Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Claiborne de Borda Pell, a former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate recesses on January 6, 2009, it stand in recess as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Pell.

Bill· SS. 3668 (110th)referred

Crime Victims with Disabilities Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 1 October 2008

Crime Victims with Disabilities Act of 2008 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes, or tribal organizations to plan for or implement a collaboration program to investigate and remediate abuse of or crimes committed against individuals with disabilities and to provide services to such individuals. Requires the Attorney General to establish a national center to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish a national interdisciplinary advisory council to develop a methodology for collecting data on violence against people with developmental and related disabilities; and (2) award grants to collect such data.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 698 (110th)passed

A resolution designating October 17, 2008, as "National Mammography Day".

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2008

Designates October 17, 2008, as National Mammography Day.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 699 (110th)passed

A resolution supporting the work of firefighters to educate and protect the Nation's communities, and the goals and ideals of Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, 2008, as designated by the National Fire Protection Association.

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2008

Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of Fire Prevention Week, October 5-October 11, 2008; and (2) the work of firefighters to educate and protect the nation's communities.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 694 (110th)passed

A resolution designating the week beginning October 19, 2008, as "National Character Counts Week".

United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2008

Designates the week beginning October 19, 2008, as National Character Counts Week.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 692 (110th)passed

A resolution designating the week of November 9 through November 15, 2008, as "National Veterans Awareness Week" to emphasize the need to develop educational programs regarding the contributions of veterans to the country.

United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2008

Designates the week of November 9-November 15, 2008, as "National Veterans Awareness Week."

Law· SS. 3605 (110th)enacted

Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2008

Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008 - Amends the PROTECT Act to extend by 12 months the Child Safety Pilot Program (allowing certain volunteer organizations to obtain national and state criminal history background checks on their volunteers).

Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 104 (110th)referred

A concurrent resolution supporting "Lights On Afterschool!", a national celebration of after school programs.

United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2008

Supports the goals and ideals of "Lights On Afterschool!," a national celebration of after-school programs.

Law· SS. 3598 (110th)enacted

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 25 September 2008

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or attempting or conspiring to operate by any means, or for embarking in, any submersible or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to avoid detection. Imposes an additional civil fine of up to $1 million for violations.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 683 (110th)passed

A resolution designating the week of October 19 through October 25, 2008, as "National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week".

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008

Designates the week of October 19-October 25, 2008, as National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 684 (110th)passed

A resolution calling for a comprehensive strategy to address the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

United States · United States Congress · 24 September 2008

Urges the President, the U.N. Secretary-General, the African Union, and members of the international community to pursue a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Condemns: (1) the government of Sudan for its continued obstruction of the deployment of United Nations-African Union peacekeepers; and (2) the ongoing acts of violence in, and obstruction of aid to, Darfur committed by all parties. Calls upon the government of Sudan and armed parties in the region to declare a cessation of hostilities, abide by the U.N. arms embargo, cease attacks upon humanitarian organizations, and participate in international efforts to negotiate a political settlement.

Bill· SS. 3544 (110th)referred

Superfund Polluter Pays Act

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2008

Superfund Polluter Pays Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code by reinstating until January 1, 2017, the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate and the corporate environmental income tax.

Bill· SS. 3531 (110th)referred

Afghan Freedom Support and Security Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008

Afghan Freedom Support and Security Act of 2008 - Authorizes funds for assistance to Afghanistan under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Directs the President to: (1) implement a system to monitor assistance provided under this Act on a program-by-program basis; and (2) provide assistance to enhance the government of Afghanistan's capacity to monitor programs carried out by the national, provincial, and local governments in Afghanistan. Authorizes appropriations. Directs: (1) the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State and the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Afghanistan to oversee the programs authorized under this Act; and (2) the Office of Technical Assistance of the Department of the Treasury to conduct an annual assessment of Afghanistan's public finance system. Authorizes appropriations. Expresses the sense of Congress: (1) supporting the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; and (2) that the President should expand assistance programs to innocent Afghan individuals, families, and communities that suffered losses from U.S. and allied military operations. Directs the President to appoint a coordinator who shall: (1) design an overall non-military strategy to advance U.S. interests in Afghanistan; (2) ensure policy coordination among federal agencies, including the Department of Defense; (3) coordinate with other countries and international organizations, including those supporting counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics efforts; and (4) review major security and development contracts. Directs the President to appoint a special envoy who shall coordinate U.S. policy on issues relating to strengthening relations between the nations of South and Central Asia. Authorizes appropriations for daily Radio Free Afghanistan broadcasting in the Dari and Pashto languages.

Bill· SS. 3532 (110th)referred

GIVE Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008

Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere Act of 2008 or the GIVE Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the standard mileage rate for use of a passenger automobile for charitable purposes to a rate not less than the rate used for the tax deduction for medical transportation expenses; and (2) exclude from the gross income of charitable volunteers reimbursements paid to them for the use of a passenger automobile for the benefit of a charitable organization.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 676 (110th)passed

A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week.

United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2008

Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week. Encourages: (1) children and teens to live drug-free lives; and (2) people in the United States to promote drug-free communities and to participate in drug prevention activities.

Bill· SS. 3526 (110th)open

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or embarking in any submersible or semisubmersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating in, or has navigated into, through, or from, waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over violations of this Act. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this Act that a vessel operated at the time of a violation was: (1) a vessel of the Untied States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation; (2) classed by and designated in accordance with the rules of a classification society; (3) lawfully operated in a government-regulated or licensed activity; or (4) equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or a long range identification and tracking system. Specifies the documents required to conclusively prove an affirmative defense. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate or amend existing guidelines to provide adequate penalties for violations of this Act.

Bill· SS. 3524 (110th)referred

Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Improvements Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008

Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Improvements Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reassign to the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement (Office). Establishes within the Office: (1) the Law Enforcement Information Sharing Resource Center to provide technical assistance relating to information sharing and intelligence; (2) the Foreign Liaison Officers Against Terrorism Program; and (3) the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program to make counterterrorism technology, equipment, and information available to local law enforcement agencies. Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for State and Local Law Enforcement to establish a National Law Enforcement Deployment Team Program to respond to the threat or occurrence of a natural or man-made incident. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to make grants to states and local governments for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 665 (110th)passed

A resolution designating October 3, 2008, as "National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day".

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2008

Designates October 3, 2008, as National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day to promote programs and activities that will lead to the greater use of cleaner, more efficient transportation that uses new sources of energy. Urges Americans to: (1) increase the personal and commercial use of, and promote public sector adoption of, cleaner and energy-efficient alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles; and (2) encourage the enactment of federal policies to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil through the advancement and adoption of alternative, advanced, and emerging vehicle and fuel technologies.

Bill· SS. 3507 (110th)referred

Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008

United States · United States Congress · 17 September 2008

Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to revise the formula for Tier-1 amounts a state credits to an applicant's emergency unemployment compensation account (EUCA) for a benefit year. Increases the figures in the formula (the lesser of which shall be the amount credited) from: (1) 50% to 80% of the total amount of regular compensation (including dependents' allowances) payable to the individual during the benefit year; and (2) 13 to 20 times the individual's average weekly benefit amount for the benefit year. Provides an additional Tier-2 period for deposits to an individual's EUCA, using the current formula, if, at the time that the amount established under this Act is exhausted, or at any time thereafter, the individual's state is in an extended benefit period. Prescribes a formula for determining if a state is in an extended benefit period. Allows the Tier-2 period augmentation to be applied to the individual's EUCA only once. Prohibits a Tier-2 augmentation under this Act to an individual's account after March 31, 2009, if the account is exhausted after such date. Extends the period of emergency unemployment compensation. Exempts weeks of unemployment between enactment of this Act and December 8, 2009, from the prohibition in the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 against federal matching payments to a state for the first week in an individual's eligibility period for which extended compensation or sharable regular compensation is paid if the state law of such state provides for payment (at any time or under any circumstances) of regular compensation to an individual for his first week of otherwise compensable unemployment. (Thus allows temporary federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for states with no waiting period.)

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 662 (110th)passed

A resolution raising the awareness of the need for crime prevention in communities across the country and designating the week of October 2, 2008, through October 4, 2008, as "Celebrate Safe Communities" week.

United States · United States Congress · 16 September 2008

Designates the week of October 2-October 4, 2008, as Celebrate Safe Communities week [ sic ]. Commends the efforts of law enforcement agencies and communities in the fight against crime. Encourages the National Sheriffs' Association and the National Crime Prevention Council to continue efforts to reduce crime and build safer communities.