United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow small business employers a credit against income tax for employee health insurance expenses the employer pays or incurs. Sets forth formula for deriving amount of credit. Specifies that no amount paid or incurred for health insurance coverage pursuant to a salary reduction arrangement shall be taken into account for purposes of determining the credit. Limits such credit to expenses paid for employees whose total annual wages exceed $5,000 but not $25,000, indexed for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Justice Enhancement and Domestic Security Act of 2003 - Incorporates provisions entitled as follows: (1) the First Responders Partnership Grant Act of 2003 (authorizes grants to support public safety officers in efforts to protect homeland security and prevent and respond to acts of terrorism); (2) the Safe Borders Act of 2003 (authorizes appropriations for hiring additional Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel and for border security protection technology); (3) the Military Tribunal Authorization Act of 2003 (authorizes the President to establish tribunals for the trial of suspected terrorists and individuals who aid or abet terrorists); (4) the Anti-Terrorist Hoax and False Report Act of 2003; (5) the National AMBER Alert Network Act of 2003 (requires the Attorney General to assign an AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to act as a national coordinator of the AMBER Alert communications network); (6) the Prosecutorial Remedies and Tools Against the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003; (7) the Protecting Our Children Comes First Act of 2003 (reauthorizes and increases funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children); (8) the National Child Protection and Volunteers for Children Improvement Act of 2003; (9) the Seniors Safety Act of 2003 (includes provisions regarding crimes against seniors, health care and pension fraud, telemarketing fraud, violations of nursing home rules and regulations, and restitution of elderly crime victims); (10) the Identity Theft Victims Assistance Act of 2003; (11) the Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2003; (12) the Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act of 2003; (13) the Crime Victims Assistance Act of 2003 (requires a responsible official to arrange reasonable protection of a victim from a suspected offender and sets forth consultation and participatory rights of a victim at detention hearings, trials, and sentencing proceedings); (14) the Providing Reliable Officers, Technology, Education, Community Prosecutors, and Training in Our Neighborhoods Act of 2003 (PROTECTION Act); (15) the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act of 2003; (16) the Federal Prosecutors Retirement Benefit Equity Act of 2003; (17) the Federal Bureau of Investigation Reform Act of 2003 (revises whistle blower protections); (18) the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2003 (provides for a recommended national protocol on collecting and processing DNA evidence at crime scenes); (19) the Say No to Drugs Community Centers Act of 2003; (20) the Our Lady of Peace Act of 2003 (revises requirements and provides grants for firearms eligibility determination information and technology); (21) the Ballistics, Law Assistance, and Safety Technology Act of 2003 (BLAST Act) (sets forth firearms ballistics testing and record keeping requirements); (22) the Innocence Protection Act of 2003 (sets forth procedures governing DNA testing of a person convicted of a Federal crime and provides grants for legal representation provided to indigent defendants in State capital cases); and (23) the Anti-Atrocity Alien Deportation Act of 2003 (provides for the inadmissibility and deportability of aliens who have committed acts of torture or extrajudicial killings abroad). Provides for establishment of: (1) a Rural Policing Institute; (2) a protective function privilege with respect to testimony by Secret Service personnel; (3) the Office of Special Investigations within DOJ to investigate and take legal action to denaturalize certain aliens; and (4) the Advisory Committee on Cargo Theft.. Provides for grants for: (1) treatment facilities in rural States and economically depressed communities, residential treatment centers for drug-addicted women with minor children, and residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs for juveniles; (2) drug treatment alternative to prison programs; and (3) community-based justice programs for the prosecution of firearm-related crimes (Project Exile).
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Veterans and Military Personnel Fairness Act of 2003 - Removes, for months beginning on or after October 1, 2003, the requirement that qualifying offsetting legislation be enacted before a member or former member of the armed forces may be paid military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation concurrently without deduction. Repeals, as of such date, a special compensation program for certain severely disabled military retirees. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY 2005 120 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2003; and (2) adjust the amount provided after FY 2005 based on the number of enrolled veterans and the number of others eligible for and provided care and the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income as a qualified military benefit the amount of the death gratuity payable under chapter 75 of title 10 of the United States Code, effective with respect to deaths occurring after September 10, 2001. Authorizes a member of the uniformed services or the Foreign Service serving on "qualified official extended duty" to extend for ten years the five-year period utilized in determining full exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence. Exempts amounts received under the Homeowners Assistance Program from: (1) inclusion as gross income; and (2) consideration as wages for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax purposes (including Medicare). Extends combat zone filing rules to contingency operations. Provides a deduction for itemizers and non-itemizers for unreimbursed overnight travel, meals, and lodging expenses of National Guard and Reserve members who must travel as part of their official duties. States that all property of a "covered expatriate" shall be treated as sold on the day before the "expatriation date" for its fair market value. Permits an individual to make an irrevocable decision to be taxed as a U.S. citizen with respect to all property otherwise covered by the expatriation provisions. Excludes certain U.S. real property interests from the provisions of this Act. Subjects retirement plans to the provisions of this Act. Includes in a recipient's gross income the value of property received by gift or bequest from a covered expatriate, with exceptions. Establishes IRS service user fee authority through September 30, 2012. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny a former citizen reentry into the United States for noncompliance with the provisions of this Act. (Current law denies reentry based upon tax-motivated expatriation.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Homeland Security Block Grant Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to make homeland security block grants to States, local governments, and Indian tribes. Requires grantees to: (1) prepare a statement of homeland security objectives and projected fund use; (2) provide the Secretary with specified certifications regarding a homeland security plan, activities, and identified needs; and (3) submit to the Secretary a performance and evaluation report concerning the use of funds and the relationship of such use to objectives. Directs the Secretary to: (1) encourage and assist national associations of eligible grantees, States, and local governments in non-qualifying areas to develop and recommend uniform record-keeping, performance reporting, evaluation reporting, and auditing requirements; (2) establish uniform reporting requirements; and (3) conduct reviews and audits of grantee performance and transactions at least annually. Includes as activities eligible for assistance: (1) funding additional law enforcement, fire, and emergency resources and purchasing equipment; (2) improving cyber and infrastructure security; (3) assisting Local Emergency Planning Committees in improving disaster response systems; (4) assisting communities in coordinating responses to terrorist attacks; (5) establishing timely notification systems between communities; (6) improving public communication systems; and (7) devising, evaluating progress on, and implementing a homeland security plan. Provides that grants may be used to cover costs incurred for eligible activities on or after September 11, 2001. Sets forth provisions regarding allocation and distribution of funds and matching requirements. Earmarks specified sums for Indian tribes, metropolitan cities and urban counties, States, regional cooperation, and local communities. Mandates nondiscrimination in programs and activities. Sets forth remedies for noncompliance with Act requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Pension Protection and Expansion Act of 2003 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to set forth requirements under defined contribution plans that are individual account plans (IAPs) (401(k) and similar plans) for: (1) diversification of plan assets, including employee freedom to invest plan assets and to divest employer securities or real property; (2) protection of plan participants and beneficiaries, through notice of blackout period, prohibition of relief from fiduciary liability during such periods of suspension of participants' and beneficiaries' ability to direct investments, liability for breach of fiduciary duty, increased maximum bond amount and insurance, and inclusion of participants in trusteeship of IAPs; and (3) information to assist and protect participants, including requirements for periodic pension benefit statements, investment education, provisions relating to whistleblower actions involving pension plans, and increased penalties for coercive interference. Retirement Security for All Americans Act - Amends IRC to permit a tax credit for an applicable percentage of up to $2,000 in retirement savings contributions of an individual. Repeals the nonrefundable credit for elective deferrals and individual retirement account contributions. Imposes a tax on any failure by an employer (except for certain small employers) that does not have a qualified plan or arrangement for a calendar year to permit its employees access to salary reduction contributions to individual retirement plans. Permits a tax credit for small employers that maintain salary reduction arrangements. Allows a tax credit for a duration of three years for pension plan contributions of small employers. Women's Pension Protection Act of 2003 - Amends ERISA and IRC to require the spouse's consent for distributions from defined contribution plans (DCPs, which include individual account plans such as 401(k) plans). (Current law only requires such consent in the case of defined benefit plans). Applies joint and survivor annuity rules to DCPs. Provides for division of pension benefits upon divorce, including rules for treating: (1) subsequent qualified domestic relations orders; and (2) former spouses as surviving spouses in certain cases. Revises requirements for joint and survivor annuities. Requires pension plans to offer participants the option of a qualified joint and 3/4 survivor annuity. Amends Federal law relating to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to provide for a survivor annuity to widows, widowers, and certain former spouses of Federal employees who die after having separated from the service with title to a deferred annuity under CSRS, but before attaining the age for such annuity under it. Revises CSRS and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) requirements for court orders relating to Federal employee retirement benefits for former spouses. Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to: (1) entitle divorced spouses to railroad retirement annuities independent of the actual entitlement of the employees; and (2) extend the payment of any portion of Tier II railroad retirement benefits to surviving former spouses pursuant to divorce agreements. Sets forth provisions relating to: (1) an employee plans compliance resolution system; (2) extension to all governmental plans of a moratorium on application of certain nondiscrimination rules applicable to State and local plans; (3) missing participants; (4) a reduced Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premium for new plans of small employers; (5) substantial owner benefits in terminated plans; (6) voluntary early retirement incentive and employment retention plans maintained by local educational agencies and other entities; (7) automatic rollovers of certain mandatory distributions; (8) no reduction in unemployment compensation as a result of pension rollovers; (9) tax withholding on distributions from certain governmental plans; (10) transfer of pension plan liabilities upon dissolution of joint venture; and (11) plan amendments. Amends IRC to provide revenue offsets through: (1) reversal of the expatriation of certain profits offshore, including setting rules for tax treatment of inverted corporate entities, imposing an excise tax on stock compensation of insiders in inverted corporations, and reinsuring U.S. risks in foreign jurisdictions; (2) revisions and penalties relating to tax shelters; and (3) executive compensation. Includes in gross income funded deferred compensation of corporate insiders.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2003 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the Federal minimum wage to: (1) $5.90 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after enactment of this Act; and (2) $6.65 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day. Makes Federal minimum wage requirements applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets forth a transition period during which a specified minimum wage there shall be gradually increased to equal the Federal minimum wage.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Health Care Coverage Expansion and Quality Improvement Act of 2003 - Requires a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer that provides health insurance coverage, to conduct utilization review activities in connection with the provision of benefits under such plan or coverage only in accordance with a utilization review program, as specified. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Health Care Consumer Assistance Fund, to be used to award grants to eligible States to carry out consumer assistance activities designed to provide information, assistance, and referrals to consumers of health insurance products. Requires access to care, including non-network providers, timely access to specialty care, direct access to specialists in obstetrics and gynecology, investigational drug and device coverage, coverage for patients in clinical trials, and the inpatient period for breast cancer patients. Prohibits restricting a health care professional's communications with a patient, discrimination against a provider solely because of the provider's license or certification, improper incentives, and retaliation for patient advocacy, including by providers. Requires prompt claims payment. Delays the required submission date of a letter of credit by carriers administering Supplementary Medical Insurance. Sets forth patient safety improvement provisions. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit certain employee group health plans or related insurances providing both medical-surgical and mental health benefits from imposing mental health treatment limitations or financial requirements unless comparable limitations and requirements are imposed upon medical-surgical benefits. Provides for the automatic enrollment in Title XXI (currently, the State Children's Health Insurance Program - renamed the FamilyCare Program under this Act) of the Social Security Act of children born to title XXI parents. Provides expanded Medicaid benefits for disabled children and for psychiatric care for individuals under age 21. Amends Social Security Act provisions with respect to the welfare-to-work transition under the Medicaid program. Authorizes the Secretary to award demonstration grants to a limited number of States to conduct innovative programs designed to improve outreach to homeless individuals and families under specified programs for the homeless (including Medicaid and FamilyCare) with respect to enrollment of such individuals and families and the provision of services under such programs. Amends the Indian Health Care Act to guarantee specified amounts of funding for Indian health care.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Global Climate Security Act of 2003 - Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President and Congress should make reducing and preparing for the risks of global climate change a higher priority. Delineates measures that should be taken, including requiring reductions in carbon dioxide and other pollutants from electric power plants and developing an early warning system of biological and ecological indicators. National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Registry Act of 2003 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish and administer: (1) a national greenhouse gas emissions information system to collect annual lists required to be submitted under this Act of an entity's greenhouse gas emissions and their sources; and (2) a national greenhouse gas registry to collect voluntarily reported information on emissions reductions. Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Commerce, Agriculture, and Energy to develop greenhouse gas emissions quantification and verification protocols, electronic reporting methods, and accounting and reporting standards. Requires the Administrator to publish an annual national greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should demonstrate international leadership and responsibility concerning the risks posed by climate change through meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and participation in international efforts, including treaties. Rio Agreement Commission Establishment Act - Establishes the Commission to Implement the Rio Agreement (concerning greenhouse gas emission reductions). Addresses greenhouse gas emissions issues through: (1) a national assessment of climate change impacts; (2) a review of emission reduction policies and measures; (3) environmental impact statements; (4) an emissions goal; (5) corporate environmental disclosure; (6) methodology for measuring emissions from imports; (7) a review of trade and innovation effects; (8) emissions reduction grants; and (9) modifications to revenue statutes.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Emergency Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide: (1) emergency financial assistance to agricultural producers (without regard to Federal crop insurance coverage) who have incurred qualifying 2001 and/or 2002 crop losses due to weather or related conditions; and (2) payments to livestock producers who have incurred 2001 and/or 2002 losses in an emergency-designated county, with set-asides for the American Indian livestock program.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Prescription Drug Benefit and Cost Containment Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish: (1) a Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Benefit Program under new part D; (2) a Prescription Drug Account in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund; and (3) a Medicare Prescription Drug Advisory Committee. Provides for: (1) part D benefits under Medicare+Choice plans under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice); and (2) Medicare cost-sharing and other assistance for low-income individuals. Revises requirements for Medicare supplemental insurance policy (Medigap) benefit packages to conform to changes made by this Act. Provides for coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for all Medicare beneficiaries under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance). Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a uniform format for pharmacy benefit cards provided to beneficiaries. Expands the membership and duties of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC). Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise provisions concerning the timing of generic drug availability. Requires applicants (pharmaceutical companies) to register their patents with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within 30 days of approval (or issuance for subsequently issued patents). Makes failure to timely register a bar to civil actions for patent infringement. Requires applications for new drugs (NDA) or abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA) which rely upon investigations not conducted by or for the applicant and which concern a patent that claims both the drug and a method of use or more than one method of use to include a certification on a claim-by-claim basis that the patent is invalid or will not be infringed (known as a Paragraph IV filing/certification) by the new drug's (generic) manufacture and a statement regarding the method(s) of use claim. Prohibits (for subsequently issued patents) an extension of the 30-month stay of FDA approval for any new drug where an ANDA or NDA contains a Paragraph IV filing/certification and the patent holder indicates an intention to bring a patent infringement suit against the new (generic) drug's manufacturer. Makes failure to timely file a civil action for infringement a bar to later action. Requires the first generic applicant with a Paragraph IV filing to forfeit the 180 day marketing exclusivity period to a subsequent generic applicant if the first generic applicant engages in certain behaviors (forfeiture events) which delay or prevent the marketing of the generic drug. Adds provisions on importation of prescription drugs and pediatric labeling of drugs and biological products.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Repeals provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 amending the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program under the Public Health Service Act. Repeals modifications to the definitions of manufacturer and vaccine-related injury or death and an added definition of vaccine. States that this Act shall be deemed to have taken effect as though enacted as part of the enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Small Employer Tax Assistance for Health Coverage Act of 2003 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow small employers a limited credit for employee health insurance expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to revise remedies for and enforcement of prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages (such FLSA provisions are also known as the Equal Pay Act) to: (1) add nonretaliation requirements; (2) increase penalties; and (3) authorize the Secretary of Labor to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. Directs the Secretary to provide for certain studies, information, national summit, and guidelines, awards, and assistance for employer evaluations of job categories based on objective criteria. Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect certain pay information.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth a special rule allowing a charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2003 - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA, which is title II of the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, PL107-147) to extend the TEUCA program through weeks of unemployment ending before June 1, 2003. Provides for a transition period of continuing payments to individuals with amounts remaining in their TEUC account after May 31, 2003, for weeks beginning before December 31, 2003. Entitles eligible individuals in all States to a total of 26 weeks of TEUCA compensation (13 weeks beyond the current 13 weeks). Makes such additional benefits also available to individuals who exhausted their TEUCA benefits before January 1, 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Equal Rights and Equal Dignity for Americans Act of 2003 - Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Attorney General (AG), upon request, to provide assistance with the investigation or prosecution of any crime that constitutes: (1) a Federal crime of violence; (2) a felony under State or Indian tribal law; and (3) is motivated by prejudice based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, or is a violation of State or Indian tribe hate crime laws. Amends the Federal criminal code to provide criminal penalties for certain hate crimes. Authorizes funding for enforcing civil rights laws and for indigent defense. Indian Trust Asset and Trust Fund Management and Reform Act of 2003 - Amends the American Indian Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 to expand the annual audit responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior. Prescribes guidelines for development and implementation of an Indian Trust Fund and Trust Asset Management and Monitoring Plan. Establishes the position of Deputy Secretary for Trust Management and Reform to oversee all trust fund and trust asset matters of the Department of the Interior. Establishes the Office of Trust Reform Implementation and Oversight, headed by the Deputy Secretary, to supervise activities of specified senior officials who administer Indian trust assets or funds. Instructs the Deputy Secretary to establish a Tribal Task Force on Trust Reform. Expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should enact legislation: (1) to ban the practice of racial profiling; and (2) to require law enforcement agencies to take steps to prevent the practice. Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to revamp proscriptions against sex discrimination in wages. Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2003 - Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by covered entities. Genetic Nondiscrimination in Health Insurance and Employment Act - Amends the following Acts to prohibit specified discriminatory practices concerning genetic information: (1) the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; (2) the Public Health Service Act; (3) the Internal Revenue Code; and (4) title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act . Protecting Americans' Medical Privacy Act - States that specified modifications made by the August 2002 medical privacy rule to the December 2000 medical privacy rule governing consent for uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations shall have no force or effect. Prohibits the collection of information on U.S. citizens inside the United States for intelligence or law enforcement purposes by any member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense. Help America Vote Act of 2002 (sic) - Authorizes appropriations to implement the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and the Help America Vote Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2003
Comprehensive Homeland Security Act of 2003 - First Responders Partnership Grant Act of 2003 - Sets forth a grants program to support homeland security activities of States, local governments, and Indian tribes public safety officers, including terrorism prevention and response. Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act of 2003, or the "SAFER Act of 2003" - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Labor to make grants to eligible entities to pay for the Federal share of hiring career firefighters. Nuclear Security Act of 2003 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to establish a Task Force on Nuclear Infrastructure Security (Task Force) to examine the protection of sensitive nuclear facilities from potential terrorist threats. Instructs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to promulgate regulations based upon task force recommendations. Directs the President to establish the Nuclear Infrastructure Antiterrorism Team to protect the perimeter of sensitive nuclear facilities against threats . Amends the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to established in the (NRC) the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response. Establishes within such Office the Security Response Unit. Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to authorize employees of NRC licensees to carry weapons. Instructs the Task Force to: (1) evaluate the security of sensitive radioactive material against security threats; and (2) recommend actions for the maximum practicable security against security threats. Rail Security Act of 2003 - Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak, conditioned upon Secretary of Transportation approval of an Amtrak plan that targets security, rehabilitation and upgrades, and engineering and financial considerations. Sets forth criteria governing a mandatory assessment of rail transportation security risks. Wastewater Treatment Works Security and Safety Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to mandate that vulnerability assessments and attendant emergency response plans be submitted to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to address immediate and urgent security needs. Amends the Public Health Service Act to instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to implement the National Smallpox Vaccination Program. Establishes in the Treasury an Information Technology Fund to provide expenditures for information technology and related services for Federal agencies. Prescribes guidelines under which a record pertaining to the vulnerability of and threats to critical infrastructure that is furnished voluntarily to the Department of Homeland Security shall not be made available either to the public or to other Federal agencies under the Freedom of Information Act. Prescribes responsibilities of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for the interoperability of information systems. Instructs the Secretary of State to implement a program to secure, consolidate, or eliminate, radiological and nuclear materials and waste located outside the United States that are determined to present a potential threat. Instructs the President to implement a program to improve border security and strengthen export controls in Russia and other designated areas in order to decrease the potential for the spread of weapons of mass destruction and related materiel. Intelligence Community Leadership Act of 2003 - Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to establish an Office of the Director of National Intelligence to assist the Director of National Intelligence. Confers responsibility upon the Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (Department of Homeland Security) for consolidating law enforcement information with assessments and warnings relating to foreign intelligence from the Director of Central Intelligence's Counterterrorist Center. Chemical Security Act of 2003 - Instructs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations designating certain combinations of chemical sources and substances of concern as high priority categories based on the severity of the threat posed by an unauthorized release from the chemical sources. Subjects violations of such regulations to civil and criminal penalties. Providing Reliable Officers, Technology, Education, Community Prosecutors, and Training in Our Neighborhoods Act of 2003, or "PROTECTION Act" - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize financial and technical assistance to designated law enforcement programs, including religiously-affiliated organizations and rural law enforcement programs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2002
Offering People True Insurance Options Nationwide Act of 2002 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management to administer a health insurance program that offers Federal employees health benefits plans to individuals who are not Federal employees.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2002
Stronger Tobacco Warning Labels to Save Lives Act - Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986 to make it unlawful for any person to manufacture, package, or import for sale or distribution within the United States any cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products unless there is, in accordance with the specified requirements of this Act, a warning label on the upper portion of the front panel of the cigarette package (such as a carton) or on the principal display panel of the smokeless tobacco package. Lists, in the amendments to each Act, certain statements, at least one of which a warning label on a package must contain. Specifies label requirements for advertisements. Requires the rotation of labels for both packages and advertisements in accordance with a Federal Trade Commission approved plan.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 2002
Caregivers Access to Health Insurance Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add a new title, Health Care Coverage for Caregivers, the purpose of which shall be to provide funds to States to enable them to: (1) expand the availability of health insurance coverage to those individuals involved in providing care for children, the disabled, and the elderly; and (2) provide incentives to attract and retain quality caregivers. Makes a State ineligible for Federal payments under this Act unless it has submitted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary has approved a plan setting forth how the State will use the assistance to provide health insurance or health care assistance to eligible caregivers consistent with the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2002
Nuclear Waste Transportation Security Act of 2002 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop and implement a program for the transportation safety of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel (waste and fuel) taking into consideration terrorist threats and other potential emergencies. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States and local and tribal governments for activities to enhance the security of transporting nuclear waste, including emergency response. Directs the Secretaries of Transportation and Energy, in establishing routes for the transportation of nuclear waste through a State, to jointly consult with the State's chief executive officer regarding preferred or alternative routes. Requires the executive officer to be given 7 days' prior notice of any such transportation. Specifies requirements for particular shipments. Prohibits nuclear waste from being transported by vessel in the inland waters of the United States or the Great Lakes. Requires renewal every three years of a hazmat employee's certification of training to handle waste and fuel. Provides training grants for hazmat employees and instructors. Enhances civil penalties for violations in the transportation of waste and fuel. Requires: (1) a program of outreach regarding response to accidents, attacks, or other emergencies involving the transportation of waste and fuel; (2) a study regarding effects on public health of such transportation; and (3) a comprehensive program of testing the physical integrity and suitability of the packages used for such transportation. Requires the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board to evaluate the validity of any activities undertaken by the Secretary or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the transportation of waste or fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2002
Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award a grant to Neighborhood House of St. Paul, Minnesota, to finance the construction of a new community center in St. Paul, to be known as the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2002
Safe Reprocessed Medical Devices Act of 2002 - Classifies as misbranded a device that is reprocessed and intended for use on a single patient, unless such product meets certain requirements, including that it: (1) is labeled with the number of times it has been reprocessed; and (2) prominently and conspicuously bears an identification of the reprocessor and the original manufacturer. Allows the Secretary to waive the latter requirement. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review, according to specified criteria, a Class I or Class II reprocessed device whose producer is exempt from having to report preceding the device's introduction into state commerce. Requires the Secretary to publish in the Federal Register a list of such devices that are no longer exempt. Declares that the termination of an exemption from reporting requirements for a reprocessed device shall not terminate the exemption for the original device. Directs the Secretary to perform specified duties with respect to those reprocessed single-use devices that require reports, including to require validation data. Prohibits the Secretary from determining that such a device is misbranded or adulterated or from taking action against the device for a failure to provide certain required information unless one of specified conditions are met, including that the device is not substantially equivalent to a predicate device. Prohibits marketing the device if it is not substantially equivalent.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2002
Political Campaign Broadcast Activity Improvements Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to include a national committee of a political party acting on behalf of a candidate for public office under provisions requiring the lowest unit charge for radio or television broadcast time for political candidates. Prohibits a licensee of a broadcasting station, except under circumstances beyond its control, from preempting the use of such station by an eligible candidate or political committee who has paid for such use. Requires audits of stations to ensure the provision of broadcasting advertising time for political candidates. Provides minimum time requirements for candidate- or issue-centered broadcasts by stations. Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish and administer a voucher program for the purchase of airtime for political advertisements on radio and television broadcast stations by eligible candidates and political party committees as certified by the FCC. Provides maximum voucher amounts for both candidates and political committees.. Allows such vouchers to be used exclusively for the purchase of airtime, but allows the transfer of vouchers between a political party and a candidate and vice versa. Requires the FCC to redeem all vouchers accepted by such stations. Provides for voucher expiration. Directs the FCC to establish the Political Advertising Voucher Account and to collect and deposit into such Account an annual spectrum use fee based on a percentage of a station's gross revenues.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 2002
Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act of 2002 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that a public safety officer who dies as the direct and proximate result of a heart attack or stroke suffered while on duty or within 24 hours after participating in a training exercise or responding to an emergency situation shall be presumed to have died as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty, for purposes of survivor benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2002
Driver's License Fraud Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to complete an assessment of the personal information and characteristics recorded by States to identify individuals for purposes of issuing driver's licenses, including potential methods uniquely identifying individuals such as biometric identifiers, and the cost and effects of using such identifiers to identify drivers nationwide. Amends Federal transportation law to require the Secretary to prescribe regulations setting forth: (1) minimum standards for processing driver's license and identification card applications, including proof of the identity of an applicant for the license or identification card; and (2) minimum security standards that shall be applied by a State to prevent fraud in the issuance or use of a driver's license or identification card. Prohibits a State from issuing a driver's license to an individual: (1) who currently holds a valid driver's license issued by that State or by another State; and (2) during a period in which such individual is disqualified from operating a motor vehicle. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to States to: (1) develop the Driver License Agreement to promote the sharing of driver's license information and conviction records among the States; and (2) implement innovative programs to verify driver identity, prevent fraud in the procurement of driver's licenses, and demonstrate the use of technology to create tamper resistant, secure driver's licenses. Amends Federal criminal law to revise requirements governing the disclosure of personal information from State motor vehicle records to permit the disclosure of such information by a State department of motor vehicles for purposes of preventing fraud, or to verify information relating to the employment of an individual. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for: (1) the fraudulent issuance, renewal, upgrade, or transfer of a driver's license; and (2) the unauthorized use of State motor vehicle agency records and equipment by any person. Sets forth requirements: (1) requiring the consolidation of the National Driver Register, the Commercial Driver's License Information System, and information on all licensed drivers into a new Driver Record Information Verification System, among other things, prevent the issuance to an individual of more than one State-issued driver's license; and (2) prohibiting the disclosure or display of social security numbers on motor vehicle records.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2002
Genetically Engineered Foods Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require Food and Drug Administration review and approval of all genetically engineered foods (as defined by this Act) prior to introduction into interstate commerce. (Includes split-use food, as defined by this Act, in such requirement.) Authorizes approval exemptions for a food category deemed not to be a food safety risk. Provides for trade secret protection. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish: (1) a program to test for the presence of genetically engineered ingredients in food from all stages of agricultural production to retail distribution; and (2) a genetically engineered food registry that contains the regulatory status of all such approved foods. Applies provisions respecting adulterated drugs and devices to genetically engineered animals (as defined by this Act). Sets forth application criteria, including provisions for: (1) protection of trade secrets; (2) environmental assessments. Subjects the provisions of this Act to prohibitions respecting: (1) unlawful use of trade secret information; and (2) adulterated food. Sets forth approval transition provisions for genetically engineered animals or food that enter interstate commerce before enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2002
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Interstate Supervision Act of 2002 - Amends the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 to require the Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia to arrange for the supervision of: (1) District of Columbia (DC) offenders on parole (current law), probation, and supervised release who seek to reside in jurisdictions outside DC; and (2) offenders on parole, probation, and supervised release from jurisdictions outside DC who seek to reside in DC. Authorizes the Director to enter into offender supervision agreements, including the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision, with any State or group of States.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 2002
No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2002 - Provides for full voting representation in Congress for the residents of the District of Columbia, including two Senators and as many Representatives as a similarly populous State would be entitled to under the law.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2002
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (TEUCA, which is title II of the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, PL107-147) to extend the TEUCA program through weeks of unemployment ending before July 1, 2003 (currently January 1, 2003). Entitles eligible individuals in all States to a total of 26 weeks of TEUCA compensation (13 weeks beyond the current 13 weeks). Provides an additional seven weeks of TEUCA benefits for workers in high unemployment States (entitling them to a total of 33, which is 20 weeks beyond the current 13). Applies a revised adjusted insured unemployment rate State trigger. Sets an additional TEUCA benefit period State trigger based on total unemployment rate.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2002
Declares the sense of Congress that the President should designate November 2002 as National Bread Month in recognition of the significance of bread in American history, culture, and daily diet.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2002
Supports the goals and ideas of a day of tribute to all firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Recognizes the important mission of the Fallen Firefighters Foundation in assisting family members to overcome the loss of their fallen heroes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2002
National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2002 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to require the Invasive Species Council (Council) to coordinate with the Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force (Task Force) to combat aquatic invasive species (AIS's). Requires the Task Force to recommend to appropriate Federal agencies additions to the list of AIS's. Requires the Task Force, the Council, and the Secretary of State to coordinate activities to ensure that international efforts to prevent and manage AIS's are coordinated with U.S. policies. Establishes minimum invasive species prevention requirements for all vessels entering U.S. ports. Directs the Task Force to publish a priority pathway management program. Prohibits the importation of live aquatic organisms not in trade without specified screening and approval. Directs the Task Force to develop a national system of ecological surveys to rapidly detect recently-established AIS's in U.S. waters. Requires the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to construct and maintain a national dispersal barrier program to contain and control aquatic nuisances. Makes any State with a rapid response contingency strategy eligible to receive emergency funding to implement rapid response measures for AIS's. Requires the Task Force to encourage development of regional rapid response contingency strategies and develop a State model for such. Requires the Council, in coordination with the Task Force and the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies, to establish a Federal rapid response team for the ten regions of the Standard Federal Regional Boundary System. Requires the Task Force to establish a national subcommittee on nutria. Provides for expansion of the Brown Tree Snake Control Program and Aquatic Nuisance Species Program information, education and outreach activities. Requires specified agencies and research centers to develop and conduct marine research and demonstration programs to assess rates of, patterns of, and conditions surrounding introductions of nonnative aquatic species into aquatic ecosystems. Requires the Secretary to develop a central national database of information on ballast water management and treatment. Requires specified agencies to develop a vessel pathway standards research program. Requires the National Science Foundation to establish a program of grants to institutions of higher education for research in systematics and taxonomy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2002
Elder Justice Act - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new title XXII (Elder Justice) to establish: (1) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) an Office of Elder Justice, headed by a Director who shall develop objectives, priorities, policy, and a long-term plan for elder justice programs; (2) within HHS an Intra-Agency Elder Justice Steering Committee to coordinate HHS elder justice programs and policy; (3) the Elder Justice Coordinating Council to make recommendations for the coordination of activities, relating to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and other crimes against elders, to HHS, the Department of Justice, and other relevant Federal, State, local, and private agencies and entities; and (4) the Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation. Outlines provisions with respect to uniform collection, maintenance, and dissemination of national data relating to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Authorizes the HHS Secretary to award various grants, including grants for: (1) prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; (2) five Centers of Excellence nationwide that shall specialize in research, clinical practice, and training relating to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; (3) six diverse communities to examine various types of elder shelters and to test various models for establishing safe havens; (4) nonprofit organizations to encourage such organizations to establish or continue volunteer programs that focus on the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, or that provide related services; and (5) various multidisciplinary elder justice activities. Provides for: (1) reporting to law enforcement of crimes occurring in Federally-funded long-term care facilities; (2) revising the quality of long-term care; and (3) increasing consumer information about long-term care. Amends: (1) SSA titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) to establish programs to prevent abuse of skilled nursing facility and nursing facility residents; (2) the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of health care professionals with geriatric training; (3) the Older Americans Act of 1965 with respect to the long-term care ombudsman program; (4) part A (General Provisions) of SSA title XI to establish in HHS the Office of Adult Protective Services; and (5) SSA titles XVIII and XIX to assure safety of residents when nursing facilities close. Establishes in the Department of Justice an Office of Elder Justice. Amends the: (1) Federal criminal code to provide for a cause of action for elder abuse and neglect; and (2) Internal Revenue Code to provide for a long-term care facility worker employment tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2002
Designates the month of September 2002 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Declares that the Federal Government has a responsibility to: (1) raise awareness about the importance of screening methods and treatment of prostate cancer; (2) increase research funding that is commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the causes of, and improved methods for screening, treating, and curing prostate cancer may be discovered; and (3) continue to consider ways for improving access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2002
Honoring the Passengers and Crew of United Flight 93 Act - Authorizes the President to award posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal to the passengers and crew of United Airlines flight 93 in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 2002
Living Organ Donor Protections Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit health insurance discrimination in group premiums with respect to individuals who are living organ donors.
United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2002
Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY 2004 120 percent of the amount obligated during FY 2002; and (2) adjust the amount provided after FY 2004 based on the number of enrolled veterans and the number of others eligible for and provided care and the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.
United States · United States Congress · 3 September 2002
National AMBER Alert Network Act of 2002 - Requires the Attorney General to assign an AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of the AMBER Alert communications network regarding abducted children. Requires the coordinator to: (1) seek to eliminate gaps in the network; (2) work with States to encourage the development of additional network elements and to ensure regional coordination; and (3) act as the nationwide point of contact for network development and for regional coordination of alerts on abducted children through the network. Directs the Coordinator to: (1) notify and consult with the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning each child abduction for which an AMBER Alert is issued; and (2) establish minimum standards for the issuance of alerts and for the extent of their dissemination (limited to the geographic areas most likely to facilitate the recovery of the abducted child). Requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of notification or communications systems along highways for alerts and other information for the recovery of abducted children. Includes among permissible activities the development or enhancement of electronic message boards, and the placement of additional signage, along highways. Directs the Attorney General to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert communications plans.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2002
Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, upon licensee request, to: (1) reinstate the license for construction of a specified hydroelectric project in the State of Illinois as of the effective date of the surrender of the license; and (2) extend the time period during which the licensee is required to commence the construction of the project for three consecutive two-year periods beyond the date that is four years after the license date of issuance.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2002
Economic Security Act 2002 - Amends the Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-147) (TEUCA) to: (1) establish a program of temporary enhanced unemployment compensation benefits; (2) require States to modify their compensation laws to include recently earned wages in base periods, allow compensation for those seeking part-time work, and increase benefits levels by the greater of 15 percent or $25 a week; (3) reimburse States for administrative expenses; (4) extend the TEUCA program; (5) entitle individuals to 26 weeks of TEUCA compensation; (6) apply a revised rate of insured unemployment; (7) set an additional TEUCA benefit period trigger; (8) provide an additional seven weeks of benefits for workers in high unemployment States; (9) repeal a requirement for 20 weeks of work; (10) provide that individual is not ineligible for emergency compensation because of a subsequent entitlement to regular benefits for which the individual does not file; and (11) provide an additional extension of TEUCA assistance. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for no reduction in unemployment compensation as a result of pension rollovers. Amends the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (FSEUCA) to: (1) repeal certain State law extended benefit requirements; (2) revise the definition of rate of insured unemployment; (3) entitle individuals to 13 weeks of unemployment compensation; (4) lower the extended benefit on-indicator; and (5) require a study and report on unemployment insurance benefits provided to individuals who have received assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families program.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2002
Act to Save America's Forests - States that the purposes of this Act are to protect native biodiversity and ecosystems on Federal land from losses caused by: (1) clearcutting and other forms of even-age logging operations; and (2) logging in ancient forests, roadless areas, watershed protection areas, and special areas. Amends the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 to revise eligibility criteria for members of the land and resource management scientific committee. Revises the committee termination date to ten years after enactment of this Act. Provides for conservation and restoration of native biodiversity in forested areas. Prohibits clearcutting or other even-age logging operations on any stand or watershed on certain Federal land, National Forest System land, and National Wildlife Refuge System land. Provides for: (1) Federal enforcement; and (1) a private right of action. Describes special areas as Federal forest land parcels possessing outstanding biological, scenic, recreational, or cultural values which may not meet the definitions of ancient forests, roadless areas, watershed protection areas, or Federal boundary areas. Designates specified special areas which shall be subject to restrictions on road construction and logging in the following States: (1) Alabama; (2) Alaska; (3) Arizona; (4) Arkansas; (5) California; (6) Colorado; (7) Georgia; (8) Idaho; (9) Illinois; (10) Michigan; (11) Minnesota; (12) Missouri; (13) Montana; (14) New Mexico; (15) North Carolina; (16) Ohio; (17) Oklahoma; (18) Oregon; (19) South Carolina; (20) South Dakota; (21) Tennessee; (22) Texas; (23) Vermont; (24) Virginia; (25) Wisconsin; and (26) Wyoming. Provides for the appointment of a committee of independent scientists to recommend additional special areas.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2002
Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), within 15 days after the enactment of this Act, to return to the winning bidders of spectrum auction 35 the full amount of all deposits and down payments made for licenses that the FCC has not delivered by such date. Frees each winning bidder that elects within such period to relinquish a license not yet delivered of all license obligations such bidder would otherwise have had, including the obligation to pay the full amount of its winning bid upon license delivery.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2002
Congratulates Lance Armstrong and his team on his historic victory in the 2002 Tour de France. Commends the unwavering commitment to cancer awareness and survivorship demonstrated by him.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2002
Expresses the sense of the Senate that having the President lead the U.S. delegation at the World Summit on Sustainable Development would send a strong signal of U.S. support. Calls for the United States to: (1) take specified steps at the Summit, such as reaffirming its support for the implementation of commitments entered into at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), supporting efforts to improve the institutional structure for implementing the framework created by Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, remaining firmly opposed to commercial whaling, and supporting measures to increase the use of renewable sources of energy worldwide; and (2) provide leadership and pursue the negotiation of international agreements to address global climate change and to protect the marine environment. Urges the President to identify priority international environmental agreements that the United States has signed during and following the UNCED that the Administration will present to the Senate for ratification.
![Official portrait of Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000563_200.jpg)