United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2011
Recognizes: (1) the health, economic, and national security benefits of the Clean Air Act; and (2) that Clean Air Act programs have a record of providing health and economic benefits that significantly exceed the initial investments made in pollution reduction technology. Expresses support for the protection of children and families from harmful pollution through continued implementation of that Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2011
Amends the Act commonly known as the Indian Reorganization Act to apply the Act to all federally recognized Indian tribes, regardless of when any tribe became recognized. (This effectively overrules the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which held that the Secretary of the Interior could not take land into trust for a specified tribe because that tribe had not been under federal jurisdiction when the Act was enacted.) Ratifies and confirms any action taken by the Secretary pursuant to such Act for any Indian tribe that was federally recognized on the date of that action.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2011
Puerto Rico Hospital HITECH Amendments of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to apply Medicare HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act ) payments to subsection (d) hospitals in Puerto Rico. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2011
Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for railroad track maintenance, to: (1) expand the types of maintenance expenditures eligible for such credit, and (2) extend such credit through 2017.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2011
Recognizes that Geraldine A. Ferraro's vice-presidential candidacy forever enriched the American political landscape and forged a new path for women of the United States. Pays tribute to Congresswoman Geraldine A. Ferraro's work to improve the lives of women and families not only in the Ninth Congressional District of New York, whom she represented, but also the lives of women and families all across the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2011
Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2011 - Adjusts to permanent resident status a qualifying Liberian national who: (1) has been continuously present in the United States between January 1, 2011, through the date of status adjustment application; or (2) is the spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter of such an alien. Requires adjustment applications to be filed not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2011
Holocaust Rail Justice Act - Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction over any civil action for damages for personal injury or death that: (1) arose from the deportation of persons to Nazi concentration camps between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944; and (2) is brought by or on behalf of such person against a railroad that owned or operated the trains on which the persons were deported and that was organized as a separate legal entity. Declares that: (1) no law limiting the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts shall preclude any such action; and (2) no such action shall be barred because a statute of limitations has expired. Makes this Act applicable to any action pending on or commenced after January 1, 2002. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on the status of access to wartime records and archives concerning the wartime activities of any such railroad that engaged in the deportation of such persons to Nazi concentration camps.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2011
Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund Act - Authorizes the President to establish or designate a private, nonprofit organization (the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund) to promote: (1) the Egyptian private sector and joint U.S.-Egyptain ventures, (2) good corporate governance and transparency in Egypt, and (3) security through job creation and the creation of an Egyptian middle class. Tunisian-American Enterprise Fund Act - Authorizes the President to establish or designate a private, nonprofit organization (the Tunisian-American Enterprise Fund) to promote: (1) the Tunisian private sector and U.S.-Tunisian joint ventures, (2) good corporate governance and transparency in Tunisia, and (3) security through job creation and the creation of a Tunisian middle class. Authorizes the President to make grants to carry out a Fund's purposes provided that the Fund agrees to: (1) liquidate its assets and dissolve not later than December 31, 2021, unless the Secretary of State determines that the Fund should be extended; (2) ensure that grant funds are not provided to or through any individual, private or government entity, or educational institution that advocates, or engages or has engaged in money laundering or terrorist activity; or (3) return any remaining funds to the the U.S. Treasury to be used to reduce U.S. debt.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2011
Building and Upgrading Infrastructure for Long-Term Development - Establishes the American Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA) as a wholly-owned government corporation, headed by a Chief Executive Officer and managed by a Board of Directors, which shall provide direct loans and loan guarantees to facilitate transportation, water, or energy infrastructure projects. Requires infrastructure projects assisted under this Act to have costs that are reasonably anticipated to equal or exceed $100 million ($25 million for rural infrastructure projects). Sets forth special requirements for infrastructure projects in rural areas. Establishes an Office of Rural Assistance to provide technical assistance in the development and financing of rural infrastructure projects. Establishes an Office of Special Inspector General to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the business activities of AIFA. Prohibits financial assistance from AIFA for any private project for which no public benefit is created. Sets forth terms for loans or loan guarantees for infrastructure projects and for the repayment of such loans. Requires an annual independent audit of AIFA finances. Requires the Chief Executive Officer of AIFA to: (1) establish fees with respect to loans and loan guarantees that are sufficient to cover AIFA's administrative costs, and (2) take actions to make AIFA a self-sustaining entity, with administrative and federal credit subsidy costs fully funded by fees and risk premiums on loans and loan guarantees. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2012 the exemption from alternative minimum tax (AMT) for tax-exempt private activity bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2011
Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2011 - Directs the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of determining cognitive, behavioral, and physical disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to amend specified Listings of Impairments by providing medical and evaluation criteria for Huntington's Disease. Amends SSA title II to waive the 24-month waiting period for coverage under the Medicare program for individuals diagnosed with Hunington's Disease.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2011
Respect for Marriage Act of 2011 - Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal a provision that prohibited a state, territory, possession, or Indian tribe from being required to recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a same sex marriage. Amends the federal rules of construction added by such Act concerning the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" to provide that, for purposes of any federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage is valid in the state where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any state, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Removes the definition of "spouse" (currently, a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife).
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2011
Full-Service Community Schools Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to: (1) consortia composed of one or more local educational agencies (LEAs) and one or more community-based, nonprofit, or other public or private entities to assist public elementary or secondary schools to function as full-service community schools; and (2) state collaboratives to support the development of full-service community school programs. Requires such schools to: (1) participate in community-based efforts to coordinate and integrate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships; and (2) provide access to such services to students, families, and the community. Gives local grant priority to consortia that: (1) will serve at least one full-service community school eligible for a schoolwide program under the Act, or include an LEA serving only small or rural schools; and (2) will be connected to a consortium comprising a broad representation of stakeholders or one that has a history of effectiveness. Establishes a Full-Service Community Schools Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2011
Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission to provide independent counsel to Congress on policy issues associated with the recruitment for, and retention, research, and reinvestment in, the profession of social work. Directs the Commission to study and report to Congress on issues facing the social work profession, including: (1) fair market compensation, high social work educational debt, social work workforce trends, translating social work research to practice, and social work safety; and (2) state-level social work licensure policies and reciprocity agreements for providing services across state lines. Requires such study to assess the professional capacity of the social work workforce to serve and respond successfully to the increasing biopsychosocial needs of individuals, groups, and communities in certain areas, including aging and child welfare. Terminates the Commission 30 days after it submits such report within 18 months of its first meeting. Authorizes the Secretary to award: (1) workplace improvement grants to eligible entities and individuals to address workplace concerns for the social work profession, including caseloads, compensation, social work safety, supervision, and working conditions; and (2) research grants, education and training grants, and community-based programs of excellence grants. Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract with a national social work entity to serve as a coordinating center and clearinghouse for information on activities funded under the grants, and (2) develop a multi-media outreach campaign and issue public service announcements that advertise and promote the social work profession.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2011
Repealing Ineffective and Incomplete Abstinence-Only Program Funding Act of 2011 - Amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to: (1) eliminate the abstinence-only education program, (2) rescind unobligated FY2010 and 2011 program appropriations, and (3) reprogram such rescinded appropriations for the personal responsibility education program (PREP) for FY2012-FY2014.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2011
Federal Judicial Fairness Act of 2011 - Repeals the requirement limiting salary increases for federal judges or Supreme Court justices to those specifically authorized by Act of Congress. Amends the federal judicial code to apply the same automatic annual cost-of-living adjustment to judicial salaries as takes effect under the General Schedule for civilian federal employees.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2011
StartUp Visa Act of 2011 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish an employment-based, conditional immigrant visa (StartUp visa) for a sponsored alien entrepreneur: (1) with required amounts of financial backing from a qualifying investor, government entity, or venture capitalist; and (2) whose commercial activities will generate required levels of employment, revenue, or capital investment. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate the status of a sponsored entrepreneur (and the alien spouse and children of such entrepreneur) if not later than three years after the date on which such permanent resident status was conferred: (1) the sponsoring venture capitalist or investor fails to meet investment requirements; or (2) the entrepreneur fails to meet job creation, capital investment, or revenue requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2011
Mourns the loss of life from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011. Expresses the Senate's condolences to the victims' families and its sympathies to the survivors who are still suffering in the aftermath of this tragic natural disaster. Commends the government of Japan for its courageous and professional response to this natural disaster. Supports the efforts by the U.S. government, relief agencies, and private citizens to assist the government and people of Japan. Urges the United States and the international community to provide additional humanitarian assistance to aid the survivors and support reconstruction efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2011
Equal Access to COBRA Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and Public Health Service Act to expand COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits) to include an employee's domestic partner and any dependent child of the domestic partner.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2011
Public Good IRA Rollover Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax exclusion of distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes to: (1) make such exclusion permanent; (2) eliminate the $100,000 cap on such exclusion; (3) permit tax-free distributions from IRAs to a split-interest entity (i.e., a charitable remainder annuity or unitrust, a pooled income fund, and a charitable gift annuity); and (4) allow distributions to a split-interest entity to be made when the account beneficiary attains age 59-1/2 (otherwise, age 70-1/2 for IRA distributions to a charitable organization).
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2011
Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 - Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination. Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct they reasonably believe to be unlawful under this Act. Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them. Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail. Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2011
Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the definition of "health care provider" for purposes of health information technology provisions to include a behavioral or mental health professional, a substance abuse professional, a psychiatric hospital, a community mental health center, a residential or outpatient mental health treatment facility, and a substance abuse treatment facility. Adds community mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, behavioral and mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, residential or outpatient mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities to the list of entities with priority for receiving direct assistance from regional extension centers to effectively adopt, implement, and utilize health information technology. Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include qualified clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, residential or outpatient mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities within the health professionals, hospitals, and Medicaid providers eligible for incentive payments for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Applies Medicare hospital market basket adjustments for such incentives applicable to inpatient hospitals to psychiatric hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2011
Brewer's Employment and Excise Relief Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the rate of the excise tax on beer produced within or imported into the United States for brewers who produce not more than 6 million barrels of beer a year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2011
Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, on an ongoing basis, to: (1) collect and report certain information on bullying and harassment by youth in their elementary and secondary schools and communities; (2) conduct, and report the results of, a needs assessment for bullying and harassment prevention programs; and (3) provide technical assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools in their efforts to thwart bullying and harassment. Requires LEAs to: (1) include clear prohibitions against bullying and harassment within their discipline policies; (2) establish and monitor performance indicators for incidents of bullying and harassment; and (3) establish grievance procedures students, parents, and educators can use to redress such conduct. Directs LEAs to notify parents, students, and educators annually on: (1) the bullying and harassment prohibited by their discipline policies, (2) the numbers and nature of bullying and harassment incidents for each of their schools, and (3) grievance procedures for redressing such conduct. Requires: (1) the Secretary of Education to conduct, and report on, an independent biennial evaluation of programs to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools; and (2) the Commissioner for Education Statistics to collect data, that are subject to independent review, to determine the incidence and prevalence of bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools in this country.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2011
Repeals a provision of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act establishing an inspection and grading program for catfish and other species of farm-raised fish shellfish effective on the date of enactment of such Act..
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2011
SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs to extend funding and revise provisions, including those concerning award levels, qualifications for program participation, collaboration and partnerships, acquisition preferences, performance measurement and oversight, workforce development, the Department of Defense (DOD) commercialization readiness program, nanotechnology, and intellectual property protections. Provides for: (1) funding for SBIR and STTR administrative, oversight, and contract processing costs; (2) a study concerning venture capital operating company involvement; (3) measures for reducing vulnerability of SBIR and STTR programs to fraud, waste, and abuse; (4) an Interagency SBIR/STTR Policy Committee; (5) a report on SBIR and STTR program goals; and (6) competitive selection procedures for SBIR and STTR programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Preserving Homes and Communities Act of 2011 - Prohibits a covered mortgagee from initiating either a nonjudicial or a judicial foreclosure against a covered mortgagor that is otherwise authorized under state law unless the covered mortgagee has: (1) used its best efforts to determine whether the mortgagor is eligible for a qualified loan modification, and to offer one if the mortgagor is eligible; and (2) made available to an ineligible mortgagor certain documentation of a loan modification calculation or net present value calculation, the loan origination, any pooling and servicing agreement, the mortgagor's payment history, and the specific alternatives to foreclosure considered by the mortgagee, including qualified loan modifications, workout agreements, and short sales. Requires a covered mortgagee to use its best efforts to suspend any foreclosure proceeding initiated before enactment of this Act, and to toll any deadlines limiting the mortgagor's rights. Prohibits any sale of the property under the mortgage or the entry of judgment against the mortgagor. Requires the mortgagee to reevaluate an eligible mortgagee's application for a qualified loan modification and offer one. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) Director to ensure that any home loan modification protocol includes a dispute resolution procedure to resolve any application disputes. Declares any sale of property in violation of this Act void. Makes failure to comply with this Act a bar to foreclosure under state law. Prohibits loan modification fees and sets forth rules governing foreclosure-related fees. Directs the Secretary of HUD to: (1) establish a grant program to make competitive grants to state and local governments to establish mediation programs that assist mortgagors facing foreclosure, and (2) develop and implement a plan to monitor conditions and trends in home ownership and the mortgage industry and the effectiveness of public and private efforts to reduce mortgage defaults and foreclosures. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, out of funds received or to be received from the sale of warrants under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, to transfer and credit $1 billion to the Housing Trust Fund established under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate eating disorder research. Authorizes the Director to award grants for consortia in eating disorder research. Establishes the Interagency Eating Disorders Coordinating Council within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) improve the collection, analysis and reporting of state epidemiological data on eating disorders; (2) study the economic costs of eating disorders; and (3) award grants for programs to prevent eating disorders and obesity and to promote health body image and appropriate eating behaviors. Directs the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics to study jointly the impact eating disorders have on educational advancement and achievement. Requires the Director of CDC to study mandatory reporting of body mass index. Requires the Secretary to provide for public service announcements on eating disorders. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants for training and education programs to provide health professions students or residents with an understanding of, and clinical skills pertinent to identifying and treating, eating disorders. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to permit funds made available to local education agencies for innovative assistance programs to be used for eating disorder programs. Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to expand coverage for eating disorders. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to award grants for patient advocacy to help individuals with eating disorders obtain adequate health care services and insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Haitian Emergency Life Protection Act of 2011 or the H.E.L.P. Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to V- visa nonimmigrants (spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents who come to the United States to wait for completion of the immigrant visa process) to include certain Haitian nationals whose petition for a family-sponsored immigrant visa was approved on or before January 12, 2010. Authorizes the Secretary of State to use secondary evidence to verify eligibility for such status or for immediate relative status. Sunsets the provisions of this Act two years after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Strengthen the Earned Income Tax Credit Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the reduction in the marriage penalty applicable to the earned income tax credit, (2) increase such tax credit for families with three or more qualifying children and for individuals with no qualifying children, (3) extend such credit to individuals at age 21 (currently age 25) who do not have a qualifying child, (4) allow such credit for certain married individuals who live apart from their spouses and file separate tax returns (abandoned spouse rule), (5) repeal provisions denying such credit for individuals with excessive investment income, and (6) increase to $500 the penalty on tax return preparers for failure to be diligent in determining eligibility for the earned income tax credit. Makes permanent provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 relating to the earned income tax credit.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Recognizes the historic contributions of all U.S. veterans who served in the First World War. States that the Senate stands adjourned on March 3, 2011, as a further mark of respect to the memory of Frank W. Buckles, the longest surviving U.S. veteran of such War.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2011
Declares that, in recognition of the historic contributions of the U.S. veterans who served in World War I, the remains of Frank W. Buckles (the last surviving U.S. veteran of such War), should be permitted to lie in honor in the rotunda of the Capitol from March 14, 2011, to March 15, 2011, so that U.S. citizens may pay their last respects to those great Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2011
Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011 - Amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (NICS Act) to increase the amount of a state's allocation under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program that the Attorney General shall withhold to: (1) 15% in FY2013-FY2017 if the state provides less than 75% of the records required to be provided under the NICS Act's requirements regarding making data electronically available to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and (2) 25% in FY2018 and thereafter if the state provides less than 90% of the records required. Authorizes the Attorney General to reduce the percentage of the amount withheld if a state provides substantial evidence that it is making a reasonable effort to comply. Requires any withheld funds to be transferred to the appropriations account for state and local law enforcement assistance, Office of Justice Programs, of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Expresses the sense of Congress that any funds transferred should be used to carry out activities described in the NICS Act. Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to require each federal agency to submit to the Attorney General a semiannual written certification indicating whether it has provided the pertinent information in any record in its possession identifying persons prohibited from purchasing or receiving firearms or ammunition. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each college, university, or postsecondary institution that receives federal funds under such Act or financial assistance under any federal program to develop and implement a mental health assessment plan for assessing, reporting, and referring students who pose a safety risk to themselves or others, informing their families, and addressing such risks. Amends the federal criminal code to set forth criteria for: (1) drawing an inference that a person is an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and (2) defining a person as "addicted to any controlled substance." Extends Brady Act background check procedures to unlicensed transferors and transferees of firearms. Specifies exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2011
Reforming Airwaves by Developing Incentives and Opportunistic Sharing Act or the RADIOS Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), subject to specified national security, classified information, and public safety exceptions, and in consultation with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to: (1) biennially inventory each radio spectrum band from 300 megahertz to at least 6.5 gigahertz managed by each such agency, including information on the total spectrum authorized for each licensee or federal government user and the approximate number of deployed or authorized transmitters, end-user terminals, or receivers (excluding unintended radiators) in the band; and (2) make the information available to the public through the Internet. Directs the FCC and NTIA to conduct a study of occupancy on the electromagnetic spectrum (between, at least, 100 megahertz and 10 gigahertz) based on the extent of the use of such spectrum. Directs the FCC and NTIA to determine appropriate benchmarks for assessing: (1) the utilization of each electromagnetic spectrum band, and (2) the availability of services operating in bands capable of offering substitutable services. Requires the FCC to study and seek public comment on means of providing greater predictability in the determination of harmful interference along the electromagnetic spectrum. Directs the FCC and NTIA to identify specified close proximity electromagnetic spectrum most feasible for: (1) spectrum sharing opportunities for commercial and federal government users, (2) spectrum reuse opportunities for commercial and federal government users, (3) temporary or dynamic short-term assignment and use, and (4) spectrum layering opportunities for commercial and federal government users. Directs the FCC and NTIA to: (1) implement pilot programs (and possibly permanent programs, if deemed viable) to promote spectrum sharing and reuse activities for such identified spectrum bands, (2) examine each radio spectrum band from 2.5 to 6 gigahertz to determine spectrum sharing opportunities for high bandwidth, low-power applications and services, (3) perform a cost-benefit analysis on electromagnetic spectrum relocation opportunities to move certain federal users and services currently operating in a specific band of the spectrum to more efficient spectrum bands, and (4) establish the Spectrum Advisory Committee. Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to provide for the reversion of unused Spectrum Relocation Fund amounts to the Treasury after 20 years (current law provides for reversion after 8 years). Requires each transmission system (any telecommunications, broadcast, satellite, commercial mobile service, or other communications system that employs radio spectrum) to be designated and operated in a manner that prevents impairment by reasonably used adjacent spectrum. Directs to ensure such compliance: (1) manufacturers of transmission system products and services, and (2) each licensee or approved federal government user. Directs the FCC and NTIA to conduct: (1) a cost-benefit analysis on the value of improving received standards as it relates to increasing spectral efficiency, improving operation of services in adjacent frequencies, narrowing the guard bands between adjacent spectrum use, and improving overall receiver performance for the end user; and (2) a feasibility study on a more efficient spectrum incentive pricing system. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that, if consistent with the public interest for an eligible licensee to relinquish some or all of its spectrum usage rights in order to permit the assignment of new initial licenses or the allocation of spectrum for unlicensed use, the proceeds from the use of a competitive bidding system may be shared with any such eligible licensee. Extends the FCC's auction authority until September 30, 2017. Directs the NTIA to establish spectrum efficiency and utilization baselines for the use of spectrum assigned to each federal agency. Requires a federal agency that fails to meet the baseline to file a cost report and analysis (determined to be reasonable by the NTIA) as a condition to receiving funds from the NTIA and OMB to defray necessary upgrade costs. Requires the Department of Commerce and the FCC to triennially develop a 10-year National Strategic Spectrum Plan, as specified. Directs the OMB to rewrite Circular A-11 to ensure that federal agencies give more consideration to spectrum use in their management processes. Requires each federal agency, to the extent feasible, to share existing spectrum assignments with non-federal users. Requires the FCC and NTIA to issue and seek public comment on a report providing a strategy for coexistence of licensed and unlicensed use of spectrum and a determination of the amount of spectrum appropriate for unlicensed devices. Requires the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to: (1) install or retrofit wireless Internet connections in federal buildings; and (2) allow wireless neutral host providers, upon request, to install such systems in all publicly accessible federal buildings.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 2011
Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Directs the Comptroller General to report on whether the presentation of clinical study safety and effectiveness data by sex, age, and racial subgroups complies with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a response to such report, including a corrective action plan as needed. Requires the Director of the Office of Women's Health of FDA to report on the compliance of clinical studies of women's health with such FDA requirements, including requirements regarding: (1) the adequacy of representation of females, racial and ethnic minorities, and adults of all ages in approved clinical studies; and (2) the extent to which a summary of product safety and effectiveness data disaggregated by sex, age, and racial subgroup is available to the public. Requires the Director of the Office of Minority Health of FDA to submit a report that includes such information with respect to clinical studies of minority health. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to report on the quality of, and access to, care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases and to include recommendations for eliminating disparities in, and improving the treatment of, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women. Reauthorizes a program to award grants for preventive heath services and referrals for medical treatment for women through entities that are screening women for breast or cervical cancer. Requires the Secretary to study the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on such services and make recommendations for improvement.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2011
Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to increase to 6% the rate of increase in the fee schedule for ground ambulance services furnished between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2018, in rural and urban areas. Extends to January 1, 2018, the increase in the base rate of the fee schedule the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required to make for a trip in the case of ground ambulance services furnished on or after July 1, 2004, for which the transportation originates in a qualified low population density rural area.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2011
Directs the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to arrange for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor collectively the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in recognition of their military service and exemplary record during World War II. Requires the Medal's display at the Smithsonian Institution. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Medal should be made available for display elsewhere, particularly at locations associated with the CAP. Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2011
Declares that the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable James Albertus McClure, former Member of the United States Senate. Declares that when the Senate adjourns on February 28, 2011, it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator McClure.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2011
Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act of 2011 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to set forth provisions concerning establishing standards for: (1) a minimum level of energy efficiency or a maximum quantity of water use for clothes washers and dishwashers; (2) the seasonal energy efficiency ratio of central air conditioners and central air conditioning heat pumps manufactured on or after January 1, 2015; (3) the annual fuel utilization efficiency of non-weatherized furnaces manufactured on or after May 1, 2013; (4) energy efficiency of GU-24 Base Lamps, high light output double-ended quartz halogen lamps, general service fluorescent lamps, general service incandescent lamps, intermediate base incandescent lamps, candelabra base incandescent lamps, and incandescent reflector lamps; (5) energy efficiency of bottle-type water dispensers and compartment bottle-type water dispensers, commercial hot food holding cabinets, and portable electric spas; (6) energy conservation of refrigerators and freezers manufactured on or after January 1, 2014; (7) minimum energy efficiency ratios of room air conditioners manufactured on or after June 1, 2014; (8) minimum energy efficiency of clothes dryers manufactured on or after January 1, 2015; (9) energy conservation of certain incandescent reflector lamps; (10) energy efficiency of warm air furnaces with an input rating of 225,000 Btu per hour or more and manufactured on or after the date that is one year after this Act's enactment; (11) daily energy consumption of service over the counter, self-contained, medium temperature commercial refrigerators; and (12) nominal full load efficiency of specified electric motors. Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to publish rules that determine whether the Secretary should: (1) establish or amend standards for through-the-wall central air conditioners, through-the-wall central air conditioning heat pumps, and small duct, high velocity systems; (2) amend standards for weatherized furnaces; and (3) initiate a process for establishing minimum energy efficiency standards for video game console energy use. Amends the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles to: (1) revise exceptions from preemption requirements for certain building code requirements; and (2) revise labeling rules for "covered products." Prohibits the manufacture of general purpose mercury vapor lamps on or after January 1, 2016. Provides that state energy conservation standards that are adopted by January 1, 2015, pursuant to statutory requirements to adopt efficiency standards for reducing outdoor lighting energy use enacted prior to January 31, 2008, will not be preempted by federal standards. Provides that California and Nevada are not precluded from adopting, effective beginning on or after January 1, 2018, standards for general service lamps. Requires the Administrator to determine whether to update the Energy Star criteria for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, and room air conditioners to incorporate smart grid and demand response features. Requires the Secretary to establish a program concerning increasing awareness of higher efficiency electric motors.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2011
Cold War Service Medal Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of the military department concerned to issue the Cold War Service Medal to members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or released under honorable conditions after having: (1) served on active duty for at least 24 consecutive months during the Cold War (September 2, 1945, through December 26, 1991), (2) deployed outside the continental United States for at least 30 days during such period, or (3) performed other Cold War service as the Secretary of Defense (DOD) may prescribe. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should expedite the design of the Medal as well its issuance to eligible members.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2011
Prescribe A Book Act - Creates a Pediatric Early Literacy program under which the Secretary of Education awards matching grants to nonprofit organizations for the implementation of three-part models through which: (1) health care providers encourage parents to read aloud to their children and offer them recommendations and strategies for doing so; (2) health care providers give each visiting child between the ages of six months and five-years a new, developmentally appropriate children's book to take home and keep; and (3) volunteers reading to children in health care facility waiting areas show parents the techniques and pleasures of reading aloud to children. Requires that the books provided to children under the program be obtained at a discount.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2011
Dale Long Emergency Medical Service Providers Protection Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1986 to include within the definitions of "member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew" and "public safety officer" for purposes of eligibility for public safety officers' benefits an officially recognized or designated employee or volunteer member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew that: (1) is a public agency or a nonprofit entity serving the public that is officially authorized or licensed to engage in rescue activity or to provide emergency medical services and that is officially designated as a prehospital emergency medical response agency, and (2) is engaging in rescue activity or in the provision of emergency medical services. Cancels $12 million of unobligated balances available under the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund. Makes this Act applicable to injuries sustained on or after June 1, 2009.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2011
Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2011
Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and implement a Pancreatic Cancer Initiative to assist in coordinating activities to address the high mortality rate associated with pancreatic cancer. Requires the Secretary to establish the Interdisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Coordinating Committee to: (1) provide advice on overall research objectives and benchmarks for pancreatic cancer research; (2) develop within six months of establishment of the committee and every five years thereafter a strategic plan for pancreatic cancer research awareness; and (3) conduct evaluations and make recommendations as needed to the Secretary, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) regarding the prioritization and award of NIH research grants relating to pancreatic cancer. Requires the Secretary to develop a primary care provider education program on pancreatic cancer. Requires the Director of NCI and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a communication tool kit for patients and their families that focuses on specific pancreatic cancer issues relating to patient choices and patient care. Allows the Secretary to award grants to research institutions for use in developing innovative compounds or technologies for the prevention, early detection, or treatment of those cancers with five-year survival rates of less than 50%. Requires the Secretary to focus on pancreatic cancer during the initial five fiscal years of awarding such grants. Allows the Secretary to designate two additional Specialized Programs of Research Excellence focusing solely on pancreatic cancer research.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2011
Recognizes the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Commends the NAACP for its work to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all people.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2011
Congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 190th anniversary of Greece's independence. Supports the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are committed. Notes the important role that Greece has played in the European region and in the community of nations since gaining its independence 190 years ago.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2011
Recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on the nation's history, recognize contributions of African Americans, and learn from past experiences.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2011
Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to revise provisions governing the importation of prescription drugs. Waives the limitation on importation of prescription drugs that have been exported from the United States. Prohibits the importation of a qualifying drug unless such drug is imported by a registered importeror an individual for personal use. Establishes registration conditions for importers and exporters. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to inspect places of business, verify chains of custody, inspect facilities, and determine compliance with registration conditions. Sets forth provisions governing the importation of qualifying drugs that are different from U.S. label drugs, including standards for judging such differences. Prohibits manufacturers from: (1) discriminating against registered exporters or importers; (2) causing there to be a difference in a prescription drug distributed in the United States and one distributed in a permitted country; (3) engaging in actions to restrict, prohibit, or delay the importation of a qualifying drug; or (4) engaging in any action that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determines discriminates against a person that engages or attempts to engage in the importation of a qualifying drug. States that the resale in the United States of prescription drugs that were properly sold abroad is not patent infringement. Requires the Secretary to educate consumers regarding prescription drug importation. Sets forth provisions governing the sale of prescription drugs through an Internet site. Includes the dispensing or selling of a prescription drug in violation of this Act as a prohibited act under FFDCA. Prohibits the introduction of restricted transactions with unregistered foreign pharmacies into a payment system or the completion of such transactions using a payment system.
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