed upon certain luxury automobiles. Prescribes: (1) a production schedule for passenger cars that are either fuel choice enabling motor vehicles, or alternative fuel automobiles; and (2) calculations for flexible fuel vehicle economy. Requires the Secretary to transmit an action plan to Congress to ensure: (1) an increasing supply by non-oil fuels of the total domestic ground transportation fuel demand; and (2) nationwide inclusion of at least 10 % ethanol in the domestic ground transportation fuel supply by December 31, 2015. Amends the IRC to increase the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit. Amends federal transportation law to establish the Alternative Fueling Infrastructure Trust Fund. Amends the Clean Air Act to prescribe the minimum quantity of renewable fuel derived from cellulosic biomass for specified calendar years. Amends federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to designate Transit-Oriented Development Corridors in certain urbanized areas. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to: (1) repeal the geographical limitation on the Sugar Cane Ethanol Program; (2) authorize preprocessing and harvesting demonstration grants for transportation fuel produced from biomass (in lieu of ethanol production); (3) direct the Secretary to establish a loan guarantee program for conversion of municipal solid waste into transportation fuel produced from biomass (in lieu of ethanol); and (4) instruct the Administrator to fund demonstration projects for producing transportation fuel produced from biomass (in lieu of ethanol).
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2005
Comprehensive Immigration Data And Technology Accountability Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to consolidate existing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services databases into a comprehensive database that allows real-time access to data in order to improve customer service and enhance national security and public safety. Requires the database to facilitate real-time data exchange with all other databases of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, federal law enforcement agencies, and the intelligence community relevant to all aspects of alien screening, including databases used for visa issuance and those used for determinations of admissibility and deportability.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2005
Reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to the security of Israel. Asserts that: (1) terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, should not be permitted to participate in Palestinian elections until such organizations recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, cease incitement, condemn terrorism, and disarm and dismantle their terrorist infrastructure; and (2) Hamas' or any other terrorist group's inclusion into the Palestinian governing structure will inevitably raise serious U.S. policy considerations, potentially undermining the ability of the United States to provide financial assistance and conduct normal relations with the PA. Calls on the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abbas before the election to declare openly his intention to dismantle the terrorist organizations. States that progress in the peace process requires sustained Palestinian effort to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2005
Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to exclude manure from the definition of "hazardous substance" or "pollutant or contaminant" under that Act. Amends the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to exempt releases associated with manure from the emergency notification requirements under that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that any bill or joint resolution that provides for the establishment of a new federal program should contain a provision that eliminates one or more current federal programs of equal or greater cost.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2005
Outer Continental Shelf Natural Gas Relief Act - States that all provisions of federal law that prohibit the expenditure of appropriated funds to conduct natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for any area of the Outer Continental Shelf are without any force or effect. Revokes all withdrawals from leasing of federal submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf, including withdrawals by the President under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. States such withdrawals are no longer in effect with respect to the leasing of areas for natural gas exploration, development, and production. Prohibits granting a gas lease for any area of the Outer Continental Shelf located within 20 miles of a state's coastline unless the Governor grants state approval. Directs the Secretary of Energy, in each five-year oil and gas leasing program, to include lease sales that when viewed as a whole propose to offer for gas leasing at least 75% of the available unleased acreage within each Outer Continental Shelf planning area. Sets forth a scheme for bonus bids and royalties that affects: (1) new and existing gas leases; and (2) leased tracts lying partially within the seaward boundaries of a state. Permits leases that authorize development and production solely of natural gas and associated condensate, including leases for program years 2002-2007, and for program years 2007-2012.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2005
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to repeal as if included in the enactment of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, the provision (section 796 of such Appropriations Act) exempting from harboring sanctions compensation for alien volunteers for certain religious organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2005
Amends the Wetland Loan Act to extend funding for conservation of migratory waterfowl and habitat. Amends the Duck Stamp Act (the Act) to increase the price of federal migratory-bird hunting and conservation stamps, and to revise procedures for disposing of unsold stamps. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to require a person to affix a stamp sold under such Act to any other license as a condition of engaging in hunting under the authority of the stamp. Expresses the sense of Congress that the funds provided pursuant to this Act should be used for preserving and increasing waterfowl populations in accordance with the goals and objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and to that end, should be used to supplement and not replace current conservation funding, including funding for other federal and state habitat conservation programs. States the sense of Congress that this Act should be implemented in a manner that helps private landowners achieve their long-term land use objectives in ways that enhance the conservation of wetlands and wildlife habitat.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2005
Truth in Immigration (TRIM) Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to annually report to Congress on the number of aliens, listed by country of last known habitual residence, who are estimated to be unlawfully residing in the United States. Amends the the Immigration and Nationality Act to reduce the total per country level of legal immigration determined for each country by one-half of the number of illegal aliens from that country who were residing in the United States as of August 31 of the preceding fiscal year. (Provides that no reduction for any single foreign state or dependent area may exceed one-half of the total per country level of legal immigration that otherwise would apply for any fiscal year.) Sets forth the following order of reductions: (1) diversity lottery winners; (2) brothers and sisters of citizens; (3) married sons and married daughters of citizens; (4) unmarried sons and unmarried daughters of permanent resident aliens; (5) unmarried sons and daughters of citizens; (6) skilled workers, professionals, and other specified workers; (7) special immigrants; (8) members of the professions holding advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability; (9) priority workers; (10) employment creation aliens; (11) veteran or active duty special immigrants; (12) spouses and children of permanent resident aliens; and (13) aliens not subject to quotas.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue to increase the expensing allowance (i.e., a tax deduction in the current taxable year) for the cost of Gulf Opportunity Zone property placed in service in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2005
Innocent Supplier Fairness Act - Amends federal bankruptcy law to detail the elements of a special relationship that the trustee in bankruptcy must prove in order to rebut the presumption that the creditor or party in interest against whom recovery or avoidance is sought has carried the burden of proving the nonavoidability of a transfer. Specifies such elements as: (1) the insider character of the creditor or the party in interest; (2) common ownership of the debtor and such creditor or such party; (3) common management of the debtor and creditor or party consisting of overlapping senior management or directors; (4) explicit notice from the debtor to such creditor or party that a petition filling is contemplated or imminent before the date of the transfer; or (5) the use by such creditor or party of judicial process, during the 90 days before the petition filing, against the debtor to collect a debt with respect to which a transfer may have been made. Amends the federal judicial code to require the trustee in bankruptcy to commence a proceeding to avoid preferences only in the district court for the district in which the defendant resides.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2005
Foreign Operations Grant Sunshine Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of State to make publicly available information related to certain funding provided to nongovernmental organizations by the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2005
Declares the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children is firmly grounded in the Nation's Constitution and traditions; (2) the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Fields v. Palmdale School District undermines the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children; and (3) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit should agree to rehear the case en banc in order to reverse this constitutionally infirm ruling.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2005
Honors National Review magazine on its 50th anniversary and recognizes its contributions to the national political discourse and intellectual fabric of America.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2005
Border Security Enforcement and Detention Act of 2005 - Requires the mandatory detention of illegal aliens apprehended at a U.S. port of entry or along the U.S. land or maritime borders. Permits release with notice to appear only if the alien: (1) is not a security risk; and (2) provides a bond of at least $5,000. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) utilize all available DHS detention facilities; (2) conduct a analysis of all options to increase detention capacities, including the use of state and local correctional facilities, temporary detention facilities, private space, and detention alternatives; (3) expand the use of temporary detention facilities; and (4) report annually on repatriation costs. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny admission to the nationals of a country that refuses or delays acceptance of its nationals ordered removed from the United States. Authorizes FY2007-FY2010 appropriations for border patrol increases.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2005
Supports the goals and ideals of Cambodian-American Freedom Day. Honors the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the first Cambodian immigrants to the United States, and recognizes the contributions Cambodian-Americans have made to the United States.
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 · 25 October 2005
Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2005 - Prohibits any state or political subdivision from exercising its power of eminent domain for economic development if that state or political subdivision receives federal economic development funds during the fiscal year. Makes a state or political subdivision that violates such prohibition ineligible for any such funds for two fiscal years. Prohibits the federal government from exercising its power of eminent domain for economic development. Establishes a private cause of action for any private property owner who suffers injury as a result of a violation of this Act. Sets the statute of limitation for such an action at seven years. Allows the prevailing plaintiff's attorney to obtain reasonable attorney's fees and expert fees. Requires the Attorney General to: (1) compile a list of the federal laws under which federal economic development funds are distributed; (2) provide to each state and publish on a Department of Justice website the text of this Act, a description of the rights of property owners under this Act, and the compiled list of relevant federal laws; and (3) publish such text and description in the Federal Register. Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the appropriate congressional committees identifying states or political subdivisions that have used eminent domain in violation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2005
Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act - Permits a veteran with any compensable service-connected disability (and their dependents) to use commissary and exchange stores on the same basis as a member of the Armed Forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 2005
Homeland Security Volunteerism Enhancement Act of 2005 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish: (1) a Citizens Corps, as a component of the USA Freedom Corps, to coordinate homeland security volunteer activities; and (2) a Border Corps as a volunteer organization to assist the U.S. Border Patrol in carrying out its mission.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2005
Border Security Improvement Act - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to: (1) make the Secretary of Homeland Security rather than the Attorney General responsible for border barrier improvements; and (2) direct the Secretary to provide for construction of a fence along the entire U.S. southern border.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2005
Government Credit Card Sunshine Act - Requires specified information regarding the use of all federal credit cards to be made publicly available within 15 days after receipt (by the government or the federal employee, as the case may be) of any bill for purchases made with the card. Requires the information to be posted on the official website of the Inspector General of the federal department or agency concerned. Allows the Secretary of a department or agency to omit from the website otherwise required information in the interest of national security. Subjects a federal employee to disciplinary action for fraudulent use of a government credit card that involves a purchase in an amount greater than $500.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2005
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the Secretary of Homeland Security's discretionary authority to order expedited removal, except that if the Secretary determines after consulting with appropriate federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies that the alien will be detained under the authority of such an agency, the Secretary may not remove the alien until such detention terminates. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit residential mortgages for aliens residing unlawfully in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2005
Declares that new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours of service regulations with respect to property-carrying commercial motor vehicles equipped with sleeper berths shall become enforceable on January 1, 2006. Continues the effectiveness and enforceability until such date of the hours of service regulations in effect as of January 4, 2004, and any compatible state law.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2005
Verifying the Outcome of Tomorrow's Elections Act of 2005 - Amends the Help Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the appropriate state or local election official from providing a ballot for an election for federal office to an individual who desires to vote in person, unless the individual presents to the official a current, valid, state-issued photo identification. Imposes similar requirements with respect to individuals voting by mail. Requires each state to conduct regular tests of the equipment used to tabulate votes in voting systems to ensure that a system meets specified error rate standards, and that the equipment works correctly. Prohibits a state from permitting any individual to tabulate votes cast on a voting system, or to certify the tabulation of votes, unless that individual has satisfactorily undergone a criminal history background check using the national criminal history background check system and the state criminal history repositories of all states in which the individual has resided. Requires a state to permit a representative of each political party with a candidate on the ballot used at a precinct during an election to observe the tabulation of the votes cast on the voting system, and the certification of such tabulation. Makes it unlawful for any person to pay any other person for distributing voter registration applications in federal elections, or for collecting completed or partially completed applications, if the amount of the payment is determined on the basis of the number of applications distributed or collected. Requires production of a permanent, individually verifiable paper record of each vote cast. Requires voluntary voting system guidelines to ensure the security of any data transmitted or received electronically by voting systems.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to: (1) reduce the retail sales threshold for the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine from nine grams to 3.6 grams in a single transaction; (2) eliminate the "regulated transaction" exemption for any over-the-counter sale of such products (including blister packs) by retail distributors; (3) grant authority to establish production quotas for pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine; and (4) penalize violators of such quotas. Amends the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (CSIEA) to: (1) restrict the importation of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine, with an exception; and (2) require a registered person importing such chemicals to include all information known regarding the chain of distribution. Authorizes the Attorney General to prohibit the importation of such chemicals in cases where a distributor refuses to provide such information. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to: (1) require the President, annually, to identify the countries that are the five largest exporters of methamphetamine precursor chemicals and the five largest importers with the highest rate of diversion of such chemicals to the illicit production of methamphetamine; and (2) include those countries among drug-producing or drug-transit countries from which foreign assistance funds may be withheld. Directs the Secretary of State to: (1) submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to address such diversion; and (2) take steps to prevent methamphetamine smuggling into the United States from Mexico. Amends CSA to lower the threshold for amounts of methamphetamine the manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, importation, or exportation of which is subject to specified penalties. Directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate as hazardous materials or hazardous waste specified byproducts of the methamphetamine production process. Expands the scope of provisions regarding restitution for the cleanup of clandestine laboratory sites.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Protecting Our Children Act of 2005 - Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act - Requires: (1) each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and each federally recognized Indian tribe to maintain a sex offender registry; and (2) each sex offender to register in the jurisdictions where the offender resides, is an employee, and is a student. Requires the Attorney General to: (1) maintain a National Sex Offender Registry at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); (2) establish a Sex Offender Management Assistance program; and (3) provide technical assistance to jurisdictions in identifying and locating sex offenders relocated as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to apprehend sex offenders. Establishes within the Department of Justice a Children's Safety Office. DNA Fingerprinting Act of 2005 - Amends: (1) the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to expand the scope of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) samples to be included in the National DNA Index System; and (2) the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to authorize the Attorney General to collect DNA samples from individuals who are arrested, detained, or convicted under U.S. authority. Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2005 - Increases penalties for violent crimes against minors. Protection Against Sexual Exploitation of Children Act of 2005 - Increases penalties for sexual offenses against children. Foster Child Protection and Child Sexual Predator Sentencing Act of 2005 - Requires background checks and checks of national crime information databases and state child abuse registries before approval of foster or adoptive placements. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the sale of a firearm to a person convicted of a misdemeanor sex offense against a minor. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) create a national register of cases of child abuse or neglect; and (2) establish standards for disseminating that information. Child Pornography Prevention Act of 2005 - Prohibits producers of visual depictions of actual sexually explicit conduct from refusing to permit the Attorney General to conduct inspections of records at business premises. Modifies the definition of "produces" to include actually filming, videotaping, photographing, or digitally manipulating an image of an actual human being that contains a visual depiction of such conduct. Prohibits misappropriating the personally identifiable information of a minor.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Requires the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Defense, within 90 days after enactment of this Act, to jointly designate three military installations closed pursuant to a base closure law as suitable for construction of an oil refinery. Prohibits the federal government, for two years, from selling or disposing of any such designated site except for purposes of oil refinery construction.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2005
Timber Tax Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction (available to taxpayers whether or not they itemize deductions) for up to 60% of gains from certain sales or exchanges of timber.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2005
Systemic Passenger Infrastructure and Network Overhaul through Financial Freedom Act - Transfers from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to the Secretary of Transportation title to all Amtrak property necessary for the operation of the main line of the Northeast Corridor between the District of Columbia and Boston, Massachusetts. Directs the Secretary to complete a competitive selection of an entity to maintain and dispatch service on the main line of the Northeast Corridor until the disposition and orderly transition of such operations. Directs the Comptroller General to report to the Secretary on the capital requirements needed to ensure that the Northeast Corridor can be operated in a financially viable manner. Requires the Secretary to choose the following option most appropriate for the disposition of Amtrak operations along the Northeast Corridor: (1) transfer of such operations to an interstate compact of Northeast Corridor states; (2) transfer of the operations to a new quasi-governmental corporation or to a private sector corporation; or (3) retention of ownership by the Secretary, with competitive franchising, by one or more entities, of the management and dispatching of service. Requires the Secretary to retain, and Amtrak to transfer to the Secretary, all amounts appropriated by the federal government for Amtrak for FY2006.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2005
Fuel Supply Improvement Act of 2005 - Prescribes guidelines to expedite federal permitting procedures for construction or expansion of a domestic petroleum refining facility. Applies such expedited permit procedures exclusively to permits under specified environmental protection statutes. Directs the Secretary of Energy, upon applicant request, to provide direct legal representation to a refining facility applicant to defend against a lawsuit regarding the permit approval procedure, or facility construction or expansion, if the Secretary believes the lawsuit is without merit, is brought solely to delay facility completion, or will have the effect of delaying facility completion in a period when U.S. domestic refining capability is insufficient. Instructs the Secretary to establish an office of regulatory assistance whose sole purpose is to assist applicants with permit applications, planning, and otherwise pursuing the construction or expansion of a domestic petroleum refining facility. Grants the Secretary contracting authority with sponsors of new large-sized petroleum refining facilities. Establishes in the Department of Energy the Refinery Standby Support Program Account and the Refinery Standby Support Grant Account to cover loan costs and costs resulting from certain construction delays. Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide within new source review regulations that equipment replacement shall be considered routine maintenance and repair if it: (1) does not increase actual emissions of any air pollutant by more than 5%; and (2) does not increase actual emissions of any air pollutant by more than 40 tons per year. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to charge a discounted price in any sale to a qualified small refinery of crude oil obtained by the United States as royalty-in-kind.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2005
Home School Non-Discrimination Act of 2005 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) with respect to: (1) student aid eligibility of home-schooled students who have satisfied certain secondary education standards; and (2) institutional aid eligibility of the higher education institutions that such students attend. Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide that, if a parent does not consent to an initial evaluation or special education or related services for a child with a disability, the local educational agency shall not be required to convene an individualized education program (IEP) meeting or develop an IEP for such child. Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to qualified elementary and secondary education expenses (the Coverdell Education Savings Account) to include home schools if they are treated as a home school or private school under state law. Amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to prohibit release of certain information on and educational records of students in nonpublic education, including any student educated at home or in a private school in accordance with state law, without written parental consent. Amends HEA to include students at home schools, whether treated as a home school or a private school under state law, among those prospective secondary school graduates eligible to apply for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program for higher education. Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to direct the Secretary of Labor to extend the hours and periods of permissible employment of employees between the ages of 14 and 16 years who are privately educated at a home school, whether the home school is treated as a home school or a private school under state law, beyond those hours and periods applicable to employees of such ages who are educated in traditional public schools. (Thus allows home-school students to be employed during the traditional school day.) Amends specified federal law with respect to policies on recruitment and enlistment of home schooled students in the Armed Forces.
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 · 7 September 2005
Secure the Outside Perimeter (STOP) Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to prevent all illegal border crossings into the United States by January 1, 2007. Waives the provisions of all U.S. laws, including the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, to the extent that the Secretary determines necessary to prevent such border crossings.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2005
Border Protection Corps Act - Authorizes the governor of a state to establish and command a militia, to be known as the Border Protection Corps, for that state. Allows such a Corps to include only U.S. citizens with no criminal history and no history of mental illness. Requires such militia to be called into service to patrol and defend its international border to prevent individuals from entering the United States at any location other than an authorized port of entry. Requires militia members to work in cooperation with state and local law enforcement officials and the U.S. Border Patrol. Allows militia members to take individuals into custody, but requires individuals taken to be promptly delivered to a federal law enforcement authority. Provides reimbursement through the Department of Homeland Security for a state's militia costs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Russian Federation should provide effective protection of intellectual property rights or it risks losing its eligibility to participate in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2005
Savings for Seniors Act of 2005 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to establish in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund a Social Security Surplus Protection Account to hold the Social Security surplus. Denies the availability of the balance in the Account for investment by the Managing Trustee. Establishes in the executive branch of Government a Social Security Investment Commission to study and report to the President and Congress on the most effective vehicles for investment of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, other than investment in the form of U.S. obligations resulting in the transfer of Trust Fund assets to the general fund of the Treasury.
![Official portrait of Rep. Westmoreland, Lynn A. [R-GA-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000796_200.jpg)