United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Amends the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 to authorize any federal law enforcement officer (not just, as currently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), including an officer with authority under the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act acting in coordination with a federal law enforcement agency on violations outside Indian country, to investigate offenses involving the sale of arts and crafts misrepresented as Indian products. Revises requirements for the initiation of civil actions for misrepresentation of Indian produced goods.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable Gaylord A. Nelson, a former member of the United States Senate from Wisconsin. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on July 11, 2005, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Nelson.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Declares that the Senate: (1) expresses deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of the United Kingdom and the victims and their families for the heinous terrorist attacks that occurred in London on July 7, 2005; (2) condemns these barbaric and unwarranted attacks on the innocent people of London; (3) expresses strong and continued solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom and pledges to remain shoulder-to-shoulder with them to bring the terrorists responsible for these brutal attacks to justice; and (4) calls upon the international community to renew and strengthen efforts to defeat terrorists by dismantling terrorist networks and exposing the violent and nihilistic ideology of terrorism, increase international cooperation to advance personal and religious freedoms, ethnic and racial tolerance, political liberty and pluralism, and economic prosperity, and combat the social injustice, oppression, poverty, and extremism that breeds terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2005
Public Lands Corps Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to: (1) allow the Secretary (the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to National Forest System land or the Secretary of the Interior with respect to Indian lands, Hawaiian home lands, or lands administered by the Department of the Interior) for purposes of entering into contracts and cooperative agreements under such Act, to give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps located in a specific area that have a substantial portion of members who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged to carry out projects within the area; (2) require the Secretary, in carrying out priority projects (as defined by this Act) in a specific area, to give preference to qualified youth or conservation corps located in that specific area that have a substantial portion of such members; (3) allow the Secretary to authorize appropriate conservation projects and other appropriate projects to be carried out on federal, state, local, or private land as part of a federal disaster prevention or relief effort; (4) modify requirements for the establishment and use of conservation centers; (5) authorize the Secretary to provide any appropriate services, facilities, equipment, supplies, technical assistance, oversight, monitoring, or evaluations to carry out such Act; (6) require the Secretary to provide each participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource assistant with a living allowance as established by the Secretary; and (7) permit the Secretary to grant members of the Public Lands Corps credit for time served with the Corps and to provide to a former member of the Corps noncompetitive hiring status for a specified period after the date on which such member's service with the Corps is complete.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2005
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable J. James Exon, former United States Senator for Nebraska. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on June 13, 2005, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Exon.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2005
Energy Policy Act of 2005 - Sets forth a program to spur diverse energy research and development, including: (1) energy efficiency; (2) renewable energy; (3) oil and gas; (4) coal; (5) Indian energy; (6) nuclear matters; (7) vehicles and motor fuels; (8) hydrogen; (9) electricity infrastucture; and (10) federal loan guarantees for commercial projects that target energy pollutant reduction. Establishes federal programs that target energy savings in public facilities. Establishes energy assistance programs that include: (1) weatherization assistance; (2) state energy programs; (3) energy efficient appliance rebates; and (4) low income community energy efficiency. Establishes programs for energy efficient products including energy conservation initiatives and energy efficiency in housing. Sets forth renewable energy initiatives that address: (1) renewable energy resources and production; (2) renewable content of motor vehicle fuel; (3) federal agency purchasing requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline and biodiesel fuel; (4) a sugar cane ethanol program; (5) an advanced biofuels technology program; (6) a biomass commercial utilization program; (7) geothermal energy enterprises; and (8) hydroelectric power projects. Sets forth an oil and gas program that includes: (1) the Petroleum Reserve and home heating oil; (2) oil and gas production incentives; (3) oil and gas activities on federal land; (4) a coastal impact assistance program; (5) natural gas enterprises; and (6) federal coalbed methane regulation. Sets forth a Clean Coal Power Initiative campaign that includes grants to universities to establish Centers of Excellence for Energy Systems of the Future. Modifies statutory constraints governing federal coal leases, including acreage limitations, mining plans, and advance royalty payments. Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of 2005 - Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to establish the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs to promote Indian tribal energy resource development through a program of grants and loans. Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 2005 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to modify and extend indemnification authority and liability limits for Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensees and Department of Energy (DOE) contractors. Addresses general nuclear matters, including: (1) extension of indemnification authority; (2) treatment of modular reactors; (3) medical isotope production; (4) safe disposal of greater-than-class-C radioactive waste; (5) a prohibition on nuclear exports to countries that sponsor terrorism; and (5) a DOE decommissioning pilot program. Directs the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) to establish the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Project, a prototype plant that includes a nuclear reactor, to generate electricity and to produce hydrogen. Revises requirements governing: (1) federal agency use of alternative fuels by dual-fueled vehicles; and (2) alternative compliance. Directs the Secretary to establish a cost-shared, public-private research partnership involving the federal government, railroad carriers, locomotive manufacturers and equipment suppliers, and the Association of American Railroads, to develop and demonstrate railroad locomotive technologies that increase fuel economy, reduce emissions, and lower costs of operation. Establishes within the Department of Transportation the Conserve by Bicycling Program. Prescribes guidelines for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to review reduction of engine idling of heavy-duty vehicles. Directs the Secretary to initiate a project, in partnership with diesel engine, diesel fuel injection system, and diesel vehicle manufacturers and diesel and biodiesel fuel providers, to provide biodiesel testing in advanced diesel engine and fuel system technology. Sets forth a program of federal and state procurement of fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen energy systems. Revamps the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990 to create a statutory framework to: (1) promote development and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technology in partnership with industry; (2) establish the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Task Force; (3) direct the Secretary to provide for the transfer of critical hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to the private sector; and (4) create a hydrogen supply and fuel cell demonstration program. Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Application Act of 2005 - Prohibits appropriations authorized in this Act for energy efficiency research and development from being used for: (1) issuance or implementation of energy efficiency regulations; (2) the weatherization program established under the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA); (3) a state energy conservation plan established under ECPA; or (4) a federal energy management measure implemented under the National Energy Conservation Policy Act. Directs the Secretary to implement initiatives that target research, development, and commercial application in: (1) energy efficiency; (2) distributed energy and electric energy systems; (3) renewable energy; (4) nuclear energy; (5) fossil energy; (6) science; and (8) international cooperation within the Western Hemisphere and with Israel. Sets forth guidelines governing DOE management, including creation of: (1) a national energy research and development advisory boards; (2) a Technology Transfer Working Group; and (3) a Technology Infrastructure Program. Prescribes guidelines for recruitment and training of skilled technical personnel in energy technology industries and educational programs in science and mathematics. Electricity Modernization Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Power Act to grant Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulatory jurisdiction over an Electric Reliability Organization. Prescribes guidelines for electric reliability standards, including electric transmission infrastructure, operation and transmission rates. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to: (1) require electric utilities to make net metering and smart metering available upon consumer request; and (2) terminate mandatory purchase and sale requirements pertaining to cogeneration and small power production utilities. Amends the Federal Power Act to: (1) direct FERC to promulgate market transparency rules governing sales of electric energy at wholesale in interstate commerce, and transmission services in interstate commerce; and (2) prohibit energy market manipulation. Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 - Repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2005
Violence Against Women Act of 2005 - Reauthorizes and increases funding under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 for grants to combat violence against women. Authorizes the Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, to award grants to improve court responses. Reauthorizes provisions of the Violence Against Women Acts of 2000 and 1994 concerning training and services for the elderly and the disabled and provisions of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act regarding funding for the national domestic violence hotline. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prevent cyber-stalking. Provides increased penalties for repeat domestic violence offenses and protection order violations. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to: (1) fund programs serving domestic violence victims ages 12 to 24; (2) develop collaborative responses and services to families where there is both child maltreatment and domestic violence; (3) strengthen home visitation and health care system responses; and (4) develop long-term housing options for domestic violence victims who are homeless. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to reduce violence against women on college campuses. Authorizes limited emergency leave for a public employee who is a victim of domestic violence. Grants the Secretary of Homeland Security (currently, the Attorney General) authority to determine whether an alien is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking. Makes inapplicable a provision finding an alien inadmissible upon demonstrating a connection between the alien being a victim of a severe form of trafficking and that alien's unlawful presence in the United States. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) permit Indian law enforcement agencies to enter into, and obtain information from, federal criminal information databases, in cases of domestic violence; and (2) develop a national tribal sex offender registry and a tribal protection order registry. Establishes in the Office a Deputy Director for Tribal Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2005
Art and Collectibles Capital Gains Tax Treatment Parity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the 28-percent capital gains tax rate for collectibles, thus allowing gain from the sale of collectibles (including art works) to be taxed at the 15-percent tax rate applicable to other investment property; (2) allow the creator of a literary, musical, artistic, or scholarly property a fair market value tax deduction for the donation of such property to a tax-exempt organization, if properly appraised and donated no sooner than 18 months after its creation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2005
Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area in Lincoln county, New Mexico, to secure protect, and conserve subterranean natural and unique features and environs for scientific, educational, and other appropriate public uses. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to establish facilities for: (1) the conduct of scientific research; and (2) the interpretation of the historical, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational resources of the Conservation Area.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 2005
Directs the Secretary of Defense to permit any member of the Armed Forces to provide to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission testimony on the military value of a military installation inside the United States, for purposes of the consideration by such Commission of the Secretary's recommendations for the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990. Prohibits any retaliation or discrimination against a member providing or about to provide such testimony.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2005
Hunger-Free Communities Act of 2005 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Congress is committed to achieving domestic hunger goals and ending hunger by 2015; (2) federal food and nutrition programs should receive adequate funding; and (3) the entitlement nature of the child and adult care food program, the food stamp program, the school breakfast and lunch programs, and the summer food service program should be preserved. Directs: (1) the American Communities Survey to collect and submit food security information to the Secretary of Agriculture; and (2) the Secretary to conduct an annual study of hunger in the United States and develop recommendations on reducing domestic hunger. Directs the Secretary to make: (1) hunger-free communities collaborative grants to eligible public food program service providers or nonprofit organizations; (2) hunger-free communities infrastructure grants to eligible emergency feeding organizations; and (3) hunger-free communities training and technical assistance grants to eligible national or regional nonprofit organizations. (States that such grants' federal share shall not exceed 80 %.) Sets forth grant priorities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2005
Requires the Secretary of Defense, within seven days after the enactment of this Act, to submit to Congress all Department of Defense (DOD) documentation related to the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments. Terminates the 2005 round if such documentation is not provided. Extends certain recommendation submission and related report dates under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 relating to the 2005 round of closures and realignments by the number of days after May 16, 2005, that the above documentation is submitted.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2005
Engine Coolant and Antifreeze Bittering Agent Act of 2005 - Requires engine coolant or antifreeze that is manufactured six months after the enactment of this Act, and that contains more than 10 percent ethylene glycol, to include not less than 30 parts per million nor more than 50 parts per million of denatonium benzoate as a bittering agent so as to render the coolant or antifreeze unpalatable. Requires a coolant or antifreeze manufacturer to maintain records of compliance with this Act. Limits the liability of manufacturers, processors, distributors, recyclers, or sellers of engine coolant or antifreeze who are in compliance with the requirements of this Act for personal and property loss or damage to the environment that results from the inclusion of denatonium benzoate in any coolant or antifreeze. Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the sale of a motor vehicle that contains engine coolant or antifreeze; or (2) wholesale containers of 55 gallons or more of engine coolant or antifreeze.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2005
College 529 InvEST Act of 2005 - Makes permanent the provision relating to qualified tuition programs enacted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA).
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2005
District of Columbia Personal Protection Act - Amends specified law prohibiting the killing of wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia to declare that nothing in it or any other provision of law shall authorize or be construed to permit the Council, the Mayor, or any governmental or regulatory authority of the District to prohibit, constructively prohibit, or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under Federal law from acquiring, possessing in their homes or businesses, or using for sporting, self-protection or other lawful purposes, any firearm neither prohibited by Federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms. Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to repeal the definition of a machine gun as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading. (Thus repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.) Redefines "machine gun" to include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. Repeals the District's: (1) registration requirement for possession of firearms; (2) prohibition on possession of handgun restricted pistol bullets; and (3) requirement that, under certain conditions, firearms in the possession of certain individuals must be kept unloaded, disassembled, or with the trigger locked. Repeals the definition of restricted pistol bullet as any bullet designed for use in a pistol which, when fired from a pistol with a barrel of five inches or less in length, is capable of penetrating commercially available body armor with a penetration resistance equal to or greater than that of 18 layers of kevlar. Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle. Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm. Amends Federal law to eliminate criminal penalties for carrying a pistol whether loaded or unloaded in one's dwelling house, place of business, or on land possessed by such person. Amends the District of Columbia Code to extend to firearms generally (currently, only to pistols) the prohibition against carrying such a weapon either openly or concealed within the District without a license issued pursuant to D.C. law. Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2005
Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone the 2005 round of defense base closures and realignments, as currently required under such Act, until the last of the following occurs: (1) the complete analysis, consideration, and implementation by the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) of the recommendations of the Commission on Review of Overseas Military Facility Structure of the United States; (2) the return from deployment in Iraq of substantially all major U.S. combat units and assets; (3) the receipt by the congressional defense committees of the report on the quadrennial defense review to be submitted by the Secretary in 2006; (4) the complete development and implementation by the Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security of the National Maritime Security Strategy; (5) the complete development and implementation by the Secretary of the Homeland Defense and Civil Support directive; and (6) the receipt by the defense committees of a report from the Secretary assessing military installation needs. States that, effective May 13, 2005, the list of recommendations for 2005 base closures and realignments submitted by the Secretary pursuant to such Act shall have no further force and effect.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2005
Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2005 - Amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to revise requirements for health care programs and services for Indians, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations. Provides for: (1) enrollment of qualified Indians in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under title XXI of the Social Security Act (SSA), as well as Medicare under SSA title XVIII and Medicaid under SSA title XIX (as under current law); and (2) related payments to Indian Health Programs and Urban Indian Organizations operating in the State. Replaces the Urban Health Programs Branch with an Office of Urban Indian Health. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Indian Health Service and Indian tribes and tribal organizations, to consolidate certain existing programs into a new program of comprehensive behavioral health, prevention, treatment, and aftercare for Indian tribes. Establishes the National Bi-Partisan Indian Health Care Commission to: (1) establish a Study Committee to study the extent of Indian health services needs; (2) review and analyze the Study Committee's report; and (3) make recommendations to Congress regarding the delivery of Federal health care services to Indians. Reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act through FY 2015. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (SCHIP) to conform with this Act. Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to direct the Secretary to establish the Native American Health and Wellness Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2005
Code Talkers Recognition Act - Requires the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of commemorative medals of appropriate design to Sioux, Comanche, Choctaw, Sac and Fox, and any other Native American Code Talkers during World War I, World War II, and any other foreign conflict in which the United States was involved during the 20th Century in recognition of their contributions to the United States. Allows the posthumous award of a medal authorized by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2005
Southwest Bridge Research Center Establishment Act of 2005 - Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to New Mexico State University, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Transportation Center, to establish the Southwest Bridge Research Center to contribute at a national level to a systems approach to improving the overall performance of bridges.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2005
Rural Water Supply Act of 2005 - Reclamation Rural Water Supply Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a rural water supply program in reclamation states to: (1) investigate and identify opportunities to ensure safe and adequate rural water supply projects for municipal and industrial use in small communities and rural areas; and (2) plan the design and construction, through the conduct of appraisal investigations and feasibility studies, of such projects. Requires activities to be carried out in cooperation with a qualifying non-federal project entity. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and publish in the Federal Register criteria for determining the eligibility of a rural community for assistance and prioritizing assistance requests under the program; and (2) develop an assessment of the status of all rural water supply projects under the Secretary's jurisdiction authorized but not completed prior to this Act's enactment. Sets forth provisions regarding feasibility studies and the financial capability of any non-federal entities participating in the project to pay the capital construction costs. Delineates cost-sharing requirements. Twenty-First Century Water Works Act - Directs the Secretary to develop and publish in the Federal Register criteria for determining the eligibility of a rural water supply project for financial assistance. Authorizes the Secretary to make available loan guarantees to lenders for a project meeting the eligibility criteria. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of agreement providing for Department of Agriculture financial appraisal functions and loan guarantee administration for activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 2005
Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act- Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require: (1) biennial (currently, annual) budget resolutions; (2) biennial appropriations Acts; and (3) biennial Government strategic and performance plans. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to: (1) determine the impact and feasibility of changing the definition of a fiscal year and the budget process based on that definition to a two-year fiscal period with a biennial budget process based on such period; and (2) report the findings to the House and Senate Budget Committees.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2005
Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005 or the FAIR Act of 2005 - Establishes within the Department of Labor the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation, to be headed by an Administrator responsible for processing claims for compensation for asbestos-related injuries and managing the Asbestos Injury Claims Resolution Fund (Fund) (established within such Office). Requires the Administrator to: (1) establish an Advisory Committee on Asbestos Disease Compensation; (2) establish a Medical Advisory Committee; (3) establish a comprehensive asbestos claimant assistance program that includes legal assistance; and (4) appoint physicians to claim-specific Physicians Panels. Stays all asbestos claims pending on the date of enactment of this Act (except for specified civil actions already at trial). Sets forth special procedures for the settlement of exigent health claims. Allows non-exigent claims to proceed in Federal or State court if the Fund is not certified as operational within 24 months of enactment. Establishes: (1) procedures for handling claims of asbestos-related disease and injury; (2) occupational exposure presumptions; (3) medical evidence auditing and review procedures and applicable medical criteria; and (4) award amounts and payment methods. Imposes a general five-year statute of limitations for filing claims, with special provisions for pending claims and multiple injuries. Specifies the funding allocation for asbestos defendants required to pay into the Fund. Establishes the Asbestos Insurers Commission to determine Fund payment obligations. Authorizes the Administrator to impose a pro rata surcharge on Fund participants if certain bankruptcy trust assets are unavailable to the Fund and borrowing is insufficient to ensure liquidity. Directs the Administrator to establish a program for the education, consultation, medical screening, and medical monitoring of persons with asbestos exposure. Vests exclusive jurisdiction to review, under expedited consideration: (1) final determinations regarding fund obligations and actions for declaratory and injunctive relief under this Act in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; and (2) award decisions in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the claimant resides. Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit and establish penalties for fraud and false information in connection with Fund claims. Amends the bankruptcy code to state that Fund contribution obligations are not subject to an automatic stay or dischargeable in bankruptcy. States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to preclude personal injury claims attributable to silica exposure where certain pleading and evidentiary requirements are met. Requires remedies provided by this Act to be the exclusive remedy for asbestos claims except with regard to specified civil actions already at trial. Addresses the effect of this Act on insurance and reinsurance contracts. Requires the sunset of specified provisions of this Act if the Administrator determines that the Fund has insufficient resources. Requires the Administrator to refer possible violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Clean Air Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) to listed officials for possible civil or criminal penalties. Amends OSHA to enhance criminal penalties for willful violations of occupational standards for asbestos. Directs the Administrator to assess Fund contributions from individuals who have violated asbestos laws administered by the Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and their State counterparts. Requires the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review Federal sentencing guidelines to ensure that environmental crimes relating to asbestos are sufficiently punished. Prohibits discrimination in health insurance coverage against persons who participate in medical monitoring programs under this Act. Amends TSCA to require the Administrator of EPA to promulgate regulations prohibiting the manufacture, processing, or distribution in commerce of asbestos containing products, subject to specified exemptions.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2005
Combating Autism Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): (1) to develop a scientifically justified budget for research on autism spectrum disorders; (2) acting through the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, to provide for centers of excellence regarding research on autism; and (3) acting through the Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Disorders, to provide for Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to establish: (1) regional centers of excellence in autism and pervasive developmental disabilities epidemiology; and (2) a clearinghouse for the collecting and storage of data generated. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a program to provide information and education on autism and its risk factors to health professionals and the general public; and (2) the Autism Coordinating Committee to coordinate autism related activities within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to award grants or cooperative agreements to develop statewide autism screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems. Requires the Director of NIH, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, to provide for centers of excellence regarding environmental health and autism.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 2005
National Parks Anniversaries-Great American Spaces Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue silver coins emblematic of certain National Parks that are observing historic anniversaries of their founding. Directs the Secretary to take action to ensure that minting and issuing coins under this Act will not result in any net cost to the United States Government. Prohibits coin issuance unless the Secretary has received: (1) full payment for the coin; (2) security satisfactory to the Secretary to indemnify the United States for full payment; or (3) a guarantee of full payment satisfactory to the Secretary from a depository institution whose deposits are insured by either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the National Credit Union Administration Board.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2005
National Drought Preparedness Act of 2005 - Establishes in the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture the National Drought Council which shall develop a comprehensive National Drought Policy Action Plan, evaluate and coordinate Federal drought-related programs, establish and improve the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and undertake public awareness activities. Terminates the Council eight years after enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary to establish the National Office of Drought Preparedness to assist the Council. Establishes in the Treasury the Drought Assistance Fund, which shall be used to pay the cost of technical and financial assistance to States, Indian tribes, local governments, watershed groups, and critical service providers for: (1) drought preparedness plans and drought mitigation; (2) expanding the technology transfer of drought and water conservation strategies and innovative water supply techniques; (3) developing post-drought evaluations and recommendations; and (4) supplementing the costs of implementing NIDIS-related actions undertaken pursuant to this Act. Directs the Secretary to issue related implementing guidelines, including special requirements applicable to interstate watersheds. Requires Federal agencies to develop and implement drought preparedness plans. Authorizes States, Indian tribes, local governments, watershed groups, and regional water providers to develop and implement such plans. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to require the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse States for costs of prepositioning wildfire suppression resources.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2005
Designates April 15, 2005, as National Youth Service Day. Recognizes and commends the significant contributions of American youth. Encourages the cultivation of a common civic bond among young people dedicated to serving their neighbors, their communities, and the Nation.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2005
Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants to public or nonprofit private entities for the development and operation of not more than eight centers to conduct multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research on environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer. Requires each such center to: (1) be known as a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Center of Excellence; (2) establish ongoing collaborations with community organizations; (3) be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions; (4) be supported under this Act for a period of not more than five years with additional periods allowed after review and recommendation; and (5) use innovative approaches to study unexplored areas of the environment and breast cancer. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Panel to make recommendations for and to review grants awarded under this Act
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Tribal Colleges and Universities Teacher Loan Forgiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the cancellation of a specified percentage of the total amount of any Federal Perkins loan, Federal Family Education loan, or direct student loan for each year of employment (up to five) as a full-time teacher at a tribal college or university if the borrower is not in default on such loan. Prohibits a borrower from receiving, for the same service, both a benefit from this Act and a benefit from the National Community Service Act of 1990. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for repayment by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of educational loans for nurse training costs on behalf of nursing instructors at tribal colleges or universities, or any land-grant institution listed in the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. Provides that the amount of any loan forgiven under this Act shall not be treated as gross income for federal tax purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2005
Water Resources Development Act of 2005 - Authorizes water projects and river and harbor improvements, including new locks on, and modifications to the operation of, the Upper Mississippi River and the Illinois Waterway. Sets forth authorizations for, modifications to, deauthorizations of, and study requirements for navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, ecosystem restoration, and related projects throughout the country. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to: (1) modify the operation of the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway System to address cumulative environmental impacts; and (2) restore the ecosystem of the Louisiana Coastal Area. Establishes the Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Protection and Restoration Task Force. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop a plan for modifying the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet; and (2) establish a coastal Louisiana ecosystem science and technology program. Amends the Flood Control Act of 1970 to direct the Secretary to credit toward the non-federal share of the cost of a water resources project the value of in-kind contributions made by the non-federal interest. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) include individuals from the private sector in Corps of Engineers' training classes; and (2) establish centers of expertise to provide specialized planning expertise for water resource projects. Mandates peer review of major engineering, scientific, and technical work products by the Corps. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Corps, to: (1) provide public access to water resource and related water quality data in the Corps' custody; and (2) conduct a national shoreline erosion control development and demonstration program. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study and develop a general management plan for restoration of the Upper Connecticut River ecosystem.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2005
Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act or PREEMIE Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and coordinate NIH research on preterm labor and delivery, infant mortality, and low birthweight infants. Establishes the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network and the Neonatal Research Units Network within NIH. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) expand and coordinate CDC activities on preterm labor and delivery and infant mortality; (2) conduct a study on the relationship between prematurity, birth defects, and developmental disabilities; and (3) review the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey. Requires the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's national longitudinal study of environmental influences on children's health and development to consider the impact of assisted reproduction technologies. Requires the Director of NIH to contract with the Institute of Medicine to study the health and economic consequences of preterm birth. Directs the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to assess certain core performance and outcome measures utilized under the Social Security Act for purposes of expanding such measures to include known risk factors of low birthweight and prematurity. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) conduct a demonstration project to improve the provision of information on prematurity to health professionals and the public; (2) conduct projects to support the informational and emotional needs of families during the stay of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit, during the transition of the infant to the home, and in the event of a newborn death; and (3) establish an Interagency Coordinating Council on Prematurity and Low Birthweight.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2005
Joins the world in mourning the death of Pope John Paul II, and pays tribute to him by pledging to be ever faithful to our national calling to be "one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,'' and to help our neighbors in immeasurable ways.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2005
Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating any assertion of rights by an individual (currently, by a designated Cuban national) of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated by the Cuban government unless the original owner of such mark or name, or such owner's bona fide successor, has expressly consented. Applies such prohibition only if the individual asserting the rights knew or had reason to know at the time of acquiring the rights asserted that the mark or name was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2005
American Indian Reservation Transportation Improvement Program Act - Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to authorize appropriations for Indian reservation roads under the Federal Lands Highways Program through FY 2009. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the planning, design, engineering, preconstruction, construction, and inspection of certain projects concerning deficient Indian reservation road bridges through FY 2009. Directs the Secretary to issue grants to Indian tribes to establish rural transit programs on reservations or other land under the jurisdiction of the tribes. Directs the Secretary to establish and maintain: (1) intra-agency cooperation between the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in administering tribal transit programs funded by the FHA, and exploring options for the transfer of funds from the FHA to the FTA for the direct funding of tribal transit programs; and (2) working relationships with representatives of regional tribal technical assistance programs to ensure proper administration of ongoing and future tribal transit programs carried out using Federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2005
Bisti PRLA Dispute Resolution Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, if any of specified coal preference right lease applications are withdrawn by the holder or holders of those applications, to issue to each such holder a certificate of bidding rights that constitutes the combined fair market value of the coal reserves for each coal preference right lease application withdrawn by the holder. Provides that such withdrawals and issuances shall occur without any further adjudication of coal preference right lease applications. Directs the Secretary to establish a panel to determine the fair market value of the coal reserves of any coal preference right applications withdrawn under this Act. Instructs the Secretary to contract with a qualified coal reserve appraiser to assist the panel. Directs the Secretary, after the withdrawal of a coal preference right lease application, to: (1) accept the relinquishment of the rights associated with such application; and (2) issue a certificate of bidding rights in the amount of the fair market value of the coal reserves of such application. Provides that the Secretary's duties in issuing such patents and certificates shall be considered nondiscretionary and enforceable in a mandamus proceeding. Sets forth provisions regarding the use of exchange bidding rights.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2005
Community Drinking Water Assistance Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program of grants for small public water systems (those serving populations of not more than 200,000 or located in specified communities) in disadvantaged communities, or in those that may become disadvantaged as a result of compliance with drinking water standards, for use in carrying out projects and activities to comply with such standards. Requires the Administrator to: (1) give priority in awarding grants based on, first, the financial need of the community and, second, the per capita cost of the community's compliance; and (2) ensure that not less than 20 percent of grant funds are used for activities in communities with populations of less than 50,000. Sets forth the process for applications. Limits the Federal share of costs for grant-funded activities to 90 percent of the total. Provides temporary relief from enforcement of drinking water standards for eligible entities during and after the grant application process. Delays implementation or enforcement by the Administrator of an arsenic standard in any State until the earlier of January 1, 2006, or the date on which the Administrator certifies that the program has been implemented in that State and the State has made substantial progress in drinking water standards compliance.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2005
Notes with deep sorrow and solemn mourning the death of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. Extends the Senate's heartfelt sympathy to all people who have been touched by his passing. Commends his ability to transcend the bounds of religion, race, and political thought, and his becoming a formidable champion, uniter, and defender in humanity's struggle for peace and basic human rights. Calls on all the people of the United States to reflect on his life and legacy during this international period of remembrance.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit any person or entity, in or affecting interstate commerce, from knowingly: (1) performing or attempting to perform human cloning; (2) participating in such an attempt; or (3) shipping or receiving an embryo produced by human cloning or any product derived from such an embryo. Prohibits knowingly importing such an embryo. Sets forth criminal and civil penalties. Provides that nothing in this Act restricts areas of scientific research not specifically prohibited, including research in the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryos, tissues, organs, plants, or animals other than humans. Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess the need to amend such prohibition, including through: (1) a discussion of new developments, the need for somatic cell transfer to produce medical advances, current public attitudes and prevailing ethical views concerning its use, and potential legal implications of somatic cell transfer research; and (2) a review of any technological developments that may require technical changes to such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Indian and Alaska Native Foster Care and Adoption Services Amendments of 2005 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to authorize an Indian tribe or intertribal consortium operating a foster care program to receive Federal foster care maintenance payments for children placed in its custody. Requires the State to make such payments if the tribe or consortium does not operate such a program but does have a cooperative agreement with the State for such purpose.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2005
Declares the sense of the Senate that if the Government of Japan continues to delay in meeting its obligations under the understanding reached with the United States on October 23, 2004, to resume beef imports from the United States, the U.S. Trade Representative should immediately impose retaliatory economic measures on Japan.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2005
American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 500,000 $1 coins emblematic of the design selected by the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, in commemoration of disabled American veterans. Restricts such coin issuance period to the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2010. Requires a $10 dollar surcharge from such coin sales to be paid to the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation in order to establish an endowment to support the construction of the American Veterans' Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2005
Support our Scouts Act of 2005 - Prohibits any Federal law from being construed to limit any Federal agency from providing any form of support for a youth organization (including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America) that would result in that Federal agency providing less support to that youth organization (or any similar organization chartered under Federal law relating to the Boy Scouts of America) than was provided during each of the preceding four fiscal years. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to prohibit any State or unit of general local government that has a designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of assistance under the Act from denying equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise participate in that designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2005
Commemorates the 65th Anniversary of the Black Press of America by recognizing the significant contributions African-American newspapers have made from the time of slavery and segregation to the present and the continued contribution of such newspapers to the ideal of equal opportunity.
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
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 · 4 March 2005
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that a loan guarantee by the North American Development Bank (NADBank) shall not be treated as a Federal guarantee for purposes of the tax exclusion for interest on State and local bonds.
![Official portrait of Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000407_200.jpg)