United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2004
Designates November 7, 2004, as National Native American Veterans Day. Honors the service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2004
Supports the goals of Red Ribbon Week. Encourages: (1) children and teens to choose to live a drug-free life; and (2) all people of the United States to promote drug-free communities and to participate in drug prevention activities to show support for healthy, productive, drug-free lifestyles.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2004
Enterprise Rancheria Land Restoration Act of 2004 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to place into trust status not to exceed 41 acres of land of the Enterprise Rancheria (one of several Federally recognized tribes of Maidu Indians in California), if the land is approved for trust status. Provides that, to restore the Enterprise Rancheria No. 2 parcel, the Enterprise Rancheria may purchase not to exceed 41 acres of replacement land within the 40 mile radius of Enterprise Rancheria No. 2 parcel and within the aboriginal boundaries of the Estom Yumeka. Allows the Secretary to place the replacement land into trust status, the title to which shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of Enterprise Rancheria. Provides that: (1) the acquisition of land above shall be treated as the restoration of land for an Indian tribe that is recognized by the Federal Government; (2) this Act does not limit the authority of the Secretary to approve or deny any land application for trust status; and (3) on the placement of replacement land into trust status, the Enterprise Rancheria shall be considered to have relinquished all equitable compensation claims the Enterprise Rancheria may have against the United States and California arising from the sale of Enterprise Rancheria No. 2 parcel.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2004
Pitkin County Land Exchange Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary) and the Secretary of the Interior, upon receipt of title to certain lands located in Pitkin County, Colorado, and certain lands located on Smuggler Mountain in the County, to convey to the County or to the Aspen Valley Land Trust, if the County so requests, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to certain National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands located in the County. Prohibits the conveyance of a specified parcel to the County unless and until specified conditions are met, including that the County grants to the Aspen Valley Land Trust, the Roaring Fork Conservancy, or to another entity mutually agreeable to the County and the Secretary of the Interior, a permanent conservation easement which provides public access to the parcel and limits future use of the parcel to recreational, fish, and wildlife conservation, and open space purposes. States that lands acquired by the Secretary pursuant to this Act shall become part of White River National Forest.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2004
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to posthumously award a gold medal of appropriate design to Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich and Roy Peratrovich, in recognition of their outstanding and enduring contributions to the civil rights and dignity of the Native peoples of Alaska and the Nation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2004
American Bald Eagle Recovery and National Emblem Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in celebration of the recovery of the bald eagle, in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the placement of the bald eagle on the endangered species list under such Act, to mint and issue not more than: (1) 100,000 $5 gold coins; (2) 500,000 $1 silver coins; and (3) 750,000 half dollar coins. Directs that the design of the coins be emblematic of the bald eagle and its history, natural biology, and national symbolism. Requires that sales of the coins include a surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin, $10 for the $1 coin, and $3 for the half dollar coin, which shall be promptly paid by the Secretary to the American Eagle Foundation of Tennessee to: (1) establish an interest-bearing endowment called the American Eagle Fund as a permanent source of support for the care, monitoring, maintenance, and recovery of the bald eagle and its habitat in the United States; (2) make annual grants to Federal, State, and private eagle restoration, protection, and enhancement projects; (3) administer the Fund in an annual amount not to exceed the lesser of ten percent of the annual income of the Fund or $250,000; and (4) provide financial support for capital projects and for continuation and expansion of the Foundation's efforts to educate the American people about the bald eagle.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2004
Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Amendment Act of 2004 - Amends the Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act to provide for the acquisition of land for the Yurok Reservation. Provides that Federal law enforcement and tribal court funds and programs shall be made available to the Hoopa Valley Tribe and Yurok Tribe on the same basis as the funds and programs are available to other Indian tribes. Provides for recognition of the Yurok Tribe. Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into stewardship agreements with the Yurok Tribe with respect to management of Klamath River Basin fisheries and water resources. Authorizes appropriations for Yurok infrastructure development and for Yurok economic development. Amends the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Act to revise the membership of the Klamath Fishery Management Council to include as voting members a representative of the Yurok Tribe appointed by the Yurok Tribal Council and a representative of the Department of the Interior appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Amends the Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act to require the Secretary to enter into negotiations with the Yurok Tribe to establish a plan for the economic self-sufficiency of the Yurok Tribe.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2004
Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004 - Authorizes the Secretaries of Education, of State, and of Health and Human Services to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Special Olympics for specified education, international, and health activities, including ones promoting Special Olympics and a greater understanding of contributions to society by individuals with intellectual disabilities both within and outside of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2004
Native American Technical Corrections Act of 2004 - Makes technical amendments to: (1) Federal law concerned with the Indian Arts and Craft Board; (2) the Indian Financing Act of 1974 with respect to sale or assignment of loans and underlying security; (3) the Indian Pueblo Land Act Amendments with respect to criminal jurisdiction; and (4) the Indian Reorganization Act with respect to gaming. Directs the Secretary of the Army to convey all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to certain land to be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Prairie Island Indian Community in Minnesota. Revises requirements with respect to Gila River Indian Community mandatory binding arbitration. Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act with respect to voting standards. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to release the reversionary condition on a certain portion of land adjacent to the community of Beaver, Alaska. Directs the Beaver Kwit'chin Corporation to reconvey title to such land to any current individual occupant or successor in interest. Directs the Secretary to accept the conveyance of certain parcels of land within the Puyallup reservation and to hold it in trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Indian Tribe. Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1999 with respect to: (1) the State of South Dakota Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Restoration Trust Fund and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; and (2) the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe funds from the Cheyenne River Sioux Terrestrial Wildlife Habit Restoration Trust Fund and the Lower Brule Sioux Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Restoration Trust Fund. Amends Federal Indian law to provide for the inheritance of small fractional interests for the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2004
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers boxes, containers, receptacles, bins, or similar articles used by a potato farmer for hauling potatoes.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2004
Health Promotion Funding Integrated Research, Synthesis, and Training Act or Health Promotion FIRST Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a plan for health promotion that includes coordinating the health promotion activities of the Department of Health and Human Services and addressing how best to: (1) develop the basic and applied science of health promotion; (2) disseminate health promotion research; (3) support the health promotion community; and (4) modify or develop policies, structure, and legislation to integrate health promotion into all health professions and sectors of society. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, to: (1) develop a plan on how best to develop the basic science of health promotion through NIH agencies; and (2) conduct or support early research programs and research training regarding health promotion. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop a plan to establish a research agenda regarding health promotion for CDC. Requires the Director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion to award grants to develop Health Promotion Research Centers. Requires the Director of CDC to: (1) make an effort to attract grant applications from groups experienced in providing programs; (2) fund research to develop the applied science of health promotion for specified settings; and (3) develop a research agenda for workplace health promotion. Requires the Secretary to modify the application process for grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded under this Act to attract the most qualified individuals and organizations, rather than those most experienced with the application process.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2004
Designates October 2004 as Protecting Older Americans From Fraud Month. Requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs that: (1) prevent the purveyors of telemarketing, mail, Internet, and identity fraud from victimizing the people of the United States; and (2) educate and inform the public, older Americans, their families, and their caregivers about a number of financial crimes, such as telemarketing, mail, Internet, and identity fraud.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Indian Tribal Detention Facility Reform Act of 2004 - Amends the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act with respect to the operation of tribal detention systems in American Indian communities. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish within the Division of Law Enforcement Services a separate Branch of Detention Services. Requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to develop and implement protocols for reporting on serious incidents, particularly escapes, to appropriate law enforcement authorities. Requires the Division of Law Enforcement Services to conduct a preliminary inquiry of any serious incident to determine whether a full investigation is warranted. Directs the BIA to complete an assessment of the physical conditions and needs of all detention facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Children's Health Protection and Improvement Act of 2004 - Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the extended availability through FY 2004 of SCHIP allotments for FY 1998 through 2001. Specifies formulae for amounts to be used in computing redistributions for FY 2003, 2003, and 2004. Provides for reallocation of 70 percent of the expiring FY 1998, 1999, and 2000 funds to States that have fully expended their annual allotments. Extends the availability of the remaining 30 percent of such expiring funds with the States that currently have them. Permits 50 percent of the total amount of a State's unexpended FY 2002 SCHIP allotments to remain available through FY 2006. Permits 50 percent of the total amount of a State's unexpended FY 2003 and 2004 SCHIP allotments to remain available through the end of FY 2007. Requires redistribution of the other 50 percent of such funds to States that have fully spent their allotments during the three-year period they were available. Requires a second redistribution according to the same 70-30 formula of any retained or redistributed funds still unexpended at the end of the two-year extention or redistribution. Provides for continued authority for qualifying States to use certain funds for Medicaid expenditures.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Amends the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 2000 to rename the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area as the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 2004
Designates the month of September 2004 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Declares that the Federal Government has a responsibility to: (1) raise awareness about the importance of screening methods and treatment of prostate cancer; (2) increase research funding that is commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the causes of, and improved screening, treatments, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered; and (3) continue to consider ways for improving access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer. Requests the President to call upon Americans, interested groups, and affected persons to promote awareness of prostate cancer, to take an active role in ending the devastating effects of prostate cancer on individuals, their families, and the economy, and to observe the month of September 2004 with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2004
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1001 Williams Street, Ignacio, Colorado, as the "Leonard C. Burch Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 2004
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005 - Makes FY 2005 appropriations for the Senate for: (1) expense allowances; (2) representation allowances for the Majority and Minority Leaders; (3) salaries of specified officers, employees, and committees (including the Committee on Appropriations); (4) agency contributions for employee benefits; (5) inquiries and investigations; (6) the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control; (7) the Offices of the Secretary and of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous items; (9) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; and (10) official mail costs. Makes FY 2005 appropriations for salaries and/or expenses of: (1) the Joint Economic and Taxation Committees; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; (3) the Capitol Guide Service and Special Services Office; (4) the preparation of statements of appropriations; (5) the Capitol Police; (6) the Office of Compliance; (7) the Congressional Budget Office; (8) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), including for the care and operation of Capitol buildings and grounds, the Senate office building, the Capitol power plant, the Library of Congress buildings and grounds, the Capitol Police buildings and grounds, the Botanic Garden; and (9) the Capitol Visitor Center. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the Copyright Office, Congressional Research Service, and Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; (2) the Government Printing Office (GPO) for congressional printing and binding (including transfer of funds); (3) GPO for the Office of Superintendent of Documents (including transfer of funds); (4) a payment to the Government Printing Office Revolving Fund; (5) the Government Accountability Office for salaries and expenses; and (6) a payment to the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2004
Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions regarding Federal assistance for programs to reduce suicide among children and adolescents. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants or cooperative agreements to: (1) develop and implement State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance abuse programs, mental health programs, foster care systems, and other child and youth support organizations; (2) support public organizations actively involved in State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies and in the development and continuation of such intervention and prevention strategies; (3) collect and analyze data on State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention services that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of such services and for research, technical assistance, and policy development; and (4) assist eligible entities in achieving their targets for youth suicide reductions. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to award a grant or contract to establish the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Requires the Secretary to award grants to institutions of higher education to expand mental and behavior health services to students, to provide such services, and to develop best practices for the delivery of such services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 July 2004
Calls for the President to designate the week of November 7-13, 2003, 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 · 7 July 2004
Recognizes the important and unique contribution of Native Americans to the cultural legacy of the United States. Honors the cultural achievements of all Native Americans. Celebrates the official opening of the National Museum of the American Indian. Encourages all Americans to take advantage of the resources of the Museum to learn about the history and culture of Native Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Benjamin Franklin Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one dollar coins emblematic of the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin (not more than 250,000 bearing his image as a young statesman and not more than 250,000 with his image as an older numismatist). Directs that all sales of coins minted under this Act include a $10 per coin surcharge, which shall be paid by the Secretary to the Franklin Institute for purposes of the celebration of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2004
Commends national and community organizations and health care providers for supplying information concerning the importance of screening for prostate cancer and the treatment options. Declares that the Federal Government and the States should ensure that health care providers supply patients with appropriate information and tools necessary to receive readily understandable information about all medically efficacious screening and treatments for prostate cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2004
Revises the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 and related Federal education law to include: (1) reauthorization of programs for grants to tribally controlled colleges or universities and for renovation; (2) a definition of Indian student; (3) an accreditation requirement; (4) various specified colleges and universities, such as the Bay Mills Community College and the Blackfeet Community College, as a tribal college or university; (5) distance learning as an authorized activity; and (6) loan repayment or cancellation for individuals who teach in tribal colleges or universities. Navajo Nation Higher Education Act of 2004 - States that Congress authorizes Dine College to receive all Federal funding and resources under this Act and other laws for the operation, improvement, and growth of the College. Authorizes the College to expend money received under this Act to undertake all renovations and repairs to its infrastructure. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on all capital projects and facility needs. Repeals the Navajo Community College Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2004
Recognizes as a compelling national priority the need to increase awareness about and prevent suicide. Reaffirms Congress's commitment to the priorities expressed in prior legislation (which recognized suicide as a national problem and declared suicide prevention to be a national priority). Encourages Americans, communities, and the nation to work to increase awareness about and prevent suicide.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2004
Children's Hospitals Educational Equity and Research Act of 2004 or CHEER Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments through FY 2010 (currently, through FY 2005) to children's hospitals for costs associated with operating approved graduate medical resident training programs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2004
Ronald Reagan Commemorative Coin Act of 2004 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue five-dollar gold coins, one-dollar silver coins, and ten-dollar bimetallic coins emblematic of the presidency and life of former President Ronald Wilson Reagan.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2004
Korea Defense Service Combat Recognition Act - Directs the Secretary of the Army to provide that, with respect to service in the Republic of Korea after July 28, 1953, eligibility of a member of the Army for the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge shall be met under criteria and eligibility requirements that, as nearly as practicable, are identical to those applicable to service elsewhere without regard to specific location or special circumstances such as: (1) serving in a hostile fire area; (2) a minimum number of instances in which the member was engaged with the enemy in active ground combat; or (3) a personal recommendation or approval by a commander in the member's chain of command.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2004
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S. Government and Congress should condemn acts of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (2) officials and elected leaders of all Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) participating states, including all OSCE Mediterranean Partner for Cooperation countries, should also condemn acts of anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination; (3) the participating OSCE states should be commended for supporting the Berlin Declaration and for bringing increased attention to incidents of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (4) the U.S. Government should work with other OSCE participating states to encourage compliance with OSCE commitments and, if necessary, urge the creation of legal mechanisms to combat and track acts of anti-Semitism and intolerance; (5) all participating states should forward their respective laws and data on incidents of anti-Semitism and other hate crimes to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; (6) the United States should encourage appointment of a high level "personal envoy" to ensure sustained attention to OSCE commitments on the reporting of anti-Semitic crimes; (7) the United States should urge OSCE participating states that have not already done so to join the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research; and (8) all OSCE participating states should renew efforts to implement their existing commitments to fight anti-Semitism and intolerance.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2004
Amends Federal law concerning the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System to allow a payment due a minor or an individual mentally incompetent or under other legal disability to be made to the person who is a trustee under a trust meeting specified trust requirements of title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act that contains the assets of an individual who is disabled if: (1) in the case of a minor, the minor is a child of the person upon whom the benefit for payment due is based or a dependent (who is a child) of the person upon whom the benefit for payment due is based; or (2) in the case of an individual mentally incompetent or under legal disability, the incompetency or disability occurred during the period that the individual was a child or a dependent (who was a child) of the person upon whom the benefit for payment due is based and that incompetency or disability has been continuous since that occurrence through the date of the payment due. Provides for the assignability of payments under such Systems to a trustee under such a trust.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2004
Expresses the grateful thanks of the Nation to the more than 16 million individuals who served in the Army, Army Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine in World War II and to the millions of Americans on the home front who contributed to the war effort. Recognizes the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on May 29, 2004, as an occasion to acknowledge and pay tribute to those members of the Armed Forces who served in World War II, who are known collectively as the Greatest Generation.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2004
Support Our Olympic Athletes Act of 2004 - Amends the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to authorize trademark actions by the United States Olympic Committee for unauthorized use of the words "Olympik," "Olympick," "Olympika," "Olympicka," "Olympica," or "Olympikus."
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2004
States that Congress: (1) acknowledges and welcomes the strong relationship formed between the United States and Ukraine since the restoration of Ukraine's independence in 1991; (2) recognizes that a precondition for the full integration of Ukraine into the Western community of nations, including as an equal member in institutions such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is its establishment of a democratic political system; (3) urges the Government of Ukraine to guarantee freedom of association and assembly, including the right of candidates, members of political parties, and others to freely assemble, to organize and conduct public events, and to exercise these and other rights free from intimidation or harassment; (4) urges the Government of Ukraine to meet its Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments on democratic elections; (5) urges the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the full transparency of election procedures before, during, and after the 2004 presidential elections; and (6) pledges its support and assistance to the Ukrainian people's establishment of a free and open democratic system, creation of a free market economy, and their country's assumption of a full and equal membership in the Western community of democracies.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2004
Theodore Roosevelt Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than: (1) 500,000 $1 coins with the image of Theodore Roosevelt as a Rough Rider on one side and an eagle design on the other side; and (2) 500,000 $1 coins with the image of Roosevelt on horseback on one side and a flaming sword of righteousness on the other side. Calls for the coins to be struck at the U.S. Mint at West Point, New York. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such minted coins beginning on January 1, 2006, and to initiate coin sales before such date (2006 will mark the 100th anniversary of Roosevelt receiving the Nobel Peace Prize). Requires surcharges from the sale of the coins minted under this Act to be paid to: (1) the Theodore Roosevelt Association to be used exclusively for educational programs at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, including for construction and maintenance of a visitor's center and setting up a curatorial chair and purchase fund for the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard University Library; and (2) the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation to be used exclusively for educational programs at and around Theodore Roosevelt National Park, including construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Badlands Institute in the badlands of North Dakota. Distributes specified surcharge amounts to the Association and Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2004
Commends all Americans serving nobly abroad. Condemns the despicable acts at Abu Ghraib prison and joins with the President in expressing apology for the humiliation suffered by the prisoners in Iraq and their families. Urges: (1) the Government of the United States to take appropriate measures to ensure that such acts do not occur in the future; and (2) that all individuals responsible for such acts be held accountable. Expresses the belief that the appropriate Senate committees and the President should conduct a full investigation of the abuses alleged to have occurred at Abu Ghraib.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2004
Declares that the United States acting through Congress: (1) recognizes the special legal and political relationship the Indian tribes have with it and the solemn covenant with the land we share; (2) commends and honors the Native Peoples for the thousands of years that they have stewarded and protected this land; (3) acknowledges years of official depredations, ill-conceived policies, and the breaking of covenants by the Federal Government regarding Indian tribes; (4) apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on them by U.S. citizens; (5) expresses its regret for the ramifications of former offenses and its commitment to build on the positive relationships of the past and present to move toward a brighter future where all the people of this land live reconciled as brothers and sisters, and harmoniously steward and protect this land together; (6) urges the President to acknowledge the offenses of the United States against Indian tribes in U.S. history in order to bring healing to this land by providing a proper foundation for reconciliation between such entities; and (7) commends the State governments that have begun reconciliation efforts with recognized Indian tribes located in their boundaries and encourages all State governments similarly to do the same. Provides that nothing in this Joint Resolution authorizes any claim against the United States or serves as a settlement of any claim against it.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2004
States that the Senate: (1) acknowledges and welcomes the strong relationship formed between the United States and Ukraine since the restoration of Ukraine's independence in 1991; (2) recognizes that a precondition for the full integration of Ukraine into the Western community of nations, including as an equal member in institutions such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is its establishment of a democratic political system; (3) urges the Government of Ukraine to guarantee freedom of association and assembly, including the right of candidates, members of political parties, and others to freely assemble, to organize and conduct public events, and to exercise these and other rights free from intimidation or harassment; (4) urges the Government of Ukraine to meet its Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments on democratic elections; (5) urges the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the full transparency of election procedures before, during, and after the 2004 presidential elections; and (6) pledges its support and assistance to the Ukrainian people's establishment of a free and open democratic system, creation of a free market economy, and their country's assumption of a full and equal membership in the Western community of democracies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2004
Native American Connectivity Act - Establishes within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration a Native American telecommunications block grant program to provide grants on a competitive basis to an Indian tribe or organization, tribal college or university, or institution of higher education acting jointly with an Indian tribe to carry out activities for the development of telecommunications capacities in Indian country. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide training and technical assistance grants to: (1) develop a training program for telecommunications employees; or (2) provide assistance to students who participate in telecommunications or information technology work study programs and are enrolled in a full-time program in telecommunications-related education, development, planning, or management. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) fiscal year block grant set-asides for the training and technical assistance grants; (2) audits of grant fund uses; (3) environmental compliance in the development of telecommunications facilities; (4) remedies for noncompliance with block grant requirements; and (5) reporting requirements of the Secretary and grant recipients.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2004
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to state that per diem payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the care of veterans in State homes shall not be considered a liability of a third party, or otherwise utilized to offset or reduce any other payment made to assist veterans.