United States · United States Congress · 23 July 2002
Galisteo Basin Archaeological Sites Protection Act - Designates specified archaeological sites in New Mexico as the Galisteo Basin Archaeological Protection Sites. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) continue to search for additional Native American and Spanish colonial sites in the Galisteo Basin area; and (2) submit to the Congress recommendations for additions to, deletions from, and modifications of the boundaries of such sites. Requires the Secretary to submit to specified congressional committees a general management plan for the identification, research, protection, and public interpretation of the archaeological protection sites located on Federal lands, and those sites located on private and State lands for which the Secretary has entered into discretionary Cooperative Agreements with their owners for the protection, preservation, maintenance, and administration of their archaeological resources and associated lands. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire lands and interests within the boundaries of the archaeological protection sites, and access to them, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or by exchange. Limits to donation or exchange the Secretary's acquisition authority for lands or interests owned by the State of New Mexico or a local government, except that State trust land may be acquired only by exchange. Withdraws all Federal lands within the sites, subject to valid existing rights, from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing. States that this Act shall not: (1) authorize regulation of privately owned lands within an archaeological protection site; or (2) restrict or limit an Indian tribe from protecting cultural or religious sites on tribal land.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2002
Access to High Quality Child Care Act - 2002 ACCESS Act - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBGA) to extend the authorization of appropriations, and to revise or set forth provisions relating to: (1) lead agencies; (2) State plan requirements; (3) activities to improve the quality of child care; (4) increased reimbursement rates; (5) administration and enforcement; (6) data about families receiving subsidies; (7) child care research and data; (8) activities for infants, toddlers, and children in other special populations; (9) resource and referral services; and (10) funds for Indian tribes. Federal Employees Child Care Act - Directs the Administrator of General Services to: (1) establish health, safety, and facility standards and compliance requirements for child care in executive branch facilities; (2) issue regulations requiring a child care facility to comply with standards of a child care accreditation entity; and (3) establish an interagency council to facilitate cooperation and sharing of best practices. Prescribes accreditation requirements for child care services in the House of Representatives, the Library of Congress, the Senate, and the U.S. Courts. Revises the criteria for children permitted child care and related services in Federal buildings, extending eligibility to children of Federal employees or on-site Federal contractors, or dependent children who live with such employees or contractors. Authorizes agreements, where necessary, with non-Federal, licensed, and accredited child care facilities, or planned facilities that will become licensed and accredited. Permits a Federal agency to conduct a pilot project to test innovative approaches to providing more cost-effective alternative forms of child care assistance for Federal employees. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants to assist eligible intermediaries to provide technical and financial assistance to eligible recipients to pay the Federal matching share of costs of acquisition, construction, or improvement of center-based or home-based child care facilities or equipment, or for the improvement of related management and business practices. Book Stamp Act - Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a grant program (based on certain State allocations under CCDBGA) to promote child literacy and improve children's access to books at home and in early learning and other child care programs, by making books available through such programs. Early Care and Education Act - Directs the Secretaries of Education and of HHS to: (1) allot incentive grants to States to develop or enhance high-quality systems of early child care and early education; (2) award bonus grants to States for demonstrated improvement in such care and education; and (3) establish an information clearinghouse.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2002
Small and Disadvantaged Business Ombudsman Act - Amends the Small Business Act to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to designate a Small and Disadvantaged Business Ombudsman for Procurement, who shall: (1) work with each Federal agency with procurement authority to ensure that small businesses are treated fairly in the procurement process; (2) establish a procedure for receiving comments from small businesses and personnel of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (Office) of each Federal agency regarding the activities of agencies and prime contractors on Federal procurement contracts for small businesses; and (3) establish a procedure for addressing concerns received with respect to small businesses and Federal procurement contracting. Requires an annual report from the Ombudsman to the congressional small business committees evaluating such activities. Requires each Federal agency to assist the Ombudsman to ensure compliance with Federal procurement goals for small businesses, certain procurement policies, and Federal prime contractor small business subcontracting plans. Requires a Federal agency to submit a goal attainment plan upon failure to meet small business procurement goals. Requires each Office director to: (1) have experience assisting small businesses with Federal procurement; (2) not currently serve as the chief procurement officer of such agency; (3) have no other duties; and (4) attend meetings of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Council. Establishes such Council. Increases, from the current 23 percent to up to 30 percent for FY 2006 and thereafter, the Federal small business procurement goal.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2002
Border Commuter Student Act of 2002 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish as a category of nonimmigrant alien student a national of Canada or Mexico who commutes to study (including vocational or nonacademic studies) in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2002
Small Business Drought Relief Act - Amends the Small Business Act to include drought within its definition of disaster (thus qualifying small businesses suffering economic harm from droughts for assistance under such Act).
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2002
Retirement Security for All Americans Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a tax credit for an applicable percentage of up to $2,000 in retirement savings contributions of an individual. Excludes dependents and full-time students from being eligible for the credit, and reduces the amount considered for the credit by the amount of certain distributions received by an individual. Repeals the nonrefundable credit for elective deferrals and IRA contributions. Imposes a tax on any failure by an employer that does not have a qualified plan or arrangement for a calendar year to permit its employees access to salary reduction contributions to individual retirement plans. Makes an exception for certain small employers. Permits a tax credit for small employers that maintain salary reduction arrangements. Allows a tax credit for a duration of three years for pension plan contributions of small employers.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2002
Social Security Attorney Fee Payment System Improvement Act of 2002 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to set a cap of $75 on assessments owed by attorney representatives upon receiving payment for representing a successful claimant for past-due benefits. Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to extend a similar payment system to attorney representatives of claimants who obtain a favorable court judgment for past-due SSI benefits. Sets a cap to such an attorney payment by the Commissioner of Social Security of 25% of the amount of such past-due benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Albuquerque Biological Park Title Clarification Act - Disclaims any right, title, and interest of the United States to Tingley Beach and San Gabriel Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Recognizes the special warranty deeds dated November 25, 1997, conveying the Beach and Park from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to the City of Albuquerque as valid.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Amends rule XLII (employment practices) of the Standing Rules of the Senate to prohibit employment discrimination in the Senate based on sexual orientation.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2002
Designates the week of November 10-16, 2002, as National Veterans Awareness Week to emphasize educational programs for elementary and secondary school students regarding the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2002
Declares that the Senate strongly disapproves of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Newdow v. U.S. Congress. Authorizes and instructs the Senate Legal Counsel to seek to intervene in the case to defend the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 2002
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase the fiscal year number of foreign residence waivers that a State may request for foreign medical graduate aliens working in U.S. health shortage areas. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to make such program permanent.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2002
Wildfire Prevention Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to: (1) establish three Institutes (one each in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado) to promote the use of adaptive ecosystem management to reduce the risk of wildfires, and improve the health of forest and woodland ecosystems; and (2) provide assistance to the Institutes to promote the use of such management. Defines adaptive ecosystem management as a natural resource management process under which planning, implementation, monitoring, research, evaluation, and incorporation of new knowledge are combined into a management approach that is: (1) based on scientific findings and the needs of society; and (2) used to modify future management methods and policy. Prescribes requirements for cooperation among the Institutes and Federal programs relating to ecological restoration, wildfire risk reduction, and wildfire management technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2002
Community-Based Forest and Public Lands Restoration Act - Requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to establish a collaborative community-based restoration program for National Forest System (NFS) and public lands. Authorizes the Secretaries to make cooperative agreements with specified entities and to hire additional outreach specialists to protect such lands. Directs the Secretaries to provide cost-share grants, cooperative agreements, or both to establish Restoration and Value-Added Centers to provide technical assistance to non-profit organizations, small or micro-enterprises, and persons forming natural-resource small or micro-enterprises. Specifies certain regions that must have at least one Center, including northern California and eastern Oregon. Directs the Secretaries to limit competition for special salvage timber sales and other timber-related contracts and agreements such that natural-resource related small or micro-enterprises and other specified entities receive a specified percentage of the contracts and agreements each year. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program of applied research to identify restoration methods and treatments and to test and develop value-added products created from the by-products of restoration.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
International AIDS Treatment and Prevention Act of 2002 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), to carry out HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and related activities in countries with or at risk for severe HIV epidemic. Requires particular attention to resource constrained countries and the use of indigenous capacity to the degree practicable. Authorizes support and assistance relating to: (1) HIV prevention services, including post exposure prophylaxis and a safe blood supply; (2) HIV/AIDS care and treatment services, linked to prevention services; (3) infrastructure and training, including the availability of health care facilities; and (4) HIV/AIDS treatment protocols. Creates grant programs for: (1) clinical education and training in the delivery of HIV/AIDS care and treatment services; (2) activities to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and (3) research on innovative microbicide concepts. Requires the coordination of Department of Health and Human Services programs by the Director of the Office of International Affairs. Extends the tuberculosis prevention program, to be coordinated with the activities under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Administrator of AID, to carry out workplace-based HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs in at-risk, constrained countries, with emphasis on protections against discrimination and creating supportive environments for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2002
National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program Establishment Act - Establishes the National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program to complete an advanced transportation simulation model and support early deployment of computer software and graphics packages for the model to Federal and State agencies for national, regional, or statewide transportation planning. Sets forth certain program requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2002
Support, Training, Employment Programs Act of 2002 or the STEP Act of 2002 - Amends title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to make a grant to assist each transitional jobs State to create and expand transitional jobs programs that: (1) combine publicly subsidized time-limited employment with skill development and barrier removal activities; (2) provide job development and placement assistance to help participants move from subsidized employment in transitional jobs into unsubsidized employment; and (3) serve assistance recipients and other low-income individuals who have been unable to secure employment through job search or other employment-related services because of limited skills, experience, or other employment barriers. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award national competitive grants for transitional jobs programs proposed for services in: (1) multiple sites in more than one State; (2) States not otherwise eligible; or (3) rural areas or areas with high concentrations of residents with income below the poverty line. Specifies worker job protections so as not to infringe on or displace otherwise employed individuals. Requires the State to establish and maintain specified grievance procedures for resolving complaints. Directs the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services jointly to award business link partnership grants to nonprofit organizations, local workforce investment boards, or political subdivisions of States to fund innovative programs designed to: (1) upgrade job and related skills in partnership with employers in order to increase substantially the wages of low-income parents, noncustodial parents, and other low-income individuals; and (2) expand and link work and training opportunities for low-earning workers in collaboration with employers.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2002
Self Sufficiency and Accountability Act of 2002 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to revise State TANF Plan requirements. Adds requirements with respect to: (1) a Plan description of how the State will ensure fair and equitable treatment among program applicants and recipients; (2) information about programs designed or implemented at sub-State levels; and (3) assessment of regional economies, notice to localities of sectoral labor shortages, and identification of self-sufficiency standards for families no longer receiving State assistance. Amends State data collection and reporting requirements to include: (1) a description of self-sufficiency standards for such families; and (2) data on civil rights or employment law violation complaints filed by State program applicants and recipients. Amends State data collection and reporting requirements to include: (1) assessment of regional economies to identify higher entry level wage opportunities in industries experiencing labor shortages; and (2) programs and services leading to self-sufficiency. Authorizes the Secretary to provide for technical assistance in assessing regional economies. Increases by five percent the applicable percentage in the formula for calculating monetary penalties for State failure to comply with fair treatment requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2002
Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Act of 2002 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish: (1) a Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Benefit Program under new part D; (2) a Prescription Drug Account in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund; and (3) a Medicare Prescription Drug Advisory Committee. Provides for: (1) part D benefits under Medicare+Choice plans under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice); and (2) Medicare cost-sharing and other assistance for low-income individuals but only as it relates to benefits provided under new part D. Revises Medicare supplemental insurance policy (Medigap) benefit packages to conform to changes made by this Act, eliminating obsolete policies with no grandfathering. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of: (1) establishing a uniform format for pharmacy benefit cards provided to beneficiaries; and (2) developing systems to transfer electronically prescriptions under such program from the prescriber to the pharmacist. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct an ongoing study and analysis of the program established under this Act, especially: (1) the extent to which the competitive bidding process under it fosters maximum competition and efficiency; and (2) the savings to the Medicare program resulting from it, including the reduction in the number or length of hospital visits. Expands the membership and duties of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC).
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2002
Youth Smoking Prevention and Public Health Protection Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Food and Drug Administration, regulatory authority over tobacco products. Sets forth criteria by which tobacco products will be deemed adulterated and/or misbranded. Sets forth health information submission and annual registration requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to adopt performance standards. Provides for notification and other remedial measures, including recalls. Requires manufacturers and importers of such products to keep records as specified. Requires premarket review of new tobacco products, as specified. Provides a right of judicial review concerning the promulgation of regulations and the denial of premarket approval. Authorizes postmarket surveillance as necessary. Authorizes the Secretary to designate reduced risk tobacco products, as specified. Requires all retail outlets for tobacco products to be treated equally with regard to advertising restrictions. Requires coordination with the Federal Trade Commission, specifically retaining to the Commission the authority to enforce certain laws concerning the advertising, sale, or distribution of tobacco products. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) congressional review; (2) regulations; (3) preservation of State and local authority; (4) construction of current regulations; and (5) conforming amendments. Establishes a Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act to revise tobacco and smokeless tobacco label and advertising warning requirements. Amends the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986 to revise smokeless tobacco warning label and advertising requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2002
Federal Lands Recreation Fee Authority Act - Authorizes the collection of recreation, use, and entrance fees on certain lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture. Prohibits the charging of recreation fees for: (1) travel over roads established as part of the National Federal Aid System; (2) travel by a person who has a property right to land within the unit in which recreation fees are charged; (3) any person who has a right of access for hunting or fishing privileges; and (4) any person engaged in official business. Prohibits the charging of entrance fees for: (1) persons under 16 years of age; (2) admission of organized school groups; (3) any area containing deed restrictions on charging fees; (4) persons holding a migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp under the Duck Stamp Act; (5) persons holding a Golden Eagle Passport, Golden Age Passport, Golden Access Passport, or National Parks Passport; and (6) specified National Park Service areas. Prohibits the charging of recreation use fees for: (1) general access to an area; (2) visitor centers; (3) dispersed areas with little Federal investment; (4) scenic overlooks or waysides; (5) drinking fountains or restrooms; (6) undeveloped parking; (7) picnic tables that are not part of a developed recreation area; and (8) services necessary for the disabled. Authorizes the issuance of annual passes, including the Golden Eagle Passport, Golden Age Passport, and Golden Access Passport. Repeals other fee authorities under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2002
Enhanced Protection of Our Cultural Heritage Act of 2002 - Amends the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 to increase penalties for violating, or counseling, procuring, soliciting, or employing another to violate, prohibitions regarding: (1) unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, alteration, or defacement of archaeological resources; (2) trafficking in archaeological resources the excavation or removal of which was wrongful under Federal law; and (3) trafficking in interstate or foreign commerce in archaeological resources the excavation, removal, sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, or receipt of which was wrongful under State or local law. Amends the Federal criminal code to increase penalties for: (1) embezzlement and theft from Indian tribal organizations; and (2) illegal trafficking in Native American human remains and cultural items.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2002
Holocaust Restitution Tax Fairness Act of 2002 - Amends the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-16) to make the sunset provisions inapplicable to section 803, which excluded from income, under the Internal Revenue Code, specified restitution payments received by persons (or heirs) persecuted by Nazi Germany, its allied or controlled countries, or any other Axis regime because of race, religion, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2002
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area Act - Establishes the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area, including the counties of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Taos, New Mexico. Designates Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area, Inc., as the management entity that shall develop and submit a management plan including recommendations for conservation, funding, management, development, and interpretation of the Area. Bars the use of Federal funds received under this Act to acquire real property. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical and financial assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2002
Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add the collection of data on benign brain-related tumors to provisions authorizing grants to States for the operation of statewide registries (currently, statewide cancer registries). Defines "brain-related tumor," with respect to a primary tumor, to mean a primary tumor that is listed in the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (commonly referred to as the ICD-O)
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2002
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to expand activities addressing inflammatory bowel disease, emphasizing genetic, animal model, and clinical research. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a national program of prevention and epidemiology concerning such disease, addressing its prevalence and public and professional awareness. Directs the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science to study public and private insurance standards for coverage of inflammatory bowel therapies. Directs the General Accounting Office to study problems inflammatory bowel disease patients have applying for disability insurance benefits under the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2002
Chronic Wasting Disease State Support Act of 2002 - Defines "chronic wasting disease" as a transmissible disease of the nervous system afflicting deer and elk. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a modeling program to predict the spread of the disease. Directs the Secretary of the Interior (through the U.S. Geological Survey) to conduct a surveillance and monitoring program on Federal lands to identify: (1) the rate of infection in wild herds of deer and elk; (2) the cause and extent of the spread of the disease; and (3) areas promoting the disease. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop and maintain a web site that displays surveillance and monitoring program data and modeling information. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop: (1) guidelines for the collection of animal tissue samples; (2) a protocol to be used in the assessment of samples in the laboratory; and (3) a program for the inspection of laboratories conducting chronic wasting disease tests. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) to develop a program to identify: (1) the rate of infection in captive herds of deer and elk; (2) the cause and extent of the spread of the disease; and (3) areas promoting the disease. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture: (1) to provide for the upgrading of Federal laboratories approved to process samples from the surveillance and monitoring programs.; and (2) expand and accelerate research on the disease through the Agricultural Research Service and Cooperative State Research grant program. Requires the Secretaries to enter a cooperative agreement and develop a grant program to allocate funds to State agencies responsible for wildlife management to develop and implement long term strategies to address the disease.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2002
Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2002 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the Federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.75 an hour beginning 30 days after enactment of this Act; (2) $6.25 an hour during the year beginning on January 1, 2003; and (3) $6.65 an hour beginning January 1, 2004. Makes Federal minimum wage requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets forth a transition period during which a specified minimum wage there shall be gradually increased to equal the Federal minimum wage.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2002
Pathways to Self-Sufficiency Act of 2002 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to give States that receive a TANF grant the option to: (1) use the grant to establish a program, including an undergraduate post-secondary or vocational education program, under which an eligible participant may be provided certain support services although the State may not use Federal TANF grant funds to pay the participant's tuition; and (2) credit months of program participation for disregard in calculation of the five year TANF assistance limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2002
Medicare Hospital Outpatient Department Fair Payment Act of 2002 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the Medicare hospital outpatient department (OPD) prospective payment system with regard to: (1) fee schedule amounts for clinic and emergency visits; (2) transitional pass-through for additional costs of innovative medical devices, drugs, and biologicals; (3) OPD fee schedule increase factor; (4) budget neutrality adjustment under requirements for periodic review and adjustments components of the prospective payment system; (4) outlier payments; (5) transitional adjustment to limit decline in payment; and (6) requirement to increase relative payment weights in certain circumstances. Amends the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 to provide for permanent extension of provider-based status for any facility or organization that is treated as provider-based in relation to a hospital or critical access hospital under Medicare as of October 1, 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2002
Education Works Act of 2002 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to: (1) expand the vocational educational training work activity category, removing the time limitation on such training, and adding participation in postsecondary education, an English-as-a-second-language program, or an adult basic education program; (2) eliminate the limit on the number of TANF recipients enrolled in vocational education or high school who may be counted towards the State work participation requirement; and (3) provide for nonapplication of the five year limit on TANF assistance to individuals who receive child care or transportation benefits under the State TANF program and participate in a full-time educational program or are employed.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2002
Nuclear Nonproliferation Act of 2002 - Extends through FY 2013 the authority of a program for testing and improving the responses of Federal, State, and local governments to emergencies involving nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological weapons and related materials. Directs the Administrator for Nuclear Security to carry out a program on technology for protection from nuclear or radiological terrorism. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to: (1) expand the International Materials Protection, Control, and Accounting program of the Department of Energy to include countries outside the Russian Federation and the independent states of the former Soviet Union; and (2) provide technical assistance to the Secretary of State in assisting other nuclear weapons states (countries) to review and improve their nuclear materials safeguards programs. Directs the Secretary to: (1) build on efforts to accelerate the conversion or return to the country of origin of all weapons-usable nuclear materials located in research reactors and other facilities outside the country of origin; and (2) establish a program on the protection, control, and accounting of materials usable in radiological dispersal devices. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a program to pursue, with the Russian Federation and any other nation that possesses highly enriched uranium, options for blending such uranium so that the uranium's concentration of U-235 is below 20 percent. Authorizes the Secretary to assist the Russian Federation with its plutonium disposition program. Authorizes the Secretary to pursue in appropriate international areas options for accelerating programs to improve domestic export control programs for materials, technology, and expertise relating to the construction or use of a nuclear or radiological dispersal device. Requires the Secretary to work cooperatively with the Russian Federation to update and improve the Joint Action Plan for materials protection, control, and accounting programs. Provides for the utilization of Department of Energy national laboratories and sites in support of Federal, State, or local antiterrorism activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2002
Expresses the sense of the Congress that all workers deserve fair treatment and safe working conditions. Honors Dolores Huerta for her commitment to the improvement of working conditions for children, women, and farm worker families.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2002
National Drought Preparedness Act of 2002 - Establishes the National Drought Council which shall: (1) develop a national drought policy action plan; (2) evaluate Federal drought-related programs; (3) coordinate and prioritize enhancement of the national drought monitoring network; and (4) provide for the development of a drought information delivery system, drought planning models, and drought preparedness plans. Terminates the Council eight years after enactment of this Act. Requires the Director of the National Drought Council to establish the National Office of Drought Preparedness. Establishes within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the Drought Assistance Fund, which shall be used to: (1) assist State, local, tribal, and critical service entities with drought-related activities; and (2) expand the technology transfer of drought and water conservation strategies. Requires: (1) the Director to publish guidelines for administering a national technical and financial drought assistance program; and (2) the Director, the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, and the Army, and other appropriate Federal agency heads to implement integrated drought preparedness plans. Authorizes States, Indian tribes, local governments, and regional, water providers to develop and implement drought preparedness plans. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the Director of FEMA to reimburse States for qualifying costs incurred in prepositioning wildfire suppression resources.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2002
Medicare Incentive Payment Program Improvement Act of 2002 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish procedures under which the Secretary, and not the physician furnishing the service, is responsible for determining when a payment is required to be made under the Medicare incentive (bonus) payment program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish and implement an ongoing educational program to provide education to physicians under the Medicare program on the Medicare incentive payment program; and (2) conduct an ongoing study of such program for annual reports to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2002
Southwest Regional Border Authority Act - Establishes the Southwest Regional Border Authority to: (1) develop plans and programs for the economic development of the Southwest border region (specified counties in California, New Mexico, and Texas); (2) conduct and sponsor investigations, research, and studies of the resources of the region; (3) sponsor up to ten authorized demonstration projects; (4) review, study, and recommend appropriate modifications to Federal, State, and local development programs for the region; (5) formulate and recommend interstate compacts and other forms of interstate and international cooperation; (6) encourage private investment in the region; (7) provide a forum for the consideration of problems of the region; (8) establish and use citizens, special advisory counsels, and public conferences; and (9) provide for the avoidance of duplication of efforts among the border programs of Federal agencies and the programs established under the North American Free Trade Agreement. Authorizes the Authority to approve grants for regional infrastructure development and improvement, technology development, community development and entrepreneurship, and education and workforce development. Provides funding. Authorizes the Authority to: (1) increase the Federal share to up to 90 percent of a project's total cost (to aid communities that could not otherwise meet matching funds requirements); and (2) make grants to local development districts for administrative expenses. Directs the Authority, for purposes of grant assistance, to designate within the region distressed counties, economically strong counties, attainment counties, competitive counties, and isolated areas of distress. Requires each affected State to submit to the Authority an annual development plan for the appropriate State area within the region.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2002
Training for Realtime Writers Act of 2002 - Directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to make grants to up to 20 eligible entities to promote training and placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed a court reporting training program, as realtime writers providing closed captioning in video programming. Limits grants to a two-year period and a maximum amount of $1 million.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2002
Preservation of Antibiotics for Human Treatment Act of 2002 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem unsafe animal feed containing a new animal drug which is a member of the fluoroquinolone class of antimicrobial drugs, unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services receives information from the drug's sponsor that there exists a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the use of such drug in animal feed. Requires the Secretary to withdraw or rescind approval of previously approved drugs that are either critical antimicrobial drugs or in the same chemical class as critical antimicrobial drugs, unless the Secretary receives information from the drug's sponsor that there exists a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health due to the development of antimicrobial resistance attributable to the use of such drug in animal feed. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make payments to producers of livestock or poultry who have reduced or are substantially reducing the nontherapeutic use of critical antimicrobial drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2002
Transparent and Enhanced Criteria Act of 2002 - Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to add the following to the selection criteria for the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments: (1) force structure and mission requirements through 2020; (2) the availability and condition of facilities, land, and associated airspace; (3) considerations regarding ranges and airspace; (4) force protection; (5) costs and effects of relocating critical infrastructure; (6) homeland security requirements; (7) State or local support for a continued presence by the Department of Defense; (8) applicable lessons from previous rounds of closures and realignments; and (9) anticipated savings and other benefits. Requires the Secretary, at the time of publishing such criteria, to publish the formula proposed to be used in assigning weight to each criterion in making recommendations for closures or realignments in 2005.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2002
Expresses profound gratitude for the faithful service provided by flight attendants to make air travel safe and honors their courage and dedication. Supports all flight attendants who continue to display heroism on a daily basis, as they had been doing before, during, and after September 11, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2002
National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2002 - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a pilot program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses through participating Small Business Development Centers (Centers). Requires the Administrator to enter into arrangements with participating Centers to provide: (1) access to regulatory information and resources; (2) training and education activities; (3) confidential counseling to owners and operators of small businesses regarding compliance with Federal regulations; (4) technical assistance; and (5) partnerships with Federal compliance programs. Requires the Administrator, giving substantial weight to the recommendations of the majority of the Centers, to select the Center programs of two States from each of ten groups of States for participation in the pilot program. Provides grant limits. Terminates the pilot program four years after disbursement of the first grant. Provides privacy requirements applicable to Centers, a consortium of Centers, or any Center contractor or agent with respect to regulatory compliance assistance provided to small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2002
American Indian Welfare Reform Act - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) reauthorize and extend tribal family assistance grants; and (2) replace grants for Indian tribes under the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Training Program with tribal human services program infrastructure improvement and other tribal TANF improvement grants; (3) reauthorize and extend the bonus to reward high performance States; (4) reauthorize and extend the contingency fund for State Welfare Programs; and (5) provide for payments to Indian tribes with approved tribal family assistance plans that are operating in situations of increased economic hardship. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit Indian tribes to issue tax-exempt qualified Indian private activity bonds. Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to establish a set-aside for job access and reverse commute grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Amends SSA title IV part A to provide for grants for tribal employment services program. Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 with respect to benefits of Indian children. Amends SSA title IV part A to ensure equitable State plan benefits and services access for each member of an Indian tribe or tribal organization domiciled in the State who is not eligible for tribal family assistance. Amends SSA title IV part A to provide for parity in treatment of Alaska natives with Indian tribes under the TANF program. Gives Indian tribes authority to receive funds under SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance), and to make eligibility determinations under the Food Stamp Act of 1977, SSA titles XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance). Amends SSA title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) to make an Indian tribe or tribal organization that administers a social services program eligible for block grant payments. Amends SSA title IV part A to direct the Secretary to conduct research on tribal family assistance programs and on efforts to reduce poverty among Indians. Directs the Secretary to convene an advisory committee of Indians experts in social services and the spiritual aspects of traditional Indian culture.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2002
Federal Responsibility for Immigrant Health Act of 2002 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to allow Federal Medicaid payments to States for providing pregnancy-related services or services for the testing or treatment for communicable diseases of aliens who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law. Gives States the option to eliminate the residency requirement for certain aliens. Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to increase the total amount available for allotments for payments to certain States for FY 2003 through 2007, requiring the use of funds from such allotments to assist hospitals and related providers of emergency health services to undocumented aliens that are located in areas that the Secretary of Health and Human Services or a State determines to be substantially impacted by health costs related to undocumented aliens. Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to exclude health benefits from the list of State and local public benefits for which certain aliens who are not qualified aliens or nonimmigrants are ineligible (thus permits States and localities to provide health care to all individuals.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2002
Preventing Depression in Preadolescent and Adolescent Girls and Women Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions to prevent and treat depression in preadolescent and adolescent girls and in women at-risk for depression in diverse populations. Permits grant funds to be used to: (1) develop screening measures for use in community centers; (2) train educational and health professionals; and (3) develop educational, prevention, and treatment strategies.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2002
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require license applications for new drug and biological product to assess such drug's or product's safety and effectiveness for relevant pediatric subpopulations, including dosage. Permits extrapolation from adult studies where the course of the disease and the effects of the drug are sufficiently similar in all populations. Permits deferral of such assessments if adult studies are completed earlier and the applicant submits a plan for or a description of planned or ongoing pediatric studies. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to specify a date for submission of pediatric assessments if a drug's or product's use or need in the pediatric populations so dictates. States that drugs or products with delayed assessments will be deemed misbranded and subject to seizure and injunctive proceedings, though not penalties. Permits full waiver of such assessments if: (1) studies are highly impracticable or impossible and the evidence suggests that the drug or product would be ineffective or unsafe in all pediatric age groups; or (2) there is no meaningful therapeutic advantage or benefit in the pediatric population and little risk if used as labeled. Permits partial waivers at the request of an applicant for a specific pediatric subpopulation if any of the full waiver grounds apply to that subpopulation or reasonable attempts for a pediatric formulation for that subpopulation have failed. Requires labels of these drugs or products to reflect such waivers.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2002
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend through 2015 the Production Incentive Certificate program (PIC), which reimburses watch and jewelry producers in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa ("insular possessions") for import duties. Includes fringe benefits in determining verified creditable wages, which are used for calculations to determine refund totals. Includes in the reimbursement to producers of watches in the insular possessions, the difference between the amount that would have been due on a producer's non-digital watches during the preceding year under duty rates existing on January 1, 2001, and the amount due under the actual duty rates of that preceding calendar year. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) make PIC payments from duties on jewelry or other products as needed (presently PIC payments are funded by watch duties); and (2) directly reimburse all producers. Eliminates the 750,000 unit per producer limit for jewelry products of the insular possessions, while retaining the overall unit and dollar value limits for the PIC program. Revises certain requirements for duty-free treatment of articles of jewelry as products of the insular possessions. Requires treatment as such a product if the article of jewelry is: (1) assembled in an insular possession by a jewelry manufacturer or jewelry assembler that commenced manufacturing or assembly in such territory after August 9, 2001; and (2) entered into the United States within 18 months after the manufacturer or assembler commenced operations.
![Official portrait of Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000468_200.jpg)