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United States · Official source
2,637 records where Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2008
Designates the week beginning September 8, 2008, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. Recognizes the dedication and vital role of direct support professionals in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2008
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park Act of 2008 - Designates the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Kentucky as the "Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park."
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 2008
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., former Senator from North Carolina. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on July 7, 2008, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Helms.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2008
Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to prescribe procedures for petition, by the governor of a state with a new producing area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the state's submerged land, to make the new producing area available for oil and gas leasing. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit specified percentages of outer Continental Shelf revenues into: (1) the general fund of the Treasury; and (2) into a special account in the Treasury for disbursal to both new producing states and to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, to repeal the prohibition against funding: (1) regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands; or (2) an oil shale lease sale. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) expand and accelerate research and development efforts for advanced batteries; and (2) implement a direct loan program for up to 30% of the costs of advanced battery production. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the federal government should implement policies to increase federal purchases of plug-in electric drive vehicles. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to study jointly and report to Congress on the international regime for regulating trading in energy commodity futures and derivatives. Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit the CFTC from permitting a foreign board of trade to provide to participants subject to CFTC jurisdiction direct access to electronic trading and order matching unless specified requirements are met. Directs the CFTC to: (1) promulgate rules for routine reporting requirements for index traders and swap dealers in energy and agricultural transactions; and (2) disaggregate and make public monthly information on the positions and value of index funds and other passive, long-only positions in the energy and agricultural futures markets. Instructs the CFTC to report to certain congressional committees on: (1) the scope of commodity index trading in the futures markets; (2) whether classification of index traders and swap dealers in the futures markets can be improved for regulatory and reporting purposes; and (3) whether index trading activity is adversely impacting the price discovery process in the futures markets and whether different practices and controls should be required. Instructs the CFTC to hire additional employees.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2008
Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2008
Preserving Access to Medicare Act of 2008 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) revise the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (2) extend increased Medicare payments for ground ambulance services; (3) extend the authorization for Medicare rural hospital flexibility program grants; (4) provide for rebasing for sole community hospitals; and (5) extend the rural home health add-on policy through 2009. Revises the formula for payments for physician services to provide an update to the single conversion factor of: (1) 0.5% for the remainder of 2008; and (2) 1.1% for 2009. Extends the Physician Assistance and Quality Initiative (PAQI) Fund. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Physician Feedback Program. Revises requirements or provides for: (1) incentive payments for electronic prescribing and primary care services in physician scarcity areas; (2) the Medicare anesthesia teaching program; (3) advanced diagnostic imaging services; (4) Medicare coverage of items and services under cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation programs; (5) phase-out of the indirect costs of medical education (IME) from capitation rates; (6) quality improvement programs; and (7) certain prohibitions with respect to marketing of Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary to establish specified pilot projects regarding chronic kidney disease. Amends the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 to extend the transitional medical assistance (TMA) and abstinence education programs. Amends SSA title XIX to extend: (1) the qualifying individual program; and (2) the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) allotment for Tennessee and Hawaii. Provides for: (1) asset verification under Medicaid; and (2) reduction in payments for Medicaid administrative costs to prevent certain payment duplications. Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to extend authority for supplemental grants under SSA title IV part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF). Amends the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 to provide for additional funding for state health insurance assistance programs, area agencies on aging, and aging and disability resource centers. Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to make appropriations for federal reimbursement of eligible providers for emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 2008
Life at Conception Act - Declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being beginning at the moment of fertilization, cloning, and other moment at which an individual comes into being.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 2008
Calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse its policy that aims to eliminate patient access to compounded medications containing estriol prescribed by physicians unless it holds a public comment period on the issue and can document evidence of adverse events and other safety issues to justify such policy.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2008
Alternative Minimum Tax and Extenders Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend expiring provisions relating to the alternative minimum tax, individual and business taxpayers, energy conservation, and tax administration. Extends through 2008 for individual taxpayers: (1) the offset of nonrefundable personal tax credits against regular and alternative minimum tax (AMT) liabilities; and (2) the increased AMT exemption amounts. Extends through 2009: (1) the election to deduct state and local sales taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes; (2) the tax deductions for qualified tuition and related expenses and for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers; (3) tax-free distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes; and (4) tax rules for treatment of stock and dividends of regulated investment companies and for qualified investment entities. Extends through 2009 various business-related tax provisions, including: (1) the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) the new markets tax credit; (3) the subpart F income exemption for active financing income; (4) accelerated depreciation for qualified leasehold and restaurant improvements, for business property on Indian reservations, and for motorsports racing track facilities; (5) the expanded tax deductions for charitable contributions of food and book inventories by noncorporate taxpayers; (6) the special rules for related controlled foreign corporations and for the tax treatment of certain payments to tax-exempt organizations by a controlled subsidiary; (7) the special rule for reductions in the basis of S corporation stock for charitable contributions of property; (8) the increase in alcohol excise taxes payable to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; (9) the economic development credit for American Samoa; (10) tax incentives for mine rescue team training and advanced mine safety equipment; (11) expensing allowances for film and television production costs and for environmental remediation costs; (12) the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities in Puerto Rico; (13) issuance authority for qualified zone academy bonds; (14) the Indian employment tax credit; (15) the tax credit for railroad track maintenance; and (16) work opportunity tax credit eligibility for Hurricane Katrina employees (through August 28, 2009). Extends through 2009 tax credits for: (1) production of electricity from certain renewable resources; (2) residential energy efficient property expenditures; (3) investment in clean renewable energy bonds; (4) energy efficient improvements to principal residences; (5) new energy efficient home expenditures; (6) energy efficient home appliances produced after 2007; and (7) biodiesel, renewable, and certain alternative fuels. Includes marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy as a renewable resource for purposes of the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources. Extends through 2016 the investment tax credit for solar energy, fuel cell, and microturbine property. Repeals the dollar per kilowatt limitation on fuel cell property. Allows the offset of energy tax credit amounts against the AMT. Allows public electric utility property to qualify for the energy investment tax credit. Extends through 2009: (1) the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings; and (2) the suspension of the taxable income limitation on percentage depletion for oil and natural gas produced from marginal properties. Makes permanent IRS authority to: (1) conduct undercover operations; (2) disclose tax information to state agencies to facilitate combined employment tax reporting; and (3) disclose tax return information to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for veterans benefit determinations. Extends through 2009 IRS authority to disclose tax return information related to terrorist activities.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Military Voting Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to direct the Secretary of Defense (the presidential designee) to establish procedures for: (1) collecting absentee ballots of military overseas voters in elections for federal office; and (2) delivering such ballots to the appropriate state election officials. Requires the designee to: (1) ensure that such ballots are delivered prior to the time established for the closing of the polls on the date of the election; (2) carry out delivery requirements through a contract with a private provider of express mail services, which shall include a mechanism for ballot tracking; and (3) take steps to ensure that such voters are able to cast their votes in a private and independent manner, and that vote contents remain private while in the designee's possession or control. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense (DOD) should: (1) utilize existing and emerging technologies to enhance the ability of members of the Armed Forces to meaningfully participate in elections and have their votes counted; and (2) continue to closely examine the option of electronic voting, with the objective of protecting voter privacy and guarding against voter fraud.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2008
Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 $1 coins in commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. Requires the coin design to be emblematic of the 100 years of the organization. Restricts issuance of such coins to February 8 through December 31, 2010. Subjects coin sales to a surcharge of $10 per coin. Requires payment of such surcharges to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, to be made available to local councils in the form of grants for the extension of Scouting in hard-to-serve areas.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2008
Declares that the Senate: (1) honors Lyndon B. Johnson for bringing about the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965; (2) extols his contributions to the United States; and (3) commends him for establishing the Medicare Act of 1965. Recognizes the 100th birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th president and designer of the Great Society.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2008
Celebrates 75 years of effective state-based alcohol regulation. Commends state lawmakers, regulators, law enforcement officers, the public health community, and industry members for successful collaboration in achieving a workable, legal, and successful system for the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. Reaffirms the Senate's continued support for policies that allow states to effectively regulate alcohol.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2008
American Energy Production Act of 2008 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permit projected lines of states adjacent to the subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf to be used for oil and gas preleasing and leasing activities. Authorizes the governor of a state with a new producing area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the submerged land of the state to petition the Secretary of Energy to make new producing areas available for oil and gas leasing. Sets forth a lease sales program for oil and gas development within the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Prescribes environmental protection procedures for the Coastal Plain. Requires Alaska to establish in its state treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to assist designated Alaska entities impacted by the oil and gas exploration and production. Prohibits exportation of oil or gas produced under this Act. Prescribes a refinery permitting process. Suspends petroleum acquisition for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Amends the Clean Air Act to include renewable biomass within its purview. Sets forth an advanced battery manufacturing incentive program. Instructs the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a research and development program for adding materials to biofuels to make them more compatible with infrastructure used to store and deliver petroleum-based fuels. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to study and report to Congress on: (1) the feasibility of increasing consumption in the United States of ethanol-blended gasoline with specified levels of ethanol; and (2) specified diesel vehicle attributes. Clean Coal-Derived Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2008 - Directs the President to promulgate regulations to ensure that covered fuel introduced into commerce in the United States on an annual average basis contains a specified volume and percentage of clean coal-derived fuel. Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal the prohibition against final regulations for commercial oil shale leasing program on public land. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal the prohibition against federal agency contracts for procurement of alternative or synthetic fuel. Authorizes the Department of Defense to enter into multiyear contracts to purchase synthetic fuels.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2008
American Energy Production Act of 2008 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permit projected lines of states adjacent to the subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf to be used for oil and gas preleasing and leasing activities. Authorizes the governor of a state with a new producing area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the submerged land of the state to petition the Secretary of Energy requesting that the Secretary make new producing areas available for oil and gas leasing. Provides for disposition of outer Continental Shelf revenues from new producing areas to the Treasury and to new producing states and coastal political subdivisions. Sets forth a lease sales program for oil and gas development within the Coastal Plain located on a certain map entitled "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." Prescribes environmental protection procedures for the Coastal Plain. Requires the State of Alaska to establish in is state treasury the "Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund," to assist designated Alaska entities impacted by the oil and gas exploration and production. Prohibits exportation of oil or gas produced under this Act. Prescribes a refinery permitting process. Suspends petroleum acquisition for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Amends the Clean Air Act to include renewable biomass within its purview. Sets forth an advanced battery manufacturing incentive program. Instructs the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development of the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a research and development program for adding materials to biofuels to make the biofuels more compatible with infrastructure used to store and deliver petroleum-based fuels. Instructs the Secretary of Energy to study and report to Congress on: (1) the feasibility of increasing consumption in the United States of ethanol-blended gasoline with specified levels of ethanol; and (2) specified diesel vehicle attributes. Clean Coal-Derived Fuels for Energy Security Act of 2008 - Directs the President to promulgate regulations to ensure that covered fuel introduced into commerce in the United States on an annual average basis contains a specified volume and percentage of clean coal-derived fuel. Grants a temporary exemption to small refineries. Amends the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 to repeal the proscription against final regulations for commercial oil shale leasing program on public land. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to repeal the proscription against federal agency contracts for procurement of alternative or synthetic fuel. Authorizes the Department of Defense to enter into multiyear contracts to purchase synthetic fuels.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2008
Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordination and assistance for the maintenance of the nationwide toll-free phone number to access poison control centers. Requires the Secretary to carry out and expand upon a national media campaign to educate the public and health care providers about poison prevention and the availability of poison control center resources in local communities. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts with nationally recognized organizations in the field of poison control and national media firms for the development and implementation of a nationwide poison prevention and poison control center awareness campaign. Expands the poison control center grant program to allow the Secretary to award grants for poison control centers to comply with the operational requirements needed to sustain certification of the center. Adds as the purposes for which such grants may be used: (1) to establish and evaluate best practices in the United States for poison prevention, poison control center outreach, and emergency and preparedness programs; (2) to develop and implement standard patient management guidelines for commonly encountered toxic exposures; (3) to improve national toxic exposure surveillance; (4) to develop, support, and enhance technology and capabilities of professional organizations in the field of poison control to collect national poisoning, toxic occurrence, and related public health data; and (5) to develop initiatives to foster the enhanced public health utilization of national poison data. Eliminates matching requirements for such grants.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2008
Alternative Minimum Tax and Extenders Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend expiring provisions relating to the alternative minimum tax, individual and business taxpayers, energy conservation, and tax administration. Extends through 2008 for individual taxpayers: (1) the offset of nonrefundable personal tax credits against alternative minimum tax (AMT) liability; and (2) increased AMT exemption amounts. Extends through 2009: (1) the election to include combat zone compensation as earned income for purposes of the earned income tax credit; (2) tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans (IRAs) for individuals called or ordered to active military duty and for charitable purposes; (3) the election to deduct state and local sales taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes; (4) the tax deductions for qualified tuition and related expenses and for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers; (5) authority for use of qualified mortgage bonds to finance residences for veterans; (6) provisions relating to regulated investment companies and qualified investment entities; and (7) the special rule for charitable contributions of capital gain real property for conservation purposes. Extends through 2009 various business-related tax provisions, including: (1) the tax credit for increasing research activities; (2) the new markets tax credit; (3) provisions relating to foreign personal holding company income; (4) accelerated deprecation for qualified leasehold and restaurant improvements, for motorsports racing track facilities, and for business property on Indian reservations; (5) the expanded tax deduction for charitable contributions of food and book inventories by noncorporate taxpayers; (6) the special rule for the tax treatment of certain payments to tax-exempt organizations by a controlled subsidiary; (7) the special rule for reductions in the basis of S corporation stock for charitable contributions of property; (8) increases in alcohol excise taxes payable to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; (9) parity provisions for group health insurance mental health benefits; (10) the economic development credit for American Samoa; (11) tax incentives for mine rescue team training and advanced mine safety equipment; (12) the expensing allowance for film and television production expenditures and for environmental remediation costs; (13) the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities in Puerto Rico; (14) issuance authority for qualified zone academy bonds; (15) the Indian employment tax credit; (16) the tax credit for railroad track maintenance; and (17) work opportunity tax credit eligibility for Hurricane Katrina employees. Extends through 2009 tax credits for: (1) energy efficient appliances; (2) nonbusiness energy property; (3) residential energy efficient property; (4) producing electricity from renewable resources; (5) new energy efficient homes; and (6) investment in certain energy property and in clean renewable energy bonds. Extends through 2009 the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings. Makes permanent the authority for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) undercover operations and combined employment tax reporting. Extends through 2009 IRS authority for disclosure of tax information relating to terrorist activities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2008
Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (Landrum-Griffin Act) to make a labor organization liable to any of its members for a civil money penalty of up to $250 for each day that it fails to provide such member information regarding the organization's constitution, bylaws, organization report, and annual financial report, including any books, records, and accounts necessary to verify such reports. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to bring an action in U.S. district court for injunctive relief and enforcement of administrative penalties against any person who has violated or is about to violate any reporting requirements of such Act, including those applying to a labor organization which has or assumes trusteeship over any subordinate labor organization. Requires a district court, upon a complaint by the Secretary that demonstrates failure to file timely and complete reports, to enjoin continued violation of the related reporting requirements. Authorizes the Secretary, upon finding a violation of specified reporting and disclosure requirements, to impose an administrative money penalty of up to $250 a day, or $10,000 in aggregate, adjusted for inflation, against the person, labor organization, or employer responsible for such violation.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2008
Welcomes Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of his first pastoral visit to the United States and recognizes the unique insights his moral and spiritual reflections bring to the world stage.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2008
Recognizes the historic significance of the 60th anniversary of the reestablishment of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people. Reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel. Commends the people of Israel for their achievements in building a new state and a pluralistic democratic society. Reaffirms support for Israel's right to defend itself against threats to its security and existence. Extends congratulations and best wishes to Israel and the Israeli people for a peaceful and successful future.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2008
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the standards for imposing penalties on tax return preparers for understatements of tax to require: (1) substantial authority for a position with respect to an item on a tax return if such position was not disclosed with the return; and (2) a reasonable basis for a position which was disclosed with the return. Requires tax return preparers to have a reasonable belief that a position with respect to a tax shelter or a reportable transaction (a transaction having a potential for tax avoidance or evasion) will more likely than not be sustained on its merits.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2008
Congratulates the Army Reserve on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the enactment of its original authorizing law on April 23, 1908. Recognizes and commends the Army Reserve for the service of its past and present citizen-soldiers whose personal courage, contributions, and sacrifices have helped preserve the freedom and advance the national security and homeland defense of the United States. Extends gratitude to the veterans, soldiers, families, and employers who have supported the Army Reserve in accomplishing its vital missions.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2008
China Currency Manipulation Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) make an affirmative determination that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is manipulating the rate of exchange between its currency and the U.S. dollar; (2) establish and report to Congress on a plan of action to remedy such currency manipulation; (3) initiate expeditiously bilateral negotiations with the PRC to ensure that it regularly adjusts the rate of exchange between its currency and the U.S. dollar in order to permit effective balance of payment adjustments and eliminate unfair competitive advantage in trade; and (4) instruct the Executive Director to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to use the U.S. vote to ensure that the PRC takes such action to achieve such goals.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2008
Honors the service and sacrifice of, and identifies, the 4,009 men and women who lost their lives in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 487 men and women who lost their lives in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, as of April 3, 2008. Honors their families and loved ones.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Clean Boating Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to provide that no permit shall be required by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the national pollutant discharge elimination system for the discharge from a recreational vessel of graywater, bilge water, cooling water, weather deck runoff, oil water separator effluent, or effluent from properly functioning marine engines or for any other discharge that is incidental to the normal operation of such vessel. Defines a "recreational vessel" as any vessel that is leased, rented, or chartered to a person for that person's pleasure or that is manufactured or used primarily for pleasure, excluding vessels that are subject to Coast Guard inspection and that are engaged in commercial use or that carry paying passengers. Requires the Administrator to: (1) develop management practices for recreational vessels to mitigate the adverse impacts on U.S. waters of discharges incidental to normal vessel operation (excluding sewage) in any case in which the Administrator determines that the use of those practices is reasonable and practicable; and (2) promulgate federal standards of performance (which may distinguish among vessel types) for each discharge for which such a management practice is developed. Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to promulgate regulations governing the design, construction, installation, and use of management practices for recreational vessels as necessary to meet such standards. Prohibits the owner or operator of a recreational vessel from operating in U.S. waters if such owner or operator is not using applicable management practices in compliance with such regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Pediatric Research Consortia Establishment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for planning, establishing, and providing basic operating support for up to 20 national pediatric research consortia. Requires each such consortium to: (1) supplement, but not replace, the establishment of a comprehensive pediatric research portfolio; (2) conduct basic, clinical, behavioral, social, and translational research; and (3) conduct training and demonstration of advanced diagnostic and treatment methods relating to pediatrics. Requires the Director of NIH to provide for the coordination of information and ensure regular communication between consortia.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "refined coal" for purposes of the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources to include certain emission reduction certification requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to increase, between FY2008 and FY2011, from 85% to 100% of the locality adjusted national average per resident amount the payment floor for direct graduate medical education (GME) payments under the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit the provision of assistance to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to a country that expended funds from its own budget on developing or sustaining an active space exploration and research program or for nuclear weapons design, development, or maintenance.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Designates the week of March 16 through 22, 2008, as "National Safe Place Week."
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2008
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Howard Metzenbaum, a former member of the U.S. Senate. Declares that when the Senate recesses on March 13, 2008, it stand in recess as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Metzenbaum.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2008
Clean Energy Investment Bank Act of 2008 - Establishes the Clean Energy Investment Bank of the United States, which shall be a U.S. agency and a government corporation. Requires the bank to assist in the financing, and facilitate the commercial use, of clean energy and energy efficient technologies within the United States. Authorizes the Bank to make investments: (1) in projects in the United States related to the production or use of energy that use a commercial technology that avoids, reduces, or sequesters one or more air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases more effectively than other technology options available to the project developer; or (2) under provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 concerning incentives for innovative technologies. Authorizes the Bank to establish an equity finance program under which it may purchase, invest in, or otherwise acquire equity or quasi-equity securities of firms or entities for the purpose of providing capital for any project that is consistent with this Act. Establishes in the Treasury the Clean Energy Investment Bank Fund that shall be available for discharge of Bank liabilities. Transfers to the Bank's Board of Directors specified functions and authority of the Secretary of Energy concerning guarantees, loans, and credit assistance, including programs and authorities under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 concerning incentives for innovative technologies. Revises provisions of such Act concerning the terms and conditions of loan guarantees for such incentives.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2008
National Language Act of 2008 - Requires: (1) English to be the national language of the federal government; and (2) the federal government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language. Provides that no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the federal government act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English, unless specifically provided by statute. Makes the English language version of a government form issued in a language other than English the sole authority for legal purposes. Declares that this Act does not prohibit the use of a language other than English.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2008
Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of gold medals in recognition of the service of Native American code talkers of specified Indian tribes. Defines "code talker" as a Native American who served in the Armed Forces during a foreign conflict and who participated in miliatary communications using a native language. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and Indian tribes, to identify Native American code talkers eligible for a gold medal.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2008
Homeownership, Manufacturing, and Economic Growth Act or the HOME Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend expiring income, excise, and alternative minimum tax (AMT) provisions and expand other individual and business-related tax incentives. Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to undertake certain initiatives to help small businesses and imposes restrictions on litigation deemed frivolous. Extends through 2009 certain expiring tax provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers, including: (1) tax credits for nonbusiness energy property, residential energy efficient property, increasing research activities, Indian employment, railroad track maintenance, energy efficient appliances, and investment in new markets; (2) tax deductions for educational expenses, state and local sales taxes, food and book inventories, and energy efficient commercial buildings; (3) tax-free distributions from retirement accounts for individuals ordered to active duty and for making charitable contributions; (4) mortgage revenue bond financing for veterans; (5) accelerated depreciation for qualified leasehold and restaurant improvements, motorsports racing track facilities, and business property on Indian reservations; (6) the increased AMT exemption amount; (7) authority for issuance of qualified zone academy bonds; (8) tax incentives for investment in the District of Columbia; (9) income and excise tax credits for alternative fuels, including biodiesel and ethanol fuel from coal; and (10) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) authorities for disclosing information relating to terrorist activities, combined employment tax reporting, and undercover operations. Makes permanent tax provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Reduces the maximum corporate income tax rate to 25%. Requires the SEC to take certain actions to assist businesses, including reviews of its rulemaking processes and of the impact of excessive litigation. Allows use of mortgage revenue bonds for refinancing subprime loans. Allows a tax credit for the purchase of residences facing foreclosure. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to expand disclosure requirements for mortgage loans. Sets forth provisions relating to lawsuits against small businesses deemed frivolous and places restrictions on attorney fees and scientific testimony in federal civil cases.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2008
Modernize Our Bookkeeping In the Law for Employee's Cell Phone Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to remove certain limitations on the tax deduction for employee use of cellular telephones.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2008
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2008
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Tom Lantos, late a Representative from the state of California.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2008
Protecting Americans from Violent Crime Act of 2008 - Bars the promulgation or enforcement of any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm, including an assembled or functional firearm, in any unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System if: (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the state in which the unit is located.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2008
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow purchasers of a single-family principal residence a one-time tax credit for up to $15,000 of the purchase price. Requires such a residence to be purchased after February 29, 2008, and before March 1, 2009, and that it be: (1) a new previously unoccupied residence for which a building permit has been issued and construction began on or before September 1, 2007; (2) an owner-occupied residence with a mortgage indebtedness in default on or before March 1, 2008; or (3) in foreclosure and owned by the mortgagor or the mortgagor's agent.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2008
Honors the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2008
Child Custody Protection 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 safe 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, terminate an ectopic pregnancy, or 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 anyone who has committed an act of incest with a minor and knowingly transports such minor across a state line to obtain an abortion.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2008
Expresses the appreciation of the Senate to Marty Paone, and commends him for his lengthy, faithful and outstanding service to the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2007
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to apply the Act's antidumping and countervailing duty provisions to contracts and transactions of foreign countries (including North American Free Trade [NAFTA] countries) involving the production of low-enriched uranium.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Allows employees of commercial passenger airlines who receive payments from a bankruptcy case filed between September 11, 2001, and January 1, 2007, as compensation for lost pension plan benefits to rollover such payments into an individual retirement account (IRA), except for a Roth IRA, without tax or tax penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise national quality assurance standards to assure consistent performance by laboratories of valid and reliable cytology services, to include requirements that each clinical laboratory: (1) ensure that all individuals involved in screening and interpreting cytological preparations participate annually in an approved continuing medical education program in gynecologic cytology that provides each participant with gynecologic cytological preparations designed to improve locator, recognition, and interpretive skills; (2) maintain a record of program results; (3) require the laboratory director to consider such results and other performance metrics in reviewing the performance of individuals involved in screening and interpreting cytological preparations; and (4) submit the continuing education program results for each individual and plans for corrective action or remedial training in a timely manner to the laboratory's accrediting organization for purposes of review and ongoing monitoring. Requires the Secretary to terminate individual proficiency testing that was in effect before enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2007
Declares that the Senate notes with deep appreciation the retirement of Chester Trent Lott (a Senator from the state of Mississippi). Extends its best wishes to Trent Lott and his family. Honors the integrity and outstanding work Trent Lott has done in service to his country.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2007
Declares that the Senate: (1) notes with deep sorrow the death of Henry John Hyde, a former Representative from Illinois, on November 29, 2007, in Chicago; (2) extends its heartfelt sympathy to his family; and (3) recognizes his life of service and outstanding contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2007
Declares that the Senate: (1) notes with deep sorrow the death of Henry John Hyde, a former Representative from Illinois, on November 29, 2007, in Chicago; (2) extends its heartfelt sympathy to his family; and (3) recognizes his life of service and outstanding contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 2007
Honors the life of Joe Nuxhall (baseball legend and Cincinnati Reds broadcaster).