United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2005
Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 coins emblematic of the desegregation of the Little Rock Central High School and its contribution to civil rights in America, beginning January 1, 2007. Terminates such minting authority after December 31, 2007. States that all sales shall include a surcharge of $10 per coin, to be equally divided and paid to: (1) the Jefferson National Parks Association for the purpose of providing support for programs and other developmental activities at the Little Rock Central High National Historic Site and support for the ongoing mission of the Little Rock Central High National Historic Site; and (2) the Secretary of the Interior for site improvements at the Little Rock Central High National Historic Site, including the establishment of cooperative agreements to preserve and restore the historic character of the vicinity in the historic site's boundaries. States that Congress intends for such surcharges to supplement amounts provided to the Secretary in appropriation Acts for the Little Rock Central High National Historic Site, and are not intended to be a substitute for such appropriated amounts.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2005
Terrorist Apprehension and Record Retention Act of 2005 or the TARR Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that if the national criminal background check system indicates that a person attempting to purchase a firearm or applying for a State permit to possess, acquire, or carry a firearm is identified as a known or suspected member of a terrorist organization in records maintained by the Department of Justice or the Department of Homeland Security, including the Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File or records maintained by the Intelligence Community: (1) all information related to the prospective transaction shall be automatically and immediately transmitted to the appropriate Federal and State counterterrorism officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); (2) the FBI shall coordinate the response; and (3) all records generated in the course of the check that are obtained by Federal and State officials shall be retained for at least ten years.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2005
Amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to: (1) prohibit the sale or transfer for commercial product processing of any free-roaming horse or burro on U.S. public lands; and (2) repeal the provisions permitting the sale of certain excess animals or their remains, and excluding from criminal fine or imprisonment a person who processes or permits the processing of such animals' remains.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2005
Condemns the ongoing abductions and murders of young women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City, Mexico, and expresses condolences to the victims' families. Urges the President and Secretary of State to: (1) incorporate the investigative efforts of the Mexican Government in the bilateral Mexico-U.S. agenda; and (2) continue to support the efforts of the victims' families to seek justice. Encourages the Secretary to: (1) include in the annual Country Report on Human Rights all instances of improper investigatory methods, threats against human rights activists, and the use of torture with respect to such cases; (2) urge the Government of Mexico and the State of Chihuahua to review the cases of murdered women in which the accused or convicted have credibly alleged they were tortured or forced by a state agent to confess; and (3) urge the Government of Mexico to ensure fair judicial proceedings. Supports the work of the special commissioner to prevent violence against women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City. Expresses the solidarity of the people of the United States with the people of Mexico in the face of these tragic acts.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2005 or NOPEC - Amends the Sherman Act to declare it to be illegal and a violation of the Act for any foreign state or instrumentality thereof to act collectively or in combination with any other foreign state or any other person, whether by cartel or any other association or form of cooperation or joint action, to limit the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product (petroleum), to set or maintain the price of petroleum, or to otherwise take any action in restraint of trade for petroleum, when such action has a direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effect on the market, supply, price, or distribution of petroleum in the United States. Denies a foreign state engaged in such conduct sovereign immunity from the jurisdiction or judgements of U.S. courts in any action brought to enforce this Act. States that no U.S. court shall decline, based on the act of state doctrine, to make a determination on the merits in an action brought under this Act. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission to bring an action in U.S. district court to enforce this Act. Amends the Federal judicial code to make an exception to the jurisdictional immunity of a foreign state in an action brought under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Microbicide Development Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Office of AIDS Research to: (1) expedite the implementation of the Federal strategic plan for the conduct and support of microbicide research; and (2) expand, intensify, and coordinate all activities with respect to research and development of microbicides to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to: (1) establish within the Division of AIDS an organizational unit to carry out microbicide research and development; and (2) assign priority to ensuring adequate funding and support for the integration of basic science and clinical research. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fully implement the CDC's topical microbicide agenda to support microbicide research and development. Directs the head of the Office of HIV/AIDS of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop and implement a program to support the development of microbicides products and facilitate wide-scale availability of such products.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Women's Health Office Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Social Security Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the establishment of separate Offices on Women's Health within the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Office of the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to carry out specified activities relating to the health of women. Directs the lead officers of each Office of Women's Health to establish goals, provide information, serve as a consultant, and establish a Coordinating Committee on Women's Health within their respective agencies. Requires the Director of the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to designate an official of the Office of Priority Populations to carry out similar responsibilities relating to women's health. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Office of Women's Health, to establish a National Women's Health Information Center to facilitate the exchange of information, access to such information, and the analysis of issues and problems relating to women's health. Transfers the functions of the Office on Women's Health of the Public Health Service to the Office of Women's Health within HHS.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Medicare Dual Eligible Prescription Drug Coverage Act of 2005 - Provides that, for prescriptions filled between January 1 and June 30, 2006, requirements for the coordination of prescription drug benefits with Medicare as primary payor for dual eligible individuals under the new prescription drug benefit program (PDP) under Medicare part E (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) shall not apply. Requires a State to continue to provide Medicaid medical assistance with respect to prescription drugs as if such coordination requirements had not been enacted. Declares that no State or the District of Columbia shall be required to pay (reimburse) the Secretary of Health and Human Services for Medicaid prescription drug costs for dual eligible individuals (Medicaid clawback payments) for any month before July 1, 2006. Earmarks specified amounts for education and outreach to dual eligibles regarding prescription drug coverage and monitoring of their transition to prescription drug coverage under Medicare. Requires a PDP sponsor and an MA organization offering an MA-PD plan to submit to the Secretary appropriate information regarding the drug utilization of enrollees in such plans who are full-benefit dual eligible individuals. Directs the Secretary to collect data on the drug utilization of full-benefit dual eligible individuals and share it with the States and District of Columbia in as close to a real-time basis as possible. Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to study and report to Congress on the clawback formula.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2005
Designates March 8, 2005, as International Women's Day. Reaffirms the Senate's commitment to: (1) improve women's access to quality health care, including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment; (2) prevent violence against women, including the trafficking of women and girls worldwide; (3) end discrimination and increase the participation of women in government and private sector decisionmaking positions; and (4) extend full economic opportunities to women.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2005
Increases the authorized end strengths for the Army and Marine Corps for fiscal years after 2005. Amends the Ronald R. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 to repeal the authority for additional increases in such end strengths for FY 2005 through 2009.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
National Women's History Museum Act of 2005 - Requires the Administrator of General Services to enter into an occupancy agreement to make the Pavilion Annex (the building and specified immediate surroundings, including any land unoccupied as of the enactment of this Act) in Washington, D.C. available to the National Women's History Museum, Inc. (Museum Sponsor) for a National Women's History Museum, for at least 99 years or any lesser term agreed to by the Museum Sponsor.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a plan for the prevention, control, and management of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) implement programs to increase awareness of HCV; and (2) support activities to promote the early detection of HCV infection, identify risk factors for infection, and conduct surveillance of HCV infection trends. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of CDC and the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to: (1) conduct epidemiologic research to identify best practices for HCV prevention; (2) establish a Hepatitis C Clinic Research Network to conduct research related to the treatment and medical management of HCV; and (3) conduct basic research to identify new approaches to prevent and treat HCV. Requires the Secretary to: (1) promote State, local, and tribal programs to provide referrals for medical evaluation and management to HCV-positive individuals; (2) examine whether the HCV programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should be part of the Federal plan; and (3) develop benchmarks for evaluating the programs and activities conducted under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to States, political subdivisions of States, Indian tribes, or nonprofit entities to carry out activities under this Act. Requires the Director of NIH to establish a Liver Disease Research Advisory Board.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
Education Begins at Home Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, to: (1) allot grants to states for Parents as Teachers programs, or other programs of early childhood home visitation; and (2) make competitive grants to local educational agencies and other eligible applicants for early home visitation for families with English language learners. Directs the Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education, to make competitive grants to eligible applicants for early home visitation for military families. Amends the Head Start Act to direct the Secretary of HHS to establish standards for home visitor staff in Early Head Start programs with respect to their training, qualifications, and conduct of home visits. Revises Early Head Start programs to provide for: (1) training in parenting skills and child development; (2) certain home-based and family support services; (3) procedures for transition into Head Start or other local early childhood education programs; (4) staff communication and program coordination; and (5) professional development and personnel enhancement.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
Protect Law Enforcement Armor Act or PLEA Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to expand the definition of "armor piercing ammunition" to include a projectile that: (1) may be used in a handgun; and (2) the Attorney General determines to be capable of penetrating body armor. Directs the Attorney General to promulgate standards for the uniform testing of projectiles against Body Armor Exemplar (i.e., body armor that the Attorney General determines meets minimum standards for the protection of law enforcement officers), taking into account variations in performance related to the type of handgun used, the length of the barrel, the amount and kind of powder used to propel the projectile, and the projectile's design. Prohibits the manufacture, sale, possession, or transfer of the Fabrique Nationale Herstall Five-SeveN Pistol, 5.7 x 28mm SS190 and SS192 cartridges, or any other handgun that uses armor piercing ammunition, except: (1) where manufactured and sold exclusively to U.S. military, law enforcement, or intelligence agencies; and (2) by a licensed manufacturer or contractor for the purpose of examining and testing to determine whether such prohibition applies.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2005
Commemorates the 40th anniversary, on March 7, 2005, of Bloody Sunday (the day of the civil rights march and demonstration for African American voting rights in Selma, Alabama).
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2005
Darfur Accountability Act of 2005 - Directs the President to: (1) freeze the assets of persons (and family members) named by the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General as perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur, Sudan, and report such assets to the Office of Foreign Assets Control; (2) deny visas and entry to such persons, and to anyone the President determines has been, is, or may be involved in such activities in Darfur; and (3) report the names of such persons to the appropriate congressional committees.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit: (1) Federal civilian and military retirees to pay Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and TRICARE supplemental premiums on a pretax basis (i.e., exclude premiums from gross income); and (2) a tax deduction (available to itemizers and nonitemizers) for TRICARE supplemental premiums or enrollment fees. Directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the option of paying FEHBP and TRICARE supplemental premiums on a pretax basis is available to Federal civilian and military retirees for the first open enrollment period beginning not less than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2005
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following ethical requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2005
College Literacy in Finance and Economics (College LIFE) Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to direct the Secretary of Education, in carrying out HEA activities related to improving financial and economic literacy, education, and counseling, to emphasize, among other elements, basic personal income and household money management and financial planning skills, and basic economic decision making skills. Requires with respect to minority-serving institutions and to student assistance: (1) educational or counseling services to improve the financial and economic literacy of students and their parents; and (2) personal finance courses and skills. Directs the Secretary to establish a HEA pilot program to enable institutions of higher education (IHEs) to provide annual personal finance counseling for their students. Directs the Secretary to make competitive grants to IHEs or other eligible entities under new programs for: (1) developing or sponsoring experimental, innovative delivery systems for financial literacy; (2) creating or sharing personal finance courses (with priority given to eligible entities that ban or discourage credit card proliferation and abusive credit marketing practices on campus); (3) studying and making recommendations on best ways to integrate personal finance and economics into basic educational subjects; and (4) training in economics and personal finance instruction or advising for elementary and secondary school teachers or secondary school counselors. Directs the Comptroller General to evaluate and report to specified congressional committees on the range and effectiveness of financial and economic education and financial aid counseling activities of IHEs, lenders, servicers, and guaranty agencies as emphasized by the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2005
Allied Health Reinvestment Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop public service announcements to promote the allied health professions. Requires the Secretary to award grants to promote such professions by: (1) supporting relevant State and local campaigns; (2) increasing education opportunities; (3) carrying out programs to facilitate the entry of students into relevant careers; (4) expanding enrollment into such programs; (5) providing education through new technologies and methods; (6) enhancing the workforce through retention programs; (7) developing retention strategies; (8) expanding area health education centers to develop models of excellence for such professionals; and (9) developing clinical education, internship, and resident programs that encourage mentoring and the development of specialties. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to enter into agreements to establish faculty loan funds to increase the number of qualified allied health faculty. Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide scholarships to individuals seeking allied health education who agree to provide service in rural and other medically underserved areas with personnel shortages; (2) develop a system for collecting and analyzing workforce data to determine education pipeline and practitioner shortages and to project future needs for such a workforce; and (3) include allied health schools among the schools eligible to receive grants to support Centers of Excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority individuals. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct an evaluation of whether this Act has demonstrably increased the number of allied health education program applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain employees of the intelligence community to exclude from their gross income the gain from the sale of their principal residences without regard to otherwise applicable five-year residential use and holding requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 February 2005
Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005 - Amends the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA) to extend the terrorism risk insurance program from 2005 through 2007. Defines "Program Year 4" as calendar 2006 and "Program Year 5" as calendar 2007. Extends coverage for insured losses under a policy issued during Program Year 5 through December 31, 2008, at the latest. Increases the insurance marketplace aggregate retention amount for Program Years 4 and 5. Directs the Secretary to apply TRIA to providers of group life insurance. Instructs the Presidential Working Group on Financial Markets to report to Congress its recommendations for legislation to address the long-term availability and affordability of insurance for terrorism risk.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services: (1) to develop and implement a National Arthritis Action Plan; and (2) acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct, support, and promote the coordination of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases research. Requires the Secretary to award grants to: (1) support arthritis-specific research projects at the Centers for Prevention Research by the CDC; (2) support State comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and public health surveillance, prevention, and control activities; and (3) assist in the implementation of a national strategy for arthritis control and prevention. Requires the Secretary to coordinate a national education and outreach program on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Requires the Secretary to establish an Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Interagency Coordinating Committee to: (1) improve coordination of Federal research activities related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases; and (2) convene a summit to provide a detailed overview of such current Federal research. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and intensify juvenile arthritis research. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to support juvenile arthritis data collection. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to support the development of a National Juvenile Arthritis Patient Registry. Requires the Secretary to promote and support pediatric rheumatology training, including by allowing the Secretary to establish a loan repayment program. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the economic impact of arthritis in the workplace.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the outpatient therapy cap.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Build America Bonds Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit to a taxpayer holding a Build America bond on one of its credit allowance dates. Defines a Build America bond as any bond issued by the Transportation Finance Corporation as part of an issue if the net spendable proceeds from the sale of such issue are to be used for expenditures incurred for any qualified project, or for deposit in the Build America Trust Account for repayment of Build America bonds at maturity. Defines: (1) qualified project as any qualified highway project and qualified public transportation project proposed by one or more States and approved by the Transportation Finance Corporation; and (2) qualified highway project as any project of regional or national significance, freight intermodal connector project, multistate corridor program, and border planning and capacity improvement program. Establishes the nonprofit Transportation Finance Corporation to: (1) issue Build America bonds for the financing of qualified projects; (2) establish and operate the Build America Trust Account; (3) leverage resources and stimulate public and private investment in transportation infrastructure; and (4) perform any other function the sole purpose of which is to carry out the financing of qualified projects through Build America bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Tsunami Early Warning and Relief Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Global Tsunami Disaster Reduction Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to protect vulnerable areas around the world, including Atlantic Ocean, Carribean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and European areas. Directs the Secretary of State to work with foreign countries that would benefit from tsunami warnings and through international organizations to: (1) share costs, data, and evacuation plan technical advice; and (2) ensure that the Global Earth Observation System of Systems program has access to and shares relevant information worldwide. Directs NOAA to: (1) expand the U.S. Tsunami Ready program; and (2) work with other countries to enhance Global Seismic Network (GSN) monitoring activities. Authorizes the President, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide assistance for: (1) individual victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami; and (2) infrastructure reconstruction of countries affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Maldives, Seychelles, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Requires the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to designate New Jersey Task Force 1 as part of the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2005
Condemns the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, and extends condolences to Prime Minister Hariri's family and the people of Lebanon. Supports United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1559 calling for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon. Urges the President to: (1) seek a UN Security Council resolution creating an independent investigation into the assassination; and (2) consider imposing sanctions under the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003. Supports the call of the Lebanese people for an end to Syria's presence in Lebanon, and for free, internationally-monitored elections.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2005
Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act or STOP Underage Drinking Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish an interagency coordinating committee to guide policy and program development across the Federal Government on underage drinking; (2) issue an annual report card to rate the performance of each State in enacting, enforcing, and creating laws, regulations, and programs to prevent or reduce underage drinking; (3) develop a set of outcome measures to prepare report cards, including the strictness of the minimum drinking age laws and the number of compliance checks conducted; (4) fund and oversee the Ad Council's national adult-oriented media public service campaign; (5) award grants to reduce the rate of underage alcohol use and binge drinking among students at institutions of higher education; and (6) collect data on, and conduct or support research on, underage drinking, including the impact alcohol use and abuse has upon adolescent brain development, the scope of the underage drinking problem, and progress in preventing and treating underage drinking. Requires the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants to design, test, evaluate, and disseminate strategies to maximize the effectiveness of community-wide approaches to preventing and reducing underage drinking. Requires the Secretary to carry out activities toward the objectives of: (1) testing every unnatural death of persons ages 12 to 20 for alcohol involvement; (2) obtaining new epidemiological data that identifies alcohol use and attitudes about alcohol use during pre- and early adolescence; and (3) developing or identifying successful clinical treatment for youth with alcohol problems.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2005
Authorizes the President, on behalf of Congress, to award a gold medal collectively to the Tuskegee Airmen in recognition of their unique military record, which inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2005
Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act of 2005 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require State Medicaid plan coverage of community-based attendant services and supports for certain Medicaid-eligible individuals. Outlines requirements for: (1) an enhanced Federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for ongoing activities of early coverage States that enhance and promote the use of community-based attendant services and supports; and (2) increased Federal financial participation for certain expenditures incurred by the State for the provision of such services and supports. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award grants to eligible States which have established a Consumer Task Force to assist the State in its development of real choice systems change initiatives; and (2) conduct a demonstration project for the purpose of evaluating service coordination and cost-sharing approaches with respect to the provision of community-based services and supports to non-elderly dually eligible individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2005
Federal Election Integrity Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful for a chief State election administration official to take active part in political management or in a political campaign with respect to any election for Federal office over which such official has supervisory authority.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2005
Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a national education and information campaign to promote awareness among health care practitioners and the general public with respect to the importance of early detection and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2005
Artist-Museum Partnership Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers who create literary, musical, artistic, or scholarly compositions or similar property a fair market value (determined at the time of contribution) tax deduction for contributions of such properties, the copyrights thereon, or both, to certain tax-exempt organizations, if such properties are properly appraised and are donated no sooner than 18 months after their creation. Limits the amount of such deduction based upon the donor's artistic adjusted gross income, as defined by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2005 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit an alien counted toward the numerical limitation applicable to H-2B nonimmigrants (temporary nonagricultural workers) during any of the three fiscal years prior to submission of an H-2B petition from being counted toward the limitation in the year of petition approval. Makes this provision effective as if enacted on October 1, 2004. Provides for its expiration on October 1, 2006. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to impose a fraud prevention and detection fee on employers filing H-2B petitions. Mandates the deposit of such fees into the Fraud Prevention and Detection Account. Authorizes additional penalties for a substantial failure to meet any condition of an H-2B petition or the willful misrepresentation of a material fact in such a petition. Requires the allocation of the numerical limitation on the issuance of H-2B visas (currently, 66,000) such that the total number of H-2B nonimmigrants entering the United States during the first six months of a fiscal year is not more than 33,000. Amends the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 to require the Secretary to submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Senate information regarding: (1) the numbers of aliens granted H-2B status or terminated from H-2B status, on a quarterly basis; and (2) the countries of origin, occupations of, and compensation paid to aliens granted H-2B status, the number of aliens terminated from such status, and the number of aliens provided such status during both the fiscal year reported and the preceding fiscal year, on an annual basis. Requires the Secretary of State to provide information relevant to such reports.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to place limitations on mandatory overtime for nurses, protect nurses against retaliation in any manner with respect to any aspect of employment, and provide for civil money penalties for violations of such provisions. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report to Congress on standards to establish for the maximum number of hours that a nurse may work without compromising the safety of their patients. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to study and report to Congress on the extent to which federally operated medical facilities have in effect practices and policies with respect to overtime requirements for nurses that are inconsistent with the overtime requirements added by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Responsible Education About Life Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States for family life education, including education on abstinence and contraception, to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Expresses the sense of Congress that States are encouraged but not required to provide matching funds. Requires the Secretary to provide for a national evaluation of a representative sample of such programs for effectiveness in changing adolescent sexual behavior, including delaying sexual and high-risk activity, preventing pregnancy and disease (including HIV/AIDS), and increasing contraceptive knowledge. Requires States receiving such grants to provide for an individual evaluation of the State's program by an external, independent entity.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Amends the Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations for: (1) domestic treatment centers for torture victims; (2) foreign treatment centers for torture victims; and (3) the U.S. contribution to the United Nations (UN) voluntary fund for torture victims.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Climate Stewardship Act of 2005 - Expands Federal climate change research initiatives by: (1) establishing a graduate fellowship program; (2) requiring a study of technology transfer barriers, best practices, and outcomes; (3) requiring a report on the effects of the Kyoto Protocol absent participation by the United States; (4) creating a grant program for research in identified priority areas; (5) instituting research programs on potential abrupt climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) related standards, measurement technologies, and processes; (6) requiring research on the impact of climate change on low-income populations; (7) authorizing a program to promote the use by small manufacturers of GHG-reducing technologies; and (8) establishing a Climate Change Education and Outreach Initiative Program for agriculture. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Administrator) to establish a National Greenhouse Gas Database consisting of: (1) an inventory of GHG emissions by covered entities (specified entities that emit more than 10,000 metric tons of GHGs per year); and (2) a registry of GHG emission reductions and increased sequestration, applicable to both covered and noncovered entities. Establishes a program for the market-driven reduction of GHGs by covered entities through the use of tradeable emissions allowances. Requires covered entities, beginning in 2010, to submit to the Administrator one tradeable allowance for every metric ton of GHGs emitted. Allows tradeable allowances to be sold, exchanged, purchased, retired, or otherwise used as authorized by this Act. Establishes the Climate Change Credit Corporation (CCCC) to receive, manage, buy, and sell tradeable allowances. Directs the Administrator to make allocations of allowances to covered sectors and entities, and to the CCCC, providing initial allocations for early action and accelerated participation. Imposes civil penalties on covered entities that fail to submit allowances.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant qualifying alien agricultural workers (and their spouses and minor children) temporary resident status and subsequently lawful permanent resident status upon the fulfillment of specified agricultural work and residency requirements. Sets forth provisions with respect to: (1) adjustment of status applications, including penalties for false statements; (2) the waiver of numerical limitations and certain grounds for inadmissibility; (3) the temporary stay of removal and work authorization; (4) administrative and judicial review; and (5) dissemination of program information. Amends the Social Security Act to provide for the correction of such aliens' social security records. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to set forth application requirements for H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) employers and employer associations, including assurances: (1) that the job opportunity is temporary or seasonal and is not the result of a labor dispute; (2) that attempts have been made to hire U.S. workers; and (3) respecting required wages and benefits and compliance with labor laws. Sets forth employment requirements with respect to H-2A worker wages, housing, and transportation reimbursement. Establishes the Commission on Agricultural Wage Standards under the H-2A program. Revises provisions respecting the admission and extension of stay of H-2A workers. Provides special rules for alien sheepherders. Sets forth worker protection and labor standards enforcement provisions for such aliens.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2005
Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, to provide for Medicare coverage of end-of-life planning consultations. Requires a service provider, Medicare Advantage organization, or prepaid or eligible organization to give effect to an advance directive executed outside the State in which it is presented, even one that does not appear to meet the formalities of execution, form, or language required by the State in which it is presented, to the same extent as such provider or organization would give effect to an advanced directive that meets such requirements. Permits a provider or organization to decline to honor such a directive if the provider or organization can reasonably demonstrate that it is not an authentic expression of the individual's wishes concerning his or her health care. Makes such advance directive requirements applicable under Medicaid, title XIX of the Social Security Act. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for grant programs to increase awareness of advance directive planning issues. Directs the Secretary to conduct a national public education campaign to: (1) raise public awareness of the importance of planning for care near the end of life; (2) improve the public's understanding of the various situations in which individuals may find themselves if they become unable to express their health care wishes; (3) explain the need for readily available legal documents that express an individual's wishes, through advance directives (including living wills, comfort care orders, and durable powers of attorney for health care); and (4) educate the public about the availability of hospice care and palliative care. Directs the Secretary to provide for the establishment of a national, toll-free, information clearinghouse as well as clearinghouses that the public may access to find out about State-specific information regarding advance directive and end-of-life decisions. Requires General Accounting Office studies and reports on end-of-life planning issues.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2005
Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY 2007 130 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2005. Adjusts the amount provided for fiscal years after FY 2007 based on the number of enrolled veterans and the number of other persons eligible but not enrolled who are provided care, multiplied by the per capital baseline amount for FY 2005, as increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. Prohibits the availability of such funds for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for repairs provided for before the date of enactment of this Act); or (2) grants for the construction of State home facilities for the furnishing of veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2005
Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Act of 2005 - Establishes the Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid to review: (1) each of Medicaid's major functional responsibilities; (2) issues that either threaten or improve the long-term financial condition of Medicaid; (3) Federal and State policies for Medicaid and Medicare enrollment (including enrollment sites), income eligibility, outreach, and documentation; (4) the operation and effectiveness of Medicaid premium assistance programs; and (5) Medicaid payment policies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2005
Iran Freedom and Support Act of 2005 - States that: (1) U.S. sanctions, controls, and regulations relating to weapons of mass destruction with respect to Iran shall remain in effect until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that Iran has permanently and verifiably dismantled its weapons of mass destruction programs and has committed to combating such weapons' proliferation; and (2) such certification shall have no effect on other sanctions relating to Iranian support of international terrorism. Amends the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 to: (1) eliminate mandatory sanction provisions respecting Libya; (2) impose mandatory sanctions on a person or entity that aids Iran acquire or develop weapons of mass destruction or destabilizing types and numbers of conventional weapons; (3) revise multilateral regime reporting requirements, including provisions respecting sanctions on individuals aiding Iranian petroleum development; (4) enlarge the scope of sanctionable entities; and (5) eliminate the sunset provision. Declares that U.S. policy should support: (1) efforts by the Iranian people to exercise self-determination over their form of government; and (2) an internationally-overseen referendum in Iran. Authorizes the President to provide financial and political assistance to eligible foreign and domestic individuals and groups that support democracy and advocate nonproliferation in Iran. Directs the President to notify (which may be in classified form) the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days prior to designating an eligible opposition group. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should appoint a special assistant on Iranian matters; (2) U.S. representatives and officials in international fora should express support for democratic transition in Iran; (3) representatives of the Government of Iran should be denied access to U.S. Government buildings; (4) efforts to halt the Iranian nuclear weapons program should be intensified; and (5) U.S. officials and representatives should strongly support indigenous efforts in Iran calling for democratic elections.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2005
Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act of 2005 - Makes an individual eligible for retired pay for non-regular (reserve) military service if such individual: (1) satisfies one of specified combinations of minimum age (between 53 and 60) and years of service (between 20 and 34); (2) performed the last six years of qualifying service in currently authorized categories of military service, but not while a member of a regular component, the Fleet Reserve, or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; and (3) is not entitled to any other retirement pay from an armed force or as a member of the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve. Authorizes a member of the Selected Reserve to enroll for self or self and family coverage under the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense managed health care program).
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2005
Early Treatment for HIV Act of 2005 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of providing Medicaid coverage for certain low-income HIV-infected individuals. Provides States taking advantage of this option with an enhanced Federal Medicaid match.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2005
Risk-Based Homeland Security Funding Act - Requires all homeland security grants related to terrorism prevention and preparedness to be awarded based strictly on an assessment of risk, threat, and vulnerabilities as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security. Prohibits such grant funds from being used for general revenue sharing. Excludes specified grant programs from coverage under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2005
Library, Bookseller, and Personal Records Privacy Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and the Federal criminal code with respect to applications by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (or a designee) for an order requiring production of any tangible things (including books, records, papers, documents, and other items) for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a U.S. person or to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities. Requires such applications, any resulting ex parte orders, and requests to booksellers and libraries to specify that there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the person to whom the records pertain is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power. Amends the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 to terminate as of December 31, 2005, specified authority for FBI investigative requests for telephone toll and transactional records as well as financial records and consumer reports.
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