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United States · Official source
6,479 records where Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the new markets tax credit through 2016; (2) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for such credit after 2012; and (3) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for such credit.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Allows employees to use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members; or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. Grants the same authority, for employees under their jurisdiction, to the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, the Board of Directors of the congressional Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board. Authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this Act. Waives a state's sovereign immunity with respect to a suit brought by an employee of a federally-assisted state program or activity for relief authorized under this Act. Requires the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to annually compile information on paid sick time and the Comptroller General to study related matters. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
America's Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2011 - Designates specified lands in the following areas of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Great Basin, (2) Grand Staircase-Escalante, (3) Moab-La Sal Canyons, (4) Henry Mountains, (5) Glen Canyon, (6) San Juan-Anasazi, (7) Canyonlands Basin, (8) San Rafael Swell, and (9) Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin. Sets forth administrative provisions regarding: (1) filing by the Secretary of the Interior of a map and a legal description of each designated wilderness area with appropriate congressional committees, (2) the exchange of state-owned lands within such areas, (3) federal reservation of water rights, (4) measurement of setbacks for roads with wilderness, (5) authorized livestock grazing, and (6) withdrawal of such lands from disposition under certain public land laws.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Engineering Education for Innovation Act or E 2 for Innovation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award planning grants and matching implementation grants to states to integrate engineering education into kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) instruction and curricula. Requires each state that desires an implementation grant to develop quantifiable benchmarks for activities supported by such grants and submit them to the Secretary for approval. Requires states to use implementation grants to: (1) establish assessment tools and challenging academic content and achievement standards for engineering education, (2) develop or obtain effective engineering education curricula, (3) develop or improve engineering teacher training programs, and (4) recruit qualified engineering teachers for needy schools. Authorizes states to use such grants to: (1) facilitate distance learning and online education in engineering, and (2) invest in after-school engineering education programs. Directs the Institute of Education Sciences to support engineering education research and an evaluation of this Act's grant programs. Requires the Secretary to use the evaluation's findings to provide information to the public and technical assistance to states on best practices and promising innovations in K-12 engineering education.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Reconnecting Youth to Prevent Homelessness Act of 2011 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require State part E plans to provide that the state shall have in effect such laws and procedures as are necessary to ensure that: (1) a child may not be placed in foster care under state responsibility solely because the family with which the child is living is homeless or living in substandard housing, and (2) the state will work with the family and state housing authorities to secure permanent housing for any family that includes a minor child and is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Requires the Comptroller General to report to appropriate congressional committees on state policies and practices regarding: (1) access to federally funded child welfare services by children who have attained age 13; and (2) consideration of runaway and homeless situations, as well as status as domestic minor victims of sex trafficking, as risk assessment factors for determining the appropriateness of placement in the child welfare system. Requires state part E plans to describe state policies and procedures regarding runaway or missing foster children. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration project to develop multi-state working groups to conduct research and develop policy recommendations for the support and enhancement of long-term permanency planning for children in foster care. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to revise certain regulations to provide that individuals who have been under the state foster care system but are no longer because they have attained the age of majority, and who have attained, as well, a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher education in the United States, qualify to purchase a home through the Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a demonstration project to develop programs focused on improving family relationships and reducing homelessness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Provides for extension of child welfare services to children between ages 18 and 21 who are under the responsibility of the state. Revises the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) to revise the requirement that the state provide adult-supervised living arrangements for teenage parents not yet living in such an arrangement. Suspends the five-year time limit on TANF assistance for parents under age 21 who are involved in education or training. Prohibits the imposition of sanctions under TANF with respect to minor parents unless the state has established procedures that help TANF recipients understand, avoid, or end sanctions, and has applied the procedures to the recipient. Requires the Secretary to study: (1) TANF recipients who are parents and have not attained age 20, and (2) a representative sample of low-income teen parents who are not TANF recipients. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include homeless youth as a qualified targeted population for the work opportunity business income tax credit. Amends SSA title II and XVI (Supplemental Security Income [SSI]) to place specified limitations on the use of Social Security or SSI benefits paid to state or local government agencies serving as representative payees on behalf of foster children for state costs. Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to require state agency screening of foster children for eligibility for Social Security and SSI benefits. Amends SSA title XVI with respect to determination of the unearned income of an individual (and his eligible spouse, if any) living in another person's household and receiving support and maintenance in kind from that person.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Medicare IVIG Access Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration project under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to evaluate the benefits of providing payment for items and services needed for the administration, within the homes of Medicare beneficiaries, of intravenous immune globin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases. Amends SSA title XVIII to treat as durable medical equipment (DME) any disposable drug delivery systems, including elastomeric infusion pumps, for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Designates May 14, 2011, as National Police Survivors Day.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2011
Designates May 15, 2011, as National MPS Awareness Day (mucopolysaccharidosis) and expresses support for the goals and ideals of such Day.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Hiring Heroes Act of 2011- Amends the Wounded Warriors Act to extend until January 1, 2015, the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide the same rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses as are provided to veterans. Expands the authority of the VA Secretary to make payments to employers to provide on-job training to veterans to include veterans who have not been rehabilitated to the point of employability. Entitles certain veterans with service-connected disabilities who have exhausted their rights to unemployment benefits to participation in an additional VA rehabilitation program. Limits the duration of such a program to 24 months. Makes the 12-year period of eligibility for a VA rehabilitation program inapplicable under such an additional program. Instructs the VA Secretary to follow-up on the employment status of veterans who participate in a VA rehabilitation program. Requires (current law encourages) participation by eligible members in the Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) of the Department of Defense (DOD). Requires (under current law, authorizes) the provision of preseparation counseling to members whose discharge or release is anticipated. Instructs the Secretary of Labor to follow-up on the employment status of members who complete their participation in the TAP. Directs the VA Secretary to award grants to up to three nonprofit organizations under a collaborative veterans' training, mentoring, and placement program for eligible veterans seeking employment. Requires participants in the TAP to receive individualized assessments of civilian positions for which they may be qualified based on a joint DOD, VA, and Department of Labor study of the equivalencies between military skills and civilian employment requirements. Authorizes the appointment of an honorably discharged member of the uniformed services to a position in the civil service, without regard to specified civil service examination, certification, and appointment provisions, if otherwise qualified. Requires executive agencies to establish programs to provide employment assistance to members who are being separated from active duty. Directs the Secretary of Labor to carry out an outreach program to provide employment assistance to certain veterans who have been receiving assistance under the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers program. Authorizes a pilot program to assess the feasibility of providing work experience to certain members of the Armed Forces who are on terminal leave. Requires (under current law, authorizes) a VA demonstration project on the credentialing and licensing of veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2011 or DREAM Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a conditional basis, an alien who: (1) entered the United States on or before his or her 15th birthday and has been present in the United States for five years preceding this Act's enactment; (2) is a person of good moral character; (3) is not inadmissible under specified grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act; (4) has not participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion; (5) has not been convicted of certain offenses under federal or state law; (6) has been admitted to an institution of higher education (IHE) in the United States or has earned a high school diploma or general education development certificate in the United States; and (7) was age 35 or younger on the date of this Act's enactment. Authorizes the Secretary to waive specified grounds of inadmissibility for humanitarian, family unity, or public interest purposes. Requires an alien to apply for cancellation of removal and conditional permanent resident status within one year after the later of: (1) earning a high school diploma or general education development certificate in the United States, or (2) the effective date of related final regulations. Requires prior to the granting of conditional permanent resident status that: (1) an alien submit biometric and biographic data, and (2) the Secretary has completed security and law enforcement background checks. Requires an alien applying for conditional permanent resident status to: (1) register under the Military Selective Service Act if so required, and (2) undergo a medical examination. Prohibits the Secretary or the Attorney General (DOJ) from removing an alien with a pending application who establishes prima facie eligibility for cancellation of removal and conditional permanent resident status. Directs the Attorney General to stay the removal proceedings of an alien who: (1) meets the requirements (other than that pertaining to secondary school diploma or post-secondary school) for cancellation of removal and conditional adjustment, and (2) is at least five years of age and enrolled full-time in a primary or secondary school. Establishes a six-year period of conditional permanent resident status. Terminates such status if the alien: (1) ceases to be a person of good moral character or becomes inadmissible under specified grounds, or (2) did not receive an honorable military discharge. Authorizes the Secretary to remove the conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status if the alien: (1) has demonstrated good moral character; (2) is not inadmissible under specified grounds; (3) has not abandoned U.S. residency; (4) has earned an IHE degree (or has completed at least two years in a bachelor's or higher degree program) in the United States, or has served in the Armed Forces for at least two years ( and if discharged, was honorably discharged); and (5) has provided a list of each secondary school attended in the United States. Authorizes, and sets forth the criteria for, a hardship exception to such requirements. Requires an alien prior to having his or her conditional status removed to have: (1) satisfied citizenship requirements, (2) submitted biometric and biographic data, and (3) have had security and law enforcement background checks completed. Requires an alien seeking to have such conditional status removed to file an application during the period beginning six months prior to, and ending on, the date that is later of: (1) six years after the date the alien was initially granted conditional permanent resident status, or (2) any extended expiration date of the alien's conditional permanent resident status. Prohibits an alien from applying for naturalization while he or she is in conditional permanent resident status. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) confidentiality of information, (2) required disclosure, (3) application fraud, and (4) penalties for false application statements or misuse of information. Makes an alien in conditional permanent resident status eligible only for the following programs with respect to assistance under title IV of the Higher Education Assistance Act of 1965: (1) Ford or Perkins loans, (2) work-study programs, and (3) educational services. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Text a Tip Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to state or local police departments to implement an anonymous tip program using cell phone text messaging to assist police in preventing and solving crimes. Sets forth requirements for such program, including that: (1) state or local law police departments shall administer the program; (2) incoming text messages shall be stripped of any identifying information and the text tip shall not be traceable by any means; (3) police departments shall train sufficient personnel to intercept and respond to text tips; (4) the program shall be made compatible with most mobile phone providers; and (5) police departments shall promote the participation of citizens, especially youth, in the program.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
Protect Those Who Serve Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, any U.S. territory or possession, and any Indian tribe for the renovation, modernization, and construction of law enforcement facilities. Sets forth matching requirements for receipt of a grant.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2011
National Oilheat Research Alliance Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Renames the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 the National Oilheat Research, Consumer Education, and Efficiency Act of 2011. Revises criteria for membership in the National Oilheat Research Alliance. Directs the Alliance to: (1) submit proposed biennial (currently, annual) budgets to the Secretary of Energy (DOE); and (2) maintain a data collection process to track equipment, service, and related safety issues. Authorizes the Secretary to recommend changes to budget programs and activities of the Alliance. Directs the Secretary to report biennially to Congress on certain Alliance activities. Prohibits assessments collected under this Act from being passed through to or otherwise required to be paid by either retail purchasers or ultimate consumers of oilheat. Requires a qualified state association to deposit in a separate account the funds received under this Act. Directs the Alliance to ensure that specified percentages of assessments collected for each calendar year are used to: (1) conduct research, development, and demonstration activities relating to oilheat; (2) implement consumer assistance programs; and (3) conduct consumer education activities relating to oilheat. Directs the Alliance to: (1) ensure that heating system conversion assistance is coordinated with administrators of a specified low-income home energy assistance program and with the Weatherization Assistance Program for Low-Income Persons; and (2) develop, with states, a coordinated heating oil efficiency and upgrade plan to implement cost-effective efficiency programs and activities. Repeals the mandate for an annual market survey and analysis of changes in the price of oilheat relative to other energy sources. Prohibits the use of funds derived from assessments collected by the Alliance to lobby. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a fine or take other action to ensure compliance with this Act (including referral to an appropriate law enforcement authority) if the Alliance, a qualified state association, or any other entity or person violates this Act. Extends the sunset date for the National Oilheat Research Alliance program to 19 years after the date on which it was established.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2011
Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions allowing a tax exclusion for benefits paid to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical providers by states and local government by: (1) increasing the amount of benefits excludible, and (2) extending such tax exclusion through 2013.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2011
Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the tax deduction for donations of fractional interests in tangible personal property to: (1) permit donors to claim an increased deduction based upon the market value of subsequent gifts of fractional interests, (2) extend to 20 years the period in which donors of fractional interests must contribute their entire interest in donated property, and (3) require donors of fractional interests greater than $1 million to attach a statement of value obtained from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to their tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Mother's Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 400,000 $1 coins emblematic of the 100th anniversary of President Wilson's proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such coins beginning on January 1, 2014, except that the Secretary may initiate sales of such coins, without issuance, before such date. Terminates such minting authority after December 31, 2014. Requires coin sales to include a $10 surcharge per coin, with distribution of such surcharges to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Osteoporosis Foundation for the purpose of furthering research.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2011
Recognizes May 15, 2011, as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Acknowledges the dedication and sacrifices made by law enforcement officers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2011
Authorizes the National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. (previously the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation) to establish a memorial on specified federal land in the District of Columbia to honor slaves and free black persons who served as soldiers and sailors or provided civilian assistance during the American Revolution.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2011
Declares the sense of the Senate that: (1) stable and affordable housing is an essential component of an effective strategy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, treatment, and care; and (2) the United States should make a commitment to providing adequate funding for developing housing as a response to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2011
Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award formula matching grants to states or partnerships between states and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education. Requires grantees to use 25% of the grant funds to: (1) develop financial literacy standards and assessments for at least three grade levels, (2) create teacher training programs to embed financial literacy or personal finance education into core academic subjects, and (3) evaluate the impact such education has on students' financial literacy. Requires the remaining grant funds to be used for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community organizations, local businesses, or other educational entities to implement such financial literacy activities, including student assessments and teacher training. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or partnerships between IHEs and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education for activities that increase student knowledge in consumer, economic, and personal financial concepts.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate a rule that establishes: (1) the data that constitute the minimum data sets for chemical substances; and (2) requirements for chemical manufacturers and processors to submit and update their minimum data sets. Sets deadlines for the submission of minimum data sets for chemical substances placed on the prioritization list established by this Act and for new substances. Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) require the testing of, and the submission of test results for, any chemical substance; (2) require submission of a sample of any substance for testing; and (3) impose restrictions on violators of testing requirements, including a prohibition against manufacturing, processing, or distributing chemical substances or mixtures. Prohibits any person from manufacturing or processing a new chemical substance unless the person notifies the Administrator about the person's intention to manufacture or process the substance and the Administrator finds that the manufacturers and processors have established that the substance meets the applicable safety standard or that it is not, and is not expected to be: (1) manufactured or released into the environment in excess of specified volumes; (2) a known, probable, or suspected reproductive, developmental, neurological, or immunological toxicant, carcinogen, mutagen, or endocrine disruptor; (3) persistent and bioaccumulative; or (4) found in human blood, fluids, tissue, food, drinking water, air, residential soil, or house dust at a level not naturally found in that medium. Prohibits any person from manufacturing or processing an existing chemical substance for a use that was not ongoing prior to this Act's enactment or at a volume that is significantly increased, unless the substance meets the applicable safety standard and other specified requirements. Requires the Administrator to develop, publish, and update a list of chemical substances warranting placement within one of three priority classes. Directs the Administrator to assign: (1) 20 to 30 substances as priority class 1 (requiring immediate risk management), applicable to a substance that is, or that is degraded and metabolized into, a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substance with the potential for widespread exposure to humans and other organisms; (2) substances as priority class 2 (requiring a safety standard determination), if the Administrator finds it is uncertain such substance would satisfy such determination, prioritizing those substances that present the greater risks to human health or the environment; and (3) substances as priority class 3 (requiring no immediate action), applicable to a substance that does not and would not, at any stage of its lifecycle, pose any risk of adverse effects to human health or the environment under existing, proposed, or anticipated levels of exposure , production, or pattern of use. Requires substance manufacturers and processors to: (1) bear the burden of proving that chemical substances meet applicable safety standards; and (2) provide sufficient information for the Administrator to determine whether such standards have been met. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) notification of pending safety determinations; (2) requirements for substances that meet safety standards; (3) conditions on substance manufacturing, processing, use, distribution, or disposal that may be imposed in safety determinations; (4) chemical substances or mixtures that may present a substantial endangerment to health or the environment; and (5) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including a prohibition against any person manufacturing, processing, or distributing PCBs in other than a totally enclosed manner. Prohibits federal agencies from conveying, selling, or distributing elemental mercury. Requires the Administrator to: (1) publish a list of each chemical substance that is manufactured or processed in the United Sates; (2) establish an Internet-accessible, public database of information on the toxicity of, use of, and exposure to chemical substances; (3) establish a Children's Environmental Health Research Program within EPA; (4) minimize the use of animals in testing of chemical substances or mixtures; (5) create market incentives for the development of safer alternatives to existing substances; and (6) develop and publish action plans to reduce disproportionate exposure to toxic substances. Revises provisions concerning the disclosure of data by narrowing the conditions under which data about chemical substances may be treated as confidential business information. Authorizes the Administrator to prescribe regulations to carry out the provisions of the Stockholm Convention, the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants to the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and the Rotterdam Convention.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the cap on outpatient physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy services of the type furnished by a physician or as an incident to physicians' services.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Strengthening America's Public Schools Through Promoting Foreign Investment Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit a lawful alien who enters the United States on a nonimmigrant student visa (including Mexican and Canadian commuter students) to attend a U.S. public secondary school for longer than one year if such alien reimburses the local educational agency for the full, unsubsidized per capita cost of providing education at such school for the period of the alien's attendance.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Uniting American Families Act of 2011 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a "permanent partner" within the scope of such Act. Defines a "permanent partner" as an individual 18 or older who: (1) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (2) is financially interdependent with the other individual; (3) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, anyone other than the individual; (4) is unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (5) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual. Defines "permanent partnership" as the relationship existing between two permanent partners.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to deem an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital to be an inpatient with respect to satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital requirement in order to entitle the individual to Medicare coverage of any post-hospital extended care services in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Recognizes the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the courage of the Ukrainian people in addressing its consequences. Commends efforts to mitigate the disaster's consequences, including U.S. and international assistance to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund and the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 2011
Honors the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are serving or have served in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. Calls on the people of the United States to reflect on the service of those members and veterans and to hold them in a special place of honor, both now and in the future.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2011
Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act of 2011 - Prohibits: (1) conducting invasive research on great apes; (2) possessing, maintaining, or housing a great ape for the purpose of conducting invasive research; (3) using federal funds to conduct such research on a great ape or to support an entity conducting or facilitating invasive research on a great ape either within or outside of the United States; (4) knowingly breeding a great ape for the purpose of conducting or facilitating such research; (5) transporting, moving, delivering receiving, leasing, renting, donating, purchasing, selling, or borrowing a great ape in interstate or foreign commerce for conducting or facilitating such research; and (6) transferring federal ownership of a great ape to a non-federal entity unless the entity is a suitable sanctuary. Defines "great ape" as any chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon. Defines "invasive research" as research that may cause death, injury, pain, distress, fear, or trauma to great apes, including drug testing or exposure to a substance or isolation, social deprivation, or other experimental manipulations that may be detrimental to the ape's health or psychological well-being. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to effectuate the permanent retirement of all great apes that are owned by the federal government and that are being maintained in any facility for the purpose of breeding for, holding for, or conducting invasive research. Sets forth civil penalties for violations of this Act. Establishes in the Treasury the Great Ape Sanctuary System Fund to be administered by the Secretary for construction, renovation, and operation of the sanctuary system for surplus chimpanzees.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2011
Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 - Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity by covered entities (employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees). Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Allows only disparate treatment claims. Prohibits related retaliation. Makes this Act inapplicable to: (1) religious organizations, and (2) the relationship between the United States and members of the Armed Forces. Declares that this Act does not repeal or modify any federal, state, territorial, or local law creating a special right or preference concerning employment for a veteran. Provides for the construction of this Act regarding: (1) enforcement by employers of rules and policies, (2) sexual harassment, (3) certain shared facilities such as showers or dressing facilities, (4) construction of new or additional facilities, (5) dress and grooming standards, and (6) provision of employee benefits to married vs. unmarried couples. Declares that, in this Act, "married" refers to marriage as that term is defined in the Defense of Marriage Act (a legal union between one man and one woman). Prohibits the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from collecting statistics from covered entities on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or compelling the collection by covered entities of such statistics. Provides for enforcement, including giving the EEOC, the Librarian of Congress (LOC), the Attorney General (DOJ), and U.S. courts the same enforcement powers as they have under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, and other specified laws. Allows actions and proceedings, subject to exception, against the United States and the states.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2011
Sanctity of Eternal Rest for Veterans Act of 2011 or SERVE Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code concerning the prohibition on disruptions of funerals of members or former members of the Armed Forces to increase the period covered under such prohibition from one to two hours before and after a military funeral. Includes within such unlawful conduct any disturbance or disruption occurring within 500 feet of the residence of a surviving member of a deceased's immediate family. Provides civil remedies, including actual and statutory damages. Makes identical changes under federal veterans' provisions concerning the prohibition on certain demonstrations and disruptions at national cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2011
Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011 - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate a rulemaking requiring security measures to be carried out by any person (defined in this Act as a "covered entity") collecting, using, transferring, or storing certain personal information (defined in this Act as "covered information") concerning over 5,000 individuals during any consecutive 12-month period who is also: (1) a person whom the FTC is directed to prevent from using unfair methods of competition or deceptive practices in or affecting commerce under specified provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act; (2) a common carrier subject to the Communications Act of 1934, notwithstanding specified terms and exceptions; or (3) a nonprofit organization, including certain tax-exempt organizations. Requires each such entity to implement a comprehensive information privacy program. Applies the requirements of this Act to: (1) personally identifiable information; (2) unique identifier information; and (3) any information that is collected, used, or stored in connection with such information in a manner that may reasonably be used to identify a specific individual. Excludes from such measures certain information obtained from public records, shared voluntarily in a forum, reported in the media, or dedicated as workplace contact information. Requires an FTC rulemaking to require each covered entity to: (1) notify individuals of its information use, storage, transfer, and collection practices, and the purposes of such practices; (2) offer mechanisms for opt-out or opt-in consent, as specified, under various circumstances including for unauthorized information use and use by third parties for behavioral advertising or marketing; (3) provide methods to correct inaccuracies; and (4) permit requests to render information personally unidentifiable or to cease unauthorized or marketing use after the entity's bankruptcy or a termination of service. Lists the restricted purposes for which collected information must be reasonably necessary. Limits the retention of such information. Sets forth the contract provisions necessary to use a service provider or to transfer such information to a third party. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) enforcement by the FTC and state attorneys general, (2) civil penalties, and (3) safe harbor programs to be administered by nongovernmental organizations. Prohibits any private right of action under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2011
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages. Revises the exception to the prohibition for a wage rate differential based on any other factor other than sex. Limits such factors to bona fide factors, such as education, training, or experience. States that the bona fide factor defense shall apply only if the employer demonstrates that such factor: (1) is not based upon or derived from a sex-based differential in compensation, (2) is job-related with respect to the position in question, and (3) is consistent with business necessity. Makes such defense inapplicable where the employee demonstrates that: (1) an alternative employment practice exists that would serve the same business purpose without producing such differential, and (2) the employer has refused to adopt such alternative practice. Revises the prohibition against employer retaliation for employee complaints. Prohibits retaliation for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing the wages of the employee or another employee in response to a complaint or charge, or in furtherance of a sex discrimination investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, or an investigation conducted by the employer. Makes employers who violate sex discrimination prohibitions liable in a civil action for either compensatory or (except for the federal government) punitive damages. States that any action brought to enforce the prohibition against sex discrimination may be maintained as a class action in which individuals may be joined as party plaintiffs without their written consent. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages in a sex discrimination action. 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. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for negotiation skills training programs for girls and women. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Education to issue regulations or policy guidance to integrate such training into certain programs under their Departments. Directs the Secretary to conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor organizations, and the general public regarding the means available to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect from employers pay information data regarding the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in the enforcement of federal laws prohibiting pay discrimination. Directs: (1) the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to continue to collect data on women workers in the Current Employment Statistics survey, (2) the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to use specified types of methods in investigating compensation discrimination and in enforcing pay equity, and (3) the Secretary to make accurate information on compensation discrimination readily available to the public. Directs the Secretary and the Commissioner [ sic ] of the EEOC jointly to develop technical assistance material to assist small businesses to comply with the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2011
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2015 the qualified school construction bond program and the national limitation amounts for bonds issued under the qualified zone academy bond (QZAB) program, (2) allow the issuer of a QZAB to receive a direct payment in lieu of the tax credit for interest payments with respect to such bonds, and (3) permit private entities to waive the 10% matching requirement for QZABs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2011
Fair Pay Act of 2011 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex, race, or national origin. (Allows payment of different wages under seniority systems, merit systems, systems that measure earnings by quantity or quality of production, or differentials based on bona fide factors that the employer demonstrates are job-related or further legitimate business interests.) Prohibits the discharge of, or any other discrimination against, an individual for opposing any act or practice made unlawful by this Act, or for assisting in an investigation or proceeding under it. Directs courts, in any action brought under this Act for violation of such prohibition, to allow expert fees as part of the costs awarded to prevailing plaintiffs. Allows any such action to be maintained as a class action. Directs the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to: (1) undertake studies and provide information and technical assistance to employers, labor organizations, and the general public concerning effective means available to implement this Act; and (2) carry on a continuing program of research, education, and technical assistance with specified components related to the purposes of this Act. Makes conforming amendments relating to congressional and executive branch employees to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the Presidential and Executive Office Accountability Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2011
Tom Lantos Pulmonary Hypertension Research and Education Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, should continue aggressive work on pulmonary hypertension; and (2) the Director of the Institute should continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for, pulmonary hypertension. Requires inclusion of information on the status of pulmonary hypertension research at NIH in biennial reports to Congress. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to carry out an educational campaign to increase public awareness of pulmonary hypertension, which may include information on pulmonary hypertension and its symptoms, the incidence and prevalence of pulmonary hypertension, diseases and conditions that can lead to pulmonary hypertension as a secondary diagnosis, the importance of early diagnosis, and the availability of a range of treatment options. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Director of CDC, to carry out an educational campaign to increase awareness of pulmonary hypertension among health care providers, which may include information on: (1) the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension, (2) the importance of early diagnosis, (3) current diagnostic criteria, and (4) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies for the disease. Requires such campaign to target health care providers, including cardiologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists, primary care physicians, pediatricians, and nurse practitioners.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2011
Crime Victim Restitution and Court Fee Intercept Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the chief justice of the highest court of any state that wishes to collect past-due, legally enforceable state judicial debts to designate a single state entity to communicate judicial debt information to the Secretary of the Treasury. Directs the Secretary, upon receiving notice from such an entity that a named person owes a past-due, legally enforceable state judicial debt, to pay such debt from any tax refund due to such person. Defines "state judicial debt" to include court costs, fees, fines, assessments, restitution to victims of crime, and other monies resulting from a judgment or sentence rendered by any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction handling criminal or traffic cases in the state.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2011
Remembers the tragedy that took place on April 10, 2010, when an aircraft carrying a delegation of current and former Polish officials, family members, and others crashed en route from Warsaw to Smolensk to memorialize the 1940 Katyn massacres, killing all 96 passengers. Honors the memories of all Poles executed by the Soviet secret police (NKVD) at Katyn, Miednoye, Khakriv, and elsewhere and those who perished in the April 2010 crash. Expresses sympathy for the family members of those who perished in the crash. Recognizes the resilience of Poland's constitution as demonstrated by the stable transfer of constitutional authority that occurred after the crash.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Makes funds appropriated to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for the Capitol power plant in any fiscal year available to construct, operate, and maintain on a reimbursable basis battery recharging stations in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate on Capitol grounds for use by privately owned vehicles used by: (1) Senators, or (2) Senate employees or any other individuals authorized to park in any parking area under Senate jurisdiction on Capitol grounds (covered employees). Requires the Architect to charge Senators and covered employees fees for the electricity sufficient to cover costs, including those to any vendors or other costs associated with maintaining the battery recharging stations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to: (1) eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements and benefits of fair elections financing of Senate election campaigns, (2) establishment of a Fair Elections Fund, (3) eligibility for Fund allocations, (4) contribution and expenditure requirements, (5) a public debate requirement, (6) certification of whether or not a federal election candidate is a participating candidate, (7) benefits for participating candidates, (8) 500% matching payments to candidates for certain small dollar contributions, (9) political advertising vouchers, (10) establishment of a Fair Elections Oversight Board, (11) civil penalties for violation of contribution and expenditure requirements, (12) prohibition of joint fundraising committees with any political committee other than a candidate's authorized committee, and (13) an exception to a specified limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates for any expenditure from a qualified political party-participating candidate coordinated expenditure fund. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) prohibit the preemption of the use of a broadcasting station by a legally qualified Senate candidate who has purchased and paid for such use, (2) revise Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to revoke licenses for broadcasting stations who fail to provide access to Senate candidates, and (3) revise the formula for determining reduced broadcast rates for participating candidates in certain circumstances. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a standardized form to be used by broadcasting stations to record and report the purchase of advertising time by or on behalf of a candidate for nomination for election, or for election, to federal elective office. Amends FECA to: (1) empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to appeal a civil action; (2) require all designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under FECA to be filed directly with the FEC, and in computer-accessible electronic form; and (3) reduce from 48 to 24 hours after their receipt the deadline for the FEC to make designations, statements, reports, or notifications available to the public in the FEC office and on the Internet.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Fair Elections Revenue Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on payments made pursuant to a U.S. government contract to any person that is not a state or local government, a foreign nation, or a tax-exempt organization and that has contracts with the U.S. government in excess of $10 million. Sets the rate of such tax imposed on any payment to a qualified person under any such contract at 0.50% of the amount paid and limits the aggregate annual amount of tax so imposed for any calendar year to not more than $500,000. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the tax revenues raised by this Act should be used for the financing of a Fair Elections Fund and the public financing of Senate elections.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement a comprehensive program to achieve a 50% reduction in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2020. Requires the program to include initiatives throughout HHS, including: (1) a strategic review and prioritization by the National Cancer Institute of research grants; (2) the establishment by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of quality standards and guidelines for facilities that conduct computed tomography screening for lung cancer; and (3) the provision of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a Lung Cancer Early Detection Program that provides low-income, uninsured, and underserved populations that are at high risk for lung cancer access to early detection services. Requires the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to coordinate with the Secretary of HHS in implementing this Act and implementing coordinated care programs for military personnel and veterans diagnosed with lung cancer. Requires the Secretary of HHS to establish: (1) the Lung Cancer Computed Tomography Screening and Treatment Demonstration Project; and (2) the Lung Cancer Advisory Board to monitor the programs established under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Algae-Based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "cellulosic biofuel" for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit and the special depreciation allowance to mean any liquid fuel which is derived solely by, or from, qualified feedstocks. Defines "qualified feedstocks" as any lignocellulosic or hemicellulosic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis and any cultivated algae, cyanobacteria, or lemna.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Passport Identity Verification Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider, for data sharing purposes only, that when Department of State personnel authorized by the Secretary of State to grant, refuse, revoke, deny, or adjudicate U.S. passports are lawfully engaged in authorized data sharing activities regarding such passport activities, those activities shall be considered law enforcement activities involving the administration of criminal justice. Considers such Department personnel to be engaged in authorized data sharing activities when lawfully seeking to: (1) verify the identity of a passport applicant, (2) detect passport fraud, or (3) deny or revoke a passport. Directs the Secretary to promulgate implementing regulations regarding data sharing regulations, procedures, and policies. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study, and report to Congress, to determine: (1) if U.S. passport applicants or renewals should provide biometric identification information, and (2) if technology should be employed to verify identity documents.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require a retail electric supplier to submit to the Secretary of Energy (DOE) for calendar year 2013 and thereafter one or more of the following: (1) specified federal renewable energy credits, (2) certification of the renewable energy generated and electricity savings, and (3) specified alternative compliance payments. Prescribes, for calendar years 2013 through 2039, a schedule of graduated annual percentages of a retail electric supplier's base amount that shall be generated from renewable energy resources (increasing from 6% in 2013 to 25% in 2025). Directs the Secretary to establish a program to: (1) verify and issue federal renewable energy credits to generators of renewable energy; (2) track the sale, exchange, and retirement of the credits; and (3) enforce the federal renewable energy credits program. Directs the Secretary to issue a generator of electric energy one federal renewable energy credit for each kilowatt hour of electric energy generated by the use of a renewable energy resource at an eligible facility. Prescribes rules for federal renewable energy credit trading and for borrowing and repayment of federal renewable energy credits. Provides that this Act does not diminish the authority of a state or its political subdivision to: (1) adopt or enforce any law (including regulations) respecting renewable energy, or (2) regulate the acquisition and disposition of federal renewable energy credits by retail electric suppliers. Permits an electric utility that has sales of electric energy subject to rate regulation to recover the full cost of renewable energy obtained to comply with this Act. Establishes in the Treasury a state renewable energy account for a grant program for promoting renewable energy production and providing energy assistance and weatherization services to low-income consumers.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2011
Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 to authorize assistance to promote democracy and civil society in Belarus. Includes Internet broadcasting within the scope of support and funding for broadcasting from within and to Belarus. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should continue to support Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America broadcasting to the people of Belarus to ensure access to objective and timely information about domestic and global public affairs. Includes among the criteria that the government of Belarus must meet in order to end U.S. sanctions the release of individuals who were jailed based on political beliefs or human rights violations in connection with the repression that attended the December 2010 presidential election.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2011
Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, during a federal funding gap impacting the Armed Forces, to transfer to the Secretary of Defense (DHS), and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) in the case of the Coast Guard, amounts necessary to continue to provide pay and allowances to members of the Armed Forces, including the reserves, who perform active service during the funding gap. Allows for the provision of such pay and allowances, at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, for: (1) civilian DOD personnel providing support to such members; and (2) DOD contractor personnel providing direct support to such members. Prohibits any such transfer after December 31, 2011.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2011
Innovation Inspiration School Grant Program Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) promote science, technology, engineering (including robotics), and mathematics (STEM) in secondary schools; (2) support the participation of secondary school students in nontraditional STEM teaching methods; and (3) broaden secondary school students' access to STEM careers. Gives priority to grant applications that target: (1) a rural or urban school, (2) a low-performing school or LEA, or (3) an LEA or school that serves students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches under the school lunch program. Authorizes the Secretary to waive all or part of the matching requirement for financially-strapped LEAs. Directs the Secretary to evaluate the efficacy of the grant program.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2011
Designates April 2011 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2011
Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act - Amends the Animal Welfare Act to define a "high volume retail breeder" as a person who, in commerce, for compensation or profit: (1) has an ownership interest in or custody of one or more breeding female dogs; and (2) sells, via any means of conveyance, more than 50 of the offspring of such dogs for use as pets in any one-year period. Considers such a breeder of dogs to be a dealer. Requires dealers to include on licensing applications and annual renewals the total number of dogs exempted from exercise on the premises of the dealer in the preceding year by a licensed veterinarian. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to promulgate requirements for the exercise of dogs at facilities owned or operated by a dealer, including requiring daily access to exercise that: (1) allows the dogs to move sufficiently in a way that is not forced, repetitive, or restrictive; and (2) is in an area that is spacious, cleaned at least once a day, free of infestation by pests or vermin, and designed to prevent the dogs from escaping. Allows an exemption if: (1) a licensed veterinarian determines that a dog should not exercise because of the health, condition, or well-being of the dog; and (2) such determination is reviewed and updated at least once every 30 days by the veterinarian, unless the basis for the determination is a permanent condition. Subjects such a determination to review and approval by the Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2011
Supports the mission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention. Acknowledges the 39th anniversary of the International Day for Monuments and Sites. Commends UNESCO for preserving and celebrating natural and cultural sites worldwide.