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United States · Official source
3,086 records where Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2011
Authorizes the American Legion under its federal charter to provide guidance and leadership to the individual Departments and Posts. Prohibits it from controlling or otherwise influencing the specific activities and conduct of independent, autonomous Departments and Posts.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to: (1) establish and implement programs for the prevention, treatment, and research of pathological and other problem gambling; (2) carry out a national campaign to increase knowledge and raise awareness of problem gambling; and (3) establish and implement a national program of research on problem gambling. Authorizes the Administrator, in carrying out the national campaign, to: (1) administer and coordinate the voluntary donation of resources to assist in implementing new programs and augmenting and supporting existing national campaigns, and (2) encourage media outlets to provide information aimed at preventing problem gambling. Requires the Administrator to target radio and television audiences of events including sporting and gambling events. Directs: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a treatment improvement protocol for problem gambling; and (2) the Administrator to integrate problem gambling into existing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention programs where practical.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2011
Commemorates the 75th anniversary of the dedication of Shenandoah National Park. Acknowledges the historic and enduring scenic, recreational, and economic value of this unique national treasure.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minor’s state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minor’s abortion decision). Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to save the life of the minor. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant: (1) reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place; or (2) was presented with documentation showing that a court waived parental notification requirements or authorized the minor's abortion. Defines "abortion" as the termination of a pregnancy with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, remove a dead unborn child who died as the result of a spontaneous abortion, accidental trauma, or a criminal assault on the pregnant female or her unborn child. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on a physician who performs or induces an abortion on an out-of-state minor in violation of parental notification requirements. Requires such physician to give 24-hour actual or constructive notice to a parent of the minor seeking an abortion, subject to certain exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Fishery Science Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 to postpone from fishing year 2011 to 2014 the effective date upon which a mechanism for specifying annual catch limits and accountability measures for fisheries other than those determined by the Secretary of Commerce to be subject to overfishing must be established in fishery management plans prepared by any Regional Fishery Management Council or the Secretary, implementing regulations, or annual specifications. Makes the catch limit mechanism, for all fisheries, inapplicable to a fishery for any stock of fish: (1) for which a peer reviewed stock survey and stock assessment have not been performed during the five-year period before enactment of this Act and for which the Secretary determines overfishing is not occurring, and (2) that is an ecosystem stock. Defines "ecosystem stock" as a stock of fish determined by the Secretary to be a nontarget stock that is not overfished or likely to become overfished. Requires the Secretary, within 270 days after determining that a fishery is overfished, to perform a stock survey and stock assessment of each of the overfished stocks in the fishery and transmit the assessment to the appropriate Council.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act - Requires the autism spectrum disorder treatment authorized for dependents in uniformed services facilities under TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care system) to include behavioral health treatment, including applied behavior analysis, when prescribed by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2011
Prohibits any U.S. department or agency from entering into any contract with any Chinese entity for the procurement of goods or services until the People's Republic of China signs the Agreement on Government Procurement as provided for in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Defines "Chinese entity" as any entity located in the People's Republic of China, the majority of which is owned or controlled by the Chinese government or by Chinese nationals.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 - Provides that the following rules shall have no force or effect and shall be treated as though they had never taken effect: (1) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters; (2) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Area Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers; (3) the Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units; and (4) Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That are Solid Waste. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in place of such rules, to promulgate within 15 months, or on such later date as may be determined by the Administrator, regulations for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters and commercial and industrial solid waste incinerator units subject to such rules, that: (1) establish maximum achievable control technology standards, performance standards, and other requirements for hazardous air pollutants or solid waste combustion under the Clean Air Act; and (2) identify non-hazardous secondary materials that, when used as fuels or ingredients in combustion units of such boilers, heaters, or incinerator units, are solid waste under the Solid Waste Disposal Act for purposes of determining the extent to which such combustion units are required to meet emission standards for such pollutants under such Act. Requires the Administrator to establish compliance dates for such standards and requirements after considering compliance costs, non-air quality health and environmental impacts and energy requirements, the feasibility of implementation, the availability of equipment, suppliers, and labor, and potential net employment impacts. Sets forth guidelines for such rules and regulations, including requiring the Administrator to: (1) ensure that emissions standards for existing and new sources can be met under actual operating conditions consistently and concurrently with emission standards for all other air pollutants regulated by the rule for the source category; and (2) impose the least burdensome regulatory alternative for each regulation promulgated.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise conditions of and limitations on payment for home health care services. Allows payment for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) a nurse practitioner, (2) a clinical nurse specialist working in collaboration with a physician in accordance with state law, (3) a certified nurse-midwife, or (4) a physician assistant under a physician's supervision.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2011
Changes the date of the observance of the birthday of President George Washington to February 22 of each year (currently, the third Monday in February).
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2011
Wildlife Refuge System Conservation Semipostal Stamp Act of 2011- Directs the United States Postal Service (USPS) to issue and sell, at a premium, a Wildlife Refuge System Conservation Semipostal Stamp. Requires the use of such stamp to be voluntary on the part of postal patrons. Requires proceeds from the sale of the semipostal stamp to be transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to help fund the maintenance backlog and operational shortfall of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Requires the stamp to be made available to the public for at least two years.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA] ) to transfer annually, without further appropriation, unclaimed money recovered at airport security checkpoints to United Service Organizations (USO), Incorporated, for funding its activities in support of USO airport centers. (Currently, such moneys are retained by the TSA for civil aviation security.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Utilizing America's Federal Lands for Wind Energy Act - Exempts projects determined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service to be meteorological site testing and monitoring projects from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Defines a "meteorological site testing and monitoring project" as a project that is carried out on land administered by BLM or the Forest Service to test or monitor weather using towers or other devices, that is decommissioned within five years of its commencement, that provides meteorological information to such agencies, that causes less than one acre of soil or vegetation disruption at the location of each meteorological tower or other device and no more than five acres of soil or disruption within the proposed right-of-way for the project, and that is installed: (1) using existing access roads, (2) in a manner that does not require off-road motorized access other than one installation activity and one decommissioning activity along an identified off-road route approved by the BLM Director or the Chief of the Forest Service, (3) without construction of new roads other than upgrading of existing minor drainage crossings for safety purposes, and (4) without the use of digging or drilling equipment vehicles other than rubber-tired vehicles with gross weight ratings under 8,500 pounds. Requires the BLM Director or Chief of the Forest Service to: (1) decide whether to issue a permit for such a project within 30 days after receiving an application for such permit, and (2) provide to the applicant reasons why an application was denied and an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Advancing Offshore Wind Production Act - Exempts any project determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Defines an "offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project" as a project that is administered by the Department of the Interior and carried out on or in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf to test or monitor weather (including wind, tidal, current, and solar energy) using towers, buoys, or other temporary ocean infrastructure and that: (1) causes less than one acre of surface or seafloor disruption at the location of each meteorological tower or other device and no more than five acres of surface or seafloor disruption within the proposed area affected by the project (including hazards to navigation); (2) is decommissioned within five years of its commencement; and (3) provides meteorological information to the Secretary of the Interior. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require that any applicant seeking to conduct an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project on the outer Continental Shelf obtain a permit; (2) determine whether to issue such a permit within 30 days after receiving an application; (3) provide an opportunity for submission of comments by the public; (4) consult with the Secretary of Defense (DOD), the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the heads of other federal, state, and local agencies that would be affected by issuance of the permit; and (5) provide an applicant the opportunity to remedy deficiencies in a permit application that was denied.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act - Exempts projects determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be geothermal exploration test projects from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Defines a "geothermal exploration test project" as the drilling of a well to test or explore for geothermal resources on lands leased by the Department of the Interior for the development and production of geothermal resources, that is completed in less than 45 days, that causes less than one acre of soil or vegetation disruption at the location of each well and no more than five acres of soil or vegetation disruption during access or egress to the test site, and that is developed: (1) no deeper than 2,500 feet, (2) less than eight inches in diameter, (3) in a manner that does not require off-road motorized access other than to and from the well site along an identified off-road route, (4) without construction of new roads other than upgrading of existing drainage crossings for safety purposes, and (5) with the use of rubber-tired digging or drilling equipment vehicles. Requires: (1) a leaseholder intending to carry out a geothermal exploration test project to provide notice to the Secretary within 30 days prior to the start of drilling, (2) the Secretary to review a project within 10 days of receipt of such notice and to notify such leaseholder either that such NEPA requirements do not apply or that project deficiencies preclude the NEPA exemption, and (3) the Secretary to allow such leaseholder an opportunity to remedy any such deficiencies prior to the date such leaseholder intended to start drilling.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2011
Cutting Federal Red Tape to Facilitate Renewable Energy Act - Requires federal agencies, in complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 with respect to: (1) any action authorizing or facilitating a proposed renewable energy project, to consider and analyze only the proposed action alternative and the no action alternative and to identify and analyze potential mitigation measures only for such alternatives; and (2) a proposed renewable energy project, to only consider public comments that specifically address such alternatives and that are filed within 30 days after publication of a draft environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Defines a "renewable energy project" as a project on federal lands or in federal waters, including a project on the Outer Continental Shelf, using wind, solar power, geothermal power, biomass, or tidal or kinetic forces to generate energy.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue as legal tender $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Lions Clubs International. Requires the design of the coins to be emblematic of the centennial. Permits the Secretary to issue such coins only during calendar 2017. Requires sales of the coins to include a surcharge of $10 per coin, to be paid by the Secretary to the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Medicare Hearing Health Care Enhancement Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the definition of Medicare-covered audiology (hearing and balance assessment) services provided by a qualified and legally authorized audiologist to stipulate that such services are covered without regard to any requirement that: (1) the individual receiving them be under the care of (or referred by) a physician or other health care practitioner, or (2) such services are provided under the supervision of a physician or other health practitioner. Includes audiology services as medical services, as so redefined, under Medicare part B.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 2011
Protect HUBZones Act of 2011 - Amends the Small Business Act to revise the definition of "redesignated area" for HUBZone designation purposes to extend the time period during which a census tract or nonmetropolitan county that loses its HUBZone status due to the 2010 census may be so designated.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Impact Aid Timely Repayment Act of 2011 - Amends title VIII (Impact Aid) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to complete Impact Aid payments to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) within three fiscal years of their appropriation. (The Impact Aid program compensates LEAs for the financial burden of federal activities affecting their school districts.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require personnel who perform or plan the technical component of either medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures for medical purposes to possess, effective January 1, 2014: (1) certification in each medical imaging or radiation therapy modality and service they plan or perform from a certification organization designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS); or (2) state licensure or certification where such services and modalities are within the scope of practice as defined by the state for such profession and where the requirements for licensure, certification, or registration meet or exceed the standards established by the Secretary. Exempts physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants from the requirements of this Act. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish minimum standards for personnel who perform, plan, evaluate, or verify patient dose for medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy procedures; (2) establish a program for designating certification organizations after consideration of specified criteria; (3) provide a process for the certification of individuals whose training or experience are determined to be equal to, or in excess of, those of a graduate of an accredited educational program; and (4) publish a list of approved accrediting bodies for such certification organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to develop alternative standards for rural or health professional shortage areas as appropriate to ensure access to quality medical imaging. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for medical imaging and radiation therapy services, only if the examination or procedure is planned or performed by an individual who meets this Act's requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 2011
Military Families Affordable Homes Act of 2011 - Amends the Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 to extend through 2014 the exclusion of the basic military housing allowance from the income test for residential rental projects financed by tax-exempt housing bonds. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend such exclusion to military personnel at any military installation or facility (currently, limited to certain qualified military installations).
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2011
World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2011- Directs the Secretary of the Interior to install at the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia a suitable plaque or an inscription with the words that President Franklin D. Roosevelt prayed with the nation on June 6, 1944, the morning of D-Day.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2011
Prohibits the Secretary of State from making a contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2011
Civilian Service Recognition Act of 2011 - Requires the head of an executive agency to furnish a U.S. flag to drape the casket of an employee who was killed while performing official duties or because of his or her status as a federal employee. Provides that such flag shall be furnished at the request of the next of kin or a close friend or associate of the employee and presented in the same manner as a flag for a deceased member of the Armed Services who dies while on active duty.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
Veterans Missing in America Act of 2011 - Recognizes the tireless work and dedication of the Missing in America Project, in conjunction with numerous veterans service organizations, in identifying unclaimed remains of veterans. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cooperate with such organizations to assist entities in possession of unclaimed or abandoned human remains in determining if any such remains are the remains of veterans or other individuals eligible for burial in a national cemetery. Requires the Secretary, upon a positive determination with respect to any such remains, to provide for and cover the cost of the burial and funeral expenses if the Secretary determines that: (1) there is no next of kin or other person claiming the remains, and (2) there are no other sufficient resources to cover such expenses. Directs the Secretary to establish a publicly accessible database of the names of any veteran or other individual so identified.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011 - Declares that it is the policy of the United States to promote an adequate and stable supply of minerals to maintain the nation's economic well-being, security, and manufacturing, industrial, energy, and technological capabilities. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Geological Survey, to report to Congress: (1) an assessment of the non-fossil-fuel mineral potential of lands under BLM and U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction; (2) an identification of all such lands that have been withdrawn, segregated, or otherwise restricted from mineral exploration and development; (3) a detailed description of the time required to process mineral applications, operating plans, leases, licenses, permits, and other use authorizations for mineral-related activities on lands; (4) an itemized list of all use authorizations for which applications are pending; (5) an assessment of the impact of litigation on the processing or issuing of permits; and (6) an assessment of the federal workforce with educational degrees and expertise in economic geology, geochemistry, mining, industrial minerals, metallurgy, metallurgical engineering, and mining engineering. Requires progress reports to Congress on: (1) efforts to increase access to domestic supplies of minerals, and facilitation of their production; and (2) implementation of recommendations in National Research Council reports on "Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy" and on "Managing Minerals for a Twenty-First Century Military."
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
National Right-to-Work Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2011
Preservation of Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend through 2013 the minimum payment amount for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) services for bone mass measurement.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2011
Aged Distilled Spirits Competitiveness Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from determination of the production period for distilled spirits any period allocated to the natural aging process for purposes of determining whether a taxpayer can expense, rather than capitalize, interest costs paid or incurred during the production period.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2011
North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act of 2011 - Amends the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to extend through FY2017 the authorization of appropriations for allocations to carry out approved wetlands conservation projects.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2011
Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group or individual health plan that covers surgical benefits to also cover outpatient and inpatient diagnosis and treatment of a congenital or developmental deformity, disease, or injury of a minor child (defined as child under the age of 22). Requires that such coverage: (1) be subject to pre-authorization or pre-certification requirements of the plan or issuer, and (2) include any surgical treatment deemed by the treating physician to be medically necessary to approximate a normal appearance. Defines "treatment" to include reconstructive surgical procedures that are performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, burns, infection, tumors, or disease, including: (1) procedures that do not materially affect the function of the body part being treated, and (2) procedures for secondary conditions and follow-up treatment. Excludes cosmetic surgery performed to reshape normal structures of the body to improve appearance or self-esteem. Applies the provisions of this Act to grandfathered health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2011
Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax deduction for charitable contributions by individuals and corporations of real property interests for conservation purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2011
Hiring Heroes Act of 2011- Amends the Wounded Warriors Act to extend until January 1, 2015, the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide the same rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses as are provided to veterans. Expands the authority of the VA Secretary to make payments to employers to provide on-job training to veterans to include veterans who have not been rehabilitated to the point of employability. Entitles certain veterans with service-connected disabilities who have exhausted their rights to unemployment benefits to participation in an additional VA rehabilitation program. Limits the duration of such a program to 24 months. Makes the 12-year period of eligibility for a VA rehabilitation program inapplicable under such an additional program. Instructs the VA Secretary to follow-up on the employment status of veterans who participate in a VA rehabilitation program. Requires (current law encourages) participation by eligible members in the Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) of the Department of Defense (DOD). Requires (under current law, authorizes) the provision of preseparation counseling to members whose discharge or release is anticipated. Instructs the Secretary of Labor to follow-up on the employment status of members who complete their participation in the TAP. Directs the VA Secretary to award grants to up to three nonprofit organizations under a collaborative veterans' training, mentoring, and placement program for eligible veterans seeking employment. Requires participants in the TAP to receive individualized assessments of civilian positions for which they may be qualified based on a joint DOD, VA, and Department of Labor study of the equivalencies between military skills and civilian employment requirements. Authorizes the appointment of an honorably discharged member of the uniformed services to a position in the civil service, without regard to specified civil service examination, certification, and appointment provisions, if otherwise qualified. Requires executive agencies to establish programs to provide employment assistance to members who are being separated from active duty. Directs the Secretary of Labor to carry out an outreach program to provide employment assistance to certain veterans who have been receiving assistance under the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers program. Authorizes a pilot program to assess the feasibility of providing work experience to certain members of the Armed Forces who are on terminal leave. Requires (under current law, authorizes) a VA demonstration project on the credentialing and licensing of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2011
Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 - Declares that it is U.S. policy to deny Iran the ability to support acts of foreign terrorist organizations and develop unconventional weapons and ballistic missiles. Urges the President to initiate diplomatic efforts to expand the multilateral sanctions regime regarding Iran. Directs the President to initiate an investigation into the imposition of sanctions upon receipt of credible information that a person is engaged in a sanctionable activity under this Act. Directs the President to impose specified sanctions on a person who knowingly: (1) makes specified investments with respect to Iran's ability to develop petroleum resources; (2) sells, leases, or provides to Iran goods, services, technology, information, or support that could facilitate Iran's domestic production of refined petroleum products; (3) sells or provides to Iran refined petroleum products, or provides goods, services, technology, information, or support that could contribute to Iran's ability to import refined petroleum products; or (4) exports or otherwise facilitated transshipment to Iran of any goods, services, technology, or other items that would contribute to Iran's ability to acquire or develop chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, or acquire or develop destabilizing numbers and types of advanced conventional weapons. Sets forth exceptions to such sanctions for: (1) the procurement of certain defense articles or services; (2) eligible products to designated countries or instrumentalities; (3) products, technology, or services under contracts entered into before the date on which the President publishes in the Federal Register the name of the person on which the sanctions are to be imposed; (4) spare or component parts, or information and technology that are essential to U.S. products or production, and related servicing and maintenance; or (5) medicines, medical supplies, or other humanitarian items. Defines sanctions to include: (1) prohibitions on Export-Import Bank assistance, (2) prohibitions on loans from U.S. financial institutions and other financial services, (3) prohibitions on foreign exchange and other banking transactions, (4) prohibitions on property transactions, and (5) export and procurement sanctions. Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of State to issue, upon request, an advisory opinion with respect to whether a proposed activity would be sanctionable, and (2) a person to rely in good faith on such opinion and proceed without being subject to sanctions. Imposes sanctions under this Act for at least two years. Authorizes the President to terminate sanctions after one year if the sanctioned person is no longer engaging in a sanctionable activity and the President has received reliable assurances that the person will not knowingly engage in such future activity. Authorizes the President to waive imposition of sanctions if in the national security interest of the United States. States that a determination to impose sanctions under this Act shall not be reviewable in any court. Repeals the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. Authorizes the President to provide financial and political assistance to certain foreign and domestic individuals, organizations, and entities that support democracy in Iran. Imposes visa, property, and financial sanctions on persons identified as officials of the government of Iran, security services, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who were complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of Iran or their family members on or after June 12, 2009, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Iran. Directs the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the promotion of Internet freedom and information access in Iran. Imposes specified sanctions on a person that knowingly assisted in the exportation of petroleum, oil, or natural gas produced by the IRGC or its affiliates. Blocks the U.S. property interests of foreign persons or their affiliates that have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of violence threatening the peace or economic stability of Iraq or Afghanistan. Directs the President to develop a National Strategy to Counter Iran. Amends the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to require any person owned or controlled by a domestic financial institution to certify that such person is not engaged in corresponding relations or business activity with the IRGC. Requires a report on the Central Bank of Iran's activities to facilitate Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear missile capacities and promote terrorism. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to disclose in their mandatory annual or quarterly reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whether they or their affiliates have: (1) engaged in certain activities relating to Iran, terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; (2) knowingly engaged in specified activities, or knowingly violated certain regulations prescribed under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010; (3) knowingly conducted any transaction or dealing with a person whose property and interests in property are blocked by certain Executive Orders; or (4) knowingly conducted a transaction or dealing with any person listed in the Iranian Transactions Regulations. Requires the President to: (1) initiate an investigation into the possible imposition of sanctions when the SEC receives a report that an issuer or its affiliate has engaged in the cited activities, and (2) determine whether sanctions should be imposed on the issuer or the affiliate concerned. States that, except to meet U.S. international obligations, the Secretary of State shall deny a visa to, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) shall exclude from U.S. entry, a person who is an agent, official, or a representative of the government of Iran; and (2) presents a threat to the United States or is affiliated with terrorist organizations. Restricts the movement of such persons in the United States. Terminates the provisions of this Act when Iran: (1) has dismantled its efforts to develop or acquire nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; (2) no longer provides support for acts of international terrorism; and (3) poses no threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2011
Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a Joint Ventures Program to develop a framework for the approval and establishment of Joint Ventures that: (1) provide financial and technical assistance to support regional migratory bird conservation partnerships, (2) develop and implement plans for the protection and enhancement of migratory bird populations, (3) complement and support activities by the Secretary and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fulfill obligations under specified migratory bird and conservation Acts, and (4) support other specified goals and objectives. Authorizes the Director to enter into agreements with eligible partners to establish Joint Ventures to: (1) promote sustainable migratory bird populations and fish and wildlife, (2) encourage stakeholder and government partnerships, and (3) establish science-based migratory bird conservation plans and promote broader landscape-level conservation of fish and wildlife habitat. Specifies that eligible partners include: (1) federal and state agencies; (2) affected regional, local, and tribal governments, private landowners, land managers, and other private stakeholders; (3) certain nongovernmental organizations; and (4) other relevant stakeholders. Authorizes the Director to award Joint Venture financial assistance grants.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations for payments to children's hospitals associated with operating approved graduate medical residency training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2011 - Entitles independent pharmacies negotiating contract terms with a health plan for the provision of health care items or services to the same treatment under the antitrust laws as the treatment to which bargaining units recognized under the National Labor Relations Act are entitled. Treats such a pharmacy as an employee engaged in concerted activities in connection with such negotiations. Exempts actions taken in good faith reliance on this Act from being subject to criminal sanctions or civil penalties beyond actual damages incurred. Provides that this Act does not exempt from application of antitrust laws any agreement or unlawful conspiracy that: (1) would have the effect of boycotting any independent pharmacy; (2) would exclude, limit the participation or reimbursement of, or otherwise limit the scope of services to be provided by any independent pharmacy or group of independent pharmacies with respect to the performance of services that are within their scope of practice as defined or permitted by relevant law or regulation; (3) allocates a market among competitors; (4) unlawfully ties the sale or purchase of one product or service to the sale or purchase of another product or service; or (5) monopolizes or attempts to monopolize a market. Provides that this Act shall not apply to negotiations between pharmacies and health plans regarding benefits provided under specified federal programs, including Medicaid, veterans' medical care, and the federal employees' health benefits program. Requires the Comptroller General to study the impact of this Act after five years. Provides that this Act does not preclude the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) from overseeing the conduct of independent pharmacies covered under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Stolen Valor Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to subject an individual who, with intent to obtain anything of value, knowingly makes a misrepresentiation regarding his or her military service to: (1) a fine, one year's imprisonment, or both if the misrepresentation is that such individual served in a combat zone or in a special operations force or was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; and (2) a fine, six months' imprisonment, or both, in any other case. Provides that: (1) this Act shall not apply to a misrepresentation that an individual did not serve in the Armed Forces, and (2) it is a defense to prosecution that the thing of value is de minimis.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Janey Ensminger Act - Presumes a service connection, for veterans' benefits purposes, for any illness associated with contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, during a period in which the water there was contaminated by volatile organic compounds, including known and probable human carcinogens, notwithstanding evidence of such illness during such period. Makes family members who resided at such location during such period, or were in utero during such period while the mother resided at such location, eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for any condition or disability associated with exposure to such contaminants.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
National Oilheat Research Alliance Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 to adjust its focus upon oilheat to a focus upon oilheat fuel, a distillate liquid or a biobased liquid used as a fuel for nonindustrial commercial or residential space or hot water heating. Revises the membership of the National Oilheat Research Alliance. Expands the functions of the Alliance to include: (1) providing the cost of installing appliances in low-income households; and (2) prioritizing research, development, and demonstration projects that enhance efficiency through the use of biobased liquids and advanced biofuels. Requires the Alliance to: (1) contract with a qualified accounting firm to develop procedures to ensure statutory compliance; and (2) include in its annual report a detailed account of the amounts spent by each qualified state association that received funds on training, research, development, and demonstration, safety, and consumer education. Revises assessment requirements. States that the assessment rate for calendar years 2012 and 2013 shall be equal to two-tenths of 1% per gallon of oilheat fuel (currently, No. 1 distillate and No. 2 dyed distillate). Requires the annual assessment rate, beginning with calendar year 2014, to be sufficient to cover the costs of the plans and programs developed by the Alliance. Sets forth: (1) a maximum assessment rate; and (2) limitations on any assessment increase. Prohibits any increase in the assessment rate unless the Alliance has, by a specified deadline, notified certain congressional committees. Prohibits: (1) the Alliance from providing funds in response to a request from state, local, or regional programs unless it determines that the funds will be used to benefit consumers of oilheat fuel (instead of the oilheat industry); (2) certain lobbying activities; and (3) any consumer education activity from including a direct reference to a competing product if it is funded from Alliance assessments. Requires Alliance research activities to: (1) include development of renewable fuels, and (2) examine the compatibility of different renewable fuels with oilheat fuel utilization equipment, giving priority to advanced biofuels research. Requires the Alliance to: (1) report to state leaders, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to Congress on the use of biofuels in oilheat fuel utilization equipment; and (2) develop consumer education materials describing the benefits of using biofuels as, or in, oilheat fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Teacher Tax Relief Act of 2011 - Amends Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers, to: (1) increase the maximum dollar amount of such deduction to $500, (2) allow the deduction of professional development expenses, and (3) make such deduction permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) affirms the rich spiritual and diverse religious history of our nation's founding and subsequent history, including up to the current day; (2) recognizes that the religious foundations of faith on which America was built are critical underpinnings of our nation's most valuable institutions; (3) rejects any effort to remove, obscure, or omit such history from public buildings and educational resources; and (4) expresses support for designation of an "America's Spiritual Heritage Week. "
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2011
Job Creation and Energy Security Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt sales of natural gas, or any product derived from natural gas, for use in motor vehicles from the $5 million retail sales limitation applicable to independent producers of petroleum products for purposes of the oil and gas depreciation allowance.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2011
Community Banks Serving Their Communities First Act or Communities First Act - Revises regulatory requirements for community banks, including through amendments to: (1) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to permit certain insured depository institutions to submit a short form report of condition, and (2) the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to exempt certain small-sized depository institutions from the annual management assessment of internal controls requirements. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) to publish in the Federal Register certain proposed revisions to the Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement on Assessment of Financial and Managerial Factors relating to: (1) certain bank holding companies with pro forma consolidated assets of less than $1 billion, and (2) an increased debt-to-equity ratio allowable for a small bank holding company. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to: (1) ensure that information, documents, and reports accurately and appropriately reflect the business model of a registered security issuer; (2) approve any new or amended generally accepted accounting principle only if it would have no negative economic impact on certain small-sized insured depository institutions; (3) increase the shareholder registration threshold for certain banks and bank holding companies; and (4) terminate the registration of any class of security, in the case of a bank or bank holding company, whose holders of record are reduced to less than 1700 persons. Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to: (1) authorize the Financial Stability Oversight Council to set aside a final regulation prescribed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if the Council decides that it would be inconsistent with the safe and sound operation of U.S. financial institutions, or could adversely impact disproportionately a subset of the banking industry; and (2) repeal the authority of the Federal Reserve Board to delegate to the CFPB its authority to examine persons for compliance with federal consumer financial laws. Amends the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) to instruct the Federal Reserve Board to exempt from escrow or impound account requirements any loan secured by a first lien on a consumer's principal dwelling, if the loan is held by a creditor with assets of $10 billion or less. Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to exempt certain financial institutions from furnishing a mandatory annual privacy notice. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) assess, for certain guaranteed business and industry loans for rural communities under $5 million, a one-time fee of 1% or less of the loan's guaranteed principal; and (2) establish a preferred certified lender's program for specified lenders. Amends the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 to require a government authority to reimburse fees incurred by certain small-sized financial institutions with assets of $10 billion or less for all records required to be furnished for federal law enforcement or investigative purposes. Authorizes specified institutions to amortize losses or write-downs on a quarterly straight-line basis over a 10-year period for purposes of capital calculation under the Financial Institutions Examination Council's Consolidated Reports of Condition. Authorizes an insured depository institution, for purposes of determining statutory capital requirements or measuring capital, to average, over a five-year period, the appraised value of any real estate securing a loan held by the institution. Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding review of reliance on credit ratings to direct federal regulatory agencies to require, in specified circumstances, that ratings-based determinations be confirmed by an analysis of the probability of a loss from holding an asset. Amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act with respect to requirements with which a financial institution must comply in collecting data for evaluation of a credit application by a women-owned, minority-owned, or small business. Applies such requirements only to financial institutions having over $1 billion in assets (thus exempting smaller financial institutions). Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) defer income recognition on long-term certificates of deposit held by cash basis individuals, (2) exclude from gross income any interest on loans secured by agricultural real property, (3) increase the cap on qualified small issue bonds, (4) allow certain FDIC-insured financial institutions with $10 billion or less in gross assets to elect partnership (limited liability company) tax treatment, and (5) set forth special rules for Roth IRAs for individuals under age 26 (young savers' accounts). Reduces by 20% (up to $250,000) the aggregate tax for a community bank, and by 50% (up to $500,000) for community banks operating in specified distressed areas. Allows similar aggregate tax reductions for small-sized community banks that are subchapter S corporations. Subjects to certain IRS principles a qualifying investment in specified small bank issuers in the same manner as if such investment had been made by the Department of the Treasury. Prescribes requirements for a five-year net operating loss carryback for 2010 and 2011 for certain community banks. Increases to 200 the shareholder limit for small business subchapter S corporations. Permits the issuance of preferred stock for subchapter S corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2011
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with a non-participating (as well as with a participating) physician or practitioner for any item or service covered by Medicare. Allows such beneficiaries to submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply if the claim had been filed by a participating physician or practitioner in the payment area where the physician or practitioner covered by the contract resides. Requires a Medicare beneficiary to agree in writing in such a contract to: (1) pay the physician or practitioner for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit (in lieu of the physician or practitioner) a claim for Medicare payment. Allows a beneficiary, however, to negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the physician or practitioner to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf. Preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2011
Brewers Excise and Economic Relief Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) reduce from $18 to $9 ( the pre-1991 level) the per-barrel tax on beer; and (2) allow a further reduction in such tax for brewers who produce not more than 2 million barrels annually.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2011
Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2011
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act - Amends the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 to make permanent the authorization of appropriations for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2011
Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prescribe consumer protection guidelines for rental-purchase transactions, including: (1) the determination of rental-purchase cost; (2) disclosure requirements; (3) prohibitions against confessions of judgment, wage assignments, and waiver of consumer claims or defenses; (4) furnishing of statements of account; (5) point-of-rental disclosures; and (6) rental-purchase advertising disclosures. Declares that an action for civil liability may be brought against a merchant's assignee only if the violation is apparent on the face of a rental-purchase agreement to which it relates, including, but not limited to, a disclosure that can be determined to be incomplete or inaccurate from the face of the agreement. Authorizes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to promulgate implementing regulations. Grants enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to state attorneys general. Subjects to criminal penalties any willful and knowing violation of the information disclosure requirements of this Act.